Transportation:

 

• Teleportation Circles:  In Telim, magic use is so common that many people have access to the city's infrastructure of permanent Teleportation Circles.  These are considered public transportation, and the city has tiers of payment for their use.

  • One-time use: 2 silver per person to use one Teleportation Circle to one destination.  Additional trips are extra.

  • All-day use:  20 silver per person to use Teleportation Circles throughout the city an unlimited number of times.  Lasts for 24 hours.

  • Monthly Pass:  3 gp per person for a monthly, or 30-day pass.  Unlimited uses of the Circles throughout the city.

  • Annual Pass:  100 gp per person for a yearly, or 360-day pass.  Unlimited uses of the Circles throughout the city.

  • Lifetime Pass:  1,000 gp per person for a lifetime's unlimited use of the Teleportation Circles throughout the city for their natural lives.  Cannot be transferred to another person, and is non-refundable upon early death. 

  • IMPORTANT NOTES:

    • Circle Guards are posted at each Teleportation Circle location.  These guards monitor the use of the Circles, and keep a detailed list of pass details.

    • Passes are given to paying users by the guards at the Circles.  These passes are magical in nature, and cannot be altered except by high-level magical means.  Each pass is considered a binding contract upon purchase, and any deviation from the stated guidelines will result in the pass disappearing from the purchaser and returning to the guard who sold it.

    • Unauthorized Circles are forbidden to be created, and the City Guard keeps a close watch on the use of such magic within Telim's walls.  The city's Circles cannot be altered to lead outside of the walls of Telim, and any attempt to do so is viewed as treason.

    • If any Circle is found to be malfunctioning or deteriorating, it is cordoned off until the issue is resolved.

    • There are 25 Circles within Telim's walls.  These each lead to one another, save the Circle of the Flame Keepers and the Spiral Palace's private Circles.  These are a separate system of travel reserved for high-level Keepers, Flame Shields, and the royal family.  Occasionally they will grant the use of these to Council members, but that is rare, and no Council member currently has that privilege.

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• Wagons and Carts:  Telim has an intricate network of roads, laid out when the city was built to be as direct and simple as possible.  Over the years, the alleyways and footpaths have created a spider-web like maze of possible avenues of travel, but the main roadways are still straight and easy to navigate.  On these main thoroughfares, wagons and carts are used to get around.  Slower than teleportation but cheaper, this method of travel is favored by lesser merchants and the middle class populace.  Cart and wagon drivers are plentiful, and it is relatively easy to hail a ride inside of Telim at all hours.

  • IMPORTANT NOTES:

    • Wagon and Cart drivers are usually armed.  Robbery of a driver is not something that is common, since even the Thieves' Guild has a hand in that particular business, but exceptions do happen.  For that reason, drivers carry weapons to protect themselves in case of emergencies. 

    • Drivers also generally carry one minor healing potion.  This is the "Emergency Kit" of Telim, and these are only used when absolutely necessary.  Potions are plentiful in Telim, but are still not cheap, and their use generally results in an extra charge at the end of the ride.  Drivers can be persuaded to sell their potions, but usually at a high markup.

    • For a single passenger, the price of a cart or wagon ride depends on the destination.  If it is less than a quarter of the city's length, it is 5 copper.  A quarter to half of the city's length is 10 copper, and anything over that is based on the time it takes to reach the destination (1 copper per minute over 15).  Discounts are given to groups of 3 or more, and payment is expected up-front.  This can be negotiated, as can the price, but at a high degree of difficulty.

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• Foot Traffic:  Walking through Telim is how most of the lower income population gets around.  The city is roughly 70 miles from wall-to-wall, and is circular in nature, so traversing the entirety of the metropolis on foot can take from a few hours to an entire day, depending on walking speed and stops along the way.  Usually, folks walk to and from work, to and from the markets, and to and from local restaurants and/or taverns.  Foot travel is free, of course, but if traveling at night, one must be wary of thieves and cutpurses.  Guards patrol the streets at all hours, but can't be everywhere at once.

 

Diversions and Distractions:

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• Shopping:  Shopping is a hobby of many members of the nobility and royal family in Telim, but a necessary part of life for everyone else.  Accordingly, there are many places to shop in the city, and a wide variety of wares to choose from.  A few examples include:

  • The Raven's Draught:  A potion shop run by a Half-Elf man named Shir'al.  He sells basic healing potions, random effect potions, and a drug known as Rockburn.  Rockburn, if smoked, sends the user into a hallucinatory state.  The effect lasts for around ten minutes and the drug is incredibly addictive.  It is unknown whether the Cobalt Guard is aware of Shir'al's side business or if they even care as long as he pays his taxes and nobody dies from using his concoction.​

  • Krok's Armory:  Run by Half-Orc Krok, this armory sells mundane weapons and armor, but it is all very finely crafted.  He provides much of the weaponry to the Cobalt Guard, and does quite a bit of business outside of the city.  

  • Pernicious Possessions:  This magic shop is helmed by a Gnomish woman named Tyrill.  She sells all manner of magical items and artifacts, many of which are exorbitantly expensive due to their rarity.  Even in a magic-heavy city such as Telim, many of Tyrill's wares are considered noteworthy.  Her main business comes from her plethora of joke magical items, however, such as the "Wand of Smiles", "Newton's Whistle", and the like.  She is always friendly and loves to play jokes on returning customers, especially the nobility.

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• Taverns:  There are a number of taverns and bars in Telim, all varying in clientele and atmosphere.  A few notable ones are:

  • The Bluebill Tavern and Inn:  A fairly humble establishment located in the southern portion of the city, it caters mostly to lower-middle class patrons.  A few members of the Flame Shields and Keepers frequent this tavern, as it is out of the way and quiet most of the time.  Lord Lister Burnhold makes frequent use of the tavern to meet with the common folk and discuss policies individually with them.  Run by Tyrial Shorn now that the previous owner disappeared after a gruesome "bar fight" left two patrons dead.  Tyrial is a female Brass Dragonborn, and runs a tight shop.

  • The Carousing Nymph:  A ramshackle mix of bar and brothel, this establishment is located near the docks in the southwest portion of the city.  Patrons here are generally poorer, but the place is nearly always packed and rowdy.  Fights break out regularly, but rarely result in guards intervening, as the fights usually end with the participants buying rounds for one another.  Quite a few members of the Cobalt Guard frequent this place for its "atmosphere", which includes dancing girls and men, gambling, and an unsanctioned fighting ring.  The fighting ring, while unsanctioned by the crown, is well-known and very popular.  For all the business it gets, though, the Nymph still looks as though it will fall down at any minute, and is always a bit dirty and smelly.  The ale is decent, though.  The joint is run by a ragged-looking Halfling man named Hector Rumbelly.

  • The Queen's Glass:  A very high-end bar located just to the east of the Flamebarrows.  This bar caters to the Council, the Flamekeepers, the Flame Shields, and occasionally the lesser nobility in the city.  The atmosphere is always quiet and reserved, and the food and drink are expensive.  The fare is definitely above average, but if you're looking to get drunk, this would be an expensive place to do so.  Run by two High Elf men named Ra'las and Ve'tal Torven.  They are haughty to most, but show deference to nobility and high-ranking Flamekeepers.

  • The White Sun Blossom:  This is the most elegant of all of the drinking establishments in Telim.  Catering to the royal family, it is usually reserved for private parties.  Occasionally, it will open its doors to the public, running specials on its signature ales and pies, giving the common folk a taste of how royalty dines each day.  The White Sun Blossom is run by a pair of Dwarven sisters, Ryall and Otessa Ironspine.  They are commoners who managed to work their way up in the world by crafting fine ale and food, and have found themselves in a position to help their former neighbors by donating to schools, charities, and running deep discounts on their wares when not otherwise occupied by the royal family and nobility.  The sisters are very kind to everyone and well-loved among the general populace.  They stand as an example of how hard work and dedication to a craft pays off in Telim, and are frequently sought out for advice on brewing and baking.  The two occasionally host competitions for positions in their tavern, and these are widely attended by all manner of folk.  The sisters are rumored to be looking to open another restaurant/bar, but these are unconfirmed for now.

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• Gambling:

  • Flash in the Pan:  Roll 2d6.  If they add to 7 or 12, they win.  Can double the bet to add 1d6 to total.  20gp buy-in

  • Jack's Gambit:  Each player rolls 1d8, keeping the die hidden.  Raise, call, or fold.  Continues when all bets are equal.  Roll 1d6, keeping it secret.  Final chance to raise, call, or fold.  Roll 1d4; add all dice together, highest number wins 80%.  20% goes to the house.  Ties split the winnings.

    • Sleight of hand can give a reroll.  Deception can force a fold.

  • The Bruiser's Fist (Fighting Ring):  A person can bet on the outcome of a fight in the ring.  Payout is split between winners, with 20% going to the Carousing Nymph as the host.  The fighting ring is unsanctioned by the crown, but is so popular with the people that the guard looks the other way, or even joins in on the betting.  Occasionally, a guard will become champion, but usually abdicates the title quickly, for fear of reprisal from their commander who looks down on such activity.

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• Brothels:

  • The Carousing Nymph is the go-to location for most people seeking companionship in exchange for coin.  Almost all species are represented at the Nymph, and most of them have all of their teeth.  The workers are well-paid and taken care of by the owner of the Nymph, and many go on to become successful tavern owners, crafters, or soldiers. 

  • The Queen's Glass is rumored to offer similar services as the Nymph to paying customers, but is very secretive about it.  Speculation runs rampant, but the prevailing theory is that the brothers Polymorph one another to suit their client's tastes and pocket all of the money for themselves.  There is no evidence to substantiate this, of course, but tongues do wag.

  • Street-corner prostitution is not common in Telim, but exceptions can be found by the right person.  These individuals are usually desperate, poor, and not well cared for.  They should probably be avoided.