Xynnar-Zeffari

*“The canyon is hot and dry, though a steady wind keeps it from being absolutely miserable. The horizon is broken apart by large and wind-cut sandstone formations rising from the ground. Up ahead, nestled within a cluster of these rocky outcroppings, lies Xynnar-Zeffari. The town is mostly just shacks and shanties, with the exception of the ancient arena that stands at its heart. A thing of the past, it is built of limestone, brick, and marble. Judging from the clang of steel and shouts carrying over the canyon, it’s in use today too. In Xynnar-Zeffar, blood and gold spill forth with regularity; here travelers are just as likely to win their fortune as they are to lose their heads.” ~Trae Costantine*

In another age, a forgotten civilization built a grand colosseum, using it for a variety of festivals and events. No records exist of what became of its creators, as the arena is the only piece of their culture that survived. Its remote location and the canyon’s arid climate made the arena nothing more than a talking point for centuries, until 32 years ago when a group of exiled criminals found themselves on its doorstep.

Fortunate enough to have procured a source of water, tools, and trade materials, the outlaws set up first shacks in the shadow of this arena. Within time, the site attracted the eyes of other unsavory characters, an Assassins Guild of masked people called the ‘Masked’ came in a took charge of the city, murdering any who stood in their way. Many races and people flock to Xynnar-Zeffari, tempted by the freedom of laws, Lawmen and the restraints of society. They would make the trip through the canyon to construct homes of their own there as well.

 Today, Xynnar-Zeffari has grown to a respectable size, with its own unique businesses, residents, and culture. It can be a welcome site to those traveling through the relentless heat of the canyon, though as many travelers do not stop to there as those that do. Xynnar-Zeffari knows no walls, no laws, and no remorse.

### Information

**Population:** Approximately 960. Xynnar-Zeffari  is old enough that it is seeing its second generation of natives being born within its limits, and many of its original founders still roam the town today. Anyone willing to take up residence in town only needs the means to build shelter nearby.

* **Resident races:** Human (22%), Half-Orc (19%), Dwarf (17%), Tiefling (15%), Gnome (7%), Halfling (7%), Dragonborn (6%), Goliath (4%), Elf (2%), Other races (< 1% each). Xynnar-Zeffari’s remote location and harsh reputation has granted it a diverse lot of inhabitants.

### Government

While it’s lauded that Xynnar-Zeffari has no formal laws or government, it’s not entirely without order.

In general, peace is maintained by a certain honor among Thieves and the Assassin’s Guild. While an occasional tavern brawl or fleeced traveler may be overlooked, blatant theft, murder, or other erroneous misdeeds don’t fair well with Xynnar-Zeffari established residents. While it’s acceptable to stab someone who cheated you at dice, random killings would be dealt with. Egregious offenders find themselves at the mercy of an angry mob. Lynchings aren’t as common as they were in the past. The other thing to note is no one messes with the Masked Assassins, who mostly ignore the citizens of the town. As long as no one interferes with their business, they tend to take an indifference to the population.
The closest thing the town has to a ruler is the half-orc Thorn Twinaxe Thorn is a wanted criminal himself, always seen with a pair of daggers at his sides and his Goliath bodyguards in tow. The half-orc operates with ruthless efficiency, and the town’s populace usual adheres to what he says during pivotal decisions. Upon Thorn’s word, those that cause too much chaos in town are sentenced to Xynnar-Zeffari’s arena to fight for their lives against all manner of creatures or criminals.

### Defense

Xynnar-Zeffari is poorly equipped to defend itself. It has no walls, no army, and no scouts to alert it should an enemy approach. Its best defense is its location far from other civilized lands, in the center of an inhospitable canyon, although these factors wouldn’t stop a determined force from overtaking it. Should such a force appear on the horizon, its residents would be more likely to flee to safety than they would be to stand and defend the town.

### Commerce

​Nothing is taboo to sell, say, or do in Xynnar-Zeffari. Here travelers can indulge in its gaming houses, openly purchase weapons, poisons, and slaves, enjoy the company of prostitutes, or bet their coins on the lives of prisoners forced into the arena. Ironically, it can be quite difficult to procure some of the most mundane items of daily life here, given Xynnar-Zeffari’s location. Water is at the top of that list. A cup of water currently costs 1 silver piece, a price that has more than quadrupled during harsh droughts.

### Lodgings

* **Kaizer’s Rest:** When the dwarf Kaizer Boulderfoot first arrived in Xynnar-Zeffari in need of a place to stay, he was surprised to see the town did not have an inn for him to rest. With more and more people traveling to the burgeoning town, Kaizer took the opportunity to establish Xynnar-Zeffari’s first public house. The dwarf unceremoniously left town nearly six years ago, but his namesake inn is still in operation under his son, Mazer (see NPCs). Mazer charges what he insists is a fair 2 gold pieces a night for rudimentary lodgings, although the price does include a meal and stein of water or dwarvish ale.
	+ **Mazer Ironfoot** (Dwarf, male) Kaizer’s son, Mazer, has lived in Xynnar-Zeffari his entire life, one of the first generation born here. He’s still quite young by dwarf standards, though old enough to run his father’s business competently. Mazer dresses in light apparel, he is stout yet muscular with a short, red beard. He finds life in the canyon burdensome and plagued with heat. He enjoys hearing stories from immigrant dwarves that stay at the inn about their ancestral homes.

* **Stoneloft:** Stoneloft is built atop the large rock outcropping to the north of town, accessible by a spiraling set of steps carved into the sandstone. It is Xynnar-Zeffari’s newest inn, the product of its proprietor Rory Afar (see NPCs). Rory’s three wives Inea, Lola, and Sacra tend to patrons’ rooms and meals, while he sees over the inn’s finances and inventory. Stoneloft is smaller than the other lodgings in town, but it is well constructed and offers Xynnar-Zeffari’s most comfortable sleeping quarters. Rory charges anywhere from 1 to 5 gold pieces per night, basing his price off how much he agrees with a customer’s face when he or she arrives.
	+ **Rory Afar** (Human, male) Though Xynnar-Zeaffri is a melting pot of many races, Rory still feels like a foreigner among its residents. His speech is flavored with the accent of a far away land, and his three wives barely speak the Common tongue well enough to communicate with the guests of Stoneloft. The human doesn’t reveal much about his homeland, and residents of Xynnar-Zeffari don’t care to ask. Rory wears the clothes native to his homeland, heavy and dark, a poor choice for the heat.

* **Watercask Inn:** Named for the massive cask on display in its meal room, Watercask Inn is the largest and most popular lodging in Xynnar-Zeffari. Though it is operated by the tiefling Misaria Mahr-Edek, it’s common knowledge that it is owned by Thorn Twinaxe (see NPCs). Thorn sleeps and takes his meals here, but is otherwise about town. The inn has always been a reliable source for water, sometimes rationing out its grand supply at gouged prices during times of drought. Misaria charges patrons 3 gold pieces for a night’s stay of fair lodgings, a meal, and a two cups of water.
	+ **Thorn Twinaxe** (Half-orc, male) Thorn is a known criminal and escaped convict, and perhaps the most notorious person in all of Xynnar-Zeffari. He keeps two goliath bodyguards near him, and a pair of fine steel daggers sheathed at his hips. The half-orc has grown into a kingpin of sorts, and the unofficial leader of the town. When punishment is needed, the people of Xynnar-Zeffari often look to Thorn’s judgement.
	+ **Misaria Mahr-Edek** (Tiefling, female) Thorn employs Misaria to keep Watercask Inn running, and the tiefling does an excellent job. Misaria is broad faced, with long horns that protrude from her forehead and curve to the side. Her skin is a pale lavender, with dark hair that runs down her back. She is Thorn’s lover and is fiercely loyal to him. Misaria uses her discerning eye to root out any would-be patrons that might cause trouble at his inn.
	+ **Karlvon Kahos** (Half-orc, male) Xynnar-Zeffari doesn’t see much in the way of bards or minstrels, and Karlvon is a poor excuse for either. Thorn has joked that whoever told the half-orc he had a gift for song or storytelling should be thrown in the monster pits. Karlvon dresses in fancy garb, and carries a lute he has no earthly idea how to play. His songs and stories are often predictable and short, thought not entirely bland, and the half-orc often forgets their endings, forced to improvise new ones.