Ehzhimahn

At a Glance

The tall spires that give the city its common name clearly identify it on first sight. Only Ehzhimahn boasts such a huge proliferation of glimmering spires, domes, and cones on its buildings. The city has no wall, only high watchtowers that alert the city to possible danger.

Temples

The Founder's Creation has the backing of the Pasha and considerable temporal powers as well. It controls the prestigious Architect's Guild, which contracts work for large buildings around the world. Many religions prosper in Spire City, especially the Inevitable Order of Time, Church of Chance, the Fraternal Order of Aptitude, Assembly of the Four Corners, the House of Hunger, Impostors, the Courts of Inequity, Church of Endless Night and the Congregation of the Dead.

Mages & Sages

Spellcasters in Ehzhimahn belong to a single guild, called the Celestial Dawn. The Celestial Dawn supposedly includes all wizards and sorcerers in Ehzhimahn, since the Pasha requires all native and visiting wizards to join. The penalty for casting arcane spells without being a member of the guild is exile, enforced by the Celestial Dawn themselves (at risk of great line should they fail to enforce it).
The Guildmaster is Veznos Dashemmi, a benign and grandfatherly man who reassures new members that membership in the guild serves no real purpose other than to keep a sort of census of spellcasters. He is sincere, but he thinks it best not to mention the clause that allows the Pasha to demand spells and services at no charge; after all, Wemahn rarely calls upon outsiders without dire need.

Underworld

Thieves are common, although most rogues in the City of Spires are freelancers. A minor guild, the Breath of the Djinn, specializes in burglary of tall buildings. Its guildmaster is Minis Kopar, the son of a Kalamaran merchant shipwrecked in the Whimdol Bay fifteen years ago. Guildmaster Minis uses spells to enhance the ability of his rogues— invisibility levitate, cat's grace, and darkvision are the favorites.

Government

Originally a Meznamishii colony, Ehzhimahn gained its independence shortly after Fortnight's Battle. The leader of the revolt crowned himself Pasha, and his lineage has ruled ever since. Since that time, Pasha Wemahn Nhila has ruled Spire City for twenty-six years, an anniversary coincident with the birth of his eldest son, Wheren. Wemahn is a ruthless and controlling ruler who nonetheless believes he does what is best for Ehzhimahn's long-term health. Although he holds absolute rule over the city, his four sons continually challenge or undermine his power. Wemahn would openly kill his four sons—and he has attempted to do so more than once—but they have the backing of powerful merchants, guilds, or temples.
While Wheren is the heir-designate, he shows no signs of developing skills of Statecraft and Diplomacy. Instead, he prefers to develop his natural talent of prophecy at the Inevitable Order of Time. Doubt of the throne's future clouds the city while secret warfare and political subterfuge flourish between the various factions that attempt to wrest control From the Pasha.

Defences

The Pasha entrusts the defense of his city to Svalinh al-Svalar, a veteran of both sand and sea. Despite his experience, Svalinh detests the open water and concentrates his attention on the land. Svalinh commands 75 footmen (leather armor, wooden shields, and scimitars), 50 light cavalry (studded leather, scimitar, and light lance), and 50 archers (composite bows, punching daggers, and bucklers).
Svalinh's main concerns are pirates and monsters from the desert. To defend against the former, he has ten warships at his command. Due to a lack of knowledge on his part, only three of these ships are at full crew and repair at any given time. For the latter threat, Svalinh has made agreements with nomadic Dejy tribes to alert him to any monstrous or military threats they encounter. Svalinh spends a great deal of time among these tribes and knows that they work to eliminate any threat they can; anything they choose to avoid deserves circumspection.

Industry & Trade

The people of Ehzhimahn enjoy the benefits of a unique and exotic trading partnership. A tribe of mermen live among the coral reefs off the coast and relations between the two cultures are excellent. The mermen offer coral, shellfish, mother-of-pearl; when possible, they offer octopus ink or other monstrous byproducts.
They trade for worked goods of precious metals (gold is most prized) and for colored glass jewelry. The Barrier Islands in the Whimdol Bay produce fruits and other food. These products feed the people in the city and the wandering Dejy tribes who visit.
Although they produce a hearty amount of food, little of it leaves the immediate market. Ships take products to ports across the Elos Bay and south to Svimohzia. Departing ships take the famous glasswares that make Ehzhimahn's name synonymous with excellent bottles.

Points of interest

Whimdol Bay is the site of a thriving kingdom of merfolk. This kingdom, Naeasquacila, has been a vital part of Ehzhimahn's economy, but one that they prefer to keep secret. The merfolk fear that too much human contact might spoil their culture. Fortunately, the difficulty of reaching them prevents nearly all contact, except when the merfolk wish to initiate it.

Founding Date

I.R. 230

Alternative Name(s)

Spire City

Type

City

Population

8,500 humans. About 6,000 of the people are descendants of Meznamishii colonists, while the remainder are primarily Dejy and a few Brandobians.

Location under

Young Kingdoms

Owning Organization

Meznamish