The Capitals’ Fun Areas

The capitals’ outer lanes are where the cities play. Every area has a host and an introduction quest, and a daily that pays a small amount of gold and, in some, a short boon for the open world. They are small games, not grinds: toss a coin, trace a star, keep a drum.

Sun City — the east lane

• The Generous Fountain: Water-Carrier Saad; toss a coin for the next thirsty stranger.
• The Camel Race Ring: six posts, and a board of the week’s best times.
• The Hedge-Maze Garden: a gardener hides a small chest every morning.
• The Storyteller’s Majlis: Hakawati Abu Salih tells a tale for each day of the week.
• The Falcon Roost: flight drills with the falconers.
• The Shadow Theatre: Puppeteer Fadl; keep the drum.
• The Kite Terrace: kites over the walls.

Moon City — the west lane

• The Lantern Pool: send up lanterns on the water.
• The Coal Walk: the forge boys’ dare across the coals.
• The Mirror House: Mirror-Keeper Jumana; repeat the flashing pattern.
• The Star Terrace: the Star-Guide; trace the night’s star.
• The Night Bazaar: the ember-boy race and the fire-breather’s drum.
• The Moth Garden: one fresh cinder moth a day keeps the violet lanterns glowing.
• The Sparring Ring: Sparring-Master Ghanim and the call-out board.

The seven tales and the stars

The hakawati has a tale for each weekday: the split spring; the Sun-caravan and the Moon-caravan that shared a drought-well by the hour; the falconer and his bird; the camel that walked home; the Seal-gate’s illiterate mason; the boy who raced the wind; two sheikhs and one palm. The Moon’s star-gazers trace the night’s star from the real stars of the Najdi sky: Suhail, Al-Jady, Al-Thurayya, Al-Dabaran, Al-Simak, Al-Ayyuq and Al-Shira.