Ombaxxis- Northern Sarvonia- Ruin City

Ombaxxis, Icelands Coast

Overview

Ombaxxis, also known as the Lost City of Ombaxxis, lies in the Gathorn Mountains on the south side of the Icelands Coast in Northern Sarvonia. It is a city unlike any other in all the known world. Several thousand years old, its origins are shrouded in myth. It is a place that is avoided by the humans of the north, the stalwart Ice Tribes, yet protected by them. Guardians to the constant threat of orc and beasts that would make the city their home if given the chance.

Description.

Ombaxxis is a city unique in the world. Whereas one can find certain buildings, or temples cut from living rock, and of course the dwarves build great subterranean cities, Ombaxxis lays claim to the only true above ground city hewn from the living rock. Who, or indeed what, could have done this is still a mystery. Scholars estimate that as many as ten thousand people could have lived here at one time. Again, who they could have been is up for debate.

The Grand Gate

To enter Ombaxxis, one must travel through the Grand Gate. As one approaches, one sees the bas relief of two warriors locked in battle with crossed swords. The warrior on the left stands with back facing the observer, his right hand aloft. On the right, the warrior stands facing the observer, again holding a sword aloft in his right hand. The swords cross right above the opening to the city. If one examines the bas relief, it can be seen that at one time these warriors were brightly coloured, but millennia of neglect has worn away most of the paint, and indeed much of the detail. One must strain to read the stern and strong expressions on each warriors face, the rippling muscles in back and arm. In its day, it would have been a majestic sight.

The gate, part of the wall that surrounds the city on the western side, is roughly 80 fores high. The tunnel itself is half that in height, and runs nearly one hundred feet through solid rock to the city. An army could position itself upon the top of that wall and defend the city from its parapets. Within the tunnel, at three locations, one can see the outline of portcullis long since rusted away. Small alcoves in the tunnel wall show where the guards were stationed at each portcullis.

It should be noted that at 80 fores tall, the Grand Gate and Western Wall are some of the lowest structures in all of Ombaxxis. Being at the edge of the mountain from whence the city was cut, the further into the city one travels, the higher the structures get. For the first time visitor, this creates an amazing view approaching the city, with this massive wall, while behind, layer upon layer of taller buildings rise upward toward the sky.

God's Throne

Considered by many to the oldest and first building carved in Ombaxxis, God's Throne sits directly beyond the Grand Gate. It is considered thus because of the amount of wear on the top of the structure, which is far greater than any other building in the city. Some scholars surmise that the ancients who carved this giant throne from the mountain simply continued on carving building after building.

This building is called God's Throne because, essentially, it is a giant throne. It is carved such that it has a high back, a flat seat and four legs. Beneath the throne it is not empty, however, and is a building which houses what many consider a temple to the god that this throne was designed for. Who that god was, no one knows for sure. It is said that this is the throne of Pargis, the Ice Tribe God of Ice, but surely this was attributed to Pargis long after the city was abandoned.

The Kings Palace

Named such because it is one of the largest buildings in Ombaxxis, as well as one of the most ornately carved and decorated, in truth no one knows whether a king ever lived here or not. An internal courtyard with gardens, large ballrooms with an ornate double wound staircase to the upper floors are only part of the allure of this building. On the upper floors are large private living quarters.

The King's Chamber is the largest of these, consisting of over fifteen private rooms within this chamber on the third floor. A full seven of the larger rooms have large balconies off them. Included is also a private kitchen, a private bath, and a private open air garden area. In truth, the king would never have to leave his chambers to live comfortably.

The Unfinished Temple

The Unfinished Temple is one of the last buildings started by the mysteries people who lived here. Named because it is still part of the mountain the city is hewn from, it is only partially cut from the rock. It has a wonderfully carved pillared front facing, standing three stories tall. It juts out from the cliff face about 50 peds. Beyond this, it is still part of the mountain. Inside, the building travels into the mountain another 50 peds, so one can assume that the finished building would be somewhere near 100 peds in length.

This building gives us an opportunity to see how the city was created. One can see the excavation of the mountain side above the Unfinished Temple. How many hundreds of hours it would have taken to clear the rock and soil in order to uncover this temple? It is truly staggering.

The Sentinel

The Sentinal is a large statue of a warrior, in the same style as the two warriors in bas relief on the Grand Gate. It stands in front of the main doors to the Kings Palace and adds to the speculation on the role of that building. Standing near 50 fores tall, he stands powerfully on two legs planted spread apart, holding a spear in one hand, planted firmly in the ground, while the other hand holds a sword aloft. Unfortunately, the ravages of time have taken their toll on the statue. The spear tip that was delicately carved atop the long spear shaft has long ago broken off, and now no one knows where it is.

Demon District

The most mysterious and disturbing area of Ombaxxis is what is known as the Demon District. This area has its own wall about it with gate. All told, it contains about twenty five buildings. Not particularly impressive compared to the buildings in the city, each has a horrific carved face above the entrance. These faces are not of any known race or creature in Sarvonia. They are all unique, but each has a deadly stare, an open mouth with fangs or protruding forked tongue. Some have horns, some do not.

It is thought that this area was dedicated to the worship of some dark creature or demon long forgotten. From the images, it is best that is was forgotten.

Endless Caves

South of the Unfinished Temple is an area known as the Endless caves. A series of caves into the mountain side can be seen here, some made by the hands of the city builders, but many others unmistakably natural. It is reported that these caves run for hundreds of peds underground, perhaps even strals. They are rumoured to be an endless maze of intersecting tunnels, dead ends and drop offs to an endless abyss.

Location.

Ombaxxis is a deserted city in the far reaches of Northern Sarvonia. It is north of the Heaths of Wilderon, where the heath meets the Gathorn Mountain range. It can be found southwest of Gath's Peak, the Gathorn range's tallest mountain. Within the mountain range, it is not immediately visible to a traveller skirting the mountains. One must follow various mountain passes to find it.

People.

Little is known of the inhabitants of Ombaxxis. There are no written records by those who lived there, nor from any of the other peoples who have lived in the area.

What is known is a confusing jumble of bits and pieces. Scholars who have been to the city have concluded that the artistry in the carving of the stone that is Ombaxxis could not have been wrought by any other than Dwarven hands. No other race has the skill at reading the raw stone that the Dwarves possess in order to create the buildings, the arches, the columns that are found throughout the abandoned city.

However, the style that is used is not the style that is found in modern Dwarven cities. Instead, the thin spindle type of columns found, the lattice work found in many buildings, the bas relief scenes across the tops of many buildings, all these are reminiscent of Elven cities. It is far more airy and light than that of typical Dwarven architecture.

Still, the only symbols of the inhabitants in the city are ones of humans. The Sentinel is a human warrior. The warriors on the Grand Gate are both human. The Goddess on the stone wall is human.

So, who then were the people that lived in Ombaxxis? No one truly knows. Theories range from a mighty human empire that either conquered or hired dwarves and elves to build the city, to a coalition of the three races that worked together and lived together to build the city. It seems that right now there is not enough evidence to answer the question of who the lords of Ombaxxis truly were.

Coat of Arms.

If the inhabitants of Ombaxxis had a coat of arms, it has long since been lost to time.

Climate.

Resources.

Special Occasions.

Myth/Lore.

History.