Golden Dome of Pyrez

The Blazing Jewel
large Efreeti city

The Golden Dome of Pyrez is a very unique city, originally from the Elemental Plane of Fire. During the Ascension a rift opened between the Prime Plane and the Fire Plane. What seemed to be a dormant volcano being awakened was actually this rift. The Golden Dome was put in a very interesting position, now being located on both the Prime Plane and the Fire Plane at the same time. The gates into and out of the city act as a one-way passage to and from the two planes. You can enter the city from Starhelm using the south gate and exit from the Golden Dome using the north gate into the Plane of Fire. If you come into the Golden Dome from the Fire Plane you will exit out of the north gate and can proceed to the Prime Plane using the south gate. Most people of Starhelm are unaware of the Golden Dome’s placement on the Plane of Fire; they just assume the city is held within the confines of the volcano, which deterrent enough to keep people away.

Climate

With the city being on the Elemental Plane of Fire, many differences can be found with regards to climate. The area outside the city follows the patterns of the Barrier Guard of Denethen, excepting that extremely hot winds and temperatures will be experienced with nearness to the Scar of Fire. Within the city however, there is no sun in the sky. Instead, the sky is a raging fire that changes colour every four hours, as the day progresses. The day starts off with a black sky, but as the temperatures rise it transitions to a red, orange, yellow, light blue, then finally white sky. The cycle begins all over again as it drastically cools down back to black.

Government

The Golden Dome is ruled by the Great Sultan Rashimad Uhkimar, son of Umayyad Uhkimar. He is an Efreeti with bright red skin and a long ashen black beard. He has been Sultan for more than a century now and has gained the love and respect of all his loyal subjects. He has many loyal Viziers, mostly Efreeti, but he has a couple that are Salamander, one that is a Fire Genasi, and one that is an ancient Brass Dragon. Even though he has all these Viziers, and will often heed their wisdom and advice, his word is absolute law and no one dares to question or disobey him. Even though Sultan Rashimad does follow the command of the Grand Caliph Zassin Shabilehza, Sultan Rashimad has been gaining a lot of power recently, and the Caliph rarely challenges any decisions the Sultan makes for fear of starting an all-out war.

Society

The Golden Dome of Pyrez is a very racially-structured city. The Efreeti have always been the ruling class of the city and most, if not all of them, live within the highest level of the city – the Golden Dome. While not all Efreeti are nobility, by virtue of being an Efreeti affords them higher station within the city. Below the Efreeti are the Salamanders, the religious heart of the city. While the Salamanders were originally created by Kossuth, most Salamanders worship Ignis, after her victory in the War of Flames against Kossuth during the time of creation. Further down the social strata falls the remainder of citizens in the city, including the Fire Genasi, the Fire Newts, Fire Giants, and even lesser Devils.
Slavery in the Golden Dome is widely accepted and practiced, and a lot of money is made with the purchasing and selling of slaves. Until about 30 years ago the Azer were considered a slave race and did not hold a place in the social structure of the Golden Dome. Azer were born as slaves and lived most of their lives as slaves. They were almost always part of the military arm of the city and they make up the majority of the soldiers under the Golden Dome. If any Azer left the city unattended they were branded as a traitor and a deserter, keeping most Azer close to home unless they were performing their duties. Currently Azers are not technically a slave race, thanks to some pressure from Forgehome and the Dwarves of Starhelm in general, however most of them end up as slaves or indentured servants. The Efreeti of the Golden Dome will take some time to adjust to the new laws, if they ever do.
Mephits make up a good portion of the creatures in the Golden Dome, and are considered sentient creatures, however most people treat Mephits as pets and have almost no regard to their lives or well-being.

Crime and Law

The laws of the Golden Dome are very strict and the punishments are very harsh. The loss of limbs, life imprisonment, and slavery are all very common punishments for crimes. Public whippings, and executions are done within the city, but their occurrence is limited as much as possible. The city would rather have a slave working than a corpse littering the streets. Despite the strict laws and harsh punishments, criminals in the Golden Dome are canny and clever. The majority of crime is theft, but a wide variety of crime continues to plague the city.

Post Fractioning

The Fractioning had little impact on the Golden Dome. The protection of the Barrier Guard, as well as their existence on two separate planes kept them out of the blast. A large portion of the Barrier Guard was destroyed from the blast, killing off Dwarves they were warring with. An opening in the mountain chain has allowed for some Undead to wander near their borders but any inkling of a threat near their borders is handled quickly and decisively.

Military

The majority of the army is made up of Azer slaves, and even though they were granted their freedom, the ones that were part of the army were not allowed to leave. Other races also make up a part of the Sultan’s forces but without the Azer it would be paltry indeed. The higher ranks consist of some Salamanders and Efreeti but they typically do not get their hands dirty with front-line fighting. A smattering of Genasi round out the military population as specialists, or occasionally with the Azer front line. Genasi, Salamanders, and sometimes Fire Newts are used as a constabulary or as guards around the city.

Geography

The Golden Dome of Pyrez is a three-layered city, including a separate section under the main levels. The highest level is what gives the city its namesake and is topped by a golden dome that is controlled by the Sultan and his advisors. The highest nobles live in this layer.
The second level is the religious heart of the city, where the majority of temples can be found. The Salamanders rule this level with impunity.
The base level is where the majority of the city is, including the main citizenry, visitors, and the bazaar. It can be quite hectic and busy throughout the entire city.
Under the city is the Azer layer of the city, also known as the prison level. Recently it has started its transformation but in past times it was used to house the slave race of Azers.

Golden Dome – Upper Tier

The highest level of the city is the Golden Dome itself, including the Sultan’s Palace, and the layer where the Efreeti dwell. While within the Golden Dome magic protects the inhabitants from the heat of the outside, allowing the occupants to control the temperature inside. Depending on the mood of the Sultan the temperature can vary greatly. Inside the Golden Dome there is a grand library, a grand hall, and a bathing house equipped with lava in place of water. Even though the Golden Dome is commonly over the top layer, it can extend to cover the entire city in times of war or danger.

Temple Level – Middle Tier

In the centre of the Temple level, where the upper tier blocks the sky, is where the highest temple to Ignis is – the Mosque of the Burning Passion. The High Priest Issthhmaar, is a Blazing Salamander with a strong connection to both Ignis, and the Pure Essence of Fire. While the Emir of the Salamanders is Ssithmatar, and he technically has more authority, the amount of Influence that Issthhmaar possesses surpasses Ssithmatar, and is close to rivalling The Great Sultan himself. Despite this imbalance of power Issthhmaar and Ssithmatar have a very good relationship and work together as much as possible.
The Temple level is also home to the Mosque of Embers, a temple to Ignis where the prophetess Lady Fireeyes lives. Lady Fireeyes is a one of a kind Fire Weird who can share prophecies and visions to those she deems worthy. As Weirds cannot speak she has servants who will speak on her behalf, showing her prophecies as visions in the flames that dance around her. She shows glimpses of the future but, as most visions the entire picture is not provided. Payment for an audience with Lady Fireeyes varies depending on the person and what they are seeking to learn. There is no bargaining with Lady Fireeyes and her demands may seem whimsical to those on the outside. Many people are unwilling to pay what she requires and they end up making the dangerous trek to her for nothing. It is considered a great honour to be the eyes and ears of Lady Fireeyes and her servants, many of whom come to her from birth, show a great perception of those around them, as well as a level of empathy that can surprise many people.

City Level – Lower Tier

The city level is the busiest of the levels within Pyrez and it is mostly populated by Flame Genasi (fire, magma, steam, and smoke), but other races do live within the city. Of the other races aside from Efreeti, Salamanders, and Flame Genasi, the most commonly found race is the Firenewts. Lesser Devils can be found uncommonly, and there is a small group of Fire Giants that has made Pyrez its home.
Located near the front gate to the Prime Plane is where the great Hariq Bazaar can be found. The Hariq Bazaar is a massive marketplace where a large amount of goods can be bought and sold. This bazaar mostly sells Fire Plane goods such as tafaha (apple like fruits), fakihat alnajma (star fruit like fruit), and harq alhubub (a naan-like bread). These offerings are all multi-coloured and have a very strange taste, and are always warm. The meat sold in the city varies from the common thoqqua meat, rayihat kariha (beef-like meat), and aleimlaq satardir (lizard-bird-like meat) to a very rare form of meat in the Phoenix. When a Phoenix dies it bursts into flames and securing the meat of a Phoenix is very difficult and dangerous. Some extremely skilled, and more often lucky, hunters are able to get it, and can make a good living off of a kill. The common folk are typically unable to get Phoenix meat due to the cost and rarity of the product. Phoenix meat is reserved for the wealthy, particularly the nobles of the Efreeti.

Prison Level – Under Tier

Commonly referred to as Alsjin, or the prison in common, Alsjin would appear as a prison at first glance. The military presence and style of of the buildings speak of spartan and depressing tones. Until recently the Azers were a slave race and their homes reflect that. An effort to fit the greatest number of slaves in as small a space as possible provided very cramped quarters for the Azer. The Azers are slowly starting to rebuild Alsjin to be more like an actual city level, but it is a slow process.

Shops, Inns, and Other Places of Interest

The Burning Worm is a large tavern within the shaded section of the lower tier. It is run by a Fire Genasi named Achmed, who keep a staff of Azer to wait on tables, clean up, and cook. The prices are fair, the rooms are nice, and Achmed ensures that the people who visit him are safe during their stay. It can sometimes get hot in the Burning Worm and tempers sometimes flare up but the Azer guards are good at dealing with things when they get out of hand.
One of the more popular spots to rest and relax in all of The Golden Dome is The Travelers Respite. This tavern and inn has been enchanted to prevent any of the outside heat to affect the inside. It is owned by a Halfling businessman named Fildo Copperkettle. Fildo frequented the city often in his younger days and has since taken a great shining to the people and culture (and coin) of the city. Visitors in particular enjoy the Traveler’s Respite, as they typically do not have the natural protection from the heat that the native citizens do. This affords Fildo to charge high prices to his customers and few complain about it. The Hell Spawn is the epitome of a cheap and dangerous place to visit. This tavern and inn is run by a Chained Devil named Bolzak the Malignant, and along with his staff of Imps, he ensures people always have a place to stay. He accepts all manner of payment, including soul coins, and is very fond of making deals with customers for ‘extra’ service.
Great Sultan:

• Rashimad Uhkimar

Lesser Families:

• al Shahadaya
• Tahir
• Mahamudin

Sites:

• Sultan’s Palace
• Golden Dome
• Alsjin

Temples:

• Mosque of Burning Passion (Ignis) – High Priest Issthhmaar (m/salamander)
• Mosque of Embers (Ignis) – High Coal Hashim ben Ahmad (m/fire genasi)

Shrines:

• Flameheart Shrine (Kossuth) – High Flameguard Iessthia (f/salamander)

Restaurants, Taverns & Inns:

• The Burning Worm – inn and tavern (moderate)
• The Traveler’s Respite – inn and tavern (expensive)
• The Hell Spawn – inn and tavern (cheap)

Notable Merchants, Shops and Places of Interest:

• Hariq Bazaar – extensive marketplace

Neighbourhoods:

• Hariq
• Temple
• Golden Dome
• Alsjin

Roads and Thoroughfares:

• The Way of the Caliph
• Ember path
• Firestoke road

Notable Personalities:

• Grand Caliph Zassin Shabilehza (m/efreeti), Grand Caliph
• Bashir al Fayez (m/efreeti), Grand Vizier; Yadira Whitemane (f/fire genasi), vizier; Epyronoss (m/brass dragon), vizier; Assthidolph (m/salamander), vizier
• Ssithmatar (m/salamander), Salamander Emir
• Lady Fireeyes (f/fire weird), Prophetess
• Achmed (m/fire genasi), proprietor of the Burning Worm; Fildo Copperkettle (m/halfling), proprietor of the Traveler’s Respite; Bolzak the Malignant (m/chained devil), proprietor of the Hell Spawn
• Khadim ben Qadir (m/efreeti), General of Sultan’s Forces; Saffron (f/erinyes), Chief Spymaster; Bharazalathar Flametongue (m/red dragon), royal protector

Type

Large city

Location under

Scarguard Chain

Included Locations

• City Level - Lower Tier
• Golden Dome - Upper Tier
• Prison Level - Under Tier
• Temple Level - Middle Tier

Characters in Location

• Lady Fireeyes
• Rashimad Uhkimar
• Yadira Whitemane

Region: Scar of Fire (Barrier Guard of Denethen)
Population: 112,000 (including Azer slaves)
Racial Breakdown:
Dominant: Flame Genasi; Azer
Minority: Lesser Devil; Fire Newt; Efreeti
Enclave: Salamander
Group: Fire Giant
Singular: Adult Red Dragon; Ancient Brass Dragon; Erinyes
Form of Government: Sultanate
Notable Inhabitants: Great Sultan Rashimad Uhkimar; High Priest Issthhmaar; lady Fireeyes
Notable Locations: Golden Dome; Mosque of Burning Passions; Mosque of Embers; Hariq Bazaar