The Ghost/Iskandar

Iskandar is a first age city, lost to the contagion and the fair folk invasion over 700 years ago. It is now coming back to life under the aegis of The Patron who wields the power of the Five Signs of Harmonic Unity.

Iskandar

History

Prehistory

Though most do not know it Iskandar's deepest foundations were laid in an era long past by the Dragons Kings. The City flourished in the age between the advent of humanity and the Primordial War with many of the first exalted visiting the place at one time or another in the several decades of lead up to the overthrow of the Primordials. Then when the war began the city was wreathed in destruction by one of the super weapons of the masters of creation, utterly annihilating most of those that dwelt therein and reducing the city to a smoking crater of volcanic glass. Still, beneath the burned and blackened surface some parts of the old under city survived, and wait there still.

The First Age

During the First Age many of the survivors of the primordial war remembered their time in 'Highana' fondly and after excavating much of the old substrata and leveling off the damaged areas to make way for new constructions raised up a new city on the site of the old. This city was dubbed 'Solzarian' in honor of The Unconquered Sun and in memorial to the Great Dragon King lady who had ruled the city so well and wisely ere it's annihilation. The City would remain a significant but out-of-the-way part of the Old Realm all the way through the first age.

The Ocher Fountain Era

During the beginning of the First Age when Queen Merela ruled over all creation from the eternal capitol of Rathess Solzarian was still being reconstructed, and there was little of note that occurred in the city. One event in particular was notable however: the Conclaive of Solzarian in year 99 of the old realm, a symposium on the rights and freedoms of the people of creation which some in later years would argue laid the foundations of the Meru Uprising which led to the formation of the Deliberative.

The First Deliberative Era

By the time of the founding of the Deliberative the reconstruction of Solzarian was largely complete, and over the next few decades the city became a favored retreat for both Solars and Lunars seeking to get the heck out of Meru and the stifling politics of the great city. One of Merela's closest allies Angus the Wirehair was given rule of the city as part of the division of creation into fiefdoms and made it his personal residence. Under Angus rule the city prospered though it by-and-large remained a backwater compared to such metropolis as Chiaroscuro and Rathess. However, thanks to it's solar overlord and his close relationship to the Queen of all Creation the city began the long process of incredible geomantic engineering which would in time lead to it being known as 'The City of Manses'.

Unfurling Horizon Era

While this era of creation went by largely without incident of significant note at this remove of history it is still recorded that many of the great eforts to explore and expand the borders of Creation in the south used Solzarian as a staging ground or stopover point before plunging into the true wilderness at creation's rim. This continued to encourage the exalted to play 'tourist' in the city and helped keep it's economy vibrant. It is also noted in some histories that there was a major strike of Red Jade near the city in 811 which produced a 'Jade Rush' led by two rival Dragon Blooded brothers and their servants which escalated into a short civil war in the city 2 years later in which significant damage was done to the city's infrastructure by all three* factions. The Civil War was only halted when Angus the Wirehair returned from Meru at the head of a wing of elite Dragon Blooded shock troops and brutally suppressed both rival groups with mass arrests and a number of executions. (What happened to the brothers is unknown, but their names do not reappear in the historic record for 700 years, and at that time associated with different elemental aspects leading most scholars to conclude that they were 'dealt with' privately by their family.)

• (The Two consortia backing the rival brothers and the cities law enforcement detachments.)

The Aftershock War

In spite of the growing significance of the city and it's powerful assets in terms of equipment and hearthstones Solzarian was not at first much involved in the Aftershock War. Passed over in favor of more militarily significant targets by the Primordial Forces the city did not come under fire until 1131 when a force of some 3000 first circle demons led by a trio of 2nd circle demons assaulted the city in the dead of night via a fleet of living airships. The 'Battle of Solzarian' was considered a significant victory for the forces of creation due to the large number of Golden Janissary Style practitioners in the city who were able to make fairly short work of the first circle demons allowing the detachment of Dragon Blooded stationed in the city to confront the second circle demon commanders and dispatch them.

However the war was not all glorious victory for the people of Solzarain, Angus the Wirehair went missing during the final battle with the primordial forces and would not be seen again for over 500 years. For most of that time he is presumed dead by the people of the city, though the Solar Exalted know better as his shard has not found a new host.

Shining Reflection Era

During this period Solzarian looses much of it's former significance as the seat of one of Merela's close allies. Few of the Exalted visit the city and the grand engineering projects grind to a near halt. The only events of great significance that occur here are two: 1: The Duel of the Magisters in 1313 where the reincarnations of Theis, Leelah, and Sonah engage in a duel of sorceress power which damages large sections of the city and forces all three of them to be censured by Merela herself: And; 2: In 1492 a major strike of Orichalcum is made a few hundred miles south of the city, and Solzarian becomes a stepping off point for prospectors of every stripe looking to get rich quick mining Orichalcum. The City's economy runs strong off this sudden influx of cash, people, and goods for the next 30 years.

Thousand Struggles Era

The First part of this period proceeds much from the previous one: everyone is aware that one of the legendary solar exalted has died of old age, but this makes little difference to the struggling backwater that Solzarian has become: then in 1776 everything changes.

In the Records of Solzarian 1776 is called: 'The Year of the Thousand' for the massive wave of change that sweeps over the city in this year. The First thing that happens is Angus the Wirehair 'returns from the dead' on the 11th of Ascending storming into the city with a small group of Solars, Lunars, and Siderials and calling everyone he can reach into the city with him to face what he calls 'The Storm of the Millennium'. Ten days later the storm arrives, and following in behind it a host of the fair folk the likes of which has not been seen in centuries. The city is invested and besieged for two months by the Fairie Host and the siege is only broken by the arrival of four full realm legions armed with Cold Iron. Once the Fair Folk are driven back and the city is again secure Angus orders most of the city leveled and an engineering project the like of which the city has not seen in over half a millennium undertaken to extensively alter it's geomancy. To finance this undertaking he produces several tons of jade, from what source none can say, and uses his Wyld Shaping charms, which until his return no one knew he possessed, to manufacture the raw materials needed from the chaotic energy left behind by the Fair Folk.

However no sooner was the project under way than orders came down from the Queen that he was to return to Meru at once and answer for his absence: and bound by the oaths he took as one of the Golden Hero Vassals so very long ago he departs. Following up on the plans he has left behind his circle mate Levian of the Gilded Staff begins directing the super-massive construction and engineering projects which will if successful create one of the greatest concentrations of manses and geomantic relays outside of the Blessed Isle. By late in Descending fire half the city is gone and an entirely new street plan and so on is rising in it's place, along with a massive upgrade to the walls and towers of the city wall as well.

Government

In basic the Government of Iskandar really consists of a single man: The Patron. He is an autocrat, ruling by divine mandate and shier power, as he is capable of defeating significant deities in single combat. However the Patron is one man, and as such has organized his subjects with several branches of what we would consider a more normal government. This normal government is organized into twelve 'Adeptus' which each are led by one of the twelve 'High Lords of Iskandar'. These twelve powerful individuals form a council that advises and assists The Patron in his leadership of the city, feeding him data on several topics such as the state of his subject's religious convictions or the preparedness of his military. Though each High Lord is immensely powerful they all are The Patron's fanatical partisans and would not dream of challenging his authority, even if they could.

The Adeptus Millitate

The Adeptus Millitate is one of the largest branches of Iskandar's government, with no fewer than 1250 members in all it's branches and sub groups. Though officially in charge of Iskandar's Armed services it has a rival in The Adeptus Aeronauticus who oversee Iskandar's air-forces. The Adeptus Millitate is run by Fist of the Land a God-Blooded martial artist who is somewhat uncomfortable leading an army of over a thousand people.

The Adeptus Arbitiese

The Adeptus Arbitese oversee Iskandar's police forces, and are one of the larger branches of the government with only 150 individuals on staff, counting every beat cop all the way on up to the High Lord Herself as well as all the file clerks and so on that work for the adeptus but are not actually part of it's 'fighting strength'. They have only one departmento and less than a dozen officio, but so far are keeping a lid on the political turmoil of the city. The High Lord of the Arbitese is Steel Garden who is not a very good investigator but a decent politician and capable administrator.

The Adeptus Judicate

Working closely with the Adeptus Arbities the Adeptus Judicate is the other half of the justice system. These are the many Judges, Lawyers, and Clerks of the Court who make sure that the innocent are not punished with the guilty. At the present time the Adeptus Judicate consists of 11 judges, 15 prosecuting attorneys, 23 Attorneys of Due Justice (Public Defenders.), 42 'Clerks of the Court' who record and file all rulings and court ordered contracts, and 17 "Agent's Protection" who follow up on inconsistencies in court records and the welfare of Iskandar's citizens in cases such as child abuse allegations and locating jurors that fail to show up for a trial. There are also about 200 private attorneys who are technically part of this adeptus but not part of the government. The High Lord of the Courts is Molly McBride a Demon Blooded northerner who has spent her whole life fighting against injustice and corruption in every form.

Additionally The Patron himself is technically also a member of this branch as he has the right to sit in judgement if he chooses on all High Crimes and acts of Treason. He has invoked this right exactly once, mostly to prove that he could. (The person in question was found "Not Guilty by reason of Insanity" and sentenced to lifetime confinement to a mental institution pending a treatment or cure of his condition. He stood accused of twelve counts of grand theft, but psychoanalysis found him to be a kleptomaniac. The police often consult him on serial theft cases, and he is actually fairly good at solving them. However he does have a problem with stealing other patients belongings and the doctors pens and notebooks.)

Trials are in the American/British style, with a 'jury of ones peers' and the judge presiding from the high seat. The witness's sit to the judge's left and the clerk to the right. The prosecutors are on the left side of the courtroom and the Jury the Right while the accused is in the middle. Unless the accused is elderly or crippled and unable to stand they may not sit. For this reason individual segments of trial must last no more than 3 hours. Only citizens may serve as witnesses, but since one can at the present time become a citizen after 24 hours residency this is not a problem. Citizens MAY testify with respect to events from before their citizenship. The accused is entitled to an 'Attorney of Due Justice' in the event that they cannot retain their own private council. The judge may dismiss any case at any time with or without prejudice, which is done routinely with respect to picayune or spurious civil cases so as to free up Attorneys of Due Justice for criminal trials. The patron is looking into finding more Judges and Attorneys of Due Justice so that civil cases do not need to be dismissed so frequently, which has a distressing tendency to lead to murder.

Abnormaly The Adeptus Judicate does not have any departmento or officio, but there are those within it and without that are bucking to change that.

The Adeptus Sororitatus

The 'Sisterhood' as they are called by the common folk is the government Adepta that oversees all female clerics and thumaturges in Iskandar Like their Counterparts in the Adeptus Fratris they are few in number but powerful in influence. Technically also responsible for the worship of all female gods in the city it is common that women will be priests of male deities and men prelates of a goddesses church. The division of male and female clergy between the AS and AF however is strict while the division of deities wavers like the landscape in the summer heat. In spite of these difficulties the two branches of government get along quite well and cooperation between them is without rancor or strife in most cases. The High Lady of the Adepta is Unrepentant Emerald. She is a mortal with Enlightened Essence and is exceedingly circumspect in her actions, a paragon of temperance. She is also the head priestess of Iskandar Seline.

The Adeptus Frateris

Sometimes referred to as 'The Farternity' by outsiders this adepta is responsible for all male deities and male clergy in Iskandar. They take their job seriously and are sometimes noted for being taciturn and uncompromising. They are led by Wauli the Wolf, who like his female counterpart is a mortal with awakened essence.

The Adeptus Mechanicus

The Adeptus Mechanicus are an odd bunch. Dressing in Rust Red robes and communicating in their own strange dialect of old realm they keep outsiders at arms length. This Adepta is responsible for helping The Patron find and repair the magitech of the city a task that they perform supremely well but which many wonder if this group of strangely obsessed men and women are actually best suited for. Led by Adamant Sprocket, an elderly Djala man and his young adult daughter Gears of Fate, this group employs many Djala escapees in the task of repairing and rebuilding the city.

The Adeptus Diolougus

What some would call the state department or the diplomatic corps the Adeptus Diolougus is one of the smallest Adeptus of the Iskandarian government. Led by Exultant Ivory Mother this group of spies and agent's provocateur work to keep Iskandar a free city and outside the clutches of both The Guild and foreign powers such as the Realm.