Yuthuppa
Follow the Light

Theocrisas slowly poled the gondola along the quay. When fastening the rope he made out a school of Light-Fish in the canal's troubled water, with bright, iridescent colours. The fine air carried the sweet fragrances of Aldrya's precious woods, close by the pier he had climbed up. With pounding heart, he raised his eyes to the lofty circular platforms that towered in the middle of the city. He knew that up there, in the Sacred Acropolis near the Golden Torch of Yuthu, Helena was burning after his body. He still could not understand how her noble husband could neglect her, she who was Uleria's equal in beauty as in erotic games.

Foundation and History of Yuthuppa

When Yuthu was born from Yelm and River Goddess Oslir's adulterous union, Polestar God Polaris offered to foster the young bright-futured god. But Ernalda wouldn't hear it that way and, jealous of that childbirth, refused to bring up Yuthu. Thus it was decided that Polaris would give the infant god the teachings of Divine Life.

Gorgorma, Ernalda's dread sister, stood up for her and threatened to attempt against the child's life. But Oslir's beloved child was protected by her mighty foster-father who rose him on top of a hill close by the Oslir River's bank, where three Imperial Griffins lived. They agreed to take charge of the Yuthu's upbringing. So that his life be protected, Oslir flowed out of her curse and in a time she dug myriad canals around the future city, thus embracing Yuthu with her protective arms.

The city was finally built, and called Yuthuppa in honour of Yuthu. Three high circular platforms were raised to the glory of the Sun Disk. Yuthu, with help from the Griffins, mastered the deepest secrets of Light and Fire. When he was successful, Yuthu decided to make that emblems of Light that would drive away any aggression from Gorgorma. Those were the first Sacred Torches. Ever since, the Cult of Yuthu has held the secret of the famous torches of Yuthuppa, which remain alight during a week and water does not extinguish.

During the Gods War, Yuthu fiercely struggled against the trolls. The city fell several times, but the Acropolis never fell to darkness hands. In 230 ST, after the Battle of Argentium Thri'ile, Yuthuppa was freed from the Pent nomads by the Yelmic forces who founded the empire of Dara Happa. The whole First Age was a time of unequated prosperity for Yuthuppa.

On the other hand, the Second Age was less favourable. Pentan raids started again, and in several occasions they managed to take the city. But the most important event was when the Tripolis fell to the eager hands of the EWF. The Yelmic cults had to bow down in front of the powerful Dragon magic. Only after the Dragonkill Battle in 1100, which ended the empire, did Yuthuppa breathe again. (It shoud be noted that, for one of History's many tricks, Yelmites were the main victims of the Dragonkill War, being the spearhead of the attack against the Dragons).

During the Third Age, Yuthuppa recovered from its wounds and thrived again. Of course the rise of the Lunar Empire was the most important event for Yuthuppa. Like the rest of the Tripolis at the very beginning, Yuthuppa welcomed the Red Goddess favourably. Thus, in the XIIIe century, Yuthu, with advice from his brother, allowed the Red Goddess to enter the city.

Then Yuthuppa became an ally of the new empire. But during the First Wane, as the emperor tried to establish a true theocracy, the three Yelmic cities rose up. The rebellion was broken in 1285 (1/38) by the Lunar forces. Yuthuppa became a full city of the empire. They anyway recognized the predominance of the Solar Pantheon deities, and the Yuthuppans continued to worship their blazing gods.

During the Third Wane, Yuthuppa was the scene for the first battle between Sheng Seleris' Pent nomads and the Lunars in 1375 (3/20). The city fell in nomad hands, but they did not raze it out of respect for Yelm. Only in the early Fourth Wane was Yuthuppa freed by Yara Aranis. The city slowly recovered again, welcoming defeated former nomads.

During the Fifth and Sixth Wanes, the city found back some of its former glory, but to the cost of an increasingly heterogeneous populace.

Overview

Yuthuppa is the third city of the Tripolis, Lunar Empire's most densely urbanized area. The three great cities, Alkoth, Raibanth and Yuthuppa, used to be the glorious capitals of the Dara Happan Empire. Today they form the urban core of Solar culture.

Yuthuppa shelters some 30,000 souls within its walls. From an economic perspective it is an important city of the Lunar Empire, for it controls all trade to the north of the Empire. Yuthuppa also collects trade goods from the Eastern nomads and the Northern guardians of First Blessed. Its religious importance is foremost, for Yuthuppa is the city where the Fire and Light cults are the most commonly worshipped by people. The priests of Yelm hold religious and political power and may take decision without asking any advice to the Red Goddess. Yuthuppa is thus considered as a holy city by Yelmites and Yelmalions in Glorantha, et its power is embodied by the City Cult of Yuthu, who created the Sacred Torches.

Politics and Administration

The government of Yuthuppa could almost be compared with a theocracy if paradoxically the Lunars had not got involved into it. The city is ruled by the Hierophant, High Priest of Yelm and Holy Priest of Yuthu, whose noble lineage dates back to Yuthu himself. All decisional power concerning the city is in his hands. Two councils assist him in his task: a Private Council and a Public Council. The Private Council consists in the Hierodules, all Priests of Yelm the Elder descended from the most noble families in Yuthuppa. The Public Council is much larger. It consists in the following:
•	The High Priest of Yuthu; leader for the city's religious business. He leads the sacred ceremonies, heads the Torch Guild, empowers new Priests of Yuthu, and above all takes care of the relations with the other cults. The High Priest is a pivotal point in relations between the Lunars and the Yelmites. Current High Priest Bhono is very active and popular, because of his splendid sung ceremonies that strengthen the Yuthuppans' morale.
•	The Satrap of First Blessed. His office at the Council is honorary and his taking part in the Council's daily decisions is remote for he is fully busy with his own Satrapy's administration. It must be noted that his palace is in the Public Quarter, among the buildings that hold his administration. The Satrap willfully delegates his power to his "religious advisor", that is the Red Goddess initiate whose duty is to oversee his job. This allows the Satrap to get rid of that man, and as an initiate of the Red Goddess (Three Crowns aspect) is a very powerful person, he may influence the Council.
•	The Optimatus. He stands for traders, craftsmen, guildmembers and the rest of the city too. The current Optimatus is very concerned with the creeping poverty and anarchy which threaten the downtown. He hurries other council members to take decisions with respect to this matter. He is supported by the populace and customers of the noble houses, but clashes with the Private Council's hostility.
•	The Priest of Polaris, finally, gives advice as to the city's religious and military life. The current Priest fears a new invasion from Pent and thus would like to set up a general conscription.

The Hierophant relies on and must listen to both Councils, but he eventually gets the final word. He is assisted by a body of city servants chosen among the Priests and worthy Initiates of Yuthu. Usually they are noblemen but many Lunars hold those administrative ranks which are sneezed at by the young Yelmic nobility, interested in less altruistic pleasures. Thus, even if the city is ruled by a Yelmite, it is administered by Lunars.

Those city servants' duties are to collect and manage the city taxes, to keep records of the births and deaths, and to take care of the dead's cremation after the seven days' traditional mourning. Once in the season, they distribute food to the poor and to the customers of noble houses. They control the sale, the making and prices of guild-produced goods. They direct the Scatophagi (canal cleaners), protect the Sacred Peacocks and care for all gardens throughout the city. Finally, they take care of law affairs. They are divided in corps, each one taking care of one of the afore-mentioned tasks. There are a Tax Office building, a Funeral Office building, etc..

The city police is ensured by the Carmina Pax and is controlled by the Satrap of First Blessed. The Carmina Pax of Yuthuppa is not overly corrupt and fiercely struggles against all thieves in the city. It also represses the paupers' riots. Lately, a peaceful White Moon demonstration was violently repressed in the Bronze and Public Quarters.

Law

The legal system of Yuthuppa mixes the Yelmic and Lunar systems. Cases between individuals are run in conformity with the Lunar model. Each participant may have a lawyer and the dispute is settled by a council of judges who follow Lunar laws. Lawyers are independent and in Yuthuppa, the judges depend on the council and not the Satrap as in the rest of the empire. However, crimes and offences are punished according to Yelmic tradition: for a theft a hand cut off, for a rape sex cut off, an armed attack two hands cut off, a murder head cut off.

Offences (trampling a peacock, disturbing a garden, urinating on a public building) are subject to a suppression of citizenship. The Yelmites thus have very stern etiquette. Originally non-noble people had to prostrate themselves in front of a nobleman, otherwise he could have them killed on the spot. With the stream of time and under Lunar influence, this practice changed. Commoners must still bow down but any breach of this etiquette only means temporary loss of citizenship (Permanent loss is in case of repetition). Yuthuppa has banned all weapons or armours from inside its walls. Any warlike instrument has to be stored in a depot with a cloak-room system. Only Yelmite and Pelorian nobles, as well as military and the Carmina Pax, are not subject to that rule. Any breach of that law means loss of citizenship and more importantly exhibition at the pillory on the public plaza for a week. Godday is Holy Day, and nobody may work.

Cults in Yuthuppa

Yuthuppa is one of the most religious cities of old Dara Happa. Light and Fire gods are predominant here, although they still do not outshine the Red Goddess.

Sky and Fire Gods

Yelm

Yelm gets worship from most of the Yuthuppans. His main temple is located in the Acropolis and dominates all others. Hundreds of shrines dot the city, built by devout worshippers. They are often shaped as a small circular temple with columns supporting a dome and low-reliefs showing Godtime scenes. Sometimes they are adorned with ex-votos and many offerings are left inside the shrine.

Yelmalio

Yelmalio is mostly worshipped by the soldiers and mercenaries who dwell in Silver Quarter, near the barracks and military harbour. This god has two temples in the city, one at the Acropolis and the other at the barracks of the Heavenly Spear Phalanx.

Polaris
(Truth Fire Harmony)

As Yuthu's patron, Polaris is quite broadly worshipped in the city. His worshippers honor him as the king of Heavens, master of Celestial Harmony, rather than general of the celestial forces. Only officers worship the latter aspect of Polaris, especially through the cults of the Star Captains who protect the city. The Temple of Polaris is located above the Oslir River, and forms the fifth branch of the star which is formed by the city wall's shape.

Lokarnos

Lokarnos, god of trade in the Yelmic Pantheon, plays a very important role in Yuthuppa. The cult regulates most activities in the city. They strike the Yuthuppan coins and even the gold wheels of the Satrapy. They also regulate the traders' and crafters' guilds.

His temple is located in Azure Quarter and not the Acropolis, for this god is of common origin. Shrines can be found in the bazaar, and important deals are struck there. A special temple is located in the Public Quarter and is in charge of coining.

Dayzatar

This god is only worshipped by the most fanatical Yelmites. There is only one temple dedicated to Dayzatar, on the Acropolis, and it looks more like a monastery than a normal temple.

Yuthu
(Light Mastery Harmony)

Torch God and City God.

Yuthu is one of Yelm's three twin sons who form the Tripolis of Dara Happa: Alkoth, Raibanth and Yuthuppa. Established in that city founded thanks to Polaris, Yuthu was quickly successful in mastering Fire and Light powers under the wise guidance of his Griffin teachers. He used his knowledge to create his masterpiece: the Golden Torches that allowed him to fight against Oslir and his other foes. His main temple is on the Acropolis, and some 150 shrines are scattered throughout town.

Initiation
The candidate must be a citizen of Yuthuppa (that is, born in the city, inscribed on the city records by his father or tutor, a citizen himself or having been in the city for more than five years), and must sacrifice a point of POW.

Note: Yuthu's divine magic can only be used inside the city, as well as that of his associate cults.

Spirit Magic: Light, Ignition, Lightwall, Repair, Farsee.

Initiates must sacrifice Power once every three years in order to receive the divine spell Golden Torch. If the initiate does not follow that rule, he loses his status and thus cannot gain divine magic from Yuthu.

Priesthood
The candidate must be a citizen and son of a citizen, and must be able to speak and write Pelorian and Firespeech at 90%. Becoming a Priest of Yuthu is more of a political business rather than religious career. But the candidate must have sacrificed at least five times for the Golden Torch spell.

Common Divine Magic: Excommunication, Mindlink, Sanctify, Ward, Worship Yuthu, Divination, Extension
Special Divine Magic: City Harmony, Golden Torch

Golden Torch
By touch, special duration, nonstackable, reusable

That spell allows to create, from a golden torch made by Yuthu's guild, a special flame that will burn the torch during a whole week, with the range of a lantern and making the flame resistant to any lack of oxygen. Only a Dispel Magic could put it out.

Associate Cult: Yelm provides Command Griffin, Fight Disease and Shield.

Dendara

Dendara is mostly worshipped by Yelmite wives in the city. Her cult is very widespread in poor quarters where she protects the rejects. Her temple is inside that of Yelm. Every home has an altar, usually in the women's quarters, where a flame continually burns and where offerings are given to the generous goddess. It is said that certain women who persist in defending their rights worship dread Gorgorma in secret societies.

Uleria

Uleria is one of the most popular goddesses in the city. She worshipped in all of her shapes. Her temple is in the Acropolis and annexes have been built in every quarter of the city. It must be noted that the winning team of the Gold Ring Tournament has free access to the Uleria temples for a season. This is due to the sacred Ulerian prostitutes' special role as game referees.

Yelorna

The star goddess is the only refuge for women who refuse the Yelmic system. The cult is relatively weak but maintains an elite cavalry unit. Her temple is on the Acropolis.

Lunar Pantheon

The Red Goddess

She is worshipped by a major part of the population, but very few of her worshippers are initiates. There are some two hundred initiates of the Red Goddess, a hundred and five of which belong to the Examiner subcult. Lay members merely lay offerings at the foot of the altars that dot the city, and follow the processions on holy days. Her temple is located on the Acropolis. Only the most patriotic of Yelmite nobles do not pay homage to that woman who became a goddess during Time, and to her half-Light powers.

The Seven Mothers

Only the subcults of Deezola, Irripi Ontor, Teelo Nori, Yanafal Tarnils and Danfive Xaron are fully worshipped in Yuthuppa. Two cults play an important role: Irripi Ontor is in care of the young citizens' education, and Teelo Nori cares for the poor with efficiency.

Etyries

Unlike what could be thought, the cult of Etyries is not in competition with Lokarnos. The two cults walk hand in hand. Etyries fulfils the same functions as Lokarnos in the city. Their temples are party-walled. The Etyries cult of Yuthuppa has a special body of initiates called Heralds of the Flame. They are in charge of special announcements made by the Satrap of First Blessed or the Hierophant of Yuthuppa. They always carry a sacred Torch of Yuthuppa.

Hon-Eel the Artess

Hon-Eel is only worshipped by peasantry who come and sell their goods in Yuthuppa. In such a major city, there is no room for a grain goddess. But the Yuthuppans do not forget that she is also the goddess of arts. Her temple is on the Acropolis.

Yara Aranis

The Yuthuppans have often suffered from attacks of Pent nomads, and even since the nomads' defeat, they continue to fear such invasion. Thus they worship terrible horse-eating goddess Yara Aranis. It must be noted that Yuthuppans with Pent origins (they are numerous) worship that deity to protect themselves against her, and offer her propitiatory sacrifices of horses. Her temple is located on the Acropolis and merely consist in a circular line of columns (cf. Gods of Glorantha cover).

Nysalor

Nysalor/Gbaji, god of Illuminatioon, is only worshipped by initiates of the Red Goddess within the city. He remains a respected god, especially by the most mystic citizens.

Other Deities

Thief Gods

As every city, Yuthuppa has its share of thieves. But because of the strength of the Yuthu cult and the harshness of Yelmic law, thieves are rarer than elsewhere. Most hide in Copper or Bronze Quarters. Two thief gods are known, Lanbril and the Gold Grafters.

Donandar

The god of music and dance is present in the city but only worshipped by actors, for dancers prefer Hon-Eel or Polaris's wife. His temple is near the arena in Brass Quarter.

Humakt

A few irreductible Humakti exist in Yuthuppa. They are very few and worship their god's morbid aspect. They are only tolerated within the city, for the Yelmalions persecute them. Their half-illicit temple is in Copper Quarter near the harbour.

Chaos Gods

Only two Chaos gods were successful in "settling" the city. They are very weak and very actively fought against. But because of their extremely secretive nature, they managed to cause a couple of major stirs. The Satrap's uncle converted to Krarsht and was put to death in 1619 when it was discovered. The two Chaos cults are those of Krarsht and Thanatar. The temples' locations are unknown, of course.

Peacocks

Those winged creatures are sacred birds in Light cults. They are free to wander about the city and must not be disturbed for any pretext. Thus a peacock which spreads its tail may block a bridge for dozens of minutes and nobody has the right to kick it away. In such occasion, the fatalistic Yuthuppans sit down and wait.

Heliocanths

Rich Light sons call them heliocanths but most people simply call them Light-fish. Those strange fish are the bounty of a quest by Yuthu. In order to thank Oslir for her love and protection, he took his torch, armour and shield and left the city to go down to Hell. He came back wounded but carried a transparent ball holding thousands of small luminous eggs. After a long ritual, the ball was shattered above the river. Millions of phosphorescent larvae were scattered into the river and sealed the agreement made with Oslir. This way heliocanths were introduced in Yuthuppa. Males constantly emit a red-orange light which turns to white as the fish gets older. Females only light during the mating season (Sea Season). In early Fire Season, the waters of Yuthuppa are illuminated by billions of larvae. Young fish become mature in late Earth Season. Heliocanths are sacred fish and no one may harm them. Anyway everyone says they taste horrible. They are used as raw material in the industry of sacred torches. Heliocanths are also called "scato's friends" because of the help they bring to scatophagi. One of the commonest uses of Light-fish is what is called "poor man's torch": catch a heliocanth and carry it in a jar fixed at the end of a short pole. This practice is more and more common but people who are caught doing it are beaten by the authorities.

Flight above a Griffins' Nest

The Acropolis

Please follow me, sir, a woman said to me, dressed in clothes I had never seen before in our poor quarter. This day I joined my half-sister, priestess of Uleria. And after so many years, I think back of this place with wrung heart.

The Acropolis is the most beautiful and high of Yuthuppa's platforms. It overholds the city and all inhabitants can see the huge statues who guard it. In a circle, you can see Yelm's imposing statue first, majestically sitting on his throne, sheeted in fine gold and glittering with a thousand sparkles. He holds in his left hand an gold-spangled orb of bright blue lapis lazuli which symbolizes the Sky and Stars. With his right hand, he holds the traditional Yelmic spear. Behind Yelm's statue is that, more modest, of Yuthu, rising a cup at arms' end as if for an incantation. That cup reflects the brilliance of Yelm's statue, and it can be seen twenty kilometers away. All around, various associate gods have been honored, such as Aldrya or Yelmalio, and their statues have been raised at the feet of those of Yelm and Yuthu.

Gardens, fountains and staircases wind between the temples, harbouring all kinds of birds, especially the sacred peacocks. The Acropolis is the temple district, and its population mostly consists in Yelmic and Lunar priests and priestesses, as well as apprentices. Lunar priestesses have the peculiarity that they are bald. Finally, the Acropolis harbours a nest of Griffins, who play a special role in the city, of which they are protectors and guardians. They personally attend all of Yuthu and Yelm's sacred ceremonies, and are the official referees of the Gold Ring games and Lunar games which take place in the arena.

The Gold Quarter

What would I not have given to live in Gold Quarter? I can remember the quietness, a haven of silence and peace, and beautiful gardens.

The Gold Quarter holds great palaces disposed in a strict order. All streets are strictly connected. Everything is at its place, stern but beautiful. Palaces have gardens, and cheerful and shaded fountains in their courtyards. Men are richly dressed, though women wear long gown that cover their body from their neck to their ankles. This is partly due to Yelmic modesty and puritanism.

Finally, there reigns in the Gold Quarter a quiet and contemplative atmosphere. The nobles are extremely polite and spend their time talking about arts and philosophy, or organizing feasts and religious ceremonies. On certain evenings, the most decadent may go to down town and keep low company. But most of them live as complete recluses on their platform and most often are ignorant of what goes on in lower districts.

The Silver Quarter

It was less beautiful but noisy, and much more lively. But still I could perceive a wealth, lesser than that of the Gold Quarter but way greater than ours.

The Silver Quarter has several styles of habitations. Actually the population consists in different people and different professions. Lunar nobles live under the great domes of their Pent-styled palaces, or in beautiful Pelorian domus with atrium, peristyle, and a pluvium roof that retains rainwater.

Pentan nobles live according to their customs, dwelling in great, richly adorned palaces. Their women only rarely go out and hide their face behind a veil. The few wealthy Yelmite merchants somewhat live in the Lunar manner, but remain polite and quiet. Finally the Silver Quarter has huge, blooming public gardens, which add some more charm to that heterogeneous place.

The Military Harbour

That walled harbour is separated from the rest of the city and holds the galleys which carry troops or escort merchant ships, as well as the barracks and stables of the military. It's in those barracks that Yuthu's Heavenly Spear hoplites dwell.

The Canals

At river-level, downtown is cut with canals furrowed with gondolas. It's a colourful and delightful place, as some houses are directly open to the waters. Such is my district, but you can't always see the marvellous Light-fish of Yuthuppa because of the garbage that people throw away in the water.

In the downtown districts, houses are crammed together and form small packs divided by the canals. Streets are often narrow and tortuous in poor quarters, and innumerable stone or wooden bridges span the canals. Gondolas adorned according to their owner's wealth are cheap and fast transport, especially since some houses are only accessible though the canals. By nightfall (provided night ever falls upon Yuthuppa) the Light-fish give the often-murky canal waters a glowing transparency, an mysterious, glimmering charm that makes the boat-hook seem lighter in the gondolier's hand. The gondoliers' sweet and quiet songs rise in the shadows and slip along the canals. In order to try and keep the canals clean, a cleaning service has been established: its servants are called scatophagi, and they scratch, clean and purge the canals. No need to mention the scatophagi most often work in the wealthiest districts.

A legend is told about the canals: the legend has it that many houses sank beneath the river a very long time ago, and many wealth could still be found there. Numerous crazy people have dived, but among those who came back, no one ever brought anything back.

The Public Quarter

There my wife and me go and pay our tax every year. The area is constantly bustling with activity. The grand plaza is the place for most sacred feasts, and we like to have a walk there.

The Public quarter is the quarter for entertaining as well as political and economical dealing. There, tax are paid before being returned to the satrap of Yuthuppa. Many students can be seen, who belong to various colleges. A great library allows the literate to document themselves.

Wealthy people may go the therms, public baths where they meet to relax and talk about business. The elder meet at the forum, a small square behind the Satrap's palace, where many minor trials take place. They stay there for hours, just listening or telling the most recent rumors in town. As in every city, public quarter has a grand plaza where festivites take place.

The Bronze and Brass Quarters

I played Golden Ring and it was fantastic. Never had I took part in such a game. Can you understand, Hitania? It was so great.. Here we have nothing, there they managed to find entertainments, they know how to live their life better than we do.

Those quarters are quite humble and noisy. Often you can hear hags yelling at each other because they want to hang their clothes on the same string, or because one of them was too noisy during the night. Housing are seven-storied buildings where every kind of people meet each other. Tiredness, caused by lack of sleep, makes people irritable. Early in the morning, girls take baskets of goods and food down to the shops at the ground floor.

Later in the day, many crafts come and get supplies. There again, people are not sparing of yells and insults. The canals can be narrow and few gondolas can stop at the same place. The various crafts are thus demanded to leave quickly. The people of this district usually are small traders or worksmen working at the bazaar or serving in noble houses. Usually they are clients of a noble house of Yuthuppa: they work for a house which, in return, offer them protection and food.

Those quarters are mostly residential and harbour the two city gaming grounds. The first one is a rectangular stadium which serves as a ground for the sacred Golden Ring game. Two teams face each other, trying to get a ball through a fixed gold ring. The ball is made of thin bronze and copper lamellas. Players must strike the ball with their forearms and thighs, and, for that purpose, they wear cnemides and vambraces. The ball must never hit the ground, which is covered with a blue powder that symbolizes Oslir's attacks. The losing team captain is ritually drowned in the city canals. He symbolizes the traitor who served Oslir during the founding of Yuthuppa.

The second gaming ground lies in the Brass Quarter. It is a traditional Lunar-built arena where chariot races and gladiator and animal fights take place once in a season. Many plays and operas are played here.

The Bazaar

You know, Hiliana, anything can be found here. You do not know, but I saw. Galleys bring beautiful fabrics from remote places, amulets, and many colourful and beautiful things. All is colourful over there, and if we were rich, we could adorn our little house.

This is the quarter for crafts and auctions, a hustling place where everyone exerts oneself to get through one's point of view, quite often by trying to shout louder than one's interlocutor. Any foods, spirits, clothes, jewelry, perfumes, carpets, torches and so on that a fanatical Issaries' crazed brain could dream of can be found here. When a trader gets blocked up at home by a sacred peacock spreading its tail, they usually have a very bad day. "The sacred bird condescended to halt in front of my humble house, I am so honoured," they piously think.

In the bazaar, similar crafts are grouped in the same shopping streets. Thus there are Tailors' Street, Butchers' Bridge, etc. Each trade is organized in a guild that watches over the interests of craftsmen and tradesmen. These guilds also set prices, bridle unfair competition, and care for their dead members' cremation. The most powerful guild is that of the Golden Torch, Yuthu's sacred torches. All of its members are part of the cult and know the secret of those torches that link divine magic and the Light-Fish.

The Copper Quarter

"Stop Thief! Stop Thief!" Alas, I am back to my house which by some miracle is still standing. Upon my coming, Hiliana said to me: "You good-for-nothing scum, they've stolen our today's dinner again. What are the children eating? We don't have a lunar left."

The Copper Quarter is the poor's quarter. Houses are little more than filthy tumbledown ruins. Thieves thrive and beggars in rags moan all day and night. There is little or no sleep here. People pray gods that don't exist and cry for thieves even though they don't own anything. It's a miserable district, full of poverty and sorrow. Young children quickly learn how to steal, they don't know well how to speak, and certainly not read. The grown-ups let them run wild during the day, as they go and tend the fields that surround the city.

This is the darkest quarter, partly because of the garbage the poor throw in the water. Such is the filth that the scatophagi dare not go there and do they work. Dark, dirty, sorrowful and hopeless is that quarter, much like its denizens who are the rejects of society even though they provide most of the city's working power. Only the Lunars' arrival allowed some the destitute to escape to wealthier quarters. Others less favoured grouped themselves in secret, very violent movements advocating the destruction of the ruthless Yelmic order. They are called noctanarks by the authorities and are hunted down by the Carmina Pax. Finally, others more or less secretly worship the White Moon, the moon of peace, and don't hesitate to demonstrate under the mad prophets' guidance.

Azure Quarter

It's a beautiful site, the beauty of which can even be disgusting because of the so many useless riches that are hoarded here. Yet I'm sure we could sleep well if we could live there. But we are here, Hitania, and I'm fed up with seeing gold shining everywhere except in our home.

The Azure Quarter is mostly residential and harbours the wealthiest merchants, noble gentlemen of the robe, or successful state officials. It consists in rich manors and palaces which try to copy the quiet beauty of the golden platforms. But most often, dwellings are too heavily adorned and the hoarded wealth is ludicrous. Denizens of this quarter often are proud go-getters who scorn poorer citizens and lead a very worldly social life. They commonly indulge in night-long orgies, using various drugs that are normally reserved for priests. They are keen on the pleasures of Uleria's cult. The priests of Yelm consider them as a real danger for the city, a much more insidious danger than other citizens' demonstrations.

- I'm going away, dear.
- But why are you going away? Where are you going? You are forgetting your three children who need you.
- I must go. I could visit the whole city, from the wealthiest quarters to the poorest. We are so poor... Do you believe that they up-town cannot sleep? Sure they can. They've got potions for this, and most expensive ones. Here I cannot sleep or live. A kind of decadent madness is ruling this city. Up-town they live in wealth, down-town we live in poverty and filth among thieves. I'm sorry, Hitania, I'm leaving. Come with me if you wish.
- No, I am too old.
- Then stay here. Farewell, I do prefer an austere life in the wild rather than a decadent city life. I'm going to Hunger Plateau.

Thus did our storyteller go, leaving his weeping wife in downtown Yuthuppa, the mad city...

Note on Sleep

Yuthuppa is constantly lit by the Red Goddess's light, by Yuthu's Golden Torch, by the Light-Fish and the Golden Torches. Thus there is almost no night. Citizens have big sleep problems. Shutters are common, but not enough. The Yuthuppa have long found a good means to get some sleep. They brew a sleeping potion with the feathers of a black Darkness bird which can be hunted in a forest to the north of the city. An infusion of those feathers allows them to find refreshing sleep. Of course that potion is quite expensive, and is revered to an elite.

The black bird traces back his descent to one of the birds in Yelmalio's court. When trolls and darkness came to the surface world, he was so scared he evacuated on his god. Yelmalio was angry at his cowardice: he fired him away and cursed him. So the bird found refuge in the darkness and served it. After the dawn, when day came back after every night, the bird understood the nature of his curse. At night, he must serve Light worshippers by helping them to forget the beauty of the Sun's radiance. His feathers have the power to induce sleep, which Yuthuppans didn't know before the Great Darkness. Since then, the bird has been hunted and systematically plucked to allow some people to find rest. The constant light that reigns over Yuthuppa inspired a Yelmalion pilgrim from Prax to say that the city was a picture of the Golden Age, but after a week's visit he cried that it was borne on the madness of the winds of Light.

E Pluribus Unum