Monte Mal
Cultural Level: Renaissance (9)
Landscape: Sparse Ecology (Warm Settled Area). The domain of Monte Mal is composed of a single majestic city built in a lagoon. In the morning hours there is a light fog covering the canali which serve as streets in the city, although it always dissipates before sunrise. Most travel is done on foot, using pathways along side the canali, and bridges crossing them. However there is also the use of gondolas which prevails for any extensive travel in the city. However, the gondola service does not get as much travel as it used to thanks to the recent problem of creatures taking up residence in the canali.
On one side of the city there is the large wealthy district, which also includes the administrative centers of the city. Of special note here is the Piazza del which is bordered by the Doge’s palace on one side, connected by the Bridge of Sighs to the prisons, and the Old courts opposite it, and in the center stands a large clocktower. The other side of Monte Mal is the poor district which is also the location of most of the industrial areas, and the mercantile district.
The buildings are mostly built to be 3-4 floors in height, and with few exceptions, lack basements. They are typically built out of brick in the poorer districts, and magnificently carved stone in the wealthier ones. All the buildings are supported by beams extending into the lagoon’s floor. The wealthier homes are extravagant with large garden areas built into the pathways nearby, while the poor homes are little more than slums in places.
Much of the city parks are used as fruit orchards, mostly olives but also some other more temperate fruit such as apples are grown here. Also areas of the city near the outskirts are used as a sort of rudimentary hydroponics garden. While there are many street lights lining the canali, the residents very rarely leave their homes after dark, due to a city wide curfew. However, the city guard will often be seen patrolling the streets.
Temperatures in Monte Mal are generally very warm, and it is often quite humid due to the canali. In the winter temperatures are slightly more temperate, but it is still very humid.
Major Settlements: None. Monte Mal is itself a settlement.
The Folk: Population – 13,000. Humans 99%, Other 1%. Languages – Italian* Religions – Ezra*, Morninglord
Monte Mal’s residents tend to be a friendly folk, greeting visitors to their home. However, this friendliness towards outsiders belies a general dread of their own government. All of the citizens of the city live in constant fear of the Council of Ten and the Doge. If asked about them or any other political topic the people quickly change the subject.
There is a group of inhabitants, mostly calibans and demihumans, the remains of a conquered people, which has been relegated to the position of slaves and second-class citizens. These people are horribly oppressed, but no one talks about their condition for fear of legal repercussions. Rumors of an underground movement among them to overthrow the Doge’s regime cannot be substantiated, as anyone who even mentions the idea disappears in the night.
Physically the inhabitants of the city are a hearty bunch suited to hard labor in a Mediterranean climate. The average person stands between 5.5 - 6 feet in height. Most often they have curly hair ranging from dark brown to black, with lighter shades almost unheard of. Their eyes are generally a dark brown. Generally the natives have deeply tanned olive skin; however the aristocracy may have paler tones as they spend most of their time indoors.
The Law: Aristocratic republic shifting to police state. For centuries the city has been ruled by elected officials known as the Council of Ten and the Doge. The Council acts as a legislative body and writes laws which are later passed on to the Doge, a sort of executive officer, who signs them. The Doge’s other responsibilities include hiring tax collectors, overseeing the military, etc.
This led to a truly enlightened and wonderful society until the election of the most recent Doge, Marco Feudale XVIII. Since his rise to power less than a decade ago the laws have become increasingly strict, even going so far as placing bans on political discussions, punishable by life in prison (often without a trial). The people are encouraged to turn each other in for any infraction of these laws, no matter how small. The streets are now often patrolled by soldiers, who enforce these laws emphatically.
Trade and Diplomacy: Resources – Wine, Olives, Olive oil, Cloth, Leather and iron goods, jewelry, culture. Coinage – Lire (gp), Denarius (sp), Aes (cp).
Monte Mal is known throughout the core as a major producer of wine and olives, and many merchants visiting the city come to trade for them. In recent years this trade has brought in merchants from several of the so called “high culture” domains, including Dementlieu, Richemulot, and Paridon. This trade allows the residents to receive the food they are unable to grow themselves, as well as the raw materials needed for every day business.
Characters: Classes – Bards, Clerics, Rogues Skills – Bluff, Knowledge (Nobility), Move Silently, Profession (brewer, fisherman, scribe) Sense Motive, Swim. Feats – Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Open Mind, Quick Draw, Weapon Finesse(Rapier), Weapon Focus (rapier).
