Locations · Establishment · Any
Zenorcan's
It is an unassuming brick building. However, it is made assuming because it is surrounded by more traditional timber and plaster buildings. There are no windows and a very plain door. On the door is incribed the name of the establishment Zenorcans. Almost no one knows what goes on in there.
It is an unassuming brick building. However, it is made assuming because it is surrounded by more traditional timber and plaster buildings. There are no windows and a very plain door. On the door is incribed the name of the establishment Zenorcans.
If the building is examined carefully, you will find magical runes of protection carved into a few of the bricks.
When you enter the building, you come into a nice parlor with one other door, a heavy door made of metal. Often there is a pretty young girl who acts as a hostest and receptionist for the couriers and business associates. This heavy door is the actual entrance to Zenorcan's proper.
The heavy door must be opened from the inside. This door leads to a short narrow hallway with a similar door at the end. It also must be opened from the inside. Once through this guantlet, you reach the storage area and offices that makes up Zenorcan's.
Zemorcan's is a jem wholesaler. The original Zemorcan is long dead, his great grandson (and relatives) are still running the establishment. Many Orcenti Warriors and a few burly Zemorcans serve as protection for the establishment and the couriers who carry deliveries to and from the building. Much of the family (those on duty) live in the second and third story of the building. Half the guards and Orcenti live in the basement area. The other half live in rooms across the street and in a few places nearby. They will quietly follow any couriers who deliver to or from the building. They will also follow anyone who make inquiries at the door.
Note: The pretty hostess is never a family member and is considerd completely disposable.
Zemorcan's arranges for gems from a variety of sources (most Northern Dwarventi) to be delivered to his heavily reinforced establishment. They will occasionally keep gold and silver loads safe as well. All deliveries are kept on the sly. Most people do not know that Zemorcan's exists or that this is its address.
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Ok, I don't really understand the purpose. It is a magically protected building or unusually tough defensive practices one would have on a castle porticullas.
What is it for? I see that it is a gem wholeseller, but why go through all that effort? Do they harbor magical or rare gems? Stock gems as a bank would our money? Do they cut gems with a secrete practice no one outside the family knows that somehow increases the volume and quality of the gems?
I will abstain from voting for now. Otherwise I would give it a 2.5
Based loosely on a historical gem merchant in London, the security is augmented up for the magical nature of the world.
Gems are the ultimate portable wealth. They are small and valuable. Thus they are a perfect target for theives. The Gem Trade invented a number of security aspects that are utilized in many institutions today.
The two door antechamber is used my many 'real jewlers' (rather than mall jewelers) today. It allows you to control the flow of people in and out of the building and trap people in it.
The blank wall aspect is another element. Plain buildings that blend in do not attract the common, less skilled theives. Blanking is still practiced today and it is the reasons that most gems (in the US) are actually sent by US mail in plain wrapping packages, instead of by armored car. Not only do they arrive more often, it is actually a longer jail sentence to interfere with the mail (5-25) than steal a gem (Larsony or Grand Theft 1-5).
The write up in this center is to remind people about how valuables are handled in a realistic manner.
Gems: Small, portable, and easily fenced. The booty of choice for most adventurers and theives. They are a gem wholesaler. If they are somewhat successful, then they have a huge amount of inventory. That would attract thieves. In droves.
Somebody has been watching the Discovery Channel again. This is how many importers in the old world functioned in the 14th to 15th century. That does not detract from the piece for me, it actually reinforces it for me. I think the additional security overkill is to make up for the existance of magic. When magic is around, valuable business product is too easy to flitch. If there was going to be a importer wholesaler, they would need this level of security.
Many a stupid adventurer will throw themselves at such a place and get themselves killed or caught.
This could be a useful tool in that the PC may gain lots of gems and never be able to unload them. While gems are ultimate portable wealth they can also be hard to unload.
On the flip side gold is heavy and trading in 10 large sacks of gold for a handful of gems may make travel a lot easier. The strong since of security that this place provides will help put the PCs (a paranoid group to begin with) at ease.