The Forbidden City of Sybarus
The Forbidden City is a fortress built upon the smallest of the major Sybarite
islands, and is the living quarters of the Shadow Elves. It is called 'Forbidden'
mainly because foreigners and non-elves are not allowed to enter without
invitation, and because that which is Forbidden is always Coveted. It is the
hub of Sybarite society and politics.
Layout of the City
-
It is a planned city of sorts, built in a trefoil pattern (trefoil: a
clover-leaf shape having three lobes radiating from a common center). The
architecture is a mixture of styles both known and unknown to surface -
dwellers. The streets are paved with chalcedony. The common areas are paved
in chalcedony of multiple colours, as are the great walls of the City.
At the center of each of the three lobes of the trefoil are palaces
where the ruling High Lords (Lord Commissioner, Lord Inquisitor, and Lord
Executioner, in order of rank from high to low) reside. The curving street
leading to the Palace of the Inquisitor is paved in green prase; the
street leading to the Palace of the Executioner is paved in red carnelian;
and the Palace of the Hegemon of Sybarus, The Lord High Commissioner, is
paved in purple-red bloodstone (heliotrope). In concentric rings around
each Palace are rows of smaller palaces called Houses.
Those Houses closest to the Palaces are those highest in favour and
wealth. They are known as Noble and/or Great Houses and are generally
refered to by their Family names. The second ring from the High Lord Palace
contains the Major Houses. These are generally the most ambitious and
vicious, mainly because they are either on their way up or down in the social
scale, and wish to improve their status at any cost. Lastly, there is the
third ring from the center, which is that of the Minor/Lesser Houses. These
elves are especially snobby and given to ostentatious displays of wealth,
mainly because they are newly risen and wish to distinguish themselves from
those who are without rank.
The streets radiating from the outer circle of houses (like lines drawn
around a circle to symbolize a sun) are called the Rows, or the Ranks. This
is where those elves who actually have to work, as well as half-elves, live
and pursue their vocations. Most of them are craftsmen and warriors in the
service of some High Lord or other Family. They are essentially at the
bottom of the social scale and thus, without rank.
The common center of the trefoil is where the Ziggurat is. It is the
pleasure palace of Sybarus. Within the pyramid-shaped Ziggurat are huge
halls where orgies are held around the clock, as well as smaller rooms
where every conceivable type of sexual appetite can be satisfied by young
and specially trained slaves in complete privacy. On rare occasions, non-
Shadow-elves are allowed access to it.
Just inside the gates of the City is Melchior's Bath House. It is one
of the few places where Shadow-elves, non-elven Sybarites, and foreigners
(generally called Outlanders by Sybarites in a charitable mood, or Infidels
by those in a foul one) interact. "Outside" access to the Bath is generally
given as rewards to those people who have done a great service.
The Forbidden City also has dungeons of it's own apart from the ones
mentioned as being on the same island as the Bazaar, etc. These dungeons
are where pleasure slaves are kept, where the Inquisitor keeps those he
questions, and where those condemned to die await the Executioner.
Inhabitants
-
The City is inhabited entirely by Elves and Half-elves.
Beside the Shadow-elves themselves there are slaves for every thinkable
need: sex, entertainment, food, whatever. Most of the slaves are human but
there are also other (non-smelling) races. Because they are slaves, they
are considered little more than chattel, and so the prohibition against
non-elves living in the City does not apply to them.
Security
-
The City Gates are guarded inside and out by a regiment of half-elven
warriors supplemented with demonic beasts. Getting past them with
out some sort of proof of business or disguise is near-impossible. These
half-elf warriors guard the High Lords, the Gates, and keep things orderly
in the Ziggurat. The High Lord Commisioner is guarded by bare-breasted half-
elven women of unparalleled beauty. They are known as the dej-minha. They
are also quite deadly.
All non-Shadow-elves wear clothes appropriate to their rank and sigils
displaying their House affiliation. Visitors that don't conform to this and
show themselves openly are not likely to see the light of the Source--or the
Sun--again.
![[ Click here for simple sketch of the area ]](d/Avenir/sybcity.gif){kind=link}