The Inner Sea, The Isle of Kortos and the Flotsam Graveyard

The first sight that most behold on the journey to Absalom is the immensity of the Kortos Mounts, among the tallest mountains in the known world, with the enormity of Arazlant Mox soaring over five miles into the sky. As the wind and waves carry their vessel closer, the approach to Absalom serves as reminder that while the city of Absalom is their destination, the nation of Absalom extends far beyond it's walls, the two islands it claims as territory hiding secrets and mysteries all their own.

Approaching Absalom itself, visitors and immigrants will behold a strange sight as they approach the deep bay harbor that Absalom embraces, a graveyard of hundreds of ships, choked with sea plants and with masts and hulls rising above the surface of the water as a grim reminder of the fate of those who attempt to take Absalom by force of naval might. Indeed, they will have plenty of time to behold such a sight as they wait for the rowboat that ferries a native pilot to their ship so that they can safely reach the docks.

The Docks

The docks of Absalom give the first glimpse of the sheer enormity of the city itself, and indeed much of the city is visible as a ship coasts to its pier. There are at least thirty individual piers reaching out into the bay, allowing for scores of ships to be loaded and unloaded at the same time. Near the center of the docks an immense building pivots on its base, swinging a huge wooden arm out over ships and lifting tons of cargo into warehouse buildings that rise as much as fifteen stories tall nearby. Off to the eastern edge of the docks is even visible a working shipyard, at least for a single ship that lies partially constructed with workers crawling over it.

The noise of the docks is immense, and indeed, countless criers shout out the virtue of their patron's shop or goods, while workers by the scores load and unload ships and throngs of people press and mill about on their way into, out of or simply through the city. It's a place where one doesn't linger long if they aren't a sailor and have any sense about them, and most of the foot traffic heads northward into the city.

The Coins

It is said by many that if it can be bought, you can buy it in Absalom, and if it can't be bought you can probably still find it for sale there. The Coins is teeming with life no matter the hour of one's arrival, and positioned due north of the docks is the overwhelming second step into Absalom for many. The taverns here never close, and no matter the hour you can find countless shops open selling every sort of good known to Golarion. To the east, a raised plateau skirts the edge of the coins, known as 'Misery Row' where even life is for sale in the form of slaves. Criers wander the streets announcing the hour every hour, and an immense bazaar of tents and pavillions forms the center of the district, with enough coin to fund several armies changing hands on a daily basis.

General Impressions

As one begins to move about even the first few districts of Absalom that they are exposed to, the sheer enormity of the city can be daunting. You're certain that you've seen at least five separate walled keeps within the city, and numerous clusters of buildings so grand that they could only be described as palaces. Beyond that, you long ago lost count of how many large manor houses you've seen, many of them with small walls to keep the common pedestrians at bay. 

It's not just the enormity of the city that is striking though, you've seen races and creatures that you'd never encountered before in your entire life. Oh, certainly there have been countless elves and dwarves, gnomes and halflings, as well as half-elves and half-orcs mixed among the crowds, but there have been other creatures wandering about the streets as well. A pavillion where short, bird-headed humanoids hawked their goods, strange creatures that looked like cats walking upright examining fine silks at a stall, even once what looked like a minotaur with pale white skin.

One saving grace is that you've had no trouble with your coin as you might have in other countries, no matter the nationality of your coin it's accepted (even if a few vendors might set it on a scale first to check the weight in some purchases) without discrimination.