Al Qahara

Al Qahara was a hidden elven town located in a cavern in the southern Raurin desert. The settlement was isolated but did some trade with oasis settlements in the desert.

Description
The entrance to the town was located in the face of a ravine; inside the mouth, there was a lantern-lit cavern with a gate. Beyond the gate was a large plaza lit by oil lamps, with a mosaic covering the floor, where the walls were covered with bronze calligraphic plaques and tapestries. This was the common area of Al Qahara. Around its walls were a number of balconies, square tunnels, and galleries. The mosaic hid a high-walled well at the center of the plaza.

Defenses
The cave mouth was hidden with enchantments of misdirection. Five guards kept watch over the gate, and they could call on reinforcements if they were attacked, for instance, by djinn. The enchantments of misdirection would allow only those of elven blood to find the gate.

History
In the, Kiril Duskmourn visited Al Qahara, looking for shelter from a coming storm, and a healer's attention for her companion in the trip, the dwarf geomancer Thormud Horn. She learned that they had discovered a recently appeared tower to the north, which they dubbed the Storm Spike, and that two of their archers had become lost in it, while a third one perished overnight upon returning. She also received a gift of a magical sword.

Inhabitants
Al Qahara was inhabited by elves who had spent generations in the desert. Though fey, they looked weathered. The adults preferred tunics, while the children favored loose pants and tunics. They were generous with lodging and food, and liked news and stories of the outside. As of, they set up a bonfire every night, attended by over a hundred, maybe two hundred elves.

Trade
The elves of Al Qahara sometimes unearthed relics from the desert. They traded those at Huorm, looking, for instance, for grain, cloth, or spice.

Notable Inhabitants

 * Essam
 * Fadheela
 * Mas'ud
 * Feraih
 * Ghanim
 * Haleem

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Darkvision