Aran (ˈa.ran)
"Aran is a city where the shadows dance on their own, and the sun mimics the moon. It's creepy."
Located in the mountains of northeastern Ynys, Aran is an ancient city of silence, shadows, and cats. It is the capital of the Kingdom of Cait and the seat of Queen Isla. According to legend, the city was originally founded by King Cailtram, and it is the anchor for the cat-goddess Eilidh Oirbheartach. When the Clarati conquered Ynys and Solis took control of the area, she bound Eilidh's power to the city, and then wrapped the city in a maze of shadows that prevented anyone from finding it. For a thousand years, Aran waited in darkness, becoming strange, and silent, and wild.
Reclaimed from the Darkness
When Solis was killed and the Clarati overthrown, the Albidosi returned to Aran. It had never ceased to be a sacred place in their hearts, and they were determined to end its isolation and reestablish the capital of their kingdom there. The city was preserved by the magic and the goddess, as if no time had passed from its abandonment to their return. But orphan shadows would flick along the streets, and the sun always seemed more distant and cold when you were within the walls. People find themselves whispering while in Aran, and moving quietly through the streets. Cats lurked in every corner of the city, and nothing escaped their notice.
Still, the Albidosi would not give up their dream of Aran restored. While the city is strange, it does not seem to be dangerous to those who honor its ways. Queen Isla of Cait uses the city's strange atmosphere to her advantage in negotiations; few diplomats are at their best in rooms filled by watchful shadows.
Demographics
Few people choose to live in the city itself, preferring the warmer and brighter places in the kingdom. Those who do are almost all Albidosi, and every Albidosi makes the journey to Aran at least once in their life, to walk the ancient streets and feel the weight of its history. There are also those of other ethnicities who find the city resonates with their spirit and they choose to make their home there - these expatriates claim that they never felt comfortable in the lands of their birth, and that Aran is the first place they truly belonged. In all, perhaps five hundred people live in a city that is large enough to support a much larger population - many of the buildings are home only to cats and shadows. Despite this, the city remains in good repair; it learned to care for itself during its long isolation, and needs little maintenance from the people who live there.
Government
Aran is ruled absolutely by Queen Isla. Before she ascended to the throne, she was a priestess of Eilidh Oirbheartach, and then became the Avatar of the goddess - the first in two centuries. When she was thirteen, a plague took both her mother and older sister, making her the Queen of Cait, and the first monarch to also hold such a significant religious position. The Queen does not sleep, and she is aware of all the cats see and hear. While a royal council assists her in the governance of Cait, the city is her personal domain and no one else has any authority there. She attends to all matters, instructing her human and feline servants to carry out whatever she deems needful.
Districts
To outsiders, the city seems to have only two divisions - the Palace, and everything else. But those who live within Aran recognize several districts, each with their own character. Along the northern edge of the Palace is the Labyrinth, a network of tangled streets that seem to follow no logical (or even possible) pattern. Those who become lost here may find strange shops and entrances to dark dreams. Always carry a bit of food in the labyrinth, so that you may bribe a cat to guide you out.
Another district is known simply as "The Shelves" - it is a series of terraced streets built into a steep hillside, and the homes there are large, lavish, and mostly empty. The Silent Archive is located at the top of the Shelves, where the diligent searcher may find a dreamt-of book hidden in the dust and darkness. To speak in the Archive is forbidden, and those who do will find the shadows can be more tangible than expected.
Other districts within Aran seem only reachable to those who are meant to find them, and few people will divulge their details. Some whisper of strange pleasure gardens, where black plants grow and dreams become flesh. Others tell of regions where only the cats may enter, but the option to become one may be granted. Exploring Aran's hidden corners is not a safe pastime, but it is never boring.
Related Articles
This article was originally written for Spooktober 2024. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
This article was originally written for Spooktober 2023. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
Nooo, the cats are creepy!
Explore Etrea | March of 31 Tales
:) I love my creepy cats. Wait until I get around to writing Castle Ulthor.