Namilosa
Namilosa is a city in the Darklands where the last remaining humans and halflings live. They are protected from being mutated by the magic of the Darklands by the city's queen, the Goddess Briarae. Very few are allowed to leave the city, and even fewer are allowed to enter.
Government
Briarae is the absolute ruler of the city and can overturn any decision made by one of her subordinates. However, since she established the city she has become decreasingly involved in politics, relegating most decision-making to her church. She was already not a particularly benevolent ruler, so her waning attention has led to rising corruption as the city's nobles influence decisions to increase their own comforts at the expense of the poor.
Defences
The city maintains a professional guard, mostly comprised of low-ranking church members, commanded by champions and warpriests of Briarae. In fact, joining the city guard is considered the easiest way for a commoner to become a member of the church, but opportunities to move up from that position are few and far between, and there is little independence afforded to low-level guards.
Districts
There are three main districts in Namilosa, defined by their proximity to the queen's palace and separated by walls and gates.
The first and largest is the Commoner's District, which makes up most of the city. The people of the Commoner's District have very little say in decision-making and are beholden to the will of the church officials that oversee them. There are smaller sub-districts, the largest one being a section of the city inhabited mostly by halflings. Others are divided based on wealth, which can vary from abject squalor to considerable luxury.
The second is the Noble District, where wealthy families in good standing with the church reside. Full of high-class pleasures, this district is mainly a place of decadence and corruption. Commoners need permission to even enter the Noble District, and are typically only allowed to do so on business, as most of the nobles consider themselves superior to commoners and want little contact with them.
The final district is the Religious District, where the church of Briarae is headquartered and where most matters of government are handled. Like the Noble District, non-clergy need permission to enter the Religious District, but most noble families have the right to come and go as they please. The district is quite small and surrounds the palace like a ring.
Guilds and Factions
There are trade guilds, noble families, and other factions in Namilosa, but the most important organization is the Church of Briarae, which serves both as the city's official religion and as its government. Church members are given powers and privileges depending on their rank. Joining the church is known to be the fastest way to escape poverty or simply gain status, not only for what the church itself offers but also because church members frequently marry into noble families. However, most of the clergy, aside from the city guard, is recruited from the nobility itself, as the church is corrupt and its members have many ties to noble families.
History
Namilosa was founded shortly after the goddess Briarae ascended to divinity. Using her godly power to protect humans and halflings from the transformative magic of the Darklands, to which they were especially susceptible, she attracted a large number of people to inhabit her city and offer her worship. Once there were no longer any non-mutated people arriving, the city was closed off and isolated from the rest of the Darklands, and has remained largely unchanged for centuries as a result of the queen's immortal nature. The only significant cultural shift has been an increase in corruption as Briarae has left the palace less and less over time, leaving the city in the hands of the church.
Points of interest
The most important building in Namilosa is Briarae's Palace. Only the entrance is actually located in the city; the majority of the palace lies further below. Isolated from the rest of the city, the palace serves as the home for the queen and her attendants. Despite the difficulty in joining the church in the first place, even most of the clergy will never see the inside of the palace, and even fewer are allowed to frequently come and go. Most of those who become attendants spend the rest of their lives inside.
Architecture
The city is built in a large cavern with a high ceiling. As a result, in order to make efficient use of the space, the Namiloans have built up rather than out. The city is full of high towers, and even smaller buildings typically have at least three or four floors.
Namiloan (Background; rare)
You came from the elusive city of Namilosa, but whether you escaped or were allowed to leave for some reason, you have now begun traveling the world.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Intelligence or Charisma, and one is a free attribute boost.
You're trained in the Society Skill and the Briarae Lore skill. You gain either the Courtly Graces skill feat or the Streetwise skill feat, depending on whether you were a noble or a commoner.
Level
13
Government
Queen (overlord)
Languages
Namiloan
Religions
Briarae
Threats
Darklands monsters, political corruption
Briarae (authoritarian female goddess) queen of the city, rarely seen outside the palace
Aerteld Blackreaver (conservative male human cleric) leader of the church of Briarae
Letli Igrik (morally bankrupt female halfling scholar) leader of the city's university, seeks greater power and security for Namilosa regardless of the cost
Comments