Marsember

Marsember (the City of Spices) is a metropolis and the busiest port in Cormyr, situated on the west bank of the mouth of the Starwater River. It is based upon trade and lies on sandy islands in swampy terrain, making use of canals that double as open sewers, often causing a stench problem in warm periods, but preventing the water from freezing during the cold periods. Open areas of solid ground are a rarity here. In 1368 DR, the population was as high as 46,000, but is now (as of 1372 DR) reduced to around 36,000. The population swells by up to twenty percent each year during the fishing season. Marsember is often shrouded in mist.

Inhabitants of Marsember are known as Marsembians, or rarely Marsembans.

Official
King's Tower

The seat of power and home to the garrison.

Clubs
The Drowned Sailors Society

The Masked Merfolk

Inns and taverns
The Barrelstone Inn

The Cloven Shield

The Drowning Flagon

The Old Oak

The Roaring Griffon

The Tankard of Eels

Military
Starwater Keep

The naval base and drydock.

Restaurants
The Platter of Plenty

The Wight on a Waterdragon

Folklore
There are many local stories of monsters that live in the marshes surrounding Marsember. Will-o'-wisps have been reported to extinguish, then pose as lamps in order to lead people astray into the bogs. Legends also surround those who drown in the mouth of the Starwater River, allegedly rising as undead. One of Gondegal's boats sank in the mouth of the river, full of gold, and the corpse of Sissra was floated with much treasure on a blazing riverboat before it sank.

Festivals
The Breaking

A festival to celebrate the breaking of the ice after the cold season. The first ship into the port does not have to pay docking fees for the rest of the year, so this is a hotly contested prize. The celebration lasts a full day and the following night.

Dragonturtle Day

An annual celebration of the slaying of a huge dragon turtle that lived in the mouth of the Starwater River and posed a great threat. The creature's shell now covers a ceiling in the King's Tower.

Information from another source, click for link