The Endless City

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Introduction

Communications and travel hub for the empire.

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 and, 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 change - 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 it feels like a dream, the more one visits the less so. It is said this is akin to earning a kind of security clearance by grinding participation in the city and its whims. 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.

It is very important to understand that the city exists in The Near Umbra it is very, very close to Earth Realm - much closer than any other realm which is part of The Otherplace has ever been, 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.

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.

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) and the House of the Rat (the only house in the city led by a member of The High Council, and herself 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 allegiance to The House of The Rat at the behest of The-God Emperor himself. The other Houses, although powerful, are not in command. A large Imperial Army presence is a constant reminder to every one 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.

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