Mos Forma
The City of the Lich Queen, raised from the old ruins of the Centrophage in Balyntine through divine and unholy magic. Mos Forma is a massive floating city hanging close to a thousand feet in the air above the waters of the great Tijaran Sea and directly off the coast of the former nation of Nabidra.
Mos Forma is primarily inhabited by the dead, gathered from many corners of Balyntine, Aldoranza, New Allons, Nabidra, Zir, Ri'am and Alba. It was founded by Balyntinian refugees affected by the font of mists and executed by Pharismian clerics in 4211 and 4212 PCR. These dead escaped from their persecution by raising the necropolis that would become Mos Forma skyward and beginning their journey across Celasper.
However, by 4224 as they were crossing the nation of Nabidra, attacks by Paladins from New Allons, Nabidra and Bengion crippled the floating mechanism known as the soul engine keeping Mos Forma moving across the open sea, though magic keeps the city floating in it's current location, it's forward propulsion has ceased. Shortly thereafter, the nation of Nabidra was destroyed in a perceived counterattack by the necromancers of Mos Forma, though the lich queen has denied any involvement from her people in Nabidra's collapse.
That nature of Mos Forma as an undead haven has made in a pariah amongst the international community, with many nations including New Allons, Sardis, Bengion and the Masacali Consulate at war with the floating necropolis. Only the city state of Alba maintains positive relations and an unofficial envoy service with the city, though many others possess unofficial ambassadorships through the spread of the Church of Urgathoa, godess of undead. Such unofficial embassies can be found in the Ferox Colonies as well as the city of Freeport in the Broken Spine.
Mos Forma is ruled by an entity known as the Lich Queen. Her true name, Tyla Reese, is not a secret, but it is not common knowledge for most citizens. Gaining Lichdom while still a teenager, the Lich Queen's magic is potent enough to funnel negative energy into Mos Forma to all it's citizens, largely suppressing their undead hunger. As a result, citizens of Mos Forma are largely as calm or peaceful as any found in other nations, especially for undead.
The Lich Queen has declared a general amnesty for any undead citizen in any location on the face of celasper, and will offer citizenship to any who can make their way to Mos Forma, using the church of Urgathoa to locate and ferry willing undead. Despite the influx of undead citizens into Mos Forma over the last half century, the majority of the massive necropolis remains largely empty and unexplored. While there are living people within the nation of Mos Forma, be they relatives, aspiring necromancers or refugees, they make up less than 2% of the overall population.
The Nature of Mos Forma makes it a haven for necromancers, and other arcanists looking to descipher the unseen arts, and the magical knowledge contained in Mos Forma is said to be enourmous. General Pinnochet, a unique undead capable of rapid teleportation commands the UnRelinquished, an elite military force of unholy knights sworn to defend the undead population and the city of Mos Forma. Sir Courser, an arisen ghoul, commands much of the Queen's personal guard and acts as her personal aid. The arisen ghoul and sister of Courser, Lady Ashalia acts as high priestess of the Church of Ugathoa, the official religion of Mos Forma and consults directly with both her goddess and the Lich Queen on matters of theology. The most prominent living person in Mos Forma is the halfling Alchemist Travis Gemrazer, beleived to be the architect of the city's economy and the owner of several private businesses.
Structure
In addition to the official government of the Lich Queen itself, a number of private organizations exist within the city under the Lich Queen's Protection.
The Void Walkers: A series of Astral Travelers who use Mos Forma as a base for interplanar operations. The void walkers are primarily scouts and theives by trade, unaligned with the Lich Queen officially but providing helpful information on potential targeting of Psychopomps. They maintain an official theives guild in Mos Forma where they are largely respected, as their larceny occurs outside the city walls.
The Dust Walkers: A gang of youths and the eternally young in Mos Forma who fancy themselves as tomb robbers. They raid undiscovered sections of the Centrophage with frequency in search of plunder and riches, often selling what they have found to the grey league.
Culture
Colors of Mos Forma deal a lot in purples and blacks in their different shades. It is also commonplace to find many citizens wearing openly wooden or silver medallions in the shape of a fly with a skull for a thorax, a common symbol of the church of Urgathoa.
The nature of Mos Forma as a city of refugees means that the city has many conflicting styles of dress depending on culture. As climate is not a factor for most undead it is not uncommon to find people dressed in furs next to those dressed in burkas next to those dressed in little more than cloth wraps.
Memory is an important aspect of the lives of the people in Mos Forma. Because many lose their memories upon their transitions to undeath, many of the cultural touchstones within the city are dedicated to ensuring that existing memories both before and after a persons death are chronologed and celebrated.
The Heroes Feast: While the dead in Mos Forma do not need to eat, once a month typically on the full moon, a large populace will gather in front of the Throne of Not. Here the Lich Queen will typically make a speech, bless Urgathoa, and the assembled crowd, and make promises related to the city, and it's citizens. Thereafter using powerful magics, the Lich Queen will create vast quantities of food magically to allow the undead to engage in their base nature for a time. Most of the city government also attends these gatherings, and all of them like to intermingle amongst the crowd afterwards.
Public Agenda
1. Preserve Mos Forma as a safe haven for undead.
2. Protect Mos Forma from external threats.
3. Gain international recognition as a true state, and end wars with other nations on the Lich Queen's terms.
4. Identify the Fifth Man.
Territories
The majority of structures in Mos Forma exist to satisfy the population's lack of need to eat, and therefore lack of need to work. While jobs do exist within Mos Forma, most are done for the sake of fulfillment rather than for monetary incentive. As a result, games are common, including horseracing, theater, sporting events, and water polo. Massage parlors, bathhouses, and spas are equally common, along with libraries in droves. What is lacking in the city are restaurants or inns of any kind, due to the lack of tourism to the city and the lack of need for most of it's inhabitents to eat.
Travis Gemrazer's Games and Events Commission: The leading alchemist of the Lich Queen doubles as it's' games organizer, the gladitorial arena of Mos Forma is not as large as Bengions, but it's fights are very unique. Undead animals and combatants will participate and train, and due to their eternal nature will gain experience and skill in the arena while doing so. Many go on to join the UnRelinquished as veteran fighters. Zoos of undead animals, and a whole terrarium fall as well under his private gaming commission.
Gemrazer's Casino and Resort: A casino opperated by Travis Gemrazer in the hopes that eventual travel bans on Mos Forma are lifted.
The Hall of Souls: Not all can become undead, and not all undead can be cleansed. The failed necromancers and souls who can not be purified by the Lich Queen's tether to negative enerrgy are often sent here. Acting as a sorrt of undead graveyard, the place is dangerous even on the levels closest to the surface, and many of the undead of the Bloated Tyrant's age still haunt the levels below and the ancient library on which the site once stood.
The Necroswamp of the Court of Flesh: Not all areas of the Centrophage are cleared of doom and evil. At the outskirts of the floating city the remains of the bloated tyrant's greatest servant, an entity known as the Flesh Carver still remain, gathering strength. The tyrant's former teacher uses grafted body parts to lure victims to him, selling magical augments and grafts to stores and vendors, before syphoning off the unholy life force from any who dare use the cursed obects. Somewhere within the ancient swamp, an ancient evil is growing, seeking to find a way out into Nabidra, and it is devouring all those who get too close to where it gathers its strength.
Astral Parlors: Part massage parlor, part spa, part therapy center, these buildings provide treatment for undead through either physical or mental maladies, including using the essense of Psychopomps to allow undead to revisit old memories from their lives that they may have forgotten.
The First Library: While Mos Forma hosts a large number of libraries to educate and entertain it's eternal population, it's largest is the First Library, built at the order of the Lich Queen to hold knowledge of the arts of the dead, their restoration, and the histories of it's people while they still lived.
The Debating Houses: A number of undead choose to practice philosphy and rhetoric with their free time, and as a result debating houses across Mos Forma are common where undead will debate issues surrounding the city, or far more commonly areas of philiosphy or religious importance.
The Throne of Not: The Official Seat of power for the Lich Queen. While she runs the government and is the final arbiter on all major decisions, she possesses an administrative team who handles all secondary duties populated by a number of ex-pharismian turncoats and nabidrian refugees who have seen firsthand the mercy and liberation of the Lich Queen.
Military
The Eternal Army: Granted land status and money by the Lich Queen in exchange for service, the forces of the eternal army serve in stints of ten years at a time for the glory of Urgathoa. Commonly their targets are rebels in Nabidra, sentient undead attempting to undermine the Queen, and the forces of Bengion, New Allons, Sardis, and Zir. The Elite among them are charged personally by the Lich Queen to combat psychopomps within the Boneyard to preserve the existance of Mos Forma.
The Unrelinquished: The elite guard of Mos Forma, they act as the cities primary defenders. Though the original unrelinquished was made from repentent members of the Relinquished and church of Pharasma during the early days of the city, it's ranks have been bolstered from elite units showing distinction within the Eternal Army, and with slain and re-animated enemy combatants from other nations, given the opportunity for eternal life in exchange for repentence and service to the Lich Queen.
The Queen's Hands: An organization of spies dedicated to the service of the Lich Queen, these undead often pose as living agents or occassionally hide in plane sight among lesser undead to report on the movements of the queen's enemies.
Education
Mos Forma contains extensive offerings for education of all levels to grant meaning and purpose to undead who otherwise may have too much time on their hands, and boasts a number of schools of higher learning.
The Undying College: While there are several schools of necromancy in Mos Forma, the Undying College is the most well known, offering a level of necromantic knowledge not seen since the day's of wonder. Final year students are expected to delve into the centrophage to combat the horrors below, including the former students who failed their final test.
The University of the Enduring Arts: A community college of sorts, the University provides a place for long serving undead to cultivate new skills, and otherwise learn the basics of higher learning. Intense rivalries exist among the staff however, as many attempting to curring favor with other organizations often use students as interns in unwarrented extracurricular activities.
No More Hiding
Founding Date
4212
Type
Geopolitical, Queendom
Alternative Names
The City of the Dead
Training Level
Professional
Veterancy Level
Veteran
Leader
Founders
Head of Government
Government System
Monarchy, Theocratic
Power Structure
Autonomous area
Economic System
Palace economy
Executive Body
The Throne of Not
Deities
Official Languages
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