Long centuries ago, four oases graced the high plateau of Araboth and these now form the four quarters of Merkabar, a city famous for its ‘paradises’ or irrigated gardens.
The Western Paradise of the Danaan
The Western Paradise is now a pleasure garden but was settled by Danaan nomads who allied themselves with the fey of the oasis. To the Danaan Clerics, keeping the waters of the Western Paradise pure is a sacred duty. The district around here is home to many Danaan, with their characteristic trousers, mustaches and pigsties. The Nether Courts below are more frequented by Unseelie fey than demons or undead. The Cauldron-Born and the Plated-Guls are a common sight in the cloisters and alleyways, acting as sentries and hired mercenaries.
The Danaan have a tradition of body tattooing, raised to an art. This fashion is slowly spreading among their neighbours, despite the Elyon nobility's disapproval of any interference with the 'divine flesh' whether it be tattoos, piercings, cosmetics or hairstyling.
The senior Cleric in the Western Paradise is the Abbot Cormac, who supervises the Sacred Springs (Tobar) of Nimwe.
The Danaan have a tradition of body tattooing, raised to an art. This fashion is slowly spreading among their neighbours, despite the Elyon nobility's disapproval of any interference with the 'divine flesh' whether it be tattoos, piercings, cosmetics or hairstyling.
The senior Cleric in the Western Paradise is the Abbot Cormac, who supervises the Sacred Springs (Tobar) of Nimwe.
The Arcane Sook: a market where fey and exotic herbs and oils can be purchased, including Black Lotus
Hekaloth of the Virgins: The ‘stainless spire; is a palace of the House of Ishar where the six-and-sixty virgin daughters live under the tutelage of the Dowager Sherya (duchess). The Dowager Sherya wishes to purchase the Western Paradise for the palace maidens, leading to conflicts between the Danaan Clerics who hold the place holy and her own Eunuch Knights.
House of the Crack’d Mirror: a gambling hall in the Nether Courts, near the Western Paradise, managed by an unseelie hag named Yssolwen.
Paradise of the Seven Yews: a solemn (meaning ‘undead-free’) cemetery near the Western Paradise, just above the Nether Courts, which is a popular place for surreptitious meetings.
Ziggurat of the Smiling Shadow: an abattoir-temple to Ahrumon ruled by the unscrupulous Patriarch Zebulon and his succubus assistant Elyssia.
Hekaloth of the Virgins: The ‘stainless spire; is a palace of the House of Ishar where the six-and-sixty virgin daughters live under the tutelage of the Dowager Sherya (duchess). The Dowager Sherya wishes to purchase the Western Paradise for the palace maidens, leading to conflicts between the Danaan Clerics who hold the place holy and her own Eunuch Knights.
House of the Crack’d Mirror: a gambling hall in the Nether Courts, near the Western Paradise, managed by an unseelie hag named Yssolwen.
Paradise of the Seven Yews: a solemn (meaning ‘undead-free’) cemetery near the Western Paradise, just above the Nether Courts, which is a popular place for surreptitious meetings.
Ziggurat of the Smiling Shadow: an abattoir-temple to Ahrumon ruled by the unscrupulous Patriarch Zebulon and his succubus assistant Elyssia.
The Northern Paradise of the Nim
The Northern Paradise is fed from waterfalls from a high cliff, once settled by industrious Dwarves (Nim) who crafted many of the aquaducts and viaducts that crisscross the city.
An intriguing population found in the Northern Paradise is the Mara - the Medusians. These snake-haired aliens were invested into the city by the Dwarves under the enlightened rule of Lamesh IV and have settled in as masseurs, nurses, scholars and artists. Neighbours are reassured to see that the Mara blind themselves so that none need fear their petrifying gaze.
The Paradises of the Elyon
The Southern and Eastern Paradises were claimed by the Seven Houses of the Elyon who now rule all of Merkabar. These human tribes once intermarried with angels, as is recorded in the epic song cycle of the Seven Daughters of Man. The Elyon royalty are half-angels to this day and their divine patronage enabled them to create a city that is the ‘Mistress of the World’, the ‘Chariot of Heaven’ and the ‘City of Paradises.’ The skyline is dominated by the domes of the Hekaloths (palaces) of the Seven Houses.
The Seven Houses of the Elyon are Dargon, Ishar, Koth, Lilim, Mardok and Nabu. The current Asheroth (King of Kings) is Lamesh VI of House Ishar, embodying six (Elyon) generations of Ishar dominance in the City and its Empire.
The Elyon worship the Lord of Heaven, a mysterious Creator God, through the cults of his Saints, who are Archangels or Ascended Mortals. Common cults are Saint Raz (duty), Saint Jezriel (beauty) and Saint Charn (the good death). The Saints are worshipped in giant cathedrals known as Ziggurats.
The Seven Houses of the Elyon are Dargon, Ishar, Koth, Lilim, Mardok and Nabu. The current Asheroth (King of Kings) is Lamesh VI of House Ishar, embodying six (Elyon) generations of Ishar dominance in the City and its Empire.
The Elyon worship the Lord of Heaven, a mysterious Creator God, through the cults of his Saints, who are Archangels or Ascended Mortals. Common cults are Saint Raz (duty), Saint Jezriel (beauty) and Saint Charn (the good death). The Saints are worshipped in giant cathedrals known as Ziggurats.
The Nether Courts
The creation of an angelic city of Law and Beauty seems to have called into existence its opposite. These are the Nether Courts, a warren of alleys, tunnels and sunken streets below the walkways, plazas and viaducts of the City. Down here, demons traffic with necromancers and any illicit service can be purchased, from secret slave markets to gambling hells and lotus houses (drug dens).
The Nether Courts are dimly lit, since the sky is obscured by the walkways and towering buildings on all sides. Water precipitates in a constantly downpour from the fountains, aquaducts and hanging gardens above, making its way to the canals that disappear into tunnels and eventually to the sewers. Fresh water from the mystical springs that feed the city is drawn up to the upper terraces first, so the Nether Courts get only the overspill and waste water from above.
The Sect of Ahrumon
The Nether Courts are policed (with little success) by the Knights of St Raz and the Pardoners of St Charn. Life in the Nether Courts is supported by the Sect of Ahrumon, the Dark One and opposite to the Lord of Heaven. Ahrumon’s Ziggurats tower less dramatically above the skyline, but their foundations go deeper into the Nether Courts.