Ara-Pampor (Ah-ra Pam-poor)
Ara-Pampor, the beloved city of the Pridelands settled between the flowing tributaries of the river delta of Ississa. Home to many Ankh'herans, a mixture of noble and lesser Tabaxi prides, Gnoll spice-merchants and mercenaries, Tortle sailors and fishermen and Mek'rodemzai Tiefling slaves.
Demographics
- 56% Ankh'heran Tabaxi
- 18.5% Savashan Hyanan-Gnoll
- 13.3% Human
- 8.8% Tortle, Goblinoid & Minotaur
- 3.4% Other races
Government
The city is run by a bureaucratic magocrat-council of ten government appointed officials, 5 of the Mystrasi and 5 of the Reignar, and three others belonging to the Merchants Guild, referred to as the Pampered Overseers; collectively they are known as the Gather Ring.
Taxes were paid to government based on fines from judicial cases, but also in the form of a threefold obligation to citizens and landowners - providing manpower for 'common burdens' such as military service, fortress work and bridge-repair. Citizens were offered the choice to either pay off the tax through a price known as the 'Oblidge', or were set to complete a total of 40 days required work for the good of the community. With increasing issues from raiding Mek'rodemzai and others, the leaders have raised taxes, based upon the landholding of their tenants - sometimes it was used in order to pay off these raiders, known as the 'Repose Tax'.
With the large import and export, manufacture and creation of goods within this settlement attracting travellers and merchants from far and wide - the city has created a series of tolls and privileges to accommodate newcomers and merchants, for which they have to pay in order to access the city proper and pay a toll for the weight of their goods. These funds go to the upkeep of city infrastructure and bureaucracy, as well as provide entertainment for guests.
Due to the excess amount of fur and hair shedding humanoids (Gnolls, Minotaur and Tabaxi) - the government also holds a 'Fur & Hair Tax' each year for improper disposal of hair and fur, but also to collect the fur and hair to fashion cloth, rope and carpetry - to reuse them effectively and corner a market.
Defences
The city is built upon a solid stone foundation from a largely eroded mesa rock and built higher than most cities - providing clear lookouts from high ventilated towers and hawkers. A great wall surrounds the city, with each city gate elevated above the ground, granting access to the outside through a large drawbridge - the east and west are guarded by their own separate surface-built wall and palisade guarding the tributary access into the city.
Industry & Trade
The main trade of the city is through spices, perfume and crops gathered by artisans and workers from the surrounding area, meanwhile acting as a trade hub connecting to the other towns and trade posts along the Ississa River delta - artwork, literature and magic is often produced in this region by its inhabitants.
Infrastructure
All agriculture and industrial services operate outside of the city by the slave population, except for the talented crafting artisans that reside within the inner city. Meanwhile, the infrastructure of Ara-Pampor are mainly structures and buildings required to last for as long as possible, and their design is utilitarian. The building of these infrastructures has boosted the economy of the whole region and is constantly being improved and repaired for greater prosperity after acquiring more expensive materials and better craftsmanship.
The city has been rebuilt over an original portion of the former city flooded by the River Ississa over time the centuries, thus there are prominent & publically accessible wells and cisterns. Due to the importance of water, both as sustenance and a tool of civilisation - the city has built reservoirs, wells and aqueducts in the old flooded city separate to the sewer system, and great care was taken to not allow cross-contamination. The undercity has been turned into a cleanly and irrigated sewer system that feeds back into the River Ississa from the eastern tributary to the western tributary. By diverting the waters of the eastern tributary, Ara-Pampor has utilised numerous water-powered mills that provide means to mill flour and malt, remove oils from wool for cloth production and also for tanning - and within the western water-gate there resides the waste disposal and alchemical district, turning into a humid marsh.
Meanwhile, in the main districts of the city, there are vast courtyards and bridges that hang over the gaps between the raised terrace above the old city. The courtyards were able to house numerous traders, stalls and open markets which the city is known for.
In order to cool the interiors of the city, there are numerous 'Breeze Towers' built to capture the prevailing winds of the air, funneled to ventilate the interiors of the inside of buildings and even the streets of Ara-Pampor.
Assets
The Fragrant Quarter
One of the four great districts of the city, filled with perfume houses, salons, taverns and inns and the greatly valued House of Plentiful Waters. This is a great and public courtyard in the centre of the district filled with brightly coloured and painted walls, bath-houses and wells that have multiple fountains, guarded fish ponds, small gardens of colourful fruit trees and bouquet galleries. It is the most popular destination for travellers and merchants within the city to conduct business, hear gossip and become cleansed from the heat and sweat of the glaring sun.The Spice Quarter
The largest quarter of the Ara-Pampor, hosting mercantile, provisional and noble residentials area split between the Culpepper Den, Jasmine Cats, Saffron Lion & Old-Salt roadway areas.- The rich culture and foods are cooked and prepared by the culinary experts and chefs within the Culpepper Den under shaded pillared regions and open-plan taverns, offering a social gathering region and celebratory region of the city. It's also prominent for many hashish smoking rooms and sellers for legal catnip tobacco known as Tabaxo that acts as both an aphrodisiac and anti-depressant - maintained by the Culpepper Den merchants.
- The Jasmine Cat region is a cultivation area for prominent perfumers, intellectuals and a spiritual hub for the Tabaxi, where the main thoroughfare is decorated in artistic displays of past stone sphinxes and heroes atop the terraced archives and temples within the city of Ara-Pampor - here the grand archives of the Yearning Erudites resides and the government buildings. The Breeze Towers often blow the aromatic smells across the streets here and give a sense of peace and tranquillity for all that pass.
- Within the Saffron Lion thoroughfare is the richest portion of the city, and thus hosts the largest proportion of security within the region as it hosts the greatest treasure of the city - saffron. Utilised as a unique fabric dye, hosting prominent cloth sellers, carpetmakers & medicinal apothecaries and alchemical halls. As such, the Saffron Lions is also host to a series of luxurious brothels referred to as the Sunblush Sanctuaries close to the city gates and walls, providing services for soldiers, travellers, traders.
- The Old Salt thoroughfare was the oldest and least maintained region of the city, crscent shaped and was connected by a flood-way canal to allow water-vessels to pass in and out of the city. The place in which most deliveries and transported goods made their way into the city, housing a number of fishmonger stalls and public warehouses to keep fresh goods going bad - it was also the section of the city in which still had an open plan to the old city - with multiple tiered gangplank, ladders, overhanging walkways and portside floodgates feeding into the sewer system. The multi-level portion of the city is darker and more shaded than other portions of the city, filled with residential buildings that are home to more lower-class citizens and sailors.
Guilds and Factions
The Pride of Ara-Pampora
The familial faction of Tabaxi magocrats, devoted worshippers of Pansophia and allies of the Mystrasi. The Ara-Pampora Pride operate within their ancestral sanctum, the Breeze Palace who have preserved their arcane traditions and influence within the Diarchy of Ankh'hera and provided taxes and trade throughout the Pridelands. Protecting mainly the trade and luxuries that the city provides, and its reputation as a beloved and intoxicating attraction to travellers and foreigners - keeping law and order through the actions of their shadowy spies and rogue agents known as the Shrouded Seekers.The Jawcoren League
The second dominant faction hails from the Reignar appointed officials, the Denmidir - otherwise known as the Jawcoren, a competitive group of Gnoll merchants and spice-lords that seek more influence within the city and wish to turn the site into a more fortified and militant region. It is the ideal centre for a fortified training ground, and a place to erect a great arena to attract new warriors and fighters, as opposed to the age-old magics of the Ankh'herans.
Founding Date
425BD (Before-Divergence)
Alternative Name(s)
City of Pleasant Aromas, The Temples of Bronze Idols, The City of Peaches and Honey, The Tributary of Enchantment
Type
City
Population
84,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Pamporei
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Characters in Location
