Al'Shadar

The Market and Coffee House

Truly among the most busy locations within Arcovia. For those accustomed to subdued locales, the market can at first be overwhelming. The area is a whirlwind of merchants and customers accented by bright colors and swirling aromatics. Various stalls and shops with enticing displays highlight the quality and value of their wares. A large percentage of the ingredients used in cooking throughout The Citadel come from these very stalls, so they’re always full of activity. While it may be overstimulating for some, those native to the district traverse the barrage of sights with a second nature. The equally bedecked natives navigate the plethora of sights and scents as a skilled dancer moving through a set of familiar steps.

The Tavern

Calm enough that outright brawls are a rarity, but casual enough that you don't have to worry about snooty glares if you happen to spill a bowl, Domum Onetas is truly the happy medium of Arcovia’s eateries. The tavern takes care to encourage a communal setting that is carried over into the food and its serving methods. Wash basins are provided for, while cutlery is available upon request, most of the establishment’s food is meant to be eaten with the hands. Fragrant grains, thick sauces, chunks of roasted meat, and a variety of flatbreads are menu staples. People rarely visit JUST to drink, and snacks are always provided with even Domum Onetas’s cheapest ales. Dried fruit and nuts adorn each table, and honeyed sweet breads provide a surprising compliment to the offered wines. While a wide variety of drinks are provided, the star of the drinks menu is Arak. This extremely potent liquor, flavored with anise, is an acquired taste, but one that is swiftly gaining popularity throughout the city.

The Arena

If you’re seeking entertainment on a large scale, chances are you’ll find it at the amphitheatre in Al’Shadar. Tourneys, jousts, festivals, theatrical performances --anything that might draw a significant crowd can be found here. The greatest talents play for glory and honor (and occasionally prizes) while the diplomatic elite of Arcovia watch. Rumors abound that, if you know where to look you might even find a shady individual or two willing to take part in gambling based on the results of the contests. Such behaviors are, of course, widely discouraged, but whispers exist that they do still exist in spite of the Citadel’s disapproving eye

The Forum

In a similar vein to Suttonborg’s Folk Circle, The building simply referred to as The Forum is Al’Shadar’s political center. Unlike the free wielding northerners, however, not just anyone is allowed to speak all willy nilly. For official matters, a council handles the affair with the only input from outsiders coming from designated witnesses. While attendance of such proceedings has become a form of entertainment itself, any attempt to disrupt the official discussions being had, no matter how small, can result in expulsion from the area. Perhaps because of the great success of the more official proceedings, occasionally the forum will allow for philosophical debates to be performed with no specific outcome expected. Masters of the metaphysical relish in the opportunity to flex their ability to stride the line between solid logic and more abstract emotional arguments. Not just a place for official business, The Forum provides a place for great minds to exercise.

The Bathouse

A beautifully decadent experience is what one can expect when they choose to bathe at Al’Shadar’s bathhouse. Here one can relax in baths perfumed with scented oils that leave you smelling lovely for ages. Luxuriate among the heady perfumed rooms while dining on decadent treats. Bathing attendants are available to pamper you and tend to your every need. The bathhouse also provides a variety of tinctures, nourishing salves and exfoliating scrubs to keep you not just clean, but gorgeously glowing. When you bathe here, you can be assured that you’ll leave feeling truly relaxed and taken care of. Leaving a better and more beautiful person than when you arrived.