“It’s a city in a mirror, though its inhabitants often debate which side reflects which. By the end of my visit the answer was quite clear; both are reflection, neither are real.”
-From the Diary of Saramin the Sailor
Mons Mirror is a Homyn city that sits astride Rorrim and Mirror: two tidally locked moons often described as the twin daughters of Io, who—in a display of filial affection–“kiss” one another at the summit of their two tallest peaks. It was atop this moon-spanning mountain range that the early Homyn Kings built the city of Mons Mirror. The city is classified as one of the seven wonders of the system, but its fantastic geography tells only half the story of its wonder. By attracting artisans from across the Homyn Kingdom, the city became a cosmopolitan haven of culture and trade. Anyone who seeks fame or prosperity in the system is wise to keep an eye on the activity of this city in lights.
Culture
Looking into Mons Mirror is like looking into the future of Homyn tastes. Every trend and craze that catches fire across the Moons of Io and beyond begins as a tiny spark in the cultural tinder that is formed by densely packing so many artisans and aristocrats into one place. Most people who walk the streets of Mons Mirror have come to make their mark on the system. While the city itself is highly gentrified, the whims of its populace are powerful enough to sweep even the lowliest vassal commoner into a figure that carries more power than a Count.
At the forefront of Mons Mirror culture are a group of powerful tastemakers called the Mons Mirroti. These influential socialites hail from a wide variety of backgrounds, but are united by the fact that they possess thralls of followers from across the system dedicated to emulating their tastes and lifestyle. It is said that a single wrinkled nose from a Mons Mirroti can deflate the value of goods stored in a warehouse on the Rim. Needless to say, major shipping interests spend quite a few prides courting the tastes of these arbiters of relevance.
At the bottom of the cultural ladder are the Gossips. These are cursed individuals who roam the streets wearing Wasp masks that have been punished by Countess Bellari for violating the city’s unspoken norms. Gossips are incapable of keeping secrets, and thus serve as guides to the landscape of the city to visitors and a warning to those who would cross the Countess.
Politics
Mons Mirror is ruled by Countess Bellari, a powerful Mons Mirroti who ascended to nobility when the previous Count fell into destitution. Bellari is known for ruling the city with an iron fist, quickly punishing anyone who attempts to upset the unspoken social norms that permeate its high society.
One perpetual blemish on the illustrious city is the constant unrest of the Vassals who live there.
Many vassals who enter the city to sell their wares often find their culture’s products appropriated by the city’s Homyn, who are often able to sell them with greater commercial success than their inventors. While vassal cultures are lionized in Mons Mirror, the vassals themselves are treated as second class citizens. The city has many laws that only apply to vassal races, such as an emergency prohibition to prohibit vassal riots that seems to be constantly in effect.
Economics
The economics of Mons Mirror can easily be encapsulated by the differences between its two mountains. Lumen is home to the city’s major craftsmen, a hub of bustling activity where the shops never close and workers constantly striving for innovation. Nocta, by contrast, is only populated by grand estates and pleasure industries that serve as the immediate market for the goods the Lumenous produce. Each side claims that they are the ones truly in control of the flow of Mons Mirror, but in truth, they each form necessary components of a rapid supply and demand cycle that gives rise to the city’s blooming economy.
Maps
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