Ishtar's Gardens

Let the growing vines and flowering plants

Remind Humanity of my wish for it

Be fruitful, and love deeply

So that one's heart will be shielded

Shielded, against what is to come

In all its forms

So says Ishtar

So I shall I make it so

-Inscription carved upon a massive stone that is present on every tower so far explored in the Realm

There are many Realms that are beautiful to the eye, and many of those that are completely safe for human habitation. Rather, as safe as our own world is at the best of times at least.

Most of those locations tend to just be wild, if a bit alien, landscapes. Filled with flora and fauna similar to ours, but without a sentient guiding hand like ours. Nothing so dire that it needs warding against further than the natural precautions one should take when exploring a wild local.

There are few, however, that have been very clearly left to us as a species from beings that would have to be incredibly powerful to build whole Realms that could, theoretically, expand farther than the dirt you step out from a Realmportal. A cache of magic like Solomon's Library, or some sort of lesson to be learned from the contents of a newly opened Realm.

Or a place meant to nurture us as we grow.

Ishtar's Garden is within that last category.

Bearing the name of the Babylonian goddess of love, war, and fertility, the Realm is constructed from countless stone structures rising up from a freshwater ocean that has an unknown depth. These stone structures have a similar appearance to that of Mesopotamian Ziggurats found in the Middle East, with their layered 'step' style construction. However, with a much more habitable design on the inside, which will be discussed in a moment. Their stonework itself is beautiful, while the materials only heighten it. The bare stone is a dark, wine colored granite-like rock, inlaid with moonstone and lapis lazuli both inside and outside of the structure.

There are thousands of these structures, hundreds of thousands possibly, that spread out in every direction seemingly endlessly. Our explorations have not found an end to these structures, but they all seem to be constructed by the same hand(s) and to the same quality, and yet are not completely identical.

Each outer layer of these 'towers' (as I shall be referring to them as from here on out) can be accessed easily from the inside of the structure, and each layer is large enough that it can act as a fairly large self contained park with pre constructed paths, lakes and rivers, all surrounded by an incredible array of plants that range from jungle to temperate and are apparently maintained by the towers themselves with no outside influence needed. After all, they were maintaining themselves for hundreds of years before we ever found our way to the Realm.

The tower gardens contain everything from flowers to fruit bearing trees, but not in a way that would suggest that anything was cultivated with explicit purpose. These towers are not here to provide food, other than the odd snack in the form of fruit or the occasional vegetable. It is all chosen with aesthetics in mind, simply providing a calming and lovely atmosphere everywhere one goes.

Such free flowing life can be found inside the towers as well, massive planters highlight the architecture and meticulously designed fountains depict majestic animals and creatures in impressive detail. Each tower's interior consists of many many rooms, each spacious enough to rival the penthouse suites of the finest of hotels, interspersed with whole floors dedicated to ballrooms, as well as gathering spaces of every description. Libraries, taverns, really anything that can catch many peoples interests at the same time, and bring them together. 

This clear design to facilitate social lives and gatherings has caused many people to set up 'retreats' to the Realm. Romantic getaways and social events, with each tower hosting their own flavor of events.

Currently, some of those tower hotels are truly grand, acting as the preeminent location for the affluent to meet. Even so, the so far unending space means the Realm remains open to anyone who wishes to visit.

It should be said that while the towers aren't food growing structures, that hasn't stopped some enterprising individuals from cultivating some of the otherworldly plants that can be found on the towers for standard exportation, or more commonly wine production that can produce flavors, textures, and effects impossible in terrestrial vineyards.

Type

Dimensional plane

The towers themselves are connected by a series of roads built between them. We have also moved some airships and other more expedient means of transportation into the Realm.