Friends, Cousins, Comrades and Gentle Readers,
Some of you have left me more practical questions about the present state of the Blessed Lands. "Tukufu," you write, "rather than material about esoteric prophesies and notes on the distant past tell us what you've experienced there." Essentially several of you have asked: What is the Blessed Lands and the First City like?
You could write a book on such a topic! I despair of answering such questions concisely. I gather too many of you have not yet been to the First City. I urge you to come and make the pilgrimage! Then you will see for yourselves. You will want a third eye to take in all the wonders and history openly on display. In the minds of Men, Elorii and S’sressen alike the First City has an almost mythical quality as the center of all our ancient empires. Did I say almost? I retract the statement. Of course the First City has a mythical quality. The gods of Men and Elorii walked its streets in antiquity!
For all that, it is also working city where people live out their ordinary days.
Let me begin by stating the obvious. The Blessed Lands are not lush and though the First City is favorably located for trade, the land remains scared from the eloran Kurenthe curse uttered more than 4,000 years ago. As a result foodstuffs, mundane and exotic, need to be imported and remain relatively expensive. Weather here is also its own adventure. I have had the dubious joys of learning firsthand about both “thorn stones,” hail that inexplicably has thorns in it, and the red “blood snow” which burns flesh. The blood snow in particular is dangerous and will kill anyone caught in it without shelter. Come prepared! While traveling the lands around the First City I and my companions came across even stranger and more disturbing signs of the curse. At one old campsite we stumbled across, we found the previous occupants and all their gear frozen solid. Even the yellow and orange flames of their camp fire appeared like so much colored ice. Since flame is not matter as I understand it, I am at a loss at what could cause such a transformation. And on a warm day! Suffice it to say I am a little in awe of the local people called the Andyar who somehow deal with these unpredictable and dangerous events to scratch out a living in their villages that dot the Blessed Lands.
Encounters with pilgrims are also frequent. I confess I have developed something of a dislike for pilgrims in general during several misadventures as an Irregular. And really, nothing I have seen here improves my opinion. I know I just urged you to come on pilgrimage in the salutation of this letter, but I expect you to come equipped, with weapons, and the means and ability to defend yourself. Too many seeking salvation either lack any training in defense or have taken oaths, sometimes even Sarishian Oaths, of non-violence and pacifism while traveling. Since the pilgrims also carry money for food, Inns, donations and relics they naturally form the bottom of a thrice damned food pyramid. Pilgrims then get preyed on by bandits of all stripes. Sadly I have to inform you that the banditry opportunities are so good that some of the “best” from the Hinterlands have packed up and moved west to take up their trade here too. This includes so called jackal men and the Ehtzara who lead them.
The Soldier Saints of Dadgha and the armed forces of Corayn and Khitan patrol. Certainly they help a great deal. But their numbers are limited. Coryan and Khitan are each limited to 500 soldiers each by the treaty that ended the second Coryani-Khitani war. Against these modest numbers there is, if you will pardon the pun, a lot of Blessed Lands to cover. And it turns out there are politics in the pilgrimages as well. The various Churches seek to protect their own pilgrims, and profits, first. Even at the expense of pilgrims of other faiths. So their front against the bandits is far from united. Sometimes politics depresses even me.
I cannot stress enough the importance of the treaty that ended the second Coryani Khitani war. Today, the commonly accepted political order in the First City rests on it. After the deaths of Emperor Quarron val Dellenov and the execution of the Khitani Fens’ leader there was a lull in the fighting where I’m told the two armies glared at each other across some stretch of the Blessed Lands. That lull was an opportunity seized by the val’Abebi family and their strange Khitani counterparts the ul’Wei, who I note go completely concealed in robes wherever they travel. It is not clear that anyone directly empowered them, but the two families began to negotiate. From these negotiations a treaty was established. They must have gotten most of it right because it holds to this day. The key provisions of this treaty define the government and the power structure in the First City and by extension, the surrounding Blessed Lands. Reading the treaty itself is a tedious business of legalese that helped me fall asleep several night running. I will save you a similar effort by listing what I think are the key provisions: Self Determination, a Balance of Power in the region between Coryan and Khitan, Open Trade with all visitors, Freedom of Conscious to worship however one pleases as long as no one gets hurt, and the rights of all people to Make Pilgrimage to the many sacred sites.
On a day to day basis it is the merchants who hold the real power. Without trade it is my opinion that the First City would not be able to sustain its population. So it does not surprise me to see that the most powerful merchant families and cabals effectively run the city. House Varro is a vassal of the val’Borda family and controls most of the fervidite mining. If I had to pick out one of the merchant houses as the most powerful I would probably point there. But at best they are the first among equals. Another local power is the Toman Khan, or Regent of the First Imperium. Many of the Toman Khan’s powers appear ceremonial to me on the surface, but he undoubtedly has great influence on the native people. His position is hereditary and acknowledged in the treaty. I really have to do more research about him and his lineage.
Finally in this survey I wish to mention the “unclean” quarter of the First City. Though really it more like the a half of the City rather than a quarter. You see, only half of the city is fit for occupation. Or at least civilized occupation. The other half is barricaded away and guarded by those Coryani and Khitani not on patrol. You can look over and into the unclean quarter from rooftops and towers, though few do. The unclean quarter has a reputation for danger that is well earned. Lingering horrors from the past as well as undead and traps litter it. And treasures are there waiting to be unearthed. The Emerald Society, the Fellows of the Azure Way and the Jial of the Phoenix all send expeditions in. Not all come out. Sometimes I am told you can see strange figures moving around in the unclean quarter too, though to see them is thought to be unlucky. None the less I have spent many afternoons gazing into the unclean quarter from a temple to Altheres, trying to make plans to do a little poking around of my own. Once I thought I saw legionnaires from the Legion of Grim Lamentation hurrying somewhere. They always look distinctive with their masked helmets. But now looking back, I’m not sure that my imagination didn’t get the better of me. Certainly I couldn’t find any sign of them in any of the taverns that week. Or any other week. Though that might not prove anything. I don’t think I’ve ever seen members of the Legion of Grim Lamentation off duty anywhere. They must drink alone.
There is far more I could write but I will have to conclude this survey here. I wish you all safe travels. And I remain, your obedient scribe,
Tukufu, Ambassador of Altheria
_________________ Eric Gorman
AKA Ambassador Tukufu, man of letters, tomb raider and Master Sword Sage . . . and Sir Szymon val'Holryn, Order of the Phoenix Formerly Sir Jaeger val'Holryn. Weilder of the Holy Avenger: Thonanos. Gave his soul to help free King Noen
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