We're back with another hex map for another month in the Year of the Gazetteer, this one covering part of Al-Riyah. One hex equals six miles.
001.005: The city of Rasim, located on the border between Al-Riyah and the emirate of Selakar to the north. Owing to its strategic location, it is a hotbed of trade - and a nest of activity among thieves preying on merchants and spies working to further the agenda of one emirate or another.
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001.009: The city of Betsir, a major port and a nexus of trade. It is the home of a powerful guild of navigators who do business with the lands of Wulin, and keep their trade routes closely guarded.
001.012: The town of Wahsharah. Many ships dock here from foreign ports, and the market sells goods from all across the lands. One of the captains, a genasi sailor named Isan Abu Nazir al-Hassan, possesses a magical bag of winds that can propel a ship in any direction, no matter the weather.
002.009: This shrine marks the burial place of the Amidi master Ariyah Amad. A larger shrine, it serves as a caravanserai and provides accommodations to non-Amidis as well, though outsiders often find the atmosphere strange, with the clientele keeping to themselves and discussing esoteric philosophy.
002.015: The city of Tel Al-Sakir. It is built on the site of an old Nuwapian city, and many of the older buildings were built using limestone from the ruins. Some say that the catacombs of the old city still lie forgotten, far beneath the surface.
002.020: The city of Hadassin. It is built around a large Elementalist temple, and many of the city's elite have connections to the priesthood. They dwell in a walled enclave separate from the common people - and many have come to suspect they may hide arcane secrets and sacred treasures.
002.022: The village of Metsir. Recently, a Taldameeri man named Rodrigo di Puerta washed up on the shore, and was nursed back to health by the townspeople. He believes himself to be an honored guest, but still yearns for his homeland. Secretly, the townspeople mock him and his barbaric northern ways behind his back.
002.031: The city of Mazaraat. It is known for its extensive olive groves, which have been tended by the genasi nobles for many generations and stand as the city's pride and joy. Rumor has it, however, that a hoard of treasure was buried beneath the grove - but how could it be unearthed without disturbing the city's livelihood?
003.007: This fortress stands on the road to Betsir (see hex 001.009) and was built under the patronage of a genie noble of that city to guard the road against bandits. The road here is marked by many gallows and pikes displaying the severed hands of thieves - more as a threat than anything else, as the castle is understaffed and can't exert much power over the surroundings.
003.011: This fortress guards the road to Betsir (see hex 001.009) against incursions by bandits. The bandits in hex 004.013 are in fact bribing the guards to look the other way, and the castellan is a cowardly, conflict-averse man who would rather not disturb this peace.
003.017: The village of Khalasah. As of late, a swordsman has taken up residence here, daring all travelers to best him in combat. He wields a holy scimitar (effects as a mace of disruption), blessed by an ancient saint of the Covered Path, which he promises to give to anyone who defeats him.
003.027: The city of Sawiya. It is a major port on the sea and on the Amrah River. Secretly, the markets are controlled by a guild of thieves that maintains extensive connections with other towns and partakes in smuggling, providing goods at better rates for those who know who to ask.
003.033: The town of Al-Birim. An cult of assassins is headquartered here, training its members in the arts of stealth and renting our their services to the highest bidder.
003.036: The city of Al-Quraba. It seceded years ago from the rule of the Sultan and is governed by an ambitious djinn named Hashim bin Noor Eran Safa Ali, who has become wealthy off of the city's key position for trade. Other genies have launched campaigns to try to bring him into line, but he commands storms to drive them back.
004.010: The town of Mesenshah. It is a stop for many travelers on the road between Betsir (see hex 001.009) and Hazwan (see hex 008.009), and thus has a large foreign quarter, with caravanserais for merchants and a Pantheonist temple.
004.013: A fort stands on a hill here that has been taken over by bandits. They perform periodic raids on nearby settlements, but use the supplies plundered to feed a small village consisting mainly of their families and friends, feeling that the genie elite does not care about them and they must fight back for their peoples' rights.
004.020: The town of Zimirat. Many buildings here are built using stone from an old Nuwapian ruin - and there are several that seem to have fragments of a large mosaic on their walls. If all the fragments are pieced together, they form a treasure map - but some of the fragments are in important buildings reserved for higher castes.
004.022: The ruins of a Nuwapian tomb are carved into a hillside here. It once held the body of a noble lich, but the body has been stolen by grave robbers (see hex 004.023). The lich's soul is contained in a canoptic jar, intentionally unassuming in its design to blend in with other grave goods, and remains in the tomb.
004.023: The village of Qataya. One of the residents has smuggled the body of a Nuwapian noble from the ruins at hex 004.022 with the intent of selling it to an alchemist in Um-Kheir (see hex 004.025). The noble is a lich, but lies dormant, and the thief has no idea of his true power...
004.025: The town of Um-Kheir. It is built above a valley where the Zahar River floods over a series of terraces, on which crops are grown. Sometimes, the river's ebbs and flows reveal caves in the hills that can only be accessed in between floods.
004.030: The village of Beit Shabab. The village has long been divided over an ages-old feud between two clans, the Saqqafs and the Umars, who refuse to do business with each other and blame any misfortunes on one another.
005.005: This camp is home to the Khachaturian Caravan, a clan of Caravan People. They are sellers of horses and camels and will trade animals to those intending to cross the desert.
005.026: The town of Al-Mughara. It is one of several trading posts along the Amrah River, and its markets are known for their spices, which command high prices and are closely guarded.
005.031: The town of Beit Dakrin. It has grown around a large caravanserai, in which many travelers share rumors of what may be found in the deserts to the east.
005.038: The town of Hazimayah, a Wahidi vassal (see hex 005.040). It holds a contest of arms every year, which brings fighters from across the world to test their skills; the prize has always been an enchanted sword. This year, it is a dancing scimitar said to have been forged by one of the greatest of djinn smiths.
005.040: The city of Tasis, the capital of the Wahidi Sultanate. It is governed by a powerful human warlord named Salim Wahid, who successfully rebelled against the genies many decades ago, and established the city as a power in its own right. Now, however, he is growing old, and his advisors are scrambling to determine a worthy successor.
006.015: The ruins of a Nuwapian tomb sit here. It has been taken over by a clan of Snake Men (stats as Type 3 Yuan-Ti Malisons, but without shapeshifting) who have been known to raid passing caravans.
006.028: This camp is the site of a meeting place between multiple Vistani caravans, who gather here to trade amongst each other. It is almost always a hotbed of activity, with many tents selling all sorts of wares - and given the nomadic lifestyle of these people, any given merchant may be here one day and gone the next.
007.013: This camp is home to the Yedigarian Caravan. Recently, a daughter of the Sheikh was captured by the Snake Men at hex 006.015, and he has sworn vengeance. He will offer a bounty for any Snake Men heads delievered to his tent, or for the whereabouts of his daughter (she has long since been devoured).
007.019: The village of Yibreen. The people here live high in the hills, and have little contact with the outside world; they have been known to attack outsiders, fearing they are demons. Is it mere xenophobia, or did something justify this paranoia?
007.021: This shrine honors the Amidi mystic Rawya Al-Hasam, and has grown into a major stop on the way to Jadirah (see hex 008.023), with a market and a caravanserai springing up around it. The caretakers of the shrine will show visitors the ornate and grandiose tomb of the old sage, but it contains no body - the true tomb is buried in a cave beneath the shrine, and the caretakers will only show it to followers of the Covered Path who can recite Rawya's teachings. Those who pray at the true tomb are healed of any diseases or curses.
007.025: The town of Gadera. The locals tell of a ruined bridge a few miles from the town that no one has been able to rebuild, for beneath it dwells a fierce ghul (stats of a ghast, but with 50 HP, Resistance to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning attacks from nonmagical sources, and the ability to assume the form of any creature it eats).
007.036: This camp is home to the Tsatsurian Caravan. A young man, Menua, decided to make an expedition to the ruins at hex 009.033, but has not returned in days. Many have already written him off as a doomed fool and have little hope of recovering him.
007.039: The village of En Naqurya, a vassal of the Wahidi Sultanate (see hex 005.040). One farmer recently discovered a number of what appear to be men forged of iron buried in his field. They are lifeless and their weapons have long since rusted, but they may be of value to archaeologists...if they could be transported there.
007.043: A ruined castle sits atop a hill here, having once watched the coast for pirates. A cave beneath the cliffs is inhabited by a gynosphinx who guards an amethyst lodestone (see Fizban's Treasury of Dragons). The sphinx will offer the lodestone to whoever bests her in a game of riddles - but if they fail, she will eat them.
007.046: The city of Zirbaya. Founded by pirates on the Great South Sea, it is a free city where, by official decree, the caste system does not apply and all residents are treated as equals regardless of race or social class. Predictably, it has a reputation as a center of crime and disreputable behavior.
008.009: The city of Hazwan. It is the site of the House of the Learned, a university where scholars gather to teach philosophy and the sciences to all who wish to attend their lectures. The university boasts a large library, but its texts are not available to the public.
008.023: The city of Jadirah, the capital of the Emirate of Al-Riyah and one of the largest and wealthiest cities in Quel'Ahma. It is known for its massive open-air temple, which attracts many Elementalist pilgrims, and its priesthood is trusted to advise the Emir.
008.029: The ruins of the Nuwapian city of Keitbir. It sits in a secluded valley and is guarded by a stone golem, and as a result, it has gone relatively undisturbed by grave robbers.
008.031: The village of Beit Rasm. It is said that a ferocious bandit king was executed here, and his spirit is still said to haunt the streets at night, looking for a fight.
009.011: The town of Tel Marud. It is heavily guarded against bandits, who regularly beset the region. As a security measure, the guards have instituted a strict curfew and arrest anyone they find out after sunset, believing that "there is surely nothing good that may be done this late at night."
009.031: The ruins of the ancient Nuwapian city of Dol Gormah sit around the basin of a dried-up oasis. A Caravaneer named Menua Tsatsurian who set out in search of treasure (see hex 007.036) has fallen in a pit deep within the ruins and broke his leg; he is starving and awaiting rescue. He knows of many traps and guardians in the ruins.
009.044: The village of Mannarah. It reveres the maqam of an Amidi dervish buried here, which prevents the undead from entering the town.
009.049: The town of Shaav Erya. It has suffered periodic raids from the pirates of Zirbaya (see hex 007.046), possessing a strong naval garrison to guard its harbor. The ruler of Zirbaya has signed a peace treaty with its governor preventing a full-scale blockade of the pirate stronghold - but as the pirates don't fly the flag of Zirbaya, they still make raids and the city can claim they were uninvolved in the matter. Many are skeptical of this.
010.006: An order of dervishes of the Covered Path have taken up residence at this shrine, living their lives in meditation away from the outside world. They do maintain a guest house for travelers, but interact little with them and prefer to be undisturbed.
010.016: The ruined city of Al-Abeytas. See here.
010.039: The village of Beir Marhi. It is built around an old Nuwapian obelisk that glows when a full moon is above it. The townsfolk fear its power and retreat into their homes when this happens. Any spells cast at the site of the obelisk on such an occasion are treated as though cast with a spell slot one level higher.
011.010: This fortress is a hideout of bandits that raid caravans passing along the road. They wear jackal masks to frighten their victims, and the leader is a werewolf.
011.017: The village of Rumanah. See here.
011.023: The Happy Camel, an inn and caravanserai built on the way to Hajar (see hex 013.030). As the route sees many merchants passing through, it has grown to have a bazaar of its own, with merchants and traveling trading wares and rumors.
011.025: The home of the Amidi mystic Abdul Khalil al-Muftar, a genasi philosopher who invites fellow dervishes to his house to debate the mysteries of the Covered Path. He will offer lodging to those who can outsmart him in a debate.
011.027: The village of Beit Al-Rabi. Near town is a great vault, its door carved into a pillar of stone, that no one has been able to open. Many rumors concern it - some say it must hold great treasure; others fear that it is sealing something that must not be unleashed...
011.030: The village of Tarqum. It is built near a complex of wells that lead to a vast underground lake, allowing the people to get water in its arid locale. Sometimes, though, stranger things come up from the wells...
011.036: The village of Far'ata. It has been taken over by bandits who rule with an iron fist, demanding tribute from the people and executing anyone who dares to oppose them.
011.047: The city of Al-Khas. It is home to a famed guild of steelworkers, who are said to produce the finest steel in all the land, and guard their secrets closely.
011.051: The village of Benayah. A fishing village in the Sultanate of Hatshem (see hex 014.052), its people have lived here since before the Sultanate declared independence and are indifferent to the squabblings of nobles. They care little as to who collects their taxes - and, as such, have been bribed to serve as spies by those loyal to the Emir.
012.014: The village of Al-Negba. See here.
012.020: The village of Ahkbera. See here.
012.021: The town of Katsir. See here.
012.045: This castle guards a bridge to the east over the Lahksa River. It collects a toll on anyone who crosses, but the castellan is quite proud of his martial prowess and will waive the toll to anyone who can best him in a joust.
012.053: The village of Zimiryad. It tends to a grove of carob trees that the people hold as sacred - or simply don't wish to disturb the dryads that call it their home.
013.007: This cave is home to the reclusive djinn Shakurah Fairuz al-Umarah Qadiri, who makes her palace here in the mountains disguised as a cave to hide it from mortals. She is, however, very vain and proud of her wealth, and if one does stumble upon her dwelling, she can be persuaded to treat them favorably if flattered.
013.023: The village of Beit Miran. Recently, one villager was turned into a pig, and his wife accuses a nearby clan of Caravan People for placing a curse on him - though the Caraveneers are innocent in the matter; having been framed by a witch living in the village in the hopes of inciting the village's prejudice to drive them away from a grove she uses to gather alchemical reagents.
013.025: The city of Al-Gaida. It possesses a vast public library with extensive records of literature, religious texts, scientific treatises, and magical grimoires.
013.028: This camp is home to the Arshakyan Caravan. Wise travelers know to stop here when traveling to Hajar (see hex 013.030), as it is often easier to find a place to sleep in a tent here than it is to find an open room in any inns during busy days.
013.030: The city of Hajar, a major nexus of caravan routes. The bazaar is one of the greatest in Quel'Ahma, with just about anything imaginable for sale, and merchants come from miles away to sell their wares here. The merchant guilds and dynasties in town are very powerful and hold great sway over local politics.
013.032: This castle guards the road to Hajar (see hex 013.030) against bandits that prey on caravans heading north. The officials here have been known to rope suspicious-looking travelers into very long and boring interrogations to confirm they have nothing to hide.
013.034: The village of Misri. See here.
013.036: The village of Ain-Kinan. See here.
013.041: The village of Al-Mazrah. See here.
013.047: A long-forgotten maqam sits here, the burial place of the dervish Yuval Kedir. His spirit has gone mad over the ages, and people now regard the shrine as haunted and avoid it.
014.021: The town of Salamah. See here.
014.028: The maqam of the Amidi mystic Mehdi ibn Ali. It is often visited by merchants on the way to Hajar (see hex 013.030) to pray for good fortune in their deals - something that frustrates the dervishes who tend to it, as they look down on merchants as greedy, selfish, short-sighted people unconcerned with enlightenment. They do give good donations, though.
014.037: The lair of the gorgon Kombaba. See here.
014.052: The city of Shanaa, capital of the Sultanate of Hatshem. The largest and most powerful of the independent sultanates in Al-Riyah, it is ruled by Sultana Sa'adia ibnat Majid Israa al-Khadija Zulekhi, a djinn noblewoman who won her domain's independence in a civil war fought with the aid of mercenary Swordbrothers and other forces from the north. To that end, the city has grown to be quite cosmopolitan, with mercenaries settling here and establishing families through the years. The Sultana is a proud woman who believes herself more worthy of rule than the Sultan of Quel'Ahma, and is perhaps overly ambitious in her pride, promising to achieve great prosperity for her people.
014.055: The town of Maklul. Located at the mouth of the Lahksa River, it is situated at a fertile delta and is a major port of trade. As of late, however, a gang of rebellious citizens have protested the Sultana's willingness to trade with outsiders by destroying shipments and harrassing foreign merchants.
015.019: The village of Ibtan. See here.
015.024: The village of Tabiyah. Its people belong to a cult that shuns the sun as a bringer of evil, killing travelers in the desert and parching fields.
015.034: The tower of the wizard Khadul al-Ghazzawi. See here.
016.015: The maqam of the Amidi mystic Abdulla en-Nur. See here.
016.036: The hidden shrine of Jamila ibnat Karim. See here.
016.038: The tomb of the Nuwapian priest Pahemnetjer. See here.
016.042: This camp is home to a clan of Snake Men bandits that raid trade routes nearby. See hex 006.015.
016.045: This camp is home to the Parseghian Caravan, and is situated at an oasis in the desert. The Caravaneers hire out their services as guides for those traveling east.
016.051: The village of Nahla. The people here have contacts with the Boghossians (see hex 019.052) and lend their services to their smuggling operation, passing goods between Shanaa (see hex 014.052) and Tel Adas (see hex 019.051).
016.054: The Monastery of Saint Alban. Originally founded as a temple of Kerne by Swordbrothers who settled here in service to the Sultana (see hex 014.052), it maintains a contingent of warrior monks who train here, but - as one of the few Pantheonist monasteries around - it has begun to expand its scope to housing monks devoted to other gods, which has sometimes led to arguments between cults with differing perspectives.
017.022: This fortress belongs to a gang of bandits led by a rogue genasi named Aviyah Yonit al-Alem, who turned to crime after being passed up for inheritance of her family's estate in favor of her brother. She uses her powers over the wind to conjure sandstorms in order to blind and trap her targets, and the bandits in her service regard her with great respect and fear.
017.055: The village of Ruwaysah. Just outside of town lives a dwarven hermit blacksmith who will forge magical weapons and armor if provided with the right materials.
018.019: A gang of bandits are camped here. They haven't had much success with their operation and are running low on supplies, causing dissent in the ranks as they argue with one another over what to do about it.
018.029: This castle belongs to the great genie Munir Hadi Abu Abdur ibn Faruq El-Raman; despite the desert around it, it grows in a fertile grove, and the genie's quarters are those of great splendor and luxury. The grounds are normally off-limits to mortals and are closely guarded, but if any travelers have a gift for the genie that will meet his demanding standards, he will reward them with a wish.
018.042: A giant scorpion lives in this cave. It guards a skeleton that clutches a bloodshed blade longsword (see Glory of the Giants).
019.023: This oasis is the dwelling place of a nereid (see Tales from the Yawning Portal) who attempts to lure travelers to quench their thirst in the water, and drowns them if they take the bait.
019.036: The ruins of the Nuwapian city of Tal Shemut. It was the site of a great battle between the Nuwapians and the Fedrelines in ancient times, and the bones of the soldiers who died there regularly rise and wage war against each other, reenacting the siege of the city.
019.040: This oasis is guarded by a manticore that has slain several passing caravans and disrupted trade. It has made a nest out of the remains of their carts and the bones of their animals, which contains a total of 437 GP in gold and jewels, two potions of gaseous form, and a mithril chain shirt.
019.051: The city of Tel Adas. It declared its independence as a free city after the governor was usurped by his vizier, Japeheth Nasir Abu Khayyam, a genasi sorceror who bound several genies in his service and used their powers to take over the city. It has sustained itself on trade and boasts a great marketplace, but the townspeople fear their new ruler and the power he commands.
019.052: This camp is home to the Boghossian Caravan, a clan of Caravan People who have established a powerful criminal empire, with connections to thieves and smugglers in many settlements in the area. Since Tel Adas declared independence (see hex 019.051), they cut off a trade route, and now many merchants go through the Boghossians to transport their goods without facing tariffs.
019.054: The village of Nazla. A famed snake charmer lives here, possessing a magic flute that can control snakes (as the animal friendship spell; only works on snakes).
019.057: The village of Misbah. The village boasts a maqam that has been known to grant visions to dervishes who spend the night in contemplation, guiding them on whatever quest they are on.
020.018: This cave is home to a clan of Snake Men (see hex 006.015). They largely spend their time under the surface away from the heat of the sun and will not attack unless disturbed, but they have been known to eat lost camels (or people).
020.027: This tomb belongs to a Nuwapian general named Amosis, who became immortal through the path of lichdom. He has spent the milennia studying necromancy and commands a small force of skeletal servants, but desires more bodies to amass his army.
020.031: The shrine of the Amidi dervish Aban bin Majilad. It stands in the desert by an oasis, the waters of which are always cool and refreshing no matter the temperature or time of day.
020.048: The ruins of the Nuwapian city of Amar-Netja. A cult of demon worshipers have taken up residence in the ruins to conduct their profane rituals - and they seek to awaken the lich buried in the city's palace to learn whatever dark secrets he has to share.
020.060: The village of Al-Betar. The people have taken to using a nearby sinkhole as a midden for their trash - and an oytugh living there has developed a taste for it, and now has its sights set on the town.
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