Situated in the South, where the River Zhìzv flows into the River Zarq, Klìn is one of the major towns of Zarmator, and an important trading centre. The Zhìzv brings iron ore from the hills above Ojhìzv, and the Zarq brings coal from the Grey Waste. With these raw materials, plus plenty of water and cheap slave labour, an important steel industry has grown up in the town. It is justly famous for the quality of its armour, weapons and steel-hulled river boats.
The town might have become extremely prosperous, were it not for the general anarchy that rules in the land of Zarmator. The Wizard Yeohrl controls the South Western region of Zarmator, of which Klìn is the principal town, from his flying Castle. But, as is the way with Wizards, he does not so much govern as exact tribute. He has appointed a Governor for the town, one Zert, an extremely competent WAGREN fighter, but not very bright, and so unambitious. Zert has proved good at following the Wizard's orders literally, and enforcing Yeohrl's will from the Citadel with an iron fist. However, he does not keep control of the town, so much as prevent anyone else taking control.
There is no law as such in Klìn. A number of powerful people and factions hold sway over different areas or spheres of activity, enforcing their position by extortion, bribery and murder. To hold onto power one needs adventurers, and most of them being mercenaries, the key to success is wealth. Without cash, one quickly gravitates into the poorer quarters of town, and ends up selling oneself, or being pressganged, into slavery.
The people who have access to the necessary sources of wealth are the merchants, the Temples and the Brotherhoods, plus a number of shadier Cults which perhaps have no need of wealth to ensure the obedience of their adventurers, or other creatures.
The principal merchants of Klìn are Daghrosad, the orcish Steel Factor, Ufrechek, the human Steel Factor, Awergh, a Slaver and Shipper, Sarala, who controls most of the town's prostitution and the Snake Cult from her brothel, the Snake Pit, and Hab Fhavad, the Alchemist.
There are Temples of all the Gods of Hell and Heaven in town, plus the DALA Temple. The most important are the Temples of HAERIM, WAGREN, KOROS, TERRIK and ZAKEL. The Temple of ZAKEL is the base of Brazh, a half-orcish Mercenary leader, who is an important adventurer-broker. Brazh has been rumoured as a possible Warlord, to challenge the Governor and Wizard, but has so far taken great care to maintain a neutral stance, as a mercenary attached to the much-revered (and feared) ZAKEL Temple.
The Thievish Brotherhoods of Klìn are the Hyænas and the Black Hand. All thieves must belong to one or the other, and pay them the usual 10%, so they are rumoured to be fabulousy wealthy, despite the presumed tribute to Yeohrl. The Black Hand is said to control the coal industry, though they claim this is a joke perpetrated by the DALA Temple. They do not, however, deny being behind the local Chapter of the Honourable Brotherhood of Assassins, though the Scorpion Cult is also rumoured to have a hand (or pincer) in that shadowy, but useful, organisation. The Hyænas control the beggars and rumourmongers, though the DALA Temple is said to have a hand in the latter.
The Cults consist of the Scorpions, based in the Temple of SKARZ, out in the Lotus Fields, the Rats (were and monster), which infest the sewers and canals but dwell openly in Rat Town, the Snakes (Sarala's pets: see above) and the Undead, based at the Temple of SOROK, which will always pay good money for a decent body (and is also said to be financed by the Black Hand).
Lastly there is the mysterious and reclusive Lyesh, said to be a powerful Magic-User who could challenge for Wizard, but who dwells apart in his Tower, dreaming (they say) of Khalkan-Jho. He is widely believed to have a large share of the Black Lotus trade, as a sleeping partner. Though he employs no adventurers, no thief has returned from his Tower, which is believed to be patrolled by Demons.
Also influential in Klìn, though without a permanent presence, are the Agents of Hell. Despite the anarchy, Hell trades succesfully with Zarmator, paying the necessary tributes and relying on its reputation and armed guards to avoid banditry. Steel, armour and weapons from Klìn are sold to Hellish traders, who buy up spare space on the coal and ore boats returning upstream, and then transfer their wares to overland caravans for the last leg through the Northern mountains.
The town is well defended by the rivers on two sides, with the third being covered by the Iron Canal, which serves the steelworks, and separates them from the town itself. Beyond the steelworks lies a wretched shanty town, which houses the slaves who work the steel. The shanty town is defended by a barbed wire picket fence, which is more to keep in the slaves than defend against a besieging army. The town proper has a stone wall with watchtowers along the canal bank, and relies on the rivers for defence on the other sides, though the Governor's Citadel occupies a commanding position on an island at the confluence. A small network of minor canals in town also form part of the defenses, as well as being useful lines of communication.
The boats of Klìn range from the large sailed and oared river trading barges, through a variety of oared vessels, to the punts of the inner canals. Most independent boatmen belong to the Guild of Water Rats, which has maintained its independent status despite a lack of wealth, and therefore power.
Klìn is not a pleasant place to live, even apart from the cruel and murderous social structure. The steelworks produce a constant black smutty smoke, which mixes with the mists from the rivers to produce dense and sometimes choking fogs. In Spring, when the lotus is in bloom, (or at any time if one gets a whiff from the Lotus works) the fogs can become hallucinogenic. However, many of the denizens of the Steel Town welcome the fogs, as cover for their nefarious deeds. A kerchief over the mouth is normal wear in Klìn. When the winds eventually come, there are always plenty of bodies revealed for the scavengers.
P.R. Wild, 28 August 1994
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