Sin’shar
The capital of the imperium, Sin’shar lies along the eastern edge of the desert near a natural basin at the foot of Mount Zadak. A river has been diverted to fill the basin as a lake, and the city is built near and around it. A planned city, the main roads fan out neatly with the most important buildings near the center. However, the centuries have taken their toll on the intended organization; winding alleys, dead-end streets, and hidden courts can be found in Sin’shar just like in every other large city in the world.
The palace of the king of kings is of granite, sturdy and imposing rather than elegant. As with most Huun buildings, its large windows have carved screens to let in any breeze while keeping out most of the sun. The windows also have strong coverings and heavy hangings that are put in place in case of a sandstorm or when the temperature drops drastically at night, as it often does. Interior hallways have no windows, which makes them stuffy but also a possible shelter should a very bad storm blow up. Besides housing the palace staff and the assistants and guards of the king of kings, the building also includes enough bedrooms to accommodate the many people who might need to be at court at the same time. Despite being in the palace, these rooms are not luxurious, as luxury and softness have very little place in the life of the Huun. In addition, the rooms tend to be all very similar; the Huun have no nobility to expect special treatment, only those deserving of more respect due to experience, profession, or skill.
The public rooms of the palace are likewise less ornamented than most such edifices in other kingdoms, although the throne room itself is decorated around the edges with murals of peacocks in larger-than-life size. The throne of the king of kings is barely larger than an average chair, though its workmanship is exceptional and it is well-cushioned.
One feature of the palace known only to the most senior officials and quite well hidden is the Room of Travel. Set in the walls of this room are magical doorways to other cities in the imperium, guarded by a group of the Huun’s best warriors lest some enemy ever access one and try to use it in an attack. Primarily for use by messengers and for the transportation of small cargo, they also are occasionally employed by the king of kings or other important government officials to visit other Huun cities.
Other civic buildings in Sin’shar are built of granite quarried nearby in the Tirzhakah range, and their architecture is primarily practical. Exceptions are the four temples in the city, which are each built of stone particularly chosen to please and represent each deity and which vary in style.
The most popular temple in recent years is the black basalt temple of Nergal the Deathbringer, who sends war, plague, and other forms of devastation. Some worship to pray for his wrath on their enemies, while many try to propitiate him and turn his attention away from themselves. His consort is Erishkigal, who allows the souls of the dead to abide in the Underworld so they are not forced to roam the earth after death. Her temple is built of marble, gray with swirls like the mists of the Underworld.
The Garden of the Mother holds the temple of Aku’te Selissa, the uncaring mother, who is also known as the White Lady. Using irrigation from the lake, a large garden area has been built with many exotic flowers, fruits, etc. An army of gardeners takes care of the grounds while a corps of beautiful young men and women play and perform for the delight of the goddess. Sometimes they learn and execute elaborate dances or musical pieces; other times they play the games of children, though often with an element of danger added.
In the center of the garden is a special area called the White Garden. It has only plants which bear white flowers and is built around a white marble statue of the goddess, with her hard eyes, aloof expression, and diadem, cloak, and train of white peacock feathers. Peacocks of all types roam the outer garden freely, but only white ones are allowed in the White Garden; others are violently chased out. Someone is on duty in the White Garden at all times, so a person is always near if the goddess desires to speak. Such a server always dresses in white, of course. Nearby is the actual temple to the White Lady. Made of pure white marble, it seems to have been inspired by certain ancient temples of Jaati; it has a clean, pleasing shape with the walls elaborately carved and pierced. Inside it includes living areas for the lady’s priests and attendants as well as plenty of space for worship.
The final temple stands opposite the city on the far side of the lake, in a desolate, rocky area. A road to it is paved with black granite but it is impossible to tell what type of stone was used to construct the temple because it is entirely covered in colorful mosaics composed of bits of gemstones set in geometric patterns and in swirls of peacock feathers. Inside, the single great room is almost dark but the faint light shows more mosaics covering the walls completely. At the front of the room, lights illuminate a tall mosaic of a beautiful, blue-skinned man with solid black eyes. He wears a diadem of small feathers and is feathered himself, beginning at his cheeks. He has feathered arms, like a peacock’s wings, and he wears a robe of feathers the same blue as his skin and a cloak with a long train of peacock feathers. This is the temple of the Peacock God Maas Tal’ek, destroyer of the universe and the end of all things.
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