Ost Almira (OST all-MEER-uh)

Personal Identity vs Heritage (bullshit of original sin). Tradition vs Change. Environmental and Arcano-environmental challenges/threats (failing mythals). city of wonder in the Muhatan Desert. vegas without the gambling (the shows, though). the engineering (but magical) of dubai. Socially advanced despite a Monarch.

Factions

(secret) Dark Elves "drow"

NEED name (Dark Renaissance Of Will) dress is black bodywraps and move like ninja. working in secret to undermine the city. control the black market, but they're entirely unseen there. using shells and subsidiary merchants. Adherents of radical change. burn the tree and keep burning.

New Almiran Republic (NAR)

('narcisissts'. symbol is the Naimazor maybe) (alt name: Honorable Almiran Republic party "HARPers". icon is the harp) an in-the-light political opposition party. Want to eliminate the crown and rule via parliament. "Not just an elven city anymore." May have skeletons in closet -strings pulled by the drow. or their leader may be trying to do this all for himself. May advocate for Conjunctivism, but also they insist that they're walking according to Vayanism.

The Floran Party

Concentrated force for beautifying the land. Heavy overlap with The Penitents. Foran was the last name of one of the early workers of that stuff.

Fourth Party

small. want to nominate the dean or dead dean of the academy as a new king. (or someone else)

Threats from Outside

Sandstorms, Sindr approaching, Fulgur Serpents, Zaan flooding, Nadahans

Neighboring locations, requiring desert travel:

Minith

("Mina" is port )A tower used for trading with the dwarves. also high enough to scout out sandstorms. Purposely kept far away from Almira (elves distrust dwarven companies and haven't historically gotten along well.

Nuwas

a City of the Dead. abandoned 150 years ago, some time later, the Sindr moved in and now those bodies are being used. treasures are still there for the taking.

Ironwood Groves

(smaller ones scattered around, but one huge one, distant ot the east. Traded to Orcs + dwarves.

Ubaramin

Ruins in the farrr north. doesn't need frequent travel, but it's a location on the Race. was lost to underdark stuff.

Adventures out in the Desert

NEED: (look for inspiration in Darksun, Al-qadim, Arabian Nights tropes)

Hunting of game, (gazellopes, hydrascorpions, geodillos)

Trade with dwarf tower.

Explorations of lost cities, and expeditions to tunnels spotted from the sky (dwarves always looking for atlantis)

travel to ironwood groves for trade.

attempts at restoring the land - most effective when rites/magic are performed underground

Adventures in Almira

chases.

need villanous groups (like the maestrii, corrupt companies, the covenant)

-> adapt "the three apples" (murder mystery)

something happening around the race. Maybe the race is coming up and there are concerns about the storm affecting it.

Happenings

Recent temporary failures of Mythals has people worried.

may see reports of this on the newspapers

forecast of a big electrical storm on the way.

Upcoming Race. or recent race features riders who have witnessed something crazy. (maybe the Sindr)

Sindr approaching en masse. or just the growing threat of them.

Hunt for a Relic (or alternative source) that can bodyswap descendants with an ancestor (maybe it empowers the ancestors to takeover, but it's not a specific one). someone told the Dynasts about it and they're trying to lead a search for it.

the Second Party wants to get rid of the Dynast ( a non-monarchy). secretly intend to use the Storm as a cover for their coup.

the faction advocate for a reworking of the constitution to allow the parliament to rule directly, which makes the parliament an easy-in for them. structure the formation of the parliament (oooh, they're modelling themselves after the Commissions) in a way to guarantee representatives. "Almira isn't just an Elven city anymore"

may or may not be the result of an underground Dark Elven sect trying to eliminate the old elves.

recent mysterious closing of the orchard. The Penitents are upset that they've been forbidden (when they didn't do anything wrong). word is that someone broke in maybe, or some minor mistake one of them made. ACTUALLY someone did break in and steal, OR the vizier is doing accelerated experiments with fruits and has to cover that.

Layout

sprawling and spacious. symmetrical districts. lots of hexagons. Pyramidal structures. homes with subtle arches on the roof to resist the buildup of sand after storms. Center is a hexagonal pyramid where The Ahura live. some wide-open spaces underground. malls and stuff like that are typically built in big hollow spaces underground. lit with vented skylights that are protected from dust. this is where the bazaars all. essentially malls

Enchantments.

1. manna spawning each dawn (this manna feeds livestock. it tastes gross to people) 2. refraction of light into crystal charging aparatusses. 3. a mythal that protects the city from desert storms / winds. 4. creation/evolution of the cacti was a mythal? they require periodic mythals to grow maybe. (the cacti attracts ibexes and stuff like that) 5. mythal to direct the flow of water around the city's sewer system. 6. Mythal enchanted mail/address system. papyrus that follows currents to addresses. 7. There's an "ice park" where a mythal has created frozen water. Not large enough to be used in a big civic way, so it's just a fun place to go. stalls there serve ice cream and that kind of thing. walkways. ice sculptures.

Government

They have a pair of monarchs (The Ahura) who live only in the minds of their descendents.who sit in meditation when the monarchs needs to act/deliberate. 9 right right now. The generation of 8 is beginning to have the children (16), which means an upcoming torrent of new comuners (but more specificially a lot of new people bring brought into the parliament. Each parlimentarian is meant to 'mentor' or lobby one of the meditators. "The Ahura" are the monarchs. Ahura Asifir and Ahura Saeris technically (but mostly they're referred to as one as "Ahura" or "the Dynast".

parliament can only modify existing laws - modifying their reach or implementation. and only the Dynast can create new laws (the parliament can proposes them, and the dynast accepts or rejects them).

it's a rotating group. X members. when someone quits (or ends a Y-year term), Elves in the city (and Kin too, now?) vote from all available candidates for that position. so the guy on the parliament who represents some of the dissident members of society is a relic of a time people were really upset or something. X is equal to the number of dynast meditators, because each parliamentarian will mentor one of the meditators.

There are Kin on that parliament. maybe an orc or a galvan. There are viziers like "chief doctor to the crown" who administers the peri fruit and also does experiments for the crown's hopes at a bodyswap drug.

A day in the life of a meditator

24 hrs. 8-12 hours in trance (6-8 are in session. where the dynast speaks through them to the parliament or people who meet the dynast. other time is mysterious). 8 hours with their mentor, discussing policy, seeing the city. 4-8 hours 'on their own' (much of that is training for the first few years. then there's bloat as other things leak into this time. extended trance sessions, etc).

Culture

Ost Almira is a place of wonder (spectacle and technical acumen). impressive magical spectacle everywhere. performers are built upon the expertise of their ancestors. part of the elven cultural consciousness is a wariness of eternity - change is necessary, so nothing is preserved forever. Art is meant to be temporary - even fine art and sculpture. When the parent dies, the art is destroyed by the children. (though the statues of parents are kept somewhere. a chamber. like the terracotta soldiers)

Where the fame is

(in the way that american culture values wealth, and financial success, and attaches fame to that.)
Almiran values excellence in skill, which ranges from art to performance to sport, to craft. but the valued 'positions' to be in are: (one of those professions). marrying into the meditators (your kids will spend their life as a vessel for a dead ruler, but YOU will become part of those sessions).

Art / Entertainment

elven painting is usually watercolor. but more of their focus is on performance art than paper art. figurative sculpture is almost nonexistant because of their reproductive process.

Music:

modern elves were into somber, contemplative music. some blues. lots of polyphony.

traditional elves were into instrumental usually. choirs over it.

Performance Art

cross-desert race once a year. (celebrity)

requires several 'checkpoints' including the Outpost. And either another fallen city in the far northeast, or maybe a thing outside the cinder city. ultimately the point is that people on that race can witness strange happenings while racing and return with rumors. or shocked horrified looks.

The Karandras Theater

Cirque de soleil analogue (star/lead is a Kin)

illusionist (how do stage magicians exist here?)

The Ironwood Stage

'The Ironwood'

Blue Man Group (do everything in an anti-magic cone)

Elvis/Frank cover choir

The Vayana Theater

AKA "The Cactus" or "The Sawaril"

the structure of the theater is cactus-like. gehry architecture. central structure where the stage is, with 'branches' curving upward for stands

waterbending show

druid show (animal tricks)

Shan'dalar Concert Hall

opera / ballet

a string quartet with a doublebass that requires two elves (representing one parent) to play it.

The Sand-lion Arena

(Medieval Times)

Naimazor Joust

Orcish wrestling shows

falconry contests. (open air arena)

Escape Room Facility

one is a crashing airship.

one is a nuremborcian house with undead outside.

Nightlife

city comes alive at night. the sun is their tormentor, so there's a lot that happens at night. maybe elves typically 'sleep' during the day. i think the link to their ancestors is easier when the sun is up. maybe that's why the dynasty is at the top of a pyramid, bringing them closer to the dynasty.

Cania

Kin Nightclub. raves. undgerground. that exact scene from The Matrix.

The Flynx Step Ballroom

Balllroom dancing and other fancy events. kind of place where award shows would happen.

Restaurants

The Oasis

(Beer Garden) lovely place. Good chance players will congregate here. this is an upstanding place for hangouts.

serve beers from Tenemil primarily (Tenemil, Heqet, Three Dune Ale, Mythrandir Stout). some from Nadahan (infrequently and at a markup)

The Nadahan Taproom

Carving of a river nymph over the bar. more of a tavern vibe. Brewpub.

"Ten Mill" (Lager) labelled as '10,000,000 Lager'. it's a spin on "tenemil ale"

"Peri On, Fruit Beer" (if asked, they don't use peri fruit for the beer)

"Zaan Point Pale Ale"

"Barely There" Lite Beer

"(W)Heat Wave" (Wheat Ale)

Tenemil Brewery

(not really a gathering place, but im collecting it here for ease of development. The brewery does big exports to nuremborc.

"Tenemil Lager" flagship beer

"Heqet Ale"

"Three Dune Ale"

"Mythrandir Stout"

The Broken Harp

(Jazz Club)

Brass Street Market

underground bazaar. lots of street food. huge underground clearing. has 'skylights' with a minor mythal to keep the dust out.

Holidays

founding of Ost Almira. which predates the conjunction.

birth and

death of the Monarch.

were they reigning before they became the monarch?

The ascension of Vayanabrimbor

yearly graduation day for Ilhasin University.

the big race across the desert.

National heroes.

Giyathorn inventor of the cactus, and the manna mythal.

<various creators of other Perpetual Magical workings> (Maloniel invented the postal system)

"Vayanabrimbor" founder of Vayanism (didn't die or repro. mysteriously vanished. in front of people!).

Ilhasen, founder of the university.

Mythrandir, worker of the sandstorm mythal

Alariel (Living). leader of the environmental stuff.

Almiran University

Classical university focused on magic theory these are the mathematicians/physicists as opposed to the engineers.
World's best library outside of Red Monastery.
History as well
environmentalism/druidism.
Astronomy? they would have an unparalleled view of the night sky.

can call on its alumni in times of crisis for emergency aid. like the national guard or whatever its called.

Ministry of Corrections

There are some Galvan among the judges

Prison is only given to violent offenders. Lesser deeds (or first time offenses) are corrected with monitoring/therapy or fines.

Prison is usually being chained to the roof of a building, to heighten the interaction with their ancestors. Only in the most extreme cases are offspring forbidden - so prisoners are able to intermingle and eventually produce offspring (which are then monitored by the Ministry of Corrections, for influence of that ancestor. Weekly therapy. maybe given drugs that mute the ancestors).

Enterprise (businesses: Services/Goods)

Misc Enterprises

civic service that maintains the magic of the mythals. "almiran engineers"

mail service

magic. floats papyrus to a specified address (addresses are sort of programmed into a mythal).

Religion

Vayanism There are also those that still revere the tree and want to restore the landscape - the Penitents.

are they allowed or disallowed in the Garden? probably a limited thing, under careful escort from The Royal Guard. maybe they chafe at restrictions against them. maybe someone broke a restriction and as a result, they've been recently banned from the garden and they're upset about that. (tie this into the new bodyswap Happening. maybe that was a bullshit excuse to lock out witnesses to the amount of fruit that's been harvested. could be a vizier loyal to the crown that's doing experiments with the fruit)

There's a decent sect of Conjunctivism followers here. if for nothing else than the Kin are here in abundance. and they're an outgoing bunch.

Agriculture

cacti, dates, bread (from wheat/barley), beans/lentils, onions, garlic, lettuce, chickpeas, chickens, goats. Beer!! (an export!). Food is mediteranean. There is also more-arable farmland to the west against the mountains.

Arms

(bronze worked with magic probably. native weapon specialties are Wands, Scimitar, Hand Axe, Halberds/GuanDao, Shortbow. Orcish spears are in vogue

Fae Blades

Keen Endjulen, Kin (m) - he contracts with the best craftsmen and sells their wares.

generally, they don't want to be bothered - want to be left to the craft. or they're just not into the business side stress.

that maybe does imply some additional stressors on businessmen (taxes from the crown, extortion from org crime, extortion from a 'guild', idk).

has a blade guy (scimitars, hand axes, and guandao) (actually the Red Sage Pair (backup idea if i move them to san salvo is a dark elf that Keen trades with). name is Mustafir Habith, elf (m)

has a magic guy (wands and staves): Rienna Kalir, elf (f)

has a bow guy (shortbows): Symon Enali, elf (m). makes his bows from the brances at the very tips of the ironwood trees.

also has a katana girl: Kuina Ichimonji, human (f). alleged daughter of a blademaster from whatever i'm calling basquemere today. has the creation mark. ACTUALLY the red sage pair (backup plan is an actual human, if i move red sages to san salvo)

there are opporunities to make these crafters fugitives who need their anonymity. that means red sages, olympians, drow etc.

Berevan Smithy, Finest Almiran Blades

Celebrity. Samira Berevan, elf, (f)

expensive. a lot of her time goes toward the Royal Guard. As unrest is rising due to the mytals, the royal guard have literally been sharpening their blades (also expecting to grow in number to protect the next, larger, generation of meditators.

Eva's Orcish Spears

Eva The Grim (Kaznar), orc (f) from Nuremborc, so she likes to party. opens late sometimes. often hungover.

The Royal Guard

They serve the monarch ("Dynasty"). Military tradition. Mostly wield guandao. Growing in size to anticipate the next, larger, generation of Dreamers.

Power / Utilities

solar charging magic as a result of a mythal

wind charging of crystals.

windmills in the 'nile' (the "Zaan river"?)

Item Shops

Prosper's Enchanted Goods

Prosper Midober, Kin (m) Kinnish magic item trader

Altair's Enchanted Weaponry

Altair Safalas, elf (m). eyepatch. experienced ranger assassin vibes. "altair's deadly weapons" "altair's weapons of note" "altair's legendary weapons" "altairs worthy weapons" altairs enchanted weaponry. weapons of infamy.

Enchantment!

Elmira Kattun, elf (f) kind of bored, because of her extreme skill. others may tell you she's one of the most gifted magic practitioners in the world. just in a slump. no inspiration.

Reporting

REWORK. For elections, there needs to be a free press. So make thi private rather than an extension of the crown. businesses can buy these papers to draw people in for reading. have a lot of papyrus. maybe the news is presented in poem form? or handmade caligraphy you can watch - papers distributed, and someone does a sympathetic magic to caligraphize all the pages based on his copy. calligrapher is a celebrity fewer 'stories' per se. mostly updates on things the dynasty has done lately. reminders of civic events.

Public Transportation

Naimazors for around-city transport.

Irrigamel unicorn camels for desert navigation. (anteater mouths for accessing water undergrund).

black market goods

operated by The Drow

gun runners

Peri knowlege-of-good-and-evil drug

drug from lobsterscorp venom that mutes ancestors. formulations can eliminate specific generations. Used by the Ministry of Corrections but illegal for the populace to possess.

History

the city has been here for longer than the conjunction. they're 1500 years or so since the death of their god. A generation/life is something like 40-50 years maybe. could change that a bunch, but that's 16 gens since the conjunction. (the body begins to petrify at higher age).

Develop

Peri Fruit

MUST: have a scandalous use that the dynast can inflict on his people (this is the reason for him to keep the trees)

What he wants from his dreamers: supplication, extended trances (narcotic effect), taking over (doesn't want the populace to know about this, i guess)

MUST: have a beneficial use that he keeps from the people.

MUST: magical/mechanical use (it will have two chief effects)

Fruit story: why did the orchard suddenly get closed off.

NEED: something shifty for Vizier to be doing with the stuff, beyond just feeding it to the dreamers. there was suddenly a massive need for it, used in experiments..

Maybe the relic is a NEW thing that happens after the players arrive. The Vizier is trying to create that effect and has been working on it lately. ehh, that's just too coincidental that it just happens to ramp up right before a mcguffin is found). Maybe rumors of the thing have abounded for a while, and since the king can't find it, he's trying formulations. BUT THEN one of his expedition pay off?

WANT: a devil-fruit situation. you get something but at another cost. But I don't think i want it to be a one-time thing. maybe doing it once changes you like DMT. (can see the weave, if you remain awake)

Venom

mutes ancestors (formulations can mute specific levels of ancestry)

Relic/McGuffin for bodyswap.

could be a relic

(good) will cause a hunt

(?) where does information of it come from? an expedition. expedition member leaks the info out, so while the king knows about it, so do others.

(bad) not connected to the Fruit story.

"Peri fruit" (alt "Maiar fruit" "zoroa fruit", ruman fruit, "shaytan" fuit) is the magic superfruit that grows only in the orchard within the palace.

NEED magic effects. (intellectual stimulation, enhanced communication with ancestors, sedentary)

some kind of food utility. a bullshit claim for what the crown does with the fruits in its garden

a drug *can* be made from the magic garden fruit (something intellectual. like 'fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil'). so the fruits are guarded. and eating them straight doesn't do that. (the dreamers are fed this drug (probably unknowingly) to help access the Dynast.