Ashy: Things to see and do in Nemes

5/28/2018

This is part 1 in what will be a series of pictorial posts.

Beyond the Midnight Mountain takes place in the Empire of Nemes. The northern lowlands are called the White Land. It's savanna, and its central valley is where the freestanding Midnight Mountain is. The southern half of the empire is the highlands, also called the Woad Land. The Woad Land ranges from hilly to mountainous, with tropical forest and a lot of green.

Ashy

Ashy, in the Woad Land, is Nemes' capital city. People of all tribes come to the capital to find work, mixing more here than in any other city. Squares hold markets, while indoor shops and outdoor kiosks line the streets.

paul morris

pina messina

Typical of a highland city, the poor areas have buildings made of wood or mud bricks. Nemes has two yearly rainy seasons, so the mud bricks sometimes have to be patched up. Houses may be in rows stacked on one another, sometimes with shops on the ground level with residences above. These houses tend to have flat roofs, where families can hang laundry, grow gardens, or cook meals.

Toa Heftiba

More affluent areas have structures made of brown, grey, or white stone, with courtyards inside. Only the wealthiest use white stone. Roofs tilt and flare out. Yania lives in Crescent Palace, the tallest building in the empire at 6 stories.

Redd Angelo

Inside residences, there is little furniture. People sleep on reed mats or on wool-stuffed mattresses, according to what they can afford, and keep their belongings in baskets. Some officials may work at low tables, but scribes use writing boards on their laps. Everyone, wealthy or poor, eats on the floor or on cushions, lounging around a rug that holds the meal.