A letter confiscated from a man named Marcellus, imprisoned for attempting to smuggle illegal goods into the city.
My beloved Matron,
You’d once joked about Timbur Deep: “Take me down to the parasite city…” …illegible… I confess, I only partly paid attention to your warnings, but I can say that you were correct – opportunities exist to extend our House into the region. The city carved itself into several distinct districts, and this is what I have learned in my time here.
Firstly, some zones should be considered off-limits entirely. The Legion compound in particular is well guarded, and I’ve seen poor individuals getting assaulted by guards just for being too close to the walls. The Imperial palace, I’ve heard, is treated the same, though I cannot confirm this directly as I have yet to find a way past the Bastion gates. It’s not that I haven’t tried, it’s just that I value my life too greatly to test the methods that have presented themselves.
The upper and lower cities are both, to use House terminology, unprofitable service areas. There is no shortage of coin in Sable Rise and the upper city. Many wealthy individuals maintain opulent manors in the district, but therein lies the problem. They are already wealthy. Which means they are already established and, from what I have experienced, unwelcoming of outsiders.
The lower city is equally difficult, but I will add here that it does offer at least some possibility of purpose. Poverty dominates the Slums, while Larder’s End and Slaughterhouse Row are places where the locals are proud of barley water as if it were some kind of ale or tea. There is not much value to find here, however… The city’s guards do not pay much attention to these districts, and I’ll leave it at that.
The real opportunities in the city are to be found in the middle districts. Ashvale Heights is one of the older districts, directly in the heart of the city. It is flanked by the Guildstone Quarter and Market Lane. Guildstone offers excellent opportunities but is guarded by the locals. Not as fiercely as the upper districts, but the workshops here are old and established.
Market Lane therefore offers our House the best prospects. It is already known as a major trade hub for the city and is the district most accepting of outsiders. There are several areas in the district that are designated to provide space for independent vendors to set up stalls, and that might be the easiest way into the city. The challenge is in getting product from the docks, on the east side of the city along the river, across the middle districts to Market Lane. The docks are under the care of the city’s guards, and we will need to adjust our prices accordingly.
I will continue to try and find a way into the Bastion and will update if I am able to do so. In the interim, know that I miss your warmth and hope you are not spending your nights alone. If I could make one request it is this – take your fill of lovers in my absence so that I may taste the evidence of your pleasure on my return.
Humbly, Marcellus