Post by Mr. Pooka on May 2, 2009 11:07:44 GMT -5
This is the great park of Khemet, frequently known as the heartbeat of the city. Its an enormous green area with a great fountain in the centre. The fountain is both functional (sphinxes can always be seen comming and going with jugs of water for thier homes and business) as well as beautiful (a great Sphinx statue of Isis, pouring water from a neverending jug to splash into a cool clear pool) and is a favorite meeting place in the city. Spreading out from the pool are four strait main paths, and many meandering trails all surrounded by flowering shrubs, fragrent herbs and plants and trees of great symbolism, like tiny ponds with papyrus, or small clusters of palms. Though we will be starting in the early afternoon (just after most sphinxes have taken their afternoon catnaps), the gardens are open all day and night, free for everyone to enjoy. Its also commonly known that some of the Royal Gardeners are magically proficiant, able to keep flowers and plants blooming or at the height of their beauty long out of season. There are many patches of cool grass and a few slabs of decorative rock left about for Sphinxes to sit, picnic or while away some hours basking in the glorious sun. There are even a few benchs provided for the small population of non Sphinxes in the city and its not to uncommon to see and elf, dwarf or other exotic character enjoying the wonders of the park.
Though no venders are allowed in the park itself, to keep it a quite, peacefull and serine place (though the laughter of playing Sphinx kittens can sometimes interupt, its usually followed by smiles...) it is surrounded by a large square. All around the park is a massive open walkway lined with shops, open air restaurants, drinking establishments and a few street hawkers, selling homemade crafts and simple street foods. Its a favorite pastime of local peasants to purchase some of the very cheap food from the street vendors (various meats skewered on sticks and seared with onions and spices is the most popular at the moment) and take their lunches into the park. There are also usually a few street performers, dancers, singers and magicians that can almost always be found around the park and a few even skirt the rules of no vending inside the park by not charging for their show but instead asking for donations. Most of the time the guard simply turns the other way but occasionally they might be chased out of the park and back to the surrounding square.
Though no venders are allowed in the park itself, to keep it a quite, peacefull and serine place (though the laughter of playing Sphinx kittens can sometimes interupt, its usually followed by smiles...) it is surrounded by a large square. All around the park is a massive open walkway lined with shops, open air restaurants, drinking establishments and a few street hawkers, selling homemade crafts and simple street foods. Its a favorite pastime of local peasants to purchase some of the very cheap food from the street vendors (various meats skewered on sticks and seared with onions and spices is the most popular at the moment) and take their lunches into the park. There are also usually a few street performers, dancers, singers and magicians that can almost always be found around the park and a few even skirt the rules of no vending inside the park by not charging for their show but instead asking for donations. Most of the time the guard simply turns the other way but occasionally they might be chased out of the park and back to the surrounding square.
