Seian City

Overview

Seian City is located in the southernmost area of An'mani (art by victoria_fantasy_art)

Like the other large cities in An'mani, Seian City is a bustling metropolis of people from all walks of life. It is filled with modest homes, merchant stalls, open courtyards, gardens, and temples dedicated to Paolu. Seian City is lit by electric lights and is the most technologically advanced city on the surface world of Ilisara, complete with a rudimentary telegram system, gondolas powered by steam engine to reach the upper hills, hand-painted "moving pictures", and a universal coin exchange.

Though it was founded by the Mani, Seian City has many mixed-race inhabitants and residents from other nations due to it being a massive trade hub. An'mani is bordered by Okuna to its west. Many Okunans have settled in Seian City.

A large river runs through the center of Seian City and leads all the way up into the mountains, where the Azure Palace sits. Seian City is loosely arranged around the river's banks and sprawls on for miles upstream. Great ships from the Tanukin Sea dock throughout the city, bringing goods and travelers from abroad.

Seian City's outskirts at the mouth of the Tanukin River (art by nextmars)

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Inhabitants

An upperclass Mani merchant (art by victoria_fantasy_art)

Lowborn

Lowborn peasants and commonfolk form the bulk of Seian City’s citizens. They are farmers, cobblers, bakers, and others with menial jobs.

Merchants

Merchants flock to Seian City to cater to the needs of its 2 million inhabitants. These merchants are so numerous and wealthy that they constantly generate new forms of luxury and entertainment to occupy their time. Drama, storytelling, woodblock prints, stone and porcelain ware, silk brocade, and lacquerware are a few of their innovations.

The Kyō

The leaders of different armies (the Kyō) control pieces of land in An’mani. They are an important part of the Azure Empire's military and political scene. They are required by law to keep a home in Seian City as well as maintain their distant realm. These wealthy military men and women keep men-at-arms, and invest in the city to keep their families safe and entertained. Their compounds exist primarily in the city's aristocratic quarter.

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Entertainment

Seian City has much to offer. A ferry service takes visitors upriver to the aristocratic quarters and secluded mansions of the Kyō. Glimpses of the Azure Palace can be seen from afar. There are dozens of gardens, well-tended bamboo forests, and exhibitions of knowledge from around the world. Scientists and engineers are well respected in Seian City. These gifts are often put to use creating art and new forms of entertainment.

Seian City is renown for being a relaxing place, too. Set in a pristine valley of natural beauty, it has several exports of flower wines and terrace crops. Hiking up into the mountains, past terraced fields of rice, can be a spiritual experience for a weary traveler. Bathhouses and spas are frequent attachments to inns with comfortable bedding and hospitable hosts.

Seian City, and by extension the Mani as a whole, find artistry very valuable to society. The theatres in An'mani are full of dancers, singers, and talented artisans. Ceremonial dinners, evening dances, and ritualistic hospitality is common. For artistry of another kind, travelers can seek out the “Pools of Mortal Delight”, where rich merchants spend fortunes to cavort with beautiful courtesans.

Celebration, relaxation, and enjoyment of life are strong values to the Mani who live in Seian City.

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Notable Locations

Academy of Flight

The fledgling Academy of Flight allows visitors to witness scholars at work studying airships, kites, and manpowered flying machines.

Animal Exotica

Animal Exotica is a zoo attempting to breed rare and near-extinct megafauna in captivity. It includes a few raptors (dinosaurs) from across the sea, and many of Okuna's desert creatures.

The Moving Pictures

An'mani's finest invention is moving pictures -- large, miles-long hand-painted scrolls that spin on rollers in front of a stationary audience to tell a story. These are accompanied by live music and storytellers.

The Azure Palace

The Azure Palace was built at the top of the tallest waterfall in An’mani. It stands just north of Seian City, surrounded by a lush, vivid bamboo forest. Its cascading waters pour into the Pool of Immortals below. The pool is said to answer the questions of humans who gaze into it long enough.

The Azure Palace is made up of over eighty buildings spread across multiple baileys, which are connected by a series of gates and winding paths. Although it is heavily fortified, the Azure Palace has never been attacked due to its difficult-to-reach location. At the heart of the complex stands the main keep, a seven story wooden castle with beautiful blue tiled terraces.

The topmost floor houses a small shrine and the Azure Liege's personal quarters. Fish-shaped roof ornaments are believed to protect it from fire.