1 Merchant House Wavir - This building serves as the regional headquarters for House Wavir. The offices, living quarters and slaves all reside within the building. The resident Lead Agent is Parys Kaakar, a human male trader who spends enormous amounts of money entertaining guests, and is able to make trade agreements with the most improbable people.
There are multiple guards stationed throughout the building and at each of the three entrances. On the upper levels, cloth shade sails attached to the walls allow for a cool retreat, as well as observations of not only the activities in the markets below, but trade caravans that are approaching the sprawling trade town.
To the rear of the main building are the personal gardens of Agent Parys. Lush and extravagant, there are plants growing here that have rarely been seen by others. Parys is somewhat of a fanatical collector of rare and exotic flora, and will spend hours in the gardens.
Parys Haakar
Male Human Trader/Preserver, Neutral Good
Level: 8/2
AC: 9
Hit Points: 43
2 Merchant House Rees - This building serves as a district warehouse and office for House Rees. There are six storehouses, all of which are under constant watch and protection. There are no windows, and the only entrance into each storehouse is sealed with expensive heavy, wooden doors, bound with iron and locked with an ingenious metal lock designed and built by a thri-kreen. Only Agent Cerik Remar and the Captain of the Guard know the secret to unlocking the doors.
House Rees is a minor Trading House in the Tablelands Region, however, they trade in textiles, which is a market not sought after by the larger Houses. House Rees has managed to retain one of the only trade caravans that routinely travel to Balic. This is due largely to the fact that they use crodlu exclusively as their mounts, which are quick and agile; able to either outrun or avoid thieves, marauders, or any of the other numerous dangers of cross-country travel on Athas.
Cerik Remar
Male Human Trader, Lawful Neutral
Level: 5
AC: 10
Hit Points: 29
3 Merchant House Tomblabor - Not much is known about Merchant House Tomblabor. They trade in everyday common goods, sending caravans to Tyr, Urik, Gulg, and even occasionally to Raam or Balic. Rarely do they ever report being attacked along any of the trade routes, and they tend to keep mostly to themselves. Always professional and very matter-of-fact, people often comment that it is almost as easy to trade with a rock as it is a trader from House Tomblabor. It is rumored that the reason for this Houses success, is the fact that it is in reality a false front for House Stel. There is no factual evidence that anyone could ever bring forward to prove this, but there is always an air of regimented and militaristic behavior about House Tomblabor’s agents.
All but slaves are free to enter and leave the town whenever they wish. It is a free-town, however, House Wavir does employ a large number of guards that are permanently stationed here. They provide security for the Merchant House and its trade-goods, but they also act as a town-watch, responding to any trouble and enforcing the local rules. Each guard wears an inix-leather armor breastplate and carries either a bone-tipped spear or an obsidian short sword. There are 84 permanent guards that live in six barracks scattered throughout Altaruk.
4 Tavern - The “Mangled Kank” is Altaruk’s only legal tavern. Owned and operated by Grandit, a burly, but good humored dwarf, the Mangled Kank provides a wide selection of drinks and serves a variety of hearty meals. It is a good place for meetings and gathering information.
Grandit
Male Dwarf Merchant
Level: 2
AC: 9
Hit Points: 23
5 Elven Camp - Merchant House Wavir remains suspicious of all elves but allows them to camp within the established walls of the Elven camp. This wall is only a meter or so in height, and isn’t necessarily meant to keep the elves in, or others out, but it does provide a definite separation of space, which is agreeable to both parties; the elves and Merchant House Wavir. There is a crudely constructed gate which is closed at the fourth bell after sunset and reopens at sunrise. While it may appear to outsiders that elves are being treated poorly, or segregated, it should be remembered that elves prefer to be in each other’s company and are quite suspicious of all non-elves. The Elven camp is a good place to find goods, services and information not easily or readily found elsewhere in Altaruk.
6 The Market Keeper - Unique to Altaruk is the concept of the Market Keeper. Anyone who wishes to trade or sell items in Altaruk must first stop here and register. If the trader intends to sell his goods, he must pay the Market Keeper a daily fee, who in turn assigns a tent to him that he is allowed to use. Each registered merchant must bear an official seal given to them by the Market Keeper; anyone caught selling goods without this seal is escorted out of town and threatened upon their return. The trade fees collected are distributed the merchant houses, although Merchant House Wavir receives more, being that it is they who in provide the majority of protection to the town by employing guards.
Atop the Market Keeper’s small structure is a ceramic bell, shaped more like an over-turned bowl, which is rung at regular intervals throughout the day and night. This invention was the idea of Parys Haakar, who felt that in keeping track of time, his workers would prove to be more productive; a theory that has yet to be proven true.
7 Corrals - Beasts of burden are not allowed to roam freely in Altaruk. Anyone wishing to enter the town must first corral their beasts and pay the appropriate fees. The merchant who’s tent is set directly in front of the corrals, and who is selling a variety of dried meats is the man to see about boarding and feeding beasts and mounts. Travelers beware, for any beast left longer than paid for will either be sold or turned into meat. The town’s corrals can keep beasts up to the size of inix or dewbacks, however, space may be limited and priority given to smaller creatures such as crodlu. Mekillot must be kept well out of the town’s limits.
** As a tip to travelers visiting Altaruk bearing beasts, there are usually corrals constructed of brambleweed outside of the town operated by elves, who charge a bit less than the fees collected in town, and they guarantee a mount when you return (although it may not be the one you originally left).
