Anekhsemeru
Anekhsemeru, a puissant city girt by the Asri's flow, seat of Khemia's might. A stone's throw from Janab-Khet's fallen grace, it stands, a bustling hearth for caravans that brave the Senu's scorching embrace. Within its walls, a market hums with life, a vibrant throng, peddling wares both strange and strong. Alchemists hawk potent elixirs, their fumes a heady song, while mystics whisper of amulets, 'gainst ill fortune to prolong.
Demographics
Let us paint a tapestry of Anekhsemeru's folk, their visages and veins. Though Humans stand in greatest multitude, like wheat in a sun-drenched field, other races mingle in this grand concourse. The Keb, roam its streets, their voices like desert winds. The Oubasti, eyes like as citrine, whisper tales of far lands and ancient lore. And the Choru, scale the city's heights, their laughter echoing in the alleys. Yet, hark! These numbers, these reckonings of race, they are but pebbles cast upon the tide of Anekhsemeru's spirit. For within its walls, hearts of all hues beat in unison, their fates woven together by the loom of destiny:
- Human: 42,500
- Keb: 5,000
- Oubasti: 2,000
- Choru: 500
Districts
Royal District
First, let us step within the Royal District, a citadel of gilded stone guarded by towering walls. For a mere five kespa, one may gain entry to this bastion of power, where Queen Isi holds court and her scribes whisper secrets in the famed Cerulean House. Here, Kebian artisans ply their trade in workshops of renown, crafting arms and finery fit for a king. Even the barber-surgeon's blade gleams with precision, promising solace for body and soul.
Abrami
A stark contrast awaits in Abrami, a labyrinthine slum where the city's underbelly toils. Fishermen mend their nets, dockworkers haul heavy burdens, and laughter spills from smoky taverns. The Ouranic Church offers solace with a pawn shop and modest temple, while whispers of forgotten lore echo from the curiosity shop. Yet, shadows lurk in the alleyways, and the plague house stands as a grim reminder of mortality. Venture not here after dusk, unless folly be your guide.
The Grand Souk
Now, let us turn our gaze to the vibrant tapestry of the Grand Souk, a marketplace teeming with life. Here, merchants from every corner of the land hawk their wares: spices that dance on the tongue, silks that shimmer like desert mirages, and trinkets that whisper of distant lands. The air hums with a thousand bargains struck, a symphony of commerce punctuated by the clink of coin and the rumble of laughter.
Noblemen's Quarter
Beyond the market lies the Noblemen's Quarter, a district of elegant mansions and manicured gardens. Here, the city's elite preen and plot, their lives a gilded cage of privilege.
Yamunwa (Meyuti)
Merchants' District
Further, in the heart of the city, the Merchants' District thrums with the pulse of trade. Here, spices from the Senu Desert mingle with furs from the icy north, and fortunes are made and lost in the blink of an eye.
Temple District
In the eastern quarter, the air hangs heavy with the scent of incense and the murmur of prayer. This is the Temple District, a haven for the pious and the seekers of wisdom. Each deity finds their sanctum here, from the sun-kissed halls of Ra to the moonlit whispers of Bastet.
Pharmacists' District
Here the air takes on a sharper tang. This is the Pharmacists' District, where the alchemists concoct their potent elixirs and the herbalists peddle poultices for every ailment. Tread carefully, for even the most innocuous vial may hold untold power.
Sculptors' District
Northward, the air vibrates with the rhythmic clang of hammer on chisel. This is the Sculptors' District, where stone gives way to dreams and statues whisper tales of heroes and gods. From delicate miniatures to towering monoliths, each creation bears the mark of an artist's soul.
Lotus District
Finally, we arrive at the Lotus District, a realm of shadows and hidden pleasures. Here, in low-ceilinged brothels, desire burns like a desert wind. Poverty clings to every corner, and crime lurks in the twilight. Yet, even in this den of iniquity, taverns offer a refuge for the lost and the desperate, and a curiosity shop teems with treasures of dubious provenance.
Asriha
Yobewa
Sakhbesu
Apno
This, then, is but a glimpse into the kaleidoscope that is Anekhsemeru. Each district holds its own secrets, its own stories waiting to be unearthed. So, brave traveler, choose your path and let the city captivate you with its vibrant tapestry of lives. Just remember, in Anekhsemeru, no corner is ordinary, and no day is ever dull.
History
In ages past, shrouded in the mists of a thousand years, the mighty Rexan Empire stretched its iron grip across the sands of Khemia. In the heart of this sun-baked realm, they raised a bastion of stone and steel, a sentinel guarding the flow of trade along the Asri's winding path. This sturdy keep, a custom house where tolls were levied and goods inspected, became known as the "Talon of the River," a constant reminder of Rexan dominion.
But time, like the shifting sands, is a fickle foe. Centuries spun by, and the winds of change swept across Khemia. The once-proud Rexan Empire crumbled, its talons blunted by the whispers of rebellion and the sting of defeat. And as Janab-Khet, the ancient seat of Khemian power, lay in smoldering ruins, the seeds of a new city began to sprout in the shadow of the Talon.
Drawn by the river's lifeblood and the promise of refuge, folk from far and wide flocked to the burgeoning town. Walls rose around the old fortress, embracing the huddled houses and bustling markets within. In the tongue of Khemia, a name was whispered upon the desert breeze: "Anekh-se-Meru," it breathed, meaning "The Life of the Desert." For within these ramparts, a new oath was sworn - not to an empire of steel, but to the enduring spirit of Khemia itself.
Then, in the fiery year of 179 AR, the final embers of Rexan rule flickered and died. With a triumphant roar, Khemia claimed its birthright once more, a sovereign kingdom rising from the ashes. And where better to plant the banner of a reborn nation than upon the fertile soil of Anekhsemeru? Thus, with eyes fixed upon the future, the city was declared the new capital, a beacon of Khemian pride shimmering in the desert sun.
Anekhsemeru, child of hardship and heir to ancient might, now stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of Khemia. Its stones whisper tales of empires lost and won, of merchants and farmers, scribes and soldiers, all woven together by the loom of destiny. Within its walls, the desert's oath echoes still, a promise to forge a future as vibrant and enduring as the sands themselves.
Points of interest
Garden of the Date Palms
Maps
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Anekhsemeru
- Khemia Occulta I: Cut Off the Hand of the Thief
- Nomen Infernale XL:
- Nomen Infernale XLI: The Poison of Vipers Is on Their Lips
- Nomen Infernale XLII: My Flesh Is Cloaked With Worms; My Skin Is Cracked And Festering
- Nomen Infernale XXX:
- Nomen Infernale XXXI:
- Nomen Infernale XXXII: I Will Make For Him a Helpmeet
- Nomen Infernale XXXIV: O Death, Where Is Your Sting?
- Nomen Infernale XXXIX:
- Nomen Infernale XXXVI: Thou Shalt Not Suffer a Necromancer to Live
- Nomen Infernale XXXVII: Many Are the Afflictions of the Righteous
