Al Eridu
Even the sands can't obscure knowledge
As you draw closer, what had at first appeared to be only a shimmering mirage coalesces into a shining town before you. You can make out short walls of sandstone rising only 8 feet tall, intricately carved with designs that intertwine and wind along the barricade in a seeming unbroken and mesmerizing string of design. Tall beams of a dark, soft looking wood stretch another 10 feet from the peak of the wall, meeting at the top and connecting in a beautiful diagonal lattice of precisely carved logs. Brilliant green vines lace their way between this lattice of wood, creating a natural shade for the top of the wall and for passersby who meander along it within the confines of the city. Before you stands the main gate, a pointed, Gothic arch of sandstone, intricately carved as well, the infinite curved carvings from the wall all meeting at the keystone of the arch in a massive carved symbol of a goblet, light emitting from it and spiraling out toward the rest of the township. Looking within, large manors of sandstone and the same soft, dark wood line the streets, the town itself built on an incline, the imposing and beautiful Nova Cerulis centered beautifully in the entry arch on the far end of the city. Drawing closer to this gate you hear the sounds of bustle, people migrating to various tasks in town, holding conversation and sometimes huddling in groups to discuss days events. Minstrel music drifts happily from various street corners and Inns and the scent of freshly baked bread and fresh herbs fill your nose. The town is truly a mirage, a mirage in its inherent beauty but palpable in its vibrance. Welcome to Al Eridu, the Alchemic oasis.
Demographics
Al Eridu is far from a melting pot of cultures, the vast majority of permanent citizens being Bahaskian just as would be expected for a town in that region. It is a wealthy town with most families owning land and the majority holding some position working for Nova Cerulis.
Government
Governed as an Oligarchy, Al Eridu is presided over by the wealthy and influental Pewter Guild who run and oversee Nova Cerulis. A five member council chaired by Nova Cerulis Headmaster Lakatys Jerys makes and enforces the rulings within the city and commands the guard. Since The Impasse as a whole operates as an Anarchy, regions and settlements are free to rule as desired, the Pewter Guild owning dominance over the majority of Bahask including Al Eridu.
Defences
Al Eridu relies heavily upon the smaller settlements in Bahask to be the primary line of defense for the town and as such there are only short, decorative walls that surround the city. Made of sandstone for the first 8 feet and then timber latticework for the next 10, it would be very susceptible to a raid from an enemy force. While the walls are more a formality, the terrain that the town itself exists on is a natural defense of its own as the incline back toward Nova Cerulis provides an advantage to
Industry & Trade
Nearly all of the inhabitants of Al Eridu are employed with Nova Cerulis in some capacity whether it be as a cook, nurse, sanitary worker, security, or an instructor and so the main export of the town is knowledge via the students that they teach. Imports to the town come primarily from the other settlements controlled by the Pewter Guild, from tobacco, a heavily used substance in the town to nearly all food and the large amounts of elements and minerals required by the academy.
Infrastructure
Al Eridu could be considered the capital of the Pewter Guild's dominion and as such is the wealthiest. While most of the labor jobs are exported the further settlements in Bahask, Al Eridu is built on the influence of Nova Cerulis. Money poured into the academy has been poured back into the town surrounding it in the form of gorgeous and well paved roads, bridges over man-made streams and ponds, and below ground plumbing to most of the inhabitants. No expense is spared and innovation is easy to come by with the academy within the limits of the town. Possibly the best landmark of infrastructure in the town is the massive aqueduct that carries water from the river half a mile to the south to the city and then pours it in a majestic waterfall into the town's central fountain where inhabitants can come retrieve fresh water or, if you are very wealthy, have it piped to a private well in your own home.
Assets
Lakatys Jerys and the Pewter Guild have three primary strongholds of valuables contained within the city; an armory, vault, and laboratory. As would be expected, the armory contains the accoutrements of the guard as well as the personal collections of rare and valuable armor and weaponry collected by the guild over the course of many years. The vault contains the raw gold, silver, copper and gems of the guild as well as the agreed currency of the majority of The Impasse. This currency alone has money totaling 145,000 gold pieces and the raw materials are worth another 115,000 gold pieces making this the most heavily guarded portion of the city, guarded at all times by a full patrol of ten guardsmen. Lastly is the Pewter Guild private laboratory which is located at the heart of Nova Cerulis and only accessible by those in the council. Few know the research that occurs within this workspace but the value of that knowledge is arguably worth more than the gold contained in the vault.
Guilds and Factions
Al Eridu is entirely controlled by the Pewter Guild and the ruling council at Nova Cerulis. It is no secret that this organization is the ruling power in the town and in the region as a whole and the approval of the guild as a ruling power is high in the town. There is some push back from the Brass Bloods, the local group of rebel smugglers who slip in and out of the region, often posing as a faction of the Pewter Guild while truly seeking to undermine their regime. This threat often causes nothing more than a small scuffle when issues arise and Lakatys Jerys does a good job of keeping Al Eridu at piece.
Architecture
As a desert town, Al Eridu makes use of architecture which would suit that environment specifically using flat roofs to catch water in the rare occasion that it rains and baked clay building materials for its efficiency and cooling properties. Artisans integrate beautiful, dark wooden beams into these houses both as support and as decoration and nearly all of the homes have cloth shading devices that are over their doorways to provide extra shade. Intricate designs are carved into most of the doors and some of the walls of the houses but most of the artistic design is natural and provided by the natural complexity of vines and sustainable greenery that is often found on rooftops or draping from various parts of the homes. Color of nearly any shade is found in the cloth that makes up banners and signage as well as covering for doors and windows giving the town a vibrant feel despite the constant shades of yellow and brown that make up the majority of the buildings. Since Al Eridu is a wealthy town, many of the manor houses can also be found sporting details of gold on fencing or on spires that sometimes jut from private courtyards. A temple to Cejun is the most intricate of the buildings with onion domes capped with gold dominating the roof and beautiful designs of blue and yellow winding their way up the walls made of the same clay as all the surroundings.
1Cover art by Gabriel Yeganyan.
Alternative Name(s)
The Alchemic Oasis
Type
City
Population
~30,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Eridites
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
Comments