Alhaj

by Chipo-H0P3

Alhaj is an ancient settlement in God’s Landing, built by the very first pegasi on Hireath. The city is currently the largest single settlement in Sedo, and rivals the original Osulas in size. The city is partially located underground, within a large cavern that seems to have been formed by excessive use of blessings, namely earth and spatial manipulation.

Alhaj is the current state capital of the Serora herd.

## City

A very large city by Seroran standards, Alhaj encompasses 6 districts, five of which are made out of the ancient infrastructure of the city, and one consists of new, simpler structures. In addition to this, the city outskirts have a constantly changing cast of temporary huts and tents of nomads and people waiting for housing. The city also has several gardens and plazas for gatherings and trading markets.

The two largest districts are (near) completely within the mesa itself, and don’t experience natural light, being instead lighted with candles and braziers, while some buildings and parts of the tiled pathways emit their own, starlike light.

For more on the character of each district, see below.

### Entry

The city is entered easiest from open air on its northern side, where the city sprawls out of the mesa and onto the surrounding rocky but open landscape. The two main roads into the city come from Cajon and Osulas, while the river provides a third commonly used entry point.

The underground parts of the city can also be entered through a tunnel in the south, uncovered by construction efforts around the mesa. The cavern leading to the tunnel is spacious enough for several horses to walk comfortably side by side. The tunnel leads downwards in a constant, steady descent, until natural earth gives way to smooth masonry. This entrance is sealed by a massive metal door, which has been renovated. The door is usually kept open.

### Cavern

The cave the city is located within is a large cavern which fits snugly around the city - the buildings and other constructs fill the cave in its entirety. Although the caverns every nook and cranny is yet to be explored, it seems that it doesn’t house the complex tunnel systems of Breim, and it's not really possible for one to get lost within the cave and lose sight of the city - although losing your way within the city itself is another matter.

The cave has clearly been manipulated by magical means, and many parts of it seem oddly smooth or a bit too convenient to be natural.

### Environment and Surroundings

Alhaj is located in God’s Landing, partially within one of the largest mesas in the area. Several other mesas around the city provide a safe, private location where shade is plentiful, and winds tend to be less harsh than in the surrounding open plain. One of Alya’s new rivers flows through the outskirts of the city, providing a fresh source of water, as well as a waterway for traveling through Sedo.

Compared to Osulas, the surroundings of Alhaj are quite dry shrubland, with hardy grasses and bushes but no trees, outside cultivated ones. The lushest areas are in the immediate vicinity of the river.

True desert with its dunes lays to the south of the city, and can be seen from high points within Alhaj.

An access path up the main mesa provides a way for all breeds to visit this holy site, if they have the endurance for the climb. The main mesa is currently being set up as a farming area, similar to what was once practiced atop the canyon of Osulas, albeit with more heat resistant plants.

Surrounding the city in the north are pastures and fields for grazing animals, mostly lamb and goats.

## Life in Alhaj

Alhaj is an ancient city, and most of the infrastructure of old is still well-intact. There are several old wells within the city that have been renovated, providing fresh water to all the residents. Old sewer systems and paved roads are still in use, as are the old stone bridges over the river.

The buildings themselves are ancient as well, and returned to use as renovations are finished. Most of the buildings seem to have originally had wooden doors, some of which are preserved enough to still use. Metal doors are featured on larger, more important buildings, such as temples, while many homesteads use beads or cloth as a doorway.

Many apartments feature built-in stone or mason furniture, meaning benches, shelves and raised beds of stone - beds are generally softened up with blankets, woven grass or leathers. Most apartments also have built-in stoves or fire pits for cooking and keeping warm. Outside the permanent fixtures, most apartments are very lightly furnished and bare. Carpets and simple tapestries, as well as pillows and cushions, help make the homes more inviting. Wooden furniture is basically non-existent.

Alhaj has been built in a way that allows most apartments to have their own little attached garden, or a similar garden on the roof of the building. Interestingly, many plants seem to thrive even in the underground gardens, as long as they can stand the cool environment - they grow towards the glowing walls and streets, rather than the sun. The outside gardens are naturally easier to keep, and more varied in their selection of plants. Either way, the presence of these tiny gardens provides green and life to the otherwise urban feel of the city streets.

### Gaining an apartment in Alhaj

Like Osulas before it, Alhaj uses a system of need for granting apartments, rather than it being a matter of wealth or merit. People who wish to live in Alhaj submit their petition to the local scribes, who will let them know when a suitable accomodation is available - until then, many choose to live on the outskirts in the New District, where one can simply set up their own tent without waiting.

People who work in Alhaj are prioritized in selection. Singles and couples are generally located in the smaller apartments in the Lower and Wind districts, while larger families find homes in Moon and Star districts. Individual wishes are taken into account where possible, but only within reason - no single horse will get to take over a family apartment, and no family will be crammed into a single room.

Visitors who don’t plan on staying for long usually rest in the Barracks, if they’re soldiers, or in the inn or bunkhouse - if they don’t wish to just set up a tent in the New District, that is.

## History

Little is currently known of the city’s purpose and origin, but it is as old as Osulas, and seems to have shared a similarly important role in ancient society. The magnificent architecture of the city heavily features imagery of Alya, as well as moons, stars and suns. Some of the largest buildings within the city are the Great Library, and several buildings which appear to be temples to Alya.

Sometime after the year 845, Alhaj was met by a catastrophe that ended with the city completely abandoned and buried underneath a deep layer of sand. A barrier formed by a holy relic kept the sands from flooding the main city itself, but it was made completely inaccessible and partially sunk  into the ground. It can be assumed that the city was originally larger, and that some outer parts were completely destroyed by this calamity.

The city was rediscovered almost a thousand years later, when building efforts in God’s Landing unexpectedly found a passage into one of the mesas there. The city is preserved in remarkably good shape, almost like a bubble in time. It was swiftly cleaned and reinhabited following its discovery. Alya’s altering of Sedo landscape has made the area slightly less dry than it was before.

## Detailed Map Overview

Please visit deviantart or click the picture on the side to view the full scale map!

### Lower District

The part of the city located the deepest underground, and the least ancient part of the old city. Here most buildings have been made out of the rock itself, formed and manipulated into houses, or carved into the very walls of the cavern. Others are made of masonry, but these stand as a minority. Buildings in the lower district are simple and generally unimpressive - only a few are more than one story tall. The district is filled with small apartments, most of which have decorative, War Forged style carvings on their walls and door frames. Some houses have small, stone-lined gardens attached. The entire district is built in an uphill incline, and has a slightly cramped feeling to it.

#### **The Back Gate**

Secondary entrance/exit leads to a long but fairly wide tunnel through the mesa. Comes back up near a small nomadic settlement.

#### **Resthouse**

A small bunkhouse run by a government-sanctioned innkeeper. Offers no amenities other than beds - intended for staying the night or other very temporary stays. Located in a block of houses where entrances have been made through the original walls to turn four buildings into one.

#### **Temple of Kaia**

A temple to Kaia, decorated with masterful carvings on both the facade and inside walls. The temple itself is shaped out of the rock of the mesa, and fades seamlessly into the back wall of the cave. Main temple room features a large shrine before a life-sized, detailed carving of Kaia. The inside of the temple houses rock and sand gardens.

#### **Temple of Argus**

Argus’ temple is a sandstone building with a modest facade, but the inside walls are painted a rather striking, deep purple, and decorated with carvings of countless eyes. Eyes in the main room have been gilded with gold paint, drawn in a way that they seem to follow the visitor around the room. There are several small altars around the temple, as well as a thick scent of incense.

#### **Starlit Hospital**

A decently sized hospital housed in what looks to be an old school building. It’s partially carved out of rock, and partially brick and mortar. Starlit hospital focuses on treating acute illness and injury, and specialises in trauma cases. Features one of the few sterile operating rooms in Sedo.

#### **Breadbasket**

A cosy cave home that has been transformed into a soup kitchen. Offers simple meals to those in need early in the morning and late in the evening. A strong scent of corn and beans permeates the building.

#### **The Gallery**

An inner courtyard that has transformed into an outside art gallery. Local creators come here to showcase their work - both physical works of art, and expressive forms of art like acting, music and dance. The facades of the surrounding buildings feature a constantly changing showcase of painted artworks, while statuettes, glassworks and finely made pottery are displayed on small platforms around the open space, which is reserved for the performing arts. Especially lively during weekend nights.

#### **Shrine to Ignacio**

A small shrine to Ignacio, tucked away near the edges of the cave. Features a small statue in the form of a bust - both antlers have been sawed off. There is a tiny, often empty altar for offerings.

### Moon District

Moon District is the largest district of the city, and located almost entirely underground, although the northernmost edge spills out of the mesa. The buildings here showcase masterful masonry and a skill in design and architecture, many of them grand. Some appear to have been wished into existence, and showcase form that would be difficult to produce without magic. Many residential buildings have several apartments within, and the houses are decorated with worn but colorful paintings. Alya iconography is everywhere you look - moons and stars, but also suns. The uphill incline is gentle here, and the cavern is large and airy, allowing for plenty of space to fly.

#### **Tradehouse**

Tradehouse is basically a large recyclist workshop combined with a flea market. This is where Serorans come to exchange goods with one another, trading their old possessions - or new creations - for things they want or need more. This is a great place to observe recent fashion trends or simply meet others for a nice chat.

#### **The Archive**

A large limestone building with a guarded entrance. Only authorized personnel are permitted to enter this government archival building. A few scribes work tirelessly to organize, copy and file various government papers - from food redistribution orders to new laws and trader manifests.

#### **Temple of Four**

A fairly small but beautifully built sandstone temple. Uses concrete supports for arches and domes to form an impressive, tall building. The outside facade is white with golden accents, while the inside features full-wall and ceiling murals depicting the four gods: Alya, Cascade, Kaia and Argus. Each god has a life-sized, painted marble statue in the main room. A popular place of worship that’s often quite busy during the evenings.

#### **Moonshade Hospital**

A hospital located in an old temple building made out of manipulated rock and concrete. Decorated beautifully with artwork depicting Cascade and Alya. Moonshade hospital is attended by not only Saviors, but also Mullah of the Aloe. Specialises in patients requiring long term care, so has large wards with rooms intended for long stays. One of the few places in Sedo where competent mental health professionals are readily available.

#### **Great Temple of Alya**

The largest temple in Alhaj, the temple of Alya is a magnificent building with an almost unnatural beauty to it. Built in stone and concrete, it has been carefully carved and decorated to reflect light. Facade features strong Alya symbolism with gilded moons and stars, while the inside is a magnificent piece of ancient artistry, with several large statues of Alya - some in marble, others in bronze or gold. There is even an Alya made entirely out of feathers, preserved by some unknown method, and suspended from the rafters to give the appearance of flight. The inside walls feature either paintings depicting Alya or Seroran history, or various sky themed vistas.

Although many Serorans find the grandeur of this temple quite foreign or even off-putting, none deny its beauty. The temple is treated by many more as an art exhibit than a place of worship.

#### **The Mullah School**

A rather unassuming building decorated with flowing paintings houses the Mullah School. Mullah apprentices can spend time here learning to read and write before heading out with a mentor - or they might stay here permanently, if they’re aiming for work at one of Alhaj’s temples. It is also the new location of the Mullah archive, as well as a place where local youths can come to receive teaching. A meeting place for Mullah from all over Sedo, the school has basic bunks available for wanderers.

#### **The Warder Barracks**

A large concrete and brick building acts as a barracks for the warders. The courtyard serves as a sparring ground, while the barracks itself has an armory, blacksmith and mess hall. Warders usually have their apartments in the immediate vicinity.

#### **The Aviary**

A small building with a tall tower carved into the edge of the cavern. Houses Alhaj’s aviary, and as such, acts as a post office for sending and receiving mail via bird. Most frequently used for government communication.

#### **Jordell's House**

Home of the ex-Prophet and current election official, Jordell.

### Star District

A district located entirely in the open air. The buildings here are tall and grand, depicting the same ancient skill as those in the Moon District, and some look like they might have been placed here by the goddess herself. Decorations are almost decadent in their artistry. Many residential buildings have attached gardens, or rooftop gardens, and many of the residential buildings have their entrances on the second or even third floor, rather than on the ground level, although this is being remedied with stairs and new doorways. Some of the multistory buildings have several apartments within.

#### **Salome's House**

The home of Salome, the eccentric Mullah who has appointed herself the custodian of Alhaj’s library. She is rarely at home, and the first-floor apartment looks to be filled to the brim with books. Upper floor neighbors report the Mullah coming and going at the strangest hours.

#### **The Great Library**

One of the largest buildings in Alhaj, the Great Library is a three-story building made from concrete and sandstone. It has an impressive, almost imperial facade, with great stairs that allow for entry on the second floor. The entry hall has the complete but damaged skeleton of a Sandhawk suspended from the rafters. Beyond the entry hall and reception are several quiet reading rooms, as well as countless shelves of books, stone tablets and scrolls, organized neatly by theme, author and year. The Library features historical and religious texts, as well as literature, song and poems. The full catalog of the texts is yet to be completed.

The Library is open to all visitors, but books may only be checked out with the explicit permission of Salome. Some texts are completely off limits due to their frailty.

#### **Argus' Touch**

This closed in inner courtyard features an open-air nightclub, Argus’ Touch. The walls facing the courtyard have been painted in wild pinks and purples, with eyes and swirling patterns decorating them. The “owner” of the “bar” lets others trade various useful items for various mixed drinks, most featuring mezcal, agave sugar and cactus juice, flavored with a changing roster of fruit, berry or vegetable juices. The owner makes all of their own stock. In addition to the house offerings, the place operates on a potluck principle, where visitors bring something for others to enjoy. In addition to food and drink, music is an acceptable offering to the crowd, leading to a joyful cacophony of music from often less-than-sober artists.

The place has, in fact, nothing to do with Argus, and everything to do with the kind of parties that get Skirmishers called at 2am. Parties are held every weekend night, Friday through Sunday, as well as on any holidays.

#### **Mesa Hospital**

The smallest of Alhaj’s three hospitals, the Mesa hospital is located in a simple brick house with little decoration. This hospital takes on patients suffering from chronic disease, and has a small department for hospice care, which is frequented by Mullah from the order of the Amaranth.

#### **Shae's House**

Home of Shae, one of Serora’s best combat instructors. She is very rarely at home.

### Governmental District

A small district, enveloped by the Star District and bordered by the Moon District in the east. The buildings here follow the same style and grandeur as those in the Star District. The south side of the district is mostly larger public buildings for government use, and their auxiliary buildings, while the north side is filled with nice apartments. This is where government officials, as well as foreign dignitaries, live while in Alhaj.

#### **Courtroom**

Serora’s court, used both for civil and criminal cases. Housed in a large building with an impressive, if somewhat foreboding, dark marble facade. The insides are equally dark, and only lightly decorated. Features several rooms for court meetings, as well as a courtroom library and a few rooms converted into holding cells.

#### **The Parliament House**

The meeting and workspace of the Seroran government. This blueish marble building has a facade decorated with gilding to give the appearance of a night sky. The inside of the building is lighter in color, with many natural light yellow and white tones striped through the stone fronted walls. The main meeting room - accessible only to government officials, their assistants and chosen consultants - has walls made out of Osulas stone, featuring the familiar washed out rainbow hues.

In addition to the government’s meeting room, there are private rooms provided for each member of the government. They act as the working spaces of the various officials. Citizens can come visit their officials during reception hours.

#### **Ailsie's House**

Private residence of Ailsie, one of the oldest Advocates. Features a second floor entry with a stone ramp for access.

### Winds District

The outer part of the original city was built around an ancient river that has now been revived. Surrounded by the shrubland to the east and north and cut through by the river, the buildings here are still of a lovely craftsmanship, but lack the grandeur of the two major residential districts. This district has generally smaller apartments - although many of them have nice yards or gardens attached. Decorations are more toned down. The many open plazas within this part of town make for training grounds and markets.

#### **Skirmisher Barracks**

A fairly plain grey stone building, decorated with a few flowing patterns. A two-story building that doesn’t have much space for outside training, meaning enterprising trainers often march the whole lot down the street to practice in the neighboring courtyard. The lower floor of the building has a mess hall, armory and smithy, as well as space for inside sparring and a notice board for work postings. The second floor has beds for up to 120 skirmishers, but little in terms of privacy.

#### **Temple of Cascade**

The Temple of Cascade fittingly stands on the bank of the river. A building with a light blue marble facade, the natural color variations of the stone give the temple a feeling of being underwater. Blue stained glass windows in the main hall further enhance the ethereal feeling. Cascade is represented in a large mosaic that covers over half the floor in the main hall, with altars and washing pools encircling her. The temple has a back entrance that leads into the river, where large rocks have been used to form a safe, if small, pool for worshippers to swim in.

#### **Fury Barracks**

A riverfront building, made in the same grey stone as the skirmisher barracks, and similarly plain in decor. Entry to this two-story building is on the second floor, making it accessible only to pegasi. The second floor has the mess hall, armory and a notice board, while the lower floor has housing for up to 80 furies. Furies are often seen training in the sky above the barracks, or doing stunts above the river.

#### **Screamer Barracks**

A single-story barracks built with sandstone and brick. The large open space in front of the barracks is used as a sparring ground by the screamers. Has a small mess hall and armory, with rooms for housing 30 screamers. As a special feature, this barracks has a classroom that is used by the screamers when they practice mapmaking.

#### **Wingtip Inn**

Alhaj’s one official inn, the Wingtip Inn has a prime location along the road out of the city towards Cajon. Unlike the Resthouse, Wingtip is a traditional inn with room-and-board, generally in return for simple labor or tradeable goods. The Inn gets a decent amount of “tourists”, mostly traveling Vagabonds. The Inn is set in a building with a natural pink stone facade, and gets its name from the winglike roof tiling.

#### **Alya's Monument**

A modern statue of Alya, created after the city’s re-appearance by Guiseppe. Created from a single, massive stone slab, this rearing statue of the goddess stands 35ft tall if one counts in the pedestal - 20ft if one doesn’t. The great natural rock is still visible in shape, with the rearing goddess seemingly bursting out of it - the rock provides support and keeps the statue from breaking.

The dark stone form of the goddess looks out over the city, and has been depicted with a gentle smile on her face. The monument is not an official shrine, but offerings are still left by locals, and especially travelers heading in and out of the city.

### New District

New District, as the name suggests, is not of ancient origin, but recently constructed. Most of the buildings here are simple huts or even temporary tents, with only a few buildings, such as those on the Dockyard, being proper, permanent constructs. This part of town is quickly expanding and still looks largely unfinished, with several families constructing their own little homesteads at the edges of the city. The small suburb scatters into lone buildings and homes across the surrounding pastures.

#### **The Rock Garden**

A large garden with long, winding walking paths following rounded patterns. Various colorful boulders stood here naturally, and more have been brought in to form a rock garden for Serorans to enjoy. Some parts of the garden feature large fields of sand that are used for sand-art, while others have small artificial streams. Many beautiful arid region plants grow here, and others have been purposefully planted. A refreshing and quiet place for any Seroran to enjoy.

#### **Guiseppe's House**

The earth manipulated abode of Giuseppe, the city’s resident handyman and one of the repair overseers.

#### **Field of Joy**

A large, open field of shrubland that grows many rare species of cacti and desert flowers, making it beautiful to behold. It seems something is always in bloom, no matter the season, and the place is considered blessed by Alya, Kaia or Cascade - perhaps all three. Field of Joy has some natural, smooth rock formations that make for excellent platforms to stand on, making it a natural place to hold Ceremonies of the Rising Wind and other large scale meetings and festivities.

#### **The Dockyard**

Newly built dockyard that currently consists mostly of temporary warehouses and shacks for housing and building boats. The dockyard is where goods intended for distribution in Alhaj are brought, and where goods meant to be taken to the port of Mbira or Cajon are delivered. It’s also possible to get a passage from here to the coast, if there is room on a cargo vessel.