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Published on behalf of the Hon. Roberto Garcia,
by Messrs Gaudy and Gaudy,
Printers and Type-Setters,
All types of publishing work undertaken,
Very reasonable rates,
5, Thrupennie Yard,
Spendthrifts Walk,
The Free City of Eboracum.
Any Gentleman who embarks upon a peregrination of these varied lands will surely find that his path leads him eventually to the fair city of Eboracum. Her trade routes are multitudinous; ships flying her flag can be found in almost any port city in the known world. Moreover, the city provides a most favourable environment for all types of commerce, as well as a great many amusing diversions for the discerning traveller.
The Laws of the city are simple, but the punishment for transgression tends towards the severe. With this in mind, the traveller is advised to make themselves aware of the laws, and take caution.
The Free City of Eboracum is situated upon the Isle of Jorvik, in the Black Sea. The isle is customarily reached by ship; many river-boats ply their trade across the Sea, bringing passengers to and from the City. A Gentleman may pass the journey gaming at dice or cards with fellow-travellers, or merely enjoying a meal and a glass or two of fine wine.
As the City approaches, you will pass through the famous Black Arches of Eboracum, sometimes ranked among the wonders of the world. The locals will proudly inform visitors that the Arches are the last mortal remains of the river-dragon Black Kemrath, whom they insist protects the City from danger. Some few decades ago, the dragon elected to make her lair upon the Isle, causing great disruption to the commerce of the city, not to mention danger to its' inhabitants. The City's greatest magicians congregated to sing an enchantment to Our Lady Of The Deep Waters Where The Dead Things Are. The holy Lady interceded on behalf of the City, and took the dragon out of time and into stone.
During your stay, you should be sure to take a trip to the West Arch, where the head of Black Kemrath rests upon the tip of her tail, and to touch one of her massive stone fangs it is said to bring good luck. The locals avow that anyone who has stood in a dragon's jaws and lived to tell the tale must be lucky.
There are two main harbours on the island; passenger ships all dock at the Casryn Harbour to the north. The Harbour was named for Eboracum's first Merchant-Admiral, who reputedly forged the stones from the mud at the bottom of the harbour. Trade ships of which there are many more use the large New Harbour on the south side of the Isle.
Both harbours are well worth a visit. At evening, the scattered mage-lights which illuminate the Casryn Harbour lend a quietly romantic air to the old stone-work. By contrast, the New Harbour is constantly filled with bustle and noise; a mere inconvenience such as the sunset will not stay the merchants of Eboracum about their diligent pursuit of profit!
It is worth taking the time to give a word of explanation regarding the various emblems that fly from the forest of masts in the New Harbour. Ships customarily fly two flags, indicating their home nation or city and the trading company to which they belong.
Flags of all the nations of the known world can be found in the harbour, but two are particularly prevalent. The first is the emblem of Eboracum itself, a grey dragon coiled on a deep blue background; this flag is a recent innovation, intended to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the defeat of Black Kemrath the dragon is the stone Kemrath, and the background symbolises the deep waters. The other common flag is that of the Jhereg Nation, a white and silver Jhereg, wings outstretched, upon a black background. Most of the ships flying this flag operate out of Port Reybard, which retains close trade ties with Eboracum. Although these two emblems are startlingly similar in appearance, visitors to Eboracum would be wise not to draw attention to this fact.
Another symbol which a visitor will see, not merely at the mast-head of many ships, but also throughout the city, is the tripartite symbol of the Company of Merchant Adventurers, the city's foremost Trading Company. This symbol is often seen in conjunction with the Jhereg flag; this company, long-established in Eboracum, now holds allegiance to the Jhereg Nation. The favourable trade status accorded to that Company in Eboracum was unaltered by this change, and relations between the City and the Jhereg Nation have progressed from merely cordial to extremely friendly. Again, a wise traveller will not comment on this development whilst upon the island.
When visiting a strange City, a Gentleman is more or less obliged to take in the Local Sights, of which Eboracum has a great many. Visitors to the City often find themselves having trouble navigating, for the main through-fares of Eboracum are not streets but waterways. While it is perfectly possible to make one's way across the City on foot, this entails negotiating a maze of bridges, alleys, tunnels, and even the odd roof-top. All things considered, it is far easier to employ one of the city's many boatmen to transport you to your destination. In busy times, their small boats veritably clutter the canals with traffic, darting about the heavier goods barges which cross the city.
A useful point of reference is the tall spire of the Guildhouse, which can be seen from most of the city. The administrative heart of the City, this building contains the Magistrate's Offices and the Council Chambers. Here the City's government does its' work, financed not by taxes, but by charges to the citizens for such services as waste collection. Donations from various Trading Companies also facilitate the smooth running of the City, not to mention the lifestyles of various government officials.
Attached to the Guildhouse is the Guard Barracks, where the smart and efficient City Guard are trained, and, in some cases, housed. Not only do the Guard, dressed in blue tabards bearing the dragon emblem of Eboracum, keep order within the City, detachments of Guard members are sometimes assigned to Trading Companies, for the purpose of protecting valuable shipments and so forth. Most notably, an elite unit has recently been attached to the Company of Merchant Adventurers, whose traders are often to be found at the forefront of any international conflict, possibly because they are selling arms to both sides.
Perhaps the most famous Sight in the City of Eboracum is the Aumbrie, home of the great Eboracum Library. Standing almost in the centre of the Isle of Jorvik, the Aumbrie is a magnificent stone edifice, decorated with intricately carved gargoyles and other statuary. The high windows are fretted with glorious, brightly-coloured stained glass, and the interior was delicately gilded and painted
At least, this is the case upon three sides of the building. The fourth, in an unfortunate accident whose cause has never been properly ascertained (though it is reputed to have involved a prototype stone-to-lava spell) has been reduced to an unrecognisable heap of slag.
The stories of the resulting fire are a good example of the citizens' attitude to knowledge. Several curators lost their lives in the fire, but it appears none of the books sustained more than minor scorch marks. Some extensive building work has been carried out to restore the structural integrity of the building, though it perhaps lacks something of its' former glory.
Another Sight which a visitor should take the time to see is the Temple of Zalambūr, Lord of Accounts and Reckonings, and Patron of the City of Eboracum. The Temple can be found close by the Aumbrie; it is easily mistaken at first glance for a money-lenders' den, filled as it is with such a confusion of persons dealing in a variety of abstract financial concepts which quite boggle the mind: Futures, Shares, Bonds, and the like The Priests say it is the will of Zalambūr that his temple be a place of profit.
Approach the Aumbrie and you will surely be approached in turn by a young lad or lass of perhaps ten or twelve years, offering their services as a Guide. In any other City a Gentleman would rightly be advised to avoid such offers and check his pockets and pouches. But this is Eboracum, and these youngsters with their green tabards are no ragged street urchins, but the sons and daughters of the City's merchants. While other children might pass their time in play, they have already taken on their parents' values and the teachings of Zalambūr: they prefer to turn a steady profit guiding visitors around the City.
The services of a Guide are well worth a few coins. Not only will they lead you through the golden arches of the temple, and attempt to explain the various cries of the raucous traders, they will cheerfully tell you the various tales associated with the Temple.
In particular they will point out the statue of Thrifty the First, founder of the Church of Zalambūr. Thrifty is said to have heard the call of Zalambūr whilst removing lead from the roof of his local tavern, and the fine stained-glass windows depict many of his exploits. Notable among the wonders he performed in the name of Zalambūr are: 'the Paying of the Five Thousand Builders'; 'the Turning of Copper into Gold' and 'the Over-Charging of the Accountants of Teutonia'.
However, it was the 4th Prophet of Zalambūr, Owen Dacheep, who founded the City of Eboracum and began construction of the temple, though he died three days before its' completion. He gave The People of the new city the Book of Zalambūr to guide them, and is regarded as the first High Priest of Zalambūr.
The Guides will also tell you of the more recent history of the temple. Five hundred years ago, a group of fanatics calling themselves the Brotherhood of True Faith made an attempt to convert the City into a theocratic State. An expensive civil war followed, not so much because the City's merchants objected to the change in rulers, but because the Brotherhood attempted to implement high taxation for all. This they found unacceptable, and so the more conservative elements of the priesthood triumphed.
Recent resurgences of the Brotherhood are rumoured, but the Guides and Priests will emphatically deny any suggestion of a problem
The Free City of Eboracum, is, as has been intimated, first and foremost a trade city. As such, the City's three Bazaars are essential ports of call for any visitor. They are open for business at any time, night or day; the Temple of Zalambūr teaches that time is money, and profits wait for no man. The Caravanserai, close to the New Harbour, is always crowded. It is the first port of call for merchants straight off their ships. Not only do the traders here have first pitch at new visitors to the Isle, but they save on the expense of hiring porters to carry their goods a long distance to and from the docks. The majority of the merchants here are dealers in bulk commodities; cloth, grain, metals, and the like.
Near the Casryn Harbour lies the old shipyard, now given over to the Chandlery Bazaar. The Chandlery specialises in smaller, more valuable items; here a Gentleman may purchase fine jewellery and exotic perfumes for a Lady. Here, too, both magical trinkets and works of art are sold; here the finest tailors set up their stalls; here spice and gem merchants display their wares. Many of the city's finest establishments lie in this part of the city, from inns and eating houses to play-houses, music halls and other diversions.
The third Bazaar is the Golden Court, near the Aumbrie. Books, scrolls, parchment, paper, inks of all kinds - many suitable for magical inscriptions - quills from every kind of bird that is, wax tablets, styli, stone slabs and chisels, paints and canvas - anything that anyone has ever used to write down a song or a story can be found here.
Whether he visits the Free City of Eboracum as a scholar or a trader, a Gentleman should, as he leaves, bear in mind one of the more famous teachings of the Temple of Zalambūr:
When you think you've had a good deal, count your monies, then your fingers, then your relatives.
- The Book of Zalambūr, Cautions II:I.