Sinchi Ring

Estle City
General information
Constructed:	approx 150 BBY
Location:	Selen
Builder:	Selenians
Physical specifications
Usage
Era:	Dark Jedi Brotherhood Era
Affiliation:	Arcona
[ Source ]

The Sinchi Ring is a section of Estle City home to the city’s primary commercial and entertainment districts. Located on the middle terrace of Estle City, above the Capac Ring and below the Huascar Ring, the Sinchi Ring is the economic heart of the system. A wide variety of workshops and crafting guilds can be found throughout the Ring, selling all manner of civilian goods, as well a small number of more discreet shops which sell military equipment and specialist items to the members of Clan Arcona.

The Sinchi Ring is also known for its expansive entertainment district, which is home to the bars, clubs, restaurants, and other facilities that cater to the Dajorra System’s rich and powerful. Beneath this glamorous facade, however, lies an extensive, shady underworld centered on the entertainment district. Both criminal enterprises and Arcona safehouses jockey for space under the neon lights.

Sinchi Ring Commercial District

The commercial district in the Sinchi Ring is the nexus of all economic activity in the Dajorra. Every major corporation has an office in this section of the city, and the main Dajorran financial markets are located here. In addition to numerous legitimate and private businesses, Arcona also maintains an extensive network of front organizations and shell companies out of this sector of the city.

Notable NPC's

• Ssaud Tu

Notable Locations

Wicked Sisters' Tattoos

By Satsi Tameike

Something of a misnomer, customers will walk in finding Wicked's has little to do with sisters of any kind. The store is named in honor of the owner's deceased siblings, whose picture is enshrined primly on the wall behind the counter when one first enters, along with photos of their many tattoos. A small, single-story building, Wicked's is situated in a commercial district of the Sinchi ring, but well worth the trip down for anyone looking for the "most wicked ink in the system".

The shop is nearly impossible to miss, lined and styled with brazen, bright green neon along all its windows, its door, and its front sign, which features both the shop's name and an animated neon figure of a cackling nexu. The parlor actually tends to open in the evening, closing again in the early morning hours when factory shifts tend to start. This makes it a colorful nightlife destination and a prime convenience for anyone working throughout the day.

The interior of the shop is fairly simple, with walls plain except for the hundreds of holos displaying previous work as well as custom jobs and stock options. Thin bands of neon green tubing line the walls below the ceiling like molding and glowbanks bathe the tattooing area and its chairs in the unforgiving white light. The cushioned chairs are well-worn with scrapes and sunken with the imprints of various customers over the years.

A small bathroom and breakroom are hidden behind the counter, and would likely be available upon a customer's desperate request. The very back of the shop is home to a tiny cellar full of the necessary accouterments for work as well as a modern sterilization station to clean and upkeep all their instruments, though it is restricted to anyone but the staff. Music from the local Selen radio stations filters through a few scattered speakers, though what's liable to play is entirely dependent upon the selections of some intern in a booth far across the planet.

Purgatorio

By Lucine Vasano

At the edge of the Sinchi Ring stands an unassuming sandstone building. There are no signs to advertise what the business is. Yet despite this, customers can be seen passing through the door at all hours of the day and night.

The front door opens to a short, darkened hallway, decorated to resemble a moonlit garden. The only visible exit from the hallway is an elevator door, whose fluorescent lights are almost blinding after the dimly lit corridor. As the occupant's eyes adjust, a pleasant automated voice requests as password, of which there are three possible, which are changed at regular intervals.

The first password causes the elevator to descend into the basement. The pulsing bass of the music within can be heard even before the elevator doors slide open. Once open, the rider's senses are immediately assaulted by a wide range of sights, sounds, and sensations. The air is hazy with the smoke of tabac and other inhalants, red laser flashing through the cloud. The floor in the center of the room is dominated by a dance floor. It is illuminated with red floor panels and is crowded with gyrating dancers. Two bars stand on either side of the room, where a wide variety of potent drinks are served. Loud music drowns out all but the loudest conversations, though there are private rooms discreetly placed around the main room for those who desire to have a private discussion or pursue more illicit activities.

The second password causes the elevator to ascend. The doors slide open to reveal a foyer decorated in white marble trimmed with golden oak wood. Two heavily muscled doormen wait there to ensure that only the proper quality people manage to make it through the doors. Only celebrities, government officials, the wealthy, and their guests are allowed to enter.

The grand double doors of the foyer lead into an upscale dining room. The menu is dominated by rare and expensive delicacies; the cocktail list is composed only of the finest wines and liquors.

Four doors lead off of the main room. Three of them lead to private rooms, decorated in comfortable chairs; here the patrons can enjoy a nice cigar and an aperitif if they so desire. The fourth leads to the kitchen and wine storage. Subtle music wafts through all of the rooms, providing an undertone for the conversation.

The final password opens the door to the back of the elevator. What precisely is back there is a closely guarded secret; those who have gotten off on that floor are rarely willing to share what it was that they saw beyond the metallic elevator doors.

It does not matter which floor you end up on; Purgatorio is synonymous with privacy. It does not matter if you are there for a bit of fun, or illicit dealings, your secrets are certain to be kept within those walls.

Notable NPC's

• Tahl Kyral
• Parek Antilles
• The Clermont Group

Threader’s Place

By Zujenia

Hidden in an alley a couple blocks behind some of the most prominent clothing establishments in the Sinchi Ring, most notably the Les Lekku et Vous, Threader’s Place is out of sight and out of mind. While most shopping patrons haven't heard of nor would even consider entering its street-grime encrusted doors, those looking for some cheap brand name garb seem to flock quietly to this shop. One generally finds out about Threader’s Place from the lips of those in the more sketchy areas of Estle City. It's generally not broadcasted as that attracts security, and security means no business, just one of Threader’s rules. The second one is ‘Don't question the wares.’ Question the wares and you'll question whether or not you landed on the street face up or down.

Threader’s Place started up three years ago out of an abandoned soup kitchen. Having been condemned, the building was quietly forgotten about. Threader, a Zabrak with a bum cybernetic leg, settled on Selen after his underground clothing business took off on Port Ol’val and quickly set up shop here. Then, the shop was little more than selling out of a service window, passing credits under the dim overhead light. Threader’s Place has since expanded to utilize the kitchen and small five meter by six meter dining hall. Shadowy patrons can skim the high-class clothing hung from dishpan racks and the panels of the low ceiling under the piercing green gaze of Threader.

Plastic drapes protect the goods from the moist and scummy surfaces they would otherwise come in contact with. The old tables of the kitchen have been piled upon with leather, satin, corduroy, and more. The storage closet to the right of the cooking area had been converted into a private client consultation area, where commissions for unique handcrafted articles of clothing can be ordered at a fine price. Foot traffic is the recommended way to access the store, but once a month a small cargo speeder will block the alleyway as new illegal shipments come in.

Notable NPC's

• Threader
• Hobojiim

Les Lekku et Vous

By Tali Sroka

The entrance sign of Les Lekku. By Qyreia

Les Lekku et Vous is a recent contender in the boutique scene in the Sinchi Ring. It’s located in a hip neighborhood where independent stylists and designers establish their pop-up stores for the season before predictably declaring bankruptcy a few months later as the winds of fashion change and customers leave them for carrion. However, Les Lekku et Vous has set out to change this trend.

Although not much better than the other small boutiques that line the streets of the district like so many pastel-colored dung beetles around a fresh bantha dropping, Les Lekku has a distinct ocean-blue exterior with a pair of mauve arcs flanking the entrance on each side, fashioned to resemble the famous head-tails of Twi’leks and Togruta. A hand-programmed holosign can often be seen dangling in the wind outside when the shop is open for business, greeting customers with friendly encouragement to “Embrace the lekku within”. The newest collections of the season can be seen within the windows and hardly a day goes by that something new and interesting cannot be spied at the cutting edge of lek-accessories.

Within, the petite and brightly lit shop is surprisingly spacious, with the walls lined with shallow shelves upon which mannequin lekku stand, bedecked in the finest hand-knit lekwarmers and lek-jewelry. Available for purchase is a wide arrangement of soft and sleek lek paraphernalia, including a robust selection of prosthetic lekku for those not genetically inclined to possess them. The colorful patterns mingle with suave blacks and golds, offering choices for the casual beachgoer as well as the refined socialite. Although the trend of fake lekku has not yet caught on, Les Lekku continues to promote a lek-positive mentality and lekku as a fashion platform in the Ring’s cut-throat fashion scene. Some signs of this have become apparent as several trendy nightclubs have seen an influx of lek-headed patrons, wearing the finest in lekwraps and tipsheaths.

Though the owner of the establishment rarely has time to visit, she continues to have a direct hand in the production and design of her wares. So much so that, at times, shortages in stock have caused aggravation in the clientele looking to purchase more than two pairs of the same design. Being a highly demanding craft, the manufacture of lek-accessories remains a fairly competitor-free business, although this lack of supply has seen some patrons take their business elsewhere and buy bootleg lekwarmers instead. These simplistic tubes, often repurposed ankle warmers or long-legged socks, have nothing in common with the noble lekwarmer, of course, but to the uninitiated, they may seem genuine in the neon shadows of the Sinchi Ring’s nightlife.

Notable NPC's

• CR3-3PO
• Lezli Errander
• Baast Indrel

Glam!

By Lucine Vasano

A small shop dug into the storefront of the commercial district, upon stepping into Glam!, you would be hardpressed to believe it’s a tailor shop. Nearly every vertical surface is covered with a hodgepodge of items, including random pieces of armor, paints of varying color, and books on a myriad of topics. Swatches of cloth and accessories hang from the walls and ceiling. The overall effect is as if a tornado had touched down within the shop.

That tornado's name is Arris Prower, the owner. To call him manic would be an understatement; the Zeltron is a constant font of energy. All of this energy is directed into his Art: creating beautiful fashions. He is a genius for devising beautiful and stylish clothing, utilizing color, lines, and form to their maximum effect and incorporating unusual items into his masterpieces. The result is that no two of his outfits are exactly alike.

Secondhand Jane’s

By Lucine Vasano

Jane Zanedi is an elderly Human who has honed her talent for sewing while raising her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She now runs a second-hand shop, selling gently used clothing at reasonable prices.

Her 'shop' is the front room of her apartment, which is packed so full of clothing that there is little room to walk between the aisles. The layout of the store can only be described as chaotic, with no real organization to the clothing crammed onto the racks and shelves. Though she specializes in children's clothing, it is not uncommon to find secondhand adult clothing in the mix, if you have the time and patience to search for it.

Notable NPC's

• Janet Zanedi

Sinchi Ring Entertainment District

Hugging the border between the Capac and Sinchi rings, The Entertainment District is the soul of the city's nightlife. Filled with clubs, bars, theatres, and sports arenas, this section of the city is flooded every night by revelers from across the city. This nightly activity more often than not attracts crime and seedier elements to the party, making this section of the city more difficult to police. This often works to Clan Arcona’s advantage, however, as the growing underworld of the Entertainment District gives it plenty of room to hide its activities.

Notable NPC's

• CH33-KY & BL1-73R

Notable Locations

The Blind Mouse Fun House

By Satsi Temeike

The entrance of the Blind Mouse Fun House. By Zujenia

Open all day and night, The Blind Mouse Fun House is an adventure of a lifetime, and also possibly the last. Housed in an immense, former warehouse in the Sinchi Ring, the building has been entirely converted into a playground of epic proportions. Rows of doors open into the main lobby lined with rows of lockers and cubbies for patrons to store possessions and footwear. Manning the counter at intervals are employees in smiles and glowpaint of their own designs, ready to take every customer's shoe size and supply them with a set of space rollerskates and tickets for the attractions inside, as well as offering the first look at a full drinks menu of wacky proportions if the guest is attending the adult-only evening hours.

Once guests have their skates on and have signed their waivers, they are ushered into the play place, where they can glide and spin and twirl from attraction to attraction; an enormous stretch of indoor trampolines and bungee-jumping areas; a climbing castle with a ball pit the size of a moat — measured, of course, to real life proportions — with adjacent, smaller ball pits for children and toddlers; an inflatable bounce house neighborhood; and an arcade area, featuring all sorts of electronic games and simulators, from huttball and virtual podracing to smuggler's moon adventures and lottery machines.

While in the daytime hours, the Fun House is accepting and encouraging of children as part of its family entertainment pack, but in nighttime operating hours age restrictions are enforced and the alcohol reserves are thrown open. Patrons can indulge in any drink they may choose, provided to them in an airtight souvenir drinking cup complete with glow-in-the-dark silly straw for easy access. Customers are also encouraged to purchase all sorts of merchandise, glow paint, glow sticks, glow jewelry, souvenir holos, and other such fancies at the shops at each end of the entrance counter to make their visit even more fun.

The exterior of the building is painted in a multitude of colors, lined with lights, and home to an indecently large and aggressive sign. As if the center's large bulk and flashy coloring weren't enough to remind passersby of its presence, happy, upbeat music also spills out from its doors all through the day, noticeable to anyone within a few blocks. Happily, they do insist on quiet hours, and the speakers go silent about three hours before dusk on any given day.

The Fun-house has recently become a favorite entertainment spot among Arcona's members. Many members of the clan find the upbeat and cheerful demeanour of the club to be relaxing, and a welcome change from the grim reality of clan business. The high-and-mighty of Arcona can be found here rollerskating and having fun right alongside the average Selenian.

Notable NPCs

• Rhussende ‘Russ’ Zummorr

Sugar's Playhouse

By Satsi Tameike

An advertisement for Sugar's playhouse. By Uji Tameike

Straddling the edge of the Sinchi and Capac rings like a girl with her favorite trick, the Playhouse is an unostentatious yet classy establishment on its outside, snuggly cuddled up between its own separate bar and patio and a connected parking structure for speeders or other craft. The front of the supper-club is typical but well-maintained metal, decorated with velvet carpeting. Inside the atrium, a valet will check tickets for special events and identchits to verify age, though the staff is known, and even encouraged, to use their own discretion in looking the other way on occasion.

Once inside, guests are directed down a few short hallways, deeper into the building, the walls plain but creamy and duskily lit with wall lights and recessed floor lighting. A low, wide and curtain-rimmed archway leads into the main, lower floor of the club. Crystalline chandeliers dot the voluminous ceilings, and alternating smooth tile and carpeting make up the floors. Twining staircases caress the edges of the room and lead to the second deck, and alcoves are set into the second and first floor with tables of various sizes. Instead of a dance floor, much of the space is dominated along the west wall by a wide, heavily curtained stage, and all the seating is arranged to have an excellent view, based on how well you pay. The lighting is manufactured to resemble candlelight or torches and lamps, casting dim, intimate gold across guests' faces.

The club's main attraction, then, is on center stage: burlesque dancing. The dancers range from species of all sorts, though the staff is primarily Near-human or Human in variety, with specific events for more...exotic patrons taking place once or twice a year. Dancers both male and female perform enticing routines every evening, dressed in various costumes in all shades smoky, salacious, or splendid. These elaborate shows include solo performances, strip-dancing, group numbers, acrobatics, singing, and even themed plays for particular events or holidays. Between shows, a live band fills the club with soft music, usually of the jizz variety but ranging across all genres.

As guests chatter or view performances, they are welcome to avail themselves of the club's selection of fine food and spirits. All staff members not part of the performance tend to dress primly, in dark clothing so as not to be too noticed by viewing patrons, and no one is without makeup or a secret smile. While generally more tailored to "classy" sorts, all are still welcome, and the Playhouse's events, menu selections, and atmosphere changes throughout the month to accommodate its various clientele. While smoking is allowed, sections are partitioned off for guests that wish to indulge, both to spare their fellows and the dancers. Anyone growing too rowdy on their drink is asked to leave once, and then escorted out the next; quite possibly at gunpoint.

At the end of every evening, all leftover food and drink for the night is sent out to the nearby Capac Ring via employees kept on staff, typically either from the bouncer or attendant pools. While these offerings are rumored to be delivered by possible gang members, the stories are little more than fanciful, and the needy of Capac all too happy to accept the donations.

With appearances and shows given by respected Jizz bands like Frankie Martin and the Ryn Pack, Sugar's Playhouse has become a positive hot-spot on the music scene. Quickly rocketing to popularity, the clubs meteoric rise has been enough to attract the attention of even clan Arcona. It's not an unusual sight to see one of Arcona's members relaxing in the playhouse, enjoying the beautiful women and the hot Jizz bands.

Cloud Shine

By Qyreia Arronen

The entryway into Cloud Shine. By Edema R'uh-Kalinor

Located in the Sinchi Ring of Selen's Estle City, Cloud Shine is an odd mesh of retail, bar, and nightclub. The front is a windowless facade of flat, white permacrete. The door — an anti-shoplifting forcefield — sits in the center of this white wall, framed by intricate entwining designs of various colored metals. To either side of the door is a column inset into the wall, the surface of each inlaid with a mosaic of reflective sections of glass — an amalgam largely of blues and greens — that adds color to the otherwise spartan exterior color scheme.

The interior is a far cry from being so austere. Hanging from the ceiling and artistically dotting almost every surface is a crystal or crystalline structure. Many of these geologic decorations are enhanced by the venue's ambient lighting and, at times, by lights directed specifically for that crystal. A panorama of color creates a dim, intimate atmosphere through most of the establishment that filters from the ceiling and the floor alike. Combined with the shimmering stones, it creates an almost surreal sight.

The entryway itself opens out into a spacious dining area where various phosphorescent drinks are served to patrons seated among the softly glowing tables or the bare that spans the length of the building. From there, Cloud Shine partitions into two distinct areas. To the left, the tables and chairs give way to an open dance floor, occasionally punctuated by a small stage or dancing pole (customers are asked to keep their clothes on, thank you). Here the crystals and lights show are most vibrant, prismatic displays swaying and pulsing with the music. On the opposite end of the dining area is the crystal shop, where patrons can purchase trinkets and baubles of the crystalline variety. Some who are willing to spend a little extra coin and have an affinity for the unseen might find crystals of a more forceful variety.

Euphoria

By Juliana Kelrune

Euphoria’s large rectangular building stands high over the Capac Ring below, its stained glass windows and sweeping spires shining in the daylight, designed to look like a church or temple. At night, the same windows are filled with the neon lights of the club. Lines stretch around the building, and a pair of large Trandoshan bouncers in black armor manage the unruly crowd.

The path to the crowded dance floor is covered in a light fog, while the strobing, colored lights, roaring music, and grinding of bodies upon bodies overwhelms the senses. At the end of the dance floor sits a large stage, recessed like an altar, an equipped with a large sound system, pyrotechnic displays, and a central location in the middle for musicians/DJ's.

To the left and right of the path to the dance floor are various circular tables, atop of which sit stripper poles and the exotic variety of women who work them. Touching is not prohibited, and physical expressions of sexual desires are common as are propositions.

On the left side of this divide sits the bar, a large and sleek set up with a massive stock of various kinds of alcohol, many of which are brightly colored and seem to lightly glow in the dim light. The bar is tended to by a darkly seductive Umbaran woman, who freely and openly sells not only liquor and other intoxicants but information as well.

At the two ends of the sets of tables heading towards the dance floor are two spiral staircases which lead up to the second floor. Here resides a lounge-like area, and an observation deck above the dance floor that one may look down on the festivities below. Further, up a set of spiral staircases sit observation decks, suspended stripper poles, and a large guarded V.I.P lounge

A centerpiece of Estle City's criminal underworld, Euphoria is designed to be a mockery of the calm and tempered nature of Selenians. It stands instead as an altar to excess, and shrine to the flesh, indulgence, and materialism.

Notable NPCs

• Celestina “Celly”

The Sandy Kelp

By Tali Sroka

The Sandy Kelp is a club that draws from the rich marine wildlife of Selen and the abundant oceans’ bounty with an aquatic theme that permeates the establishment from sign to stall. The pale beige facade is shaped out of what appears to be sandstone in rounded, wavy patterns as if molded by the sea itself. Above the main entrance hangs a sign bearing the club’s name written in cursive, underlined by a frothing wave brought to life by hololights as ocean spray occasionally whips the letters that stand firm against the tides. A pair of pale-green statues of chiseled Nautolans, bearing plates of seafood and wearing little more than a stylistic loincloth, flank the golden doors that lead into the dimly lit interior.

Within, the Sandy Kelp’s decor is dominated by dark ocean blues and vibrant turquoise mingling with rich polished gold and the twinkle of pearls. The opulent main hall is decked in smooth marble to act as a dance floor while carefully hidden lighting arrangements project snaking lines of light from above, filtering in as if the entire bar was submerged beneath the waves.

Rows of stalls and booths line the left side of the club, some more exclusive than the others, with walls made of dark wood facsimile and offering sound suppression from the club’s music and allowing patrons to discuss at a normal voice even when the most intense of raves go down just beyond. The effect of these clever acoustics have been described as akin to shelter from a raging storm, and making the Kelp a favored place to conduct clandestine meetings or soirés.

Directly opposite the main entrance stands a long bar counter of white marble like a rogue wave, its curved lip bedecked in a matte gold trim and manned by a host of bartenders all smartly dressed in white with black details. Rows of bottles stand behind the counter wall, backlit to create a colorful display akin to a coral reef, a visual second only to the establishment’s greatest visual attraction.

Hanging over the dance floor is a giant aquarium filled with all manner of aquatic wildlife, with the pillars supporting the ceiling turning transparent on command to show various species of fish and shellfish living in Selen’s vast oceans to the diners and patrons. The pale light filtering in through the tanks helps in maintaining the aquatic atmosphere and the vibrantly colored fish and corals provide conversation pieces and visual attractions.

Despite the oceanic theme, the owner has taken great care to ensure the scents within are never ‘fishy’ and remain more akin to a vibrant ocean breeze with a hint of beach grass. The music selection varies during the day, with easy going tunes during the primarily food-serving daytime giving way to electronic dance music in the evenings. There are sometimes visiting DJs at the Kelp, but the one lacking piece is proper live music. Due to the layout of the establishment, there is no acoustically suitable arrangement for a live group to play for a dancing audience, so all music needs to be pre-recorded.

Notable NPC's

• Simosan Ypma

The Shadow Club

By Edema R'uh-Kalinor

The Shadow Club sits at the forefront of the main street in the Entertainment District. It has subdued lighting with UV lamps that produce strange effects upon its external features. The front has very little decoration, marked only by a single portal hidden in the poor lighting. If visitors are brave enough to enter the club they will be greeted by an inner set of double doors which open as they approach.

Within the club, a normal person will see a small, square room with a series of booths and tables shrouded in darkness. Towards the rear is the bar, and the interior is overall unremarkable and bland. If the visitor ventures to the bar they will be greeted by two pairs of rather striking Sephi twins, Sela and Rela Alor, and Arla and Orlar Relar, who are well known for their polite and pleasant manner and will happily accommodate their guests.

For high ranking members of Clan Arcona, the experience is considerably different.

The Shadow Club is a Force-disguised front for a private recreation area and armory, accessible only to those Force-sensitives who have proven themselves to Arcona. To attuned to their presence, the Force-based allusions disguising the bar shine like a beacon, revealing it’s locations to Arcona’s chosen. Further within, more optical illusions sustained by the force part to reveal a hidden door by the bar. Sensors within the door can recognize the biometric information of the members and grant them access to what lies beyond. Should anyone attempt to force entry into the area, the four Sephi are more than equipped to protect the area, being trained in both lightsaber and blaster weapons.

Once beyond the hidden door, the member will enter the true Shadow Club. A long, brightly lit and decorated hall, which runs for around ten meters until it branches off into two shorter corridors.

The left corridor leads into a luxury bar and club, serving the finest lum and liquor from the furthest reaches of the Galaxy. The bar serves fabulous food, cooked by a trio of chefs from Coruscant and Corellia. The area is exquisitely furnished in marble dark wood, with seating and booths available for all who enter. The room is an oval shape, with booths around the outside of the room and the bar in the center

The right corridor leads to a secret weapons cache and armory, maintained by Clan Arcona

The Pub

By Kordath

Located on a side street in the Sinchi Ring, the unimaginatively named public house known as ‘The Pub’ sits. Its storefront is bland, stained wood with a lack of flair; a sign is set above the simple, wooden door, proclaiming the name of the establishment.

Inside is a smoky and relatively quiet place. A half dozen small, square and round tables litter the right side of the room, and a single holoscreen above the bar is showing sports highlights. A long, dark wood bar, polished to a sheen that is nearly reflective, runs along the wall opposite of the door. Behind it are a few shelves stocked with very few bottles, mostly filled with dark liquid, though one or two clear ones stand out. A set of taps can be seen as well, and there’s a distinct lack of anything that looks like wine bottles or glasses behind the bar.

On the left is a pair of tables set up for billiards, a few dart boards on the walls, as well as some other games of skill or chance. The people inside at this time of day are of a matching sort, older males who are nursing drinks or younger ones who are rushing it. If not for obvious differences in age, it would be hard to tell the two crowds apart, and they seem to intermingle as they mull about work, wives, and woes.