Tesrae ti'Serenmistishsa
Citadel of the True Followers
by Andrew W. Ragland
originally published in Earthdawn Journal #7

Overview

After all the ill that is spoken of the Theran Empire, I must in all fairness say that it was simpler to enter the Theran Quarter of Vivane than to visit Tesrae ti'Serenmistishsa. Being dwarven posed no restriction in Vivane, and being Barsaivian in a Theran enclave was at most an inconvenience. My race, however, proved to be a difficulty in the Elven city.

Gaining entry alone was troublesome. I had to swear an oath to avoid disturbing the progression of the inhabitants along their Paths, in excessively vague terms. This severely limited the questions I was able to ask without fear of harsh penalties.

Once inside the city, my every movement was closely watched. Three times I was turned away from a line of questioning, once by a Warrior adept, once by one of the Pathless and the third time by a bailiff, who forbade me to enter the Circle of Lords ever again. Any factual errors are therefore the result of insufficient clarification being available.

These are a harsh and stringent people, who do not approve of scholarly discourse in the normal manner. Studying their way of life was a decidedly unwelcome task. It is my belief that the inhabitants of the Citadel would be more content to remain undocumented, but my commitment to knowledge, my own Discipline, will not allow such a thing to come to pass.

I have been warned of possible reprisals. If they come, then so be it. At least I can know that I have made a contribution to the store of knowledge.

-- Tarliman Joppos, Scholar of City Lore, Hall of Records, Throal
 

Origins

Tesrae ti'Serenmistishsa was founded centuries before the Scourge, but after the exile of Elianar Messias. The date cannot be pinned down any more exactly without access to city records restricted to those on the Path of Lords, or a visit to Blood Wood, neither of which are likely.

What can be determined with certainty is that the Separation of Shosara and the exile of the Martyr Scholar set off a series of schisms within Elven society. Many of the Dae'mistishsa drifted further away from strict adherence to the dictates of the Elven Court. Some abandoned the Paths entirely. What is not commonly known is that the more observant Sa'mistishsa also drew away from the Queen. One particular faction apparently decided that Failla's actions divorced her from the Paths, and rendered her and her Court unfit as a model for the strict followers. From what I was able to gather, this faction would have preferred a stronger and more thorough purge of elvendom, to rid the elven people of heretical ways and bring them back into line with the Paths. When Failla did not order such a purge, the hard-line Sa'mistishsa removed themselves to avoid what they saw as corruption of their ancient elven traditions.

Leaving Wyrm Wood, this faction journeyed far to the south, following the general path of the Martyr Scholar, and ending up in the Delaris Mountains. That range's tricky reputation proved itself well-deserved, as the elves were unable to find either Messias or the monastery where he had taken residence. They did, however, find a hospitable valley with fertile ground and a small river, fed by springs high in the peaks. With a few years of hard work, a viable settlement was established.

Over the intervening years, the elves of the Citadel have refined their view of the Paths. Their Eoerin, or scholars who study the Paths and their meaning to the elven people, have extended the domain of the Paths to every facet of their lives. The Paths determined the layout of their city, the design of their homes, trades studied by the non-Adept majority of the population, even who they could and could not associate with or marry. When the Scourge came, the Paths shaped their survival.

Rejecting outright the Court's approach, and caring little about the opinion of Failla's successor, they struck their own bargain with the Therans. After all, the Books of Harrow had been discovered by an elf who argued for the preservation of traditions, who pressed for holding to the established ways so strongly that he was cast out from an increasingly heretical Court. The Rites of Protection and Passage had been developed by his inheritors, people who while they did not follow the Paths followed older traditions still. Designing their kaer to the specifications of the Eoerin, they retreated within to wait out the Scourge.

The current city stands on the same site as its predecessor. Great magics have been worked to restore the valley and to rebuild the Citadel. The Scourge gave the Eoerin hundreds of years to further refine their interpretation of the Paths. Diverging somewhat from the mainstream of Sa'mistishsa thought, their beliefs now pose a further barrier to reunification with the Court and the rest of elvendom.

Location

Tesrae ti'Serenmistishsa lies at the lower end of a deep valley in the Delaris Mountains. Finding the valley with Shantaya's Sextant is virtually impossible, due to the difficulty of seeing the lights of the Passions from within the mountains, and the shifting nature of the Delaris range. The would-be visitor to the Citadel must either be willing to spend many days hiking about the most confusing peaks in Barsaive, or have a finding stone given to him by one of the inhabitants. How the finding stones lead someone back to their origin when the holder of the stone has never been there, I have no idea.

Government

The inhabitants of the Citadel recognize no power as supreme to their own. They flatly refuse the dictates of the Elven Court, claiming that Failla diverged the Court from the Paths when she exiled Elianar Messias, and that her subsequent actions and those of her successor have taken the Court further and further from the true Elven Way.

Structure

Rule within the Citadel is divided up proportionately among the Paths according to their degree of advancement. Each Path elects representatives to the Council, under a gradated system of representation. There is one council representative for every twenty Lords, one for every fifty Sages, one for every hundred Travelers, one for every hundred and fifty Scholars and one for every two hundred Warriors. Each representative receives a single vote in the council, resulting in the power accruing to those further advanced on the Paths. Thus, the Lords have the greatest say in governance, while the Warriors have the least, and the Pathless none whatsoever.

From the Council a ruling tribunal is elected, seven representatives who form the high authority in the city. Like as not, these are followers of the Lords, and often Questors of Mynbruje. The tribunal elects its own chair, who presides over the tribunal and the Council. Also elected from the tribunal are the commander of the city's armed forces, the overseer of public works and the Keeper of the Paths, more about which in a little. Offices within the tribunal and Council are exclusive of one another, to prevent any one person from amassing too much power.

Council representatives stand for re-election every ten years, with the exception of tribunal members, who stand every twenty. Campaigning for election is generally a quiet process, as the candidates go about their district discussing their past achievements and future goals with their constituency. No public speeches are made, this being felt vulgar. Generally, once someone is elected to the Council, their re-election is almost assured, and they tend to retain their position for life.

Command of the city's military forces falls to an elected member of the tribunal. This officer is responsible for planning the city's defenses, evaluating the level of any potential threat, and having plans in hand to meet emergencies. In concert with the overseer of public works, the commander of the militia prepares disaster response plans to cope with fire, flood, earthquake and Horror infestation. At the time of my visit, the commander was Jael T'lilliu, a follower of the Lords well into her third century. Battle-hardened during her time on the Path of Warriors, Jael carries a scar across her cheek, just below her left eye, from a sword-cut. Her time on successive paths only seems to have tempered her spirit, as she still carries herself with military bearing and speaks with a drill-yard snap.

Responsible for roads, drainage, sewage, fire control and any other issue that may affect the city's physical fabric, the overseer of public works manages the largest workforce in the city. As well, the overseer may call upon assistance from the militia in case of civil emergency, such as fire or flood. In the case of a siege of the city, while the commander of the military would be responsible for the actual defense of the city, the overseer would make certain that provisions were rationed appropriately, that enough stores were laid by and that the elemental water wells did not run dry. All permits for travel into, within and out of the city are issued from the overseer's office, meaning that the overseer controls the movements of every outsider and all of the Pathless. At the time of this writing, the overseer is Bevian Taesyo, known as Bevian Beadyeyes among the Pathless. A follower of the Lords, Bevian has made a fearsome reputation for himself, holding his office for the last six elections. It is said that nothing in the city escapes his glance, or at least that of his minions. He grips the reins tightly, making certain that every regulation is enforced to the letter. As long as you're prepared to do things his way, you can get along reasonably well. Unfortunately, this means everything takes twice as long and costs twice as much as it should, due to the papers and tariffs involved.

The Telegitish ke'Mes'sa, or Keeper of the Paths, is quite possibly the most powerful officer of the tribunal, and thus wields the greatest sway of anyone in the city. In his charge is the maintenance of the traditions, guidance of the way of life of the inhabitants of the city. Much like a Questor, the Keeper's life is devoted to spiritual goals and their material manifestations. Overseeing the city's Eoerin, the Keeper sits at the head of a spiritual court, that decides whether or not any particular thing, be it an action, a thing or an idea, fits properly in the structure of the Paths. Any prospective change or new interpretation in the Paths must be approved by the court and ultimately the Keeper. Also, the actions of outsiders are subject to the Keeper's court. While outsiders are not subject to the Paths themselves, they are responsible for not interfering with the citizens' progress thereon. I was warned by the bailiff that if I pursued my line of questioning, he would have no choice but to take me before the court for a decision regarding my fate. I am told that the penalties for Path digressions are harsh, ranging from fines to mutilation, and that the penalties for interfering with someone else's Path are worse.

The Keeper, unlike the rest of the tribunal officers, must be a Lord and is elected for life. The current Keeper of the Paths is Orosei Liriliqirz, a woman of strikingly handsome aspect, elected Keeper some thirty-two years ago, not long after she had acceded to the Lords. Barring accident or disease, she should hold the seat for another half-century at least. I have not met her, but I am told she is gracious but stern, disliking direct conflict but not avoiding it, and while stringent in her interpretation of the Paths willing to consider new developments in their light.

The Minister of the Pathless is not an elective position. Rather, it is foisted off on the youngest Lord of the Council, providing such person holds no other office. Danirpin Socrireesa, newly come to the Path of the Lords, is from an otherwise undistinguished family with a long history of civil service. Being a career bureaucrat from a family of such has served him well in his first few years as the Minister of the Pathless, allowing him to avoid the obvious pitfalls. He has managed to be a fair advocate for the city's Pathless without ever once seeming to defend their status or their choices. As such, he'll probably be stuck with the office for as long as he sits on the Council.

Law

The primary legal authority in the Citadel is the Paths. From interpretations of the Paths, all subsidiary law is drawn. The court of the Keeper, which meets in the College of Eoerin, oversees a system of lower and higher courts. Judges of the lower courts are charged with seeing to lesser infractions. They may institute any penalty short of mutilation or death. Higher courts serve as a route of appeal, filtering through only the most troublesome cases to the court of the Keeper for a final decision. Only the court of the Keeper may institute drastic punishments, and then only for major offences such as murder or deliberate interference with Path progression.

There is a written code of law, the Code of the Keeper, which consists mostly of recorded precedents -- who did what and with which and to whom, and the punishment inflicted. The Keeper occasionally reviews decisions, and adds commentary to the Code, which has the same force as the decision proper. Also, when a novel incident occurs, or when the Eoerin come up with some truly new theory regarding the Paths, the members of the court of the Keeper are required to write monographs on the subject. These are in turn reviewed by the Keeper, who writes a final opinion on the subject. Only the Keeper's opinion is entered into the Code, but the opinions of the court are retained in private archives for review by the Eoerin and subsequent courts.

Judges are selected for the lower courts by a council consisting of two Warriors, three Scholars, five Travelers, seven Sages and nine Lords, who are in turn selected jointly by the court of the Keeper and the council of the Eoerin. Advancement from the lower courts to the higher, and to the highest, is made by personal selection of the Keeper. Theoretically, the Eoerin must certify the candidate as ideologically pure, but this is a formality as no member of the Eoerin would ever go on record as questioning the Keeper's judgement.

Lower court judges tend to be of the more advanced Paths for obvious reasons. Generally, they favor their own Paths slightly above others, which is considered correct behavior, but must shun blatant favoritism. First off, judges must remember that they too were once of a lower Path, and will hopefully advance to a higher, and secondly, any favoritism that transgresses the Code or offends a Lord is likely to doom the judge to a lifetime spent in low chambers.

A far as the Code goes, suffice to say that it closely resembles the Throalic system in its condemnation of acts against person, property or freedom. Even the Pathless are granted the right to such a life as they can make, and the slaying of one by even a Lord is dealt with harshly. The Code, however, is much more intrusive than Throalic law. It pokes itself into nearly every facet of life, ruling on such details as wearing a color inappropriate to your Path, and the repercussions of crossing into another Path's quarter (which differ if it was accidental or purposeful).

On the streets, the Code is enforced by Guardians and bailiffs. The former are followers of the Warrior who see to the peace of the city. The latter are followers of more advanced Paths, usually of the Sages, who ensure adherence to the Path strictures. Frequently, the Guardians must call upon the bailiffs to help them resolve a situation, as Guardians are not permitted to enforce Path requirements themselves. The Guardians answer to the commander of the militia, while the bailiffs answer to the Keeper. Theoretically, the bailiffs do not have power over the Guardians, but a suggestion by a respected bailiff is generally treated as a command.

You can tell one from the other by the badge, worn as a brooch for the cloak on the right shoulder and on the hat over the right eye. Guardians carry a round badge, featuring a shield with crossed swords, while bailiffs bear a sword crossed over a quill on a lozenge-shaped badge. Also, bailiffs are never of the Warriors, so if the officer questioning you is dressed in black or brown, he's a Guardian, not a bailiff.

Layout and Appearance

From the cliffs overlooking the Citadel, the design of the city is much more readily apparent than from within it. Roughly circular in shape, the city is divided into four quarters, one for each cardinal direction, with a fifth area taking up the center. Quarters is perhaps a poorly chosen word for these areas, considering that there are five, but so it is.

As an aside, the word that is translated throughout as Quarter, Kesev, is more accurately interpreted as section or part, with an implied meaning of incompleteness, a piece that is not whole by itself. There is no succinct way of expressing this in Throalic, so the word Quarter is used. However, the reader will not completely grasp the significance without either some knowledge of Sperethiel or this explanation, and I feel it important to know that each area of the city is considered an incomplete part on its own. This has implications in the underlying philosophy that gave birth to the city, which should be appreciated for a deeper understanding of the Citadel.

Each quarter is dedicated to a Path, with its placement being determined by the hour and True element associated with the Path. Thus, Mes ti'Meraerthsa, the Path of Warriors, aligned with Earth and the hour of midnight, takes up the north quarter. The following chart is perhaps a simpler reference than would be a lengthy explanation.
 
Path Element Hour Direction
Mes ti'Meraerthsa Earth Midnight North
Mes ti'Telenetishsa Fire Dawn South
Mes ti'Cirolletishsa Air Midday East
Mes ti'Perritaesa Water Sunset West
Mes ti'Raeghsa Wood All Central

Within each Quarter, the arrangement of the buildings and streets is determined by the Path. All homes must face the direction of the quarter's Path, so that the inhabitants literally set their feet on their Path every time they set forth from home. Fortunately, shops and work areas are not under the same restriction, so the opposite side of every street isn't necessarily a series of back walls.

The streets tend to be laid out ruler-straight so that the doors don't have to be on a corner, although I observed a few homes that had had diagonal entrance halls built so that their door would exit in the proper direction. Many homes will have a back door for use in case of emergency, but the inside of the door tends to be painted to look like the surrounding wall. The only time that these doors are used is when the building catches fire, an infrequent occurrence among a population so orderly and painstaking in their daily affairs, or when someone in the home abandons their Path. This last is apparently a rare occurrence, but I could gain little insight as to why it would occur or under what circumstances. All I could gather was that the Pathless tended to originate in homes of lower rank, and are sometimes referred to as "children of the lesser door".

In the center of each quarter is a Path shrine, where many people gather each morning, at noon and again at night for group Path rituals. Some individuals also spend time at the Path shrine to meditate upon their development. Adepts frequently use the Path shrine as a place to meditate for Talent development. Upon arriving at a change of Path, the individual goes first to their current Path shrine, then to the Wheel of Change, then to the Path shrine in their new quarter.

Homes in the central quarter, the Draesis ti'Raeghsa or Circle of Lords, all face inward, and the streets are circular. Again, while the doors of homes must lead inward, in the direction of the Path, the doors of other structures may let out wherever might be convenient. Some workplaces find it best to dispense with walls and doors entirely, making do with a roof and the open air.

In the center of the Circle of Lords lies Draesis ti'Desach, the Wheel of Change, the circular court where rites of Path changing are done. This vast open space demonstrates the Elven nature of the city, to my mind, better than any other area. Intricate mosaics decorate the pavement, with representations of each Path in each direction. At the very center is a fountain. It would be inappropriate for any person to occupy the center, since that is the location of the true ideal that all followers are striving for. Surrounded by four statues, one of each of the four True Elements the fountain is capped with an orichalcum sculpture to represent the Lords. Four figures, facing inward, gaze upward at the central column of water splashing against a wooden canopy. While the worth of the statue in materials is nearly incalculable, its worth to the city is greater. Here stands the soul of the Citadel, here is the heart of the city both literally and spiritually.

Each quarter is readily identifiable by its aesthetics. Colors, motifs, and even styles of architecture are determined by the Path of the quarter. Set down blindfolded anywhere in the city, I could locate myself within seconds once I could see. The stark straight lines and somber colors of the north, the light, graceful curves and pale blues of the east, the south's recurring flame motif and brilliant reds and yellows, the heavier recurving lines and darker blues of the west and the predominantly unpainted wood of the center all serve to identify the quarter with its Path and reinforce that path among its inhabitants.

The Citadel's water and sewage needs are served by an ingenious system of underground pipes. A massive tunnel was dug through the bank of a nearby river, leading the flow of water into the maze. The force of the river keeps the water flowing at a steady pace, so that by sinking a small pipe into the main under a street, water will flow into a basin in the house at the turn of a valve. Garderobes in the more affluent homes also have a water pipe, to rinse the garderobe after use.

The drainage from washbasins and garderobes flows into a second system of pipes, flushed out several times a day by diversion of water from the supply system. The outflow goes into a series of holding ponds at the downstream end of the Citadel. Once a week, each pond is drained, on a different day, and the following day the dung carters shovel out the bottom. The resulting muck is carted off to the farmlands for composting and eventual use as fertilizer. This system keeps most of the odoriferous effluent downstream, downwind and out of sight of the Citadel.

Typical Encounters (City-wide)

Notable Locations

Herein I describe some of the more noteworthy places within the Citadel. I have attempted to give information of the sort that the traveler to the Citadel would need.

Kesev ti'Meraerthsa (Warriors' Quarter)

Finyl Roguda, Horsetrainer

With her horse-ring and stables located on Cattle halfway between Goldenflower and Rising Birds, Finyl's business is well placed to demonstrate her stock to her primary customers. Only one street over are the drill grounds for the city militia. Many of the soldiers walk over to Finyl's after morning drill to watch her exercising her horses, and to discuss possible future mounts. While only a small percentage of her steeds go for cavalry mounts, most of her horses are bought by soldiers for patrol use or for their families. Finyl herself is a tall, sturdy woman, well-muscled for an elf and weathered by her constant outdoor work, who dresses in dusty leathers and prefers the company of horses to Name-givers.
 

Relanta Stelsyn, Master Weaver

Two doors down from Green Fields on the Street of Looms is a small, unprepossessing shop, set a little back from the street. Within, only one person pursues her craft, in a room mostly taken up by a massive loom. The products from this single weaver, however, are among the most highly sought fabrics in the city. Relanta, a willowy woman of short stature for an elf, no taller than a human, has a talent with her loom that is seen only once in a generation. This is in its own way a serious problem. Relanta is fast approaching a time when she must change Paths, at which point she must abandon her loom until she achieves the Lords, a development only the most shallow of her competition would not mourn. There are some who say that she has more than skill with the loom, that she has Talent. These rumors suggest that she may be developing a Weaver Discipline, that she may have woven threads of a mystical nature to her loom. If she changes Path, she would have to abandon not only her loom, but her fledgling adept status. If she continues to pursue her Discipline, however, she must leave the Paths, and fleeing the Citadel is difficult enough without trying to take a room-sized weaving loom with you. The tension among the workers of fabrics is almost palpable as everyone waits for her decision.
 

Uravil Gesenedek, Master of Hounds

On Stones at Gate is a small house with a large kennel behind it, the home of Uravil Gesenedek and his charges. He trains some of the finer hunting and tracking dogs in the Citadel. Unfortunately, his animals are also among the most intelligent in the Citadel. Every so often, one of his hounds escapes from the kennel. Most of the time, they come around to his front door and scratch to be let in, having such an attachment to their trainer. The occasional hunting dog, however, decides to make it on its own. Dog attacks are very rare but they do occur, and if the animal manages to breed with the local wild dogs before it can be captured, the stock of the stray animals is vastly improved. I admit, I had a few nervous moments during my stay when I spotted a pack of strays down the street, not knowing if they would decide to put dwarf on the menu.
 

Typical Encounters

Kesev ti'Telenetishsa (Scholars' Quarter)

Gidron Reitenar, lensmaker

Gidron's shop, on the south side of Glass between Pine and Great Smoke, was designed by Covicit Toriwo, a noted pre-Scourge architect who did his finest work in the early days of the kaer. Reitenar's family held the plans for the shop until the opening of the kaer. During the rebuilding of the Citadel, they erected the shop for Gidron's father, since progressed to the Sages. Many visitors to the shop go originally to admire the building. Its soaring spires and intricate moldings create a palace in miniature, two stories of royal elegance.

Quite a few come away with one of Gidron's complex lens sculptures. These are elegant arrangements of glass in metal frames that send light bouncing and shattering into brilliant multicolored shards, the patterns changing according to the direction of the incoming light.

While well known for his talent at turning light into art, Gidron's best skill lies in precision grinding of lenses. He supplies the Citadel's top astrologer, Ertelailen J'Hessirn, among other observers of the sky, as well as officers and scouts in the military. His work is constantly in demand, but Gidron refuses to take on any further apprentices. To do so, he would have to move his shop to a larger building, and he will not allow the work of Toriwo to pass out of his family's hands. As a result, his lenses bring a high price.

Gidron is elegant and well-spoken, like all Reitenar. He keeps his light brown hair cut much shorter than the elven norm, for convenience and safety in his workshop. Each morning, as part of his opening ritual, he paints a Fire symbol on his face, under his right eye. By the evening, when he closes the shop, the symbol is no more than a few streaks of paint, washed nearly away by perspiration as Gidron works over his annealing fires. He dresses in light fire colors, yellows and pale oranges. His only jewelry, other than his Path brooch, is his marriage bracelet, worn on the left wrist.
 

Obetid's Bakery

Halfway between Pine and Great Smoke on the Street of Ovens, the bakery of the Obetid family faces their home across the street. While not producing the fancier pastries and delicacies that elven bakers are justifiably famous for, the Obetids turn out vast quantities of rolls, trencher loaves and buns each day. Most of their products go to dining halls, and some to the great estates in the Draesis ti'Raeghsa, with very little going to private homes. The business is suffering currently, due to a recent accident. One of the apprentices, a lazy young boy who has since been returned to his family for training in a different skill, passed on a bag of rye flour that should have been rejected due to black smut. People all over the Kesev ti'Meraerthsa, where the batch of rolls was delivered, spent the day having visions and stomach cramps. Svidipay Obetid, the current owner of the bakery, is still renegotiating delivery agreements, at a decided loss of profit.
 

Torlin Hroan's Candle Shop

Four doors toward Great Smoke from Wolf, on the Street of Lights, a small, unprepossessing building hides a great treasure. Torlin Hroan is a quiet man of calm demeanor and great patience, an asset in his line of work. Beside the standard tapers, his shop carries time candles in six and twelve hour sizes, as well as candles that burn with colored flames. While he does not have marriage candles or those elaborately carved decorative pillars that elves seem to be so fond of, his more subtle work is nonetheless appealing.
 

Typical Encounters

Kesev ti'Cirolletishsa (Travelers' Quarter)

Blue Horse

A tavern and dining hall on the Street of the Blue Horse, which takes its Name from the establishment. the Blue Horse has been in business since shortly after the founding of the city. Only during the transfer from city to kaer and from kaer to city did the Horse ever close its doors, and then only for a few days. Meals served in the dining hall are of the highest quality and represent the best of elven daily fare. More elegant establishments exist, certainly, but you wouldn't want them on a daily basis. The Blue Horse has regular customers with their Names carved into their accustomed places. Also, the Horse is one of the few public halls where members of different Paths can dine together, and where non-elves are also welcome.

The back of the Horse has a distillery and bakery as well as a kitchen. Their wines and ales are made over in the Sages' Quarter, where all the breweries are located. Rooms are not available, there being no lodging houses within the city. Turei Nuriskori, the current proprietor, personally oversees the tavern, and pops into the dining hall during mealtimes to check on the quality of the food and the satisfaction of his guests. He's a bit portly for an elf, I suppose from the temptation of being around so much good food all day. Rumor has it he may be progressing soon, however, which in a way would be sad, as his progression would mean a great loss to his establishment.
 

Ertelailen J'Hessirn, astrologer

One of the top astrologers in the Citadel, J'Hessirn uses the movements of the stars among the lights of the Passions to predict the future, analyze the past and forecast the most auspicious times for planned events. He consults with the Keeper of the Paths regarding festivals, progressions and other rites. Many citizens also seek his advice for the best time to progress to a new Path, to plant their crops, to consider having children, and other major decisions. His maps of the sky are used by the military and the few traders for navigation at night, the stars and the lights of the Passions being one of the few reliable means of finding a path in the Delaris Mountains.

J'Hessirn's shop is a tall, cylindrical building at the corner of Moon and Boundary. His consulting office is on the first floor, his home on the second and his observatory on the third. He keeps his jet-black hair neatly brushed but worn loose down to his waist, contrasting starkly with his pale blue, almost white robes, embroidered with the sigils of the (sane) Passions. Ertalailen makes few moves without first consulting the stars, and likes to have a few days to consider the birth-signs of a potential new customer before doing business with them. His wife, Trinocia, teaches basic literacy at the copyist's down the street. He has two daughters, Ehlesor, 5, and Dorwilet, 9, from his present life. His children from previous existences are grown and on the Paths of their own right.
 

Xanfia Cartage

With warehouses on Wagons from Moon to Far Journeys, and a fleet of drivers and teams, Xanfia is the largest hauling and storage firm in the Citadel. They claim with pride that they carried half the Citadel into the kaer and back again. Many residents of the Citadel store their outmoded belongings with Xanfia until they reach Lords and can reclaim items from previous existences. The warehouses are of stout stone construction to reduce the hazard of fire, double-locked and patrolled to discourage thieves, and inhabited by a small army of cats to hold down vermin. Wagons with the barrel, tree and crate emblem of Xanfia are a regular sight on the streets.

Across the Street of Wagons from the central warehouse and offices is the home of the Xanfia family's Followers of the Path of Travelers. This rambling three-story house takes up a third of the block, the family having bought neighboring lots twice for expansion. Several architects have worked on the dwelling, not all with the same vision or style, leaving a hodgepodge of square, rounded and pointed arches, narrow and wide windows, steeply pointed roofs and dormers, and two entry halls of vastly different style. Visitors are admonished not to wander off, not for the protection of the family's privacy but so they don't have to be rescued from the maze. Rumor has it the family has forgotten where some of the rooms are.

The house certainly reflects its owners. The Xanfia family is a large, expansive group of elves, given to rambling discourses, unexpected turns and hidden complexities. Their relationships with other families are complicated by a web of marriages, children, progressions and remarriages to where only the family elders can really keep it all straight. The primary Name for any outsider to know is Dirgon, the current administrator of the family cartage business.
 

Typical Encounters

Kesev ti'Perritaesa (Sages' Quarter)

Temple of Healing

On the corner of Sun and Life, the front of the building is set back behind a decorative colonnade, and covered with a magnificent fresco mural of Garlen healing the sick during the Shaking Plague. Within, a staff of professional healers sees to all injuries and disease that come through their doors, charging according to the patient's Path and means. A Lord of modest means will pay more than a wealthy Warrior, for example, as the Lord is assumed to have more connections and more potential for earning than someone of lesser Path. Strangers to the city can also be healed here, and are asked to pay whatever they can and feel appropriate. Potential healers are trained here, apparently doing most of their early practice with the Pathless and other indigent patients.
 

Erpossonya Brewery

Out at the corner of Ale and Illuminations, Tephis Erpossonya oversees her family's brewery as her father did before her, and his uncle before him, back to times well before the Scourge. Tephis boasts with justifiable pride that not once in the history of the brewery has the mastery ever been passed to someone not in the direct family line. Their recipes and techniques have been refined over the centuries to produce a series of truly astonishing brews. Quite a bit lighter than dwarfish tastes would prefer, it is true, but their ale goes down amazingly well. Erpossonya supplies the better taverns in the Kesev ti'Perritaesa and the Draesis ti'Raeghsa. They also have their own on-site taproom, where you can discuss the relative merits of ales and wines with the master brewers themselves.
 

Purauil Galsteca, Pursuivant

On the Street of Standards, only one door down from Illuminations, is the office of one of the more notable heralds in the Citadel. Purauil is a woman of striking aspect, tall even for an elf, who wraps herself in her cloak of office like a warrior in his armor. She holds herself aloof from politics, intrigues and petty rivalries, maintaining that only thus can she keep her art pure. Her field is the study of the sigils of families and bloodlines, both within the Citadel and without, and knowledge of the histories that accompany the emblems. Anyone wishing to verify or identify a coat of arms may consult her for a fee, as well as those wishing to register a new patent of arms for differentiation, as when elves from two houses marry and wish to combine their arms. Purauil knows more about the past of the noble families of the Citadel, in all likelihood, than is recorded in the library in the Draesis ti'Raeghsa. Convincing her to speak of such things is expensive, though, as this knowledge is her stock in trade. Ah well, not all of us can afford to give our knowledge for free.
 

Typical Encounters

Draesis ti'Raeghsa (Circle of Lords)

College of Eoerin

Sprawling across most of a block, from Great Smoke to Far Journeys and from Government back to Carpenters, the College takes up four buildings. The main structure opens onto Government in the middle of the block with a grand staircase sweeping up to the great brass doors of the College. At least one member of the Pathless is present at all times, polishing the doors or the railings of the stairs or the decorative work. Within are the offices of the collegium staff, the reception hall and the primary lecture halls. To the left of the grand entrance is a smaller building with bailiffs guarding the doors. This is the library of the College, to which no one is admitted who is not a member of the Eoerin. Within, or so I am told, are the founding documents of the Paths, as well as countless arguments and treatises written over the centuries by all of the eoerin of the Citadel. Perhaps the collegium members do not want ideas that could be construed as heretical available to the general populace, but it's still quite annoying to present your credentials as Field Researcher and Archivist of City Lore for the Hall of Records in Throal and be turned away like a beggar. The other two buildings are offices for the eoerin themselves and adjunct lecture halls.
 

Militia Command

A great, sprawling complex that obviously used to be many separate buildings, the senior staff of the city militia not only works here, many actually live within the granite walls. Access is only through the front doors, guarded by adepts from the militia who glare impartially at any passing civilian. I was told not to proceed past the front hall and the museum, and after getting a look down a couple of the hallways, had little desire to do so. Many renovations and repairs over the years have left the building a warren of twisting passages that even a native Throalite would have trouble navigating.

The front hall is impressive, however, with its displays of arms and armor, trophies of battle and the mounted head of a Horror looming over the main entrance. I am assured that nethermantic enchantments have made certain that the Horror is very dead and that no other Horror could manifest through the remains, but it makes me nervous just the same to walk under that wretched thing.

To the left as you pass through the hall is the entrance to the museum of the militia. Within are displayed the standard of every unit ever formed in the history of the Citadel. Many standards stand proudly above lavish displays of legendary weapons, armor, prizes of combat and even the crypt of a former general of the city, slain protecting the inhabitants as they retreated to their kaer. If you have the time, ask the staff on duty about the items. All of the elves working here as curators are retired from the militia after many years of honorable service, and know the stories of the artifacts on display intimately. I'm told that a position at the museum is an honor in itself, granted only to those members of the militia who have distinguished themselves particularly well over their careers.
 

Commander's Home

Across Carpenters' Street and facing the windowless, doorless back of the Militia Command building, stands the three-story home of the militia commander. This house is hereditary with the office, and is half taken up with records of previous engagements, personal trophies of past commanders, briefing rooms, a formal dining hall and other official function rooms. Only the top floor can be truly said to belong to the current commander, and then only for her tenure. I am told that it's either a great honor or a moment of extreme dread to be invited up to meet Commander T'lilliu in her personal quarters.
 

Public Works

Bustling with activity, this monument to bureaucracy employs more clerks, copyists, librarians and other shufflers of paper than any other building in the city. Four stories in height and taking up half of a city block, every bit of public construction is planned, overseen and paid for through these offices. The usual corruption of such places is not nearly so in evidence here, as most of the clerks will not ask for a service fee up front, and few even hint that such a thing might speed matters along. The records are stored in a fashion every bit as complex as Throal's own, however, and a clerk is vital to locating any document. Tipping after a document is located seems acceptable.
 

Around the Circle of Change

1. Home of the Keeper

This elegantly small home is hereditary with the office of the Keeper of the Paths. While a masterpiece of design, the home is overshadowed by the shrines around it, as it should be. The office of the Keeper is of vast importance, but of less significance than the Paths and the Passions themselves. Only rarely does the Keeper receive anyone at the house, and then only one or two people in the group. Most of the Keeper's business is conducted from the Collegium of the Eoerin.

2. Shrine to the Mes ti'Raeghsa

Considering that this is the shrine of the final Path, the culmination of progress through all the stages of life, it's surprisingly small. Only half, maybe a third of the size of the other four Path shrines, the Shrine of Lords is wedged in between the Keeper's house and the Shrine of Mynbruje. The front of the building bears the sigils of the other four Paths, carved of stone, crystal, gold, and silver respectively, placed to symbolically support the wooden arch at the entryway, with the symbol of the Lords carved in wood over the doors. The building itself is a masterpiece of carpentry, every piece carved with such precision that not one nail was used in the structure. All of the construction was done with pegs, mortise and tenon, dovetailing and tongue and groove joints. Numerous woods were chosen, and placed in such a way that the darkest are at the foundations and the lightest at the apex, representing the spiritual journey toward enlightenment.

Only the Lords know what is inside the Shrine. I am told, however, that the interior is a single room, with few decorations. Visitors to the shrine are supposed to find what they need in the empty space and within themselves. Strict silence is observed within, as echoes could easily disturb other visitors. Only during group rituals is the ban on speech and sound broken.

3. Shrine of Mynbruje

A popular spot with the Guardians and bailiffs as well as the followers of the Lords, the shrine is an imposing stone structure of solid and faintly forbidding aspect. Over the doorway, the crescent and star of Mynbruje are inlaid in dark blue stone, the only exterior decoration of any sort. Straight and exact, the building's lines are unbroken by crenellation, spires, or even a curve.

Within, the main hall presents the visitor with a set of scales large enough to accommodate an elf in the left pan, the right being occupied by the Book of the Law, and the entire assembly balanced across the tip of an enormous sword sculpted out of the same dark blue stone used for the entry. Scenes of famous judgements, the giving of harsh justice and tender mercy, are inlaid in mosaic around the walls. Further rooms are available for private meditation, one of which is reserved for the Keeper.

4. Shrine of Wood

In startling comparison to the elegant constructed buildings around it, the Shrine of Wood appears to have grown rather than being deliberately built. Twelve massive trees rise up from the cobblestones of the court and streets surrounding the shrine, a gap between the front two wide enough for three people to walk through abreast. Overhead, the branches interlace to form a roof impenetrable to weather. I'm told that Questors of Jaspree assisted in the regrowth of the Shrine after the Scourge, in order to have trees of this size in such a short time. Within the Shrine is a courtyard, lit by sun brought in with lenses and mirrors. At its center, a sapling grows, planted when the shrine was completed after the Scourge. I'm told that when it reaches sufficient size, and the last of the Horrors have been exterminated from the surrounding regions, it will be taken from the shrine and replanted atop the Citadel's kaer.

5. Shrine of Chorrolis

Certainly a splendid building, the citizens have honored Chorrolis with exorbitant expenditures to create a miniature palace of gems and precious metals. The sigil of the Passion over the door is an elaborate work in enamel inlay and gilding. The doors themselves are not only exquisitely carved but painted in exhaustive detail. In any other setting, the shrine would be magnificent. Compared to the simple elegance of the Shrine of Lords and the natural beauty of the Shrine of Wood, it seems a little overdone by comparison.

The interior is a masterpiece of opulence. Not a surface exists that is not gilded, painted, enamelled, bejewelled or carved and inlaid. At the front of the room is an altar of expensive woods, holding up a chalice fully the size of an adult dwarf that brims with riches. Jewels are heaped within, chains of gold and silver spill out over the chased lip. No guards stand over this treasure, as no sane Namegiver would risk angering the Passion by stealing from the temple. Questors of Chorrolis are rare, but at least one resides in a back room of the shrine at all times. Obviously, such a person must be a follower of the Lords.

6. Shrine of Garlen

Next around the Circle, this small, homey building has a comforting look even to dwarven eyes, although it's built more to elven specifications. Flowers and medicinal herbs grow in the windowboxes and along the cobblestone walk up to the door, a simple entrance of plain wood. Within, Questors of the Passion maintain an atmosphere of peace and welcome, serving meals to any in need without question, providing healing for body and soul, and protection for the occasional person in danger from other residents of the Citadel or from the authorities. Apparently, anyone managing to enter the Shrine of Garlen and claim sanctuary within may not be haled forth for judgement, regardless of their crimes, without the agreement of both the Keeper of the Paths and the chief Questor. Considering that the current top Questor is Dorenito Xanfia, and that the pragmatic Xanfia and the hard-nosed, ultra-orthodox Liriliqirz rarely see eye to eye on theological and philosophical issues, if the crime is less than conspiracy with a Horror, the miscreant is quite likely to spend the rest of their life in the Shrine. Mind you, the likelihood of anyone making it all the way to the Wheel of Change with the Guardians and bailiffs on their tail is very slim. Beyond that, anyone claiming sanctuary must eventually submit to some form of justice, throwing themselves on the mercy of Garlen if they do not surrender to the civil authorities. Garlen's judgements have sent several individuals off to work off their crimes with restitution or with deeds outside the Citadel. With exile being considered a worse fate than death, the miscreant may want to reconsider before appealing to the Passion.

7. Shrine of Lochost

Lochost is viewed with mixed feelings by the followers. On the one hand, the Passion represents the freedom to live your life the way you desire, a freedom that the ancestors of the current inhabitants sought when they founded the Citadel. On the other, deviation from the Paths when you so desire is considered heresy, and celebrating a Passion that holds forth the freedom to change outside of the proper times is looked upon with revulsion.

This dichotomy permeates the design of the building and holds fast in the minds of those who visit. An oddly shaped structure, the shrine reminds me of a large animal trying to break out of a sack, tossed into a cage barely large enough to hold it. The structural members show in some areas, while the interior pushes out through and past the framework in others. In the lower right front, the entryway appears to have been only half planned, and ripsawed out at a convenient location.

Within, burst manacles dangle from the walls, while other semi-destroyed symbols of repression are scattered about at random. A straight course from one section of the building to another is deliberately impossible, although there are always at least two routes from which to choose. Visitors are rare, and the staff is minimal -- only two Questors when I arrived, and one was a former soldier in the Theran War who had retired to the Citadel.

8. Shrine of Upandal

Certainly the most meticulous in construction, the shrine is a masterpiece of engineering, in tribute to the Passion of design and building. Every angle is calculated to a fraction of a degree, each section is in perfect balance to the rest. Materials were chosen with an eye not only to strength, placing the hardest stone and wood in loadbearing locations, but to aesthetics as well. No paint or stain was used; all of the coloring is natural. I found the building reminiscent of the Shrine of Wood, across the Circle, in the techniques used for contruction and the arrangement of materials in their natural colors for decorative purposes.

9. Council Hall

Four stories high, the Hall is one of the more imposing buildings in the Circle of Lords. Murals of the founding of the Citadel cover the exterior, neatly interspersed with the columns of the facade. Within, the entry hall is two stories high, an echoing vault lined with statues of previous Councilors of note. Beyond, a long hallwy extends the length of the building, opening into the offices of the clerks and scribes who do most of the work, writing the proclamations and degrees, drafting the proposals to be introduced into the Council and recording the decisions made into the books of law. Above them are the offices of the Councilors themselves, where they meet with their consituents and hold small meetings outside of full Council. The top two stories are given over to the Council chamber itself, more of an amphitheater than a meeting hall. Spectators are not allowed during convocations of the Council, but Councilors can bring the occasional visitor. The Council Guard, a large team of adepts of high Circle, guards the building and posts several of their number within the chamber during meetings of the Council.
 

Typical Encounters

Shrines

Three shrines stand in each Quarter: one to the Path, one to the Element of the Path and one to the Passion who governs the Path. Central to the quarter, the Path shrine is the most impressive, but the other two are by no means second-rate. The Passion shrines rival anything I've seen in dwarven communities for manifest displays of devotion. Shrines to the remaining four Passions (there are of course no shrines to the Mad Passions in the post-Scourge reconstruction of the Citadel) are on the western side of the Draesis ti'Desach.

Path Shrines

Mes ti'Meraerthsa

A long, low building of stone, the Shrine of the Path of the Warrior takes up most of the block along Shrine Way between Goldenflower and Rising Birds. The shrine proper occupies only one end of the building. The rest is an enclosure for visitors to the shrine, to keep the rain off and provide them with surroundings made of stone. Only followers of the Path are allowed within, as with all of the Path shrines, so I have no description of the interior. Those I interviewed would only speak of the shrine in very general terms. I do know that there are symbols of the Warrior Discipline as well as of the Path, mounted on a solid stone slab that was brought to the city with magical assistance.
 

Mes ti'Cirolletishsa

Its outside decorated with various symbols of travel, wagons, wheels, birds, horses and murals of roads, the Shrine of the Path of Travelers leans slightly outward, to the east, giving an impression of impending motion. Visitors are encouraged to move through the shrine by the layout within, or so I am told. Like all of the Path shrines, only followers are allowed inside. I do know from observation that followers of the Path of Travelers tend to spend less time within their Shrine than followers of other Paths, and are usually moving briskly on both entrance and departure.
 

Mes ti'Telenetishsa

At the back of the Shrine of the Path of Scholars is the feature that most distinguishes it from the other Path shrines -- a library. Unfortunately, the holdings are closed to all but followers of the Path and members of the Collegium of Eoerin, and the Collegium does not recognize visiting non-elven scholars. By the Passions, these people have no concept of the free sharing of knowledge that is the basis for calling oneself a scholar. The rest of the building is interesting enough, I suppose, but again I've no personal observations of the inside from which to draw conclusions.
 

Mes ti'Perritaesa

Besides the mosaics of water scenes, scrolls and great arcane discoveries that decorate the Shrine of the Path of Sages, the building itself suggests the sweep of water in its graceful repeating arcs. The main entrance is done up in carved scrollery suggestive of waves, and painted in delicate shades of pale blue and nearly-white. While there are no windows, as with all of the shrines, there are skylights, which from the street appear to be of stained glass. Without being admitted to the building to view them from underneath, however, I cannot comment on the design.

Of the functions of the crescent-shaped building next to the Shrine, and the one on its far side with the concave facade, I have no idea. None of the inhabitants would answer my questions. I suppose I should be grateful that they did not call for a bailiff.
 

Element Shrines

Unlike the Path shrines, the shrines to the Elements (and to the Passions) are open to anyone who cares to visit. Indeed, upon my arrival in the Citadel, the bailiff who processed my application for an entry permit recommended that I should visit the Shrine of Earth. I would feel more at home there, he said, than anywhere else in the city. Well, perhaps he assumed too much sameness of the dwarven race, that we all are quite taken with caves and living deep in the earth, but I took his recommendation and was quite pleased to have done so. Over the span of time I was in the Citadel, I spent many hours in the Shrine of Earth, refreshing my soul and clearing my mind for further study. Any of my race would feel at home there, no matter how long they had dwelt upon the surface or how little they cared for the traditional dwarven habitations. The remainder of the Elemental shrines were every bit as beautiful as the Shrine of Earth, but nowhere near as comfortable.
 

Earth

A solid structure of stone and clay brick on Shrine Way next to the Shrine of Thystonius in the Kesev ti'Meraerthsa, the Earth Shrine appears more to have been sculpted from a hill than to have been built. The entry is done as a cave mouth, with bits of light quartz embedded in the walls giving a random sparkle to the non-magical quartz and other crystals in the stalactites and stalagmites, impossibly close to the opening but somehow appropriate anyway. In many respects, the shrine defies some basic rules about how caves form, and yet still seems right and proper, as if reflecting a greater truth about Earth. Inside, the main cavern is a wondrous echoing vault with the supports for the ceiling cleverly built into ridges within the rock walls. Veins of precious metals and gem-bearing ores scrawl bright lines across the dark granite surfaces, traceries too delicate for anyone to ever consider setting a pick to. The value of Earth as it naturally exists is brought forth in splendour and grace. Here indeed is a home for the soul. If the Path Shrines have the same atmosphere to them, it is no great wonder that the inhabitants of the Citadel feel so strongly about their chosen way of life.
 

Fire

A double hexagon next to the Shrine of Floranuus on Shrine Way in the Kesev ti'Telenetishsa, each of the two lobes is centered around a cauldron of permanent flame. I am told that these are fed by True Fire and some form of flammable gas, not unlike the gases that create hazards in the deeper reaches of the Throal Mountains. Each is a horselength across, massive bowls of stone carved intricately with Fire symbols and elementalist runes to control the blaze. Mirrors of brass and steel and glass, of varying sizes and shapes, hang in random spots around the courtyard, breaking the firelight into thousands of dancing points. Quite impressive, if uncomfortable due to the heat.
 

Air

Separated from the Shrine to Astendar by a column of cleverly worked glass spun up into a vortex, the Air shrine can best be described as a building that is barely there. Only the lightest framework exists to hold up the necessary symbols, with much open space between the beams. More glass has been used in the construction of this building than I have ever seen before. Apparently bits of True Air are also woven into it, to prevent breakage every time a high wind comes along. I found the shrine to coexist well with the Travelers' Path shrine just down the street, as not only the breezes but people pass through with ease and frequency. There just don't seem to be any places in this quarter where people congregate properly for discussion; I suppose it's because of the Path. All debate seems to be held while strolling, making it difficult to join in.
 

Water

No other Element shrine seemed to me to be as alive as the shrine to Water. Countless fountains, flowing streams and cascades surround you from the moment you step within. The air sings with the burble and chuckle of fluid in motion. Plants grow alongside the channels in profusion, baffling the sound so that it's not overwhelming and creating a tranquil feeling of a secluded mountainside. Nowhere is there a static symbol for the element, but if you look carefully, you'll be able to trace the ancient elven magical symbol for True Water in the courses of the fountains, repeated in the sprays that arc gracefully through the air. Here, unlike the shrine to Air, followers of the Path of the quarter gather to relax, and to engage in thoughtful debate. While outsiders should be careful of the subjects they broach, at least one can take part in the discussion properly. Benches are scattered throughout the shrine so that visitors can relax and contemplate the Element, although few of the elves I saw there seemed lost in meditation. I suspect a great deal of business is transacted informally here, where the surrounding noise would make it nearly impossible to eavesdrop. Indeed, several conversations ceased abruptly when I came about a turn in the path through the interior of the Shrine, to resume once I was out of proper hearing range.
 

Passion Shrines

Thystonius

Located on Shrine Way in the Warriors' quarter, mosaics cover the outer walls of this blocky granite building with scenes of conflict, most from the history of the Citadel. I was advised to avoid the area in the morning, at luncheon and in the evening, as visitors to the Shrine frequently emerge spoiling for a fight and looking for a non-elf, any non-elf, to engage thusly. Ceremonies within tend to be loud and boisterous, especially by elven standards. Not being particularly someone who identifies with the Passion of Conflict, I never paid a visit inside the shrine.
 

Floranuus

Located on Shrine Way in the Scholars' Quarter, the concave ends of the shrine draw the passerby in and keep him moving on through. The interior is a single massive hall, a bit disorganized but certainly decorated with enthusiasm. At least once a month, the shrine and its Questors sponsor some form of community celebration, ranging from foot races on Great Smoke to the harvest-season wine presentation, an excuse for the normally reserved elves of the Citadel to drink a bit too much and laugh loudly for a day. I've heard rumors that there are other, more vigorous celebrations, but those are restricted to followers of the Path of Scholars and the entire quarter is closed to visitors for that day.
 

Astendar

Located on Shrine Way in the Travelers' Quarter, the most prominent feature of the shrine is the stage facing the glass vortex between the Shrine of Astendar and the Shrine of Air. At least three times a week, presentations are given -- poetry readings, musical performances and dramatic productions. Exhibitions of static arts such as painting and sculpture are ongoing, with the exhibits themselves changing from day to day as new works arrive and old ones are taken away to be returned to the artist or sold. Interestingly, troubled relationships are frequently counseled here rather than at the shrine of Garlen, the elves apparently feeling that the emotional aspects of the couple take predominance over the peril to the home.
 

Jaspree

Located on Shrine Way in the Sages' Quarter, the primary difference I could see between this place and the Shrine of Water next down the street was the shift in dominance from running water to growing plants. A host of small animals run free within the complex, creating a section of forest within the bounds of the city. Some of the Questors who operate the shrine maintain a shelter for injured or diseased animals, healing those who can be healed and released and easing the transition for those who will not survive.

Living in the City

Residing in such an ordered and highly structured environment provides a strong sense of purpose and place, while at the same time posing unexpected hazards for the outsider. Special considerations involved in daily life will be more understandable with some close examination.

Residents

First off, every adult resident of the city proper is Elven, and a follower of the Paths. Non-elves are not allowed to take up the Paths. No person who is not a follower of a Path may reside in the city. Therefore, no race other than elves resides in the city. As well, every adult in a household must be on the same Path. Children, being too young to take up a Path, are exempt from this restriction. This permits children to stay with their families, while the household goes about its daily business. Children of the household wear the colors of the appropriate Path, with an identifying brooch to identify their household. They must stay within the quarter of their parents' Path, although trespass by children is handled much more leniently than trespass by adults. In most cases, the child is taken by a bailiff back to his or her parents, who are then admonished to educate their child properly. The public humiliation of being lectured as to proper child-rearing is sufficient to keep most parents in line.

Division of labor is very strictly handled, with tasks restricted by Path. Considering that only ten percent of the population are likely to be Adepts, the Eoerin had to consider whether or not the Paths would be denied to the majority. During the journey from Wyrm Wood, they decided that the Paths were accessible to all Elves who desired to follow them. Accordingly, all then-known occupations were discussed as to which Path they would fit. A list of occupations, later to become known as the Roll of Careers, ordered by Path was drawn up, and when construction of the city began, planning took the Roll into account.

As new skills are developed, they are presented to the Eoerin for placement on the Roll. No new occupation may be practiced until it has been entered onto the Roll and the Keeper has signed the entry. After that, the occupation must be practiced exactly as described on the Roll. Any modification to an existing occupation, for instance a new method of forging horseshoes, must be cleared with the Eoerin, and the Roll entry amended, before the new development may be used. This makes progress slow, but does have the beneficial effect that no unexpected side effects are ever encountered. For example, the citizens of the Citadel have never had trouble with mine tailings poisoning a stream, as disposal of such minerals were planned for long before the first shovel bit into the soil. A partial index to the Roll, which now spans many volumes, is provided as an appendix to this article.

Lodging

Residents of the city live in the quarter appropriate for their Path. As stated before, their children may reside with them. Elves who are followers of the same Path, who have come from outside the city or from households in other quarters, may stay as guests in the home of a resident. The head of household assumes responsibility for their actions while they live under his or her roof.

Non-elves and non-followers must reside outside the city proper, in the Ring of the Pathless or along the road into the city. Inns operated by the Pathless tend to be shabby, not from lack of effort but from lack of resources. Guests are few and far between, and sales of thin beer to the other Pathless don't turn much of a profit. Any item whose manufacture is the responsibility of a Follower must be obtained from same, on harsh financial penalty. The higher the Path for the item, the more expensive the fine. Thus, brewing of beer is a cheap offense, but making a barrel to keep it in is terrifically costly.

The two inns on the road are maintained by non-Elves, and used primarily by the few merchants who maintain the city's limited trade with the outside world. The Crumpled Crescent stands two stories tall. It has dwarven stout, but few rooms available, and most of these are filled when a caravan comes in. Across from it, the Goat and Stars is larger, with more rooms and more spacious accommodations, but the food and beer are both terrible and not worth the high prices. My recommendation is to stay at the Goat and Stars, apologize to the proprietor, and go across to the Crescent for meals. Barliman, a human short and wide enough to be mistaken for a tall dwarf, is generally understanding, and will let the incident go with a tirade against his suppliers and the general operating conditions imposed by the Elves. The Crescent's proprietor, an ork Named Towo Goldbiter, works for the Overland Trading Company, which might explain why she has access to better raw materials for her meals.

Outsiders are very definitely unwelcome, and are watched closely for any interference with elven ways while in the city. Whether deliberate or not, any questioning or change is dealt with harshly. Looking about to be certain no Guardians or bailiffs are present is no guarantee against penalties. Many of the citizenry will report any straying from what they consider sound ideology, both to protect the Paths from corruption and to protect themselves from being accused of conspiracy to corrupt, a death-penalty offense. Business should be concluded as quickly as possible.

Daily Rituals

Numerous rites mark the daily life of the inhabitants of the Citadel in a progression as regular and stately as the march of the stars past the lights of the Passions. From sunup to sundown, these acts reaffirm the Followers' place in the world and on their Path.

At first rising, the Follower says a short prayer while donning the regalia of his or her Path. This is followed by a moment of quiet meditation, focused on a Path symbol, made into a brooch that is fastened to the clothing after the meditation is over. The symbol remains with the Follower at all times, a tangible reminder of who they are and what they are striving to be.

Another prayer is recited over the morning meal, this one said in unison by all members of the household. The prayer affirms the entire household's place, and serves to bring the people together, strengthening their sense of community.

Those who have to travel through their quarter to reach their employment, and those who feel the need, stop at the Path shrine in the center of the quarter before work. There, they spend a few moments in silent meditation. If any prayers are involved, they too are silent to avoid disturbing others and possibly interfering with their progression along the Path.

Upon opening the place of trade, a ritual peculiar to the craft is performed to begin the day's work. Each occupation has its own way of reaffirming its place in the Path and in the lives of the followers. For example, a baker kindles a twig from the coals of the previous day's oven fires, and lays the flaming brand on a shelf by the door. He then sprinkles a pinch of flour over the flame, and thinks about the transformation that fire brings, that his craft depends upon. That done, the baker will then stoke the ovens and begin making the day's bread.

At the nooning, anyone who has not brought food from home or does not have food to hand will repair to one of the many fine establishments scattered throughout the city. Some will attend the public dining halls, which are open to anyone regardless of their Path. Others will go to the Path halls, which admit only followers of that Quarter's Path. There, each guest is welcomed by a bailiff who assures the guest that everything in the house has been tended to appropriately. Once all tables are occupied, the door is closed and the bailiff then leads the diners in a brief rite according to their Path, involving their Path symbol. I was unable to discover the exact details of this rite, as I was shooed away from the window at a crucial moment. The Guardian informed me that he would be most happy to demonstrate his Warrior Adept abilities if I were to persist in such activities. Not wishing him to become any less polite, as he had informed me in sarcastically gracious terms, I departed the area, and was never afforded another such opportunity. Apparently the Guardians talk among themselves much more than the authorities of any other city I've visited.

Many followers take the time at nooning, either before or after their repast, to again visit their Path shrine for silent meditation. This tends to be longer than the morning session, as business comes to a halt for a considerable time during the day. It requires a goodly span for everyone to be accommodated, one dining-hall at a time.

At the close of business for the day, and this will of course vary, the baker banking his fires long before the blacksmith, a closing rite is performed. Again, this varies according to the trade and its Path. The pattern, however, does not vary. Some form of symbolic gratitude is expressed to the element of the Path for its involvement in the trade. The nature of the Path is also considered, and how the two relate to each other is celebrated. The tradesman then goes home. Notably, hardly anyone locks their shop. Theft is almost unknown in the Citadel, the act being prone to classification as Path interference. Take a gardener's hoe and you interfere with his relationship with Earth, thus interfering with his Path. No one wants to be put to death for the theft of a hoe, so tools and lesser goods are left unsecured. Only the most expensive finished goods are put under lock and key, and then more out of a sense of responsibility than fear for their safety. No one wants to be accused of tempting another to steal and thus either stray from their Path or interfere with another's.

The evening meal is most often taken with the household. Infrequently, followers of a particular career may get together for the equivalent of a guild dinner, but I was unable to gather much information regarding those. Apparently whatever form of professional organizations these people have are very secretive and do not like being discussed. Prayers said over the evening meal have the same basic purpose as the morning, reunifying the household under the blanket of the Path. Dining halls do very little business in the evening, with the exception of professional dinners and the occasional household celebrating an event such as a Naming Day or a windfall profit.

Finally, the citizens spend some time in meditation before going to bed. This tends to be a longer and more complex process than any other during the day. Events of the day just ending are reviewed in the light of the Path and career, and decisions are made as to the appropriateness of each major action taken. The individual reviews his or her progress on the Path, and reaffirms his or her commitment to the Path and its ideals.

Rites of Passage

The followers of the Citadel have derived many of their major rites of passage from basic elven practice. I will limit my comments to differences between the usual ritual and the rite as practised within the Citadel.
 

Birth and Naming

Instead of simply presenting the new baby to the sky, the child is taken in a procession down to the Path shrine, and presented there. For children born to Warriors, the father declares their journey on the Paths to have begun, that from this spot their progress begins. Fathers of all other Paths present their children with the declaration that although they were born on a later Path, their feet will be set at the beginning when appropriate. Their birth in a later Path is auspicious, as it will help them progress more rapidly on that Path when the time comes. All gathered at the shrine then join in a group prayer, thanking the Passions for the new life that has been given to the community. They pledge to take care of the child as a group, every follower accepting responsibility for raising the child in the right and proper way. A Path symbol is then presented to the new baby by the keeper of the shrine, one left behind by a person changing Path. This person is carefully selected, as they will be the model for the new baby. I suspect some influence on the child's pattern by the Path symbol, certainly a powerful pattern item, even if for a person who at least technically no longer exists.
 

Change of Path

In the Citadel, they make a great deal more fuss about a change of Path than outside. Three days are set aside for the rituals involved, during which the elf going through the change and all their household attend to nothing else. Their relatives and professional brethren come in to cook for them, run their business, and see to the mundane affairs of living.

On the first day, the household celebrates a rite similar to a funeral. The person changing Path is symbolically laid to rest. All of their belongings are packed, with everything that pertains to their current Path set aside for distribution to the people left behind. Only items that are not Path-specific, or that are to be held for when the person attains to the Lords, are not handed out. The one making the change visits their Path shrine for the very last time, and leaves their personal Path symbol behind. They emerge dressed in a plain, unadorned white robe, with no Path symbol affixed.

On the second day, the person undergoing the change makes a solitary progression to the Lords, all the way to the Draesis ti'Desach. During that progression, no other person will look directly at him or her, nor acknowledge his or her presence. This person has given up their identity on the previous evening. For a time, the person has no identity and thus does not exist, so far as the followers are concerned. At the Wheel of Change, the person is attended by a bailiff, or by a member of the Keeper's court or even the Keeper if of a sufficiently important family. Starting at the symbol of their former Path, the person makes at least three complete circles sunwise, ending up at the symbol of their new Path. Some form of prayer and meditation is involved, but as I approached to try and overhear what was said, a bailiff stopped me. We had a brief discussion, with the effect that I had to leave the Lords Quarter, never to return. I was able to ascertain that the person changing Paths spent that night in the Lords Quarter.

The third day, the person changing Paths, again accompanied by a bailiff, proceeds to the gate between the Lords Quarter and the quarter of their new Path. At the gate, they enter a small gatehouse, to emerge shortly after dressed in the colors and symbols of their new Path. The person and the bailiff go straight off to the shrine in the new quarter, where the keeper of the shrine presents the elf with a Path symbol brooch. After a half of an hour's meditation, the elf emerges from the shrine, without the bailiff, and announces his or her new Name, career and Path to the assembled crowd. And yes, there's always a crowd, although its size may be related to the importance of the person's family. The new follower then marches off to see to their new accomodations, business and so forth.

No member of their previous household accompanies them, unless they too are changing Path at the same time. Children are normally left behind, unless that would leave them without a parent in the household. If brought, children must go through an abbreviated version of the adult ceremony all on the second day, going to the shrine of their old Path to give up their brooches and their Names, to the Wheel of Change to choose new Names and then off to the Path shrine in their new home quarter to receive Path brooches. Children are presented after the Path-changer has introduced him or herself, and are announced in the same manner as new births.

I feel that it is important to notice that all migration from one path to another is done through the Lords. Thus, someone leaving Warriors and moving to the South would pass through the center of the city, rather than through another path's quarter. Even if you're moving to an adjacent sector, you move through Lords to reflect the ultimate goal of the move. Also, the followers never refer to the person by their former Name. While the family Name is retained, the personal Name is retired and that identity treated as if the person is no longer among the living. Any affairs not completely wrapped up before the change of Path are left suspended and never completed. Only in extreme cases, for example if the person changing Paths had witnessed a murder before their change and needed to be questioned after, would the followers ever refer to a person's previous existence on another Path, and then only in private and with extreme delicacy.
 

Death

Death is a peculiar situation. The death of a Lord is considered the culmination of the spiritual journey, and is cause for celebration. The followers believe that the person dying is off to the Citadel of the Shining Ones, there to exist in a permanent state of spiritual perfection. The death of someone on a lower Path, on the other hand, is a tragedy. Dying before you have reached the Lords interrupts your journey irrevocably. Your life is incomplete. The followers mourn such a death intensely.

For eight days, the members of the household and immediate family do no work, spending their time in group meditation. Like the time of Path change, more distant relatives and professional acquaintances come in to take care of household chores. The deceased's business remains closed, regardless of the position the deceased held within it. Whether the proprietor or a humble apprentice, all work stops in mourning. Life simply must go on without the services of the business for the duration of the mourning period.

At the end of the time of mourning, the closest family member takes the deceased's Path brooch to the shrine, where it is put away, never to be used again. The keeper of the shrine makes a new Path brooch to replace it, which is held in reserve for the next child born to the Path.

The mourners dispose of the body according to the deceased's Path. Warriors are buried, Scholars are cremated on a pyre and their ashes stored at the shrine, Travelers are left on an open platform on the outside of the city wall and Sages are wrapped and dropped into the river. Nothing akin to the Dinganni rite of taking the deceased's place exists. These people feel that no person can complete your journey for you. If you die with the journey incomplete, then you must come back around the Wheel and start again.

The Pathless

Yes, there are elves who are not on the Paths. Outside the city proper are the homes of the Pathless, the so-called children of the lesser door, those elves who do not follow the paths themselves so that they can support those who do. Also among the Pathless are the few non-elven inhabitants of the city. These are the low laborers, the people who either perform tasks considered beneath the citizenry (such as dung cartage) or which do not fit the Paths at all, after discussion by the Eoerin. They occupy a peculiar niche in society, well above slaves but well below citizens, neither free nor in bondage, not quite people but accorded more respect than draft animals. Without the Pathless, the Citadel could not function, an irony I find quite amusing.

The Pathless wear unadorned grey and are permitted anywhere in the city as long as they have business there. The dwellers in the various sectors know the Pathless well, and would easily spot any deviation in the routines of daily living. Thus was I dissuaded from taking up the grey myself for the purpose of observation.

From what I was able to gather, the Pathless are divided into two camps, those born Pathless and those who become Pathless. Children of the Pathless can, if they can find sponsorship in a household of the Warriors, take up the Paths and leave the grey behind. Those who become Pathless are never allowed back into the level of society they have abandoned. Why anyone would choose to become Pathless, I do not understand. This is one of the lines of questioning I had to abandon. No member of the grey would tell me anything, and I was finally warned by one of the Pathless that if I persisted in seeking these answers, I would be reported to the bailiffs. Apparently even the Pathless have duties under the Paths, and the right to appeal to the bailiffs to have their spiritual order maintained, such as it is.

Not all of the non-Elven inhabitants of the Citadel are among the Pathless. The proprietor of the merchant inn wears clothing of Barsaivian design, and speaks good Throalic. Only those whose business requires them to travel daily into the Quarters take up the grey. Their ceremony is quite simple, an oath to avoid interference in anyone's Path, to avoid emulating the Paths themselves and to report any deviation to the bailiffs, then the donning of the grey robes. I suspect that for the elven Pathless, the event is much more complex. During my stay, I was not able to observe such a rite, nor was I aware of such occurring.

I can only speculate on where the Pathless come from. When the city was originally founded, perhaps there were laborers who committed themselves to the lower tasks of building the Citadel to the exclusion of actually living in it, a sort of martyrdom, sacrificing themselves for the betterment of their race. Perhaps the Pathless originate from slaves provided by the Therans and freed but not assimilated. These explanations, while elegant, leave essential questions unanswered.

Why would anyone choose to be Pathless? Could being relegated to the Pathless be used as a punishment for particularly heinous crimes? What about children born of adultery? Could it be the sins of the parents being visited upon the children, punished for their forebears' mistakes? I have no clear answers to these questions, and, regrettably, no hope of gaining such.

Families

In such a closed society, family lines cross and recross in a complex web of relationships. Knowing who is related to whom is vital for negotiating any sort of agreement in the city. Because of the Paths, each family will have members in every quarter and scattered throughout all levels of society. Dynasties do not form solely in the ruling levels, but instead reach throughout society in a network of control. Also because of the Paths, families do not necessarily stay invested in the same facets of society and commerce. If no member of the family is on the right Path to inherit a business from a progressing member, the business is sold to a family ally, frequently with the understanding that the ally will sell it back to the family when they in turn progress.

Several families have achieved sufficient control in the city to be worth examining. Newcomers to the city should be aware of these bloodlines, what they hold and what influence they can bring to bear. Learn to recognize their emblems, as these symbols are carried across Path lines.
 

T'lilliu

Strongly present in the military, the T'lilliu line counts not only Warriors in the front lines but Travelers in the supply corps and Sages in the tactical advisory unit. From the supplies interest, the family branches into food production and supply, armoring, weapon making, horse breeding and training, cartage and warehousing. Being one of the larger lines, the family nearly always has someone to pass their properties to when a member changes Paths.
Notable Members: Jael T'lilliu is the current Commander of the Militia.
Emblem: A wagon wheel, with crossed sword and grain sheaf superimposed over it.
 

Taesyo

The Taesyo clan traces its roots back to the leaders of the separationist movement. Since the founding of the city, the family has held roles in its governance. Within the Paths, members tend to pursue more cerebral occupations, or careers with leadership positions. They also have a predominant interest in banking, moneylending and moneychanging. Like the T'lilliu, they rarely have to pass businesses out of the family when a member progresses.
Notable Members: Bevian Taesyo is the overseer of public works.
Emblem: A stone tower with a pointed roof, with a circle drawn around it.
 

Liriliqirz

From a position within the Eoerin at the founding of the city to the current day, the Liriliqirz family has been the most orthodox of the orthodox. Members of the family serve as bailiffs, judges and Guardians. They lead a stricter and more rigorous life than most other citizens in the Citadel, which is saying quite a bit. In the lower Paths, they maintain interests in precious metals, working as miners, smelters, gold and silver smiths, jewelers and lapidaries.
Notable Members: Orosei Liriliqirz is the current Keeper of the Paths.
Emblem: A wave crest over a red jewel.
 

Xanfia

Primarily involved in food production and animal handling, the Xanfia run farms in Warriors, kitchens and bakeries in Scholars, train birds and handle overland shipping in Travelers, make their livelihoods from the river in Sages as fishers and boat crew, and eventually move into building boats, wagons and barrels in Lords. The family prefers a hands-on approach to life. They believe that you learn best by doing, and the more active the pursuit the better. To engage yourself fully in your Path, take up a career that requires strenuous manual labor as well as mental. Xanfia members tend to be large and sturdy for elves as a result. Once in a while, one of the more strapping specimens gets recruited into the military, but they rarely rise to officer rank. Xanfia elves are plain spoken and straightforward, as much as elves can be in that contorted language of theirs.
Notable Members: Dirgon Xanfia is the current head of Xanfia Cartage, a Sage who's been fined more than once for referring to his years as a teamster, before he took up accounting and control of the business. A bit short for an elf, Dirgon is well muscled and has a prodigious capacity for ale. Think of him as an overly tall dwarf and you'll have a grasp of how to deal with him. He keeps his dark brown hair just to collar length and prefers plain, simple clothing, with the minimum of ornamentation required by his Path. His brooch is nicked in a few places from the occasional time he spends in the warehouse, where he lends a hand to keep in touch with the daily business.
Emblem: A tree with fiery leaves, a barrel on the left and a packing crate on the right.
 

Reitenar

Cloth and knowledge define the influences of this family. Throughout their progress along the Paths, they're involved with one or the other, and sometimes both. Spinners and weavers, librarians and tailors, playwrights and tapesters, dyers and inkmakers and scriveners, bookbinders and papermakers, the Reitenar are invested in every facet of the process of creating clothing and literature. If I could have spent the night in the city, I'm sure I would have found a warm welcome among such kindred spirits as these. Well versed in not only elven writings but those of other races, the Reitenar are gifted conversationalists who seem to be invited to most open social functions. Apparently training in social graces begins at an early age in this clan, as I had the opportunity to observe a young boy, no more than six years old, hosting a small gathering for his peers, with his mother in attendance, guiding him through the complex rituals of an elven tea ceremony.
Notable Members: Falenu Reitenar, a woman of striking grace and presence even for an elf, is the current head librarian of the Collegium of Eoerin. She wears her golden-blonde hair in a loose fall to her knees, and dresses in flowing robes that almost touch the ground. Her position puts her in charge of the primary storehouse of knowledge in the Citadel, and makes her responsible for who gains access to that knowledge. Unfortunately, it takes a good deal of time and the proper, subtle approach to cultivate a relationship with her. I had neither the time nor the resources for such. Her husband, Gidron, is the chief lensmaker to Ertelailen J'Hessirn, the Citadel's pre-eminent astrologer.
Emblem: A blue iris outlined in gold.
 

Skerrinu

Builders of one sort or another, the Skerrinu pursue the crafts of mason, bricklayer and plasterer as Warriors, architects and decorative carvers as Lords. In between, they make glass, thatch roofs, paint and install plumbing. Members regard the family as the foundation of the Citadel, a Name others use also. The Skerrinu are considered solid citizens, reliable, enduring and hard workers.
Notable Members: Vetrun Skerrinu holds the office of chief architect of the Citadel, responsible for the design of all official buildings and public works. Despite having lost his left arm in an accident when he was on the Path of Warriors, Vetrun has accomplished himself well during his progression, going into fields where his disability was irrelevant. His work is easily recognized by the graceful arcs and distinctive swooping facades, Vetrun having a dislike for straight lines in the visible portions of his structures.
Emblem: A bear, standing on all fours, facing to the left, underneath a four-pointed star.

Occupations

A few important observations:
  1. While many food preparation and production occupations are classified under the Paths, preparation of meals is considered essential to the survival of all elves, and thus is classed as a non-Path task. This applies, however, only to preparation of meals for oneself and one's immediate household. Any person who prepares food as a trade must be a follower of the Scholars, the Path of Fire. These people are permitted to travel into other quarters in order to practice their trade, as otherwise everyone who did not prepare their own meals would have to travel into the Fire Quarter, a much more disruptive proceeding.
  2. The Pathless are apparently allowed to lease facilities for their business within the walls, but are not allowed to own property except for outside the Citadel proper. Thus, a Pathless basket maker could theoretically have a shop in someone else's building. In practice, the Pathless do not hold business establishments. The basket maker would have to sell his goods to a shopkeeper who was a Follower, rather than directly to his customers.
 
Mes ti'Meraerthsa 
Armorer  
Beekeeper (also known as Apiarist)  
Brazier (Makes Brassware)  
Brewer  
Bricklayer  
Chainmaker  
Cheesemaker  
Coiner  
Costermonger  
Cowherd  
Crofter  
Crossbowman  
Dairymaid  
Delver  
Ditcher  
Dog Trainer  
Executioner  
Fletcher  
Forester  
Gamekeeper  
Gardner  
Girdler  
Glover  
Goatherd  
Gravedigger  
Grocer  
Groom  
Guardsman  
Haberdasher  
Hatter  
Hayward  
Horseleech  
Horsetrainer  
Huntsman  
Ironmonger  
Jeweler  
Knife-grinder  
Lacemaker  
Lapidary  
Leadworker  
Linenspinner  
Mail-maker  
Mason  
Master of Hounds  
Miner  
Nailmaker  
Needler  
Pavier  
Pewterer  
Pinmaker  
Plasterer  
Plattner (Beat out Sheets of Metal)  
Plowman  
Pot Mender  
Quarryman  
Reaper  
Seamstress  
Seige Engineer  
Sergeant-at-arms  
Sheepshearer  
Shepherd  
Sherrif  
Silkwoman  
Spinster  
Stonecarver  
Swineherd  
Terrazo Grinder/Mosaic Layer  
Threadmaker  
Thresher  
Tinker  
Tinsmith  
Trapper  
Watchman  
Weaver  
Wire Drawer  
Woolcomber  
Woolman 		 Mes ti'Telenetishsa 
Archer (Non-adept)  
Baker  
Bowyer  
Cannoneer  
Charcoalburner  
Chimney Sweep  
Confectioner  
Cook  
Farrier  
Founder (Foundryman)  
Glassblower  
Glazier  
Gold Beater (Makes Gold Leaf)  
Goldsmith  
Lensgrinder  
Librarian  
Lighterman  
Mailer (Enameller, Not a Maker of Armor)  
Military Engineer  
Saltboiler  
Smelter  
Silversmith  
Tailor  
Tallowchandler  
Waxchandler  
Writer 		 Mes ti'Cirolletishsa 
Astrologer  
Bard  
Blacksmith  
Cantor  
Carter  
Cartwright  
Chandler  
Cobbler  
Drayman  
Falconer  
Fowler  
Hawker  
Herald  
Horner  
Innkeeper  
Jester  
Landlord  
Mapmaker  
Master of Revels  
Musician  
Navigator  
Painter  
Pilot  
Piper  
Player  
Playwright  
Poulterer  
Saddler  
Sailmaker  
Sailor  
Scout  
Sea Captain  
Shipchandler  
Swordsmith  
Tapester  
Teamster  
Tentsman  
Thatcher  
Tumbler  
Wheelwright 		 Mes ti'Perritaesa 
Accountant  
Alchemist  
Alewyfe  
Apothecary  
Bargeman  
Bath Attendant  
Boatman  
Clark  
Copiest  
Distiller  
Dyer  
Felt-maker  
Ferryman  
Fisherman  
Fishmonger  
Inkmaker  
Lawyer  
Limner  
Mathematician  
Midwife  
Netmaker  
Nurse  
Philosopher  
Physician  
Plumber  
Poet  
Printer  
Professor  
Pursuivant  
Scrivener  
Shrimper  
Solicitor  
Surgeon  
Theologian  
Tutor  
Vintner  
Waterseller  
Weirkeeper 		 Mes ti'Raeghsa 
Architect  
Bailiff  
Banker  
Barrister  
Cabinetmaker  
Carpenter  
Chamberlain  
Chancellor  
Constable  
Cooper  
Cordwainer  
Diplomat  
Drywaller  
Engineer  
Exchequer  
Jailer  
Joyner  
Judge  
Papermaker  
Quartermaster  
Ropemaker  
Sawyer  
Shingler  
Shipwright  
Spy  
Turner  
Userer  
Wood Cutter  
Woodcarver 		 Pathless 
Basketmaker  
Bonecarver  
Butler  
Carver  
Dung Carter  
Furrier  
Laundress  
Maid  
Molecatcher  
Potboy  
Privycleaner  
Ragpicker  
Raker  
Rat Catcher  
Scullion  
Skinner 

In closing, I must say that I have very mixed feelings about the Citadel. I find that I am drawn strongly to some aspects, just as strongly as I am repelled by others. The severity of restraint that the Paths apply to the inhabitants, and the resulting oppression of the Pathless, is antithetical to the Throalic ideal of individual freedom. Dwarven nature, on the other hand, is at its soul orderly, and the rigorous order of society with a place for everything and everything in its place appeals to my own love for organization. I could not live there, but I find I can admire it from afar. At a distance, many of the faults are no longer visible, and the Citadel is a fine and shining place.

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