Maksur Das, the Broken City (Mahck-sur Dahs)

Simtum Das was one amongst many cities that walked the Venusian landscape, but as time passed and Ra’s reign grew more powerful, many fell in his wake. Time has wiped away all of these fallen cities, save for one. One of the greatest cities to crumble beneath Ra was Simtum Das, once a prosperous and scholarly beacon on Venus. Now, only the remains of a tragedy lie in the snowy valley in the dark corner of the planet, the grand city, now known to its sparse inhabitants as Maksur Das, the broken city.

The remainder of Maksur Das lies at the bottom of two mountainous hillsides, tucked between their cliffs. Surrounded on all sides but one, the only path to approach the city is a trek through the heavy surrounding forest. Snow blankets the landscape and can build up several feet, so vehicular travel is extremely difficult in this region. Luckily, as the city still radiates heat from its power source, the immediate surrounding area is free from ice and it's both easier to walk through and live in.
The city itself is wedged completely between these two mountains, leaving it stuck in place. With many of the legs that once walked the city around the globe removed, it gives Maksur Das an eerie appearance as if it was floating in mid-air. Though smaller than its sister city of Erras Das, the city is still two kilometers meters across at its base and its buildings are just as tightly compacted from when the city was inhabited and space was a priority. Through the years, its copper finish has eroded away into a dull, lifeless gray.
The city itself is largely uninhabited and has been for hundreds of years. Almost no one even ventures above into the city proper. It is considered forbidden by the few that remain. The city, having been destroyed by the hands of those that once called it home, gives off an ominous feel as very little has changed in the centuries since it was torn apart. The issue of entering the city is also a logistical issue as well. Many buildings were toppled over or burned and moving around can be difficult amongst the piles of bones.
There have been no attempts to try to repair the city to get it moving again as that would be a monumental task, aside from the cultural resistance. Setting aside the fact that the city lacks any significant means of travel as most of the legs have been damaged or scavenged, the city itself is not only located between two mountains, but it is lodged in them, making moving it nearly impossible. This region seems to be subject to regular earthquakes, leading some to fear that the city could collapse, but despite this it remains in place.

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Inhabitants
In its peak state, Simtum Das, as it was known, was a city full of scholars and scientists. A mixture of human, Thora, Mehune, and other races worked together in peace, apparently modeling their pursuits after the Atlantean Priests who cared much more for the spirit and mind than any material possession. Their city contained universities, laboratories and most importantly, the archives. However, their diligence to study proved to be their downfall as when they were collecting specimens on the dark side of the planet they were surrounded by Ra’s forces.
While not soldiers by any means, the technology that the city had developed allowed the citizens to stand a fighting chance as they were besieged by the army of Ra. As the fight progressed however, the city was forced to back up further and further into the valley, eventually leaving no place for them to go. Their one saving grace were the city walls, heavy and thick. While it could resist the weapons of the army, they were of no use when Ra himself arrived.
His voice seeped into the ear of every living creature in the city. It ingrained itself into their minds, their spirits and soon they had lost themselves. The citizens of Simtum Das turned against themselves, their city, and each other. Family members, neighbors, colleagues and the like met their ends at the hands they knew oh so well. Buildings burned, the city was driven into the mountains, and eventually the screams stopped. The city had fallen without a single soldier entering the city. Feeling the Simtum Das was of no more use to him, Ra left it to rot. So it stood, its few survivors and the city itself, broken.
From the cinders the few survivors left their city and wept. They couldn’t bear to enter the city again and look at the destruction that had been done by their own hands. They knew that it had been Ra who had commanded them so, but the guilt weighed so heavily on them that they couldn’t escape the shame. As generations passed, the guilt faded, but it lived on in culture and memory. Two lessons: do not forget the past and do not stand against Ra. To this day the residents of Maksur Das refuse to enter the city above and continue to honor those who died in their city.
The residents of Maksur Das resemble their ancestors in demographics only. They live hard lives, filled with hunting, contesting with the elements, and daily strife. Highly superstitious and ceremonial, they have largely abandoned the scientific pursuits of the past. While they do have some of the technical skills of their ancestors, the only ones they have not abandoned are skills directly related to living in such a harsh landscape. When Ra destroyed the people of Simtum Das, he did so wholly, destroying their past, present and future.

Type

City

Character Knowledge

• Characters just now arriving on Venus - This place is cold and miserable. Not only that, but something about it gives off an aura of despair that you just can’t shake.

• Characters not from Venus, who have spent some time there - I don’t see why anyone would ever go there let alone live there. It's nothing but snow and death.

• Characters from Venus - Maksur Das is a cautionary tale. It's why when you can’t run anymore, you don’t resist. Better to be a slave or a prisoner than dead.

• Characters from Venus who live or have lived in Maksur Das - The past shouldn’t be forgotten, because you can learn from it. Maksur Das died like any other city, if not worse. However, we have something no one else does. We are bound together by history and circumstance and in that we are not lost.