The Petal District

The wealthiest district in all of Absalom looks down upon the city from its perch on Aroden’s Hill. Brick-framed medians upon the district’s broad avenues stand lush with colorful flora, giving the district its name. The richest noble families and the most powerful merchant lords and guildmasters keep manors in the Petal District, ever striving to outdo one another with the ostentation of their estates. The city’s oldest academy of magical instruction, the College of Mysteries, is tucked among these wealthy mansions and caters largely to

ECONOMICS

International trade lies at the heart of Absalom’s longevity and wealth, and remains fundamental to the realm’s independence and political strength in the greater Inner Sea region. Lumber harvested in the Immenwood travels by the Deluge River to Diobel or by road to Otari, and from thence to markets across the Inner Sea. Diobelian pearls, harvested from the oyster beds of Diobel’s shallow harbor, are considered among the finest available in the markets of the Inner Sea. Iron and other precious metals and stones mined on the island (especially by the dwarven mining enclave at Galizhur) feed Absalom’s many craftworks, whose products are exported worldwide. Skymetals harvested from the Diobel Hills or discovered on the ocean floor and traded to the city by Low Azlanti are among the most sought-after treasures in the world.

STARSTONE CATHEDRAL THE SHADOW WAR

The web of control between the city’s primarch, Grand Council, Low Council, and other powerful actors is a complex one that can be manipulated by tugging on the right strand. Absalom’s factions and noble houses use their connections and sway to manipulate the workings of the city, from choosing who sits on the Low Council to the price of onions. This struggle for influence, known as the Shadow War, is something of an open secret, and those who know where to look can spot the political agenda behind seemingly pointless civil squabbles.

ARCANAMIRIUM ARCHDEAN DARCHANA the youth of Absalom’s nobility. The irezoko, the enigmatic full-face magical tattoos of the college’s master students, are a badge of honor in the Petal District equal to the finest and most luxuriant of gowns designed by the city’s master tailors.