Bay of Roots

The Bay of Roots is the name of a deepwater harbor on the northern coast of Marin Bay as it joins with the Inner Sea. A port city sits here, named for the Bay, serving as capital and most populous city of Miwoc.

Bay of Roots is laid out in roughly circular fashion, bordered by the harbor to South and walled on its other three sides. At the city center stands the large manse-ziggurat known as the Well of Law, around which is an open tiled plaza edged with greenery. From here, four major avenues head out northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest, dividing the city into four quarters: the Port Quarter, the Green Quarter, the Horse Quarter, and the Peace Quarter.

Bay of Roots does not have a city wall, though a system of water channels and earth berms stretches around its landward sides… the three faiths of Miwoc worried that a fortified capital might be seized and defended by a single faith, while the chosen defenses and strongpoints required the united forces of all three to defend. Successive officers of the Imperial Legions serving in Miwoc have termed this to be foolishness, sacrificing military needs for those that will not matter should war break out once more, but neither the Empress nor her Satrap pushed the matter.

Horse Quarter

Located to the North of the city, the Horse Quarter is named for the horse-racing hippodrome and livestock market to be found there. The races are popular with the city’s denizens, and a number of other entertainments have sprung up in the surrounding streets. The majority of the Horse Quarter’s residents are adherents of the Cult of the Zenith, though members of other faiths form significant minorities.

Bay of Roots Hippodrome

The Bay of Roots Hippodrome was built as a shared effort between the hierophant of the Cathedral of Sol’s Invincible Prowess and the Realm satrap from House Cynis in years past. It is most commonly used for horse racing, with riders and steeds from Miwoc competing against those from the Scavenger Lands and Blessed Isle while city residents cheer and place bets. At other times, the Zenith Cult uses the Hippodrome for its largest ceremonies, and House Cynis makes use of it for auctions of slaves.

Cathedral of Sol’s Invincible Prowess

The largest cathedral of the Cult of the Zenith, the Cathedral of Sol’s Invincible Prowess sits overlooking the Horse Quarter, home to the Perihelic who leads the Cult and his offices as well as serving as place of worship for the Quarter’s Zenith Cult members.

The tallest structure in Miwoc is the Cathedral’s light tower, where a fire is kept constantly illuminated in honour of Sol Invictus. Visible for some distance out to sea, the tower fills the role of a lighthouse to aid ships navigating towards the city’s port.

Green Quarter

Located to the West of the city, the Green Quarter is named for the ample gardens and greenery within it, many residents having a tradition of keeping potted fruit trees at their doorsteps and threading vines from rooves and balconies. The majority of the Green Quarter’s residents are adherents of the Hundred Gods Pantheon, though members of other faiths form significant minorities.

Temple Garden

The Temple Garden is a circular park, threaded with paths between dozens of temples and smaller shrines. The Garden includes temples devoted to the god of Miwoc, to the city father of Bay of Roots, and other deities of the Hundred Gods Pantheon.

Root Sanctum

The Root Sanctum is a large manor located on the edge of the Temple Garden, constructed of Cedar wood intricately carved with prayers to the various guards of the Pantheon. Within can be found the offices of the Pantheon’s High Priest, as well as sleeping quarters for local and visiting priests, and opulently-appointed audience chambers where gods and their priesthoods or lay worshippers might meet.

Peace Quarter

Located to the East of the city, the Peace Quarter is named for the presence of the Memorial Plaza, and perhaps to reference its Immaculate leanings. The majority of the Peace Quarter’s residents are adherents of the Immaculate Order, though members of other faiths form significant minorities.

Memorial Plaza

The Memorial Plaza is located near the western end of the Peace Quarter, an open triangular space with a three-sided pyramid at its center. Each side bears a panel with an inscription from one of the three faiths of Miwoc: the northeastern face bears a panel of gold inscribed with a prayer to the Unconquered Sun as ruler of Heaven and Earth, offering thanks for the enduring stability of Creation. The southeastern face bears a panel of alchemically-treated wood, carved with a prayer to Yo-Ping and ‘all the gods of this land and its peoples’ offering thanks for peace and guidance. The western face bears a panel of Jade Steel, inscribed with a passage from the Immaculate Texts, in which the Immaculate Dragon Sextes Jylis speaks of sowing peace and rebirth across Creation.

Dome of Enlightened Martyrdom

Just east of the Peace Quarter stands the walled Immaculate monastery known as the Dome of Enlightened Martyrdom. While Immaculate ceremonies and assemblies take place at smaller temples across the city, most Immaculate monks in Bay of Roots are based out of the Dome.

Port Quarter

Located to the South of the city, the Port Quarter is named for the presence of the city’s large port. From the docks and quays there stretch numerous warehouses and the covered streets of the extensive Bay of Roots Souk, a large market of shops and stalls. In a cosmopolitan city, the population of the Quarter is even more so, with roughly even numbers of residents adhering to each of Miwoc’s major faiths, and several smaller minorities from foreign lands. These tend to be clustered around central squares named for the origin of those residing there: Arjuf Square, Pangu Square, Scavenger Square, Square of Thorns, and others. The Port Quarter is also home to an Imperial Legion camp, known to locals as ‘Soldiers’ Square’. Its garrison is tiny, but it has suffificent capacity to house an entire Legion