Am-Xitha, Parts I & II (Past Chronicle 2013-2014)

Duchy of Am-Xitha - by T.A. Saunders ©2013 v1.5

Shei Quarter

Blackthorne Estate

Sitting on the southern slopes of the Shei Quarter, the home of Duke Arathys Blackthorne is surprisingly modest considering what his title and appointments could grant him. Its is a relatively small manor fashioned in the wide, broad-roofed and flagstone style of Miroan architecture, Blackthorne Manor is three floors, a basement, a personal library, an observatory, armory and gallery of exotic weapons, armor and relics he has collected in his travels. There is also a viewing room, parlor, five bedrooms, each with their own bath, with the master bathroom being a large bath house-style pool and an oratory dedicated to the Twin Goddesses, with an elaborate prayer desk.

There are hedges but no flower garden to speak of outside of the building, but rather an abundance of Hirsalas trees, as the Duke is fond of them. These trees are aligned in such a way that they decorate the property, without turning the entire fifty acre plot into a personal woodland. His ‘permanent' Shimmering Servant, Mimi is always found here, as six Shatah Viyn warriors assigned to protect the Duke's residence.

The Duke built this home in a time of personal mourning for his ‘heart daughter,' Moon and his bastard son, Jathadrin, both of whom were slain during the Godswar. There are two Hirsalas trees planted in their honor at the back of the house, where they may be viewed with privacy. The estate is also significant, in that the Duke did not simply leave the matter of building it to the Flatcaps, but joined in on the process, learned basic masonry, carpentry and laboring from them, as a means of personal healing. With the new-found skills, Arathys also helped in reconstruction of other buildings, when time allowed, earning respect from the common folk and workers alike.

Court of the Moonrise (Nahara Chapter House)

Originally, the Nahara of the Court of Moonrise had been part of another chapter house in the human city of Moonfall. With the rise to power of Tolliver the Usurper and the massacre of Nahara there under the dubious banner of ‘eliminating spies in the kingdom,' those who managed to escape were brought to Am-Xitha and kept in the comforts of the Edge of Dreaming Hotel. While not the best arrangement, given the war, those that survived were treated well and the protection of the Heroes of Am-Xitha.

When plans for the reconstruction of Am-Xitha had begun, an arrangement had been made that rather than rebuilding the chapter house in Moonfall, that a new one would be made in Am-Xitha. While not necessarily a slight against Moonfall for doing so, the choice was rather an act of thanks to the Kingdom of Vyss for affording them hospitality in their country, during a time of war. The new chapter house, not coincidentally, named Court of the Moonrise, was given choice real estate in the Shei Quarter. Elevated to House Matron to oversee matters, succubus Nahara Lady Varity addresses all issues involving clients, Am-Xitha Nahara and their interaction with the public.

The chapter house is, like the Nahara themselves, a thing of exquisite beauty. The first thing of notability is long, paved path, lined with Misini trees that bloom pink-petaled flowers. The branches arch over the path, making a tree tunnel that leads to the chapter house. This opens into a vast courtyard, that the path forms a circle around a fountain of a dancing woman, fashioned from hammered gold and Shei marble. There is also a hedge maze and a horse-riding area and a lawn exclusively for entertaining clients and guests on the property. Finally, the chapter house itself is a manor of considerable size, at two hundred and twenty rooms, complete with a gourmet kitchen, baths, viewing rooms, galleries, a dancing hall, mediation chambers and the personal quarters of the Nahara that live here.

Ilys Jhal Memorial

Situated on the grounds where once, Ilys' impressive tower once stood, until its destruction in 1345, due to a temporal paradox caused by adventurers, the Memorial consists of an illusionary reproduction of Ilys's tower and a statue of the woman fashioned form Shei Marble and gold. Also stationed at the memorial is the former guardian of the tower, a 40 foot tall Clay Golem named Jhard, who happily answers any and all questions about his creator. Those who ignore the ‘DO NOT RIDDLE THE GOLEM' signs posted nearby do so at their own peril!

Built in 322 BF, the tower had the tallest structure in Am-Xitha. Even with the uppermost three floors missing from the top of it, after the bombardment, it still loomed over all other structures in the city. Crafted from what seemed to be some form of magically-enhanced Ohratite, the entire tower simply appeared out of nowhere on a plot of land Ilys had bought the day previous. Many texts were written about the day that regal Ilys stood, hands raised and brought the tower into existence with shaking ground and blood trickling from the corners of her eyes and mouth. When it was done and the dust settled, Ilys collapsed but refused any sort of aid, saying only, “I am it and it is I.” These very words are scrawled in Shei across the archway of the only door into the tower, lending credence to the widely held belief that part of the Elvish conjurer's soul was used to bring it into existence. Those who have entered the tower since its destruction and the death of its mistress in 213 BF swear it haunted by her, defending it as though all who cross its threshold are Shar'Vaire to be slain.

Pama Dorna ri Sheiti (Council Hall of Elf-Kind)

As with the other council houses across Am-Xitha, the Shei Council House addresses the needs and wants of the Shei Quarter, when it comes time for the Duke's Council meeting at the beginning of each week. The Councilwoman for the Shei is Lady Danabrella Jinai, whose ancestors were amongst the founders of Am-Xitha, centuries ago.

The council hall was built favoring modern Shei architecture, with Shei Marble shaped seamlessly into a structure that looks remarkably like a Hiralas Tree cone (which are not unlike pine tree cones, save the Hirsalas cones are shorter and can be set upright). Each ‘fin' on the cone-like structure has been altered to be clear, like a window, allowing the entire structure to be lit by natural light during the day. Inside looks much like an auditorium with a small, round stage and seating to accommodate those citizens who wish to take part in the political process.

Penmyr ri Shuun

As part of the agreements made with the Elemental Princes, Bavar and Shuun, for their assistance in purifying the earth and soil of Am-Xitha, this temple was included in the plans, during the reconstruction effort in 1346 AC. While not wildly popular with a land-locked city like Am-Xitha, there are more than enough worshipers of Shuun in the city to constitute a temple to the god.

The temple itself is fashioned from ice enchanted to remain eternally frozen, with gently carved plates curling upward, as if to appear as a frozen flame. The temple is a single-floor structure with a basement. The first floor is where worship takes place, around a pool of elemental water. The basement level serves as living quarters for the small collective of acolytes and the high priest.

Penmyr ri Zorah: As the matron goddess of the Shei, it was only logical to restore the temple dedicated to her in Am-Xitha. The original temple had been vaporized, save for a small grove on a hill that overlooked the city, and a statue of the goddess, holding flowers in one hand and her mighty warspear held high in the other. Surprisingly both the statue (which was fashioned from Shei Marble), and the grove itself remained unblemished by the swamp and by the sorcerous corruption that poisoned the rest of Am-Xitha. The moon lillies that grow there were, in fact the only flower that could grow in Am-Xitha for almost two thousand years.

Reconstructing the temple was fairly straight-forward, since worshipers of Zorah worship in the outdoors. The primary things were the cleaning up of the statue, and regrowing the circle of Hirsalas trees that had encompassed the temple grove. This task was entrusted to Sivanoshei druids, who had been helping Am-Xitha's Hierophant, Vel'na.

Valaneaux Winery

Built in the northern part of Am-Xitha's Shei quarter, the winery itself has been artfully constructed to match the architecture of the structures around it, both restored and new, favoring shaped Shei Marble, lacquered Kassoa wood and trim of gold. The building itself holds all the storage space and equipment necessary to go from raw fruits to finished bottles, and houses the only place to actually buy the wines.

Valaneaux Winery began as a dream of Jacqueline's, having realized it would be cheaper, easier and.. generally better to start producing her own libations. It wasn't until her husband Kaladhan got involved, however, that things really took off. The Valaneauxs produce wines ranging from the mundane to the extraordinary, most of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The ‘lost' Am-Xithan and D'Mirian wines have been rediscovered and put into limited production, giving them more prestige than a fledgling winery should really hold.

The ‘showroom' is both beautiful and elegant, offering tastings and light lunches built around their wines. This area of the winery is often busy with servants seeing to guests, with tours available on request. Just beyond on the elevated slopes, are fields that many of the botany-altered fruits are grown. These are not a part of the tour and are guarded by personal guardsmen. (Description by D. Etherington)