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Much of Sog is in ruins, with distinct centres of population clustered into certain areas. With the arrival of immigrants and refugees by sea and land daily, new areas are constantly being resettled and redeveloped, but these are parts often full of desperate and dangerous people, and should be avoided.

The Milion

All roads lead from their gates to the Milion, where once a huge obelisk stood from which all distances in the West were marked (it was removed to the Loskalmi capital of Northpoint three hundred years ago). Here, clustered around the Milion's still proud pedestal, is what the stallholders claim is the greatest market in the world. Cosmopolitan delights certainly abound, with produce, trinkets, artefacts and wares from places as far as Esrolia, Kralorela, the East Isles and even distant Pamaltela! It is said, with a surprising element of truth, that if it can't be bought in the Milion, it can't be bought anywhere! Be warned, the Milion appears to also have the largest collection of beggars, pickpockets and thieves in the world too!

The great parade way of Sog, the Mese, runs in a straight line from the Milion uphill to Brithini Citadel. Just off it to the right, shortly after leaving the marketplace, is the famous Street of Women.

Golotha

Golotha straddles both sides of the city wall, around the Golotha Gate near the eastern end of the walls. Here live the majority of Sog's Hrestoli community, who live off the steady pilgrim trade. Prince Hrestol the Exile was crucified here in the thirty-third year after the Dawning, at the orders of Zzabur the Arch Sorcerer. The site of his glorious martyrdom and bodily assumption into Solace (the Malkioni afterworld) is one of the holiest sites of the Hrestoli sect, and one of the reasons why the Loskalmi are so protective of the ancient city. To anyone but pilgrims, the bare hillock outside the gate where Hrestol died is unremarkable (but don't walk on it!); inside the walls, though, the Hrestoli have built a magnificent church which houses various holy relics associated with the events. Foremost of these are the Ball and Stick, and the Last Spell of Hrestol which still flickers in a crystal bottle. Numerous souvenir stands cluster around St Hrestol the Martyr's selling keepsakes, replicas and charms, few of them tasteful and none authentic.

Only a few years ago, the penalty of exile was the equivalent of a death sentence, as those condemned were forced to walk into the endless fog of the Ban. Now, exile takes on a whole new meaning, and many political dissidents from Loskalm gravitate to Sog and Golotha in particular. Look out for the gangs of muscular Hrestoli "boot-boys" here, who strut in from Loskalm to do over such dissenters (and foreigners and other unbelievers) for kicks. They can be easily picked out by their heavy boots, short haircuts and death-rune tattoos.

Vadelot

At the far western end of the walls the Vadeli, both red and brown, have established a colony. Although they used powerful sorcery magic to destroy a broad section of the city wall in doing so, the Brithini overlords have not yet reacted to this insolent provocation by their ancient enemies. The Vadeli have built their own wharves, where they ship in great numbers of immigrants and refugees from all over the world. Vadelot is probably the most cosmopolitan part of this already ethnically diverse city, and while colourful and exciting, and with an overwhelming variety of restaurants and foodstalls, should not be traversed after dark. The Street Judges generally steer clear of this area.

Perhaps the most infamous part of this district is the Vadeli-run slave market, where the most notable stall is Honest Babdil's Virgin Megastore. The Vadeli sell slaves from all parts of the world, and have a never-ending supply of stock as often their fee for bringing refugees to the city is a pick off the passenger list.

Rokarlot

This district is centred around the Forum of St Gerlant, and is the home of exiled Rokari noblemen and their households, some driven from their Seshnelan homeland during the Rokari Schism 200 years ago, others recently banished from their fiefs by the current king, the rapacious Guilmarn. They continuously plot their return to wreak revenge, but much energy is wasted disputing finer points of Rokari doctrine among themselves. Recently, many Rokarlothans have become eager followers of the Ship and City cult, and have enthusiastically joined in the rebuilding programs across the city.

The Church of St Gerlant, though roofless since the desperate Rokari sold its leaden shingles to buy passage from the Vadeli for an abortive invasion of their homeland, contains some fine relics.

Pamelot

The Vadeli have shipped many Pamaltelan Agimori to Sog, many of whom have ended up here. They have their own obscure sect called the Sedalpists, brought with them from their southern land, but others follow more familiar brands of the Malkioni faith. Pameloti have a reputation of unfriendliness to outsiders, and in particular despise the Vadeli. Judge Grudd has appointed a number of Agimori Street Judges to patrol this neighbourhood. The Ship and City has taken hold here too, and many believe the great ship will take them back home to be lords over their old Pamaltelan masters .

The splendid ruins of the Neliomi Baths are well worth a visit, if one cares to take the risk (daylight hours only). The full-body purgative massage (with complimentary Skin of Life) is recommended. Arrange for a sedan to take you home.

University Quarter

The life of this quarter revolves around the world famous University of Sog City, described in detail elsewhere in this guide. The university shares the highest point of the city with the Brithini Citadel, and pleasant views across the Ozur Bay and over the river to the Retrint side and as far as Dilis Swamp are highly sought after, particularly if the ponderous workings of the Waertagi docks are somehow blocked out. This district was seriously ravaged by the Sack of 1615, and many of the richer folk who once lived here have moved out. Now university students and other freeloaders have their pick of digs, with splendid (if ruinous) verandas and refreshing sea breezes on balmy nights.

The Church of Holy Law

The Church of Holy Law is located at the end of the Mese at the south end of the university quarter. A spectacular edifice, and apart from the university itself, one of the few places outside the Citadel you are certain to see any of the Brithini overlords (you will spot them by their antique garb, long wigs and the superstitious awe of everyone around them. Do not talk to a Brithini directly, and get out of their way). The Church is one of the most holy places in Malkiondom, for it was here that St Hrestol returned from Brithos and first preached the doctrine revered by westerners called Joy of the Heart. The Church of Holy Law is also the traditional see of the Ecclesiarch of Akem, the Supreme Authority over all Malkiondom. However, this post has been vacant for several centuries and such powers are claimed by the Cardinal of Southpoint in Loskalm. Nevertheless, it is to the Church of Holy Law that most of the pilgrims come, not to the Cardinal's church, which is built in the ponderous and bombastic modern Loskalmi style.

Pocked and scarred though it is, the Church of Holy Law is one of the few reasonably intact structures outside the brass walls built before the Dawning, and its architecture gives us some inkling of what is inside. The Church is liberally spotted with crenellations, battlements, flying buttresses and gargoyles, who are said to animate nightly and switch the outcroppings they squat on (a popular tourist diversion is arriving at dusk to see if you can catch them at it). The crowning glory of this magnificent building though, is the huge dome which the deacons will tell you "hangs suspended from a silver thread from Solace (heaven) above." Standing in the vast open floor space beneath it, one can almost believe it. ~~Truly there is nothing comparable in our own glorious Empire.~~ [This sentence was removed from later editions of the scroll on the order of Icilius Overholy]

You might wonder what the atheistic Brithini are doing in such a holy place. To them, this no Church at all, but their law courts, and every once a while, the Brithini appear to conduct trials. When this happens, any Western Ecclesiastics in residence have to up and scarper in a most undignified manner, and all the vestments, awnings, relics and reliquaries are safely packed away. Although the Brithini procession to the Church is a grand spectacle, be careful at these times as the Street Judges often have to round up "criminals" for their Brithini masters to judge. The trials are conducted in the ancient Brithini tongue, and judgements passed follow a logic inscrutable to anyone but the overlords.

Brithini Citadel

The Brithini Overlords live here, behind their Wall of Red Hot Brass. Only the Brithini themselves may enter. The molten wall has no gate - the Brithini have a unique magic which allows them to pass through unharmed. The viewing platform near the top of the university's steeple permits a view into the Citadel, obscured only by the rising heat of the wall. Inside, the immense palaces and halls glimmer with magic potency and sport minarets, domes, spires and steeples, colonnades and forums, fountains and pools, in all manner of architectural styles from across the Ages. The highest tower holds the fabled Seeing Stones, with which the Brithini sorcerers can see great distances over space and time.

The Port of Sog

Sog City's docks extend along much of the seaward side and end at the ruins of the great dry dock, built in mythological times by the Waertagi to hold an entire cityship. The dry dock dominates the northern skyline, with huge buttress-ribs stretching high into the air like the rib cage of a monstrous beast. The Port Quarter of Sog is the stronghold of the greenskinned Waertagi, the ancestors of the original inhabitants, but many other people live here, including merchants and mariners, traders and wanderers from across the world. Most of the greens work as dockers, and have a virtual stranglehold on this activity in the city. Many are also involved in the great project to rebuild the dry dock for the prophesied return of the Waertagi. This is being underwritten by the University vice-chancellor, whose visions have spurred on the apocalyptic Cult of the Ship and City.

While the naval enthusiast will enjoy strolling along the numerous piers, there is little else in Port to recommend it but for countless sailors' taverns and numerous cheap brothels. Dappled Dan's, the greatest tattoo parlour in the West is here (though Dappled Dan himself was pawned to the Vadeli and now is reportedly a live exhibit in the King of Teshnos' private zoo). A plinth close to the dry dock marks the spot where Dormal landed here in 1582, which was foretold by the Brithini with their Seeing Stones. The Dormal Temple nearby was wrecked and burned in the Sack.

Dragonbone

The marooned blue-skinned Waertagi whose immense Dragonship was wrecked by the Closing live in this quarter, which lies along Sog's eastern shoreline. The upper parts of Dragonbone underneath the Citadel walls is called Lookout Heights; the lower section along the beach, Driftwood. Driftwood is one of the poorest parts of the city, and was relatively untouched by Harrek's Sack. Lookout is not much better off. Nevertheless, there are a number of interesting sights for the intrepid tourist in the Dragonbone quarter.

The blues who live here are fiercely proud of their sea-going traditions, and the remnants of their once great city-ship can be found in various parts of the quarter. The ship's enormous rudder rests against the wall of Sea Temple of Sog (which has a very nice aquarium), and thousands of tourists and travellers have etched their graffito into it over the centuries. The Dragonship's mighty figurehead is one of the city's most famous landmarks; it lies slightly askance in the great square known as the Forum of Blues, and is a popular spot for those preaching the prophecies of the Ship and City. One can only marvel at the many distant seas through which the proud prow must have carved its way, before only the mightiest sorcery of the Second Age brought it to a halt.

Over time the greenskins gradually pushed most of the blues out of their port district into this area, which is less pleasant (the Brithini citadel blocks the sea breeze and the afternoon sunlight), and lacks deepwater berthing. The blues have adapted to their fate by becoming the city's master-fisherfolk, and the Dragonbone beach teems with activity, in and around the beached fishing boats; fishermen dry and mend their nets, or haggle to reach a fair price for their catch with the mongers from the city markets, and young blueskinned maidens carry baskets of fish to the drying racks higher up on the hill. This is a great place to buy seafood, with or without the ubiquitous fish sauce.

Other Areas

In addition to the districts above, there are numerous other centres of population within the walls. Sog boasts a small neighbourhood of exiled Galvosti from Ralios (avoid shaking hands); a group of embittered but unrepentant chauvinists kicked out of Esrolia; groups of banished Ralians who worship Arkat in various erroneous combinations; and surprising number of Kralori and Teshnans, most in the silk and drugs trades. There are many other groups from across the world too, lured to Sog by the promises of the Vadeli . In some areas no ethnic or religious group predominates, and even in areas where they do theologically-motivated street violence is always a present threat. As the Queen of Cities, Sog has always prided itself on the ancient traditions of tolerance and mutual co-existence. But be careful what religious views you express, even to mere mackerel salesmen!

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