Crimmor

Crimmor, also known as the City of Caravans or the Caravan Capital of Amn, was a fortified city and the focal point of practically all trades between the Sword Coast North and the Lands of Intrigue. The constant stream of travelers made it the most diverse Amnian city.

Built on the southern shore of the Alandor River, Crimmor was a city constantly bustling with life. A strong stink of ox dung filled the streets, courtesy of the unusual quantity of wagons roaming them. Caravaneers set camp outside of the city, filling the southern lands with tents and cattle.

"Crimmor, City of Caravans, what shall I say of thee? The life-blood of half Faerûn streams through thy streets, by coin and creaking wagon-wheel. Here Amn works for its glittering gold, and by such striving half the Sword Coast North is fed, and fine-work of a thousand-thousand hands set forth to remote stead and backland croft. Crimmor, where barge, drover, and wagon are lords, work never ceases, and folks can sleep through din worthy of a siege. Crimmor, the beating heart of the haughty Merchants' Domain, bones beneath the striding skin of gold. No man is truly a caravan master, who has not passed through Crimmor."

- Extract from Tales of a City Unsleeping by Mandivvur Taeruld

Trade Routes

 * Alandor River: Flowing from Lake Weng to the Sea of Swords. Trade goods were loaded on barges towed up and down the river by horses and mules.  On the northern side of the city, docks allowed those barges to load and unload their cargo and were used by local children as swimming platforms.
 * Eshpurta Road: Going eastwards, this was the most important east-west road in northern Amn. Along this road were warehouses, tanneries, paddocks and slaughterhouses.
 * River Road: Going west alongside the Alandor river, this road led to the capital city of Athkatla. Riding along this road, one would find estates of wealthy Amnians until half a day away from the city.
 * Trade Way: Extending in both directions, this major trading route led to both Baldur's Gate to the north and Calimport to the south (passing through Purskul) . The section of the Trade Way going south was called the Orc Road by the inhabitants, whereas the northern section leading to Nashkel was sometimes referred to as the Bitten Road.

Traveling towards the north was difficult, as the soft river bottom made it hard to build bridges. Travelers had to either pay a barge to get them on the other side, or take a long detour (usually towards the east).

Weather
On most days, a thin haze of dust hanged over the city, flung around by the beast's hoofs. On rare occasions a westbound wind cleaned the dust from the air, bringing with it the reeks of tanneries, paddocks and slaughterhouses.

Rain was a common occurrence in Crimmor, happening in short but severe downpours two to three times almost every morning. In addition mists caused by the river would cover the city every morning, until dispersed by the sun.

During the 14 Century DR, the lands east of the city were plagued with dust storms. A local druid circle, the Flamenar, tried to reduce this issue by planting new trees on the surrounding hills.

During winter the region was covered by so much ice and snow that traveling with draft animals was impossible. During this time caravans stopped running, and the rare short and tedious trips were accomplished using humanoid-pulled sledges.

Flora
Inside the city no space was dedicated to parks or gardens. To find trees and grass, one had to step outside the fortified walls: they would first pass through the Keepclear, a grassy area as large as "the flight of a ballista-bolt fired from the wall towers" and used by townfolks for moots, walks and picnics. On the limit of the Keepclear near the Orc Road, visitors could find the first trees: a majority of duskwoods, as well as some felsuls. Those trees were a favorite playground of local children, and marked the beginning of the area where visiting caravans would set up their encampments. Lovers and paramours used to meet near those trees, but this tradition declined over time as caravan-riders enjoyed playing pranks on such couples.

Outside of the city gardens produced a variety of goods such as apples and pears. Some of those gardens were tended by the clergy of Chauntea.

Fauna
Most domesticated animals inside Crimmor were draft animals &mdash;mostly oxes and mules&mdash; as well as riding-horses and coach-horses. Those animals wore large brass badged stamped with the symbol of the city and graved with their owner's name. The badges were issued by the Thaeldorn and served to prove that the animal belonged to a tax-paying citizen, as visitors were forbidden to bring their own beasts of burden inside the city.

Crimmans kept few pets, as cats and dogs were banned from the city&mdash;except as caged cargoes. As a result mice and rats were plentiful, as were snakes and scavenger birds feeding on them. The locals hunted those pests using stones, poisons and drowning-traps whenever given a chance.

Government
The city was ruled by the Thaeldorn, which was a name used to refer to both the building housing the Mayor, and the employees therein. Leading over them was the Alandor-Lord and Thaele of Crimmon, which people usually called the mayor. Corlyn Braen was the mayor circa 1374 DR. He was known to be fair-minded and well-meaning, wanting the best for the city and its inhabitants.

Law & Order
Crimmor had several protectionist laws related to the handling of commercial goods. A whole economy was built around those laws, allowing jobs such as dockhands, wagonmakers and drovers to thrive.
 * Only oxen and mules belonging to Crimmor citizens could enter the city.
 * It was forbidden to build shore-docks outside the city walls, to prevent evading inspection and fees.

Multiple organizations worked together to keep the city and its inhabitants safe:
 * The Crimmor Guard employed 500 well-disciplined and well-armed combatants. They wore chainmail under their tabards and fought using slings, longswords and daggers. Numerous patrols watched over the streets of the city, and were typically strong of a dozen guards.
 * Strong of 125 men and women, the Bargemen patrolled the Alandor River, the westbound River Road, and the docks. They wore tabards emblazoned with the city's symbol.
 * The Shadow Thieves regulated criminal activities in the city, and enforced a strict no-theft policy.
 * Although this was seldom necessary, the Crytrapper family could supplement the guard with 400 more troops from its estates around the city.

In addition, the authorities were known to hire mercenaries to increase the city defenses in case of necessity.

Crime
The Thaeldorn were known for their swift justice: an offender would usually be brought before a magistrate on the same day they were apprehended, or before noon if they were caught at night. Holding cells were built on the ground-floor of every tower alongside the city wall, and were used to incarcerate troublemakers awaiting their judgement. A more secure dungeon was built under the Thaeldorn, and was used for prisoners sentenced to long-term imprisonment.

Trade
Being a corner of the trading routes between Amn and the Sword Coast North, Crimmor had a vibrant economy revolving around trade goods and the people moving them. The city housed five major guilds representing dockhands and drovers, as well as other trades supporting them.

Thanks to the ban forbidding visitors to bring draft animals inside the city, Crimman teams of drovers performed dozen of trips daily between the docks and the Drover's Gate, moving wagons from barges to caravans and vice versa. Individual drovers used mules to deliver smaller shipments (e.g. chests, crates, kegs) to addresses within the city walls. It was common for such drovers to cry carry in the caravan-yards to advertise their services.

The most iconic wagonmaker of the city, Zan Zoldaftel, was known far and wide to produce the best carts one could buy. Over the years Old Zan took on many apprentices, on the condition that their own business would open in Crimmor as well. As a result, the city name was synonymous with top-of-the-line carts and wagons everywhere.

Crimmor counted many smithies, most of which were located in the southern Wheel Ward of the city. In addition to providing much needed much needed spare parts to the wagonmakers, the smiths also made the place a major processing center for the previous metals and gems mined in the nearby Cloud Peaks. The city was also a major jewelry-making center, although jewelry produced there was seen as inferior to the one produced in other places.

Finally, the city produced and exported a quantity of agricultural goods, such as apples, barley, corn, hops, malt, oats,pears, mild and sweet peppers, winter wheat, beers and ales. The latter, although of good quality, were disregarded as "common" by the Amnian elites. Candied Crimmor pears could be found as far as Westgate, being sold for 8 gp at Aurora's Emporium.



Shopping
It was said that in Crimmor anything could be bought, copied, repaired or altered. The numerous shops of the city were cluttered, noisy and always busy. Merchants opened shops from mistclear to dusk, but could handle restocking and deliveries all night long.

While items sold in shops had price tags, no laws required merchants to sell anything at the indicated price. It was customary for merchants in Amn to use an excessive price markup, making haggling a necessity.

Customers who broke items were expected to pay for the damage, and purchases were usually wrapped by merchants unless asked otherwise.

By decree of the Mayor, it was forbidden for customers to outbid each other for swifter service. The practice was still active in some shop, but done in secret.

Clubs and Taverns
Festhalls, called Clubs, were an important aspect of the Crimman culture. Many townsfolk would meet in those dining halls to eat their main meal of the day, gossip, socialize, and conduct sideline business. This was also the place where they would go in order to hire new employees such as shop staff, guards, or adventurers.

In addition, Crimmor contained a variety of taverns where people would meet to drink cider and ale. Compared to clubs, taverns were noisy places offering few things to eat. They usually only served small snacks such as pickled, smoked oysters and fried cheese breads.

Inns and Boarding Houses
Visitors looking to spend the night in the city had two options to choose from: renting a room in one of the three inns of the city, or in one of its numerous boarding houses.

Inns were the pricier option, but offered full meals, larger houses, and various services such as laundry and bathing. Boarding houses were cheaper, but usually offered no more than basic amenities: a clean bed and chamber pots, a water basin, and door guards.

A night in the Pearl, the most expensive inn of the city, cost between 10 and 12 gp. In comparison, a night in a boarding house cost between 6 sp and 1 gp depending of the season.

Due to the constant cacophony of wagons roaming around Crimmor some visitors would prefer sleeping with the beasts in the paddocks outside the city, which were still quieter despite the lowing and neighing.

Fashion
Crimmans gave gaudy outfits less importance as a status symbol as other Amnians. They gave more importance to fine coaches, walking sticks, homes, luggage and tools.



Religion
The main worship in Crimmor was dedicated to Chauntea, Lliira, Milil and Sune. In addition, Waukeen played an important part in the life of all Amnians. The town also housed a shrine dedicated to many deities.

Deceased in Crimmor were celebrated by day long remembrance feasts held in their homes. Wealthy people were inhumated in the crypts of Silent Hill south-west of the city, reachable by following the Orc road. The bodies of regular citizens were washed and shaved, then taken east of the city on dedicated wagons to be cremated by priests&mdash;as for their hairs, they were sold for use in wigs and as stuffing.

Prostitution
While ladies of coin weren't proposing their services in the streets, the trade was still alive in the city. Hostesses of some clubs offered more than drinks, prostitutes looked for business in the Tymoran Trails inn, and a couple brothels masquerading as boarding houses offered room visits from "house girls" for an extra fee.



Festivals and Holidays
Wheelmoot was the only festival specific to the city of Crimmor. Held during winter, it was four consecutive days and nights of drinking and public debauchery.

Waste Management
Dedicated wagons were used to collect wastes, from broken items or household waste to the content of chamber pots. Those wagons moved slowly through town throughout the day, and the drovers signaled their arrival in front of each building using double-note fluted pipes. Once the wagons were full enough, their content was dumped in pits located three hills away south of town, along the Orc Road.

Citizen were charged for this waste removal service, paying 1 cp for each bucket dumped in the wagons. For the purpose of this service, any container that could be carried by one person unaided was considered as a bucket.

Architecture
Most of the city was built from stone, from the buildings to the cobbled streets.

The streets of the city had narrow but deep channels in their center, which were used to guide rainwater towards the Alandor river. They were often insufficient though, causing the streets to be permanently dirty and smelly from a melange of water and dung.

Buildings were tall and narrow, touching each other as to not waste any space. The first level of every building was a low-ceilinged cellar held together by massive stone supports, and had a characteristic "big step up" on its front threshold to keep water and dung at bay. The stone supports were necessary because the city was built upon hardened river ooze and uneven bedrock, causing the buildings to slowly sink down and lean in one direction or another. Those supports were regularly replaced or reinforced to keep the buildings straight and structurally stable.

While buildings were made from gray stone, they were stained brown until about high. Most buildings were four to six stories tall, and none were higher than the upthrusting spires of The Pearl. Building roofs were tilted and made of brown, green or blue tiles, and windows were usually very high and narrow, as wide as four men's palms across. Most houses used "window-poles" ending in hooks to slide up and down the vertically overlapping sliding glass panels that composed their windows.

Many building sported several small balconies, high enough to not be a nuisance to loaded wagons. The facades were decorated with carved "ardragons", mythical mock-dragons with impossibly thin and long bodies that curled around windows and other wall features. Signs were hung on building walls to give various indications, from advertising sales in shops to giving indications to wagon drovers.

Water Supply
Citizens knew better than drinking from the river, as its waters would cause people to feel sick for a while&mdash;especially visitors which weren't used to it.

Instead, the city was supplied with drinkable water through a midair pipe connecting to an abundant spring on the nearby Crytrapper Hill. The pipe ended on a wall-tower, where a series of pipes running along the city walls distributed it across the city. Almost every buildings were connected to this flow, and water was accessible through spigots, pumps and cisterns.

In addition some merchants sold "clearwater" from the Weeping Princess Pool, a nearby rainwater pool. This expensive product was sold in ornate flagons, and bought by snobbish folks.

Defenses
The city was surrounded on the north by the Alandor River, and in all other directions by impressive gray granite walls. The walls were high, and guard towers equipped with ballistae were located on regular intervals along the periphery.

The Thaeldorn maintained several granaries around the city, which stored food supplies to be used in case of siege, famine, plague, or severe winters.

History

 * Foundation of the city, subordinated to the Shoon Imperium. The original citizens were mostly Calishite immigrants.
 * Crimmor became part of the country of Amn, under the reign of King Esmel Torlath.
 * During the Ogre Wars, Prince Imnel Torlath and his armies fought on the Small Teeth to restore trade between Crimmor and Murann. The town of Imnescar would later be founded where that battle took place.
 * Crimmor was affected by the Coast Plague, killing approximately 20% of the townsfolk (i.e. thousands of people)
 * Circa : Alorgoth the Bringer of Doom recruited some of the first members of the Order of the Dark Moon amongst the talented young adults of Crimmor.

The lost lady
In addition to being a major trade route, Crimmor was famous for being haunted. A ghost roamed the city streets, looking for a treasure and a long-lost lover. The ghost was said to be that of Esmaelae, a long-dead noblewoman of Tethyr, and was known to possess the living to further her searches. Some crimmans let Esmaelae possess them willingly, hoping to find her lost treasure along the way. Her victims were easy to recognize, as her ghostly face was slightly superimposed over theirs. Crimmans were extremely tolerant towards the antics of possessed victims, and sometimes followed them as a form of entertainment.

Thayan murders
Thayans were not welcomed in Crimmor, which didn't deter them from secretly trading items and potions infused with dark magic in the city. Circa 1370 DR several Red Wizards of Thay were found dead in the streets, their bodies left for citizens to see, with the words Thayans Stay Out carved in them. Those murders were wildly credited to the Shadow Thieves guild, and sparked numerous rumors amongst the citizens.

Ophal and Thaeldorn rivalry
According to rumors, Lady Zharnn Ophal planned to assassinate the Mayor and every last members of the Thaeldorn to replace them with loyal courtiers and bureaucrats. Details were fuzzy, with some pretending that the Shadow Thieves backed that attempt, while others insisted that they opposed her. According to the wildest rumors the Dragon Lady unleashed an amphibious, flying eel capable of traveling through water pipes to do the job.

Snake soup
According to Volothamp Geddarm, who severely disliked Crimmor, snake soup was a local delicacy. He pretended that some dining houses were going so far as leaving intact snake heads in the broth to scare diners.

Idioms

 * A proper earner: Was said of a very nice tool or implement. Such tools would impress Crimmans very much.


 * Caught in crimson: Was said of a thief caught red-handed.


 * To cry carry: Shouting to advertise the services of a business or individual.


 * Guarding mine/his glints : Hiding mine/his valuable wares from public eyes to avoid having them stolen after leaving Crimmor.


 * Having too little coin to buy their own confidence: Was said of someone ostensibly flaunting their money by owning unnecessary ornate buildings or clothing.

Slang

 * Ardragons: Mythical mock-dragons carved around windows and other wall features. They were characterized by their thin and long bodies, and could include various features such as wings, clawed limbs, or multiple heads.


 * Djauncesome: A term of admiration for architecture or garments.


 * Exalted window: A really narrow window. Crimmans never used the term arrowslit, which was considered insulting.


 * Highnosed: Arrogant, disdainful, snooty. Could be said of a person or of a business.


 * Mistclear: A short time after dawn, when the sun would disperse the mists caused by the river.


 * Streetmoot (or moot): Intersection


 * Sward-feast: A picnic. Its literal meaning was a meal on the grass.


 * Throus: The local name for leeks.

Notable Locations
Crimmor was divided into three city wards, demarcated by two major roads. The High Ride ran east-weast through the city and marked the southern end of the River Ward. The Wagonrun ran north-south and separated the Wheel Ward from the Purse Ward.


 * River Ward:
 * The most important feature of the River Ward were the docks, where barges would stop to load and unload merchandises. This ward was also the home of Zoldaftel Wagons, the most renowned wagon-making shop in the region.

It was also the home of the Tymoran Trails, a popular inn known for its noisy and festive atmosphere.


 * Wheel Ward:
 * Most of the smithies were located in the Wheel Ward.
 * Durndraaven Manor, the Ophal family mansion, was located in the Wheel Ward as well.
 * Harnsar's Board, a club serving unusual food, could be found alongside the Wagonrun.
 * The Wheel Ward also contained two of the only three inns of the city:


 * The towering Pearl Inn, the highest building of the city, could be found on the northern part of the ward, along the High Ride.
 * Sorntalar's Rest, famous for offering a quiet place for guests desiring to rest up.


 * Purse Ward:
 * The Thaeldorn could be found in the Purse Ward. It was the home of the Mayor and the courtroom were justice was served.
 * Crystalgates Manor, the Krimmevol family mansion, was located at the limit between the Purse Ward and the River Ward.
 * The intersection known as The Drae contained the most elegant clubs in the city, including the The Zultail, Salamantha's Sundown and The Old Wheel.
 * All temples within the city walls were also located in the Purse Ward:.


 * Chauntea's Cradle, a temple dedicated to the Earthmother.
 * The Theater of Joy, an old amphitheater serving as a temple to Lliira, Milil and Sune.
 * The Allfaiths Altarhall, a shrine dedicated to many deities.

Guilds
Five guilds controlled the major trades in Crimmor: the Smiths, the Dockhands, the Leatherers, the Wagonmakers and the Wheelwrights. To reduce the risks of corruption, they had no guildmasters but elected small, short-term ruling councils instead.


 * The Smiths Guild
 * The Smiths specialized in producing parts for wagons, chains, fastening, small hardware (e.g. screws, bolts, hinges), locks, and wires. They also helped refining metals and gems extracted from nearby mines.


 * The Dockhands Guild
 * The Dockhands worked with barge and wagon crews, and controlled all loading and unloading on the docks..


 * The Leatherers Guild
 * Among the members of the Leatherers were very good harness-makers, saddlers, and bootmakers. Crimman boots were known to be extremely durable, yet stylish.


 * The Wagonmakers Guild
 * The Wagonmakers of Crimmor were said to be amongst the best in their trade. Although guilds were ruled by councils, the de facto leader of the Wagonmakers was Zan Zoldaftel. Old Zan was one of the most illustrious master carters in history, and numerous members of the guild were his apprentices once.


 * The Wheelwrights Guild
 * The wheelwrights made and repaired wheels and carriages. As per order of the Mayor, drovers where also part of this guild. This was the result of convincing by the three grand families, who feared that fees should steeply increase should drovers be allowed to form their own guild. The guild also looked over carpenters and woodcutters working in the nearby Cloud Peaks.


 * The Shadow Thieves Guild
 * Usually highly secretive, the most powerful Amnian thieves' guild was openly present in Crimmor, which it had declared a theft-free zone.  The guild maintained this policy strictly, taking measures against visiting thieves and amateurs, and exposing thieves trying to sell ill-gotten gains inside the city walls. The protection offered by the Shadow Thieves extended outside city walls as well, including the warehouses to the east and the estates of the wealthy to the west.

It was said that the origin of this peculiar arrangement came from a debt high-ranking Shadow Thieves members owed to the Crytrapper family, who provided them alibis and protection when they were caught red-handed. The guild was so close to the Crytrappers that some of the family's secret warehouses were used to store contraband or guild members. The guild also ensured that no one would counterfeit the badges used on draft animals, by letting it known that every false badge would be worth one finger&mdash;severed from the user.

Nobility
Three major noble families held influence over Crimmor. They were collectively referred to as the grand families by the townsfolk. Other families were present in the city but deferred to the aforementioned grand families.


 * Crytrapper family
 * The head of the family, Lady Lamia Crytrapper, was the cousin of Mayor Corlyn Braen and as such wielded powerful political influence. Her sister, Chynna Crytrapper, was the local priestess of Lliira. By the mid-to-late 14 century DR, the Crytrapper family owned most of the taverns in town.


 * Krimmevol family
 * The Krimmevol family was the majority landholder in Crimmor, and owned almost half of the businesses related to caravans. Mikaal Krimmevol, the family head, was the Mayor's best friend and as such provided an important political power to his family. Mikaal was also secretly the Herald Sable, keeping an eye on trades and smuggling.


 * Ophal family
 * The Ophal family controlled most of the spice trade in town. Lady Zharnn Ophal was a political opponent to the mayor, which she tried to have replaced for years. The Ophal family was as feared as it was respected, with the Mayor being one of the only citizens that dared speak against Lady Ophal in public.



Merchants

 * Lord Nadlok Bormul owed most of the inns and taverns in town during the early 14 century DR. Lord Bormul was a powerful merchant and member of the Knights of the Shield.

Notable Inhabitants

 * Corlyn Braen : The mayor of Crimmor in the mid-to-late 14 century DR.


 * Branwyn Vaupel: The youngest High Sword of the guard in the mid-to-late 14 century DR.


 * Ilthong: A Crimman archmage who possessed the rare spellbook known as Galadaster's Orizon.


 * Lydan Prowl: A halfling and detective within the guard, at the same time period as Branwyn.


 * Yugo Reft: A half-orc and the leader of the Dockhands Guild.


 * Zan Zoldaftel: The best wagonmaker of the city, and leader of the Wagonmakers Guild.


 * Rortryn Waend: A murderer who was active in Crimmor and Athkatla in the 15 Century DR. Rortryn was an accomplished actor and priest of Shar.


 * Minstrelwish family
 * This wealthy hin clan was present in Crimmor. They were discreet landlords renting properties and warehouses, and providing employment for the local halfling community.