Isfahan

Isfahan is a planet of the Virasana Empire, the official seat of House Kyothari and the Empire’s #1 trading hub where virtually everything is for sale.

The Prince of House Kyothari also has his seat of power on Isfahan, but does not interfere with local politics.

## Climate

* two moons
* neighboring Planet: Bukhara
* despite all its glitter, Isfahan has a severe parasite problem - all cities are infested in one way or another, from cats, rats, stray dogs to so many others
* while originally sporting several oceans, most of them have dried to salt marshes due to man-made climate changes. Loss of those waters is assumed to be the main reason why public gardens and water features in particular are such a central touchstone of Isfahani culture

## History

* originally settled by the N'Ptalini
* In 837 ET, a human enclave on **Isfahan** was attacked by N'Ptalini supremacists / a terror cell of supremacist humans was apprehended by N'Ptalini forces, leading to the outbreak of open warfare and what eventually became known as the Urchin War.
* conquered by humans and re-conquered by N'Ptalini during the war, with several repetitions
* after the news of the bombardment of Geshi N'Ptah spread, humans on Isfahan revolted and submitted the local N'Ptalini population in bloody guerilla warfare, killing over half the local N'Ptalini population
* during the Lost Years, it became ancestral home planet of House Medina
* no serfs, probably quite a signficant slave population, no census
* probably between a third and half the population is N'Ptalini, estimates vary wildly

## Culture

Mercantilism is by far the most defining characteristic of Isfahan, suffusing every social interaction with its unique flavour. But it is rooted in deep cultural patterns of communality, and it never slipped into the cut-throat capitalism of other planets like Yaiciz or The Floor.

Despite its location at the core of the empire's trading network, no particularly relevant style of cuisine has emerged from this cornucopia - none except the myriad of streetfood stalls and vendors that sell everything the empire ever invented and then some.

Sweets and flatbread make a large portion of the local food, too, mostly featuring in the countless tea houses where most of Isfahan's social life is taking place.

Theater is very popular, puppet and shadow plays, too, as well as street performances of any kind. Particular to Isfahan are the gola plays - puppet plays with giant animated puppets sometimes up to a eighty feet tall - suited to be seen from afar in one of the large ubiquitous amphitheatres or just using an entire city block as stage.

Architecture and fashion are well regarded and of high quality, but the real art of Isfahan in garden design. Nowhere in the entire empire you'll find grander and more pleasant gardens than here. Most of them are even free to the common public, which shows how much status a garden can bring when you consider how virtually nothing else here is for free.

Rugby, Hoverball and all sorts of Gladiator Fights are highly popular, as is everything you can bet on - horse and dog races, cockfights and so on. Beauty pageants are #1 blockbusters, though, comparing everything from pretty slaves to yachts to poodles to origami herons. Most eyecatching to strangers is the high amount of public entertainment - there is virtually no street corner without a juggler or story-teller, no tea-house without musician. In the evenings, most parks sport some sort of theatre or opera, and even private commoner gatherings often offer some sort of performance as entertainment. Many larger Soukhs have public amphitheatres (madraj) build explicitly for this purpose.

## Cities

Isfahan has no cities in the usual sense, but continent-wide sprawls called Soukhs that cater mostly to one specific kind of good. All other wares, of course, are sold in each Soukh as well, but they pride themselves with their specializations

* Soukh Alathar (antiquities market)
* Soukh Aleadl (market of justice = administration)
* Soukh Alfan (art market, also: counterfeiting)
* Souhk Alfakia (fruit market)
* Souhk Alhayawan (livestock market)
* Soukh Aljawara (jewel market, also: finances)
* Souhk Alkhadamat (services market, also: mercenaries, procurers)
* Soukh Alkitab (book market)
* Soukh Almarkabat (vehicle market)
* Soukh Alnasij (fabric market, fashion)
* Soukh Alraquik (slave market)
* Soukh Al-Shay (tea market, including other beverages)
* Soukh Alsilah (weapons market)
* Soukh Altawaboul (spice market, also: drugs, poisons and medicine)
* Soukh Ateima (victuals market) including the famous Rayan Square
* Soukh Mouharakat (engine market = machines)
* Soukh Zuhur (flower market, also: prostitution)

## N'Ptalini heritage, burden and boon

Originally a N'Ptalini settlement, the underground of Isfahan is littered with remnants of their tombs and temples. Virtually every building site has to pause at some point to remove priceless archeological artifacts. And while many known edifices were razed after the Urchin War, new discoveries this day are carefully documented and turned over to museums or collectors or turned into tourist attractions in their own right.

It is well known that both the Duke of Isfahan and the Emperor prioritize the preservation of N'Ptalini cultural artifacts as an unspoken atonement for humanity's crimes after the Urchin War.

The Hall of Swords, one of the very few permanent temples of the Sons of Cor'Garun, was located on Isfahan. It got lost during the last days of the Urching War, and it's eventual rediscovery is equally dreaded and anticipated.

## Notes

* Many city quarters close to the waterfront of Isfahan's rivers are inhabited mostly by N'Ptalini, creating thriving communities with surprisingly little human presence.
* a well-known landmark is the brilliantly white St. Mathilda Monastery in Soukh Alfakia (fruit market), that hosts many of Temple Belligra's public functions
* the brightly turquoise Burj Fairuz in Soukh Alsilah is the landmark family home of the Fairuz Kyothari branch - a pentangular tower of fourty stories that is also a fully functional spaceship, famous for its internal gardens and stunning architecture.
* the Fonsapientia Library in Soukh Alkitab is one of the oldest and grandest repositories of all things written, and its blue-and-green, many-domed silhouette is famous all over the empire. Unlike many landmarks on Isfahan, this one is not open to the general public, only accessible by invitation of the Duke, being a member of Temple Verata, an accredited member of a respected university or by truly generous 'donations' to the right people.
* skiing hall
* The Hawd Zamak Aquarium and Zoo in Soukh Alhayawan
* Embassy of the Aliaerean Empire
* Hotel Interstellar
* the mooncatcher is a small, yellow-greyish songbird native to Isfahan

* The Ducal Office of Horticulture is the oldest and most revered branch of the ducal administration, in charge for the countless parks of Isfahan and the grand tri-annual garden show that draws visitors from all over the empire.
* The Hadiquat Cemetery in Soukh Aljawara - a large sinkhole of almost a kilometre in diametre that swallowed parts of the city a few centuries ago. Due to the many fatalities, it was never rebuilt, but slowly became a memorial park and, over time, one of Isfahan's most beautiful and verdant cemetaries. The funnel-like area is dotted with countless waterfalls as it swallows a sidearm of the Inera river, which re-emerges from the ground about two-hundred kilometres to the east.

## Local Holidays

* Anandi Day on Isfahan is celebrated just like everywhere else in the Empire, but with a strong emphasis on honouring mothers, or rather, the eldest female member of the family.
* The Ducal Garden Party - Presentation of the Ducal court suppliers, three days on the first weekend of August
* Ducal Birthday - 26th of September
* The triannual Gardenshow in July is a four-week extravaganza showcasing garden creations from teams coming from all over the empire.
* Annual Inventors' Challenge - second weekend of January
* Puppetry Festival - Last weekend of August
* Sugar Festival - 8th of October plus the days ahead to bake cookies
* Bellydancing Championships - Third weekend of December

## Notable Isfahani

 Faisal Hairuz Kyothari Simal Kyothari Tahamoney Kyothari Tahira Kyothari
## Other Articles on Isfahan

 Ducal Office of Horticulture Hall of Swords Isfahan Sugar Puffs Saint Tarquinius Division Souhk Alkhadamat Soukh Aleadl Soukh Alfan Soukh Ateima Soukh Zuhur University of Isfahan