BORPHEE
(This is but a brief summary of the city of Borphee. As it has been
difficult for historians to determine if certain topics are referring
to the city of Borphee, or the entire province, most information
related to the capital city have been placed instead in the "
Greater
Borphee" entry.)
Borphee, a large industrial city in the Westlands, is the capital of
the Greater Borphee Province. The city of Borphee itself is the largest
in all of
Frobozz. In
fact,
Borphee Harbor
is the busiest port on the
Flathead Ocean.
This is only one of the several geographic features
that help make Borphee the single most accessible vacation spot in the
world. From anywhere in the
Borphee
River valley, travel by ferry is
easy and inexpensive. By land, the
Coast
Road connects Borphee with the
ancient cities to the north as well as the populous southlands. The
Borphee River Bridge
crosses the Borphee River just north of the city.
South of the city are some of the most beautiful stretches of beach
anywhere on the Flathead Ocean, including the
Flathead Beach.
The city of Borphee is the site of the
Double
Fanucci Championships, an annual event since 691 GUE. During the first
week of autumn, the entire province fills up with every Double Fanucci
fanatic in the kingdom.
Stadium tickets to each game in the finals costed only
zm3 in 873 GUE, and usually sold out within hours (although
scalpers had commanded as much as zm20 for a good seat).
The population of
brogmoids
in Borphee is abundant, as a large number of the warehouse owners work
them down on the docks for cheap labor.
BORPHEE IN THE 660s GUE
During the 660s GUE, Borphee was temporarily Quendor’s glorious
capital.
Pseudo-Duncanthrax
ruled from the
Borphee
Royal Palace. The
tops of the great port city of Borphee's highest towers rose into the
sky; high enough for the fleecy clouds to hang upon the slender spires
like speared sky-fish. When the wind blew there was the tang of the
salty sea. A high wall surrounded the city, and a dusty road widened as
it descended out of the hills and stetched east across the broad
Plain
of Borphee toward the city gates.
On either side of the wide main street buildings soared into the air.
The
sandy-colored stone structures shimmered in the sunlight, and real
glass gleamed in all the windows. Tall towers loomed against the
heavens, and slender spies pierced the clouds. Banners and pennants of
many colors fluttered from poles and parapets: some were draped across
the street itself from one building to another.
The street was filled with merchants hawking goods from apron pockets
or baskets tied to their hips. Sellers pushed shells under bypassers
nose, or wooden spoons, or copper nails, or bone needles, or beads.
Suddenly booths and small tents lined the street. Here the goods were
largers. Ripe fruits and vegetables waited in large barrels and flat
baskets to be examined by the shoppers. Bolts of cloth lay sprawled
carelessly for anyone to handle. Brooms and rakes and hoes stood in
stacks. Merchants set up grills. Slender, finger-sized stripes of beef
and pork sizzled on skewers over the open heat. Other merchants sold
loaves of bread and fat rolls. There were cheesemakers and fishmongers,
and many others. An ancient prison is also on the
south end of town.
In 665 GUE, Borphee was not the party place of Quendor that was heard
about in the
past. There was chaos in the streets as it had a new hosts on the
throne. Pseudo-Duncanthrax rounded up all the orphans and waifs for
forced labor upon his galleons to fight against Antharia. There were
soldiers everywhere, house-to-house searches were a commonplacem, lots
of folks had vanished without spit nor warning, and new laws were
“written against everything
but picking your nose, and that will be illegal tomorrow." Curfews were
enacted and all the gates were guarded; the king had everyone
strip-searched at the door. The Gatekeeper, one of the king’s officers,
whose job it was to monitor traffic through the city’s several gates.
All enterers had to pay a one-time gate fee (of whatever was the
Gatekeeper’s choosing). After the reign of Pseudo-Ducanthrax there has
never again been a curfew in Borphee.
BORPHEE DURING THE SECOND
AGE OF MAGIC
Despite
the Age of Science, which devastated the city's magical industrial
ecnomy, Borphee was still a bustling seaport and the busiest city in
the Westlands when the Second Age of Magic dawned, vibrant again with
its former enchanting factories and institutions. The markets continued
to be ripe and crowded during this era, while the handsome rich
families lived in big houses near the wharfs.
LOCATIONS SPECIFICALLY IN
THE CITY OF BORPHEE
Belwit
Square (Manse, Borphee Guild Hall)
Besnap
Road Borphee Metropolitan Ballet Company Borphee Metropolitan Opera Company
Borphee
Observation Tower (in downtown)
Borphee
Royal Palace
Dimwit
Boulevard
The
Serpent's Back (
The
Blue Whale)
Portal to the
Bozbarland Arena (installed: Great Monster Uprising)
OTHER INFO/TRIVIA:
- During
the Great Monster
Uprising of the Second Age of Magic, a powerful witch lived in Borphee
who taught many adventurers skills in magic.
- Frobolli cakes are a popular Borphean dessert.