Tammarik

Tammarik is situated strategically on the main land route between Reetland and Sankhar but it is also connected via the River Kald to the fertile valley of the Kald and via the Blue Sea to the ports of the Garannon Peninsula and the wealthy cities of the south. It is the largest city in Sankhar and indeed the largest city north of the Blue Sea. Tammarik serves as a complete contrast to Coranan, the nearest large city, being a mixture of crowded bazaars, noise, bustle, both pleasant and dubious odours and with not a little crime and corruption thrown in. Above all, however, it is a trading hub with an enormous amount of goods flowing through its harbour and land gates. Rates of tax are not especially high but the volume of trade generates enormous wealth for some and the gap between the wealthy and the very poor exceeds other cities north of the Sea. The palace of the Wazir of Tammarik is indeed far more luxurious than that of the King of Sankhar.

Tammarik was in origin a colony founded by merchants from Aratola seeking trading opportunities with the wide lands to the north which were just recovering from the Great Darkness, In -585 the city became independent and remained so until it was conquered by the Great Khan in -297. In 57 it joined the rest of Sankhar in rebelling against the Khans and has remained as part of that kingdom ever since although it retains the right to enact its own statutes.

Visitors will find the merchants and shopkeepers of Tammarik are quite happy to haggle over prices, indeed they expect this, setting their prices initially to give themselves a very generous profit. Customers are expected to inspect the goods to their own satisfaction before buying since once money has changed hands refunds are extremely unlikely. There are, however, laws which severely punish the use of fraudulent weights and measures.

The population of the city is predominantly Southerner with the second largest group being the Kenzin who comprise roughly 10% of the population but in truth the city ha become a melting pot for all the peoples round the Blue Sea and an astonishing variety of non-human races can also be seen wandering through the streets. The city has also a very diverse religious life with the Servants of the Real Fire probably having the most followers and the Pelorean Church ranking maybe only the fifth largest. Estimated of the total population range from 80,000 to 100,000.

The City Watch is not very effective at arriving anywhere in Tammarik very fast and is greatly hampered by the narrow and crowded streets. The only reason there is not more crime in the city is that there are far fewer practices that are defined as illegal in Tammarik than in other cities in the north. Indeed with the right amount of coin all tastes and pleasures are catered for. The Wazir does, however, employ a highly skilled set of retainers who are adept at dealing with anyone who is seen as a political threat to the elite of the city.

The city is responsible for providing for Sankhar's navy and has its own well-drilled infantry and cavalry for the defence of the city. These units are regularly rotated to posts on Sankhar's borders to give them experience in combat.