Chamatkaar: The City of Wings

History and Overview

Chamatkaar was founded by decree of the Hegemon of Pira in LN 102. Since New Pira and the ruins of Old Pira remain sacred even after all the trials and tribulations the Territory has gone through, it comes as no surprise that Chamatkaar is, was, and always will be regarded as a holy site to the followers of the Winged Faith. The city is enshrouded in the depths of the Aakashe, a seemingly endless jungle which begins at the edge of Kansujian’s Blue Sands and extends beyond the Threshold. The city and its surroundings exist in a sweltering climate with near-constant rain storms overhead.
Like most jungles the Aakashe offers both bountiful sustenance and incredible danger to those who tread along its floors. Given its proximity to Kansujian and thus the Territories, the area surrounding Chamatkaar has served as a staging area for countless expeditions into the Sea over time. These met with varying degrees of success and included attempts to establish new domains within the Coast. Tales of untold riches hidden in the ruins of these unsuccessful ventures inspire many adventurers to travel to Chamatkaar in search of fame and fortune. Though the Hegemony does not officially condone their presence, the revenue generated by regular tourism is very much appreciated by local residents.
Though considered a city-state of its own right, Chamatkaar is a temple first and foremost: aside from an open market at the front of the compound, the “city” is entirely concealed within the massive walls of the primary ziggurat and also underground. Due to this arrangement, the above-ground parts of the city only cover about one third of a square mile in total. All of Chamatkaar’s commerce and industry is dedicated to supporting its continued operation-- although it does conduct some trade with Kansujian and other city-states, it is heavily subsidized by New Pira.
Chamatkaar serves as the Hegemon’s destination for annual pilgrimages to the Sea. The Shielded Faith - whose vigilant Conservators monitor, control, and pacify malicious supernatural threats throughout the Coast - has its headquarters here.
Outside the city, the wilds of the Aakashe are possessed of supernatural fecundity: in some areas of the jungle a manmade clearing can be overgrown in a matter of hours. In order to circumvent this a magical ritual called Namvak is conducted by sorcerers; a spiritual salting of the earth, as it were. Over 1100 years have passed since Chamatkaar’s founding and so the temple-city itself, a number of small labor towns and farms, and a road leading directly to Kansujian are well-established.
Anyone wishing to traverse the area outside these boundaries must rely on the Raashtama, a series of waypoints marked by tall pillars made of red stone cut from the Laa’katra Quarry near Chamatkaar. Each of these is carved to depict the exploits of the Hegemon of Pira throughout history and they have local nicknames based on how the Hegemon is depicted: the Laughing Hegemon, the Wrathful Hegemon, etc.
The Raashtama contribute a vital means of navigating the Aakashe, particularly where resource gathering is concerned. Installed in clearings where the Namvak has been performed to prevent overgrowth, each one has several enchanted crystals embedded near its peak. These crystals, like the monolith found in the center of Chamatkaar, cast coherent beams of colored light which connect to nearby beacons. It is customary for travelers to leave small offerings at the base of each Raashtama they pass along their journey.

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Physical Layout

The main focus of Chamatkaar is the gargantuan terraced compound that is the Temple of the Hegemon. With its gilded outer walls over 1,000 feet (305m) wide, and its front entrance facing in the direction of Old Pira, the terraced complex houses shrines, churches, libraries, catacombs, and dormitories for clergymen in a pyramidal arrangement that ascends to a peak five hundred feet above ground. All exterior surfaces are clad in Pira-ispat, a golden alloy that became popular for use by the Winged Faith after Chamatkaar’s founding.
It is within the walls and beneath the floors of this great ziggurat that the laymen of Chamatkaar proper reside: like the labyrinthine passageways beneath an amusement park, the complex houses over 80,000 residents in an engineering marvel that provides safe and comfortable (if claustrophobic) living for all the support personnel necessary to keep the temple overhead running. These subterranean facilities contain residential areas as well as foundries and smithies for dedicated production of Pira-ispat.
To the northwest of the ziggurat is the Court of the Gods, an ornate radial dais 900 feet wide which houses eight 150-foot tall statues of the Gods of the Sea. In the Winged Faith the Gods of the Sea are generally revered on an equal level to the Hegemon, and their approval serves as proof of a new Hegemon’s worthiness each time the title is passed down. At the center of the Court hangs an enormous, levitating, multifaceted crystal tuned to harness the light of an eternal flame assisted by magical mirrors. The crystal projects a single sparkling beam of rainbow light, visible in daytime, which slowly rotates day and night illuminating the faces of each statue in turn. This is used as a timepiece, and more importantly to Chamatkaar is the means by which the time for prayers and sacrifices is coordinated. The Court is ringed by a roofed complex split into eight equal parts, each housing a grand shrine to each of the gods. This provides the faithful with a place to pray and make offerings to them.
Not all who serve the Temple live there. Spending all hours of day and night in confined spaces is generally considered unpleasant for humans, but for the denizens of the Temple functions as a form of selection to prove their devotion to the Faith. Those who live on Temple grounds are favored heavily by their superiors, but those who are beneath such notice or simply do not consider themselves so fanatical populate a handful of small townships in the surrounding area. These townships are tasked with providing sundry goods as well as food and ores to the Temple, and are free to trade with outsiders so long as their quotas are met.

Head of State: Pramukh Jite Dhondolas

Founding Territory: Pira

Language(s): Hiran, Tora (unofficial but recognized)

State Religion: The Winged Faith

Theme Song: Gingertail - The Mandalorian Theme (cover)