The Southwest

**The Southwest** of Sihiri is where most people live, trade, and work. Most of the Southwest has rolling green hills and mountains which can be scaled by adventuresome climbers. Caravans transporting their goods to market often choose ports in the Southwest because crime is almost nil.

## Port Martslock

The most prosperous port in the Southwest is Port Martslock. It's built on the inside of a vast harbour, and there are always trade-ships traveling in and out.

### **Docks**

Anyone can take a stroll down the docks to see the ships tied there. To enlist as a sailor, pirate, or member of the navy you should head to the docks. This area's always busy with working folk provisioning, lovers strolling, friends fishing, and vendors selling fresh fish off their boats.

The Harbourmaster controls all shipping. His office is at the top of the docks just before you reach the Marketplace. Everyone who docks here must stop by his office to pay a fee.

### **Marketplace**

A lively open-air market spans the main street as you exit the docks. Here you can find all kinds of things for sale. Sailors are always happy to see the fresh produce brought from inland, while locals can get whatever they need to repair belongings or cook dinner. Occasionally valuable trinkets pass through this market.

This market operates by strict rules: you cannot sell anything illegal here. All weapons must be peace-tied. Public disturbances and breaches of law are dealt with by the city guards, who won't hesitate to throw brawlers in jail.

### **The Bilge**

Thirsty sailors find a berth at the Bilge, where actual honest-to-gods liquor is served in addition to grog and beer. The Bilge is in a rougher part of town just outside the Market. Nobody minds here if barflies get in fights, so long as they keep the damage to themselves. There are rooms upstairs for staying the night.

## Chalcedony Falls

There's a dam at Chalcedony Falls which shifts the Green River east, diverting it away from the Southwest. Water pours through a number of sluices in the dam, creating breathtaking waterfalls. All kinds of wild things once lived here, and it's not uncommon to come across small magical sites where charms or minor curses take effect.

A settlement has grown up around the Falls. Upper Chalcedony overlooks the lake, while Lower Chalcedony is down the hill overlooking the waterfalls and runoff stream. The folk at Upper Chalcedony tend to be merchants (since the caravan trail comes close to Upper Chalcedony) while Lower Chalcedonians are farmers or ranchers, tending the rich marshland of the runoff river.

The water at Chalcedony Falls has magical properties. Most people are not affected, but a few may experience residual effects. Some of the locals have drunk the water so long that the effects never fade -- they effectively have magical powers.

## Cail Ely

In local parlance a "cail" is a valley. Cail Ely dips through the rolling hills east of Port Martslock. There are a number of other cails in the area, but Ely is the most well-known.

Cailfolk tend to be thoughtful and taciturn. They come across as slow-moving or stubborn to non-locals. But while they're slow to anger, once they commit to a cause they are wholly devoted for life, never backing down from anything they agree to do.

### The Meetinghouse

Each cail has a mayor. Once every season the mayors have a meeting at Cail Ely's Meetinghouse, a sturdy grey building near the edge of town. The Meeting is a festive time for cailfolk. Parties and celebrations fill the hills while the mayors are gone, and then the folk welcome their leaders back with one final night of revelry. Babies born during the Meeting are said to be especially lucky.

### The Blood Shrine

A curious shrine stands at the edge of Cail Ely, close to Port Martslock. It is not kept up by anyone. It appears to be a heap of squat grey stones, perhaps three feet tall and a few feet wide, with a cleared space in the grass all around it. As far as anyone can tell the grass never chooses to grow nearer. The entire stack is coated with crusty dried streaks of blood. Every so often fresh red droplets seep out from between the stones, just a few at a time, as if it was oozing crimson tears. The site is understandably considered cursed and even children on dares don't approach it.

### Gardens of Ruin

A curious tangle of undergrowth spills out from Cail Ely's western edge, weeding its way past the Blood Shrine toward the Port. At one time there must have been a huge formal garden here, because tumbles of stonework poke up from the oceans of non-native weeds. A few of the hardier roses have run wild. Now the entire area is swathed in perfect white roses interspersed, here and there, with blossoms of a haunting crimson red. A pedestal stands at the far end of the garden. The statue is long gone.