Lankhmar - Campaign Background.

Background
 

The Crew are smugglers and are members of the Flotilla (a polite way of saying the Guild of Smugglers).  There are other smuggling guilds, the Travel Agents deal in people including slaves, the Import Guild deals with smuggling through the sea ports and the Gate-Keepers with traverse of the walls.  The guilds are more like legalised gangs than real guilds and are in constant competition with each other.  There are lines of demarcation though the whole object of smuggling is to get past such obstructions.  The Marshmen as their name implies operate through the Marshes east of the city and hold sway (much to the Gate-keepers annoyance) over the Marsh Gate.  They have other ways into the city and our crew uses one of these.

 
The Eel Holes are well known in the North Harbour what is less well known is that it is the end of what remains of the Fin Creek, one of the original river courses around which the town of Lankhmar was built. Unlike most of the under-city waterways which have become drains it has remained pure.  The creek is in fact one of several streams that run down to the Eel Holes all of which are freshwater.  Many of the best wells drop directly into one or other of these streams.  Also unlike the other streams Fin Creek runs not from the south dry-lands but directly along the course of Temple Street and links with the Silver Water (under Noble Street) which comes down the Street of Gods. Fin Creek emerges under the city wall in a small delta of passages.  Amongst those in the know this is called the Marsh Dock and is linked to the surface world through various hidden stairwells and cellars each with their little jetty. The famed Silver Well on Clear water Court off the east of Noble Street takes its water straight from the Silver Water though no-one in the city including its owner know this.

 
The items smuggled are often not illegal though some are.  They tend to be expensive items avoiding tax or rare items at cut price (often forgeries or cut product but not always). The crews regular customers include Demitrin Xenobe a provider of rare spices who cuts his legitimate product with cheaper tax free product.  Some of his lines due to their popularity are very highly taxed so he legally imports enough to keep the guilds happy and has the rest smuggled.  Tabatha Tyke buys for a select guild of magic-users and has a shop on temple street supplying various incenses and hard to find sacrificial items to the local priesthoods.  They do a great trade in rare and exotic birds and animal both as extracts and living, through her hands. Jape Rinburh works the various bazaars supplying product to brothels and other incense and perfume users.

(This is the first post for Rob A's new fantasy RPG campaign - I hope to bring summaries of our sessions and adventures over time)