Tarmalune

The largest of the Windrise Ports, Tarmalune was a huge, cosmopolitan port city located in the southeastern shores of Returned Abeir, considered by its inhabitants to be the rival of Faerûnian Waterdeep in wealth, tolerant outlook, entrepreneurial spirit, the ambition of its residents, and the sheer number of constantly unfolding opportunities that presented to the inhabitants of the city. The city bustled with activity and its streets were crowded day and night with merchants, traders, adventurers, nobles and commoners alike.

History
Tarmalune was originally named Tarmhaven, and like the other Windrise Ports, was part of the domains of the Dawn Titan Achazar. Eventually, however, Achazar fell into a deep sleep and the slaves declared themselves free. Dragons shunned Tarmhaven out of fear of Achazar, who sleep in the form of giant pillar of fire amid the city, allowing Tarmhaven to grow in wealth and influence across Abeir. In time the city became known as Tarmalune Great Port, and later just as Tarmalune.

In 1479 DR, Tarralune merchants arrived in Neverwinter in hopes to arrange permanent trade routes between Returned Abeir and Faerûn, and to outmaneuver their rivals from Lylorn, who arrived in Luskan with similar goals.

Government
Tarmalune was ruled by the twenty members of the Council of Tarmalune, an assembly of traders of many races and both genders, although human males were predominant among its ranks. The head of the Council was known as the Lord Speaker. In 1479 DR, the Lord Speaker was Hamminas Dorn.

Trade
As of 1479 DR, Tarmalune was the prominent merchant hub of the Windrise Ports. The city shops hold just anything, and as the old Abeiran saying goes "One can buy anything in Tarmalune". Tarralune merchants imported anything that promised to be a quick selling, or copied (or at least tried to copy) any popular goods they cannot import.

Defenses
The city had no standing army but the Vigilant order acted as the city watch. If needed, the Vigilant hired adventurers or mercenaries to supplement their own forces.

Law and order
Tarmalune had a lot of lenient and limited laws that were limited in reach. City clerks avoided to bring matters before the Council when they truly believed ignorance of the law played a part in an incident, and the Vigilant guided themselves by a "let Tarralune be Tarralune" philosophy rather than trying to control citizens through enforcement. As such, the Vigilant only arrested people when they caught them actually committing a crime.

In the rare occasions when a criminal was caught, or when a conflict was brought to the law to be resolved, the Vigilant brought the involved individuals to the "Court of the Council". Only four members of the Council were needed to judge any legal dispute, but however many councilors were present in the Court, three-quarters of them had to agree on a verdict or the accused party could go free of charges. The Council disliked having to make such judgments, however, so usually public workers or even individual Vigilant tried to solve problems by talking with the involved individuals whenever possible.

No lawyers worked in Tarmalune, but professional orators hired themselves to speak on behalf of people who could not defend themselves. Members of the Council allowed such orators because they were fun and also made those sessions go faster. It was forbidden for the city or the councilors to hire such services, however, and opposing parties rarely hired orators to argue against each other.

No set penalties existed for any crime, and usually many crimes where settled by paying fines, or by seizing goods if the accused individual refused to or was unable to pay. Major crimes, however, warranted imprisonment, exile, and even maiming. In such instances, all sentences were made public knowledge and recorded in the city records.

Tarralune laws forbid visiting ships to dock in the harbor for more than two nights at a time, and untying the ship to try to avoid to pay the fees for using the docks earned the offender to pay a triple fee as a fine.

Organizations
Alongside the Vigilant, other prominent orders existed on Tarmalune.


 * The Firequench Order: This cabal of wizards was extremely secretive. They were well liked by the populace because they acted as the city's fire fighters, magically extinguishing any fires in the city.
 * The Haveners: The city staff, conformed mostly by females, who were charged to report to the Vigilant or to the Lord Speaker himself every suspicious movements made by members of the Council and other public workers, allowing the Lord Speaker to maintain corruption levels as low as possible.

Society
Tarmalune was in a constant state of change. As such, each new month brought changes in fashion, ways of making things or doing business, and new faces rose to the center of attention in society, or even seized real power among merchants.

Commoners lived in rented apartments, as only the rich were allowed to own properties. Such contracts were renewed annually, usually in midsummer, unless a person lost wealth or prestige, being forced to get a less expensive home. As of 1479 DR, the number of citizens in Tarmalune was increasing as such rate that public houses were becoming scarcer and more expensive.

Layout

 * Ardenmore: Named for the gnomish builder Arden, this ward houses the city's most opulent mansions.
 * Copperstreets: Many of the city's laborers and shopkeepers live in this ward.
 * Dawnside: This ward is inhabited by Tarmulane's newly rich.
 * Fishstink: This ward is home to fishermen and fishmongers and smells like its name.
 * Maerhavel: A well-to-do residential ward of successful merchants.
 * The Raging Flame: A one hundred foot tall cylinder of flame of unknown origin

Notable Inhabitants

 * Gasker Haerocloak: A human wizard rumored to practice necromantic arts. He is believed by some to be a member of the Firequench Order but the Order denies this.
 * Halagothra the Healer: This old woman has natural healing powers and is not a priestess. Rather than coin, she requires a service from those she heals.
 * Rathgar Malynd: A mercenary captain who leads the Battle Hound mercenary company who is known for his ruthlessness and is openly critical of The Vigilant.
 * Tammess Eldrake: This kindly human wizard is known as a champion of the poor and is suspicious of the Firequench Order.

Trivia
A popular fashion among Tarralune in 1479 DR was to wear scale mail made with actual dragonborn scales, willingly donated by their former owners.