Ashimachi: Places of Interest
Zhengfu Pagoda
The tallest building in Ashimachi, the Zhengfu Pagoda's scarlet walls rise nearly 450 feet (135m) into the sky. This makes it the tallest building in the city-state. Though it currently appears in the geographical center of the capital city's island, the original structure upon which it was built was once located at the southernmost edge of the region. Its roofing shingles are manufactured from black Ironwood with the tips coated in gold leaf, making it a magnificent sight during any sunrise or sunset.
The first four floors of the Pagoda contain the central temple of the Chains faith in Ashimachi where daily services are held; the celebrations for national holidays are frequently hosted there or, failing that, staged at the foot of the Pagoda before moving on elsewhere. The temple provides meals to the hungry free of charge, and the uppermost floor of the temple serves as a hostel for those who are down on their luck-- though it is constantly packed to capacity.
In the floors above are the residences of the Chains clergy, the public offices of the Ue-shitsu and Daimyō, and near the top the Shogun's private residence. At the apex of the pagoda is the Golden Pavilion, a viewing deck
Shénshǒuzhǐ Bridgehouse
Built over the long span of Guanlu Road which connects Ashimachi's capital city to land on the west side, this bridgehouse serves double duty as both a Customs checkpoint for goods and individuals moving in and out of the city and a display of the City of Reeds' extravagant wealth. The bridgehouse appears in red, black, and gold like the Zhengfu Pagoda, with intricate spellglass statues and decor.
The ground floor houses a weigh station for commercial carts (their weight is compared against documents provided by the merchants who loaded them; signed, stamped, and dated) and processing center for travelers without sufficient documentation to prove their identity or purpose coming to Ashimachi proper. The two floors above house a rotating platoon of Order kei-cha for security and an extended office of the mercantile division of the Yihui who keep records on goods and people moving in and out of the city.
Oyayubi Fortress
Beginning in the Azuma District, Oyayubi extends out over part of the eastern bridge which connects the capital city to land. With the road restricted for use only by those belonging to Ashimachi's government, the Order of Chains, or citizens with appropriate proof of business, this imposing fortress of stone serves as the Order's base of operations. The Fortress provides a training center, barracks, and mustering ground for the Chains' ground forces - their naval yard resides at the town of Eastlock, which the eastern over-water span of Guanlu Road provides a direct connection to.
The Crystal Markets
Constructed like a massive Roman circus, the Crystal Markets are the center stage of Ashimachi's internal commerce. A paved ironwood roadway circles the entire campus, the rest formed of packed dirt from centuries of foot traffic and stalls being pitched and torn down on a daily basis. The markets are closed every Tiānhōbi (the eighth day of the week) for cleaning and maintenance.
The Yihui has repeatedly denied merchants' requests for licensing of permanent locations, citing that it encourages "fair trade," and as a result the layout of the Markets changes regularly. It can at times be quite a challenge to navigate or consistently patronize a favorite seller, and the scramble by merchants for favorable positions at the crack of dawn when the Markets open is a real spectacle to behold.
Mahoga University
The first magical academy established in the Coast, Mahoga is located in the northeastern edge of the Narrowlock district, immediately adjacent to the Centre. Though technically open to students from all walks of life, its unrivaled prestige means admissions are beyond selective. This, paired with various social and political pressures, means the vast majority of its student body comes from wealthy and established families. While not the only school of magic in the city and its metropolitan area, it is the only one recognized by the Accreditation Board of Spiritual Arts also headquartered in Ashimachi.
Flowers on High
The most famous memento in Ashimachi, Flowers on High was first built in LN242 and is one of only a handful of buildings that remain following the multi-generational project to raise the capital city above the delta. Constructed in the southwest quarter of The Centre, the memento was named after the famed poet Riquan Zhou. Or, more specifically, a theatrical adaptation inspired by his best-known poem which debuted at the Kako-en Amphitheatre. Flowers on High has closed, reopened, and changed hands countless times over the last millennium but it has never lost its place in the limelight. Even in the present day, with newer mementos employing cutting-edge methods and exotic ingredients, it remains a beloved institution of Ashimachi. Kako-en Amphitheatre
Another example of a building which survived the raising of the capital, the Kako-en amphitheatre sits diagonally across Kaifuku Square from Flowers on High. Despite its tiny seating capacity and poor acoustics compared to modern theaters, its prominent location and lasting fame as an original construct from the earliest days of Ashimachi see its tickets in a perpetual state of being sold out. Eastlock
A large town which straddles the eastern edge of the flooded delta, Eastlock is a prosperous fishing village and houses the naval yard where most of the Order's ships are harbored. The Order's naval academy is also located here. The largest of all the townships surrounding Ashimachi, Eastlock's primary industries are fishing and logging; the latter contributing to its position as the foremost source of boats and rigging in the city-state. The village guards the mouth of the Zouyi River which leads east toward Yunhai but does not reach the border.
Eastlock is a popular destination on the Coast for those interested in fishing thanks to reports of exotic and unique creatures being caught from The Fingerprint, and has both a thriving fish market and multiple companies which provide fishing tours through the waterways surrounding the city-state.
Blacklock
Perched on the western face of the Ari River which leads north to Kansujian and Chamatkaar, Blacklock began as a mining settlement harvesting the mineral riches of the Yangshan mountains to the northwest. This village received multiple generous donations from Kansujian's Subeturite syndicate throughout the ninth century LN, and is rumored to be the main site through which various illegal commodities are trafficked in and out of Ashimachi.
Tailfeather
The smallest and poorest township in the region, Tailfeather is a small hamlet built up in the area surrounding what was originally called the Sword Lock. Over centuries, erosion weathered the statue marker down until it more closely resembled a bird's quill; this went on to give the town its current name. Situated where the Ari River exits the Fingerprint going south, Tailfeather is most widely known as a ghetto for Treetouched (see 'The Treetouched') and other personae non gratiae in Ashimachi - including the descendants of the Dreamswallowers who were banished after their betrayal by the Shogun.
The eastern gate leading into Tailfeather from Guanlu Road is directly adjacent to the exit of the sewer system servicing the Asimachi metropolitan area, which heavily pollutes the waters downstream. While immigration and tourism from the south are rare due to Xinyuan's tiny population, visitors are strongly encouraged to use the roads rather than the river because of this.
The tallest building in Ashimachi, the Zhengfu Pagoda's scarlet walls rise nearly 450 feet (135m) into the sky. This makes it the tallest building in the city-state. Though it currently appears in the geographical center of the capital city's island, the original structure upon which it was built was once located at the southernmost edge of the region. Its roofing shingles are manufactured from black Ironwood with the tips coated in gold leaf, making it a magnificent sight during any sunrise or sunset.
The first four floors of the Pagoda contain the central temple of the Chains faith in Ashimachi where daily services are held; the celebrations for national holidays are frequently hosted there or, failing that, staged at the foot of the Pagoda before moving on elsewhere. The temple provides meals to the hungry free of charge, and the uppermost floor of the temple serves as a hostel for those who are down on their luck-- though it is constantly packed to capacity.
In the floors above are the residences of the Chains clergy, the public offices of the Ue-shitsu and Daimyō, and near the top the Shogun's private residence. At the apex of the pagoda is the Golden Pavilion, a viewing deck
Shénshǒuzhǐ Bridgehouse
Built over the long span of Guanlu Road which connects Ashimachi's capital city to land on the west side, this bridgehouse serves double duty as both a Customs checkpoint for goods and individuals moving in and out of the city and a display of the City of Reeds' extravagant wealth. The bridgehouse appears in red, black, and gold like the Zhengfu Pagoda, with intricate spellglass statues and decor.
The ground floor houses a weigh station for commercial carts (their weight is compared against documents provided by the merchants who loaded them; signed, stamped, and dated) and processing center for travelers without sufficient documentation to prove their identity or purpose coming to Ashimachi proper. The two floors above house a rotating platoon of Order kei-cha for security and an extended office of the mercantile division of the Yihui who keep records on goods and people moving in and out of the city.
Oyayubi Fortress
Beginning in the Azuma District, Oyayubi extends out over part of the eastern bridge which connects the capital city to land. With the road restricted for use only by those belonging to Ashimachi's government, the Order of Chains, or citizens with appropriate proof of business, this imposing fortress of stone serves as the Order's base of operations. The Fortress provides a training center, barracks, and mustering ground for the Chains' ground forces - their naval yard resides at the town of Eastlock, which the eastern over-water span of Guanlu Road provides a direct connection to.
The Crystal Markets
Constructed like a massive Roman circus, the Crystal Markets are the center stage of Ashimachi's internal commerce. A paved ironwood roadway circles the entire campus, the rest formed of packed dirt from centuries of foot traffic and stalls being pitched and torn down on a daily basis. The markets are closed every Tiānhōbi (the eighth day of the week) for cleaning and maintenance.
The Yihui has repeatedly denied merchants' requests for licensing of permanent locations, citing that it encourages "fair trade," and as a result the layout of the Markets changes regularly. It can at times be quite a challenge to navigate or consistently patronize a favorite seller, and the scramble by merchants for favorable positions at the crack of dawn when the Markets open is a real spectacle to behold.
Mahoga University
The first magical academy established in the Coast, Mahoga is located in the northeastern edge of the Narrowlock district, immediately adjacent to the Centre. Though technically open to students from all walks of life, its unrivaled prestige means admissions are beyond selective. This, paired with various social and political pressures, means the vast majority of its student body comes from wealthy and established families. While not the only school of magic in the city and its metropolitan area, it is the only one recognized by the Accreditation Board of Spiritual Arts also headquartered in Ashimachi.
Flowers on High
The most famous memento in Ashimachi, Flowers on High was first built in LN242 and is one of only a handful of buildings that remain following the multi-generational project to raise the capital city above the delta. Constructed in the southwest quarter of The Centre, the memento was named after the famed poet Riquan Zhou. Or, more specifically, a theatrical adaptation inspired by his best-known poem which debuted at the Kako-en Amphitheatre. Flowers on High has closed, reopened, and changed hands countless times over the last millennium but it has never lost its place in the limelight. Even in the present day, with newer mementos employing cutting-edge methods and exotic ingredients, it remains a beloved institution of Ashimachi. Kako-en Amphitheatre
Another example of a building which survived the raising of the capital, the Kako-en amphitheatre sits diagonally across Kaifuku Square from Flowers on High. Despite its tiny seating capacity and poor acoustics compared to modern theaters, its prominent location and lasting fame as an original construct from the earliest days of Ashimachi see its tickets in a perpetual state of being sold out. Eastlock
A large town which straddles the eastern edge of the flooded delta, Eastlock is a prosperous fishing village and houses the naval yard where most of the Order's ships are harbored. The Order's naval academy is also located here. The largest of all the townships surrounding Ashimachi, Eastlock's primary industries are fishing and logging; the latter contributing to its position as the foremost source of boats and rigging in the city-state. The village guards the mouth of the Zouyi River which leads east toward Yunhai but does not reach the border.
Eastlock is a popular destination on the Coast for those interested in fishing thanks to reports of exotic and unique creatures being caught from The Fingerprint, and has both a thriving fish market and multiple companies which provide fishing tours through the waterways surrounding the city-state.
Blacklock
Perched on the western face of the Ari River which leads north to Kansujian and Chamatkaar, Blacklock began as a mining settlement harvesting the mineral riches of the Yangshan mountains to the northwest. This village received multiple generous donations from Kansujian's Subeturite syndicate throughout the ninth century LN, and is rumored to be the main site through which various illegal commodities are trafficked in and out of Ashimachi.
Tailfeather
The smallest and poorest township in the region, Tailfeather is a small hamlet built up in the area surrounding what was originally called the Sword Lock. Over centuries, erosion weathered the statue marker down until it more closely resembled a bird's quill; this went on to give the town its current name. Situated where the Ari River exits the Fingerprint going south, Tailfeather is most widely known as a ghetto for Treetouched (see 'The Treetouched') and other personae non gratiae in Ashimachi - including the descendants of the Dreamswallowers who were banished after their betrayal by the Shogun.
The eastern gate leading into Tailfeather from Guanlu Road is directly adjacent to the exit of the sewer system servicing the Asimachi metropolitan area, which heavily pollutes the waters downstream. While immigration and tourism from the south are rare due to Xinyuan's tiny population, visitors are strongly encouraged to use the roads rather than the river because of this.
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Ashimachi: Places of Interest
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