Rhapsody[]
Rhapsody is the second largest city on Andophael, and the largest metropolitan area on the surface of the frozen landscape.
The population of the main urban area falls shy of that of the Grand Temple Complex at around 800,000 people, although the permanent population of the wider area is much larger, making up around the quarter of the planet's population at just over 2.5 million.
It is home to several areas of significance to the planet, including Andophael's spaceport, the House Serpens Caduceus Clinic 'The 10th Virtue Medical Facility of Andophael,' and the estate of the ex-Vela Emperox Padma Noy Vela, known as the 'Seclusium of the Shining Star.'
Foundation[]
The city was founded by Priest Robin Totavali shortly after the completion of the Grand Temple Complex when the local population was beginning to grow. It is considered their defining work, and the one which later earned them the title of Arhat.
A keen designer, creative mind and explorer, Totavali often took trips up into low level orbit to gaze at Andophael and the icy landscape.
During one of their trips, they spied a series of old craters which had pockmarked an area around 50km from the Grand Temple Complex. It is said that as Totavali looked down on this, they were blessed with a vision from God of a mandala perfectly laid over the craters, and was called there to expand God's holy realm on Andphael.
Totavali then dedicated most of their life to the construction of Rhapsody.
Layout[]
The initial crater that Totavali spotted became the foundation of Rhapsody. Today, it is the site of Rhapsody Spaceport. Under the guidance of Totavali and their successors, Rhapsody was extensively planned to reflect the manner its miraculous foundation.
It was initially decided that all districts should, at their core, be in the shape of a 10 sided Mandala. This is most apparent in the layout of Rhapsody Spaceport, one of the oldest parts of the city.
As development occurred, each architect involved adhered to the design philosophy to various degrees. All In modern day Rhapsody, each district has elements of a mandala, although they do differ in scale. In order to link the districts into a cohesive design, roads and transport links were laid out in the shape of another ancient, sacred symbol: the hamsa.
In total, there are 12 districts within the city. These are detailed below. Each number corresponds to the map shown above, which shows the designated districts by colour and does not represent their specific layout, or how that layout varies at the local level.
Rhapsody Cathedral District: 'The House that God Built' [1][]
At the centre of the city lies Rhapsody Cathedral district, also known as ‘The House that God Built.’ The district as a whole is shaped like an open eye, with the splendid cathedral located in the centre.
Totavali was so compelled by their vision, that the first structure their wished to build was the church of the new city, even prioritising it over constructing their own housing.
Whilst other went home, Totavali vowed to stay on site until the work was done, despite the harsh conditions. Inevitably, this took a toll on the ambitious priest, who fell ill on numerous occasions as a result of overwork. The church was well overdue by the time it was finished, but still remains the largest building in the city.
Following its completion, people quite rightly offered their congratulations to Totavali for the calibre of their work. However, Totavali was quick to reiterate that the strenuous nature of the task and associated illnesses meant that they could not actually remember completing the building of the church, and was often quoted as saying "God built this, not I. I just lived here, for a time."
Despite the delay, the building’s scale and grandeur quickly became a site to behold; from above, it forms the cornea and pupil of the eye-shaped district, but at ground level, it resembles a lotus flower. The structure is built primarily from treated glass and will appear a different colour to the viewer depending on their position.
There are many levels to the building, which is used primarily for worship on a variety of scales. The ground level is the largest space, and can accommodate several thousand people in its main worship space. Higher levels are segmented into smaller spaces available for both private and public worship.
Over the years, many of the petals have fallen under the purview of a particular branch of the High Church, reiterating the notion that the Faith has many facets but is part of one being.
In addition to Rhapsody Cathedral, the District is also home to the headquarters of the Ninth Virtue Charitable Trust - the charitable arm of the High Church - along with a small repository of Sacred Texts available to the clergy within the city.
Few other buildings populate the area, with much of the space being cultivated into open squares and piazzas filled with artwork relating to the Faith, such as statues of the various Arhats from across the sector.
As one of the most iconic religious areas in the sector, there is a small amount of High Church directed tourist ventures. The High Church does its utmost to ensure that such activities remain under the jurisdiction of the Faith, but if one were to look hard enough and speak to enough of the locals, it is likely that one or two of them may have a page torn from the original Sacred Texts to sell on.
Rhapsody Spaceport and Transportation Hub [2][]
Rhapsody Spaceport and its surrounding infrastructure are the largest spaceport facilities on Andophael. It is located at the south of the city, in the ‘palm’ of the hamsa.
During pilgrimages, the spaceport runs near to 80% capacity, and whilst rarely reaching this height at other times of the year, traffic remains fairly busy throughout the year due to the large amount of imports the planet requires.
Rhapsody Spaceport is laid out in keeping with Totavali’s design as a 10 sided mandala. It is split into different zones for cargo and passenger traffic, alongside several small residential areas for those that work in the vicinity.
During periods of lower demand, workers are supported in either finding additional work within other areas of the city, or more often than not encouraged to study part time towards a position within the Church itself. Many of these often operate as local lay preachers, helping to augment the operations of the various prayer rooms within the spaceport itself as a way of gaining valuable work experience.
Other forms of transport have their hubs here as well, such as the Rhapsody Land Vehicle System (RLVS), a public transport system that regularly operates around the city, and the Rhapsody Underground which connects the city to the Grand Temple Complex.
The Faith District (also known as The Orchard) [3][]
Located close to the heart of the city, this residential district is officially known as ‘The Faith District,’ but is commonly referred to by its local moniker: ‘The Orchard.’ It is the most fashionable - and expensive - place to live on all of Andophael.
It is said to have earned its local nickname after the retiring words of a long serving Exarch, who declared that she was “finally able to go and enjoy the fruits of her labour.” In commemoration of her service, a large fruit tree was planted in the centre of one of the palazzi, and remains a popular place for currently and former servants of the Faith to retire or spend their leisure time.
With the vast wealth available to the people of the district, maintaining and cultivating this and other such blossoming plants is simple to achieve, even in the frozen climate of Andophael.
The district is one shaped like a mandala, and is characterised by the extensive use of bloodmarble in its creation; the deep scarlet-coloured rock is difficult to find on the planet, and offers up stark contrast to the common colour palette of the city, which sees extensive use of blue, black, gold and white.
Many of the streets are privately owned, although there is a sense of community somewhat akin to a rural village due to its exclusive population. However, tourists are more than welcome to walk the common streets and gaze upon the residences of famous (and infamous) clergy.
Most of the branches of the High Church have some level of representation within this district, although there are more High Order abodes than any other, resulting in a high level of personal and private security operating within.
Known Residences within The Orchard[]
Palazzo Respighi is the former residence of the 12th Exarch Purist and is now the home of the current Exarch Purist, Pelax. The style could be said to resemble the art deco movement of 1960s earth, with loud contrasting colours and avant garde artwork.
The District of Saint Frederick [4][]
The District of Saint Frederick is a residential area close to both The Orchard and Rhapsody Business District. It is a wealthy area, though not as wealthy as The Orchard.
It is named after Freddy Irobhothi, a local architect who spent his career designing and improving upon the transport system of Andophael. Upon his retirement, he donated his remaining wealth to the High Church, with explicit instructions that ‘the funds should be spent in advancing the capability and the splendour of this wonderful city which I have come to know and love.’
He is one of only a handful of serfs with no explicit High Church position to be honoured for ‘services for the advancement of Andophael and of the Faith.’
Many of the district’s residents have significant ongoing business within the city which is not usually religious in nature. With a population that is often focused on making money and building personal wealth, poorer areas have come to refer to the district as ‘Fat Bottom.’
Despite this, the district is seen as key to the operations of the city, as much of the income generated there tends to stay within the economy.
It is close to the Eastern Highway, a large road that sweeps down the east of the city directly to Rhapsody Spaceport and Transportation Hub. This allows residents easy access to and from the Grand Temple Complex as well as off-world travel if required.
Architecture here leans towards the functional and the uniform, echoing the broad streets of The Orchard but with none of the vibrancy or ecology. Indeed, when directly compared, The District of Saint Frederick is often seen as bare and overly quiet due to the propensity to do business behind closed doors.
Somewhat unexpectedly, there is an abundance of work for Andophalan serfs here due to the high number of service level roles such as house cleaning and chauffeuring sought out by the rich here. It is not unusual to find a serf tasked with maintaining a home while the owner is away on business, for example.
Religiosity here is seen as a business asset as well as a belief system, with the most successful people having a wide theological understanding that rivals that of a High Church Acolyte.
The Copper and The Keys [5][]
Early on in the history of Andophael, the population sought to make a living on the planet through industry. The District initially known as simply ‘Rhapsody Industrial District’ was quickly established. However, workers on Andophael faced a number of struggles in this. For instance, despite being one of the planets within the core, the lands of Andophael are not very fertile in comparison to other areas. The frozen landscape also made working conditions incredibly hostile in a pre-synth era, and with the draw of an easier lifestyle within the High Church, many chose to pursue the priesthood instead.
At the time, construction work was focused on the development of the Spaceport and the Cathedral District, with the importing of materials and specialised labour from across the system proved more effective than upskilling the local populace. Furthermore, the High Church found importing labour to be another effective way of sharing the Faith with others all around Acheron Rho as workers either returned home and spread the word or remained on world and became local lay preachers.
It wasn’t long before the industry at the time shifted towards artisanal crafts such as brewing wine and beer. Many of these traditional practices now form a strong part of the local identity of Andophael and of the High Church itself.
Large factories were torn down and replaced by small workshop spaces. Communities started to form around specific crafts, enabling the district to thrive. As communities came together in work, there was a desire for them to come together in play as well. Large swathes of artificial green space were constructed near to workshops as business owners realised that a happy worker was a hard worker.
Places where people came together - notably bars and pubs - after a shift flourished. The district soon became known as The Copper and The Keys in honour of the most famous such establishment towards the south of the district.
As Rhapsody grew in population, the artisanal sector started to become saturated. Many creative residents relocated to other parts of the city, hoping to capitalise on new audiences. Others swamped the market with sub par products in the hope of making quick money from unsuspecting tourists.
This particular problem became so bad that the High Church moved to protect a wide number of crafts. Guilds were set up alongside local trading agreements in order to ensure that the quality of products remained high. As part of this work, the High Church constructed one specific artisanal zone within the district.
Eager to honour and protect their heritage, local residents successfully petitioned the High Church to make the district a conservation area. The layout of the district remains the same today as it did back then, although whilst the shells of the original buildings are in tact, they have been converted into residential spaces.
Given the rich history - and close proximity to many other districts - those looking to move into the area have to adhere to a number of conditions relating to the ongoing preservation of the district. Given the exclusivity, it is a highly affluent area, typically populated by a number of Faithful servants within the higher levels of the High Church.
Known Residences within The Copper and The Keys[]
Greenhall is the residence of Hierophant Andelo Kopač. It is one of the smaller workshops within the district and is one of the few spaces within the district that was subsequently gated off following the designation of the district as a conservation area. As someone heavily involved with the inner communication works of the Faith, the High Church insisted that Kopač either relocate or that Greenhall be made more secure. Sensitive to the comparative controversy of the development, Kopač regularly makes donations to local businesses within the district and provides advertising and communication advice to local business owners, often on a pro bono basis.
ശാശ്വതമാണ്: Eternal [6][]
This district is known locally as ശാശ്വതമാണ് (spelt in Common as ‘śāśvatamāṇ,’ pronounced shash-vat-a-maan), but is more commonly referred to as ‘Eternal.’ It is the second most poorest district within Rhapsody after The Eaves. It is one of the most populous areas of the city due to its cheap housing and relative closeness to the other districts in comparison with The Eaves.
The district has historically always been one of the poorer areas of the city having been used as overflow residency for migrants returning to Andophael during the Rebuilding of Acheron Rho that followed The Scream. Close to a major transport route - the Great Western Road runs the length of the city - and with vast amounts of open space, the High Church ordered the construction of several arcologies in the district. At the time, the structures had the advantage of being almost completely self-serviceable thanks to their large stores hidden beneath the ice.
As the population grew, the High Church were quick to foster the idea that this was temporary until such time that more suitable housing could be found. Sermons written at the time show a continued focus on the Virtue of Hope in order to help instil optimism into the population alongside resolution and determination.
As the years ticked by, Rhapsody grew at such a rate that refurbishment and rehousing projects were put on hold in favour of new developments for new residents within the city. The High Church clung to rhetoric surrounding Hope to the point where it had lost all meaning to long time residents in the area.
The moniker ‘Eternal’ was adopted soon after. Whilst the High Church maintains that it is derived from the phrase ‘Hope Springs Eternal,’ some more bitter residents see it as confirmation that they will no doubt remain within the vicinity forevermore.
Despite the longstanding grumblings in the area, the High Church in recent times has endeavoured to at least refurbish some of the larger arcologies within Eternal, as well as provide more support for small local businesses in the areas and actively recruit from the area into the High Church. The Ninth Virtue Charitable Trust has also set up numerous bursaries to help marginalised families afford accommodation closer to or within the Grand Temple Complex.
Whilst belief in the High Church as an organisation and government has waned somewhat since the formation of the district, the Faith of the people there cannot be in doubt. Similarly to other less affluent areas of the city, High Church beliefs are widespread across most of the branches due to the wide demographic of the original residents and the passing on of beliefs from generation to generation.
The Eaves [7][]
The Eaves District is the poorest area of Rhapsody. It is found at the furthest point away from Rhapsody Cathedral and all other major services within the city at the northern tip of the hamsa-shaped city.
Given the distance from the main amenities, the Eaves has developed to be a series of self contained towns. It is a mixing pot of cultures and people, many of whom made the long trip to Andophael and were not able to advance within the High Church.
Its buildings are simple housing blocks stacked together. Residents have been known to say that they “do not mind, as it brings the heating bills down.” Whilst hastily thrown together, the general road layout remains that of a mandala. Far from being grey and concrete in nature, local artisans can often be found in the area, and religious style murals cover a large proportion of the settlements.
Looked down upon by the rich and the successful on the planet, the residents of The Eaves are proud of their district and do not let such judgement get them down or distract from the reasons why they came to the planet in the first place. Local residents from The Eaves often engage in missionary and outreach work across the system. Their spirit is epitomised by a local saying:
“God doesn’t look down upon us; we sit across the table from each other and drink until the Sun comes up.”
Savvy tourists on Andophael for sector-wide holidays can often find that authentic Andophalan celebrations are the longest and the loudest within The Eaves.
Beliefs in the various High Church branches are as diverse as the people themselves, with trends in belief tending to follow the rise and fall of the High Church itself. For instance, during the War Against the Artificials, for instance, many of those within The Eaves leaned towards religious Conservatism. With partnership work with the likes of The Trilliant Ring now a reality, many have slowly started nudging towards Reformism. Families from The Eaves were some of the first to take up opportunities made available on Navette with The Thousand Hands Initiative.
Starfall [The former home to the Seclusium of the Shining Star] [8][]
This district houses the former residence of the Shining Star, the Seclusium. During their heyday, the Seclusium played host to many a lavish feast, and the district became a place of residence for many of those looking to curry favour with the former Emperox.
Following the demise of House Vela, however, the High Church was quick to re-establish its identity in the area. The Seclusium was permanently sealed off and access to the grounds has been sealed off until the whereabouts of the Shining Star are determined and their directions with regards to their estate can be enacted.
Celebrities and high-flyers based nearby were also keen to distance themselves from the former Noble House, and as such many of their houses were sold back to the High Church at somewhat of a pittance. Locals within Rhapsody came to refer to the district as 'Starfall,' a name which has gained much traction, even amongst the upper echelons of the High Church, who view it as a way to rebrand the district and capitalise on potential tourist opportunities to be had in the area.
Sanctum [Rhapsody Cultural and Entertainment Quarter] [9][]
With many of the residential districts having a diverse culture, it was always inevitable that these would come together into the melting pot known as Sanctum. It is both a place of respite and a place of indulgence, a place where people can relax or they can party the night away.
The district surrounds the northern and southern areas of the Cathedral District, and whilst both areas have a wide mix of activities as detailed above, there are a few differences between the two. As the southern area borders Rhapsody Business District and the Spaceport, it is the most popular part of the city for tourists to visit. As such, much of the entertainment here is geared towards them, whereas the northern area is more often used by locals.
Rhapsody Business District [10][]
Whilst most High Church business occurs within the Grand Temple Complex, Rhapsody Business District is where the bulk of inter-sector operations take place. It is where the ambassadorial estates for each of the Houses are found, along with any planetary headquarters that other corporations and entities have on the Holy Planet.
Close to Sanctum, the Cathedral District and the Spaceport, it is a constant hive of activity.
Rhapsody Retail Complex [11][]
Whilst many of the other districts have small clusters of local shops, Rhapsody Retail Complex is the main shopping district for the city. It hosts a wide variety of shops, from those supplying groceries and everyday goods to specialist products.
Renascence: Reborn in a new light. A Trilliant light[]
Renascence is the centre for all Trilliant commercial activity within Rhapsody. It is a multiplex consisting of several high end shops that focus on providing an authentic Trilliant service on the Holy Planet, and is one of many Trilliant Facets across Acheron Rho. It includes a number of haute couture fashion stores, several augmentation clinics, uplifted pet stores and a range of professional services for their clients to access.
Visits here are mostly by appointment only, although from time to time (usually at the end of a fashion season), the corporation will open its doors to those who have the money and connections to indulge in the lifestyle on offer.
Rhapsody Medical [12][]
Central to the Rhapsody Medical District is The 10th Virtue Medical Facility of Andophael, operated by House Serpens. With a comparatively high percentage of older residents, there are also many other facilities to help improve and extend quality of life.
Rhapsody Industry[]
There is no longer a centralised industrial district within Rhapsody itself. This is due to the rate of growth within the city and the abundance of work and opportunities available in relation to the High Church. However, much is done with hydro- and aquaponics at the micro scale due to the savage nature of the landscape.
Production of Kin Ben Wine remains a popular enterprise and hobby, with much of this being conducted outside Rhapsody Spaceport & Transportation Hub to allow quick and easy export across the sector.