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What do the PCs find in a City of the Jann?
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<blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 6983652" data-attributes="member: 4937"><p>How fares the project? Made any progress? </p><p></p><p>The Miracle District - While not a true district of the city, the so called Miracle District is one of the more famous features of the city. Inhabitants of the city generally do not refer to the Miracle District itself, referring instead to an area of the specific ward that the district lies within, or to one of the streets that run through or flank it. The name itself is a misnomer given to it by travelers, and marks one as a foreigner to use it. When inhabitants themselves refer to it as a whole, they slyly refer to it as 'Uptown'. The Miracle District is actually an arc of high value desirable property that extends across several city wards, beginning in the College Ward near where the Hanging Gardens intersect the Palace, and running in arc through the Beast Tower Ward and into the Southern residential section almost to the cities tip. The Miracle District is distinguished from the rest of the city primarily for the greater height of its towers, and so is famous largely because it stands out above the rest of the city in a fashion that is awe inspiring to the lesser races of the Prime Material Plane. While the average building of Qaybar stands about 35 to 45 feet high, and encompasses two or three floors, the towers in the Miracle District commonly reach as high as 150' above the ground and have as many as nine (above ground) levels. From a distance, they seem even taller, owing to their construction on a ridge of higher ground than the surrounding, and the domes and minarets that crown the towers gleam during the day of gold and glazed tile, and at night with ethereal streamers of eldritch light. The Miracle District is relatively narrow, consisting essentially of two blocks of buildings on either side of a central avenue, and to a lesser extent to the blocks of buildings to either side of this main area where those buildings reach to - or nearly to - the heights of the towers of the great households of the city. This avenue merits special note, for it is in fact the most unique feature of the district, being not one avenue but three very different streets, stacked one atop the other at differing heights. </p><p></p><p>The Street of Lanterns - The lowest of the three streets that run through the center of the Miracle districts, the Street of Lanterns is roofed by the great stone and concrete vaults that support the high boulevard above it. The street is about 40' broad, but narrows regularly to but 30' broad where it must pass between pairs of stone pillars. Because of the roof and the great height of the surrounding buildings to either side, the Street of Lanterns is always cloaked in shadow and has the appearance very much of a tunnel. To alleviate this oppressive darkness, various citizens owning property in the district have hung from the vaults, or on ropes strung between the buildings, a number of colored glass lanterns holding everburning flames, and these cast multicolored lights onto the street even on dark nights. On feast days sacred to the various guilds of the city, the Street of Lanterns and the High Boulevard above are quite common parade routes, and at all times the Street of Lanterns makes a convenient access into the city for great wains and carts that might otherwise suffer from the congestion of other streets with the many stalls and vendors that line those ways. There are relatively few shops along the Street of Lanterns, and mostly they serve darker trades, crafts, and customers although these shops quite unlike those in the smoke medina are not grubby and mean, but caterer to wealthy purveyors and connoisseurs. For example, one of the cities finest purveyors of tobacco and pipes has an entrance on the Street of Lanterns, as does the city’s most respected purveyor of shadows and shades of things. Far darker things are on sell in the basement, though at least – not openly – anything overtly illegal. Often these shops occupy only the first floor and basements, and are not connected to the manors, guildhalls, colleges, and the like operating on the higher floors. There are likewise relatively few entrances to buildings, and those that there are seldom used and heavily fortified, being mostly entrances used to receive bulk goods and large items, stables or dens for beasts, or postern gates through which the householder might be forced to retreat in extremity. Owing to the poorer pickings and the gruff behavior of the teamsters and drovers that pass through on this street, there are relatively few beggars, pickpockets, and street performers that utilize The Street of Lanterns, but such that do are generally the dregs that have been cast out of more attractive areas: lepers begging for healing, madmen, demi-humans, tieflings, chaond, and various eccentrics. Roughly every hundred yards along the street is a steep spiral staircase that winds up the interior of a small tower and allows access to the high boulevard above. These are cramped and seldom used by locals and never by Jann. Not content with such accommodations, several building owners have constructed their own staircases of various sorts to provide more convenient access. Some of these are narrower even than the public ones, but a few are broad and designed to convey traffic to some establishment’s doorstep. </p><p></p><p>The High Boulevard – The High Boulevard is located immediately above the Street of lanterns, resting atop stone and concrete vaults, roughly 45 feet above the ground below. The Boulevard is about 30’ broad, and is flanked in many places by trees which are planted in containers of soil either on the street itself, or in gardens built into the buildings on either side. The center 20’ or so of the Boulevard is paved with flagstone, but the outer portions are often small well tended grass lawns. Where the street passes over intersecting streets, there is a high guardrail of carved stone to prevent accidents. Running off perpendicular to the High Boulevard are many nameless ‘alleyways’, which are really but glorified balconies, connecting the High Boulevard to lesser homes and establishments to either side. Some of these side streets are provisioned with their own stairs to provide access to the main surface streets below. In a few places, balconies were planned which were never built, or were built but removed, or collapsed from the stress of shifting over the centuries. The result is that off to either side of the High Boulevard there are often stairs that lead up to nowhere, or balconies that end where stairs should be, but were only a perilous drop to the city below remains. Natives of the city now these places and avoid them, local Jann ignore the missing architecture and simply fly between them, but they can be quite confusing to visitors and much superstition – mostly false - has grown up around these stairways. Nonetheless, at least one of these stairs, one that does not appear on every night, does in fact connect to the Smoke Medina in violation of the normal laws governing space and adjacency. Even among locals the ways of this stair are not well known though, owing to the few that would use it. </p><p> The lowest towers and buildings in the Miracle District connect to The High Boulevard by way of broad patios or even courtyards on their roofs, and the main entrances to smaller towers are found here. But it is far more common that the great homes along the boulevard have their smaller servants entrance at this level, to allow for deliveries or the entrance and egress of the homes lesser inhabitants.</p><p> Various shops catering to the most high end clientele line The High Boulevard – confectionaries, tea shops, public houses, boutiques, haberdashers, florists, perfumers, alchemists, tailors, portrait painters, jewelers, purveyors of small exotic pets, and so forth. Many magical baubles of an ordinary sort can be purchased here and the quality is generally consistent – you are unlikely to buy something that will kill you without being properly forewarned - but most locals prefer to do most of their shopping in the bazaar where prices are more negotiable and true bargains are to be found. </p><p> The High Boulevard sees almost entirely foot traffic, and bringing a cart or steed upon it without very good cause is considered quite rude. The diversity of creatures that can be seen upon the High Boulevard is quite great, rivaling that of some planar cities and is second in the city only the Grand Bazaar. Elves, aasimaar, Jann, genasi, human lords, traveling wizards, and the occasional genie from foreign lands can be found here enjoying the pleasures of the city. The highest ranking members of the guilds of beggars, buskers, and thieves stake out territories along the Boulevard, to avail themselves of the wealth on display. Jugglers, ventriloquists, clowns, workers of illusion, minstrels, contortionists, acrobats, tamers of beasts and the like entertain passers by in hopes of a consideration or the chance at a contract. So intense can be the rivalry for patrons among the buskers and beggars, that it is not unknown for knives to be employed and bodies to be tossed over the rail when backs are turned and the two guilds are quietly great and hated rivals.</p><p></p><p>The Swaying Way – The Swaying Way winds this way and that above – but not necessarily directly above - the High Boulevard. It connects the tallest towers of the Miracle District at the height of about 90 feet above the ground. The swaying way is less a street than it is a series of slender arches and suspension bridges of various unrelated constructions - some of which are supported by magic. They are generally no more than 10’ wide and often quite a bit less, and have no rails. No stair way reaches up to The Swaying Way – those that would use it must fly to reach it or risk a dangerous climb up one of the towers that would certainly be trespassing and probably looked on as being dubious and suspicious. The Swaying Way primarily serves the function of allowing a Jann to land and approach on foot in a dignified, visible and non-threatening fashion before attempting to enter into someone else’s property. Many of the great homes of the city have patios, verandas, and grand entrances at this level, and expect visitors above the rank of what they would consider baseborn servants to enter here. As with the High Boulevard, there are branches off of the swaying way to connect towers which are not directly along its path. Virtually no one but Jann use the Swaying Way, and there is no traffic to speak of on it. In the early evenings, some families of Jann stroll along the Swaying way to get a bit of air and take in the sunset. It is also considered a proper venue for young Jann early in their courtship to get a bit of privacy, as it is easy to get beyond earshot, avoid undesirable company, but always in public view. Young lovers and those with newly arranged marriages who wish to become acquainted with their spouses to be dally on the bridges in the early evening.</p><p></p><p>The Square of the Whirling Wind: The Square of the Whirling wind lies on the High Boulevard where the High Boulevard crosses above Lampwright Street, near the edge of the Beast Towers district. It consists of an enlarged platform along the High Boulevard, 100’ on a side, and ringed with small bitter orange trees. In the center of this platform is a ring of stone and a pillar, carved with the shapes of insects, such as might be a fountain in a more ordinary square. Out of this fountain however rises not a plume of water, but a whirlwind some 10’ in diameter and rising 60’ into the air – above the level of the Swaying way which skirts it to one side. As a consequence, there is always a breeze within the courtyard, and any light object not attended to is likely to be swept along the ground until it is sucked up in to the whirlwind with great force. Young and daring Jann make a game at times of hurling themselves into the whirlwind, upon which they are carried up to a great height by it – and with luck and a bit of skill – ejected forcefully from the top. This game is almost invariably fatal when played by any being that cannot fly, and it is dangerous even for the Jann, for if it two jump in too closely together they are dashed violently against each other. In other respects, the Square of the Whirling Wind is quite like the rest of the High Boulevard. The square beneath the Square of Whirling Wind is called the Lantern Court.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Celebrim, post: 6983652, member: 4937"] How fares the project? Made any progress? The Miracle District - While not a true district of the city, the so called Miracle District is one of the more famous features of the city. Inhabitants of the city generally do not refer to the Miracle District itself, referring instead to an area of the specific ward that the district lies within, or to one of the streets that run through or flank it. The name itself is a misnomer given to it by travelers, and marks one as a foreigner to use it. When inhabitants themselves refer to it as a whole, they slyly refer to it as 'Uptown'. The Miracle District is actually an arc of high value desirable property that extends across several city wards, beginning in the College Ward near where the Hanging Gardens intersect the Palace, and running in arc through the Beast Tower Ward and into the Southern residential section almost to the cities tip. The Miracle District is distinguished from the rest of the city primarily for the greater height of its towers, and so is famous largely because it stands out above the rest of the city in a fashion that is awe inspiring to the lesser races of the Prime Material Plane. While the average building of Qaybar stands about 35 to 45 feet high, and encompasses two or three floors, the towers in the Miracle District commonly reach as high as 150' above the ground and have as many as nine (above ground) levels. From a distance, they seem even taller, owing to their construction on a ridge of higher ground than the surrounding, and the domes and minarets that crown the towers gleam during the day of gold and glazed tile, and at night with ethereal streamers of eldritch light. The Miracle District is relatively narrow, consisting essentially of two blocks of buildings on either side of a central avenue, and to a lesser extent to the blocks of buildings to either side of this main area where those buildings reach to - or nearly to - the heights of the towers of the great households of the city. This avenue merits special note, for it is in fact the most unique feature of the district, being not one avenue but three very different streets, stacked one atop the other at differing heights. The Street of Lanterns - The lowest of the three streets that run through the center of the Miracle districts, the Street of Lanterns is roofed by the great stone and concrete vaults that support the high boulevard above it. The street is about 40' broad, but narrows regularly to but 30' broad where it must pass between pairs of stone pillars. Because of the roof and the great height of the surrounding buildings to either side, the Street of Lanterns is always cloaked in shadow and has the appearance very much of a tunnel. To alleviate this oppressive darkness, various citizens owning property in the district have hung from the vaults, or on ropes strung between the buildings, a number of colored glass lanterns holding everburning flames, and these cast multicolored lights onto the street even on dark nights. On feast days sacred to the various guilds of the city, the Street of Lanterns and the High Boulevard above are quite common parade routes, and at all times the Street of Lanterns makes a convenient access into the city for great wains and carts that might otherwise suffer from the congestion of other streets with the many stalls and vendors that line those ways. There are relatively few shops along the Street of Lanterns, and mostly they serve darker trades, crafts, and customers although these shops quite unlike those in the smoke medina are not grubby and mean, but caterer to wealthy purveyors and connoisseurs. For example, one of the cities finest purveyors of tobacco and pipes has an entrance on the Street of Lanterns, as does the city’s most respected purveyor of shadows and shades of things. Far darker things are on sell in the basement, though at least – not openly – anything overtly illegal. Often these shops occupy only the first floor and basements, and are not connected to the manors, guildhalls, colleges, and the like operating on the higher floors. There are likewise relatively few entrances to buildings, and those that there are seldom used and heavily fortified, being mostly entrances used to receive bulk goods and large items, stables or dens for beasts, or postern gates through which the householder might be forced to retreat in extremity. Owing to the poorer pickings and the gruff behavior of the teamsters and drovers that pass through on this street, there are relatively few beggars, pickpockets, and street performers that utilize The Street of Lanterns, but such that do are generally the dregs that have been cast out of more attractive areas: lepers begging for healing, madmen, demi-humans, tieflings, chaond, and various eccentrics. Roughly every hundred yards along the street is a steep spiral staircase that winds up the interior of a small tower and allows access to the high boulevard above. These are cramped and seldom used by locals and never by Jann. Not content with such accommodations, several building owners have constructed their own staircases of various sorts to provide more convenient access. Some of these are narrower even than the public ones, but a few are broad and designed to convey traffic to some establishment’s doorstep. The High Boulevard – The High Boulevard is located immediately above the Street of lanterns, resting atop stone and concrete vaults, roughly 45 feet above the ground below. The Boulevard is about 30’ broad, and is flanked in many places by trees which are planted in containers of soil either on the street itself, or in gardens built into the buildings on either side. The center 20’ or so of the Boulevard is paved with flagstone, but the outer portions are often small well tended grass lawns. Where the street passes over intersecting streets, there is a high guardrail of carved stone to prevent accidents. Running off perpendicular to the High Boulevard are many nameless ‘alleyways’, which are really but glorified balconies, connecting the High Boulevard to lesser homes and establishments to either side. Some of these side streets are provisioned with their own stairs to provide access to the main surface streets below. In a few places, balconies were planned which were never built, or were built but removed, or collapsed from the stress of shifting over the centuries. The result is that off to either side of the High Boulevard there are often stairs that lead up to nowhere, or balconies that end where stairs should be, but were only a perilous drop to the city below remains. Natives of the city now these places and avoid them, local Jann ignore the missing architecture and simply fly between them, but they can be quite confusing to visitors and much superstition – mostly false - has grown up around these stairways. Nonetheless, at least one of these stairs, one that does not appear on every night, does in fact connect to the Smoke Medina in violation of the normal laws governing space and adjacency. Even among locals the ways of this stair are not well known though, owing to the few that would use it. The lowest towers and buildings in the Miracle District connect to The High Boulevard by way of broad patios or even courtyards on their roofs, and the main entrances to smaller towers are found here. But it is far more common that the great homes along the boulevard have their smaller servants entrance at this level, to allow for deliveries or the entrance and egress of the homes lesser inhabitants. Various shops catering to the most high end clientele line The High Boulevard – confectionaries, tea shops, public houses, boutiques, haberdashers, florists, perfumers, alchemists, tailors, portrait painters, jewelers, purveyors of small exotic pets, and so forth. Many magical baubles of an ordinary sort can be purchased here and the quality is generally consistent – you are unlikely to buy something that will kill you without being properly forewarned - but most locals prefer to do most of their shopping in the bazaar where prices are more negotiable and true bargains are to be found. The High Boulevard sees almost entirely foot traffic, and bringing a cart or steed upon it without very good cause is considered quite rude. The diversity of creatures that can be seen upon the High Boulevard is quite great, rivaling that of some planar cities and is second in the city only the Grand Bazaar. Elves, aasimaar, Jann, genasi, human lords, traveling wizards, and the occasional genie from foreign lands can be found here enjoying the pleasures of the city. The highest ranking members of the guilds of beggars, buskers, and thieves stake out territories along the Boulevard, to avail themselves of the wealth on display. Jugglers, ventriloquists, clowns, workers of illusion, minstrels, contortionists, acrobats, tamers of beasts and the like entertain passers by in hopes of a consideration or the chance at a contract. So intense can be the rivalry for patrons among the buskers and beggars, that it is not unknown for knives to be employed and bodies to be tossed over the rail when backs are turned and the two guilds are quietly great and hated rivals. The Swaying Way – The Swaying Way winds this way and that above – but not necessarily directly above - the High Boulevard. It connects the tallest towers of the Miracle District at the height of about 90 feet above the ground. The swaying way is less a street than it is a series of slender arches and suspension bridges of various unrelated constructions - some of which are supported by magic. They are generally no more than 10’ wide and often quite a bit less, and have no rails. No stair way reaches up to The Swaying Way – those that would use it must fly to reach it or risk a dangerous climb up one of the towers that would certainly be trespassing and probably looked on as being dubious and suspicious. The Swaying Way primarily serves the function of allowing a Jann to land and approach on foot in a dignified, visible and non-threatening fashion before attempting to enter into someone else’s property. Many of the great homes of the city have patios, verandas, and grand entrances at this level, and expect visitors above the rank of what they would consider baseborn servants to enter here. As with the High Boulevard, there are branches off of the swaying way to connect towers which are not directly along its path. Virtually no one but Jann use the Swaying Way, and there is no traffic to speak of on it. In the early evenings, some families of Jann stroll along the Swaying way to get a bit of air and take in the sunset. It is also considered a proper venue for young Jann early in their courtship to get a bit of privacy, as it is easy to get beyond earshot, avoid undesirable company, but always in public view. Young lovers and those with newly arranged marriages who wish to become acquainted with their spouses to be dally on the bridges in the early evening. The Square of the Whirling Wind: The Square of the Whirling wind lies on the High Boulevard where the High Boulevard crosses above Lampwright Street, near the edge of the Beast Towers district. It consists of an enlarged platform along the High Boulevard, 100’ on a side, and ringed with small bitter orange trees. In the center of this platform is a ring of stone and a pillar, carved with the shapes of insects, such as might be a fountain in a more ordinary square. Out of this fountain however rises not a plume of water, but a whirlwind some 10’ in diameter and rising 60’ into the air – above the level of the Swaying way which skirts it to one side. As a consequence, there is always a breeze within the courtyard, and any light object not attended to is likely to be swept along the ground until it is sucked up in to the whirlwind with great force. Young and daring Jann make a game at times of hurling themselves into the whirlwind, upon which they are carried up to a great height by it – and with luck and a bit of skill – ejected forcefully from the top. This game is almost invariably fatal when played by any being that cannot fly, and it is dangerous even for the Jann, for if it two jump in too closely together they are dashed violently against each other. In other respects, the Square of the Whirling Wind is quite like the rest of the High Boulevard. The square beneath the Square of Whirling Wind is called the Lantern Court. [/QUOTE]
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