Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #329

Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #329 

November 26th, 2023 

• Number: 329 

• Name: Deep Dive on an Area of Interest: Diocese of the Taq’Alay’Sut - Part 7 

• Location: Northeast corner of the City-State of Ceannar 

• Population (approx.): 11,788 (Parish of Aru) 

• Brief: The Parishes of the Taq’Alay’Sut cover the bulk of Cean County, with the remainder split between three other Shires, one to the east and two to the south. Despite the church folk comprising over 2/3 of the County’s population, temporal power remains with the Eldest of the Cean People resident at First Landing Castle (#50) just outside of East’Arbor (reinforced as required by Eldest Adehamar in Overlook (#8)). That position brings a wrinkle for the Churches, for Cean memories of the exodus, and what they saw as the major contributions of the clerics of Sky and Sea, remain strong to this day. Any obvious effort by the other 4 Parish High Priests to minimize or disadvantage Ayr and Uma can provoke a secular response in the form of an edict, usually private but rarely public, from First Landing. Thus, any of the plans of the two arcs (Qha-Nin and Aru-Raq) are by nature required to be subtle but such an approach runs afoul of the proponents of the “hard option” (which then can lead to friction even between allies). 

• Imdor Illaer, 142, male Drow (Night Elf), is an evangelist for the church of Aru. He has jet-black skin and a pleasing appearance. He wears his silver hair long and flowing. Imdor's eyes are bright red and compelling. He wears long robes that have symbols of Aru on them. His robe has compartments for small daggers, which he is skilled in using. Imdor's personality is strong, compelling, and authoritative. He truly believes he is doing Aru's work. 

• Imdor's parents abandoned him on the temple of Aru's doorstep as a newborn. The church's caretaker, Nedda Arrabett, 183, female Drow, took him home with her, and she raised him as her own. When Imdor was twelve, he fell in with a group of thieves who stole items from the rich. As he grew older, violence with his victims became the norm. At sixteen, a priest of Aru, Istrak Tellena, 150, male Drow, caught him stealing silver candlesticks from the church. Istrak made a deal with Imdor, work at the church, and there would be no repercussions. That deal changed Imdor's life for the better, and now he runs an orphanage in the name of Aru.  

• Imdor lives in a room above the orphanage with his wife, Halintra, 125, female Drow. Halintra takes care of the orphans, and Imdor roams the paths of Nightwood preaching Aru's word. When the children are old enough, he teaches them how to steal. When they are teenagers, he works elaborate con games with them. 

• Imdor plans to use the orphans to help execute a raid on the estate of Eada Brightwalker, 56, Human, a cleric of Light. He is working with Tabi Cobblepit, 100, female Rock Gnome, a cleric of Earth. The two churches hope to show their followers that strong action toward others, especially those of Day and Air, is the will of the gods. 

• Geography: The Parish of Aru is bordered by the Parishes of Nin to the west and Uma to the north and the main highway between Overlook and East’Arbor to the south and east. It is southeast of the Hall of the Taq’Alay’Sut (location 4). Its capital (location 9 see below) is a sprawling campus sheltered under the canopy of the Nightwood, an ancient climax forest that covers most of the Parish. The Parish covers a bit over 375 square miles of mostly forested terrain.