Places of the World: Dólmen

Far across Dalmodil Bay lies the most influential Province of Malimar: Dólmen. Home to most of the coin that flows through the region, Dólmen is the place where the wealthy meet to decide the fate of anything that can be bought or sold for a decent price in all of Malimar.

Upon visiting the city, any wandering ship will soon come under the Guardian of the Royals, a staggering humanoid statue standing 100 feet high that extends a welcoming hand towards incoming merchants willing to make a living under its conspicuous gaze. Its features, while wildly indistinct, hint of the pragmatic approach to dealing with peoples and backgrounds: everyone can earn coin in Dólmen, as long as they have something of value to offer.

Its inner harbor is capable of holding thousands of ships big and small, and its shores are permanently bursting with sellers and buyers eager to do business with anyone who sets foot in the port. Brightly colored streets crisscross the city through ample, wide pathways that are always filled with people, noises and goods, with all of them leading to the single building-monument that alone stands in the very center of Dólmen: the Tower of the Stone, the place from where all decisions are made and all rules are enacted in the city. It is surrounded by a thick wall and peppered with beautiful ornamental trees known as Shevashla, the Trees of the Infinite. Their small leaves, gleaming with shades of purple and gold, make them one of the most distinctive sights in all of Malimar.

Dólmen, however, is also known for being extremely strict regarding two professional types: thieves and mages. The Dólmen Polincrat is mostly responsible for surveilling and punishing any attempt at stealing, pickpocketing and any such activity in the city, while also keeping a tough stance on the open practice of magic and trade of arcane items. Perhaps because of this policy, powerful people who earn money from unsavory business usually tend to their affairs from Talarissa and do not bother coming to Dólmen, while spellcasters of any kind are doubly careful when dealing in magic. For that reason, mages must generally be authorized and certified by the Chamber of Coin, which gives out permits to any such spellcaster who intends to take residence in the city. Nonetheless, the commerce of magical items remains strictly forbidden, and those who wish to seek them must look for them in neighboring Provinces.