The Imperial Gardens and Managerie
Upon the Holy Isle of Kuan in the imperial city Lanhou is the the Imperial Gardens and Managerie. The gardens are laid out in ringed paths with plants from over the Empire, flowers and topiary. The Managerie is at the northern edge of the gardens and contains an amazing collection of savage creatures and fantastic beasts from across the Empire. Entry to the walled compound is free to any free citizen. Foreigners and the unfree must pay 1 silver Talent for entry.
The managerie is made up of a series of ringed walks past cages, pits and confinements for the various creatures. It is very popular to attend at feeding times for the large carnivores and the barbaric monsters.
"One does have fear and wonder at the creatures of the managerie. But also at the end, wondering on which is more the monster, the Empire or the captive monstrous intelligent creatures kept in pens to entertain and frighten the people."
The honorable Taurien ambassador the Centair AdieRH (ʁ) W*aba
Culture
The Minister of the Managerie runs the managerie portion while the Master of Gardens oversees the gardens, including a section of gardens for producing foods. The whole compound is under the Grand Minister of Works in the Court of the Emperor. The compound is patrolled and guarded by the Golden Legion that are Imperial Guard under the Lord Commander of the Imperial Guard. An Imperial magus under the Lord wizard is in charge of magical confinements and protections that keep many creatures confined.
The lowest workers are slaves, largely Beastmen , though Olian, Golam and Esereti bond criminals are in the crews and oversee the beastmen slaves. Above these are citizen gardeners and Keepers of the managerie who are ranked from apprentice, worker, and master.
The various pens, pits and cages are cleaned several times per week with the creatures lured to side pens with food or poked and prodded with pitchfork and pole. Some must be magically moved via portals or drugged. The cage is then swept out and splashed with water to flush away filth and odor.
The lowest workers are slaves, largely Beastmen , though Olian, Golam and Esereti bond criminals are in the crews and oversee the beastmen slaves. Above these are citizen gardeners and Keepers of the managerie who are ranked from apprentice, worker, and master.
The various pens, pits and cages are cleaned several times per week with the creatures lured to side pens with food or poked and prodded with pitchfork and pole. Some must be magically moved via portals or drugged. The cage is then swept out and splashed with water to flush away filth and odor.
Public Agenda
The managerie is kept to display the various savage and dangerous creatures as a spectacle to the citizens and show of strength and power of the empire.
One enters the managerie via the Gates with the Imperial Phoenix, and marks instantly the smell of so many beasts and creatures gathered. First are the mundane beasts - lions, tigers, bears, antelopes, deer and moose. Then one winds into the cages and pits containing greater hazards: Wendigo and carnivorous apes, the catoblepas and magic eating Bashe. There is a pit of the spined grub like bone-eaters and a glass walled house containing Fairy with their colorful wings. The cage is magically enhanced to contain them and prevent spells passing out to the viewers.
There is a pit with the armored, auroch like Gorgons and another with cunning mirrors that allow the viewing of the Basilisk kept within without the risk of it's eye beams turning one to stone! Occasionally a slave or criminal is thrown into one of the pits for the amusement of guests. The petrified stone subjects may be purchased from the Minister of the Managerie. There is here too the one eyed, strange tentacled lump creature with flesh of stone that are called Ghakin.
Cages for the griffon and harpy ( this enchanted with sound cancelling to prevent the voice effects, but the stench of the den is horrible and nothing is done to stop that!). Hellhounds that belch fire! A hydra. The manticore! Terrible giant lizards with six legs and glowing yellow eyes from caves under the fae lands. Furred spidery dog things from the Olian wilds. The great dragonic wyrm (wingless) and a crab clawed, six limbed and winged cat of bright orange with blue diamond markings along the back. Tentacles replace the whiskers of this creature. It was captured in the great void between planes and is kept contained by the enchanted collar around the neck. It is said that the capture of these last two required a dozen warriors and several mages! Condemned prisoners are sometimes fed to these various monsters, or misbehaving slaves, which greatly entertain visitors.
Next, in the back wall are the monsterous enemies of humanity. Small gibbering Grindylow in their rages and dirt. Undead Ghouls. The shaggy, pumpkin headed Bugbear that glare pure hate, scream and hurl feces at viewers. The guard says that they refuse civilized clothing. The towering Ghenid standing 2.3 meters. There can only ever be one kept as they would kill one another rather than be captive. One can respect this even in the savage brute. The teeth are pulled to prevent bites or it opening it's veins, and the tongue removed to stop it from using the evil sorcery magics of their breed. One can see the calculating mind behind the red eyes that stare at visitors.
A small hut contains the skulls and cured and mounted skins of some Octnon, some Minotaur and Centaurs. This building is kept closed and locked if ambassadors of the Taurien or lizardkings should visit, so as to protect their delicate sensibilities.
There is a pit with the armored, auroch like Gorgons and another with cunning mirrors that allow the viewing of the Basilisk kept within without the risk of it's eye beams turning one to stone! Occasionally a slave or criminal is thrown into one of the pits for the amusement of guests. The petrified stone subjects may be purchased from the Minister of the Managerie. There is here too the one eyed, strange tentacled lump creature with flesh of stone that are called Ghakin.
Cages for the griffon and harpy ( this enchanted with sound cancelling to prevent the voice effects, but the stench of the den is horrible and nothing is done to stop that!). Hellhounds that belch fire! A hydra. The manticore! Terrible giant lizards with six legs and glowing yellow eyes from caves under the fae lands. Furred spidery dog things from the Olian wilds. The great dragonic wyrm (wingless) and a crab clawed, six limbed and winged cat of bright orange with blue diamond markings along the back. Tentacles replace the whiskers of this creature. It was captured in the great void between planes and is kept contained by the enchanted collar around the neck. It is said that the capture of these last two required a dozen warriors and several mages! Condemned prisoners are sometimes fed to these various monsters, or misbehaving slaves, which greatly entertain visitors.
Next, in the back wall are the monsterous enemies of humanity. Small gibbering Grindylow in their rages and dirt. Undead Ghouls. The shaggy, pumpkin headed Bugbear that glare pure hate, scream and hurl feces at viewers. The guard says that they refuse civilized clothing. The towering Ghenid standing 2.3 meters. There can only ever be one kept as they would kill one another rather than be captive. One can respect this even in the savage brute. The teeth are pulled to prevent bites or it opening it's veins, and the tongue removed to stop it from using the evil sorcery magics of their breed. One can see the calculating mind behind the red eyes that stare at visitors.
A small hut contains the skulls and cured and mounted skins of some Octnon, some Minotaur and Centaurs. This building is kept closed and locked if ambassadors of the Taurien or lizardkings should visit, so as to protect their delicate sensibilities.
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