Lhazolpot'a

### Population

654 people: 517 gnomes, 59 dwarfs, 32 orcs, 20 humans, 13 halflings, 7 half-orcs, 6 assorted others

### Notable NPCs

**Current Gerent**, **Consort** (possibly), **Heir** (possibly), **Councilor**, **General**, **Grand Diplomat**, **High Priest/ess/ix**, **Magister**, **Marshall**, **Enforcer**, **Spymaster**, **Treasurer**, **Warden**

## Marketplace

### Major Items

none

In the blue vastness of the Tlenaigos Ocean between Aoqina and the Bloody Coast, the swirling of ocean currents pulls together flotsam, jetsam, and driftwood, binding it with seaweed and the bloated corpses of dead animals to form a morass miles wide and dozens of feet thick in places.  While such conglomerations are not unknown to sailors, the debris field known as Lhazolpot'a has something quite unusual: terrestrial residents.

Rumors like to claim that Lhazolpot'a was created by an elohim, a strange being obsessed with creating miniature worlds populated with creatures of its choosing.

Shipwrecked 37 years ago after an expedition to the Bloody Coast ran afoul of the garbage patch in a storm, the gnomes of Lhazolpot'a quickly realized that large swaths of the floating debris were stable enough to support their weight, and that what appeared to be nothing but junk was in fact teeming with life, from the shrimp and fish that made their homes in the wreckage to plants that had sprung up from the droppings of gulls.  While many of the gnomes eventually repaired their ships enough to return to the mainland, several of the crewmembers decided to stay and explore their new floating home, telling those who left to spread the word that all were welcome on newly christened Lhazolpot'a. Lhazolpot'a started with 35 settlers, a quarter of a sailing ship of twenty sailors and one hundred twenty passengers.

Those few individuals who live full time on Lhazolpot'a survive by fishing with lines and nets, cultivating seabirds and plants brought from the mainland, and bottling water garnered from elaborate rain-catchers, although a year ago, a fountain was built around several decanters of endless water that provides an inexhaustible supply of fresh water.  Far more of the gnomes on the garbage patch are temporary residents, drawn by the lure of salvage.  Thanks to the ocean currents, Lhazolpot'a's composition is constantly changing, and while much of it is trash, there remains the occasional startling find plucked from a shipwreck or captured by the morass after having been thrown overboard thousands of miles away.

Due to variances in the ocean’s current, Lhazolpot'a is constantly moving within a range of hundreds or thousands of miles.  At times it has been known to pass within sight of lands and islands on both sides of the Tlenaigos, allowing for trade.  More often, trade is accomplished by means of the dozens of small boats employed by its residents, many constructed from the detritus of Lhazolpot'a itself.  Though efforts have been made in the past to direct Lhazolpot'a's wanderings, either through sails or the use of harnessed creatures like sea turtles and whales, its composition is such that the portions bearing motive force simply tear free, despite the gnomes’ best efforts to reinforce the mass.

## Lhazolpot'a

### Improvements

6 fisheries, 1 temple (actually shrine), 2 inns (actually Fine lodgings), 6 inns (actually Average lodgings), 6 taverns (actually Fine foods), 8 taverns (actually Average foods), 6 exotic trades/artisans, 2 magic item dealers, 8 luxury stores (actually Fine trades), 10 trade shops (actually Average trades), 5 trade shops (actually Poor trades), 12 shops (actually Fine services), 5 caster towers (actually spellcasters for hire), 10 shops (actually Average services), 72 houses, 1 brewery, 1 smithy, 1 waterfront (upgraded pier), 1 alchemist, 1 everflowing spring, 1 herbalist

## Government

**Frequent Elections:** For the three days of the monthly full moon there is an election. Day one: a survey of those currently in power to see who wants to keep their job. Day two: for those jobs that are to be vacated, who is interested in the position? Day three: everyone on Lhazolpot'a that day is allowed to vote at the temple for who they want in the various positions.

There were originally a dozen positions available, with Heir and Consort are dependent upon who gets voted in as the Gerent, their term for the Ruler.

It is noted on a chalkboard which positions are going to be vacated, who is interested in filling each of those positions, and the names of those currently holding the positions and not wishing to vacate yet. Then each person writes the name of who they want to fill the position on a leaf and drops the leaf into the appropriate box. Once the moon rises the previous Councilor and High Priest/ess/ix tally the votes for each of the positions. Once they have completed the task the make a public announcement of the results, except for the position of the new Spymaster who is contacted in secret by the Councilor, High Priest/ess/ix, and previous Spymaster if there is a new one elected. Whoever has the most votes holds the job until the next full moon. This does mean that those who did not wish to vacate their positions can be voted out if someone else gets more votes than they do. For four days, one seventh of the period of time they are expected to hold the position, the previous holder of the position advises their successor of current and historical activity regarding their new post.

In order to pay for various civic efforts with such a transient population that is happy to leave the day before taxes are levied to avoid paying them, Lhazolpot'a relies hevily on tariffs, taxes to be paid on imports and exports. Ships that come to Lhazolpot'a to trade must pay to sell their wares and also pay an export tax on any items created upon Lhazolpot'a that they plan to leave with.

## Locations

* Dilettante's
* Paper and Ink

## Qualities

### Broad Minded

**Source** *Pathfinder Adventure Path #67: The Snows of Summer* (Reign of Winter part 1 of 6)

The citizens are open, friendly, and tolerant, and react positively towards visitors. Increase **Lore** +1, **Society** +1.

### Small-Folk Settlement

**Source** *Cityscapes: New Settlement Options for the Pathfinder RPG*

This settlement is designed for the comfort of a mostly gnome or halfling population. Its doors and ceilings are built for the comfort of the smaller races, and can be absolute murder on the foreheads of taller humanoids. Everything in the settlement, from furniture to forks, is sized for small creatures. Increase **Law** +1, **Lore** +1. Medium-sized and larger creatures treat the settlement's **Crime** and **Society** statistics as a penalty due to their difficulty in maneuvering or sneaking around in the miniature Settlement. Small or smaller creatures treat the settlement's **Crime** and **Society** statistics normally.

### Utopian Experiment

**Source** *Cityscapes: New Settlement Options for the Pathfinder RPG*

This idealistic settlement was founded upon lofty ideals. In theory at least, all members of the community have a voice in its government, and a settlement council meets to ensure the ideals of the community are followed. Increase **Society** +2, **Lore** +1. Decrease **Corruption** -2, **Crime** -1.