Bindi

The journey from Destani took a very short amount of time; we were in the bejewelled city within the week. I will admit that, were it not for the timely task to be completed, I would have taken the time to survey the glittering gem in the heart of Hayim more closely. I would have remarked its shining towers, the beautiful sea, and the blooming fields of Hayim roses that filled the valley around it. Alas, it was not to be...

— Alam Shamseri, The Red Rose of Destani

The largest city in the Kingdom of Hayim, Bindi is also its capital and one of the biggest trading ports this side of Elpotast. Famous for the sale of many rare items of the West, it is also a city grounded in centuries of history ever since the Hayim people came across the seas to Endaman.

A Merchant's Fragrant Home

The capital of Hayim is located at the intersection of many trade routes: to the north is the nation's neighbour the Kingdom of Oren, to the west are the mercantile colonies of the Rings, to the south is the Princedom of Llenir and its famous wood and steel, and to the east is the economic powerhouse that is the Gratic Empire. Because of this, goods from all over the world find their way to Bindi. The city itself is known for the intensive cultivation of all three varieties of Hayim roses, as well as the hundreds of other flowers and herbs that the Hayim found in the region after travelling from Dendan. 

History

Bindi was founded many centuries before the establishment of the Gratic Empire. The descendants of Elmar I Almunkminsari and Dilgar I Asirlefuladfirubi, the legendary monarchs of the Hayim people, settled the region after being attracted by its fragrance; the word bindi in Hayimic means "pleasant scent." They set to work tending to the flowers of the region as well as the vegetables and grains they brought with them from their homeland. Over the centuries, the Kings of Hayim have used the city as a stronghold in times of trouble and a launching point for their expansion across the continent. They were eventually halted and conquered in turn by the Gratic peoples to the east, leading to their city being the seat of their new Magistrate while their king was in hiding. The end of the Red Rose War led to the restoration of the monarchy, their union with the Kingdom of Oren, and a new era of prosperity for the city and its inhabitants.

Founding Date

934 BE

Type

City

Population

15 000

Location under

Hayim

Owner/Ruler

Sari II

Ruling/Owning Rank

King/Queen of Hayim

Owning Organization

Kingdom of Hayim

Landmarks

Bindi contains several important buildings in the cultural consciousness of its people, namely the following:

• The main market square is the most diverse and the largest marketplace of its kind in the entire world. Hundreds of shops and stalls blanket the thoroughfares and cobblestones of the square, selling every good imaginable;
• Its main temple dedicated to Agharna is known as the religious centre of all Hayim religious piety. An informal "religious quarter" surrounds the building with shops selling books, ink, and religious iconography from across the world; and
• The Rosewater Palace is the residence of the king, his family, and the diverse court that surrounds him. Its bathhouse is occasionally opened to the public, especially for religious holidays.