Pai
| settlement name | duchy | district/province | type | population | founding year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pai, Lake City §† | Krethes | Province of Salaah | city | 151,988 | 4295 |
Pai is the most glamorous city in Kalderesh. It lies on Lake Pai, and stands partially within the gentle waters of the huge lake.
Pai is famous for its remarkably beautiful women, splendid festivals, and its many scholarly and artistic organizations.
The bedazzling artist Zoea Yards, known for her avant-garde murals, has her studio in the city. Lyam Lethers, the famous sculptor who created “Dawn Raid” in Camfor, was born in Pai and has recently returned to his home town. The Poet Laureate Horayce Neeps lives in Pai, and many of his most-loved works were inspired from his childhood days growing up along the lake. The wildly popular Topaz Illuminants is based in Pai, and their performances are usually the highlight of the harvest festival.
The Pai Harvest Festival runs throughout the year, and is the only perpetual festival known. The festival’s climax is in November, and draws artists and celebrants from across Kalderesh. Annually, the Royal Guilde of Artists runs the Royal Poetry Competition; past winners have included Horayce Neeps, Ximena Hammer, and Lady Haenna Fryman.
The All-Gods Festival celebrates the unity of the Seven. It is held annually and culminates with the Spreading of the Light, when thousands of small candles, ensconsed in drifting cubes of coloured paper, are set afloat on Lake Pai. The floating lights are released at sunset, at the far southern end of the lake, where the flow of the River Winnow enters. Some four hours later, they reach the city, during which time the revellry is well under way. There is much competition in trying to be the first to see the first light, and to guess which colour it will be, how many of each colour will arrive, and so on.
Pai is geographically within the Province of Salaah but has maintained its administrative independence of the Church. In some sense, Pai behaves like a free city. The city council, known as the Order of the Key, is headed by Sir Ewan Greenyard, who was knighted for his services to the arts. As Master of the Order, Sir Ewan is capably assisted by Senior Sorcerer Grassa Hooke and a huge staff of administrators.
The nobleman Jeffroy Barret, the Duke of Krethes, resides in a palatial manor in the city. Lord Barret is responsible for managing the duchy, and often travels the land to offer hands-on assistance and advice. Lord Barret is also a High Priest of D'Aad.
Damyan Tagus the Illuminated (also known as Grand Arcane Damyan, or Lord Tagus) is the administrator of the Province of Sahir. He, his family, and governing staff are headquartered in a three-towered complex on the lake. There are no settlements within the Province, and it is mostly mountainous; it lies some 250 km south of Pai.
Books, artwork, and all manners of scholarly items are produced in Pai. Major export trade items include special equipment, jewellery and oil.
Lake Pai is the source of a number of essential goods, including duckbell and swamp rice. Large falsifal forests are found in the southern extent of the lake. Many eel farms are found in the shallower sections.
The University of Pai is the largest of the four universities in Kalderesh, and is the learned heart of the city. It occupies a sprawling complex in the south of the city, and its many schools, repositories and scriptoriums attract scholars from across Kalderesh and Brundonica. The University has two broad fields of research: the humanities and nature studies.
The former is housed in Inman House, in the basement of which is an extensive archive and research library. Four main towers house the researchers, scholars, and students. Specialist subject areas are: The Seven, The Burning, Sociology and Culture, Poetry and Literature, and Anthropology. Occupying an area about ten times larger is Yardley & Pickles, the complex where nature studies are pursued. In addition to alchemical laboratories and workshops there are aviaries, ponds, holding tanks, and hot houses. Specialist study is made of Farming, Land animals, Marine animals, Birds, Insects, Trees, Herbs, and Flowers.
A bardic college, the Copper Society, is heavily over-subscribed.
Three large military compounds are based in Pai. The commander of all the forces is Brigadier Axelus Candler, a Razimite cavalier.
Several Cavalier Orders are based in the city, including the Circle of the Glowing Flame, the Illuminants of the Black Sigil, and the Servants of the Scarlet Word. Sword Champion Brooklinea Briggs of the Glowing Flame has an elite training school (specializing in jousting) which is well-attended by aristocratic youth.
A special division of rangers, the Eagle Rose Guard, is based in Pai and is led by Colonel Commandant Jonus Potter. The Guard is an elite force, to which many aspiring warriors hope to belong. This small unit is housed in a wing of the Duke’s residence. Visitors to the city often include the Eagle Rose Quarters on their sight-seeing tour.
Another elite military group, the Maces of the Thunder, is also headquartered in Pai. This small group of Paladins worships at the Temple of D’Aad, and their military parades are a colourful part of the city’s palette.
There are hundreds of places of worship in the city. Several are magnificent and others are modest. Probably the most special is a small cave, the Emerald Gateway, about two hours outside the city (see p 448). It is a sacred space, once long ago tended by druids but now cared for by Qidranians. The cave entrance is surrounded by ruined buildings; at some distant point shrines and chapels were built around it, but the Qidranians brought these crashing down and have allowed nature to take its course. From time to time, druids assemble here, usually in preparation for a meeting with people from Pai, since they never enter cities willingly.
The most important religious establishment is the striking Grand High Temple of Salaah. The Temple, overseen by Holiness Ezekio Hardy, is located near the centre of the city, set upon a mist-shrouded lake. Two gigantic hands thrust out of the lake, supporting the temple worshipry, as if presenting it to the sky. Towards the western end of the lake are a collection of buildings, housing the clerics, celebrants, and novices, and containing the more mundane facilities that every large temple has. Holiness Ezekio is a gifted story teller and learned in alchemy. A smaller temple to Salaah is located in Lake Pai, about 2 km from the city.
The High Temple of D’Aad is under the care of the vigorous Grand High Priest Caerlos Crest, known for his skill in charioteering and various other sports. A smaller temple to D’Aad stands next to the Pai Grand Court House.
The Grand Temple to Sahir is architecturally the most impressive structure in Pai, lofty praise in a city known for its beauty and splendour. The temple consists of a tall central tower, surrounded by eight smaller towers. Unlike all other towers, these towers twist in helical fashion, constantly moving, coiling around themselves. The large central tower is shrouded in blue flame, shifting in colour from a deep ocean blue to a light sky colour. The temple is headed by Holiness Samaentha Wall, Lady of Winter. The noted mages Arcane Master Zachaery Tiller and the Grand Archmage Arya Townes, are permanent residents of the temple. A smaller temple to Sahir, known as the Contingent of the Rune, is located near the University of Pai.
The Temple of Qidra, supervised by Arch Priest Allisann Gardiner, manages Pai’s year-long harvest festival.
At the time of writing, the temple of Oohm, overlooking the Old Market, does not have a high priest. The aristocrat Sir Ewan Greenyard, the leader of Pai’s city council, is the most prominent Oohmian. Lord Ianus Vines and Forester Braidyn Barley oversee the temple.
Guild houses are well represented in Pai. No less than four Great Halls are found here: the Royal Guilde of Artists (led by Clayre Threddman), the Guild of Brothel Keepers (Andreya Piers), the Guild of Dyers & Weavers (Cartus Dayes), and the Guild of Tinkerers (Caelyb Bannerman). The powerful Guild of Merchants has its Small Hall overlooking Owl Market. The Small Hall of the Guild of Glass Workers, led by Kaila Bricker, is accommodated within the Contingent of the Rune.
The Naemo V. Cropman House is the judicial seat in the city, and the elderbench in Justice Sybasten Rayns.
The much-loved woodsman and Razimite gladiator Branus Watters has been the reigning Bruiser in Pai for many years.
Master Celo of the Circle of White Adepts runs a private school, teaching information gathering to bards.
The notorious bandit Jaesen Bloom is said to be secretly living in the city, and rumours never die down that the Dark Knight Jaecoby Croppe lives in a underground castle beneath the streets of Pai.
Pai is known across Kalderesh for its remarkably beautiful women.
The Emerald Gateway, a cave near Pai sacred to Druids and Qidranians.
Game trails criss-cross parts of the Pai Wetlands.
Peat extraction outside Beachmarsh in the Pai Wetlands.
