Leader: Ishtar (Mother Earth)
Alignment: Neutral
Other Important Residents:
- Astarte (Wargod: chief of security)
- Anuune (Elf – Fairy: runs supply store)
- Houri (Peri – Yoma: runs healing fountain)
- Collector Manikin (Corpus: runs junk shop)
- Edmund (Dwarf – Primordial: runs gem shop)
- Ame-no-Uzume (Amatsu: runs terminal café)
- Madam (Nyx – Nocturnus: runs bar)
- Cu Chulainn (Demigod: runs arena)
- Master of the Cathedral of Shadows
- Futomimi (Guardian: incognito scout)
- Proselytizers (Messian and Gaian)
- Lots and lots of prostitutes
- Mara. Just…Mara (Tyrant: prostitute)
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A rare oasis amidst the myriad passages in the Amala Network, the Sea of Binah acts as a nexus for many worlds. It is the closest thing to neutral ground that exists in all of Amala, where both humans and demons are welcome, so long as they don't cause trouble.
The world-spanning city's leader, Ishtar, rules the place benevolently, bringing prosperity to the land and peace to the residents. With this, however, comes a strong aversion towards disrespect. Ishtar is a proud goddess, and quite willing to repay any trouble tenfold.
She is also possessed of a rather voracious sexual appetite, and takes a liking to many who visit in her domain. Unlike the stories about her, however, the countless millennia she's spent ruling Binah have cooled her temper and capriciousness somewhat. Any who refuse – while paying due respect – are let go, though any who agree are immediately taken to be part of her harem, which doubles as her personal guard, a union between her domains of love and war.
This is not to say that she's sexually greedy. As the goddess of fertility and sexual love, she encourages sex in general, and even her harem is not beholden to her. Regardless of whether or not they stray for pleasure or love, she would likely do little, and in fact would bless the relationship. If she was disrespected by either party, however, she would likely be furious.
Binah's buildings are expansive, reminiscent of Babylonian architecture in the old human world. A great ziggurat dominates the center of the city and borders the bay of a vast sea. Cupped around this bay are blocks of squared-off residential houses with crenelated roofs, all crafted of tan mud bricks tiled with plates of gold and lapis lazuli. The houses inside have modern conveniences, all custom-made by master craftspeople to fit with the realm's general architecture. Modern commodes, stoves, laundry machines, bath tubs, and even network-enabled COMP Terminals are commonplace, though the Terminals are less common inside homes. Instead, several Terminal cafés exist throughout the Sea, one of the most popular of which – a roomy café in the western side of the city named Relax – is run by an Ame-no-Uzume.
With its well-deserved reputation as a cosmopolitan hub, Binah's other attractions tend towards the field of entertainment. Whether movies, or games, or sports, or dancing, Binah will likely have it. The external architecture for these places matches the general feel of the city, but the interiors tend to be much more "modern" in theme, with colors and furniture that match the intended mood of each place.
Arcades are a schizophrenic lot, usually furnished with silver VR pods standing beside more traditional cabinets. Theaters, meantime, are in line with what most people in modern times expect to see (aside from a mess; everything's kept clean), with red carpet, comfortable swing-down chairs, and large viewing screens. The great Dual Worlds Arena near the center of the city, unlike most other entertainment venues, sticks with Binah's typical architecture throughout except for the central arena, which shifts to suit the event taking place. The nightclubs typically favor strobe lights contrasted with darkness and strike a balance between space for dancing and sitting, with booths framing an open dance floor.
There are several brothels located in one of the more upscale districts of the Sea, named the Crimson World, and it's considered right and proper for those of age to seek their services. Guards are placed around each entrance to this district to keep children and those with differing morals away, and a brilliant diaphanous red cloth canopy over the entire district filters out excessive sunlight and further marks the kind of place it is. Brothels in this district are populated with transcendentally beautiful humans and demons, with some acting as educators for new arrivals. Traditional “dress” for the brothel workers is a combination of fine robes and gold dust scattered over their body.
With sex both for procreation and pleasure supported by Ishtar, she provides special rooms woven with spells to prevent conception regardless of circumstance, and her presence in the Sea ensures a lack of venereal diseases. This is not to say that consequences don't exist for rape or other forms of mistreatment; if any of the citizens under her protection are harmed through the very practice she deems holy, she is more than willing to show the offending party exactly why she is also known as a goddess of war.
Aside from the red light district and the expected arcade games, dances, and movies suggested by these facilities, Binah has plenty of attractions for visitors and citizens alike. Feasts and socials are a semi-regular occurrence, for example, held in open spaces throughout the city and even beyond. Outside the city, the more rural areas are host to their own brands of fun; in addition to gatherings, feasts, and dances, produce-growing and produce-throwing contests are common.
The Sea of Binah is a neutral ground for all factions. Ishtar herself is devoted to the memory of Aleph, the one who freed her from eternal madness as Astaroth, but dislikes getting involved with the larger affairs of Amala. The Messian and Gaian Churches are free to preach there, but are allowed to send only a few missionaries at a time. Neither Church is permitted to construct permanent facilities or send anyone with hostile intent into the Sea either, though Ishtar is under no illusions; the moment either side decides to break the stalemate, the Sea will become a warzone, and she has insufficient power to protect it.
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