“Ye want to know more about the city of stairs lad. I be ye humble guide to it. My name? Malcom, I’m a story teller that I makes a living at it. We’ll start with the port district. It’s the lifeblood of the city, ships comin’from all parts of the world. Rokan, Cathay, the Janaan Isles, Samaran. It was blocked up not that long ago with a burnt ship in the harbor entrance.” Malcom points out to the entrance to the harbor. “Its kinda narrow at the entrance, makes for a passel of trouble if a ship flounders in there. The big fire also did in the port. Locast and its people were hurtin for sure.”

“Thank Tobias and the priesthoods fer donatin’ time and help to rebuild the lifeblood of the city. The merchants did help a little but it was the good folks of the city that done most of the work. Tobias? Oh, he’s the district leader for the port section and he used his tongue like a cheap whore to get them priest types to pony up the eagles to rebuild the area. Tobias is a good guy, jus ask any of the people who live in these parts. He’s a friend to all the lower people.”

“Why did the area burn? More or less long story but I’ll keep it short. My throats a little dry friend, you got a drink maybe? Thanks friend. The city was under control of them Rokan Bastards, and the guy in charge Watanabe, began to hang people for complaining about the things were. Can you imagine that? killing somebody for jes speaking out. I knowd I be dead if he heard me tell harmless tales. Did ye know that Watanabe had taken over from the previous guy Kurasawa? Yep, he did. Kurawasa be kilt by three members of the the Black Bastards. You know who they be right. No, remind me and I’ll tell you later. Anyways, they killed Kurasawa and scattered his parts about the castle, probably in the poop shoots, I’d reckon.” Malcom smiled and said “I always thought that old Kurasawa would go in the crapper. Damn his own people tried to off him earlier in the year.” Malcom laughed out loud.

“Oops, sorry about running off the track like that. Maybe a little more wine would help. Anyway, the people of the city didn’t like that and some attacked the White Samurai, damn Rokanese ghosts if you ask me. The folks attacking did no harm but Watanabe ordered a group of them to be hanged, including sum kids. That fired up the folks and a few well placed words, not from me mind you, stoked the folks into a frenzy and they went off burning and destroying things. Really kinda scary, I went out of the city at this point, I could see from the flipping Frog tavern, a good place to eat outside the city by the way, the crowd was going nuts, I tell you. The regular guard couldn’t stop it, the White samurai were having a hard time with it. Hell there was a group of adventurers who were being swarmed under by the crowd. It was pretty funny watching the armored guy get up and then be mowed down by the swarms, and there was also a gnome, who was being held up by a priest of Tyr I think. I was going to take bets on their survival. Oh damn, I do get distracted easily, I need more whiskey I think to keep me on target.”

Les see now, oh the port. Like I said the ports the life blood of the city. There be lots of comin’s and goin’s. The port district has a certain aroma about it. Damn sailors git all mooney about it. I dunno, combine the smell of dead seaweed, shit from the city and fish, kinda makes me ill. Its always busy with sailors coming to lose their hard earned coin on whores and gambling. The captains and the dock workers always arguing about where things go and the merchants complaining about the quality of the goods. Then you have the walkers tempting the poor young stupid sailors along with sellers trying to bilk you out of your last dollar. Last but not least are the frigging priests, particularly of the Bitch herself Umberlee, The Talos priests and the spooks of Selune. All of them wanting coin from the people.

There are places which the folks do hang out in the port. The best knowd is the Blind Octopus. It sits back from the actual docks area. It be a survivor of many a disaster, quakes, tidal waves, etc it always comes back. Kint tell ye how many deals have gone down under the twin eye patched Octopus. Did ya knowd that there be a famous picture in there. Yep. Story tells that some two ages back, a famous warrior, so they say, was throwing back a few, when his horse was bein’ stole. He heard the commotion and went out the door and spotted the fellows runnin’ off with the horse. He tried to follow, but was wearing cursed boots. I betcha the regulars had a field day laughing their asses off. Anyhow, some painter started to paint the image and went he was done, the painting of the dancing cavilier hung inside the building.

The Sunken Ship is another place where people go to meet and swap items. It was an ship that wuz washed up onto the land in the past. The bilge was actually the bar area. It burnt in the port burning and been rebuilt, but it ain’t the same as it was. Damn shame, their drinks were less watered down than sum of the others. Nowadays, their drinks are the same as others. The last of the best places fer a fella looking for fun is the Gold Mermaid. It has the best gals working there.

Theres the temples, damn all of them, all want money from a sailor to save him while at sea. All crooks ifin you ask me. I aint been to sea in more years. Did ya knowd that halflings are considered bad luck at sea, not women. Anyway the The Temple of the Bitch Umberlee is a blue green in color, with a huge trident hangin’ above the big door. The windows are round like portholes. You go inside and it feels like ye be drowning, dank and muggy alright. You toss your donation into the pool jes inside the door. I heard that the temple basement goes down to the ocean isself and they call up cold and slimey beasties to prey on the ships.

Then theres the temple of Talos, damn ugly combination of black and yellow. You feel ye hairs crawl when you drop your coin there. Nasty smell like sumthing burning when you walk inside. Then’s theres the ghost ladies, the priestess of Selune. It’s alway dark in there, if you see one of the wenches inside all ye usually see is the heads and hands, them ladies be whiter than a ghost if’n you ask me. They be the nicest of the temples for donatin. Yep most sailors drop coin in all three before they be sailing.

There be the big businesses in the port, There be the 3A company, the Eldred Family, K&B and the new player the White knight. They all be trying to get their share of coin from merhants and customers. The new company White Knight has been under cutting the others and taking their business. Tain’t sure how they be doing it. I’ve done some money ciphering in my time and can’t see how they be making it but maybe they got sume other ways of doing it.

There there be more bout the port district, but I be getting mighty hungry and thirsty and need be goin somewhere else.