City Image - Payan - City of the Priest Kings

Payan is an ancient city that covers a huge area (40 some square miles), with over 4000 Temple and Religious buildings.

All the permanent buildings here follow the Payan pattern:
For Temples, they are square step pyramids for the first few levels, with a flatten dome topping it. Upon the done is a spire which can add a good 15 to 25 cubits (2 feet) to the height of the building.

For Religious buildings, they are square for the first few levels, then are topped with the flat dome and a spire which is 10 to 20 cubits (2 feet) tall.

All buildings here are made of the local reddish brown stone. There is no paint or gilding on any of these buildings. All of the various statues and carved relief murals that decorate the temples and religious buildings are made of the same stone. The statues and murals are painstakingly carved representations of the many (many, many more) gods, avatars, saints, and holy animals found in the Payan beliefs. These statues cover almost every free square cubit on every wall and spire.

The inside of the buildings are simple in design and function. They reflect the simplistic and aesthetic views of the Priest Kings. The furnishings are simple and of wood. There is no painting on the walls. Few lamps deflect the gloom. The only exception to this is the main Quowan (main temple chapel). In the Quowan there will be a huge statue of the temple's deity, and will be surrounded by statues of supporting avatars, saints, and holy animals. The carved relief murals will tell the story of the deity. The inside of the Quowans are the only area as 'busy' in visual appearance as the outside of the temples.

Any other structure on the holy ground will be a tent. Here monks, visiting priests, travelling pilgrims, magistrates and nobles, and a few traders, will live for their time in Payan. Since the weather is quite nice, though occasionally wet, the tents suffice. After all, Payan culture says one needs to transcend the material world.

See http://www.worldisround.com/articles/5471/photo9.html for a view of the city