Kymal

Kymal

(Small City - Population: 7,991) (73% Human, 14% Dwarven, 13% Other) Glitzy. Gilded. Grimy.   The city of Kymal stands as the grumbling ghost of a gold rush mining center now become a haven for gamblers and criminals; a city of gold built atop a mountain of mud. Over two centuries before, the discovery of rich gold veins within the Ironseat Ridge sent a rush of eager folk to its base. Kymal began life as their base camp, and over the next century grew into a lively, booming city. Gold and minerals came out of Kymal, and creature comforts came in. Troupes of players and musicians, merchants peddling food, liquor, and illicit goods arrived in force. Sex workers quickly followed, and those who would abuse them and enslave them were close behind. 
  Unfortunately, the veins began to produce less and less, and in desperation, the mountain was ravaged by hungry interests unwilling to accept the signs. Within ten years, the mining industry in Kymal had died, poverty and hunger becoming commonplace. Since then, the populace has shifted to survival through farming, fishing within the Foramere Basin, and trying to build interest as a trade center like Westruun, without much luck. The community had remained stagnant for decades when an entrepreneur from Ank’Harel named Calis Krishtan opened a small casino called “The Maiden’s Wish.” This gave the economy a vibrant boost, interest in the city grew, and people returned to Kymal as it rebranded as a haven for luck and quick currency. 
  Now expanded over the past two generations, Kymal has now recovered somewhat due to this growing presence of sanctioned games of luck, even going so far as to name Calis’ son, Jaktur Krishtan, heir to the Maiden’s Wish, as the Margrave of Kymal. While larger-scale gambling is not illegal within Tal’Dorei, it is generally considered uncouth on a social level, and the council within Emon is happy to keep the bulk of that element away from the capital city. This type of industry does draw the attention of opportunists, however, and many competitive gambling joints, loan sharks, and criminal interests have sprung up in recent years.
Government
 Jaktur Krishtan is a businessman and celebrity-turned-politician, unusual within Tal’Dorei. His extravagant lifestyle is not unusual among Tal’Dorei’s leaders, but his flamboyant, showy behavior certainly is—and the people of Kymal love him for it. Instead of leading personally, Jaktur delegates most of his duties to his advisors, leaving him free to do what he likes best: being a fabulously wealthy public icon, making nightly appearances at the Maiden’s Wish, throwing magnificent galas, and organizing street fairs. Jaktur’s majordomo, an austere tiefling woman named Prudence, wearily manages the day-to-day minutiae of running Kymal. 
Geography
Kymal is built on the rocky foothills of the Ironseat Ridge. Exploring beyond the glamorous city leads one to nothing but a desolate expanse of boulders and scrubbrush. Truly intrepid explorers may find the sealed entrances to the dried-up Kymal Gold Mines, but those who venture inside will find more than just empty caves.
Crime
Kymal is no longer the den of crime it once was, but there is still scum beneath its glitzy surface. Small-time cutpurses lurk in the shadows, waiting to make off with the small fortunes won by the casinos’ luckiest patrons. Though not as significant as their Emon headquarters, the Clasp has a substantial presence in Kymal, and often utilizes petty criminals as freelance operatives when they need a job done quickly. Most covertly, the hostility between the Clasp and their rivals, the Myriad, manifests as a quiet proxy war, using these common thieves as fodder. The Clasp and Myriad both own casinos in town, the Wishing Well and the Dragon’s Hoard, respectively.

Type

City

Dangerous Contraband

There are a number of difficult-to-produce substances that have gained popularity for their mind-altering properties, and while the creation and possession of these substances is considered highly illegal within civilized Tal’Dorei, they have found private popularity within various levels of society across Exandria.
Oloore Root
Oloore Root began as a druidic ceremonial tool for vision quests and communion with nature, but has become sought after by high society for its psychedelic properties. Drinking of the tea brewed from the root leads to heavy hallucinations, and sometimes grants insight to the world around them. The imbiber must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 14) or become poisoned for 1d4 hours. Upon a success, the imbiber gains advantage on any Wisdom ability checks for 1 hour. On a saving throw of 19 or 20, the imbiber gains supernatural distance seeing, as though they had cast a scrying spell. They may Concentrate on this for up to 1 minute. (Valued at around 100 gp per dose.))
Zeal
Zeal is distilled from the blood of captured or slain quaggoth deep from beneath the surface of Exandria. When brewed properly, a thick, purple-colored liquid that tastes of ash remains. Drinking zeal or applying liberally to exposed skin (requiring an action) forces the user to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 12) or become paralyzed for 1d4 rounds as every muscle seizes up. With a success, the user deals an additional 3 damage to any target it hits with a melee attack for 2d6 rounds. The user suffers 1 point of exhaustion after the effect ends, regardless of saving throw success. (valued at around 150 gp per dose)
Suude
Suude is a dangerous, granular substance refined from magic residuum. Initially developed during the Age of Arcanum by archmages as an incense burned to enhance long spell ritual casting, the secret was discovered and spread among the spellcasting riffraff of Exandria. The varying forms of refinement are dangerous, and can produce one of three different types of suude. When burned and the fumes inhaled (requiring an action), the imbiber must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 10) or become unconscious for 2d4 rounds. With a success, the user gains 1 Sorcery Point and access to one Metamagic option (as per the Sorcerer class Font of Magic and Metamagic features) for 1 hour based on the type of suude used. If more than one dose of suude is used within 1 hour of another, the DC of the Constitution saving throw is increased by 3 per additional dose. If three or more doses are used within 1 hour of each other, failing the Constitution saving throw drops the user to 0 hit points. Brown suude grants the Extended Spell option, Blue suude grants the Twinned Spell option, and Red suude grants the Distant Spell option. (valued at around 80 gp per dose)