Imazi is a Piandan village in the Antaran Empire in Betrayal in Antara. It is the crux of several subquests and can be visited in Chapters 1, 2, and 6.
History and Geography
Imazi was absorbed into the Antaran Empire along with the province of Pianda. In recent years, Lord Gerson has been abusing his powers to overtax and persecute local farmers and residents, going to every possible length to line his coffers at their expense. While many townspeople agree that Gerson is a blight on the landscape, they lack the weapons and leadership needed to oust him. Gerson's diversion of the local river to fill his moat has also deprived Kyree Colony of its water supply, causing starved Montari to endanger travelers on the southern roads.
Imazi lies east of Briala, past farmlands and across an Imperial bridge spanning a dry riverbed. Ligano lies to the south. A second river spanned by another Imperial bridge runs east of town, forking to the southeast; across the river, roads run northeast to Aliero and east to Midova. A third Imperial bridge connects the west half of town with the neighborhood next to Lord Gerson's estate. In the back of a wheat field lies a system of caves.
A coach from Imazi runs to Briala for 250 burlas; later it also runs to Sortiga and Midova. In Chapter 6, the coach also runs to Bakril.
Commerce
- Inn: Flowing Flagon Inn
- Shop: The Azure Blade
Residents
- Lord Gerson's estate is well-fortified and guarded with a moat. The party can meet and interact with Gerson in Chapters 1 and 2, and further discommode him in Chapter 6, when they report to Lieutenant Birge outside Gerson's front gate.
- Farmer Mattai Brunia formerly resided next to a fallow field confiscated by Gerson. The deed to Brunia's farmland can be restored to him in Chapter 1; he can begin to prosper from it again once the party has removed a Staff of Nightmares from the field, and the mine beyond the field can be made safe for workers in Chapter 2. If the party succeeds in clearing the mine, Brunia's local influence is further felt around the town Chapter 6.
- In Chapter 1, a nervous man eagerly awaits the result of a 500-burla bribe to Lord Gerson, who has given his word to get the man's eldest son appointed as a page for the Shira. In Chapter 2, the man recounts that Gerson claimed to have spent the bribe "here and there" to get the boy a hearing, but was unsuccessful. The man's wife suspects Gerson of pocketing the money and doing nothing; the party agrees that stranger things have been known to happen. In Chapter 6, the man explains Brunia's part in starting a local uprising and says his own wife has left with their son to join it.
- In Chapter 1, Trey Matchi, a thin, dark drummer and drum-maker, asks if the party was sent his way by Gerson; there's a "special discount" if they were. Relieved to find out they're not, he explains explains that after he and several fellow guildsmen refused to pay Gerson's exorbitant licensing fee for Imazi craftsfolk, his skin supplier was threatened by Gerson's men on the road, and now he's going out of business for lack of skins to make drums with. If the party finds the skin man's lost Animal Pelts (in a buried cache on the road between Imazi and Aliero), Trey gives them a drum. In Chapter 6, Trey isn't home, and William Escobar surmises that he's joined the uprising too.
- An insurance salesman in Chapters 2 or 6 offers "the most comprehensive adventurers' accidental death and dismemberment insurance this side of the Waste" for 250 burlas. If the party chooses to buy in, they receive an Insurance Policy which does nothing at first, but starts glowing if still in their inventory when receiving a blessing from the Blind Prophet in Camille.
- In Chapters 2 or 6, Prometheus Scruggs, owner of the funeral parlor, tries to measure William and Aren for a fine ebonwood coffin, complete with "its own trapdoor in case of accidental internment pending resurrection." The party is not buying.
- In Chapter 2, a red-faced man living next to Gerson's estate regrets sending one of his daughters to Gerson overnight in lieu of taxes owed. Gerson had assaulted the girl, who came home abused and traumatized. In Chapter 6, the man agrees that people have known for years that Gerson has to go, but tells the party he's waiting to see which way the wind blows before taking any action. When asked about his daughter, he assumes she has "bounced back" and fully recovered from her experience.
- After talking the red-faced man in Chapter 6, the party can speak to Lizbeth, his daughter, who is shellshocked, jumpy, and still obviously traumatized, believing that she must have somehow deserved to be assaulted. William tells her that even the Emperor would have had no right to treat any woman as Gerson treated her. If the party tries to console her with money, she flings it back in their faces, but they can receive +10 Assessment if they give her any sword and tell her where to join the uprising against Gerson.
- Two Empty Houses (one on either side of the nervous man's house) contain, respectively, +3 Lockpicks and 8 burlas; and +4 Bread and +2 Herbal Powder.
Trivia
- According to Sir Redrum's walkthrough, Imazi's shop has the best buying prices in chapters where it can be accessed.