Alarafi Caravanserai
Used by adventurers as a launching point for expeditions into the Senu Desert, the Alarafi Caravanserai is one of the largest caravanserais of the Golden Road. It sits next to the Omsala Oasis in the shadow of the Nekhsati Mountains, where it is only a day's journey south of the Tomb of the Sorcerer-Kings. Due to its position along the itinerary of the Golden Road, it serves as an important center for the trade of goods and information between the civilizations of the Djezid Savanna in central Aerisca and those of Aerisca Borealis and beyond.
Purpose / Function
The Caravanserai's construction was funded by the al-Arafi, a wealthy Gnomian merchant house that charters many caravans between the gold mines of Tondi and the Ghamadi city-states in Ar-Shem. Intending to not only provide their caravanners with a place to rest, refresh their provisions, and acquire fresh pack animals for their journey, the House of Arafi earns a healthy profit from fees levied on other travelers who desire to use the caravanserai's services.
Within the large central courtyard, a souk is located with the following shops and services:
- Bakery
- Barber-Surgeon
- Butcher
- Carpenter
- Cartwright
- Tarqia Meeting-Hall
- Herbalist
- Outfitter
- Produce Seller
- Stockyard
- Tailor
- Alchemist
- Armorer
- Weaponsmith
Also located within the walls of the caravanserai are businesses that appeal to one or all of the vices of its guests, with a low-end tavern that also serves as a brothel and gambling den.
Architecture
The Caravanserai is a large rectangular building constructed from the plentiful sandstone mined at the nearby Nekhsati Mountains. The walled exterior surrounds a large courtyard that serves as a marketplace during the day. Around the open courtyard are small enclosures that either serve as stables for travelers' mounts or as small cells with beds for lodgers.
