Zordon is a unique city on Ganae. A significant percentage of the population is made up of exotic races and subraces that are not found elsewhere on Ganae. A truly wide range of creatures live in Zordon, including a number of non-humanoid sentients.
The range of creatures (and culttures) gives Zordon its own unique culture. Zordon's people (called Zordonians, or 'Zords' in derision) are generally very curious about the rest of the world, as well as the worlds and realms beyond. Zordon is one of the few ports where Spelljammers can dock without arising suspicion, as Spelljamming technology is known to many Zordonians. The general populace also has recently become aware of other worlds and planes of existence, and a small trading company has begun to import items from other planets and realms.
Aside from its unique populace, Zordon is located in a strategic location. This has of course made it the target of several conquests, most recently from the Empire of Sogel. None have lasted for very long, and Zordon has been independent for as long as anyone can remember. There are records dating back to the height of the Malazhi era and further. Zordon has also been the target of conquest attempts by powerful individuals and even godlings.
While Zordon's history might cause other cities to become somewhat paranoid and closed, Zordon is almost exactly the opposite. In fact, many citizens will readily admit that Zordon has had its fair share of ill happenings. However, most agree that Zordon would lose its prosperity with closed gates. They'd also argue that most of the ill luck could not have been prevented, just mitigated.
Zordon is an independent city-state at the mouth of the Bessai River, where it flows into Reskemi Bay. The nearby farmlands are also considered part of Zordon's territory. Zordon is bordered to the north by the Empire of Sogel, and to the south by the lands of the Omkedrin.
The Bessai river and its tributaries flow deep into the continent of Ahvosia, making Zordon an important city strategically. Zordon is a sprawling city, occupying both sides of the river, as well as several islands in the center of it. Zordon also controls Reskemi Bay, and the two towns on the north and south of the bay's mouth. Yethar on the north side is primarily a mining settlement, while Paltir is the home of fishermen and farmers. These towns each contribute a representative to the Zordon council, and their people commonly trade goods in the city.
Also within the territory that Zordon controls are numerous tiny fishing villages along the coast, three separate dwarven strongholds in the hills, an Omkedrin trading post, and several undersea villages in Reskemi Bay. Zordon does not control these, but visitors from these villages are not uncommon in the city.
Zordon is located near the equator of Ganae, and therefore does not have significant weather variations. The climate ranges from temperate to subtropical, as the city is cooled by the sea breezes and the waters and winds from nearby Thontoth in the empire of Sogel.
Zordon sits at one of the few places on Reskemi Bay that is not rocky and difficult to navigate. The bay holds several dangers, and newcomers to the bay are greeted by a navigator on a launch from Paltir. The navigator will help the visitor to avoid the coral reefs and hidden rocks that make sailing Reskemi Bay a challenge.
Even though Zordon has been around since before the recorded history of the land, few records exist because of its strategic location. Zordon has been subject to siege, burning, earthquakes, floods, and other devastations, many caused by civilizations attempting to conquer it. The buildings have been rebuilt over the centuries, the walls reinforced countless times, only to be thrown down by conquerers, archmages, or gods.
The city has been occupied several times, most recently by Sogel. However, the inhabitants of the city have a strong pride in their home, and work to drive conquerors out. The Sogel occupation only lasted 8 years.
Some of the highlights from Zordon's history:
The people of Zordon are the most varied mixture of races on Ganae. The population is estimated at 85000. Of these, a little less than half are human. Other common humanoid races (dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings, goblinoids, orcs, etc) make up about 35%. The remainder (roughly 15-20%) are a mixture of more exotic races.
The incredible diversity is because of Zordon's nature. Not only is it a known spelljamming port, but a series of planar portals within, near, or underneath the city provides an additional influx of beings. Since Zordon is strongly independent and neutral, many creatures decide to stay. Some are fleeing persecution, some are curious about the new world, and some simply can't find a way back home.
Some races dwell in small communities, or even extended "families". Sometimes the members of a race will start a business reflecting some aspect of their culture; food and crafts are popular. Others may seek adventure, exploring the world.
Officially, Zordon is ruled by Lord Mayor Culiza Parjavan. The Mayor's position is elected for life by a council made up of guild leaders, clergy, academy instructors, and a few significant merchants. The 17-member council meets with the mayor whenever the situation demands it.
In practice, Zordon has a fairly decentralized government. Each sector of the council generally handles its own affairs. The Lord Mayor has the authority to enforce her decrees, but her actual power is somewhat limited. The council does coordinate among its members to ensure the city's welfare. However, the council members are widely known to play favorites, so influence on the council is a major commodity.
Because Zordon is an independent city-state, the town watch and the town guard are one and the same. They are fairly organized, and may call on the mages' colleges or one of several priesthoods for spell-support. Units of men are rotated thru different posts (wall guard, patrol, etc), and have learned to be fairly adaptable to different situations. Experienced warriors are always welcome to demonstrate new tactics, strange situations, and so forth. In fact, the town recently hired a bronze dragon to teach them how to fend off dragon attacks; the bronze dragon has remained in the city and been granted citizenship.
Each watch squad is encouraged to have a diverse makeup. Adventurers can find employment in the watch fairly easily, though adventuring bands aren't allowed to form their own watch group. Instead, adventurers (and those who have served together in a military unit before) are separated so they can share experiences with new companions.
Zordon's small navy is functionally a merchant-marine. The various merchants arm their ships well, and coordinate in times of crisis. Reskemi Bay is hazardous for large ships without an experienced navigator, which makes naval invasion difficult. Furthermore, Yethar and Paltis have armed keeps which guard the entry to the bay. These keeps also include lighthouses, which double as warning beacons for the city.
Since the cultures of different races are quite diverse, the Zordon culture is very accepting. No race is persecuted, and even those races which are unwelcome elsewhere (such as drow) are viewed as a mere curiousity. As long as a being obeys the few rules, and doesn't try to harm others, they are allowed to pursue their goals.
Because of the incredible diversity, the culture of Zordon is very tolerant. Any custom is allowed, as long as it doesn't harm another. This means there are no victimless crimes, and things which are illegal in other nations are legal in Zordon. There are also a number of customs observed by various inhabitants which will seem bizarre to those new to the city.
Unfortunately, the relaxed attitude causes a fair amount of quasi-legal activity to flourish in Zordon. There are numerous areas where it is dangerous to wander after dark. Other nations criticize Zordon's lax legal system, but the rulers of Zordon deliberately try to keep their legal system simple.
Zordon is fairly advanced intellectually. The Academy of Magic actually allows non-mages to listen in to some of the lectures for a small fee. This policy was enacted by a former Academy instructor after Makulivek the kobold sorceror-priest used magics to devastate sections of the city. The goal was to make the commoner more capable of recognizing and handling various magical effects, something that Zordon is no stranger to.
Because of its history and culture, Zordon has quite a few different sections of town. Zordon almost seems like a patchwork city - the different sections tend to be small, and change frequently over time.
Zordon has had such a colorful history, there are quite a few different sections of city wall which were built at different times. There are a number of walls or partial walls inside of the city which once were the outer walls. This contributes to the patchwork nature of the city.
The Anchorage is the docks section, and includes some of the warehouses where merchants store goods. Strictly speaking, the Anchorage is only the docks section north of the Bessai's mouth, where trading ships harbor. Trading companies maintain places of business in the Anchorage. The smaller section south of the Bessai provides docks and services for unaffiliated ships such as explorers or privateers. The shipwrights also work in this section.
The Bazaar is near the center of the city, and actually straddles the Bessai river. It is centered on Kagdil Isle, a small island (about 1/4 mile long) in the middle of the river, but also spills across the bridges and along each bank. Speculative merchants buy and sell goods from traders and explorers, and the goods available vary widely. Spices and other exotic consumables are common, and other exotic materials can be found here. There are rarely any extremely valuable objects in the bazaar, but some of the vendors cooperate with more traditional merchants.
Travelers with goods from exotic locales can usually find someone who is willing to purchase an item (for an average of 25% of its retail cost); prices on exotic items typically start at twice the normal cost, though haggling is common.
One of Zordon's more unique areas of town is the undercity. Roughly a fifth of the area of the city - the eastern section where the elevation rises - has an underground level of streets and shops. It was created long ago, though no one knows who or what originally designed the undercity. Now, it is home to races which are primarily nocturnal, or prefer to avoid sunlight. Most of the undercity is lit by continual fire, fungal phosphorescence, or other light sources. There are few sections even in the undercity which are totally dark.
The town watch does patrol the undercity as much as any other section of town. The watch groups that patrol the undercity are generally more experienced, and used to dealing with humanoids or even more bizarre creatures. They maintain several barracks within the undercity.
Access to the undercity is from several well-known large tunnels, and even surface races are found in the undercity. The sewers of Zordon are below the level of the undercity, and the undercity is generally level, about 20 feet above sea level.
Most shops in the undercity are distinct from the aboveground shops. However, a few larger businesses extend from the surface to the undercity. The Academy extends into the undercity, and several mages maintain underground laboratories or estates.
There is one main arena in Zordon, as well as several smaller private ones owned by nobles. The arena hosts gladiatorial combat, athletic competitions, and the occasional large-scale magical demonstration. Gladiator combats are weekly, and draw a large crowd.
The combatants in the arena fall into several categories. Trained warriors occasionally enter the arena to hone their skills against a variety of opponents, and there are a number of professional gladiators who have reputations around the city. Some criminals are sentenced to the arena for a period of time. Exotic creatures are sometimes set loose on opponents in the arena as well. Finally, mages who provide conjured or animated creatures can frequently earn a good bonus in the arena.
Combatants are tested to find their approximate skill level, so the combats are rarely one-sided. Some of the weekly combats have unusual terrains or conditions (sometimes provided by mages working with the arena). A number of arena gladiators have training halls near the arena. Since only some of the fights are to the death, gladiators can frequently fight for years.
Temples in Zordon are many and varied. Several gods of travel, commerce, invention and knowledge are held in high regard; however there are no lack of temples for other gods. Priesthoods compete for followers, yet are still fairly tolerant of one another. Outright religious feuding is frowned on; the last time two priesthoods took arms against one another, the high priest of each religion was found mysteriously slain in their rooms.
Each deity is allowed one temple in town. The size of the temple can vary in size, based upon the size of its congregation. With high competition for worshippers, priests are expected to seek converts as much as possible. However, religious harrassment is against the law, so priests have to tread a fine line.
Because of the restrictions on temples, there is frequently a debate when a new church is founded. After two well-established temples were proven to serve the same god under different names, the Mayor recruited several religious scholars of different religions to ensure it didn't happen again.
Each temple is required to contribute some service for the city. For instance, many of the sea gods provide purified water wells, which magically purify water from the sewers. The clergy of combative deities serve with the town guard. Clerics of agricultural deities augment the crops of the nearby farmers, ensuring the city has enough food.
The estates of the nobles and wealthy merchants are located on the perimeter of town. Because of a city law which prevents high walls inside the city from enclosing territory, the nobles' estates are adjacent to the outer city wall. Each noble is responsible for physically maintaining their section of the outer city wall, and most also contribute a portion of their personal guards to guarding the outer wall. The nobles sometimes throw parties showing off an addition to their section of the wall, such as a new tower or rampart.
As a mercantile hub, Zordon's merchants are many and varied. There are dozens of artisans and shopkeepers of every type, each claiming to carry unique wares or offering special services. A sampling of the multitude of shops is included below:
Bingin's Finery is a store selling fine clothing. The Bingin family of gnomes runs this store, which is located near the Academy. They provide clothing designed to impress, and the Bingin family is frequently in demand prior to noble's parties. They also sell customized adventuring garb, and can include hidden pockets or other custom designs. Every piece is individually tailored.
Carpol's Creations is a shop run by Carpol Tongril, an established alchemist who manufactures a variety of alchemical substances. He is particularly adept at poisons, though he manufactures enough other materials to allay the suspicions of the town watch. His shop appears to be poor. Carpol is a sorceror, and has an owl familiar named Devileye.
Devilish Weapons is a weaponsmithy near the Arena. Run by Gash Bloodletter, a spiker ex-gladiator, and Mabra Horr, a tiefling sorceror, the shop specializes in finely forged metal weapons. Gash has an agreement to supply most of the weapons used in the arena. The blades are well-designed, and the proprietors use the store's reputation as being associated with fiends quite effectively.
The Dungeon Supply Shop is a large store which caters to adventurers. Weapons, armor, spell components and almost anything else is readily available in the store. Many special or unusual items can also be purchased. Furthermore, the proprietor, Samorin, will purchase used gear from successful adventurers. He has contacts with several craftsmen, so special orders can also be handled. The Dungeon Supply Shop does not carry foodstuffs or livestock. It is located near one of the large tunnels leading to the undercity.
Gurg's Grub is a store which sells foodstuffs. Gurg is a wily goblin who runs the shop, located in the undercity. While the food from his establishment is nowhere near top quality, Gurg can supply foodstuffs for a variety of clientele. Of course, the appetites of some clients are quite unsavory. If it can be eaten, you can get it at Gurg's.
Harmony Arms is a weapon shop specializing in elven weapons. The proprietor, Darvel Tharaloril, is a high/grey elf crossbreed. He is a veteran fighter, and fought against the Sogel invasion. The store carries swords, bows, arrows, and similar weapons favored by elves. Darvel fashions blades or bows when the mood takes him; his assistants worry that he is becoming senile.
Leaves by Lanosa is a store selling plants and plant supplies. Run by Lanosa, a gnomish druidess/bard, the store sells living plants, herbs, plant-based unguents, and similar items. Lanosa also maintains a small underground garden where she cultivates various fungi.
Precious Friends is a store which buys and sells animals. The store is run by Zendil, a half-elven druid. Zendil takes excellent care of any animals in his care, nursing them back to health if needed. He tries to match animals to owners based upon personality, and his animals are already trained for certain tasks. He charges double the normal price (at least), but the animals he sells are very valuable. He has problems on rare occasions with some of the animals abandoning their master and returning to him.
Starstone Jewels is a well-known establishment run by the dwarf Hargun Starstone. The building is solid stone, and obviously shaped by magic. Inside, buyers can purchase both individual gems as well as fine pieces of jewelry. Hargun will purchase jewelry for half its value, and is well-known as a stickler for properly appraising and valuing gems and jewels. Hargun hates thieves, and his shop has numerous magical wards and anti-thieving enchantments. Hargun is a friend of Delvi the Sorceress. He is not fond of elves.
The Dripping Dagger is a well-known dive where daring people can try to make more unsavory contacts. Probably the dirtiest tavern in town, it is a well-known contact point for assassins, thugs, or other low-lifes. The clientele is tough and unforgiving, and strangers are definitely watched. Beggars cluster around the doorway, though Mircal "Slimy" Benaltric keeps them out of the tavern with a loaded crossbow. Duels and brawls are common, and illegal goods are trafficked in the tavern.
The Jumping Mug Inn is rumored to be the safest in town. Peran Talmain, the innkeeper, charges high prices for rooms, but guarantees that his customers will not be robbed. It is widely believed that Peran pays off the local thieves' guilds.
The House of the Silver Lining is an upscale brothel that also provides lite meals and fine drink. Run by Nifwyn Tultoth, the establishment includes a number of exotic beauties of both genders. The House is located near Redforge.
Kettle and Cleaver is one of the finest restaurants in Zordon. It is owned and operated by Hodylrag, a blind hobgoblin. Hodylrag is a master chef, and runs a clean restaurant with excellent fare. Seven kobolds act as waiters, all of whom are quite polite. Drunkenness is not tolerated, and the town watch will quickly be called to handle any problems, as the staff is well-loved by the city. Hodylrag will frequently try to strike up a conversation with diners, particularly dwarves.
The Pale Bear is a popular tavern near the Arena. Many of the professional gladiators are regulars here, giving the place a rough-and-tumble edge. The proprietress, Aurgra Santis, is a tall retired warrior who immigrated from Carregor. Her son, Rorrin, is an active adventurer and occasionally fights in the arena.
Redforge is perhaps the most well-known tavern and inn of Zordon. Run by the dwarf Dunoren Rudubard and his sister Isemeg, it exudes an aura of friendliness and hospitality. Many of newcomers to the city are encouraged to visit, and Dunoren has a talent for helping newcomers find their place in Zordon. Redforge is also frequented by travelling adventurers for the same reason.
Starpony Steading is an upscale inn run by Inazi Purneya, an elven bard. It features several notable bards and other entertainers, with performances six nights out of the week. It has a large audience hall, where the patrons can dine during the performances. The Steading charges 5sp for most performances, which start two hours after sundown.
The Four Winds Monsteries are a group of four monasteries, all of whom follow the teachings of Master Hanuza. Each monastery focuses on one principle of enlightenment. The North Wind monastery is located among a group of temples, and teaches Spiritual Enlightenment. The East Wind monastery is near the Academy, and teaches Mental Enlightenment. The South Wind Monastery teaches Physical Enlightenment, and many of its students participate in the nearby Arena. The West Wind monastery is located in the Anchorage, and teaches Social Enlightenment. Students are expected to study at each monastery.
The Hiring Hall is something akin to a guildhall for various hirelings. Porters, teamsters, or other workers can and other hirelings can list their services here, and prospective employers can also leave requests for particular services. Clerks at the hiring hall can help those individuals who have trouble reading or do not speak the common language. The Hiring Hall expects a minor fee, paid by the employer.
Lord Agralto Ventri is one of the local nobility of Zordon. A self-made noble, Agralto avoids politics (at least overtly), and maintains an estate along the southeastern wall of the city. He is frequently seen wandering around town, and has contacts with several of the merchant's guilds.
Andisto is a renowned bard who regularly performs in the Anchorage. He has a strong love of the sea, and will entertain with a variety of sea shanties.
Culeas Pyllin, Master of Fire, is one of the four masters of the Elementalists school. Like the other masters, he spends most of his time in the school itself.
Dran Korzan is a fearsome - and feared - noble of Zordon. Originally a gladiator, this half-orc rose to power through his own ambition and ability. After deposing a noble who offended him from the games, Dran claimed the noble's lands for his own. Dran is rumored to be a powerful blackguard, and varies between deceptively urbane and incredibly violent.
Felpurr is a catfolk archer who serves as one of the Masters of the Games for the Arena. She rarely enters the arena herself, but she will quickly employ her bow to prevent any combatant or creature in the arena from harming the audience.
Master Hanuza is the head monk of the Four Winds monasteries. He can be found at each of the four monasteries on a weekly schedule, and spends the remaining days of the week either seeking new pupils or personal enlightenment.
Krivan Marthis is one of the nobles, living on the north side of the city. Generally considered to be a military genius, he commands a crack squad of guardsmen from his estate. Krivan is aged, and earned his nobility during the conflict with Sogel. His sons and daughters follow in his footsteps, and each command a squad in the town watch.
Lharae Breltac is a half-elven merchant-noble, and one of the more powerful merchants in Zordon. She masterminds a food-import business, and owns a number of ships which supply foodstuffs to Zordon. She also has a thorough network of caravan-masters, who import food by land. Roughly a third of the food imported to Zordon is supplied by her merchant company.
Oradin Narr, Master of Water, is one of the four masters of the Elementalists school. Of the four masters, he spends the least amount of time in the school itself, and is frequently seen swimming in the river or bay. In addition to a modest dwelling on the school grounds, he also maintains an undersea estate somewhere in the bay.
Phraint is a Thri-Kreen ranger that provides a courier service. He delivers messages, packages, or other goods. He has a small network of assistants which he can rely upon for various tasks. He can be contacted via the Hiring Hall.
Raynea Serrin is the current leader of the Eighth Star. She is an Aasimar paladin, and is also commonly known as Lammasu.
Rielin Walnac, Master of Air, is one of the four masters of the Elementalists school.
Stravan the Crafter is the new master of the school of Artifice. A master of manufacturing golems, Stravan recently immigrated to Zordon from Melarna. While he is not particularly personable, other artificer mages are rallying behind him for greater recognition.
Tyrus Gadolin, Master of Earth, is one of the four masters of the Elementalists school. He is rarely seen outside the school grounds, but his estate extends far underground. It has concealed entrances into the city sewers and catacombs.
The Academy of Magic is composed of seven different colleges, each of which follows different theories of magic. General mages learn from instructors in different colleges. However, each of the colleges does offer some specializations which students can adopt. The different colleges have a friendly rivalry, but many of them overlap.
The different colleges are as follows:
A few other magical schools have petitioned the academy for recognition. One, the School of Artifice, has recently organized and is growing in strength. A new master has given this school more visibility. Another school with significant reputation is the school of martial wizardry.
As with many cities of its size, Zordon has several active rogues' guilds. There is a separate assassins' guild, which maintains ties with most of the significant thieving organizations. The entertainers also have their own guilds, although membership is not as compulsory as in the thieves' and assassins' guilds. Some of the more noteworthy are:
The Blackbloods, a gang of half-orcs, humans, and some orcs, claims sections of the thieves quarter as their own. Mostly swaggering bullies and thugs, they have large numbers of sympathizers among the orcish population. Tactics are primarily smash-and-grab, mugging, and the occasional assault. Few in the Blackbloods have any particular talent above this, and the leadership turns over fairly rapidly.
The Troubleshooters, primarily a dwarven group, supplies rogues who try to break into merchant houses, noble's estates, and other important installations. Their role is to evaluate traps and other defenses, and help merchants protect their goods. They operate openly, and are licensed by the town council.
The Rats' Children are a group of thieves that use the extensive sewer system to break into shops. Gnomes, Halflings and Humans make up this guild; the occasional wererat also works with them. Rats' Children invariably have an odor about them, but they know the sewers better than anyone.
The Chainmen is an underground slaving ring. While an outlaw organization in the city, they maintain a strong base of operations in the city. It is widely rumored that the Chainmen are used by nobles and the council itself to eliminate troublemakers. The Chainmen guarantee that anyone sold to them will not return for revenge.
The Eighth Star is an organization founded by a group of Nelistan adventurers. They are a noble group, helping the common folk with their efforts. They also oppose some of the more shady parts of Zordon society. The organization expects high standards for its members.
While not a formal organization, the Sogel Sympathizers are a group of pro-Sogel supporters. Ranging from Sogel spies to discontented citizens of Zordon, this group occasionally has rallies to oppose the current rulers of the city.
Perhaps the most effective organization is one that has no real name. This organization, known only as the "Elite", hires or manipulates thieves and other adventurers into achieving its mysterious goals. It is known that Samorin, in the Dungeon Supply Shop, is a part of the "Elite", yet no other members are widely known. When the "Elite" take direct action, generally the results are remarkably effective. The Elite's motives, members, and methods are unknown.
Primarily a mining village, located on the north side of the mouth of Reskemi Bay. Yethar has a few docks along the bay, but the terrain is more difficult than on the southern side. Yethar also provides a lookout tower, watching for signs of naval invasion. The town is fortified, and has its own garrison. The lookout tower also serves as a lighthouse, with a large continual flame burning.
Mostly fishermen and farmers live in the village of Paltir. Paltir has more docks than Yethar, mostly for small boats. Some of the residents make a living by guiding larger merchant ships through the hidden reefs and rocks of the bay. Like Yethar, Paltir has a lookout tower which doubles as a lighthouse. The flames of Paltir's lighthouse burn inside rose-colored glass, making the light from Paltir's lighthouse a pinkish color.
Durok'zun is a dwarven stronhold in the hills to the northeast of Zordon. It is primarily a mining stronghold, and the most populous of the dwarven strongholds near Zordon. It provides a lot of metals for Zordon and the surrounding area. The dwarves of Durok'zun are used to dealing with the occasional goblinoid or orcish raiders. It is also closest to the Sogel empire, so the dwarves of Durok'zun are cautious when dealing with strangers. Durok'zun is the most isolationistic of the strongholds, and generally does not welcome visitors.
Kheloresk is the smallest of the three nearby dwarven strongholds, nestled in the cliffs overlooking the Bessai river. Dwarves from Kheloresk are more open than most, and the stronghold flourishes as a trade point. There are connections to the deep earth below the stronghold, and the dwarves trade with (and occasionally raid) underground races.
Gorvan-Lhur is the southernmost stronghold in the Zordon region, near the lands of the Omkedrin. Part of this stronghold is actually aboveground, and the dwarves here are more familiar with the upper world (and even do some minor farming aboveground). Dwarves from this stronghold trade with, or fight, the Omkedrin tribesmen (human barbarians). It is rumored that this stronghold has discovered hidden veins of gemstones.
Joqaray is a small trading town just north of the recognized Omkedrin lands. Omkedrin travel to Joqaray to trade for worked goods without needing to enter Zordon itself. It is also well-fortified, and explorers use Joqaray as a staging point.