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The Free City of Tehmor

Arms of Tehmor

The Free City of Tehmor is the Westernmost of the three great Southern Cities of the Overworld, but unlike Vavistor and Iklaron it is situated in the Eastern Plains of the Grasslands rather than in the Southern Desert.  It is a key trading point on the great South Road from the Valdrean Empire to Iklaron, at the point where the Road crosses the Rivers Tehm and Mora by their confluence in the safe harbour of Tehmor.  Here is where the Great Caravans transship their loads from horse or ox-drawn wagons to camel trains for the final leg across the Desert to Vavistor and Iklaron, or vice-versa heading West and North across the Grasslands to Valdrea.  Other cargoes come in and depart by ship from the busy docks.  The Arms of the City symbolise its position between Sea, Grasslands and Desert.

City of Tehmor

This melting point of different cultures and interests prides itself on its independence and tolerance of many different beliefs, which is good for trade but does give rise to conflicts.  Tehmor is most famous for its so-called "Forty Factions" - although this is something of a misnomer, as there are in fact many factions vying for power and influence in the City.  The "Forty" properly refers to the total number of Seats in the ruling Council of Tehmor, each of which is held by a different group, or Faction.  The Council passes legislation and elects the Overlord (or Pasha) of the City, who wields executive power and commands the Army, Navy and City Watch.  The various Seatholding Factions are grouped into four loose political parties, the Conservatives, Liberals, Mercantiles and Militants, which form coalitions to gain majority control of the Council.  Usually a Conservative and Mercantile Coalition holds power and appoints the Overlord, but allegiances are constantly changing in Tehmor.

Tehmor has a long and rich history.  Legend has it that Tehmor was first established by the three Founding Families, the Derevo, Karana  and Medoneh Families, who settled in the area around the Year 100 and established farms and trading posts, taming dogs, cats and horses respectively.  More people were attracted to the area as its prosperity grew, and the first Town Wall (then simply a ditch and rampart) was built around the Year 250.  Due to its favourable location, the town, and later city, of Tehmor became a major trading centre, attracting many different groups, all of whom were welcomed in the spirit of free trade - though not all of them were benign, and the city also became known for its Thieves' Guilds, Dark Cults and Evil Temples.  It is said you can buy anything in the Markets of Tehmor - for a price.

The three Southern Cities co-operate in relations with the rest of the Overworld and in trading matters, and their respective Overlords meet regularly in a High Council, but there is an intense local rivalry between the three of them.  Tehmor sees itself as the most tolerant and democratic of the Southern Cities and the others as being more authoritarian and autocratic, whilst the others see Tehmor as being weak and degenerate.  All three Cities are fanatical about horse racing, a sport in which Tehmor considers it has the edge due to its being in the Grasslands and so having the best stud farms.  Tehmorians will (particularly after a few drinks) speak dismissively about Vavistorians as a bunch of Scorpion Cultists and poison dealers and about Iklaronians as a bunch of camel traders and lotus eaters.  Vavistorians and Iklaronians, on the other hand, see Tehmorians as a bunch of degenerate, in-fighting Cultists.

The official Language of the City is Southern, but many other Languages are also spoken by the various Factions.

The following are the most prominent Factions in Tehmor, their politics and the locations (on the above map) primarily associated with each:

Faction Politics Category Council_Seats Locations
Derevo Family Liberal Families 1 Derevo Estate, Dazhorak / City Brewery
Karana Family Conservative Families 1 Karana Estate, Aldahra
Medoneh Family Mercantile Families 1 Medoneh Estate, Upper Cahloh / Stud Farms
Anarchist Movement Militant Political Parties 0 Various Cells, mostly in The Maze
Conservative Party Conservative Political Parties 1 Coffeehouse of the Golden Sun, Citadel Plaza
Free Trade Party Mercantile Political Parties 1 Free Traders' Coffeehouse, opposite the Mint, Citadel
Reform Party Liberal Political Parties 1 Reformists' Coffeehouse, Citadel
Army Militant Military 1 The Keep, Citadel
Navy Militant Military 1 Naval Docks, Citadel
City Watch Conservative Executive 0 Watch House, Citadel Wall
Treasury Mercantile Executive 1 Mint, Citadel
Alchemists' Guild of Tehmor Conservative Guilds 1 Alchemists' Island
Associated Guilds of Beggars, Buskers and Rumourmongers Mercantile Guilds 0 Rumour Market
Bookmakers' Guild Liberal Guilds 1 Racetrack, Circus
Conclave of Binders Mercantile Guilds 1 Binders' Island
Guild of Caravanserai Mercantile Guilds 1 Caravanserai Plazas East & West
Guild of Craftsmen Mercantile Guilds 1 Artisans', Jewellers' & Glassmakers' Quarters
Guild of Seamen Liberal Guilds 1 Docks, The Master Mariner Tavern, Shipwrights' Quarter
Mercenaries' Guild Militant Guilds 1 Mercenaries' Guildhouse, Mora Plaza
Merchants' Guild of Tehmor Mercantile Guilds 1 Merchants' Hall, Mora Plaza
Racing Club of Tehmor Mercantile Guilds 1 Racetrack
Brotherhood of the White Hand Conservative Thieves' Guilds 1 Chapterhouse of The White Hand, Lower Barro
Honourable Guild of Assassins Independent Thieves' Guilds 1 contact at Statue of Hooded Woman, Crossroads of the Dead (South Road/Way of the Dead)
Thieves' Guild of Tehmor Liberal Thieves' Guilds 1 Thieves' Guildhouse, The Maze
Temple of ALTIS Militant Temples 1 High Temple of ALTIS, Garrimoh
Temple of BUDIF / WACON Conservative Temples 1 High Temple of BUDIF/WACON, Tehm Plaza
Temple of CAERULAS Conservative Temples 1 [High] Temple of CAERULAS, East Phare
Temple of DALA Liberal Temples 1 Big Temple of DALA
Temple of ESCUS Conservative Temples 1 High Temple of ESCUS, Upper Barro
Temple of FIDAR Conservative Temples 1 High Temple of FIDAR, South Road N of Tehm Bridge
Temple of HAERIM Militant Temples 1 High Temple of HAERIM, Garrimoh
Temple of KOROS Mercantile Temples 1 High Temple of KOROS, New Temple of KOROS
Temple of LOFIR / WAGREN Militant Temples 1 High Temple of LOFIR/WAGREN, Old Town
Temple of MIRIMI Liberal Temples 1 High Temple of MIRIMI, Any pool of Moonlight, New Silver Mines
Temple of ORIL / OPSOR Liberal Temples 1 High Temple of ORIL/OPSOR, Black Tehm Gate Fruit & Flower Markets
Temple of PAREL Liberal Temples 1 High Temple of PAREL, South Road W of Tehm Bridge
Temple of RAYLIT Liberal Temples 1 High Temple of RAYLIT, West Phare
Temple of SARAN Conservative Temples 1 High Temple of SARAN, Citadel Plaza / Old Temple of SARAN, Caravanserai Plaza West
Temple of SHELDA Liberal Temples 1 High Temple of SHELDA & Chapterhouse of The Knights of the Rose, Plaza of Love
Temple of SOROK Militant Temples 1 [High] Temple of SOROK, Necropolis / Tower of the The Old One, Necropolis
Temple of TERRIK Militant Temples 1 High Temple of TERRIK, City Dump
Temple of TIPRE Liberal Temples 1 High Temple of TIPRE, crossroads between Racetrack & Circus
Temple of ZAKEL Militant Temples 1 High Temple of ZAKEL, Armourers' Quarter
False Gods Militant Cults 0 The Street of  False Gods
Rat Cult Conservative Cults 0 Sewers (especially around Docks & Necropolis) / Dumps / The Sick Rat Tavern, start of Way of the Dead in Garrimoh
Scorpion Cults Militant Cults 0 Temple of SKARZ, Street of False Gods / Secret Cave of Red Scorpions, the Maze
Snake Cults Liberal Cults 0 Temple of YSSA, Street of False Gods / Snake Market
Iklaron Conservative Nations 0 Embassy of the Free City of Iklaron, Citadel Plaza
Kuntax Mercantile Nations 0 Merchants' Guildhouse of Kuntax, Merriva Park
Kyr Mercantile Nations 0 Kryrian Embassy, Western Promenade, Merriva
Valdrean Empire Conservative Nations 0 Valdrean Embassy, Citadel Plaza
Vavistor Conservative Nations 0 Embassy of the Free City of Vavistor, Citadel Plaza
Desert Nomads Militant Races 0 Desert Nomad Camps beyond East Gate / The Blue Oasis Tavern, Mazhak
Dwarves Mercantile Races 0 Embassy of The Kingdom of The Dwarves, Dwarvish Quarter
Elves Liberal Races 0 Elvish Enclave
Grasslanders (Plainsmen) Mercantile Races 0 Horse Market, Cattle Market


Back to Grasslands / Southern Desert

Go to A Possible and Partial History of The Free City of Tehmor