Istamak

Istamak is a once-bustling, crumbling city floating in the atmosphere of the gas giant Nejeor VI. Originally built by the ancient, advanced kishalee, it is now inhabited by their primitive kish descendants, who live among the ruins of their ancestors' accomplishments without truly understanding them.¹

Geography

Istamak was built from a synthetic material that magically interacts with the atmosphere to keep the city afloat. The soil in Istamak's parks and gardens were imported from other planets. Being a planned city, most of Istamak was constructed by robots under a small crew's supervision before any colonists arrived.¹

Notable locations

Government

The kish are united under a single tribe led by a chieftain, currently Hoyfeq, whose word is considered law. The chieftain is advised by a council of huntmasters (who have proven their ability to lead hunts) and curates (who can best 'understand' their ancestors' relics). The council's composition depends on how warlike or thoughtful the chieftain is. Currently, the council consists of Curates Gundi and Tzayl, and Huntmasters Iokki, Phej and Xavra. Hoyfeq has been siding more with his huntmasters and authorising risky big game hunts.¹

History

Istamak was built by the kishalee shortly after they discovered Nejeor VI's abundant resources and first settled by employees of the Foundry, a weapons and research company tied to the kishalee army, and their families. The city quickly grew out of a company town, as numerous merchants arrived to take advantage of its wealthy citizens.¹

Due to the numerous technological marvels produced there, Istamak attracted further investments, and the research and production expanded beyond the needs of the military. The resulting population boom catapulted Istamak into the most prominent colony on Nejeor VI for decades, and it also became a tourist attraction for its parks and the sight of the sun diffusing light through Nejeor VI's clouds at twilight. At its height, Istamak was home to hundreds of thousands of citizens.¹

After the war against the sivvs and the construction of the Gate of Twelve Suns, repository of the Stellar Degenerator, the Foundry fell out of favour and Istamak declined with it. The municipal government attempted to revitalise it with numerous campaigns, but none were particularly successful.¹

As the kishalee empire started to crumble, Nejeor VI was one of the first planets to be cut off. When it became clear that the empire will never return, many citizens fled nearer to the empire's centre, leaving behind thousands who were unable or unwilling to take a transport. Public order was maintained for a while, but eventually discontentment grew into city-wide violence. A small group managed to survive by hiding in the Hearth, and over the centuries, evolved into a less fragile race known as the kish. A century after Nejeor VI was cut off from the empire, a power plant in Istamak suffered a catastrophic accident, knocking off the entire city's power grid and breaking off the ground under it, creating the Broken Land.¹

Inhabitants

The majority of Istamak's kish live in Hearth, an apartment complex in northeast Istamak once known as the Guardian Tower, where their ancestors remained safe enough to survive the empire's fall. However, the kish population is growing, and in a few generations, overpopulation will force them to face a dilemma: let some people die to maintain the population, undertake construction projects to expand Hearth, or settle in a different corner of the city. The kish share Istamak with various creatures, from the docile bovine revithals to various predators like acrochors, eohis and sharpwings, which are descended from animals brought to Nejeor VI as zoo attractions and went feral after they escaped.¹

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 ^1.6 ^1.7 Jason Keeley, et al. “Istamak” in The Ruined Clouds, 38–42. Paizo Inc., 2018

[the-ruined-clouds-38-42-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 ^1.6 ^1.7 Jason Keeley, et al. “Istamak” in The Ruined Clouds, 38–42. Paizo Inc., 2018

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