Crosstreams
| Crosstreams | |
| Other Names: | Center of the World |
| Society: | |
| Nation/Territorial Area: | The Seven Cities |
| Population: | 2,678,300 |
| Languages: | Common, Romini, Elven |
| Deities Worshipped: | The Nine, and other minor deities |
| General Alignment: | Lawful Neutral (Good) |
| Head of City Government: | Governor Regina Terlan |
| Races: | |
| 20% Human, 20% Dwarf, 10% Orc, 10% Elf, 40% Other | |
As it flows from east to west, the Divalok River splits, with one portion forming the Blackwater River and continuing off towards the city of Andarr and the ocean beyond. The other portion which retains the river's name flows southwest towards another city called Malekia. Crosstreams sits right on top of that split, and is the largest city on the continent of Negaria.
While the cities of Andarr and Red Gate act as hubs coming in and out of the the Seven Cities, the city of Crosstreams acts as the hub within the region, and by default a center of commerce in the wider western part of the continent. This central location makes it a cosmopolitan and openminded haven of ideas which give rise to many centers of learning, music, and art within the city walls.
History
Early Settlement
In in the early 400's A.O.D, a young Kurathene knight named Sir Jayden Mourden purchased a tract of land in the southern area of The Kurathene Empire as part of the Empire's efforts to populate it against invasion. The Mourden family acquired influence over the next two centuries, eventually acquiring their own charter, establishing the County of Crossing Streams in 643 O.D. The city of Crosstreams became the provincial capital a year later, named for its location on a spot where three waterways intersect.
The volume of trade between Crosstreams and the Charter Cities increased exponentially over the next several centuries. Much of it flowed in the form of raw materials and manufactured goods. These goods were then shipped out into the wider world through Andarr to the west and Red Gate to the east, creating an economic hub in Crosstreams that accounted for nearly a quarter of the Empire’s total trade by the 12th century.
Because of their relaxed immigration policy, the Charter Cities like Crosstreams began to attract settlers from all across the continent in search of wealth. As these new citizens assimilated with the existing population, the Crosstreams began to incorporate a variety of foreign customs ranging from religion, language to art. With emphasis on different trades and types of immigrants, Crosstreams began to form its own cultural identities distinct from the The Kurathene Empire.
Independence
The gradual drift away from The Kurathene Empire came to a head in the 1300's A.O.D. As the original human population of Crosstreams was now a minority within the realm, and many of the recent immigrants began to question the need to pay taxes and tithes to the Imperial Crown. This agitation was particularly strong in Crosstreams which had long since shed the vestiges of Imperial nobility in favor of a merchant led oligarchy.
Crosstreams and the other Charter Cities had established a Provincial Council in the 12th century, and had begun to take many of the functions of government from the traditional estates. With the outbreak of war with Dubunat in 1320, the Council elected to form the Charter Militia Legion, an army independent of the Imperial Army detachments. Over the next two decades, the Council expanded its privileges as the Imperial government became increasingly bogged down in the war in Dubunat.
When the war with Dubunat ended in 1360 with the The Kurathene Empire’s defeat, the Provincial Council led by Governor Sir Michael Hawke of Crosstreams took the first steps toward independence. In 1362 he and the Council signed an oath affirming their commitment to the independence of the Charter Cities. Later in the same year, the individual estates of each city ratified the call for independence.
On New Year’s Day in 1363 the Provincial Council of the Charter Cities, with Governor Hawke in the lead presented their declaration of secession to the Imperial Army garrison commander, Legate Warren Hale. Rather than risk bloodshed, Hale accepted the declaration and departed with his garrison for Brescant. When word of the declaration reached the ears of Joral Kuras, he paused, nodded his head and was the first leader to acknowledge the independence of the city-states which included Crosstreams.
With independence, the Provincial Council quickly found itself superseded by local interests. The city of Conselia was the first to secede from the alliance as it renamed itself Malekia. It was quickly followed by Dormiria, Red Gate and Stalwart, who sought to avoid paying the costs associated with maintaining the army. With the obligations to the central council removed, the cities quickly started to squabble with one another, leading to an escalating round of trade barriers and skirmishes over territory lines.
The nations of Dubunat and Brekon found the squabbling city-states in the Divalok Delta to be an attractive prize. Over the next century and a half, both nations sent expeditions to annex one or more of the cities, which were driven off repeatedly by a coalition of militias from Crosstreams, Bullwark and Andarr.
In the year 1405 A.O.D, Jorbaren the Wight Lord and his massive army of wight minions invaded the City of Crosstreams, the capitol of The Seven Cities. According to his planning, The Seven Cities had great wealth conveniently located between both orcish nations of Brekon and Dubunat which gave them high strategic value. After sacking Crosstreams, Jorbaren began setting up a base in the area from which to conduct the gradual subjugation of the population. It was not his intent to turn them all into undead minions, only whatever he required to replenish his soldier wights.
To further fortify his holdings, Jorbaren determined he would need a fortress to double as a military center and prison. With the help of some adventurers and several evil wizards, Jorbaren erected a massive peak overlooking Crosstreams. The peak was pushed up directly from the surrounding land and shaped to his will, with a height of nearly 2,000m, making it the tallest land structure on the entire delta which housed The Seven Cities. Near the top of the peak and deep within it, Jorbaren directed his wight slaves to construct a fortress designed for the undead and their prisoners. Completion of the structure took only two years, and its size and depth surpassed every other structure on the delta. It is thought that the lower levels of the fortress connect with the Underdark for a quick escape when needed.
Jorbaren's estimation of resistance turned out to be misguided. Though he accounted for eventual opposition from the Orcish nations, he believed the defenses of The Seven Cities were too disjointed and weak to put up a tough fight, and he was partially correct. The flaw in his plan was not taking stock of aid from both The Kurathene and Toran Shaarda, which sent troops into the delta to fight the wight minions to a standstill. Meanwhile, powerful adventurers saw his new fortress as the ultimate dungeon challenge with him as the prize kill, and soon enough this prophecy fulfilled itself when a crack team of misfits entered the fortress through the stiff resistance and confronted Jorbaren resulting in his demise.
With the removal of the Wight Lord and the end of his rule, residents of Crosstreams quickly repopulated the area and re-established their political structure. All that remained of Jorbaren and his minions was the large peak fortress that bears his name: Jorbaren's Peak.
After a particularly large invasion attempt in 1518 by Dubunat, the Lord Governor Curtis Allendale of Andarr proposed that the seven city-states form a confederation as a common bulwark against their enemies, and to mediate disputes between the cities. Six months of tense negotiations later the final Confederate Charter was ratified by all seven cities.
With their security assured by their shared commitment to defense, The Seven Cities steadily gained influence and wealth. The death of Joral Kuras in 1815 and the subsequent collapse of the Second Imperium helped fuel this growth. By the end of the Age of Strife in the 22nd century, The Seven Cities Confederation had become the center of civilization and culture on Negaria, the envy of all civilized nations.
The prosperity of The Seven Cities led to the flowering of egalitarian values, particularly within Crosstreams. Though the wealthy mercantile families had steadily entrenched themselves as new nobility, there was a gradual move toward creating greater political opportunities for the common class. The governors of Crosstreams and Dormiria became positions chosen by popular vote, while the Confederate Estates-General was diversified with the addition of a third estate made of tax-paying citizens, with the franchise opened to all citizens of the Confederation.
The Seven Cities Confederation
Unfortunately, unity among the chartered cities did not last. Their squabbling degenerated into skirmishes and the council broke up into completely independent city-states, each responsible for its own defense and well-being. The nation of Dubunat to the south took advantage of this disunity in 1518 and invaded Bullwark and the rest of the cities, nearly conquering the entire realm, but were beaten back once the cities realized they must unite and work together. Later that year, Lord Governor Curtis Allendale of Andarr proposed a confederation of the seven cities for mutual defense and trade. Within six months the treaty was ratified and the The Seven Cities Confederation was born.
The presence of the confederation was a stabilizing force in the region that nearly halted war between Dubunat and the remnants of the Empire to the north. Trade flourished as well as the population and its diversity.
Districts
Crosstreams is laid out in three major sections connected by bridges. The city is shaped like a "V" laid on its side with the point of the "V" pointing east. The splitting river creates the "V" and city buildings are located either north of the river, on the middle part of the "V", or to the south of the river.
Northern Residences
This district comprises most of the area within the city walls that is north of the river. Row upon row of apartment buildings and individual tenancies form meandering streets up and down the main causeways of the district that move south toward the river. All manner of homes blot the streets, with the most expensive ones located more to the western end of the city and the poorer slums located more to the east. Wasteland Row and Crullath Crest number among the more notorious neighborhoods on the eastern side, characterized by high gang activity and the open operation of many illicit activities. Toward the opposite side of the city are higher-priced neighborhoods, such as West Divalok and Fairy Heights. Between these extreme ends of the city, there are a large number of middle-class dwellings, both owned and rented, that are popular with local traders and merchants.
Though residences make up the majority of buildings in this district, there are a number of taverns and Inns to service the local population. Most of the inns are located near the northern gates, with taverns dispersed throughout the north side of the river. On some streets, there are shrines to minor gods with small followings in the city as well as shrines to some of the evil Greater Gods like Aarilax and Maleki.
Capitol District
At the point where the river splits lie the main buildings of government that make up the Capitol District. The Hawke Building looms over the water to impress travelers on the water passing by the capitol, and this structure houses the main operations of The Seven Cities Confederation and the current government of Crosstreams. Other buildings within the district fan out from the Hawke Building and act as offices and places of meeting for diplomats, traders, regulators, and other government officials. Though no one lives in this district other than the High Commander of The Confederation and the Governor of Crosstreams, the quality, height, and majesty of the buildings within this district surpass all others in the city.
Though not plentiful, there are various businesses that function in this district to service government officials and diplomats during the day time. These include extremely opulent restaurants, high-class gaming parlors, and purportedly an underground arena or two for high-stakes games.
Temple District
As one of the most diverse Temple Districts in any city of Negaria, nearly every god in the pantheon of Avlis has some center of worship in this part of the city. For most of The Nine, there are temples ranging in size from medium-sized complexes to large cathedrals. Several minor gods also have large temples in this district, including The'ton, Hurine, The Harpinger, Evrak, Ingoren and Angadar.
This district is directly west of the Capitol District and borders on the Parks District to its opposite side. Being sandwiched between these two districts makes it a high-traffic area for politicians and diplomats to move to and from their business and pleasures so they can mingle with the religious leaders en route. Though the Temple District is nearly devoid of eating and drinking establishments, there are a smattering of supporting businesses there that craft items for use in the temples, as well as a few that source the unsightly sacrificial accouterments.
Theater District
Directly south of the Temple District is the center of high-class entertainment for the population of Crosstreams, the Theater District. The area is dotted with playhouses large and small and larger buildings that house full operas and fully-produced live epics. Unlike the Capitol District which closes at night, the Theater District is nocturnal and comes alive when the sun sets. Well-lit streets make traveling through the district easy while street vendors and performers attempt to distract the show attendees from their planned activities. For the many festivals that occur throughout the year in Crosstreams, the Theater district is the most-preferred location for the richer population to attend festivities.
During the day, the district is well-guarded to prevent disruption of the buildings preparing for their evening shows. The city guard regularly patrols the streets and accosts any suspicious persons walking there during the wrong times.
Parks District
The beautiful Parks District contains a series of highly-curated botanical gardens located in strategic areas to receive just the right type of light and drainage. During their construction, soils from around Negaria were carted down the river to create specific top-soil layers to create perfect imitations of the different biomes found around the central portion of the continent on a similar latitude with Crosstreams. The Elven Gardens mimic the lush tree growth of T'Nanshi, while other areas of the district mimic the foliage of the jungles of Jechran and Drotid. Occasionally, there are signs of various fairy groups trying to make their residence among these gardens, as well as gatherings of worshipers from the various deities known to be closer to nature, such as Verossa, Pelar, Dru'El, and Balgar.
Estates District
If there was a contest for richest district in the largest city on Negaria, the Estates District would win far ahead of the nearest challenger. Some of the most opulent houses known to exist on the continent are sprinkled throughout this part of the city, most of which belong to the wealthiest merchants and politicians. Many of the estates have multiple structures on a single property for housing large families along with security forces and servants. This naturally makes the district a prime target for the more nefarious gangs and mobs who are locked in a constant struggle against the city guard and individual house guards. The largest chunks chunks of these conflicts occur at night, however. During the day, the Estates District is serene and peaceful most of the time while the politicians and merchants ply their trades elsewhere and the servants remain back with the security forces to maintain the properties.
Northern Docks
The secondary trade hub of Crosstreams is the Northern Docks. Barges from upriver and downriver converge here to offload goods for a relatively quick trip to the Market District to the southeast. As a place of shipping and trade, there are some rough neighborhoods within this district that cater to rivermen and sailors on their way to the ocean. These establishments are contained and separated by walls and fences from the richer districts to the south where the rough company is not appreciated. This creates tension between the poorer laborer class of the Northern Docks and the richer Parks and Estates Districts.
Merchant Residence
While this district was named for the middle-class merchants who first settled it, the name has become somewhat misleading in recent times. A large number of middle class residents from other professions live there now mixed in with the merchants who remain. These include former adventurers, successful ex-soldiers, retired mercenaries, high-ranking town guardsmen, and low-ranking nobility. That combination has given the area a reputation of being safe compared to most of the other city residential areas. Few of the lower denizens of Crosstreams society are willing to risk causing trouble there, though some still do.
The Docks
It is thought that this district is the largest non-ocean port in all of Negaria. When taken together with the nearby Shipwright District, it even rivals the size of some ocean ports in cities like Andarr and Mikona. Within the city walls of Crosstreams, the Docks district is perfectly positioned near the fork in the river, just above the Market District intersecting the main north-south thoroughfare of the city. Together, the Docks and Market Districts mark the center of life in Crosstreams and the rough geographical center of The Seven Cities. Within this district, there is also a healthy supporting infrastructure that caters to the river sailors and traders with accommodations ranging from rat-infested holes to establishments of fine quality.
Market District
Every manner of good from places near and far appears within the market stalls of the Crosstreams Market District. Since it is perfectly positioned along the north-south causeway of the city and all The Seven Cities as well as the east-west crossing of the Divalok River, the Market has acted as the central point of commerce for most of Negaria. Traders and merchants of every race and persuasion bustle about this district during the day, while at night the more elicit trades take place among closed stalls. Pickpockets are notorious in these parts for most of the lower-rungs of the thieving guilds make their basic living this way, and the city guard tries its best to stamp them out.
Instrument Quarter
The Instrument Quarter is a specialized district unique to Crosstreams. Here, the finest artisans practice their musical instrument crafting to cater to the lowliest street musicians, the most illustrious royal minstrels, and every type of musician in between. The atmosphere is one of hard work but lilting song as crafters test their constructions and prospective buyers try them. Ultimately, this district is a spinoff of the Market District which happened to concentrate these types of operations and businesses, and it has recently come into its own as an attraction for Crosstreams.
Academy District
The center of higher education in Crosstreams and a good portion of Negaria rests in the Academy District. Rival universities such as The Royal College of The Seven Cities and the Hawke Academy engage in lively debate and other competitions, while smaller institutions in the area do what they can to take part. There are also several academies of magic in this district run by the White Order of the Light, Blue Order of the Sky, and more recently Gold Order of the Sand.
Tavern District
If the nearby Market District is the center of work for Crosstreams, the Tavern District is the renowned center of play, and the inhabitants and travelers who frequent the place play hard. The Tavern District nomer is somewhat misleading because this district contains more than just taverns. There are buildings with almost any other form of entertainment imaginable from brothels, to exclusive clubs, to small playhouses, to underground fighting arenas.
Little Dubunat
Named for its large orcish population, Little Dubunat has a flavor reminiscent of the bandit-run country that neighbors The Seven Cities. This means it can be somewhat of a rough place to live, especially for those who aren't orcs, but for the orcs that live there it is as close to home as they can muster. Many of the inhabitants are refugees from Dubunat who crossed the wrong crime boss or bandit lord, but some of the families living there can trace their lineage back to some of the first inhabitants of the area before it sought independence from The Kurathene Empire.
The Shipwright
This district is the largest inland ship building facility on the continent of Negaria. It specializes in making barges and other river-going craft. As such, it is a major employer in the city second only to The Market District. Most of the workers in this area can be stocky and rough, but also much more interested in a fair day's work than a tussle. There are some scattered taverns here to cater to these folk, as well as some other seedier establishments.
Government
Crosstreams is governed via a quasi-democracy with an elected Governor as its head of state. The governor oversees an executive branch of government that shares equal power with the city's legislative and judicial branches. The legislative branch is divided into two houses: an upper house that receives a share of seats in relation to the merchant families' shares of the total city economy, and a lower house of officials elected by popular vote within each district. Districts with larger populations have more representatives in this house.
Because Crosstreams is also the seat of government of The Seven Cities, there is a confederate government that operates alongside the city one, and as the capitol of the region, this government shares power with the local city government in day-to-day affairs.
Mercantile Nobility
The "Mercantile Nobility" is a tongue-in-cheek label for the successful merchant families in Crosstreams who exert a large influence over government affairs. Though some of them trace their lineage back to actual nobles from The Kurathene Empire and other noble lines from Galdos, T'Nanshi and M'Chek, the possession of noble blood is not a prerequisite to belong to this caste. Money and success are, however. Stereotypical members of the Mercantile Nobility split their time between leisure activities and government affairs. Most families in this caste also have members who are firmly entrenched in one or more of the temples and one or more of the Mage Orders.
The Tradesfolk
In opposition to the Mercantile Nobility forces in Crosstreams politics are the representatives of the smaller-scale business and trades people. Individually, these practitioners do not have the ability to take on the power and resources of the Mercantile Nobility, but together they are often able to put up a resistance to policies that act as rent-seeking measures to stamp out smaller competition.
Arvanos Loyalists
These merchants are sometimes distant descendants of the Arvanos family but not always. Most of the time they are wealthy members of the oligarchy that see the Arvanos fiefdom as a source of financial and military security and push for good relations between Crosstreams and its distant ancestral land. Extremists of this faction sometimes go so far as supporting reunification with Arvanos, but that position is usually untenable because the Seven Cities Confederation has strong political influences of its own.
Confederates
The Confederates exert a small influence in Crosstreams, mainly because there are few in the city who vehemently disagree with them. Their aim is to strengthen the the Seven Cities Confederation and bring prosperity to the area through continued growth in trade. They have no aspirations of joining any empire, although some of the more fringe elements of this faction do support offering membership in the Confederation to other cities, like Brekon, which would surely create a firestorm since that city is the capital of the orcish nation of the same name. The Confederates who support this position think that incorporating Brekon into the fold would help them compete against the growing influence of the Crullathian Empire.
Religion
Due to the diversity of the population, religion (and sometimes religious conflict) flourish in Crosstreams. The Harpinger has his largest temple here and his followers exert outsized influence in city affairs compared to other regions. In Crosstreams, there is a religious festival almost every week, depicting some event that happened in the past, or commemorating one of the gods. Though the population is made up of all the major races, and most of the minor ones, tolerance is dominant as a social attitude, and religious expression is appreciated.
Organizations
The Grey Dirk
As one of the preeminent Rogue's Guilds in Crosstreams and the entire western seaboard, The Grey Dirks command a lot of respect and muscle. Much of their funding comes from elicit operations, such as the trafficking of drugs and at times when aberrant members allow, the facilitation of the slave trade. However, for the most part, The Grey Dirk disavows slave trading as an abhorrent and despicable practice. The combination of a city that acts as a trade juggernaut and a high level of government corruption would normally produce a vapid and ruthless Rogue's Guild that revels in that sort of practice. However, the character of The Grey Dirk is more focused on profiteering and manipulation of trade goods instead of harming innocents. In effect, the bountiful trade traffic going in and out of the city negates the need for the guild to pick on the "little guy".
Through years of trade involvement and market fixing, The Grey Dirks have amassed obscene wealth and often use it ostentatiously to fit in with the upper class merchants of the city. However, their operations are still illegal and not openly supported by said merchants. Law enforcement pursues the guild relentlessly, in appearance, or in earnest when its actions interfere with the agenda of someone powerful. Town guards also do not take kindly to bullying or shakedowns.
Sisters of Charity
The original chapter of the Sisters of Charity was a monastic order for dwarven women who worshiped Gorethar. Soon after its founding, the sisters branched into Deglos to alleviate with the fallout from the splitting of the dwarven lands in two. Centuries later, chapters of this organization are located in major cities throughout Negaria. In Crosstreams, this organization includes women of all races who worship a number of Good-aligned deities. Their primary occupation within the city is to alleviate the suffering of the poor and teach the skills and crafts necessary to make a living free of crime.
Red Order of The Flame
Though its members are not numerous, The Red Order of The Flame is influential among the common folk of Crosstreams. Their mission is to bring acceptance of the art of magic and the teachings of Andrinor to everyday people. They accomplish this with colorful displays of magic in the streets and the occasional lecture. Aside from these goals, they are more or less apolitical and oblivious to the larger political landscape, sometimes to their detriment, and yet, they are also sometimes wildly successful at achieving political ends.
The Death Runes
Little is known about the inner workings of The Death Runes. It seems to be a mercenary and trading organization that is slowly making inroads into the economy of Crosstreams. Some think that this group is an arm of the even more mysterious Burning Page, which is an extensive trade and mercenary organization in the Underdark that also acts as an order for the dissemination of the newly discovered Runic Magic.
The Ravens
Originally, the Ravens Guild was a Rogue's guild offshoot of the Grey Dirk that established itself in Mikona when an adventurer named Oriana Raven retired there. Raven was a reputed associate of Andrinor in his mortal days and sought a more peaceful life in subjugating the denizens in the underworld of that city. Centuries later, the success of the Ravens Guild has allowed it to branch out to new places. Crosstreams is an up-and-coming target for the guild, as it carefully tries to make inroads without putting itself into open conflict with the Grey Dirk.
Notable Officials & Personalities
Lemon Hennah, Senior Mage, Red Order of The Flame
An aged gnomish woman of immense rotundness, Lemon Hennah (she despises anything but her full name) is a brilliant Gnomish inventor and arcane craftswoman. She is rumored to be able to construct anything out of anything… and make it work (at least for a while). An unfortunate experiment nearly killed her, and left her with an extremely slow metabolism – Lemon Hennah ages both incredibly slowly, but also grows incredibly obese. She can no longer move under her own power, and has to resort to shapechanging or magical contraptions to get her around. Fortunately, she learned stillcasting at a young age. Despite this, she is a highly dedicated and driven member of the Red, and frequently proposes brilliant, cutting edge magical solutions to mundane problems.
Carter Mic'Halaran, Grey Dirk Guildmaster, Crosstreams
The Grey Dirk Guildmaster in Crosstreams is the flamboyant, yet dangerous human, Carter Mic'Halaran, a former bard turned assassin turned entrepreneur turned King of Thieves. Granted, the King of Thieves nickname is self-assumed, though few within the city walls argue the point or would wish to do so. His popularity with the city guard and the members of the Grey Dirk alike are a testament to his ability to manage people, or manipulate them as the case may be. Carter is often seen gallivanting about in the Tavern District and Instrument Quarter in his multi-colored finery while strumming a tune. The entourage traveling with him usually contains several musically-inclined members who join in for an impromptu parade. Carter loves the attention. The reality is that he is a master of distraction who uses the attention on him to direct attention away from things he does not want people to see.
Sister Kayta Dre'Lannen, Mother Superior, The Sisters of Charity
Sister Kayta is a 250 year old female elf who started out her profession as a physician and healer. She has long, braided, red hair and blue eyes with soft white skin, giving her an innocent motherly appearance. Under her voluminous monastic garb is a muscular build. Sister Kayta openly worships Senath, the god of strategy, and would rather think more often than talk which causes her to spend much time in cloistered contemplation. Internally, she feels this makes up for the steady activity of her Order, which is constantly out servicing the poor, though externally it makes her unpopular with the members of her Order. Some say she is just lazy, but it could simply be that she has lost her passion for action.
Donjoy Binder, The Burning Page
Not too many people know what to make of Donjoy Binder. He and his contingent of Burning Page associates have not openly rubbed anyone the wrong way, but they seem to be carrying out an unknown agenda. Nevertheless, Donjoy's methods are productive. He directs an operation to move goods in and out of the harbors of Crosstreams in both directions, and also overland to the north and south. His skill and passion for logistics are unparalleled and yet, there is a more dangerous element to him that no one has yet tested. Donjoy Binder is an adomkuro, which is a human subrace that originates in the Underdark. Like others of his race, he looks completely human and ordinary with black hair and fair white skin. Among surface humans, this is of little note. Those who know the adomkuro know that they all have black hair and white skin, and never anything else. When surface humans venture to Donjoy's realm, they stand out, but when adomkuro to to the surface, they can go nearly undetected.
Ash, Ravens Guildmaster
A tall burly human born in the wilderness of Tyedu, Ash carves an imposing figure in the Ravens. His size and build belie his incredible stealth and quickness, however. When looking into his eyes, those who are able to get close enough will see a complicated person who traveled widely and lived a hard yet eventful life. His frantic flight from his boyhood home in the north led to long spans of time spent at sea and eventually in the city of Mikona where he found his true calling in the politics of that city's economy, trade, and freedom. As an upstanding member of the Ravens in Mikona, Ash worked his way up through the ranks. From long years in that part of the world, he eventually decided to move on yet again to Crosstreams, where his guild was only too happy to assign him the task of establishing itself there. Now, the newer recruits ply the streets and learn their craft as Ash takes them under his wing.
Landmarks
The Hawke Building
At the tip of the point where the rivers split, the Hawke Building presents an imposing structure with ten floors of solid stone architecture rising up into seven buttressed spires at its top. The central spire, representing the confederation, rises 50 more feet above the others. The building was named after the first Governor of Crosstreams who was instrumental in the birth of the confederation, and it is where the central government of the confederation bases itself to this day.
Meegan's Myriads and Trinkets
Within the Market District, not far from where it borders the Instrument Quarter, is a shop run by a curious addled half-elf woman named Meegan who makes a living collecting and selling trinkets. Though there are several such shops nearby, the thing that makes Meegan's Myriads stand out is the magical nature of some of her merchandise. The more expensive items in her inventory often have some sort of minor enchantment specialized in making everyday life a little easier for the common folk. Most wizards and other magical practitioners of good repute do not interest themselves in Meegan's shop, but the Red Order of The Flame takes great pleasure in her shop and uses it as an impromptu headquarters at times.
The Soaring Soul
In the center of the Temple District is the largest temple to The_Harpinger on the continent and the theological center of its worship. The temple is one of the most complicated pieces of architecture made possible through collaboration of craftspeople from Deglos, Galdos, T'Nanshi, and the human nations around the Kurathene. It comprises a cylindrical shape reminiscent of a swirling tower pointed skyward with a gradual taper to a point in the upper third of its height. Solid granite makes up the majority of the structure with musical incantations and notations carved up its height and lined with gold leaf.
Stiggy's Last Resort
Deep in the Tavern District is an unlikely establishment frequented by rich and poor alike. Stiggy's last Resort is a showbar which hosts a different sort of act each day. Sometimes it's dueling minstrels. Other times it's a vile affair best not mentioned. Whatever the case, Stiggy's delivers entertainment, gossip, news, and interaction of any kind especially if one has the coin. To the constant complaint of all who attend, however, the food and service leave a lot to be desired.
Madam Larina's Night House
Next door to Stiggy's Last Resort is perhaps what many consider the second-to-last resort. This cushy parlor houses the men, women, and otherwise-gendered of Madam Larina's employ. In a busy Tavern District such as the one in Crosstreams, Madam Larina's place offers a different kind of entertainment and release. Though the rooms are similarly apportioned, but fine, the employees within those rooms are diverse indeed. Some say to be wary but intrigued when encountering a hole in the wall.
In-game Developments
The city of Crosstreams exists as a multi-user dungeon (MUD) which is currently creating the lands within The Seven Cities. Knowledge of this information in game is limited to characters that have reason, ability, and circumstance to know. Seek DM permission if there is any doubt.
Currently AvlisMUD does not allow transference of characters from the Neverwinter Nights Avlis servers to the MUD. It does, however, allow in-game interactions between those two locations in the form of information transfer and related characters.
Technical Aspects
This city exists as a multi-user dungeon (MUD) available for play at http://game.worldofavlis.com:27744.