Overview
Bazaar is the heart of the Nation and the largest settlement on Vimary. Built within the ruins of an enormous settlement from the World Before, tribals from all Seven Tribes have come here to congregate, deliberate, and, above all, trade since the Liberation. The
Grand Council meets in the Council Ruins in the northern part of the settlement to discuss political matters that affect the whole Nation, while the sacred
Festival of Liberation is also held here every year. This brings an influx of visitors from across Vimary, many of whom are keen to experience the splendours of Bazaar and to watch the Dahlian Liberation Play for their Fatima at least once in their life.
Bazar can be quite overwhelming for these visitors; for it exists both skyward and below, taking full advantage of what the ancients built. Those thrilled by this verticality often find a reason to stay and join the burgeoning population; while those who disapprove go back to their own settlements with stories of the wickedness that comes about from living too close to the profane World Before. The fact that no Fatima calls it home, except for possibly Dahlia (
and who knows if She even accepts such a static notion), and that Tribal elders have less control in such a melting pot further adds to its reputation, good or otherwise.
The settlement has been split into three areas by the Terashebans and Joanites, who try to maintain the peace and enforce Terasheba's
inter-Tribal codex upon the population through
the Watch.
Central Bazaar
The nexus of commerce and industry within the Nation, where members of all the Tribes have come to live and mingle with a measure of distance and freedom from the watchful gaze of their elders. Life here is busy throughout the day and well into the night, as
artisans and
traders of all kinds conduct their business and the
taverns and
entertainers cater for the crowds. Even the Winter only pushes the activity underground and inside rather than slowing it down.
The Watch struggle to keep order in the midst of it all. It is not uncommon to have a scuffle over prices or an insult turn into a brawl that will shut down a street for a short time. On the other hand, Dahlians see such unending chaos as the greatest theatre there is.
World Before structures and materials are everywhere and have been nonchalantly adapted for Tribal use. The
Skyscrapes are taller, in greater numbers and more robust than anywhere else on Vimary and dominate the landscape, providing accommodation and workspace for thousands of tribals. Underground, the
Emporiums provide excellent places to do business all year round, while the lowest levels provide a level of secrecy that attract rogues from across the Tribes and beyond. At ground level, the streets follow the grid pattern of the ancients but are narrower due to rubble and street traders. As a result, thoroughfares can slow to a crawl during festival season and locals often take short cuts via alleys, up rickety bridges or down underground paths; knowing which ones are safe and which lead to dead ends or trouble. At all levels, colourful banners and canvas are common, advertising wares or events, displaying symbols of loyalty and pride, or just providing cover from the elements.
Western Bazaar
The boundary between Western and Central Bazaar is hazy but only really vexes the Joanites and Terashebans, who worry about patrols and jurisdictions. The Skyscrapes here are nearly as tall as Central's and are just as robust, though less plentiful and peter out the further west you go. The main defining feature for residents is the lack of Emporiums, though the recent discovery of a new Emporium to the west of
the Pit, right on the border with Central, implies that the distinction might not hold true for ever, as the World Before slowly gives up more of its secrets.
With its northern boundary abutting Magdalite
Xstasis and Yagan
Mortuary and its southern bordering Evan lands, Western Bazaar is a neighbourhood mainly made up from these Tribes, being nicknamed '
Fate-town' by dismissive Central residents. It has a reputation as being much quieter and less exciting than Central, with no taverns and few entertainers willing to perform to only dour Evans and Yagans in their own homes. As a neighbourhood, the natural world is more prevalent than in Central and Eastern Bazaar. Livestock pens and gardens can be found dotted in amongst the ruins, cleverly collecting and using rainwater to irrigate and hydrate. Vines and trees grow where they can and surprisingly thrive with the barest of soils.
Eastern Bazaar
This area of smaller and more delipidated Skyscrapes is wedged between Central Bazaar to the west, the Joanite lands to the north and the
Sunken City to the south. As a Tribal area, it is dominated by
Playground, a former Emporium taken over by Agnes as her own domain. Unsurprisingly,
Agnites are the most numerous Tribe here. Another major physical feature is the
South Tier Bridge, which crosses the Great River in the southern edge of this area and dominates the skyline as you look towards the river.
Many of the other Tribes see the area as a poor relation to Central and Western Bazaar and it is much less occupied as a result. Building quality is poor, streets are more rubble strewn, and security is worse. Since the area eventually opens out to the
Discarded Lands and the
Rust Wastes,
Squats and
Keepers are often found loitering and rummaging around in the ruins. The Watch here have a reputation of spending more time harassing these outsiders than enforcing Terasheba's law, with a consequent lax attitude to smuggling and other 'minor' crimes done by tribals.
