FBH Pathfinder: Curse of the Rune Throne

Motif: The City of Monuments

From Ashcagon to the City of Pillars, to Far Ashnari, to Etonwald to the frozen South, across the whole known world there is no larger, no finer, no richer metropolis than Motif, the City of Monuments. Trade comes to Motif from all directions. Across the Inlet sea to the South, the old Sonthan Empire uses ancient road spells to bring wool, linen, the furs of great Northern beasts, wine and grain. Down the coast, their ever rivals, the Thraxal, bring finely made weapons, armour and tools of steel or infernal brass.

From the North, through the jungle, from all the lands of the spice road, up to the fable Lan Empire, which lies at the centre of the world, come silk, spice, gunpowder and machines of fabulous clockwork. From Kenlen, on the coast of the Tractless Ocean, merchants bring silver and gold from the the continent of Roses and the fine hash they grow themselves. From Athrace in the West, fine horses, from far Ashnari, elephants and griffons.

Even from the sky comes trade, as airships from the floating isles bringing strange things of glass and beautiful women seeking their fortune.

The world comes to Motif, and Motif is in some ways the world.

History and Structure

The first thing a new visitor to Motif notices is the statues. The city seems a gliding dance of interconnected sculpture on a scale that defies imagination. Vast white marble figures climb up to a five hundred meters above the warm waters of the Inlet Sea. These statues depict a mix of humans, monsters, and beings usually identified as gods, demons and angles. Viewed as a whole, the city's tableau is usually said to depict a dance, but some writers have suggested a fight, a riot, or even an orgy.

It is not known what process creates these statues, however they are extremely hard to damage, and are hollow inside. This has lead to internal floors being constructed within most of them and their use as rooms for the city. Entrances at various points around each statue, and on their bases suggest that they may have been meant to be entered. Around their bases are smaller structures, less well made, but still incorporate technologies beyond those that are usually found, such as advanced metal frames and unknown stone materials.

The city is known for its excellent sewers and water system, with filth being taken to great tanks deep below the city where it is purified, and clean water being pumped up from the ground, or possibly extracted from the salt water of the ocean through unknown means.

None know who built Motif, if indeed any one civilization constructed it. Ruins of old empires such as the Othrans have been found near the site, but there are few mentions of the city until around eight hundred years ago, when the exiled followers of Princess Isendra of the Mirland crossed the inlet sea and came upon the site. The Princess, now styling herself a Queen, started a new colony on the site, and invited all those who would settle there to settle, with titles available to those rich enough to fund the project. The Queen was able to transform the city into a rich trading port, and her line lasted down to her great grand daughter, Mismaya, who was murdered by a coalition of nobles who elevated one of their own, King Danvion, to the throne in a bloody coup.

Since then, Motif has had a continual churn of royals and royal houses, with the great nobles who control the land around the city being the true power within its walls.

City Districts

The White District: Holds the old Royal Palace, in the arms of three goddesses

The Head District: The New Royal Palace in the head of Chronos.

The Wharf District: The district where most ships land, now competing with the Isle Distrct

The Leaden District: Home to most of the cities funeral services

The Halo District: Home to the cities temples

The Nexus: Carved into a goddess of travel, this is the hub of the great railways that link the city, and headwaters of its nexus of Canals.

The Yellow District: Home to the cities libraries and university

The Island District: The poorest district of the city, home to numerous strange old buildings, and the Veil Market

The Veil Market: The city's second biggest market, where many strange things are sold.

The Blue, Green and Purple Districts: Home to the Cities Nobles

The Red District: Home to the city's mages, and its vices

The Scented District: Home of the Spice Market

The Black District:: Home to the city's factories and chemical plants

The Glass District: Home to vast greenhouses in which strange gardens survive.

The Muns: The vast inland housing suburb where most of the city's normal population live

The Tiered Market: The great central Square in the shadow of the Nexus, where all the city's buying and selling takes place

The Under City: A vast network of older rooms that lies beneath the streets.

The Arash District: Home to sanatoriums and animal collectors

Current Events

It is Spring 2422, just before the festival of first harvest. King Doligon, Ruler of the City, has just taken one Viona, a Princess from Far Lands and accomplished singer as his new Queen, and the city celebrates.

You are people living in the Island District for whatever reason. It is the festival of the opening of the veil market for the year, which you have decided to attend.

Rules

• We'll be using the slow level advancement table cause I have a lot of material.
• There will be campaign backgrounds, please ask
• Evil PCs are fine, PCs who will break party unity are not fine
• Ask the GM about backgrounds, they give bonuses
• You start at First Level

Gods

Help me Exhack you're my only hope.