Qāhirah

Setting information General setting – This world was once shaped directly by the gods, they stepped directly and physically about this land and their will was law. This was not to last and they all died and in doing so they caused much devastation, but that was a hundred years ago and the world has moved on.
The City -Qāhirah. Qāhirah is the major port of the Maiser state. A council oversee the running of the city, it’s made up of respected individuals from a wide variety of professions and a labyrinthine amount of bureaucracy. The factions within the council range from the leftover nobility, traders the academics from the universities, respected elders from each district and those who come from the board of public protections.
Technology- Magic and technology have been mixed so things like stoves that use magic to heat food and the like are fairly common. The sky trams are the pinicle of the current technology as they are piloted by semi sapient spells. That are used to direct the speed of the tram on it's path.
Guns and Cannon are available but they are expensive single shot and not very good except in massed group firing.
The District- The pot aka the gods piss pot. This is the poor district, of Qāhirah it’s streets are narrow and dirty there are random stalls and shops are dotted along every street. It’s also one of the most diverse areas in the city containing many of those races still considered gods touched, as well as those desert tribes people who have found their way to the city. It’s a hot bed of crime especially around the many minor cults and illegal goods. The Watch – Each district has its own watch that handles any problems that are occurring in the that area. The watches are funded according the relative wealth and prosperity of the district they are located in, sadly your in a poor district so you don’t have access to the truncheons of hold person they have in the richer districts. The central hub for the Watch in any given area is the Watch house also called a Kennel (members of the watch are often called hounds) it has a sleeping area for unmarried or poorer members, offices and desks to work at and holding cells below it. Though Magic can be used to aid in the investigation of criminal activities, it cannot be the only evidence used to convict someone there must be actual physical evidence.
The Culture- Socialising and culture happens around the many tea houses and restaurants (think morocco or Cairo) indeed the whole area has a slight north African feel. Due to the damages and horrors of the divine period anything seen as connected to the gods is considered tainted and most of the city is strictly atheist with some of the old temples being taken over by the committee of public words (a state sponsored humanist organisation)

Crime and punishment-seeing as your playing guards I thought I should mention something about crime and punishment. All of the usual things are illegal thievery, murder and all that jazz. Most drug use and alcohol are considered legal but public intoxication or consumption is illegal so do what you want in your home, opium den or pub but don’t bring it out onto the street. This rule is the same for prostitution it’s fine in a brothel but not in the street. The other big thing is that any worshipping of a deity is considered a crime, this is due to the fear of resurrection or creation of a new god and the last chaos that they had created. As such it is illegal to worship have iconography or relics of any god or deity except in museums and historical studies where any religious context has been diluted with academic jargon and cynicism.
Racism- rather than being focused around skin colour in this setting it is based on how much that race is seen as being touched by the god’s. This is normally seen in micro aggressions and the like rather than outright abuse and slurs. Least god touched-Humans, Halflings, Half orcs, half elves Slightly god touched- Gnomes, Goblins, Elves, Orcs, Dwarfs Really bloody tainted – Anything else


Divine magic in an atheist world-So if the gods are dead how can you do divine magic? Easily you just need something to believe in. The Committee of public words offers the most common source of divine magic, this comes from a jingoistic faith in the country and a hatred of the now dead gods. Imagine if Brexit and Richard Dawkins could give you magic powers and you have a pretty good idea of how this looks.
Gods old and new though they are dead unborn or just non existent faith and worship of the gods can still give people power. This is of course illegal but some people still do it. Spirit bargaining (mostly druids do this) it’s not worshiping it’s just trading favours with the local minor spirits that make up existence definitely not worship Religions with no god are allowed but they are closely monitored to make sure that no being becomes deified. An example would be the Keepers of the Books, this cult of librarian priests believe that the written word is sacred and that all knowledge should be free. They run public libraries and provide tutoring to any who come to them, their late fees are shockingly harsh.
Important NPC’s Fatima Al Hassuin – The Watch Captain of the Pot and your direct commander. She’s a statuesque half Orc with deep crimson Gray skin, her hands are covered in old scars. She’s known to be as good with a spell as she is with a sword, theirs a host of rumours about why such a competent captain is down in the Piss Pot. Fatima has a sphinx cat called Enkidu who generates as many rumours as her, the current one is that he pisses on any guard who lies to the Captain.

Type

Geopolitical, State