Flotsam

Flotsam is the oldest and largest city on Ija, and one of the most populous in all the Forgotten Realms. First port of call for the majority of settlers and newcomers to the island, this sprawling mass of life engulfs almost every cliff, gorge, and cave on the eastern arm of the Embrace, guarding entrance to the bay. On the south side, the city's outskirts extend all the way to the edge of the Maesim Delta.

Flotsam was founded by renowned elementalist and self-styled Merchant Prince Ninyo. He was the first person to discover Ija, washing up on its untouched shores in 1491 DR, having survived an unexpectedly fortuitous shipwreck. Ever the opportunist, the corsair turned coloniser, escaping the island only to return with a crew of disaffected Zakharan pirates, pioneers, and those who felt they had no place in Faerûn. Drunk on the heady promise of freedom, Ninyo and his fellow settlers claimed the uncharted land as their own, and watched as the city and legend of Flotsam exploded.

The most diverse and cosmopolitan settlement for thousands of miles, Flotsam is home to almost every species under the sun, and thrives on a strong maritime trade. The port city boasts an endless maze of canals, and a fierce ad hoc navy, strong enough to discourage all manner of raiders, including Wailers from the Boneyard. Piracy and crime, however, are usually overlooked, so long as they don't conflict with the interests of the Merchant Prince.

Location
Flotsam is the easternmost city on the island of Ija, sitting at the very tip of the southern arm of the Embrace.

Topography
The city is spread across four peninsulas, named after the parts of a ship they resemble - the Bowsprit, the Fore, the Main, and the Mizzen, from west to east respectively. These outcrops of land and their respective bays are home to bluffs, cliffs, caves, beaches, and natural gorges, while man-made canals stretch miles further inland.

Climate
Flotsam benefits from several competing factors that form a perfect climate. While all of Ija is notably warm, Flotsam escapes the usual temperature increases caused by proximity to Mount Dungnham thanks to its position on the tip of the peninsula. These combine to provide a tropical heat cooled by a steady sea breeze. But the sea is a fickle mistress, and takes with one hand while she gives with the other. While the breezes are welcome, the peninsula affords little protection when they blow in from the east as storms, gales, or even hurricanes.

Population
Some 300,000 beings call Flotsam home, but, unlike most large cities in Faerûn, humans represent only about a fifth of the total population, rather than a clear majority of citizens. This is in no small part thanks to Flotsam's reputation as a safe haven for freaks, anomalies, and outsiders of all hues and stripes, who have migrated from all over to call the city home, adding to its unique character.

Government
Flotsam is an anarchic plutocracy. No formal organs of the state exist beyond the common understanding that what the Merchant Prince says goes. Money is power in Flotsam, and Ninyo is by far the city's richest man, a position he maintains by demanding (and usually receiving) a 20% cut of all goings on. A loose cabal of the most prosperous traders and pirate captains represent an informal council of sorts, taking it in turns to try to bend Ninyo's ear. Try as they might, however, no voice speaks louder to him than profit, and, since his haphazard election as de facto leader of the city (a promotion he tried to turn down), he's held in lofty esteem for his ability to keep the coffers flowing, and the money trickling down at least somewhat, if not all the way to the Shitstacks.

Culture
Floaters pride themselves on their freedom above all else. Their grit and determination to pull through makes them dangerous when cornered, and terrifying when united. However, such unions are usually very short-lived, focused around common goals, and prone to breaking down before any success is achieved. Floaters also put great stock in their short but creditable history, whether it's singing the praises of local delicacies like fat rats (a dish created by happenstance on the first voyage to Ija), or the annual celebration of Crimsontide (in memory of victory over the Red Wizards of Thay). Most of the city's residents are an uncouth and rowdy lot, scratching out a living however they can.

Religion
There are no official religions of Flotsam. All temples and churches are welcomed, or at least tolerated, so long as they don't seek to impose order on the Freebooters. This rules out most lawful deities, though some are still worshipped privately in the homes of those wishing for the evolution of a safer and more predictable Flotsam.

Trade & Business
Flotsam is by far the largest port on Ija, and is usually the destination of choice for those travelling from Faerûn, due to the reduced risk of Wailer attacks. As a result, the majority of trade with the mainland comes and goes through Flotsam's docks. And to get to the docks, most employ a Sounder, small manoeuvrable boats run by local guides. Thanks to the graveyard of boats left over after Crimsontide, the Sounders make a tidy profit steering bigger ships through safe waters in the narrow channels between wrecks.

Architecture
Flotsam's architecture is as varied as its populace, though it retains elements of its founder's native Zakharan culture and architecture. Many of the original buildings are converted boats and ships, whereas stonework dominates the newer constructions. Hierarchy in Flotsam is quite literal - the better off you are, the higher up you live, not least to get away from the smell of the canals which double as the city's sewage system.

Defences
Despite its exposed position, Flotsam is actually intensely well-defended. The waters around it require extremely careful or knowledgeable navigation, thanks to the sunken ships littering the seabed, casualties of Crimsontide. There are the banks of cannon along the Main and Fore, covering every inch of the two main bays, and smaller batteries along the Mizzen, Bowsprit, and around Corsair's Retreat. Though lacking in organisation or any standardisation of equipment, the large population, and huge number of boats, present a very capable and sizeable navy militia, especially with the advantage of home turf, and its numerous caves.

City Centre
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Temple District
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Canals
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Docks
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Outskirts
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Corsair's Retreat
Merchant Prince Ninyo's palace sits atop a rocky outcrop, overlooking the Zakharan seas that separate him from his homeland. The palace also serves as the docking station for his Halruuan Skyship, Windrunner.

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The Vorpal Emporium
A sort of magical army surplus store, run by the artist genie, Yinatca, and his Markeen daughter, Sonetice. Yinatca makes items on commission (or whim), and trades with other genies across the realms. Sonetice sells his creations, and organises the shop as best she can - she is the double of Ninyo’s mother, the famous Sha'ira A'ne, and the Merchant Prince spies on her sometimes when he gets the chance.

Yinatca buys magical items at half value, will trade two magical items for one of equivalent level, or one of higher level for one of lower level. His workshop is too dangerous to keep in the middle of a crowded city, and can be accessed from a portal in the back of the shop. From there, other portals lead to the fellow genies he trades with, and also to satellite shops in Singadale and Elhambra.

Snaqlet's Curiosities
Run by Epicurius Snaqlet Esquire, gnome inventor and purveyor of arcana.

The Shitstacks
In any large city, poverty is to be expected. But in one as lawless and cutthroat as Flotsam, it's positively rampant. Most of the people at the bottom of the ladder, both figuratively and literally, wind up in the Shitstacks, the accurate and not so affectionate name for city's slums.

In the absence of any kind of sewage system, and as Flotsam's founders did in their pirating days, folk have a habit of discarding their rubbish (human and otherwise) straight into the water. Ideally, it would be carried swiftly out to sea, but the volume is so great, and the strain on the city's waterways so severe, that the sewage tends to pile up, especially in certainly places. As a result, those living close to the water or who come into contact with it are frequent carriers of diseases (including the Strawberry Sickness), and retain a lingering smell that proves most difficult to wash off.

Nanogrot (The Dwarven District)
One of only two Dwarven strongholds on the whole island of Ija, Nanogrot snakes through much of the cave network beneath Flotsam. It has been slowly and carefully extended to house the growing population, and is home to all manner of smithies, artisans, and those more comfortable dwelling in dark places.

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