Unapproachable East - Thesk

Castle Balindre

Built by Windyn Balindre, Telflamm's founder, this fortified building sits on the waterfront on top of a large hill. It played a key role in the city's fortunes over the years. Balindre declared himself the city's Merchant Prince, and descendants have lived in the castle ever since. The castle also houses the city's militia.

Shemszarr Square

The business of Telflamm is business, and this is its heart. Occupying a central spot in the city, it connects both Old Town and the Docks to the main city gates and the Golden Way. Most commerce in the city flows through here at one point or another. It houses most of the city's merchants and the headquarters of some of its most powerful organizations. Gold from all corners of the world flow through this square.

The Thayan Enclave

Over two decades ago, Telflamm granted the Red Wizards a concession to start one of their first outposts outside of Thay. It soon grew into one of the largest enclaves and serves as a distribution center for Thayan goods throughout much of northern Faerun. The shops of the enclave sell all manner of imported items, but discounted magic items are their most popular merchandise. Several Red Wizards and Thayan Knights are stationed at the embassy inside the enclave, undoubtedly plotting ways to expand their influence over the land.

The Merchants' Fortress

The Merchants' Council is the legislative and regulative body of Telflamm, helping to balance the power of the city's prince and moderate the city's commerce. To house their operations, the members of the Merchants' Council pitched in to build the Merchants' Fortress, a sprawling stone complex whose polished, white stone walls can be seen throughout the city.

Shou Town

A large Shou community has developed in Thesk over the years, mostly merchants who traveled the Golden Way from Kara-Tur. Some of these people liked what they saw in Telflamm so much that they decided to stay. Others were fleeing troubles back home, although there has been fewer of these since the defeat of the Tuigan Horde. Still others simply ran out of money and have never been able to afford passage home. Shou Town is a quarter of the city that favors all things eastern. The buildings here feature the architecture of Kara-Tur, and there is no better place in all Faerun to find a Shou restaurant or inn.

The Pegasus Theater

This theater was founded over a century ago by the great bard Lirlir Lini, and remains the center of bardcraft in Telflamm. The theater is host to performances of all kinds, revels, classes, and even religious services. During the Time of Troubles, Waukeen disappeared and many of her abandoned clerics turned to Lliira, the goddess of joy, dance, and revels, who was one of Waukeen's closest allies. The bards of the theater had always worshiped Lliira informally, so it quickly became a shrine for many of Waukeen's former faithful in addition to being a theater. Upon Waukeen's return, she grew jealous of Lliira and wanted her devout back, causing a slight rift between the two deities. The small shrine to Liira still exists at the theater, and the Priests of the Temple of Waukeen still hold a grudge against the bards of the theater and the worshipers that did not convert back.

Temples

Many gods are worshiped in Telflamm, below is a list of most of the organized places of worship, but there are rumors of hidden shrines to darker powers.

• The Cathedral of the Golden Coin: The temple of Waukeen is the oldest and one of the grandest temples in Telflamm. In this city of merchants, the goddess of trade, money, and wealth has always had a large following.
• The Hall of the Avenging Hammer: This Temple of Tyr has been around almost since the founding of Telflamm when the faith of the Just God was brought over with the first settlers from Impiltur. Only recently has it started to gain prominence, mostly due to the appointment of a new high priest. She has recently added small shrines to Ilmater and Torm, to welcome all followers of the Triad.
• The Halls of Fortune: Merchants, adventurers, and halflings all frequent this temple to Tymora, the goddess of luck.
• The Fane of the West Wind: One of the newest temples in Telflamm, this small shrine to Shaundakul was established during the Time of Troubles when Waukeen was absent and many merchants and caravaneers turned to the ancient god of travelers.
• The Red Shrine of War: A shrine to Tempus, the Lord of Battles.
• The Shrine of Lliira: This small shrine to Lliira, the goddess of joy, dance, and revels, can be found in the Pegasus Theater.
• The Shrine of Kossuth: When the Thayans established their enclave, they brought their religion with them, and created a shrine to the Firelord.
• The Temple of the Fortunate Fist School: The Shou created this shrine dedicated to Hsing Yong, one of the Nine Immortals of the Celestial Bureaucracy worshiped by the Shou. He is the god of fortune and prosperity. The temple also houses a few monks who train in the style of fighting taught by the master there.

The Golden Way

About four and a half centuries ago, an Impilturan merchant named Windyn Balindre founded the city of Telflamm. He had a vision of a gateway to the east, and he invested all of his prodigious fortune and business savvy into making that dream a reality. Balindre's company, pioneered the endless miles of the Golden Way and established a chain of outposts along its length. Thesk is most famous for the Golden Way. This well-maintained road starts in Telflamm, and dead-ends at the River Mulsantir. From there, travelers and their cargo take ferries across the water and continue along the Golden Way through Rashemen and the Endless Wastes all the way to distant Kara-Tur. The Golden Way is a major overland trade artery. Its existence is the primary reason that Thesk isn't simply part of the Great Dale or - worse yet - another tharch in Thay.

The Catacombs

For centuries, the citizens of Telflamm have buried their dead in catacombs underneath the city. These have grown to stretch under most of the city as they have been expanded and added to by temples, merchant houses, and others, who do not always use them for their intended purpose. They have become a dangerous place, not to be entered lightly.