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Olakeen

City of Money and Magic

The city of Olakeen is a vast city of commerce. Built around the Temple of Waukeen and the School of Sorcery, it has spread out for miles in all directions. It is located on Toril. Tantras is to the north, Procampur is to the south, and the Dragon Reach in the Sea of Fallen Stars is to the east.

The massive gates open to the Market which lies between the Temple and the School. Behind the Temple and the School is the Military District. There are four major commercial districts, and the Garden of Shrines. The main gate faces the Dragon Reach, but there is a smaller gate that leads directly to the Garden. Both gates are tightly guarded.

The sisters Eileen and Alexana Olara rule the city jointly. Holycoin Eileen rules from The Temple of Waukeen while Arch-Sorceress Alexana rules from The School of Sorcery. The military is shared by the sisters, as are all the expenses of running the city.

The Temple of Waukeen

The Temple of Waukeen is one of two massive structures in the city of Olakeen. It was built by Holycoin Eileen Olara after Waukeen's rescue from the Abyss. The towers of the Temple soar over the city, which can be seen five miles out from the city.

The School of Sorcery

The School of Sorcery is the other massive structure in the city of Olakeen. It was built by Arch-Sorceress Alexana Olara after she helped her sister Eileen rescue Waukeen from the Abyss. The towers reach the same height as the towers of the Temple and are just as lovely to behold.

The Market and Bazaar

The Market and Bazaar are very crowded places and are the first things a visitor will see upon entering Olakeen. The Market boarders a grand Bazaar. The Bazaar is a vast open area where almost anything can be bought or sold. You should not be surprised if you sell something to one vendor and then see it being sold by another vendor on the other side of the Market a few hours later. That is normal for the Bazaar.

Before going 50 feet into the area, visitors must stable their animals. No large animals will be allowed into the area unless it is being loaded or unloaded. Stalls can be rented in the Olakeen Stables for 10 gp a day per animal. The animals are carefully tended, and visitors belongings will be stored in a secure locker by the stalls. The storage comes with the stall rental.

On the outskirts of the Bazaar is the Market where more wealthy traveling merchants sell their wares. The Market is a little quieter than the Bazaar. The closer to the center of the Bazaar; the louder and more crowded it will become. The poorer traveling merchants are in the middle. Some of these poor merchants do not have any way to divide their merchandise from their neighbors', unless a neighbor has such a divider. Most of the middle is a muddle of assorted goods and services. The riot of color and sound, it is said, is enough to blind and deafen a person who is not used to it.

Throughout the Bazaar there are members of various Guilds. These guilds are primarily for the appraisal of items bought. If a customer thinks feels cheated, the item can be taken to an Appraiser. The normal fee for services rendered is 1 gp per item appraised. Most of the Appraisers are reformed thieves. A person can take a magic item to a Market Mage to have the dweomers checked. This can cost 100 gp or more per item. If either of these guilds finds a flaw in the product or finds that the item was not sold fairly, the Appraiser or the Market Mage has the authority to shut down the operation of the merchant involved and launch an investigation. If the merchant is found at fault, his merchandise, money, and the rest of his property in Olakeen will be confiscated. The merchant will be able to resume trade the day after the investigation is complete after being found innocent of willful deceit.

The Clergy of Waukeen walk the Market every day making sure that the merchants and the customers are treating each other fairly. If a merchant is not doing well, a cleric will stop by the stand and look over the goods to see if there is a good reason that the person is not selling anything. If the merchandise is of at least good quality and the merchant is amiable, the cleric will hang a non-magical coin of Waukeen on the stand. Seeing this others will be made aware of the fact that this merchant should be approached. Rarely some merchants are not so well favored. A merchant who is selling sub-standard goods or treating customers unfairly may get a curse from a cleric. Woe to the merchants who have this happen to them!

At the end of the week, the western quadrant of the Market will be cleared for trials of criminals caught during that week. The trials are very short, but the consequences of committing crime can be devastating. (See Crime and Punishment)

On special occasions the Market, Bazaar, or both are shut down for the celebrations of city holidays, either a full day or a half day. If a holiday happens to fall on the last day of the week, the trials are held the next day. (See Holidays)

Garden of Shrines

There is a smaller entrance to central Olakeen. This entrance leads to a quiet and contemplative garden. This is the Garden of Shrines. The garden is dedicated to the various gods that have had some impact on the Church of Waukeen or the Olara sisters personally. Each Shrine is elaborately decorated in honor of the god. These shrines are the size of small temples; some are more ornate than the temples built by the clergies of the deities themselves to the consternation of some. The High Priest who resides on the grounds of each Shrine has one vote in the Assembly.

The Shrines

Commercial Districts

There are four Commercial Districts in Olakeen. Each is subtly different from the rest. The districts have magistrates who report to Alexana and Eileen. Each Magistrate has one vote in the Assembly.

North Market District

This district is to the north of the Market beside the Temple of Waukeen. This is where nearly anything can be bought from something as simple as housekeeping tools to as dangerous as weapons. There are many shops where repair work can be done on anything from arrows to waterskins. There are very few shops that sell anything magical in this district.

South Market District

This district is south of the Market next to the School of Sorcery. This is where you can buy foodstuffs and medicinal herbs. There are many magic shops here which sell minor magic items. Some of the shops are run by students of the School.

North Garden District

This district is to the north of the Military District and the Garden of Shrines. High quality items are sold here such as jewelry and fine tapestries. This district is a relatively quiet one. Some inexpensive magic items can be found here. Taverns are not allowed in this district.

South Garden District

This district is to the south of the Military District and the Garden of Shrines. The more spectacular magic items are sold here. The shops are almost exclusively run by magic users. There are some non-magical shops which sell high quality items such as grand furniture and artwork. This district is a quiet one since most of the people who work here prefer quiet contemplative serenity. Taverns are not allowed in this District.

Residential Districts

There are ten residential districts in Olakeen. Each has an elected Prefect to represent it in the Assembly with one vote. Each district has approximately 2,500 people living in it. Residential districts do have some shops mostly for the convenience of the residents. Scattered inns are in these areas and are slightly less expensive from the ones in the Commercial Districts. They are usually bed and breakfasts catering to long term stays.

The district names are very simplistic. The northern districts are Copper, Silver, Electrum, Gold, and Platinum. The southern districts are Scrolls, Rings, Wands, Rods, and Staves.

The Military District

This is where the soldiers live and train. The Arena is part of this District, and sections can be rented by adventuring parties for non-lethal combat. The fee is 50gp for an hour in the Arena per group. The military routinely patrol the borders of Olakeen and watch the walls of the city. They rarely get into the way of the city police force. There are 18 Companies each with a Captain. Captains have one vote in the Assembly. There are 6 Companies in Olakeen at any given time.