The city is located on and below a 150 foot Escarpment with a cataract waterfall dead in the center. This divides the city into four Quarters, each controlled by a particular Ethnic Group.
The Hellenistic Quarter: The Greek cultural center of the city. This part of city was built up by Hellenistic Armies (al la Alexander the Great's army). The people who live here are predominately Western European and Greek in look. They have fair skin. highlights:
* Academy of the Will and the Way. This is the Psionic Academy that takes a scientific approach to teaching Psionics. The Desire of the Science, a primitive Many Worlds theory of Quantum Mechanics, and an analogue of Force Religion is taught here to produce Psions and Soulknives.
Many shapers, egoists, nomads, kineticists, and seers come from this academy.
* Gymnasium. The Gymnasium trains Athletes (re: Monks). Most Athletes are experts or commoners, but Athletes who adventure take levels in Monk (Players who make a Monk for this setting are strongly advised to change the Class name to Athlete). Since Gymnasium means "the naked place" it's a tradition for Adventuring Athletes to wear a modicum of clothing.
* Crystal Row: Here, Alchemists and Psions with Psionic Craft Feats and skills cater to Adventurers. Crystalsmiths work with crystals, shaping them with psionic power, Blacksmiths work psionically at their metal -- creating psion steel, Alchemists infuse copper with glass -- creating Crysglass, and Duergar work with Ferroplasm.
* Massalia Town: Where Kyonin elves live. The place is a veritable paradise. The Elves here live apart from their cousins in the Vedic Quarter. There is some bad blood between the two. The Elves here also practice Cheliaxan magic as a matter of course.
-- Languages Spoken: Hellenic, Common
-- Ethnic Groups from Golarion found in the Hellenic Quarter: Taldan, Varisan; Elven Ethnic group: use Elf from the Pathfinder Game to create an elf of Massalia town.
The Hellenistic Quarter is located below the Phoenician Cataract Falls, North of the Phoenix River (Northwest Quadrant).
The Khorasani (Arabian Nights) Quarter: The Arabian Nights quarter of the city. It's located Above the escarpment on the Northside of the Phoenix River. It's the largest part of the city and is the Western terminus of the fabled Silk Road. Here, merchandise from the Dragon Empires flow into the city some ready for redistribution into the Inner Sea.
* Khorasani Bazaar: the Great Bazaar is where people can find goods from Casmar and the Dragon Empires. PCs can buy anything here, from clothes to rugs to Hashish to Soma to slaves. Although certain specialized slaves can be purchased elsewhere in the city.
* Sultan's Palace. This structure was used as a Palace before the Hellenes came in and conquered the city. The family of the Sultan of Alalea is now one of the noble families that are represented in the Senate.
* Tian Xia Town. The equivalent of Chinatown, here there are permanent settlers from Tian Xia, and they are mostly from the Land of Lingshen. They accept the rule of the Alalean Republic but have their own Ethnic practices. They are mostly tolerated and in some places (like the two Psion Academies) welcomed and embraced. In other places in the city, they suffer extreme prejudice (like the three Elven population centers). The people who settled here are a welcome site to travelers on the Silk Road.
--- Ethnic Groups allowed: any ethnic human from Tian Xia, Casmar
The Vedic (Indian) Quarter: The Vedic Quarter is populated by people from Vudra. Here they maintain their cultural and ethnic identity, even after they conquered Phoenix's city in the late Bronze Age. The people here live under a strict Caste System, which was abolished several times, but is always resilient. This quarter is distinctly Vudran in sights and smells.
* Chakra Academy. Here Psions are trained in a mystical approach to psionic cultivation. Many soul knives, egoists, nomads, seers, and telepaths in the city come from here. Rather than depend on science, the gurus teach the secrets of the inner self and harmony between the inner self and the outside world. Psionic power comes from the Chakras rather than the True Source that the Will and the Way Academy stresses.
* Kshatriya Training Grounds. Here, Vedic nobles learn to become like their exemplar, Rama. Many paladins come from this training ground.
* Spice Market. Spices from Vudra can be bought here. The spices of the east: Cardamon, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger, and so forth; can be found here in great quantities. Here, some of the spices are packaged for shipment into the Inner Sea Region.
* Mordant Town. Here Elves from the Mordant Spire are found. There is some bad blood between them and the elves of Massalia Town, so there tends to be great prejudice between the two elven groups.
--- Ethnic Groups: Vudrani
The Levantine Quarter
The Quarter called the Levantine Quarter is located in the Southwest part of Alalia, below the waterfall. Vibrant and verdant this Levantine Quarter has taken on a desert culture. The people here wear decidedly different costuming than those of the Hellenic Quarter. Notable districts include: the Spice Market, the Slave Market, Desert Elf Town, Adventurer’s Square, and the Graveyard.
* Desert Elf Town
Desert Elf Town is a section gathered around the Southern Gate of Alalea. Like Massalia Town, the place is populated by desert elves. These elves typically live on the grassy plains located to the south and depend on the plains for hunting wild game. So they converted their part of Alalea into almost an open park that is occasionally broken by the olive, myrtle, sycamore, and bay trees. The permanent dwellings are built of wood and brick. The desert elves who live here worship their one god and are typically treated as peculiar by the other two elven populations in the city.
* 'Red Light District'
Or more properly, prostitution row. The most successful resident here is Marcus. Marcus sells pleasure slaves, and he makes it a point to get the most beautiful girls found anywhere. His agents go deeply into Vudra, Avestan, Tian Xia, and the Mwangi Expanse to find girls to sell. He has a Keleshite competitor -- and both of them will arrange to kidnap a princess to order for you. Naturally, the Red Light District is known as a seedy area. This is the place where you can get psionic tattoos to be tattooed in scandalous areas.
* Graveyard
The graveyard is known for its forboding feeling and dread. The problem is that there is an ancient crypt here where an Ancient Raja was imprisoned. Rumors abound that he is a psionic lich and he's just sleeping.
* Slave Market.
Here is where the largest slave market is found. You can buy slaves for any purpose you like here. However, if you want a specialized pleasure slave, you buy them in the Red Light District.
FAQ
How did the city attract psions rather than wizards?
That's a mystery for you to solve. Basically, most psionically active people come here to escape persecution.
How old is the City?
The city has foundations, how ever obscure, dating back to Azlant. And there are Stone Age constructions there still in use that date after Azlant.
Creating a Character for the Campaign
PC Races from the Player's Handbook
* Humans -- use the Human statistics in Pathfinder RPG.
* Elves -- use the Pathfinder rules in Pathfinder RPG and the APG. Desert Elves use the Desert Runner trait, and the grey elves of Mordant Spire can use traits from elves of Golarion.
* Dwarves -- Regular dwarves and deurgar exist in the city. The Deurgar are from an uncharted volcanic island somewhere east of Osirion. Regular dwarves are known as Ironheart Dwarves.
* Halflings -- Halflings are typically living in the countryside around Alalea.
* Gnomes -- Gnomes are available to play, but they typically get prejudice in most areas.
* Half-Elves -- pairings that result in Half-Elves are rare and are typically taboo among elves and humans. It does happen, and typically the Half-Elf has to choose to be brought up among the elves or the humans. If the former, they are treated as part of Elven society and go through the same coming of age rituals and can rise high in the elven enclaves. If the latter, they are typically called "half-man" and are not welcome to the more intimate details of Elf society.
* Half-Orcs. Mistrusted, often seen as some aberration. Most humans in the city would not think to sink so low as to mate with an orc. Orc invasions in the past proved that the orcs were not something you can get along with -- as orc soldiers tend to rape both sexes during a successful raid. Half-orcs have to fight to prove themselves, and it gets worse when a Half-orc seeks the favor of Yuelral, the Elven Goddess of Magic.
Psionic Races (from PU and XPH)
Elan -- They are a secret society, and they often put people off. While not Undead, their process of creation is similar to that of a psionic lich.
Duergar -- see above.
Half-Giants. From the deserts of Casmaron where cruel Sorcerer Kings rule, Half-giants form clans and are often found in the Levantine Quarter of Alalea.
Xephs -- Xephs are from the Valley of the Moon, which is in a Desert in Casmaron that is not unlike the deserts in Southern Utah. Little sunlight can get through the valley, and Xephs had to learn how to live with flash floods. The Valley of the Moon is illuminated by the forests in the valley, which have psionic bioluminescence.
Maenads -- Maenads are the direct descendant of survivors of the Azlant destruction. These survivors had crystals permanently embedded in their bodies, and for some strange unexplained reason, their offspring also had these crystals. The whole race thinks they are under a divine curse, since their skin constantly scintillates in the light with crystal reflections. They also known to be wildly emotional and this seems to be true as many Maenads take to meditation to control their emotions.
Dromites -- Dromite colonies have no contact with Alalea.
Eberron Races --
Kalashtar -- Or simply Psionic Humans; this race is descended from twenty pairs of children who had found what was attracting the psions to this place. After their encounter, they gained psychic powers and soon found that their children had inborn psychic potential soon after they were born.
See Races of Eberron on how to make a Kalashtar. Since there are no Quori, these kalashtar dream.
Exotic Races --
* PC Exotic Races:
** Kitsune: Yes, it's possible to play a Kitsune. The race is detailed in the Dragon Empires Gazetteer. Almost all Kitsune are kidnapped and groomed to be pleasure slaves or sneak slaves. Very few Kitsune are free. The free Kitsune adventurer is very unique indeed.
** Orcs: Orcs in the area (Casmaron and the eastern Inner Sea) hate humans. Orcs hate elves worse. Still, Orcs often find themselves in Alalea to seek trade. Rare is the Orc who can get over his own prejudice of humans and sometimes elves to ally himself with a group of adventurers. All orcs are Shamanistic.
** Elemental humans: These four types are uncommon. The Oread, the Ifrit, Sylph, and Undine are from the by blows of genies or other elemental types. They typically won't learn psionic vocations since they believe such is below them and magic is the true way.
** Gnolls. Those of the Great Tooth Clan of gnolls have cordial relations with Alalea since the armies of Alalea forced the clan into surrender two hundred years ago after three months of constant, bloody fighting. Gnolls are welcome in the city to trade, and are accepted in Adventure groups.
* NPC Races
** Aasimar and Teiflings: these are the result of Celestial and Infernal bloodlines. They are incredibly rare and require GM permission to play.
** Drow: Drow are treated as irredeemably evil and it's tough for a drow to gain admittance into the city let alone join an adventuring group.
** Minotaur: the Minotaurs did play a part in the city's history since the Bronze Age. Many of them practice magic.
** The Unwanted: The city is home to goblins, ratmen (see the Creature Collection, and the Creature Collection II for various types), blues, and other undesirable elements. Most people consider these to be an infestation rather than true sentient races however. These residents contribute nothing to the city, but they steal from the populace and take what they want to live.
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CLASSES
Here are a few notes on how the various classes fit in the campaign.
Barbarian: Human barbarians are from the Eastern Inner Sea region or from Garund. Most come from Galt and Katapesh. There are no Dwarven barbarians and most Elven barbarians are Desert Elves.
Bards: Since this is a city campaign, bards do fit very well. Although they use arcane magic, they are expected to be performance artists first and spellcasters last. Minstrels and other performers with talent are very well received in the city.
Clerics: Clerics are very respected in the City. Clerics of Iomedae and Gruhastha have some political clout within the Senate. You can work with the DM to choose a Deity that is appropriate for your needs.
Druids: Druids are Avistanian in origin and once in the Neolithic Age they were as numerous as the stars. When the School of Necromancy was experimented with in the region, they were beginning to wane. Now Druids are all but nonexistent and are often loners in the city. The druid class is the least represented.
Fighters: The Campaign includes a number of Knighthoods you may join to prove your worth. These include the Knights of Will, the Sons of Gorum, and others of Vudran origin. There is also a fighter's Guild, the Companions. Most fighters get their start in the Korasani Quarter's Arena. Also, if one is considering Archery, you can come from the Light Artillery unit in the City's Army.
Monks: Monks are known as Athletes. All athletes are trained at the Gymnasium (the naked place) and are often gymnasts, boxers, wrestlers, runners, javelin throwers, and discus throwers. Athletes with the Monk hero class are always trained in Pankration and seek to emulate their hero -- Hercules.
Paladins: The Campaign contains a number of knighthoods you might want to join someday. These include the Knights of Will, the Sons of Achilles, and the Disciples of Rama. Also, look at the religion notes below. Atheist paladins are always considered fallen paladins and are treated as fighters until they convert to a suitable faith.
Rangers: Rangers are uncommon but not unheard of in the City of Psionics. Human rangers are likely to be from Nirmathas and the River Kingdoms. Elves are likely to be rangers, particularly elves from Nirmathas.
Rogues: There is a thieves guild in the city (the Crows) and there is an Intelligence Agency in the city (Si7). However, these two are just options. Rogues can make good scouts, spies, even merchants and artisans due to their skillfulness. Aside from psions, this may be the most common class in the city. In the Vedic quarter, many rogues belong to the Vayshas and Harijans.
Sorcerers and Wizards: Of all the Arcanist classes, Sorcerers and Wizards typically receive less persecution than the others (Witch, Summoner, and Magus). Most respected sorcerers in the city have the Dreamborn bloodline and hide the fact that they are really magic users.
Wizards receive worse treatment. Wizards are jeered at, laughed at, and receive all kinds of verbal and emotional abuse. Necromancers, even though they practice a school of magic that has a tradition going back to the Neolithic Age in the Area, are often treated the worst.
PSIONIC CLASSES
Psions: Psions make up the majority of psionic using classes in the city. Of the six disciplines, shapers are considered to be the most numerous by the Psionic community (if you ask them why, they will say everyone is a shaper). All psions are those who receive formal training at one of the academies. They can be trained in the Occidental Way (at the Will and the Way academy) or the Oriental Way (at the Chakra Academy).
Psychic Warriors: There are a number of knighthoods you can aspire to. Like fighters, they often get their start in the Arena. There is also the Companions to consider.
Soulknives: Soulknives are considered to be paladins by the Kalashtar. Some soulknives multi class and become known as Sages (Soulknife/Kineticist), Shadows (Soulknife/Kineticist/Rogue or Ranger), Guardians (Soulknife/Telepath/Fighter), or Sentinels (Soulknife/Telepath/Paladin).
Wilders: Wilders are those that have no formal training. They come into their own psionically and display wild and strange talents. It is speculated that there are more Wilders among the poor than among the rich. But, as always, there are exceptions.
OTHER BASE CLASSES
Alchemist: Most Alchemists are NPCs, because being a merchant is more profitable than going out there to get killed. Of all the Arcanists, Alchemists are given respect no matter what they do. They are the only source of Glyss (psionic glass).
Cavalier: Cavaliers are always Foreigners.
Inquisitor: An inquisitor isn't welcome at all in the city and will be asked to leave.
Oracles: Oracles are accepted in the City, as long as they don't preach much. YHWH's Oracle is the only one who can preach day in and day out (they can't stop him from doing it). With the exception of YHWH's Oracle, all other oracles of the Seer disposition are strongly encouraged to enter a psion academy and advance as a Psion (Seer).
Summoners: Summoners are treated the same as Wizards. If they are performance artists, they are given some respect.
Witch: Witchcraft is considered an Abomination in Alalea. This is because the psion community considers Witchcraft to be a perversion of the True Source. Those accused of being witches are caught. If they are found guilty of Witchcraft they are either executed by beheading or stoning; or if they are innocent in their craft; banished to Cheliax.
Magus: In the recent past, an army of Magi sent by Cheliax to conquer the city of Alalea was defeated in a brutal siege that lasted seven months. The reason was to teach the city of Alalea respect of Arcanists by replacing their Republic with a Magocracy answerable to Cheliax.
The Magi were defeated when the Psions, especially the shapers, took the field and collectively defeated them by manifesting Reality Revision as a Metaconcert. As a result of the Reality Revision, the army unconditionally surrendered when they were about to achieve total victory. The Magi were taken to the city and the psions took their spell casting away by using Reality Revision. Then the army was sent back to Cheliax.
Because the wounds of that siege is still fresh, no Magus is EVER permitted in the city. If a Magus is found, they are simply asked to leave. If they won't, they will be teleported to the middle of a current battle where their talents can be useful, and hopefully killed in a most gruesome and horrifying way.
Gunslinger: A gunslinger is considered to be an oddity. They are allowed to be in adventuring groups as long as they don't seek to murder anyone in a gunfight.
Samurai: They aren't in the city.
Ninja: No ninja clan is ever found in the city.
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Religions:
Alalea is a Polytheistic City. As a cleric, you can pick any God of Avestan, Casmaron, Osirion, or Vudra you please. There are some notable religions in the city.
Worship of the True Source -- The True Source of All Life has a strong following. Under the religion's beliefs, the True Source is the energy behind the Universe itself and is the source of all things -- both Good and Evil. The True Source is Neutral Good, and it's worshippers seek to allow it to guide them through life no matter where it takes them. Psions are strongly attracted to the worship of the True Source, and clerics of the True Source may choose any two domains and/or subdomains and are not restricted to an alignment.
The True Source goes by many names in Golarion (Hindus call it Brahma). Most shapers are grateful for the True Source, for without the True Source, they could not be; or bring things into being; or move things into unbeing.
YHWH -- Yes, he is worshiped in the City. He is Neutral Good and typically grants Community, Good, Healing, Knowledge, and War to his clerics. Some psions join his church, but typically reject his clerics -- but rely on YHWH for his role in the Universe. Shapers who accept Him regard him as the Ultimate Shaper. There's a prophet of YHWH that is trying to preach of the god, but he's finding little converts among many of the people.
Atheism -- Yes, there is a undercurrent of Atheism. Atheists can be any class, any vocation, any profession. It's typically the rejection of Deities, especially the idea of Salvation. Atheism must exist, for there should be unbelievers to balance the believers in any God. Clerics of Atheism don't get any domain spells, but still have the power to turn or rebuke undead (the undead react to their unbelief).
Deism -- the favored religion of Wizards in Alalea, especially Elementalists. Deism is the belief that Golarion was created and then left alone. For all the persecution that Wizards and other archaists get: from the silent treatment, to verbal abuse, to emotional abuse, to persecution, to outright hatred (especially directed to those of the Magus class), many Wizards believe that the Gods have abandoned them or are asleep. Many Wizards in Alalea are deists.
Aside from that there are temples erected to:
Iomedae, Asmodeus, Nethys (which is hardly attended), Shub-niggurath, Findeladlara, Bolka, Yuelral (which has a few half-orc attendants), Chaldira Zuzaristan, and Desna; and one for all the Vudra deities in the Vedic Quarter.
