Zyltri (zil-tree)

Among the lavish and expensive settlements of Ostrovenia, the eastern coast town of Zyltri stands out for its opulence and immorality. Whereas Armini is a town for relaxation and indulging in self-care, Zyltri lets visitors live out all their desires and fantasies. It is a den of gambling, prostitution, feasts, and general bacchanalia - of both legal and illicit types. Bigger spenders can access the real underground facilities and activities, but they have to have or make the right connections to do so. Despite the bevy of legal establishments for indulgence, the reputation of Zyltri leans more heavily on its darker side of seedy establishments where stolen goods get fenced and all manner of "flesh goods" are bought, sold, traded, and used.

Demographics

Zyltri is a mixture of all different races, ethnicities, and backgrounds with no one really standing out as predominant. There are, of course, a large number of humans but also many halflings - as one would expect from a town in Ostroven. Other than that, one can find someone of any race or ethnicity in the town - including those from other worlds like gith or giff - in the high-end lounges and gambling houses. Many of these people are visitors and are not counted in Zyltri's official census, but they add to the flavor and experience of the town.
Most of Zyltri's actual residents are involved in the service sectors, along with a large number of merchants and traders who procure and move goods around the island and from overseas. The vast sums of money that pass through the town have helped to elevate the lifestyle and average income of the typical Zyltrine worker, but the vast majority of the money stays with the businesses or their aristocratic owners - of which there are six in the town. These six families are involved in a mix of licit and illicit businesses, the latter of which they pay the authorities to ignore in most cases. This practice does not cover up serious crimes like murder or kidnapping/trafficking, so the families that are involved in those type of activities have to keep it well hidden and away from the guards and city officials.

Government

The town of Zyltri elects a mayor every five years, who is responsible for the general administration of the town. The mayor appoints a small council of no more than five individuals to advise and assist with the duties. Notably, the town's charter specifically mentions that none of these positions can be filled by members of an aristocratic family - more concretely defined as families that own and/or operate the lavish lounges and gambling houses in a certain area of the town. This helps ensure - or at least it was the intention of the town's founders to ensure - that the wealthy families are kept in check and not allowed to run rampant over the town's government. In practice, many have alleged corruption of the highest order involving payments made to the mayor and council members, though no concrete evidence of this has been provided or uncovered.
Every business in the town pays a monthly 20% tax to fund the town's upkeep, especially the law enforcement. The books are scrutinized by the finest auditors and accountants in the world - many of whom Zyltri hires away from other parts of the world for exorbitant salaries - to catch any fleecing or laundering the families might try to do to enrich their wealth.

Defences

The town of Zyltri has an exterior stone wall, if for no other reason than to protect from the occasional roaming jungle beast. The semi-circle wall is placed roughly a mile from the current edges of the town, allowing plenty of growing room for the future and large tracts of farmland in the meantime. The wall features watchtowers every quarter mile, just in eyesight of at least one other tower. The relative flatness of the ground allows vision for quite a distance, broken up every now and then by patches of thick trees or brush. The wall has two gates that serve as exit points: one that accommodates the main trade road through the island's jungle, and one smaller one that serves as a gate for rangers venturing out to hunt or forage in the jungle.
The port facility has four long-range ballistae mounted on wooden towers, whose explicit purpose is to fire warning shots are pirate vessels or ships who are being aggressive. Those warning shots can become lethal if the ship fails to heed the town's warnings, though that situation rarely happens. More often, they are used to cool off situations where two ships' captains are having heated discussions while waiting to dock or be let out of the narrow gap in the atoll's cliffs.

Industry & Trade

The vast majority of Zyltri's trade comes from the lounges, gambling dens, and feasthalls that fill the town. Some of these are simple taverns or lounges where patrons can purchase and consume fine liquor, ale, wine, and mead. Others are raucous dens of music and camaraderie. Some of the gambling dens are quiet places where the wealthy go to socialize with friends and play some card games. Others are loud halls where fights break out constantly and bouncers have to be present everywhere. There are also a large number of brothels and cabarets in the town, catering to all levels of travelers' incomes and preferences. The feasthalls host luxurious feasts with foods from around the world, with some providing a more bacchanalian lean with orgies and general nudity.
Shopping and luxurious goods are in rare supply in Zyltri, but many can be procured in the somewhat nearby town of Armini by any number of merchants that make daily trips and charge convenience fees to the wealthy for getting the goods on demand. The town does, of course, have a few lower end taverns and lounges for the locals to enjoy away from the visitors, and these are kept a very close secret by the locals. Many are wont to adopt a speakeasy vibe with bouncers at the door and secret passwords or trinkets needed to get in.
This, of course, describes most of the legal and above-board establishments in the town. But there are rumored to be almost as many illicit dens in Zyltri, many of which are located underneath, behind, or in a hidden room of well-known and good-reputation businesses. A long-held rumor in the town describes a central underground market where slaves are brought to be sold or traded, next to various stolen goods that are being fenced and resold. The authorities have never located this market and have the public position that such a den of evil and immorality could not exist in Zyltri without their knowledge and discovering it.

Infrastructure

In terms of infrastructure and public works, Zyltri is one of the most comfortable towns in the world. Every street is neatly cobbled and maintained regularly by skilled workers. Almost every building - save the poorest of the slum's hovels - has at least one tap of running, clean water. The docks and port facilities are immaculate and inviting, with warehouses tucked away out of view of all but the most perceptive guests. These works have been slowly improved over time and continue to be updated and maintained with any new technology or development made in the world.

Architecture

The buildings of Zyltri are as varied as its people. Architectural styles from all over the world are represented here, including some that are caricatures or almost mocking exaggerations of existing styles. Much like real-life Las Vegas emulates the architecture of Rome or Venice in its buildings but takes the opulence and decor to the extreme, so do the dens of Zyltri over-ornament their businesses. The houses that are tucked neatly behind the dens and taverns are also a mix of styles, with woods and stone imported when not available on the island. One might see a simple human cottage next to an elaborate elven manor or an adobe tiefling home reminiscent of Zahrabad.

Founding Date

2051 1A

Alternative Name(s)

Sordidia (mockingly used by others, referring to the seedy reputation)

Type

Town

Population

5,381

Inhabitant Demonym

Zyltrines

Owning Organization

Ostrovenia