Suzail is the royal capital of the Kingdom of Cormyr and the home to the castle of King Azoun IV.
The largest city in Cormyr, with 129,000 residents registered, Suzail is in every way the center of Cormyte power and is unchallenged by other cities of this nation in wealth, beauty, and importance.
Suzail is home to his most Royal Highness Azoun IV, King of Cormyr, Protector of Tilverton, and Victor of the Horde Incursions.
The King´s Castle is a fortified structure that is well separated from the rest of the city by Lake Azoun, the famous Royal Gardens, and the various smaller castles of lesser nobility. The castle is beautiful and is featured often in artwork sold across Cormyr. The Royal Treasury under the castle is the subject of much speculation, rumored to contain great riches protected by magic, monsters, and traps, but few can claim to have gotten near enough to tell tales.
Suzail sees many nobles come and go from its walls, most seeking favor from the king. Also at least one member from each noble family must maintain a residence in Suzail, among the castles of the other noble families. This harks back to an age-old practice of political hostages, but it´s hardly thought of as such today.
The noble families Crownsilver, Huntsilver, and Truesilver are the Royal Houses due to their blood ties with the crown. However, the largest noble family in Cormyr is the Cormaerils, with members throughout the ruling structure of Cormyr and several family members who have become noteworthy adventurers.
Other noble families include Bleth, Dauntinghorn, Emmarask, Hawklin, Huntcrown, Illance, Rowanmantle, Silversword, and Wyvernspur.
Playing a major role in stabilizing Azoun´s rule over Cormyr and Suzail is Vangerdahast, royal magician and chairman emperius of the College of War Wizards.
The most powerful merchant houses in Cormyr are: The Dragoneye Dealing Coster, the Seven Suns Trading Coster, the Six Coffers Trading Coster, Trueshield Trading Priakos, and the trading families of Iravan, Zathchos, Skatterhawk, Jhassalan, Faeri, and Ossper.
The companies dominate Cormyte commerce and their holdings stretch not only through Cormyr but into other lands as well.
The most popular items of commerce are ivory sculptures and cloth products. The ivory is secured from lands far from Cormyr and brought to the city across the Lake of Dragons. Things made from cloth are woven in Suzail.
The common people of Suzail support themselves primary through the city´s numerous bazaars. These outdoor marketplaces are the lifeblood of many in Suzail, and a diligent customer can find nearly any article for sale somewhere in the city.
The main currency in Suzail and all of Cormyr is the royal coinage, stamped with a dragon on one side and the mint date on the other. Ten copper thumbs (cp) are worth one silver falcon (sp). Ten falcons are worth one blue eye (ep). Two blue eyes are worth one golden lion (gp), and five golden lions are worth one tricrown (pp).
Suzail´s security force consists of a garrison of 4,500 Purple Dragons commanded by Sthavar, lord magistrate of the city. The city also is home port for the Imperial Navy of Cormyr, 14 ships and their crews, totalling more than 2,500 sea warriors.
Sthavar has a hand in everything that goes on in Suzail. He has sometimes been at odds with the city´s merchants, who sought more room for warehouses. Sthavar was adamant in protecting residences against the ever-expanding businesses.
Suzail functions as two different cities: the King´s Castle and the noble houses surrounding it, and the rest of the city. The most popular location in the city is the Promenade, a long, semicircular street that divides the royal portion from the rest of the city.
All sort of people walk along the road to view the Royal Palace, Royal Court, and the various nobles´ castles and residences.
Argul, is a mage known for having a vast collection of magical scrolls. The extent of his collection is unknown, perhaps even to him. He does sell scrolls, especially duplicates, but he charges exorbitant prices.
Two temples, one to Tymora and one to Deneir, dominate the spiritual life of Suzail. The temple to Tymora is the larger and is called the Towers of Good Fortune.
The Deneiran temple is known as the Silent Room.
The second-largest city in Cormyr is built on a series of sandy islands. themselves surrounded by a canal network. The population ranges from about 46,000 to as many as 53,000, when transient seafarers stay over in Marsember during fishing season.
The canal network that divides the islands of Marsember also functions as a common sewer. During the summer, the stench from the canals can be overpowering in some sections of the city. However, the sewage has the positive effect of inhibiting ice from forming during winter, keeping the city´s commerce lines open.
Although there are bridges connecting all of the islands that form Marsember, a common means of transportation is the skiff, a pole-driven, flat-bottomed boat 2-4 feet wide and 8-10 feet long with upswept ends. A typical Marsembian skiff might contain two hook-end poles and two paddles for propulsion, and a canvas cover that can be used as a sail if it´s rigged properly using the two poles.
The is an astounding variation in quality among skiffs, with expensive ones serving as symbols of high status.
There is no fee or tax to operate a skiff within
Marsember, but there are construction and maintenance costs. The
fee for docking at Marsember is 1 gp/month for a 90-foot long
berth. Marsember´s prices are half those of Suzail, making
Marsember the most popular port in Cormyr.
Commerce
Marsember is best know for its spices. In fact, it´s sometimes referred to as the City of Spices.
The trade has taken Marsember´s merchant companies to many faraway lands on quests to retrieve the rare and exotic seeds, barks, and berries that are processed into the highly desirable seasonings. Also, there is a great deal of fishing in the Lake of Dragons from Marsember, which adds to the number of ships passing in and out of the city´s ports.
Marsember also sees considerable trade in furniture and perfume. All of this makes Marsember the most advanced and busiest port in Cormyr. The hundreds of canals within the city are always busy with pole-driven skiffs. It is also a major shipbuilding and repair center.
The largest trading company in Marsember is the Six
Coffers Market Priakos.
Security
Ildool, is the crown´s representative, but he has yet to distinguish himself.
Complaints about him, including charges of skimming tax funds, fill libraries of scrolls. Even though local Harpers keep Ildool fairly honest, he is widely distrusted. Much of the true management of the city is in the hands Bledrin Scoril (LG hm F?), Ildool´s herald, and Kyler (LG hm W?), a War Wizard, as well as the Harpers.
Another important official in Marsember is Ayesunder Truesilver (LG hm F?), who is Warden of the Port. He is responsible for seeing to the safety of the 12-ship detachment of the Imperial Navy based in Marsember. He also commands the garrison of 3,000 Purple Dragons, who have been specially trained to work in Marsember´s environment. They wear leather armor and have only metal helmets and breastplates-neither too difficult to remove should the soldier be accidentally submerged. Everyone who enters the Purple Dragon garrison in Marsember learns to swim.
The soldiers patrol Marsember´s canals aboard skiffs, with each Purple Dragon carrying a 20'long "lawhook", a pole with a metal hook at the end to grapple passing boats or use as a weapon when necessary.
Using this skills, the Purple Dragons keep the peace
within Marsember and, more importantly, act as custom agents among
the hundreds of docks in the city. In the later role, they have
a deserved reputation for honesty and vigilance. Trusilver has
his own reputation as an able commander, and he has passed on
his honesty to his troops.
Society
The Drowning Flagon is a large inn popular with both locals and visitor.