Shae Mordai

(Metropolis, 424,600)​
​While Shae Cairdal is the seat of the rulers of Aerenal, Shae Mordai, the City of the Dead, is the spiritual heart of the nation. Built at the center of a flow of necromantic energy, this ancient metropolis is the home of the Undying Court, the great council of deathless elves that guides the destiny of the elf race. The City of the Dead is the only city in Aerenal built from stone instead of densewood. It is cluttered with shrines and monuments dedicated to past heroes, including those who now reside in the Undying Court as well as the ancient heroes of Xen’drik. The city is a center for arcane study and a place of worship, as well as the only place where the ritual of the undying can be performed. As a result, commerce is minimal despite the city’s size, and visitors of other races usually receive a cold welcome. Undying soldiers can be found throughout the city, and undying councilors can be seen consulting with arcane scholars and advising visiting descendants. A vast area at the center of the city is devoted to the Undying Court itself. The Priests of Transition and the Sibling Kings are the only living beings allowed to enter the confines of the court. Whispered tales say that the court is far larger than it appears, and that hundreds of mystical guardians and traps protect it. Rumored to hold the greatest Aereni treasures, including relics of ancient Xen’drik, the court has never been breached by thief or force. The City of the Dead is built on a manifest zone tied to the plane of Irian, the Eternal Day. Within the city, spells that use positive energy, including cure spells, are maximized, while spells that use negative energy, including inflict spells, are impeded. ​