Ank'Harel

Description

Ank'Harel was described by Jarett Howarth as being "comparable, a bit bigger" relative to Emon. The city is ovular in shape, standing on differently leveled platforms, with enormous, 65-foot-tall outer walls that have tall guard towers decoratively shaped like hands cradling the walls from underneath. Within the city are around a hundred tall, multi-level spires. Many buildings have pointed rooftops and colorful murals. The city is draped in multicolored cloth that hang across the buildings and red cobblestone streets.

The gates of the city close at night, and many caravans camp outside.

Ank'Harel is surrounded by a wide web of smaller villages.

Alluvium District

Location of clay strip mining, dense residential areas, and large plazas for artisan markets and performances. Because of the dense construction, people customarily travel over rooftops rather than in the narrow streets.

• Ajir's Whetstone: A hostel.
• Alluvium Gardens: An arboretum where kurrak fruit is grown, along with apricot, fig, and pomegranate trees visitors can pick.
• Opalite Forum: Gathering space used to host oral performances, holy celebrations, and festivals.
• Sa'irah Mines: Clay strip mines; most of the clay is used for buildings, but artisans use some of it for ceramics.

The Circlet Walk

Primarily a tightly packed residential district, but with taverns and other commerce too.

• Lyrean Linen: Apparently a cloth-dyeing business, run by half-elf twin sisters.
• Step Aside: Inn and tavern run by two former mercenaries.

Guided District

Home to several temples of worship, which provide help for the downtrodden who come here. There is also a notable contingent of the Hands of Ord present.

• The Blessing Well: A holy site.
• Crossings of Eventide: A necropolis carved into the cliffs that border the Guided District, with a small temple to the Duskmaven.
• Temple of the Mentor: The Cobalt Soul archive.
• Tower of Memory: Octagonal headquarters of the Sentinels of Memory.

The Ridge

Industrial district with shipyards, warehouses, foundries, and smithies.

• Alsfarin Union Shipyard: Base of operations for the top producer of skyships in Exandria, where all skyships must return once a year for repairs and maintenance.
• Lord Percy Haberdashery (not endorsed by Percival de Rolo)
• Sunfire Forge: Top smithy and weapons manufacturer in Ank'Harel, powered by liquid sunlight.

River District

A number of canals begin in the River District. The spring, the perpetual oasis that fuels the city, is located here. Many of the caravans of Marquet travel to and from this district in particular, and set up cookpots there. Most of the city's farming is done here.

• The Harried Mongoose: A tavern.
• Life Dome: A large glass dome encompassing the nexus of canals that travel through the River District.
• Old Man Kruuk's: A bakery used as a front for fencing illicit magical items.
• Steam Gardens: An arboretum and bathhouse.

Sand-Herald District

Located at the upper central platform of the city.

• Cerulean Palace: The seat of government and court in Ank'Harel.
  • Tower of J'mon Sa Ord: A building adjacent to the palace, made for watching over the entire city.
  • Scarlet Prison, also known as the Scarlet Oubliette: Dungeon located beneath the Cerulean Palace. It is rumored that people are placed there to be tortured or to be part of various experiments.
• Bowl of Judgment: The site of duels sanctioned by the Hand of Ord. Nearby the Cerulean Palace.
• Indala Skyport
• Lap of the Gods: A resort.
• Ord Bastion: Headquarters of the Hand of Ord, built of sturdy mud bricks.

Sigil District

A district on the south-eastern side of the city. The streets here are paved with an opaline material, including a very faint trace of whitestone particles.

• Crystal Chateau: An elite university and headquarters of the Allegiance of Allsight. A large multi-tiered structure made of a smoky quartz mixed with white marble. There is a large white iron heavy gate that surrounds the building itself and a fairly well-kept garden grown around the chateau. A small stream runs through the trees with a bridge off the main path that leads to the chateau. The water seems to butt up against the chateau and vanish beneath it.
• Maw of Cael Morrow: A 150-foot-wide pit, the excavation of which is overseen by the Allegiance of Allsight. At the bottom is an entrance to the drowned city of Cael Morrow.
• Omnival Library: Public library in a huge tower; the headmasters of the Allegiance control access materials to some materials.
• Teres Schoolhouse: A less-elite and larger university than the Crystal Chateau, also run by the Allegiance of Allsight.

Suncut Bazaar

Distinguished by strands of crimson flags that run across the street corners, the Suncut Bazaar features a few shops that go indoors, but mostly open sky and hundreds of various tents, carts, pop-up stand-ups, and even the center of the street, blankets set out, with the various merchants there with their wares strewn across the ground, waiting for anybody to approach.

• Bone Garden: Trades construction materials at the most northern side of the Suncut Bazaar. Other sources refer to it as a purveyor of antiques.
• The Corner Cove: An inn. ^{[citation needed]}
• The Debt's Respite: A tavern in Ank'Harel run by Treev Bonebreaker. It is known for being the base of operations for the mercenary group known as the Scarbearers.
• First Eclipse: Tavern and temporary secret headquarters of the Consortium of the Vermilion Dream
• Golden Chip: A casino.
• Luck's Run: A casino.
• Mystic Pursuits: A purveyor of magic items run by a a charlatan named Amkezne.
• Oddities & Eccentricities: A curiosity stall managed by Nisaba. ^{[citation needed]}
• The Shade: A lounge tavern with a distinctive, dark green tent steeple.

Unclear location

• A Kingly Home: Appears as furniture store, but inside is a secret hideout for Asharru with a hidden passage behind a basement cabinet, leading toward the Suncut Bazaar.
• Meatman Imports & Sexports: High-end trading business operated by Kaylie and Scanlan Shorthalt.

Demographics

During their short travels to Ank'Harel in 811 PD, Vox Machina noted that it has a mostly human population with a wide variety of people living there, but everyone seemed to mesh together without prejudice. Notably, they noticed a number of dark-skinned halflings, a few half-elves, and some half-orcs. They also saw tieflings more frequently than would be found in Emon. Vox Machina did not see or encounter a single dwarf or goliath, and only one elf.

Factions

• Allegiance of Allsight: An influential group that runs the Crystal Chateau, a scholarly institution in the city, and is in charge of excavations of Cael Morrow.
• Alsfarin Union: A group responsible for the creation and maintenance of brumestones and skyships.
• Consortium of the Vermilion Dream: Secret occult society obsessed with the magic of Ruidus; their interest in ruidium embroiled them in the saga of Alyxian.
• Den of Drujah: A criminal organization which ran rather violent activities in the city around 730-740 PD, until an unknown assassin wearing Cabal's Ruin eliminated the den around 760 PD.
• Scarbearers: A group of mercenaries.
• Sentinels of Memory: A small but fanatical group dedicated to preventing the exploration of Cael Morrow.
• The Veil: The largest crime syndicate in Ank'Harel; a network of thieves, assassins, and spies funded partly by the Shemsilver family.

Hands of Ord

Sometimes referred to collectively as the Hand of Ord, this is the primary guard protecting the city of Ank'Harel and nearby townships and villages.

Culture

"Be pleased" is a common expression of politeness, accompanied with a small bow, preferably with the hand down towards the stomach.

There are several foods distinctive to Ank'Harel, including:

• Fusaka: a cooking spice used to season meat.
• Kurrak fruit: a fruit that looks like a mango with a spiny, rough exterior. Difficult to hold, but has a delightful flavor comparable to a sweet water experience.
• Sandkheg's Hide, an extremely intoxicating beverage
• A hearty semolina porridge topped with fig compote is a popular breakfast among the merchants of the Suncut Bazaar.

Pita, caramel baklava, tarts, rolls, and flatbread are also served from a local bakery.

Background

The city is built atop the ruin of a city Gruumsh wiped out in the Calamity. The ruins, which the Allegiance of Allsight call Cael Morrow ("Drowned City"), remain intact.

The scattered survivors of Marquet responded to the destruction of their civilization and staple food sources, and to the newly more dangerous wilderness, by setting out on various kinds of exploration. Those who crossed the new Rumedam Desert found, in the place Gruumsh had struck, an oasis, and there they dug wells and created a stop for caravans. In time a thriving settlement formed, and though it soon began to descend into banditry, a mysterious figure named J'mon Sa Ord appeared and brought order. At this time, around the early fifth century PD, the city was officially founded under the rule of J'mon Sa Ord, and was named Ank'Harel.

At the time, the red dragon Thordak tyrannically ruled over half of Marquet from his base in the Scaldwind Sands. Thordak, with his feral armies of kobolds and other serpentine followers, attacked the city when it was perhaps 100 or 150 years old, but after a two-week battle, Thordak's armies were defeated and he was wounded, and as he fled north over the ocean he was struck down and fell into the sea.

As of 810 PD, Ank'Harel had been ruled by J'mon Sa Ord for the entirety of its approximately 400-year history.

During the Apex War, Ank'Harel was one of the factions that encouraged the two sides of the conflict to stop fighting, given that the war wasn't benefiting anyone.

" Echoes of the Past " (1x38)

When Riskel Daxio attempted to flee Emon before being captured by Vox Machina, a leader of the Clasp stated that Daxio was heading to Ank'Harel.

" The Streets of Ank'Harel " (1x65) through " The Chase to Glintshore " (1x67)

Before Vox Machina travelled to Ank'Harel in search of the vestige Cabal's Ruin, Jarett told them to greet people with the phrase "Be pleased", and that water was as valuable as coin. Once they arrived at Ank'Harel, the gates were closed for the night so the group camped inside Scanlan's Magnificent Mansion. Guards from the Hand of Ord expressed concern about the 'strange magic' of the mansion, and advised them not to use it within the city.

Once inside the city, the guards advised them to keep their weapons sheathed. The party visited several areas, including the Suncut Bazaar, noting the similarity to Emon and the range of races of the inhabitants. They next visited two taverns: The Shade, a lounge tavern with a hookah bar, and the Debt's Respite. While at these taverns, they tried Sandkheg's Hide, an extremely strong local beverage.

They visited the Cerulean Palace to seek an audience with J'mon Sa Ord, the ruler of the city. Once inside the palace, they traveled up a tower to a central chamber that looked upon the majority of the desert.

After their audience with J'mon Sa Ord, Vox Machina visited the Luck's Run casino where Scanlan completed his spice deal. After getting kicked out of the casino, the group went back to their rooms at the Debt's Respite.

The next day, the group visited the Crystal Chateau on the upper-class side of the city, where Percy noticed traces of whitestone in the cobblestone. They also noticed the Allegiance of Allsight's excavation site (at the time a square-shaped hole) that would lead to the Drowned City of Cael Morrow. They spoke with headmaster James Cryon about their Vestiges of Divergence, about reestablishing trade in whitestone crystals, and about the Den of Druja.

The party then visited the home of Mistress Asharru, but found evidence that Ripley had killed her a week earlier. They discovered Ripley had been spying on them, and they decided to scry on her, learning that she was sailing to Glintshore seeking another Vestige. They split up: Scanlan and Grog went to charter a skyship to chase Ripley, and the others went to the Scarbearers to disclose what they had discovered about Asharru. The Scarbearers brought in an enchanter to help lift the spying magic from Percy's gun.

Before the party left town in the skyship, Scanlan learned more about who had duped him on the "spice" deal.

" A Bard's Lament " (1x85) and " Daring Days " (1x86)

Vox Machina teleported to the Suncut Bazaar to deliver Ripley's hand to the Scarbearers. There they met Taryon Darrington, who joined the party. The party left a request for J'mon Sa Ord to reconsider Jarett's exile from the city before teleporting out.

" Unfinished Business " (1x100)

In Misuthar 812 PD, acting on intelligence from Lionel Gayheart, Vox Machina again teleported to Ank'Harel on their way to the Smouldercrown Mountains, where Lionel indicated another ziggurat was located.

" The Ominous March " (1x109)

Following the ascension of Vecna, the skies over the Rumedam Desert became ominously clouded, and J'mon Sa Ord decided the threat could not be ignored, and traveled to Vasselheim with their warriors to aid in the common fight against the new god.

Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep

The Call of the Netherdeep adventure module takes characters on a quest, set in or shortly after 836 PD, that runs through Ank'Harel and beneath it into Cael Morrow.

" Chasing Nightmares " (3x11)

Ariks Eshteross suggested he would reach out to contacts in Ank'Harel, particularly at the Temple of the Mentor.

" A Path of Vengeance " (3x65)

According to Ajit Dayal, during the apogee solstice of 843 PD J'mon Sa Ord left Ank'Harel for a few days to visit Jrusar, in the Oderan Wilds, presumably as part of the negotiations to create a Marquesian alliance to deal with the problems caused by the solstice.

Around the same period of time, foreign recruits of the Ruby Vanguard (such as Petrov Godo and Verdo) began arriving in Ank'Harel before being sent to the Tishtan excavation site.

" A Gathering of Heroes " (3x76)

During the crisis caused by the Ruby Vanguard after the apogee solstice and the activation of the Malleus Key, several international forces began working together to form alliances against this threat. Vilya of the Air Ashari, mother of the Voice of the Tempest, collaborated with the Grim Verity to gain support, including that of Ank'Harel.

" In the Shadow of War " (3x110)

Ank'Harel was one of the three cities gathering armies for the Exandrian Accord, along with Vasselheim and Whitestone.

" A New Age Begins " (3x121)

When the Era of Reclamation came to a close after the conflict between the Exandrian Accord and the alliance of the Kreviris Imperium and the Ruby Vanguard, it was decided that, since most of the inhabitants of Ruidus were innocent and deserved a chance to know Exandria, there would be exchange programs and ways to integrate them if they decided to visit the planet, or if any Exandrian wanted to explore the red moon. Ank'Harel was one of the places that agreed to help in this endeavor.

The Legend of Vox Machina

Vox Machina visited Ank'Harel in The Legend of Vox Machina, Season Three while in search of the Plate of the Dawnmartyr, encountering J'mon Sa Ord there. They also visited a magical items shop "Shubad's Sensational Sundries", a direct ripoff of Gilmore's Glorious Goods in Emon.

Behind the scenes

According to Matthew Mercer, Ank'Harel is distinctly influenced by real-world Arab culture. Ahead of Campaign Three, Matt wrote in a blog post on the official Critical Role website that the city of Ank'Harel was "deeply realized and fleshed out" with the help of others on the Call of the Netherdeep adventure module from Wizards of the Coast. Makenzie De Armas, a Wizards of the Coast writer on Call of the Netherdeep, stated that the writing team wished to make Ank'Harel cosmopolitan without creating a monolith of any culture and that there are people in Ank'Harel from southern and western Marquet, which are regions inspired by her Filipino heritage. She described seeing the setting reflecting her Southeast Asian identity as "important and cathartic".