The City of Pleated Light
Constantly floating through the Silence Between Thoughts & Breaths , the City of Pleated Light is the second ancestral home of the Starborn, and the arboreal fortress of the Shimmering Maiden Pulura. The metropolis rests in the branches of a massive oak, the Great Tree Kauma, which surrounds the obscure and ancient Void Arch.
Before the events of the Gap, a great calamity caused the Starborn to abandon their original planet, and were guided by Pulura to the space between the planes. The city is constantly moving throughout the Silence Between, guided by Pulura's hand, and only rarely skims along the surface of other planes. Knowledgeable merchants hold the fortress in reverence, and would likely kill to trade for the Starborn's fabled wares.
While the Shimmering Maiden manages the island at large, and seems to bear some mystic connection with the tree, Lady Eliandra leads the Starborn, and sets the policy for her people. As they are a long-lived race, many current residents remember the day they left their planet, and are wise to the universe's mysteries.
Because they rarely interact with the Material Plane, the City of Pleated Light is little more than a fairy tale to the common people (if they've even heard of it), and few believe the island actually exists.
Districts
The Canopy
The Canopy consists of the very edge of Kauma's branches, and are primarily populated by hermits and farmers. It is home to a variety of birds and tree-dwelling species, although not even the greatest scholars have discovered their origin. The highest towers of the White Palace poke out from the center of the Canopy, which is the only major landmark in the maze of branches.The White Palace
Home to Pulura and Lady Eliandra, the White Palace sits in the center of the City of Pleated Light, supported by the twisted branches of the Starlight Boughs. This massive structure reaches all the way to the Canopy, although most of its towers end far before, and extend bridges to every district between.The Wheel
The Wheel describes the outer branches of Kauma that rest below the Canopy, which often point straight out from the White Palace. It is considered the suburbs of the City of the Pleated Light, where many of the common Starborn make their home.The Starlight Boughs
If the Wheel is the City's suburb, the Starlight Boughs is its heart. Named for the thousands of arboreal lanterns that hang throughout the district, the Boughs are home to the wealthy class of Starborns - typically artisans, government politicians, and mages.The Hanging Market
Nestled in the lowest branches of Kauma, the Hanging Market is a collection of bridges and wide branches that house the prominent stores of the City. As the Starborn rarely trade with outsiders, there is a guild for practically every trade, and thus an immense treasury of wares to explore. The market is the envy of many a planar merchant, who often trade at a loss just for a chance to observe the City's wealth.The Garden of Silence
This massive garden sits at the base of the branches of Kauma, barely visible from the bridges of the Hanging Market. Only a single lift connects the two districts, which is used by Pulura once a year, at the end of the Starlight Parade. While Pulura does not exactly forbid entering the Garden of Silence, none seem eager to do so, and there are strict laws about wandering to its center - the location of the Void Arch. As if taking on properties of the Silence itself, it is impossible to make a sound in the Garden. The flora seem to be from a diversity of climates, but live in harmony despite the Silence's lack of a sun. The creatures that live there are alien even to the wildest intergalactic fauna, and are considered akin to the Fey.The Void Arch
At the very base of the island, the roots of Kauma seem to shift into the dark of the Silence Between, and then fall away into nothingness. Few ever come to this part of the City, and even the Starborn are afraid to look into those depths, as they believe that the Void will look back. Despite this superstition, not even the gods seem capable of entering the Void through the roots of Kauma. Those who try often spend days climbing down, only to suddenly find themselves back where they started. The real entrance to the Void lies slightly higher, where last branches of Kauma meet with its mighty trunk. Surrounded by the Garden of Silence, the Void Arch is enshrouded in mystery, as Pulura has decreed that none - not even Lady Eliandra - may stand before it. Legend states that a great beast - Karma, the Infernal Maw - watches over the gate, and swallows all who come near it. Against all odds, should one make it through the Arch, they would find themselves in the roots of Kauma, which anchor themselves firmly in the Void. While some spread out wildly into the darkness, the majority seem to encapsulate a planet-sized mass, which glows with the ethereal light of the divine. If any have seen this sight, they have never returned to tell the tale - even Pulura does not know what lies beyond the Void Arch, and has no interest in traversing it. (GM's Note: As decreed by the end of the Zodiac Braves, the roots surround Golarion, which is in turn surrounded by the power of the ritual that moved the planet. A small piece of every plane is attached to this shell, allowing creatures who require a link to their plane the possibility to live on Golarion. Not even the gods can break this barrier - they must come through the Void Arch by obtaining the nine Ruby Keys, or find another way to paradoxically access the planet from the inside (e.g. the Centurion and the Drift). Gonjo can see the events that transpire on the planet through his roots, but cannot interact with them without having someone open the Void Arch.)
Type
Large city
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