placetobuytheday’smeals.Pricesarehigherinthemorning,
whenqualityandselectionarealsobetter.
20 .GrandColiseum
Thisstonearenaisthesiteofgladiatorialgames(usually
nonlethal,butaccidentshappen),bloodyanimalcombats,and
spectacularcircuses.Thebestgladiatorsbecomecelebrities
andearnfortunes.Statuesofthearena’sgreatestchampions
linethetopsoftheGrandColiseum’swalls,includingoneof
thecity’scurrentmerchantprinces.(Ekene-Afagainedfame
andfortuneasagladiatorbeforeretiringfromthearenato
becomeatraderandpolitician.)
Eventsareheldonmostafternoons;onlyspecialshowsare
heldaftersundown,asthecoliseumdependsonnaturallight.
Duringtheweek,thebillfeaturesqualifyingmatches,
consolationbouts,andothersmallevents.Majorevents,
championships,andspecialextravaganzasarestagedon
holidays.Aholidayshowmightincludeabattlebetween
“heroesoflegend”and“pirates”(allportrayedbygladiators),a
bloodymatchpittingvelociraptorsagainsttigers,orevena
contestofmagesbattlingcapturedghouls,skeletons,or
zombies.
21 .HallofGold
ThismagnificentstructureisatempletoWaukeen,but
residentscallittheHallofGoldforitsshining,goldenroofand
forWaukeen’sfocusontradeandwealth.MountSibasaisthe
highestpointinthecity,andwhenthesunisshining,light
glintingoffthetempleroofcanbeseenformilesoutatsea.
Somecityresidentsswearthattheroofissheathedinpure
burnishedgold,butit’sonlypaint.Awidestonebridge
connectsMountSibasatotheGrandColiseumonYklwaziHill.
ThechiefpriestofWaukeeninPortNyanzaruisSibonseni,
MotherofProsperity(LNfemaleChultanpriest).Sheisoneof
thecity’smostinfluentialresidentsafterthemerchantprinces,
andsheenjoystremendoussupportfromeverylayerof
societyforthetemple’scharitableworkandforitssupportof
civicimprovements.Infact,thetempleisalsooneofthecity’s
richestbanks.WhenMotherSibonsenitravelsthroughthe
streets,sheridesinanelegantsedanchairaccompaniedby
drummers,singers,dancers,andtempleaideswhodistribute
fistfulsofcoppercoinstothepoor.Needlesstosay,thiscauses
trafficjams,butthepeopleofthecityloveher.
22 .PublicBathhouse
PortNyanzaruisaverycleancitythankstothecleansingrain,
anditsresidentsarealsoscrupulousabouthygiene.Most
wouldberepulsedbythethoughtofadaywithoutabath.
Dozensofsmallbathhousesacrossthecityoperatelikeprivate
clubs,butthepublicbathhouseisopentoeveryoneandisrun
bythepriesthoodofSune(seearea 9 ).It’sbothegalitarianand
elegant:wealthymerchantsanddocklaborersrubelbowsin
thetiledbathsandmarble-flooredchangingrooms.Thereis
nocharge,butbathersarerequestedtoleaveadonationtothe
templeofSunebefittingtheirstationinlife.BecauseChultans
arejustifiablyproudofthisfacility,eventhepooresttryto
leaveatleastacopperpieceinthegiantclamshellbythe
entrance.Manyindependentmasseursandmasseusesareon
handtomassagewearymuscles;theseservicescost 2 d 10 sp.
23 .DyeWorks
Alongwithcleanliness,Chultanslovecolorfulclothing.Textile
weavingisnotoneofChult’snativeindustries,becausethe
jungleisn’tsuitedforgrowingcottonorraisingsheep.
However,thejungleandtheseaprovideeverythingnecessary
toconcoctvibrantdyesinarainbowofcolors.Merchants
importlight,plainfabrics,whicharedyedinvibrantcolors
andpatternsatthedyeworksbeforebeingsoldlocallyor
exportedbacktotheregionswheretheclothoriginated.Local
tailorscraftthefabricintothelongshirts,knee-lengthpants,
sarongs,andkiltsfavoredinPortNyanzaru.
Thecliffbelowthedyeworksandtheseaarounditare
perpetuallystainedbrightorange,blue,red,green,andyellow,
dependingonwhatcolorsarebeingdumpedfromthevats
thatday.Peopleemployedatthedyeworksareeasily
recognizedonthestreetbecausetheirhandsandfeetare
likewisebrightlystained.Malar’sThroat............................................................................................................................................................................
ThisregionoutsidethecitywallsisPortNyanzaru’sslum
district.Twosheer,jungle-drapedridgesflankadeepravine.
Ramshacklebuildingsclingtothesidesoftheridges,each
structureseeminglybuiltatopthelowerone’sroof.During
heavyrain,runoffpoursdowntheravine,throughUbtao’s
Jaws(thelargegateinthecitywallfacingMalar’sThroat),and
downthepavedstreetstotheharbor,oftensweepingalong
unattendedbaskets,deadanimals,andevenclumsyorunlucky
Chultansinitstow.
Footbridgesofropeandbamboohangabovetheravine.
Someofthemare 200 feetlongorlongerandswayahundred
feetaboveground,terrifyingthefaintofheart.Skilledthieves
havebeenknowntodrophooksonthinlinesfromthebridges
and“fish”pursesrightoffvictims’belts.24 .TempleofTymora
Tymora’stempleisbuiltlikeasturdyblockhouseofheavy
stone.It’snotanelegantstructure,butresidentsrelyonitto
beasaferefugewhenfloodwaterpoursdownMalar’sThroat
orwhenthealarmhornsblowandthere’snotimetoreachthe
safetyofthecitybeforeundeadswarmuptheravine.The
peoplewholiveinMalar’sThroatdon’tconsiderthemselves
especiallylucky,butwhatlittlelucktheyhave,theyattribute
totheLady’spresenceamongthem.TirykiAnchorage.......................................................................................................................................................................
Thisdistricteastofthecityispopulatedbyanimaltrainers,
riverfolk,explorerswhoneedinexpensivelodging,andother
rough-and-tumblesorts.Smugglersprefertheunregulated
docksoftheanchorageoverthepolicedandinspecteddocks
oftheharbor,despitetheshortageofdockworkersandbeast-
poweredcranestoassistinloadingandunloading.
UnlikeMalar’sThroatandtheOldCity,TirykiAnchorage
hasnofortifiedtempleorancientstonezigguratswhere
residentscantakeshelteragainstundeadorcarnivores.Most
peopledashforTirykiGatewhenthealarmsoundsandhope
togetthroughbeforeit’slockedaheadofthem.Fortunately,
theanimalsintheirpensaremoresensitivetoapproaching
enemiesthanhumansare,sofewcreaturesareabletosneak
intotheareaundetected.25 .DinosaurPens
Mostofthebeastsofburdeninthecityweretrainedouthere,
andthey’repennedupatnight.Ankylosaurusesand
triceratopsesarethemostcommoninthatrole.Dinosaurs
trainedforstreetracingarealsostabledhere.MostChultan