Exelnar, Inner Circle
The Inner Circle of Exelnar resembles the dream that every child is told about the city. The streets and buildings are large, beautiful, and often ancient, maintained by a small army of stonemasons and artisans employed by the local Nobility. All the residents are wealthy in some way, families of merchants, artisans, nobles, or military heroes, and being a resident of the Inner Circle is one of the greatest status symbols in the Empire. So much so that even some Dukal families will own a building in the Inner Circle, where their representatives stay. The height of luxury however is residing closer to the ocean-facing wall, where a portion of the wall is also a port, where only the most expensive and valuable cargo is brought in. A manor there is almost never for sale, and when it is, the bids reach the tens of millions. To live there is to share the company of the High Lords and be able to at any time feel the pulse of Imperial bureaucracy.
Besides the magnificent manors, large residential buildings, and the exclusive port, the Inner Circle is also where the headquarters for each of the five Imperial Churches is, each more opulent and regal than the others. By far the smallest is the Church of Artis, as the center of his worship is in Ahridia. Still, the church has a massive cathedral near the port, the inside of which is said to be completely covered in gold. There, merchants can pray (or pay) for the blessings of the Lord of Commerce, which usually brings favourable seas, and great profits. They also arrange trade negotiations between the nobility of Exelnar, and those of Ahridias many coastal cities, which are some of the most lucrative, after those with the Dwarven Clans.
The Church of Vitaria has a grand cathedral, as well as a number of surrounding buildings, for the housing of priests and orderlies. People come from all over the Empire to pray at the grand temple of the Goddess of Life, and the cleansing waters of her temple are said to cure any illness, for those worthy or wealthy enough to access them. The Church of Vitaria offers a number of healing and blessing services, from grand marriages to curing diseases, for a varying range of prices. However, the church does not only care about donations, and they do follow the words of the Goddess. Often, priests and clerics of life will venture out, to the Outer Circle, or even outside Exelnar, at the calling of the Goddess, to spread her word, and heal those in need. Lastly, they also offer food, daily, at several smaller temples around the Outer Circle, where those in need, who cannot make their way to the luxurious Inner Circle, can find a hearty meal, and be tended to.
Adeptus Justicari, the Church of Yiortis, have only one grand cathedral, which extends over a large area, and includes a number of training courtyards, and barracks. The space for worship is small, though still bearing the opulence that is demanded by the Lord of Justice, and most of the complex is dedicated to the training, housing, and organization of the Legio Imperallis. The Imperial Army, tasked with defending the Empire from any manner of threat, is mostly recruited from the Outer Circle of Exelnar, where those seeking to make a difference give themselves over to the God of Battle, and are reforged in his will. Having centuries of practice, and the guidance of the God, the mental and physical training given to the soldiers and officers that train here is the best in the Empire. Those that excel in both their training and their devotion are chosen to join the ranks of the Paladins, holy warriors that protect the weak, and dedicate themselves to the destruction of evil in all its forms. Receiving much less in donations from the Imperial Nobility, most of the resources needed are gained from their close partnership with the Inquisition, or, increasingly, directly from the Emperor.
The Inquisition used to have the largest presence of all the churches in Exelnar, thought that has recently changed under the rule of Emperor Manfred III. The Inquisition has, naturally, the Grandest Church in all of Exelnar, a massive cathedral, with many wings and rooms, dedicated to the Inquisitors, Angels of Vengeance, and other heroes to the Empire. The sheer scale, oppressiveness and luxury of the temple are reminiscent of a time long ago, where the Inquisition could rival in power the Emperor and Royal Court. In addition, the Inquisition has a number of buildings, for training new Inquisitors, holding cells, hidden vaults, the Inquisitorial Cemetery of the Tears of Vengence and more secrets, the knowledge of which would only invite death. While there are not many who pay donations to the Inquisition, there are still a lot of nobles through the Empire who support them, politically and financially.
The largest presence in the Inner Circle district belongs to the Custodis Pansophical, the Church of the God of Knowledge. Their massive cathedral is a treasure trove of ancient knowledge, with mountains of tomes of ancient lore, the enemies of the Gods, and many more topics. The restricted libraries of the temple hold books on ancient Demons and Devils, and their weaknesses, which can only be accessed by the most strong-willed and incorruptible in the Empire. Besides the cathedral, the Church of Cognitiosis also runs the Collegium Imperlis, a massive, sprawling college, located entirely within the Inner Circle of Exelnar. The Collegium, not to be confused with the Magical College of the Blue Rose, teaches material and philosophical studies, from architecture, shipbuilding, trade, agriculture, persuasion, history, philosophy, and many more. Most of the noble families in Exelnar, and increasingly even those outside the city, are sending their younger members to be educated, which combined with increased support from the Royal Court and Arcanic Order have led to a recent explosion in popularity for it. Besides teaching students, the college also functions as a breeding ground for innovation, with the advance of all non-magical sciences and studies at its forefront. The Collegium has worked in collaboration with the College of the Blue Rose, and the Arcanic Order somewhat, but the questions of if the church should work closely with Archmages, and if the collegium should also teach arcane studies, are still hotly debated inside and outside the Collegium. What is certain though, is that as long as the Gods do not come once again to provide the citizens of the Empire with all they need, the Collegium will be a breeding ground for innovation, reason, and the building of knowledge.
Besides the magnificent manors, large residential buildings, and the exclusive port, the Inner Circle is also where the headquarters for each of the five Imperial Churches is, each more opulent and regal than the others. By far the smallest is the Church of Artis, as the center of his worship is in Ahridia. Still, the church has a massive cathedral near the port, the inside of which is said to be completely covered in gold. There, merchants can pray (or pay) for the blessings of the Lord of Commerce, which usually brings favourable seas, and great profits. They also arrange trade negotiations between the nobility of Exelnar, and those of Ahridias many coastal cities, which are some of the most lucrative, after those with the Dwarven Clans.
The Church of Vitaria has a grand cathedral, as well as a number of surrounding buildings, for the housing of priests and orderlies. People come from all over the Empire to pray at the grand temple of the Goddess of Life, and the cleansing waters of her temple are said to cure any illness, for those worthy or wealthy enough to access them. The Church of Vitaria offers a number of healing and blessing services, from grand marriages to curing diseases, for a varying range of prices. However, the church does not only care about donations, and they do follow the words of the Goddess. Often, priests and clerics of life will venture out, to the Outer Circle, or even outside Exelnar, at the calling of the Goddess, to spread her word, and heal those in need. Lastly, they also offer food, daily, at several smaller temples around the Outer Circle, where those in need, who cannot make their way to the luxurious Inner Circle, can find a hearty meal, and be tended to.
Adeptus Justicari, the Church of Yiortis, have only one grand cathedral, which extends over a large area, and includes a number of training courtyards, and barracks. The space for worship is small, though still bearing the opulence that is demanded by the Lord of Justice, and most of the complex is dedicated to the training, housing, and organization of the Legio Imperallis. The Imperial Army, tasked with defending the Empire from any manner of threat, is mostly recruited from the Outer Circle of Exelnar, where those seeking to make a difference give themselves over to the God of Battle, and are reforged in his will. Having centuries of practice, and the guidance of the God, the mental and physical training given to the soldiers and officers that train here is the best in the Empire. Those that excel in both their training and their devotion are chosen to join the ranks of the Paladins, holy warriors that protect the weak, and dedicate themselves to the destruction of evil in all its forms. Receiving much less in donations from the Imperial Nobility, most of the resources needed are gained from their close partnership with the Inquisition, or, increasingly, directly from the Emperor.
The Inquisition used to have the largest presence of all the churches in Exelnar, thought that has recently changed under the rule of Emperor Manfred III. The Inquisition has, naturally, the Grandest Church in all of Exelnar, a massive cathedral, with many wings and rooms, dedicated to the Inquisitors, Angels of Vengeance, and other heroes to the Empire. The sheer scale, oppressiveness and luxury of the temple are reminiscent of a time long ago, where the Inquisition could rival in power the Emperor and Royal Court. In addition, the Inquisition has a number of buildings, for training new Inquisitors, holding cells, hidden vaults, the Inquisitorial Cemetery of the Tears of Vengence and more secrets, the knowledge of which would only invite death. While there are not many who pay donations to the Inquisition, there are still a lot of nobles through the Empire who support them, politically and financially.
The largest presence in the Inner Circle district belongs to the Custodis Pansophical, the Church of the God of Knowledge. Their massive cathedral is a treasure trove of ancient knowledge, with mountains of tomes of ancient lore, the enemies of the Gods, and many more topics. The restricted libraries of the temple hold books on ancient Demons and Devils, and their weaknesses, which can only be accessed by the most strong-willed and incorruptible in the Empire. Besides the cathedral, the Church of Cognitiosis also runs the Collegium Imperlis, a massive, sprawling college, located entirely within the Inner Circle of Exelnar. The Collegium, not to be confused with the Magical College of the Blue Rose, teaches material and philosophical studies, from architecture, shipbuilding, trade, agriculture, persuasion, history, philosophy, and many more. Most of the noble families in Exelnar, and increasingly even those outside the city, are sending their younger members to be educated, which combined with increased support from the Royal Court and Arcanic Order have led to a recent explosion in popularity for it. Besides teaching students, the college also functions as a breeding ground for innovation, with the advance of all non-magical sciences and studies at its forefront. The Collegium has worked in collaboration with the College of the Blue Rose, and the Arcanic Order somewhat, but the questions of if the church should work closely with Archmages, and if the collegium should also teach arcane studies, are still hotly debated inside and outside the Collegium. What is certain though, is that as long as the Gods do not come once again to provide the citizens of the Empire with all they need, the Collegium will be a breeding ground for innovation, reason, and the building of knowledge.
Header Image Credit: jbrown67
Type
District
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