Bal-Agra

## Overview

   The City of Bal-Agra, a massive metropolis rising high over the shifting desert sands. This ancient and powerful city was built at the delta of the Royan River. The Royan stretches far to the north, to the mountains from which it originates - it's winding path through the Scintali desert is also the path the trade caravans follow to avoid the treacherous dunes that surround Bal-Agra. Bandits, Yuan-Ti, and Sand Worms are far from the most dangerous things that lurk in the sand, and nothing in the desert is more dangerous than the omnipresent threat of dehydration. In the hundreds of miles of desert surrounding Bal-Agra, the only thing one is certain to find, is death.

To the south of Bal Agra is the Valucian Peninsula, a more fertile and tropical land, full of villages, farms, and ports, all under the rule of the Shah, who's palace and seat of power lies, in fact, at the top of the ancient hill upon which Bal-Agra is built. Bal-Agra is at once the capital, trade center, and gatehouse of the Kingdom of Valucia- and it appears no less impressive than it should, for the role that it plays.

Bal-Agra sprawls out lazily in all directions. It's vaulted streets wind and weave their way through sandstone buildings and domed roofs. Mysterious Bazaars occupy hidden plazas, temples of varying faiths appear on every corner, and colorful rugs, paintings, and mosaics give the city a shimmering multi-prismatic appearance. It is said that everything under the sun can be bought in Bal-Agra, and more, for there are dark places in this city where even the desert sun does not shine...

In truth, Bal-Agra is a safe city, if you know where stay and have some coin to spare. But a wrong turn down an alley can leave you in an unfamiliar place, beyond the reach of the city's watchmen or royal guard. Slums exist on the city outskirts, beyond the walls, where the poor eek out livings by dealing with many merchants that travel the Royan. Merchants, Scholars, Wizards, Nobles, Criminals, Mercenaries, all live together in Bal-Agra, oft separated by only a street or wall.

Near the main gate is the Grand Plaza Bazaar, a never ending mall of wares, food, weapons, and services to be bought, sold, bartered. Merchants haggle and yell, crowds murmur and laugh, and animals of all sorts squawk, squeak and bray.

## Locations

### Anika Tsfarti's Home

> You walk into Mohamed’s childhood home. A humble abode on the city’s northside, an area known for the many sailors that work in the Valucian Royal navy, in addition to the many traders, merchants, and adventurers that come from far across the sea. Nestled down a back alley, from the outside the house is a simple sandstone building. You knock on the front door, which is painted a deep green. The old hinges creak as the door swings open, and standing in the front door is an older woman. Though time and sun have left wrinkles on her face, she stands straight, and is rather comely. She is wearing the traditional white robes of Bal-Agra. Her face is confused for a moment as she takes in the eclectic mix of people in front of her, but less than a moment later her eyes alight upon Mohamed and her expression lights up. “Momo! Well, are you just going to stand there, or are you going to give your mother a hug?”
>
>

This is the childhood home of Pharaoh Mohamed Tsfarti, and the past dwelling of his mother, Anika Tsfarti, and for a brief time, his step-father by marriage Commander Al-Veemes.

### Ducane’s Adventuring Guild, Bazaar Facilitiy

Following one specific road, seemingly at random, the bazaar drifts further away, and the roar of the crowd quiets to a low whisper. Here, one may find a small archway with a cast-iron gate. Beyond the gate is a small courtyard. This courtyard is decorated with several thirsty palm trees, and a low stagnant fountain in the middle . The courtyard is surrounded on all sides by a two story compound, with open walkways leading to dusty rooms with mismatched doorways and small windows protected by old wooden slats.

Hanging above the iron gate at the entrance, is an old sign, creaking slowly in the breeze that blows in from the desert. The gold paint that once decorated the writing has worn away with time and exposure, but the metal lettering that has been bolted to the wooden backing is still legible. It reads, simply, in curly font:

'Ducane's Adventuring Guild,'

and underneath, in smaller, less impressive lettering,

'Jobs done at Cost.'

### Raenda/Lordon’s Watchtower:

The Town of Raenda, is ostensibly a glorified watering hole for passing trade caravans making their way to and from Bal-Agra by following the Royan. The town itself is situated on an ‘island’ of sorts created by a forking of the river- one bridge leads in and out of the town, lovingly named ‘Grimbridge’, and the only other way to Raenda is through Crocodile-and-Hippo infested waters.

### Taverns

#### The Crooked Staff

Waterside tavern that bridges, literally, one of Bal-Agra’s canals. On the edge of the warehouse district and the market district, it has a well-earned seedy reputation as a front for the thieves guild. Ducane’s Adventuring Guild has met with prominent guild member Nine-Fingered Abdul there on one occasion, and when talks turned sour, needed to put down four tiefling gang members who answered to Abdul.

Inn-Keeper: The innkeeper is a slender female dwarf named Throdu

#### The Harper's Tankard

The innkeeper is an overweight male human named Behrtio. He has been stealing casks of drink from another tavern.

#### The Brass Shield

A well-kept tavern, where keen adventurers seek their fortune in a mysterious well that leads to a bizarre dungeon.

#### Jeff’s Tavern

An unassuming tavern near the northern docks that is actually the headquarters of the Cult of Geoff.

#### The Black Bazaar

Located in an old mall in the southern slums, the proprietors pay the city guard a hefty sum to avoid the area- the main trade of the Black Bazaar are slaves. Due to Valucia's long and complicated history with slavery, while the owning of slaves is not illegal, the trade and sale of them is, at least within Bal-Agra’s walls, and as a result, the trade must be kept a strict secret.

### The Palace

The Palace of Bal-Agra was/is an impressive campus of overlapping buildings built across several thousands of years and two dynasties. It was partially destroyed in 1845 when the Mind Flayers controlling the Shah were outed by Ducane's Adventuring Guild. It is currently under reconstruction by Pharaoh Tsfarti.

### The Rock

The Rock is Bal-Agra's best guarded prison, and the conversion base for the Mind Flayers from the years 1843-1845.

### The Royal Library

A massive building in the noble district, the Royal Library is home to many organizations- and many books- including the Archeologist's society, which funded Ducane's Adventuring Guild's journey into the desert to find the Tomb of Amun-Re.

### The Tomb of Moha-Agra

Not far from the Black Bazaar is the Tomb of Moha-Agra. It is a small, dilapidated pyramid. Scholars estimate it to be the oldest tomb in Bal-Agra, and the possible resting place of King Moha-Agra, the first Shah of the Bal-Agra, and the initiator of the Unification War and the Elven War.

There is a deep superstition surrounding the tomb, so while it resides, unkept, in an undesirable part of the city, it appears to be relatively untouched by grave-robbers.

## Notable Figures

### Nobility & Associates

**Pharaoh Tsfarti**

**Captain Meatbeater**

**Lady Tsfarti**

**City Watch General Veemes**

**Postmaster General Ravi**

**Magnor the Arcane** (Deceased)

**Professor Foxfit Fitfox**

### Others

**Lothari Lightwick**

**Balthazar Katt** (Deceased)

**Blaine Dirk** (Deceased)

**Ethoria The Paladin**

An ancient paladin that Ducane's Adventuring Guild saved after being transformed into a flameskull by a novice necromancer.

**Lorang Zeera** (Deceased)

The late husband of the Widow Zeera. By all accounts, an amiable happy fellow, prone to enjoying life, which extended to his many vices. Gambling, drinking, smoking, were among his public enjoyments, not to mention other illicit activities. No-one who saw him at home could doubt his love for his lovely wife, but he was also known for visiting certain areas of the city that contained expensive brothels.

Found dead in the Royan with several stab wounds to the chest.

**Spigot the Alchemist** (Deceased)

Older goblin alchemist, knows everything and everything about alchemical ingredients. Is known to get stuck up trees while avoiding Gricks out by the northern oasis when mushroom hunting. Was most saved by DAG, and in return, successfully identified the Dwarven Red Powder as a Dwarven Dust derivative, and an explosive.

His previous assistant was Azeem Roha.

Was briefly under the impression that DAG are Shah-appointed operatives, and attempted to coerce payment for services rendered at the Palace, thus alerting the Guard to the activities of Kevin Jr, which subsequently lead to Kevin's arrest and trial. Afterwards, he served as a witness against Kevin Jr., but felt bad for outing the party who had saved his life, and thus gave a favorable testimony. However, his presence at the trial identified him as an ally of the Ducane's Adventuring Guild, and he was subsequently kidnapped by Blaine Dirk in order to lure the party out of the city to the Pyramid of the Adder. After DAG escaped the ambush by fleeing into the Pyramid, Spigot was killed by Blaine Dirk and the Tusk Operatives.

**Ven Mirth (Deceased)**

A long-time adversary of Ducane's Adventuring Guild, Ven was a skilled illusionist with a burning hatred for Lork and Kevin.

**Windbag Baswick**