The Endless City

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Introduction

"The Endless City was grown not built. Despite it's contemporary appearance it's foundations are organic, the skyline and urban jungle which exists was augmented to the organic structure of the VOCC biotech over time - it is ever changing, expanding, shifting and reforming..."

The Endless City is a relatively new city governed by The House of The Rat under the direct authority of The God Emperor and functions as the primary travel and communications hub for The Grand Empire of Concordia - most people travelling trods from one realm to another, including Earth Realm at this point will need, or choose, to travel via The Endless City. Communications between realms are facilitated by the VOC Company or VOCC (Very Organic Communication Company) - "A communications terminal in every tree!". Various other official Imperial functions are carried out and managed in the city including Vez Prison and Carter Hall Administration Center. The Endless City is therefore the defacto Capitol of The Grand Empire of Concordia despite the fact that The God-Emperor does not reside there. The Highway always leads to the city.

Description

The Endless City is a sprawling mass of indeterminate size resembling a near-future city to the eyes of souls from the Earth Realm filled with neon lights, dark streets, and all the vices associated. On the surface that is what it is - a vast future city. Beneath the surface, however, it is so much more. It is a place of change, which changes. From day to day, even moment to moment the layout and organization - the very structure of the city can change. These can even be a matter of subjective perspective, the center of the City, characterized by "Imperial Square" (complete with looming statue of The God-Emperor and vast Titan-Tron screen as well as the immediate area around the square (including the legendary "Admiral's Arms" club, unofficially the headquarters of The Cartel) are the only constants. All else is subject to, and does, change.

People and creatures, especially upon arrival to the city, often forget who they are - a kind of permeating "brain fog" exists as a city defense mechanism - when first visited the experience feels like a dream, the more one visits the more real it will become. It is said this is akin to earning a kind of "security clearance" by merit of grinding participation in the city. Regardless of the fog, creatures are still aware of underlying goals and will go about them but it often takes time for people to remember the reasoning behind what they are doing; months, years... decades. A soul can easily become lost in The Endless City. It is indeed a place for the lost to linger. Gods have lost themselves in The Endless City.

It is very important to understand that the city exists in a space bridging The Near Umbra and that it is very, very close to Earth Realm - much closer than any other realm. This space is often designated as The Otherplace - although that name is sometimes also used to refer to any realm outside of Earth Realm. The Endless City could be described as not being really one thing or the other - it is something different. A mere moment through The Veil will land someone in the Endless City; confused, alone and vulnerable. This is perhaps why The Endless City presents as so Earth Realm like, in stark contrast to many other realms which appear more surreal such as Wonderland, or less advanced, for example Oz. Indeed it is fair to say that the deeper into The Far Umbra one travels the less advanced technologically the realms appear to be. Less technological... with more Magic - this is a simplistic appraisal, but a good starting point in understanding the differences between realms and the effect distance into the umbra has upon this.

The next most important thing to understand about The Endless City is that it was grown. It was not built. It was created by a specific act of will over a comparatively short period of time after The War in The Dreaming by The God Emperor. It is alive. It has been created with a specific purpose - to be the travel and communications hub of The Grand Concordian Empire. Everything inside the city facilitates this - including the aforementioned 'memory fog' security characteristic. It is believed a new city was created to head off any claims by any party of historical ownership at any point in the future; there is no doubt that the city belongs to the Empire. It literally did not exist before the Empire was ironclad and any claim on the City is, therefore, an obvious and unforgivable act of rebellion against the Empire.

At present, four great Fae Houses actively operate in the city; The Host of the Raven (who act as both an Imperial garrison and expeditionary force for operations related to The Searching, under the direction of The Raven who is sworn to the Queen of Rats, The Order of Echo (a sinister semi-religious group), The Cult of The Fox (on the surface a violent pleasure cult often used as spies) and the House of the Rat (the only house in the city led by a member of The High Council, a Sidhe High Queen of old (records reference her as far back as The Age Of Magic); The Queen of Rats). The hierarchy of these Houses is complex but broadly speaking The House of The Rat has dominion in The Endless City by direct authority of The God-Emperor and The Raven, and his Host army has sworn personal allegiance to The House of The Rat at the behest of The-God Emperor himself. The other Houses, although powerful, are not in any form of command. A large Imperial Army presence is a constant reminder to everyone of who and what is in charge.

Despite the authorities being very visibly present just like any other city anywhere in any realm, there is a criminal element in The Endless City. These fringe factions operate on the very "edges of the city" (or as they are known colloquially "The Endless City Limits" - the darkest hardest to see places) and include the The Cartel who maintain a public face in the form of the "Admiral's Arms" club, and who led by The Demon Prince an enigmatic relic from a time gone by, are involved in almost every nefarious action possible (although managing to remain "loyalist" in the eyes of the authority, just enough to avoid any serious Imperial sanction, and The Flying Eyes who are thieves and pirates - of data, intelligence, magic and goods alike. There are also a number of smaller cabals and gangs not worthy of specific mention... but active nonetheless.

The city is far from all doom and gloom though - it has a thriving nightlife, a liberated attitude to most activity short of rebellion against the Empire and even its own homegrown sport; The League and gambling on The League is one of the most popular activities in the city. One can also visit The Circus of Neverending Fuck which travels around the wastes just outside the city limits from time to time; it's quite a spectacle.

The last downside to life in The Endless City is the existence of the bizarre creatures known only as Leviathon - these creatures appear native to the city, and no records of them existing anywhere else exists. They are a mysterious, creepy, dangerous occurrence and a daily problem within the city for all who inhabit it. The Imperial administration actively hunt and destroy them - although this is sometimes easier said than done.

The Endless City, due to its "cosmic" positioning, acts as a travel and communications hub for The Grand Empire of Concordia and is thus the defacto capital of the Empire.

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