The City of Bats
Smoke wafted through the dingy room, illuminated by the fires outside. The city was almost abandoned; the few peasants we'd seen in the outer fields hid when they saw us arrive. We should have known it was a trap. Above, dozens of red eyes met ours. They were waiting.
The story of Sangsai, the city that outlasted the cleansing flame, is one shrouded in mystery. Originally, the settlement was one of several trade hubs, reportedly lost during the Unification Wars, marking the end of the Sehan Rebellion. While their fates were shrouded in uncertainty, the devastation caused by the traitorous Gy'veorn upon the surrounding lands left little hope. Scouts discovered ruins, burnt fields, and desecrated corpses. Despite how things looked, a voice of the Emperor believed that there could be worthwhile artifacts left behind, especially in such an accursed place. Li Sizhen, a noble who disgraced himself in court not long ago, was tasked with locating and retrieving anything of value from the rubble.
Sangsai was found desolate, though seemingly untouched by the passages of time. Nearby villages had been reduced to rubble, smouldering with the embers of the liar's flame, yet the city stood. Peasants fled before them. Bats, thrice the size of anything they'd seen before, flew above Sangsai in a fury. Fires remained in the streets, though they were maintained, stoked as though they were an imitation of the Imperial Flame. The city was left in a state of well-tended decay. It was as though Sangsai was designed to appear continually razed, as though the damage done was part of its architectural design. From within the smoke, Li Sizhen beheld what hid within the city.
Demographics
The City of Bats gains its name from the large, bipedal bats that were found living within the city. Hanging from the ceilings of nearly every building, warmed by the firelight, these creatures, despite their appearance, held the steadfastness that many aspire to. Swords and glaives were held firmly in each hand, clutched close to their chest. Basic, dark wooden armor was worn, with symbols of the Trel carved into it. Their loyalty to the Emperor and to what they believed lay beyond the wastes caused them to find favor in the eyes of those who held their lives in their hands. Despite their origins remaining a mystery, these people have been granted freedom and welcomed into the Empire.
Despite the apparent warrior culture, many of these inhabitants have delved deep into the study of magic.
Government
The City of Bats is one of a handful of cities that the Emperor has deemed to remain hidden, becoming a free city, designated to observe armies that would pass through the lands and report back. As such, they need no official government. Forsaking the traditional need for elders, judges, magistrates, and shadows, they instead hold two opposing ideologies above all else, indoctrinated into these simple truths.
The Law of the Beast permits any challenge to be met with blood. An affront to one's honor, whether real or imagined, must be accounted for, lest the city fall into infighting and blood feuds. To truly live, one must forgo the niceties of civilization, binding oneself in passions and emotions. Freedom is sacrosanct.
The Imperial Creed guides those bound under it into truth, seeking peace before the desires of the flesh. Vengeance is forbidden, as mercy and humility are Heavenly traits. As all are equal, in theory anyway, under the Emperor, it is taught that the people must be united as one, in service to one another.
Thank you for reading this article! Any feedback and suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Comments