Part Two of the Great Tour of the half-ruined metropolis of Kezmarok.
The Great Hostels
The sale of intoxicants is strictly—and lucratively--regulated
in the city. The typical constellation of
seedy inns, taverns, and other watering holes is simply not seen in Kezmarok
(though a few illegal speakeasies stubbornly exist). Instead you have enormous, teetering centuries-old
edifices, the great hostels, sprawling across entire city blocks.
Because half of all the income from booze, powders, and smokeable herbs is owed to
the City, the hostels have spread their commercial range across a range of
activities—food, lodging, games, gambling, nefarious meetings, bawdy theater,
romantic trysts, etc-- and thus have become central hubs of social life in the
city.
Though each varies wildly in its character, each hostel
does have a few common features. Each hostel is from 3-6 floors high with a
dizzying array of sunny verandas, patios, trellises and balconies jutting out
over the streets and structures below. Each floor caters progressively higher to
a classier clientele, indeed after the second level customers are only those
who pay exclusive membership dues and undergo initiation rites. Such “club” membership
has become important to the status jockeying of residents.
A sample of the Great Hostels:
Finestra, Lodge of a Thousand
Mirrored Gazes.
Famed for its many, baroquely-famed mirrors and gawking, ever-judging clientele.
Past the swill served on the first floor, the food and drink is quite good.
Ulthnarn of the Hanging Blade. The martially-themed
Ulthnarn is noted for its many games of skill and chance, indeed it’s the only
hostel that has a full hobbit-boloing arena. Gentlemen’s games can be found on
the upper floors.
Duke Mraz’s Folly. The hruz, hallucinogenic
mollusk paste, is out of this world as is the food. Decorated with strange shiny
polished suits of armor.
Games of the Great Hostels
Daemono. Tile-filpping game played
with two-sided mosaic pieces. One side traditionally exhibits solid whites of
Law, the other a multitude of vibrant colors for Chaos. The game is mostly
played by the better sorts of the city.
Stonelegging. Two participants are in the
ring. Live cockatrices are introduced into their trousers. The first one whose
leg is petrified loses. In the better establishments a mage is on hand to
reverse the process. Stonelegging is the NASCAR of Kezmarok.
Brinksman. Card game using bluffing,
bluster and dumb luck. Anyone clearing the 21-count limit is slapped with a
sand-weighted stick by custom.
Wrestling. Conducted in the nude except
for gaudily covered harnesses. A sheet must remain between the wrestlers at all
times for propriety’s sake.
Hobbit boloing. A wild Halfling is released
into the ring. The first participant to knock him down wins the purse. All the
contestants lose if the wee one escapes to the far gate.
Stave-fights. Just like it says, duels
with quarter staffs. Usually conducted on narrow high-raised platforms.
Sometimes combined with stonelegging and/or wrestling on slow nights.
Hippogriff races. Sadly now defunct.
