Karem's Beach (town)

Karem's Beach is a port town on the Eriand Coast of the Sea of Marmir. It is the only human settlement on the Eriand Coast. The town is built on the southern and western shores of the bay. A beach stretches south from the town. Light forest reaches the town's northwestern edge while dense jungle begins just beyond the western gate. The town is surrounded by a palisade to the northwest, west, south and southwest sides. Inhabitants live off fishing, raising goats, growing fruits and vegetables, and gathering what they can from the forest. Every week ships come and go. Morning is marked by the fisherfolk going to the beach south of town to bring in their nets.

For most of the last hundred years Karem's Beach was isolated from the rest of the world when a disaster cut off all trade to and from the town. Without importing metals and other crucial goods, residents were unable to sustain the existences they had known. Many died or abandoned their homes and fled the region. A small number of families managed to survive isolated in the town surrounded by dangerous forests and seas. Five years ago, the first trade ships arrived again. Karem's Beach again became a way point along the coasts of the Sea of Marmir for merchants sailing between wealthier lands. Inhabitants of other lands heard news of Karem's Beach from travelers and left behind lives to seek opportunity in the Eriand Coast. Most who reside in Karem's Beach today were not born there.

**Areas:**

* Docks
* Fish market
* Karem's statue
* Market (includes an import section and an export/locals market section)
* Palisade, including South Gate, West Gate and East Gate
* Cliffs
* Abandoned buildings: Many residents died or fled Karem's Beach during the century without trade. Even with the influx of travelers and new arrivals in the five years since trade routes returned to the Eriand Coast, many old stone and stucco buildings are still unoccupied.
* Wasp tunnels (underground): Giant wasps burrowed tunnels below the northwest neighborhood at the edge of the city, tunneling into some of the abandoned homes.

**Buildings:**

* Baker
* Bheizad's mansion
* Berath's mansion
* Blue Octopus Inn
* Bola's Provisions
* Herbs and incense
* Jeweler
* Mason
* Militia barracks and jail
* Potter
* Tailor
* Temple of Secrets, a temple to Zalona (also known as Erethus)
* Turi's smithy

**Leadership: The Council of Five**

* 1: Councilor Khalid
* 2: Councilor Caristha
* 3
* 4
* 5

**People:**

* Berath: another wealthy merchant who is restoring a mansion in the northwest section of Karem's Beach since trade returned to the city. A rival of Bheizad but they seem friendly and respectful due to sharing a stake in the prosperity of Karem's Beach.
* Bheizad: a wealthy merchant who has built a mansion of coral in Karem's Beach in the last five years
* Chakide: priest at the temple-library of Zalona, in her 20s, garbed in a red robe
* Darcia and Garba: guests staying at the Blue Octopus Inn with some companions
* Estereen: a quiet elderly woman who has lived her whole life in Karem's Beach. She is an avid reader and has a large collection of books she has purchased from merchants.
* Femef: old sun-freckled sailor woman who has retired from a life on the sea and lives in Karem's Beach
* Genak and Khashar: two open fisherfolk and lifelong residents of Karem's Beach who enjoy whiling away the hours at the Blue Octopus Inn
* Kachi and Semanya: married innkeepers of the Blue Octopus Inn
* Quami: Obsessive cartographer from a distant land, daddy
* Sheku: a local kid who lives in the family compound attacked by the nian
* Sotal: server in the inn
* Teiga: mysterious inn guest, a traveling sellsword who dresses in black
* Zora: He$$a's lady friend, a ship captain who has plied these seas for the last three years