Sirothelle
Factions
The Aukari Occult
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The Infantry
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The City Guard
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Religious Temple
House of the High King
In a city known for such devotion to their patron Immortal, it should be no surprise that the temple would tower with grandeur and intimidation over the rest of the city. Elaborate stone stairways cut back upon themselves, leading worshipers to a last ramp over the streets below, lined with banners of praise and threat. Over the entrance way reads the temple's name, carved in Vauni: ëlui'th eav ädà hä'j ca hav.
This threat is directed as much to those whose faith might wane after years of conflict, as it is to those who encompass the enemy side of this conflict. But those who traverse this path with sincere praise believe they have little to fear. Whether this is true or not matters little to those of such zeal.
But for the Aukari, just entering this temple is a test of faith, to some degree. For it does not take all that much strain to cause one of this race to ignite themselves; and the hot atmosphere inside the "Sanctuary" brings them all the closer to self-immolation. The zealots of Faldrun welcome this daily added pressure, and are wary of those who hesitate to enter, or appear to brace themselves against the added strain.
The stone walls within the temple carry heat from local volcanic sources. This is both hot air, brought in through tubular vents cut into the stone, and the flooring itself, which has decorative patterns of red lines, which give the impression of magma ready to bubble through the tiles.
It is not uncommon for an Aukari worshiper to be suddenly triggered into combustion. Such an event is greeted by enthusiastic revelry, as the devout shout encouragement to the departing soul to join Faldrun in an ethereal paradise of joyous release from the woes of Idalosian struggles.
Members of other races would find the atmosphere stifling and asphyxiating, were any allowed to enter. The innate resistance to heat, possessed by all Aukari, gives them cause to look with scorn upon 'weaklings" that wilt in the divine heat of their glorious Faldrunian rituals.
The sudden combustion of worshipers may interrupt the flow of the readings, prayers and hymns lauding Faldrun's glory, but resumption of the service always carries a marked increase in zeal at the display of "purification" in their midst. It is not uncommon for sympathetic combustions to follow.
Secrets Under the Temple
However, even the Zatkai and his underlings recognize the need for business, training and schooling to continue. So the daily services held in the main chamber are of short duration, and repeated throughout the day to accommodate the schedule of everyday life.
This is not the case with the ceremonial events held below the Sanctuary chamber. The "Lauditorium" below is the scene of all high religious events, including sacrifices, and holds significantly less bodies than the Sanctuary above. It is reached through a small, idealized pulpit, that doubles as a gateway, which is located behind the raised Lecturnal platform in the main Sanctuary.
Other passages lead to upper chambers, where it is cooler. Living spaces for the clergy, a library of texts on faith and history, meditation chambers, ledgers of contributions and achievements, and stores of paraphernalia and necessities are found up here. As is a large, obsidian-domed chamber, magnificently furnished for Faldrun's visits to Sirothelle. None but the Zatkai ever know when the deity can be found there, but most Aukari are content to know that they have made this gesture of gratitude to He who grants them control over the fire within.
One must have a standing of unquestioned faith to be allowed into the Lauditorium below, where the heat of Faldrun's divinity is even more intense. Even then, a failure to be punctual is likely to deny you room to attend such events. Many are the offerings, both living and dead, to the altar as Aukari choirs raise choruses of praise, to bring harmony to the screams of the offered. Such shrieking being held to emphasize further the superiority of Faldrun and his followers over the joint hosts of other Immortals.
The altar itself is an impressive construct of torchlit carvings, and murals formed of precious stones and metals, depicting scenes of Faldrun's victories, past and present, over his foes. The ceremonies conducted here are more restrained, despite the emotional surges caused by the screaming of sacrifices, or the joys of Aukari unions.
It may be surprising that zealous self-combustion is a rare event in these services. But the fact is, that those who have reached the level of prestige to be granted entrance are not as inclined to be motivated to such displays.They tend to conduct themselves with more dignity, having nothing to prove to those around them.
Generally, the average age of attendees is higher than the daily services in the Sanctuary. Other than the acolytes who attend the Zatkai, or his subordinates, there are few below the age of twenty arcs. After the ceremony, they are primarily tasked with disposal of any leftovers or remains. This is done through the doorway behind the altar, which opens onto a large, natural shelf overlooking a volcanic flow hundreds of feet below.
The clergy suppresses rumors of escapes through this cavernous passage, though few believe it even when such rumor reaches public ears. For it is said one would have to submerge themselves in the magma to ride the current out.
Education
Primary
Parvos
Sirothelle’s state run school for all Aukari-born children. Admission to this school begins from as young as four arcs for some ambitious families, though all children must be attending by their sixth birthday, and they will remain here until their tenth arc. Whilst attending the junior school, all children are treated equally, no matter their familial circumstances or heritage. Advancement is based purely on merit.
In order to serve Faldrun to the best of their abilities, it is the belief of the state, and educators, that children must learn the ability and intelligence to think for themselves, so that they may operate independently when they reach adulthood. It is for this reason that all Aukari-born children are first taught the basics of reading, writing and numeracy, which continues until the children leave to attend either Reyula or Oikeia. It is assumed that, beyond this point, the mind has moulded itself and if they haven’t learnt the basics by this point, they are not going to.
As a general rule, classes contain children of a similar age, but Aukari schooling is not designed around these traditions. Like everything, lessons are taught based upon academic merit, and it is possible for a far younger child to be found in a class with final-year pupils, or for an older child to be in a basic class. Class placement is based on competency in tests, which are taken twice a year (in the seasons of Saun and Cylus). Parvos is the only institution that children cannot fail: no matter their success or failure, all children will remain until their tenth arc, and then will leave to either Reyula or Oikeia. Therefore it is possible that a child might spend five in a basic class, and leave with very limited knowledge.
The building itself is found near to the centre of the city, not far from the other two schools. It is unremarkable in appearance, much like the rest of the city, with grey stone walls injected with streaks of colour. Shaped in an oblong, Parvos is two stories, though the classes are all held on the ground floor. The upper floor is dedicated to offices for management and staff from all three schooling institutions. Both floors comprise one long corridor, with rooms coming off on both sides.
Although Parvos is the largest school in terms of pupils, it does not have the largest faculty, nor is it housed in a large building, in comparison to the two more specialised institutions. Reasoning for this is that most of the education delivered at this stage is classroom based, and thus does not require particularly large amounts of space for the pupils to work in. Throughout the school, classes contain one instructor, with charge over no more than twenty children.
For the lower classes, most often containing the youngest children - who are deemed to have little control over themselves - there is little, if any, furniture. Children sit on the floor and are each given a piece of slate and chalk with which to learn their letters, simple spelling and numeracy. By the time they reach the most advanced classes, they are trusted with crudely made notebooks in which to make their notes. These classes also contain work desks and stools, fashioned inexpensively from cast iron.
Secondary Schooling
Oikeia and Reyula
The elite senior school is attended by all Aukari-born children with little ambition or potential, who are placed before their eleventh arc, and they will remain here until they are fourteen. It is a place of continued education for the adolescents of Sirothelle, preparing its pupils for a career in skilled work within the city. The Oikeia receives 30-40% of the pupils leaving Parvos. Pupils leaving Oikeia will end up in one of two branches of work: skilled labour or in the Aukari Occult.
As is the backbone of life in Sirothelle, any pupil attending the Oikeia is judged purely on their own merit, and all are pushed to their limits. The standard at the Oikeia is much higher than at the Reyula. Any attending this institution have the opportunity to leave it, either through complete failure, or through substantial improvement and impressing the instructors. These chances come about twice a year, during tests taken in the seasons of Saun and Cylus. If through failure, where two consecutive tests must have been failed, then the pupil is dishonoured by being removed from the education system at the Oikeia and sent down to the comprehensive school system, the Reyula.
Elevation from Reyula to Oikeia (for those who have been send down once already) is the result of excelling at four consecutive tests, thereby suitably impressing the instructors. It is rare for a pupil to advance, and even harder for someone who has already been sent down from Oikeia compared to one who was initially placed in the Reyula, as they have already proven themselves to be somewhat incapable of studying at the more elite of the institutions. If someone does manage to rise back up to the elite education again, however, they will not be afforded the same opportunities that others are: they will have to pass every examination from here on out, or risk being sent down to the Reyula permanently, losing all chance at following the ambitions they once had.
While being instructed here, all pupils receive a continued education in numeracy and literacy, in order to prepare them for support role in Aukari society. Some pupils are then taught a specific trade; they are often apprenticed to a skilled worker to hone their skills and will spend approximately half of each season on placement with their master rather than in the Oikeia. The Oikeia funds these placements, giving the masters a small amount of extra income for taking on a student each season, which is one of the many ways that the government has chosen to keep the money flowing through the city.
Those not being trained in a specific artisanal skill are the Initiated into the Aukari Occult (about 10%). Some have been there for a number of arcs, indoctrinated since a very young age. Others attended the junior school before being invited to join the Aukari Occult - which is how you join: by invitation. The Initiates of the Aukari Occult are given a solid grounding in numeracy and literacy, like all other pupils. They are also taught about different cultures from all over Idalos, including cities and races they might one day encounter. Depending on skill and interest, they are given a specialism in subterfuge or in politics. With these skills being learned, it is expected that they will branch into the more hidden Occult cause of assassination for the benefit of Sirothelle and Faldrun's cause. Or they will be used as political diplomats, sent into the world in order to create alliances with other cities, nations and/or races.
Like Parvos, Oikeia is located close to the centre of the city, though at the western end. Next door is the Reyula. The building is a large one - consisting of three stories, much like the Reyula. The top floor is reserved only for the Initiates of the Aukari Occult, where the bottom two are for those undergoing specific artisanal training.
Misc
Other minor locations are available in the form including several shops and local wonders
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Credit: Whisper creator, Wald Lowca Consolidator
