Kaoll

Size: Village

Population: 300 (Human – Mulan), plus 300 slaves (80% Human – Various, 10% Dwarves, 10% Other)

Ruler: Gil-Numazz (Neutral, Human – Mulan, Expert 1). Gil-Numazz is the Rab’Aen (Great Lord) of Kaoll, like many of the lords of Unther he is most often absent from Kaoll, attempting to gain favour in court at Unthalass.

 

Overview

Kaoll is a small settlement of little to no importance in terms of Unther’s politics. It is notable for salt farming, fishing, and for being the former recruiting headquarters of the Esba’Tahar of the East.

Salt has not been a profitable trade resource for Unther in several centuries, the fishing stocks are relatively poor at the far southern edge of the Alamber Sea, and the Esba’Tahar of the East has recently relocated to Unthalass.

In summary, the future for Kaoll is bleak, much like the rest of Unther.

 

Life and Society

People in Kaoll are simple, and glad to be far removed from the political centre of Unther. The residents wake early and spend the early morning fishing off shore or farming in the fields to the south, retiring during Highsun for several hours before returning to work in the evening.

During the summer months, the tidal pools on the low southern shoreline of the Alamber Sea dry out during low tide and leave a thin salt crust that locals harvest (usually during Highsun).

Unlike the rest of Unther, the distinction between An’Ular, An’Ulae, and War’Lur castes is almost none. Everyone living this far south of Unthalass is in a state of near perpetual poverty, such that nobility and slave alike need to work the fields in order to survive, but the War’Lur do not earn a wage from their toils.

Most people in Unthalass have no idea that Kaoll exists, it has had little mention in the annals of Unther except as a staging area during the First Mulhorandi – Untheri War (-1967 to -1961 DR), in fact the name Kaoll is derived from Untheric for muster.

 

Politics

Kaoll is very far from the centre of politics in Unther. If its population has any affiliation with An’Ular families they have long since forgotten them. Political intrigue is almost non-existent as everyone is too busy working the fields, the fisheries, or the salt pools to care for currying favour with the elite.

Who Really Rules: The ruler of Kaoll is Rab’Aen Gil-Numazz, but most locals do not even know his name. Gil-Numazz has (as far as anyone can recall) never visited Kaoll, does not have a residence in Kaoll, and has never performed any duty in an official capacity (except for dispatching Isriku (tax collectors).

 

Defence

Kaoll has little in the way of defences. The temple to Ram-Manu and former recruiting headquarters of the Esba’Tahar of the East used to provide ample defence to this poor, frontier settlement.

Now that the masate of Unther have abandoned Kaoll the only defence available to the citizens is what they can provide themselves. Thankfully roving priests of Anhur (disguised as ensi of Ram-Manu) are taking the time to train and arm the locals enough to defend themselves from bandits and wandering monsters. The militia of Kaoll now number some 28 citizens able to wield a spear without being a danger to themselves.

 

Trade

During previous eras of Unther’s history; when foreign traders were viewed with less paranoia and xenophobia, the salt of Kaoll provided a steady income for its An’Ular and An’Ulae households.

Salt is relatively expensive compared to other commodities; such as foodstuffs, but the extortionate trade tariffs in Unthalass (the only market near enough to make trading worthwhile) quickly reduces the profits in salt farming to almost nothing.

Caravans occasionally arrive from the Shaar or the Vilhon Reach and buy available salt at a good price, but these visits are relatively rare thanks to the depredations of bandit groups such as the Grey Ghosts who watch the Dust Road.

 

Magic

Kaoll’s size and lack of An’Ular or An’Ulae families mean that official magic users are non-existent, as none could afford to pay for the services of such a skilled individual.

There are local fishwives who specialize in herb-lore and local remedies, and a local “touched” individual who claims to know the secrets of travelling to other lands in a single step, but apart from this there are no known magical practitioners in Kaoll.

The Enclave often uses Kaoll as a secret rendezvous point for those contacts that miss their appointed return time at the designated portal. Priests of Anhur (disguised as ensi of Ram-Manu) also meet here during the night to exchange information.

Kaoll is home to a peculiar magical anomaly that manifests every evening at dusk and continues until dawn. The slaughtered ensi of Ram-Manu reappear and continue their training exercise that was interrupted during the fateful evening of 1345 DR. The marching and mock combat provide suitable cover for the priests of Anhur that often wander pretend to duel among the apparitions while they communicate messages.

 

Religion

Kaoll used to be a location of import for the Church of Ram-Manu until 1345 DR, as it was one of 4 regional recruiting offices for the masate of Unther which the church was responsible for. Apart from this Kaoll lacked any religious presence except for the obligatory statues and shrines to Gil-Geamesq.

The Church of Ram-Manu: The Church of Ram-Manu’s presence in Kaoll was destroyed in 1345 DR when the attending ensi were all slaughtered and the temple was ransacked and left to ruin. In recent years, priest of Anhur have attempted to revive the religion by posing as ensi of Ram-Manu, and in so doing have restored the former temple and reconsecrated it as the Storm of Vibrant Rains. The temple is only partially restored and is left unattended for most of a tenday, but locals are beginning to leave offerings in the temple which the priests of Anhur are collecting regularly.

 

Important NPCs

 

Important Sites

Storm of Vibrant Rains: This ramshackle temple once used to house arms and armour for a hundred recruits, a granary store with food for several months, and attending priest quarters for 30 ensi. The troubles of 1345 DR saw all the priests butchered during training exercises, and the slaughter wrecked much of the temple structure and furnishings.

The ransacking ensi of Gil-Geamesq recovered little in the way of relics, for escape tunnels led to a secret bay on the coast and a number of fugitive ensi of Ram-Manu escaped. The new priests of Ram-Manu have cleared the priest quarters and training grounds and have erected a shrine made of the ruined armaments of the ensi that perished here.