Capital of Hazad, former capital of the Old Empire — and the party’s current base of operations.
Overview
Built to house ~500K within its walls but somewhat underpopulated now. Located at the mouth of the river Ufrat; the stubs of great stone pylons from a (possibly pre-Imperial) bridge now serve as bases for small fortresses watching the river entry. Ferries are the main crossing.
Notable Features
- The Old Palace — now primarily state officials
- The New Palace — primary residence of Sultan Fahim
- Great Basilica of Blessed Constantina — seat of Farouk al-Magdi, Arch-prelate of the City
- The Armory — fortress headquarters of the Order of the Eagle
- Imperial-era amphitheaters; several specialized market squares
People & Factions Here
- House al-Fahd — effectively the house of the Lord Mayor of the capital
- The Ulpia Estate — the party’s residence in the city (S1)
- An elven ghetto community — Ari’s contact network; currently under threat, see The Elf Scapegoating
Events Here
- Session 1 — party relocates here after Awad’s death
- Session 2 — funeral season politics; dockside attack on Baahir at a watering hole of ill repute
- Session 3 — state funeral; gatherings with Princess Ensah’s set
- Session 6 — the party returns in midsummer to a muggy, foul, bad-tempered city and much uglier anti-elf talk; two debriefs with Ismad; Titus cured by Father Jamar; Haroun meets Sadiq at a winehouse. Then, on the night they get back from Gazra, the city riots — see The Riot at the Ulpia Estate.
Midsummer 1739
The heat is the background to everything. The party found the capital “a muggy, gross, smelly mess” on arrival and hotter still when they returned from Gazra days later — “everyone is crabby.” That night a mob came up the street at the Ulpia Estate with a battering ram, professional snipers worked the rooftops, and scores of rioters were killed or wounded before it broke. Whether the riots are over is unknown.
Two days’ ride away is the Citadel of Gazra, on the Sultan’s personal estate.