Mirrak, City of Tents

Also known as the Great Circus, Mirrak is a city like no other. It serves as the closest settlement to a capital for the Flock, and it is home to the largest population of Gnarled, Fae, and other wyrd people. The city has no permanent structures and at first glance appears to be a chaotic collection of people. The city itself is roughly two miles wide. The city began as a simple circus that chose to open its tent to any who need it. Though, rather than move on, they expanded their tents. Over time, more and more people came to this circus setting their own tents and opening small shops. 200 or so years later and the small collection of tents becomes known as a city proper.

First Impressions

Arriving at the city at night would give the impression of arriving at an oversized circus. Tents lit with torches to draw the eye, fire dancers prance through the confusing paths, and ravens watch over the city from above. Surrounding the city is miles of wilderness, filled with strange things, lost fairies, and cast outs from the city. Return visitors will notice the tents are in different locations, always moving and always shifting. Tents are a bustle with activity, parties, performances, drinking, merriment, and more often than one would expect, terror.
During the day, the city is far more quiet, but just as mysterious. The maze-like gaps between the tents shift, as tents are raised and lowered. Traveling merchants wait for customers. Travelers board their ships and sail away.

The City of Tents

Mirrak is not called the great circus for no reason. It is filled to the brim with oddities, magic, and tents. Because of the common nature of fire and other disasters, buildings must be quickly moved or rebuilt. Thus, tents. However, there is a stranger, wyrder reason for the nature of the city. Being around warp pearls, magic, and fae has caused the city itself to go through some strange changes. There are tents no-body has built that move every night. Tents have a small chance of leading to a different place in the city. And sometimes strange creatures perform in abandoned circus tents. Because of this, sense of direction and location in Mirrak is all but gone. Spend to much time in the city, or insult it in some way, and it may not let you go.

Sample Locations within Mirrak

Because of its mystical and fluid nature, it is difficult to separate Mirrak into different chunks or districts. However, there are many locations used as landmarks. Most of these are simply tents, but they can last a while. But, even these landmarks move and change over time.
Tent of Wonders This tent is not a shop or museum, but a place that people go to see something strange. Glass orbs fill the tent, illuminating it with an invisible light source. Glancing into the orbs shows an odd event that is happening at that very moment. Though, a these moments are not always pretty and children are requested to not enter. Horrible things can be shown, wild acts of murders, strange lethal situations, and even unspeakable acts of lust. Though, with the bad is the good. The rare glimpse of a magical bird being born or a moment of true love between two oddities is the exact reason why some still sift through the images in the tent.
The Glimmering Fountain The Glimmering Fountain, or just the Fountain, is a popular tavern for newcomers to the city. It is a place for rumors, drink, and occasionally company. It is famous for its large size and a mobile clockwork fountain that is used to serve ale.

Demographics

Nearly half of the population of Mirrak is Wyrd in some way. The majority of these are gnarled.

Government

This city governs itself. Bad fortune falls upon those who harm it or its guests. Despite this, the Crow Queen has sent many of her fae to simply keep the peace. They will listen to any disagreement and be willing to pass judgement, but most of the time their job is to carry out people that disturb the peace. When there is no bird folk, the law of the land becomes mob mentality.
As a result of this structure, Mirrak is filled with crime and wrong doing. Though, a communal sense of belonging unites most of the city together. These crimes include cheating, selling black market goods, and sometimes slavery.

Defences

The defences of Mirrak come from superior air shock troops in the form of bird-folk, and also a reliance on strange abilities of the population.

Industry & Trade

The most prevalent trade in mirrak is what would be considered the black market anywhere else. Magical trinkets, wyrd pets, and alchemical supplies. However, mirrak is also the largest source of slave trading in the world. The city itself produces nothing.

Infrastructure

The city has no sewer system, so it can get quite unsanitary at times. There is also a distinct lack of road combined with high traffic that makes the ground uneven. Though, the moving nature of Mirrak somewhat counteracts this. As newcomers set up tents away from filth, old tents move. This causes the city itself to shift away from used ground, much like a herd of cattle. Eventually, it will make its way back, but only when the ground has become overgrown and newcomers are forced to clear away vegetation.

Architecture

The city is constructed of various tents that range in color, but tends to have a chaotic, yet purposeful pattern. The tents are usually constructed of a single piece of cloth that is draped over a large pole, with several small poles to support it as well. The tents range in size from large enough for one person to able to house thousands of people.

Geography

The island which Mirrak is situated on looks unkept and overgrown. It is large enough for the city to make one full rotation in a year, though the city rarely moves in a circle. Forests pocket the island, but the city simply moves through them.

Alternative Name(s)

The Great Circus

Type

Large city

Location under

The Unkind Sky