Overview
The Beggars’ Palaces are the two largest ziggurats located in the Old City of Port Nyanzaru. These ancient structures serve as densely populated residential and commercial districts.
Physical Description
The ziggurats feature terraces crowded with shops and tenements constructed from bamboo. The structures exhibit a distinct vertical stratification:
- Lower levels: More crowded and dirtier, located at street level where the press and noise of urban life is most intense
- Upper levels: Cleaner and less congested, offering better living conditions
- Connection: A narrow wooden bridge links the upper levels of the two ziggurats, allowing passage above the chaotic streets below
Role in the Adventure
The Beggars’ Palaces represent the densely populated heart of Port Nyanzaru’s Old City, showcasing the city’s layered social structure where vertical position correlates with quality of life. They serve as a landmark and potential location for urban encounters or social interactions within the merchant city.