The capital city of Shalasia lies at the mouth of the river Lesh, just north of the vast Shalasa desert, on the coast just west of the large island of East Shalasia. (See regional map) Like the rest of the country's "mainland" of course, Shalaton in fact lies on the separated subcontinent that divides the Broken Sea from the Great Ocean between the Anvil and Channel Straits. The city of Shalaton itself is a vast, sprawling center of trade and commerce, its large and numerous stone buildings clustered around the river and harbor, but surrounded by endless-seeming fields of tents and pavillions in every landward direction -- even into the desert itself. Shalaton is always loud with the cries of tradesmen in daylight, and often well into the night. It is truly a city that never sleeps: Even in the wee hours of the morning, its perpetual flow of commerce and intrigue only shifts to a quieter tone and more secretive -- often more dangerous -- activity.
Population: At least 100,000 permanent residents, with some estimates exceeding 300,000. If travelers, merchants, and other visitors -- consisting in large part of desert nomad tribes who set up temporary encampents around the city, sometimes for months at a time -- bring the real total population of the city at any moment above 500,000. While the vast majority of the city's population is human, a small percentage -- but nevertheless an enormous number, particularly in the more squalid districts -- have some degree of goblin blood, and the city even tolerates a few beastmen of different varieties, at least in its most miserable areas, or as slaves. Some number of dwarven and elven merchants are usually also present, including a very small number (at least in proportion to the enormous overall population) who have settled down permanently ... and according to Berlokh, there is even a population of resident Sheltzin.
Government: The city of Shalaton is divided with its surrounding lands into a number of fiefdoms controlled by important Pashas attached to the Court of Shalasia. Local laws are established in different districts of the city by these individual lords, but all are ultrimately subject to the Sultan of Shalaton, whose presence in the palace makes itself felt across the entire city.
National Affiliation: The Imperial Sultanate of Shalasia
Chief Exports: Textiles, artwork, pottery, and iron implements and weapons, as well as refurbished, refashioned, or merely re-priced versions of the city's innumerable imports.
History
The river Lesh has been inhabited along most of its length since prehistoric times, and the river mouth has been an important port apparently since the first oceangoing ships were built on the Broken Sea. The city of Amfah-Lesh grew up there as nomads from the desert, farmers from the floodplains, and miners from the mountains came together with traders from the seas to exchange their goods. It has been the center of Shalasian government since the sack of Aphera over a thousand years ago, when the present Palace of the Sultan was built and the city of Amfah-Lesh was re-named Ge'ar-Sultanri. Its name was changed again almost four hundred years ago, following the Al-Samir revolution, to Shalaton -- the name it retains today.
Important Landmarks (extremely incomplete list)
Basilica of the Sultanate: The largest and most lavish temple to Athoth outside of Havandia -- or, according to some observers, in the entire world -- is the massive, ornate Basilica in central Shalaton. Its diamond-hearted Sun Tower and marble fountains are famed from Hei-Setesh to Illenia, and though the Eminence of Shalaton is officially the presiding priest, the Basilica is often addressed by Pasha Richella himself on important occasions. Whenever a service is in progress, the interior of the Basilica is filled with rank upon rank of the wealthy and powerful among the city's elite, while commoners throng in the enormous courtyard.
Fallen Church of Isiyes: Not far from the Palace and the Basilica lies the still-intact structure of an enormous church, much vandalized but virtually untouched by the ravages of time. This is because the ravages of time haven't yet been given much opportunity: The Church of Isiyes was a vibrant place of worship until its faith was outlawed in Shalasia following the recent Fall of Isiyes. Most or all of the vandalism -- including the theft of all its relics and ornaments and the destruction or defacement of most of its symbols of worship -- took place within the three months (much indeed within the first few days) through which the ban lasted, before it was lifted for those who acknowledged the subservience of Isiyes to Athoth. No attempt has been made however to restore the church since then; worshipers of Isiyes in Shalaton now perform their devotions in a lesser annex to the Basilica of the Sultanate, and no one else has seen fit to move into their former church. Improbable rumors about the place -- hidden treasure known only to the former high priest, hauntings, and the rest of the usual run of nonsense associated with abandoned buildings -- are already current in certain quarters, and the ruin's steeple is still adorned by the skull of the last high priest of Isiyes, its bone long since stripped clean by carrion birds.
Grand Shipyard: Though all its wood is imported -- from countless nations around the sea -- the Grand Shipyard of the Sultanate is reputedly the greatest (and certainly the oldest and most extensive) ship-building and repair facility in the known world. The Shalsian government Naval Yard lies across the mouth of the river Lesh from the extensive Palace grounds, but is small in comparison with the vast merchant yards stretching out beyond, toward the city docks. The quality and number (or even existence) of drydocks among the slipways and construction yards noticably declines with distance from the Naval Yard, and the regular city docks, beyond the far end of the Grand Shipyard, include some of the most squalid neighborhoods in all of Shalaton (so long as certain portions of the Tent City are excluded) -- but a few wealthy merchants do see to it that certain neighborhoods around their private docks are well-policed and largely free of both drunken sailors and those who like to prey upon them.
Offices of The Day: A large stone building -- in fact a converted warehouse -- that backs on the river Lesh in east-central Shalaton now houses the staff, equipment, records, and secrets of The Day, the only daily newspaper known to Black Steel personnel, and the paper with the widest circulation. The means by which the paper is produced -- an endless-seeming quantity of identical scrolls -- is something of a mystery, though not perhaps unique: Thorm Casati reports that the Dwarves of Korv appear capable of producing books in similarly inexhaustible-seeming quantitites. The Day brings in news from all around the city, and even from distant lands, through a network of specialized researchers and reporters, and disseminates it at absurdly low prices -- barely more than the cost of parchment and ink -- across the city.
Palace of the Sultan: The ever-expanding palace complex of the Sultan of Shalaton includes grounds that extend far along the south bank of the river Lesh from its mouth, and well along the coast to the south. The central Hall and Court have remained essentially unchanged since their construction more than a millenium ago, but its wings and towers have been expanded, and outbuildings added and extended, over the centuries. At present, the palace complex includes not only the home and court of the Sultan, but those of several important Pashas, a number of embassies, including Black Steel's, and separate theaters and dining houses, as well as extensive and carefully-husbanded gardens.
Solo's: While it wouldn't (yet?) make most travelers' lists of important city landmarks, Solo's Restaurant is developing a reputation with the wealthy citizens of the city, and it is naturally important to Black Steel since it is owned and operated by a member of the Black Steel cabinet. Solo's is famous for its unusual layout and entertainment, but more especially for its fare, which includes authentic Grat'han dishes and ice-cold beverages and desserts (thanks to the cold-storage chamber maintained by Theril's sorcery).
Tent City: While Black Steel's activities have mostly occurred within the "permanent" core of the city, consisting mostly of stone buildings concentrated around the coastline and the river Lesh, the majority of Shalaton's real population lives (or at least temporarily stays) and works or trades in the tents and pavillions that perpetually cover the fields and sands surrounding the city proper. Many of these residents are desert nomads passing through and stopping to trade, but they also include numerous merchants who particularly seek business with the nomads in their own style, and large numbers of people who simply can't afford permanent housing. The vast majority of the city's business is actually transacted in the Tent City, in temporary bazaars and open markets, though most of the goods bought and sold here pass through the permanent sections of the city in one form or another as it travels to or from ships ... and much of the wealth from these transactions winds up lining the pockets of merchants who live in the better neighborhoods there. Of course, the Tent City is also the region most frequented by the city's numberless, oft-thriving /illegal/ "businesses."
Villa District: Many of the powerful merchants and minor Shalasian nobles who make Shalaton their home live in the various stone villas and mansions, mingled with parks, shrines, museums, and certain highly-specialized businesses that discreetly cater to such whims as the wealthy people of Shalaton wish to follow close to -- but not within -- their homes.
