today’s post is a day late because i was out with friends all day yesterday! i almost didn’t get to write my entry… i squeezed it in though—but like i said, saturday is my busy day!
i’ve been experimenting with city names a little, by which i mean mostly just corrupting letters in orders that sound vaguely like “twenty three” in other languages. all of the variations of “vingt trois” i’ve come up with so far sound like ass, though.
anyway! i can’t remember if i’ve mentioned, but i’m doing npc23 on the side; most of the names dropped this week have associated short bios, too. i’m going to publish those all at once, though, instead of keeping up week by week!
1/8
Valencia Arcane Academy. has the reputation of being one of the oldest magic schools, having been founded before the city was itself, but is long past being known as the best. more prestigious schools will dismis Valencia on the basis of accepting anyone in—a reputation that the newly-appointed headmaster, Cai Peng, has chosen to embrace. there are mixed feelings within the faculty about Cai’s mission statement of making magic accessible to all, and some more prestigious institutions are throwing fits, but few are in any position to argue with Cai.
1/9
The Alice Estate. the Alice family is old nobility and even older money. their title sare all figurehead statuses at this point, and they have no true power, but they do have property—and, again, cash. that’s really what gets them anywhere, and merchant are quick to bid for their favor in hope sof seeing that money for themselves. the estate itself is impressively sized, but poorly guarded, for the most part—getting inside the manor is far from as easy ad walking in, but one can stroll through the gardens with little trouble if they put some work into looking like they belong. there’s a fish pond and everything! the Alice family occasionally hosts events for other rich people (few of the nobles invited attend in earnest), and oh, how th city’s more average residents love to see if they can sneak in.
1/10
Simply Smithing. the owner, Sirius Zarxes, would have happily just put up a sign reading “Blacksmith,” but his husband insisted on the name. the most no-frills blacksmith in the city: if you want so much as a decorative engraving, go somewhere else. the weapon quality is incredible, but everything made is so plain—which suits Sirius just fine. the forge is outside at the back of the building, and Sirius is often hard at work while his husband, Asgeir, runs the store—though his knowledge on the fine details is minimal. the store is a small space, sparsely decorated, with nigh every inch of space crammed with goods for sale.
1/11
Reap & Sew, a tailor. specializes in mending and adjusting specialty clothing—rare fabrics, elaborate formalwear—but will take care of anything, and sometimes even has custom pieces for sale. those pieces are highly coveted, in part due to their one-of-a-kind nature—rarely do any of the three sisters who run the store take commissions, but instead will randomly make something and put it up for sale. since the clientele includes a number of wealthy nobles, this business model remains viable.
1/12
The Chariot, a casino not far fro the dock. many a sailor has lost their fortunes here, but the fair few that made theirs keep the rest coming. relatively bare bones, for a casino, but extravagant when compared to the rest of the port district. originally founded by the nobility, seedier hands have since taken over, and mysteries abound about the true nature of the owner, whom none of the floor staff have ever even met.
1/13
Bells & Thistles, a flower shop located towards the edge of the city, once things start thinning out, just at the edge of a residential district. the store is small, and not particularly well-known, but is a beloved spot for those who are aware of it. the owner, who goes by Primrose, keeps an expansive garden behind the store, an dis happy to let people visit, so long as they’re supervised—she gets antsy f people go back there on their own.
1/14
upscale tavern frequented most often by the nobility and other upperclass folks like merchants. the staff and patrons alike can sniff out anyone who doesn’t belong and they do not treat them kindly unless a new face proves themselves as up to snuff very quickly. menu includes various dishes only made possible through expensive imports.
