Bonvidaeo

Bonvidaeo, otherwise known as the City of Masks, is a city-state in some ways similar to Venice in the early renaissance (in that it is a maritime power and trading centre; it doesn’t have canals and is built on solid ground around a harbour). It is a relatively short sea voyage from Calaria.

Government

Bonvidaeo is nominally ruled by a king. However, he is for practical purposes a figurehead for the intrigues of the Royal Council, the Commissioners of Masks, the Priests of the Sun and, especially, the Countess.

Levels

Bonvidaeo has three physical “levels”, not all of which extend to all parts of the city.

The Underways (and the Back Ways) are used by the city’s poor, and by small tradespeople for making deliveries. They are tunnels and alleys that extend under and behind the buildings. Most of them are damp and unpleasant, and it is not advisable to move around in them if you are not a member of these underclasses.
The main streets of the city are not given their own designation; they are the “unmarked term”. The middle class mostly use them for moving around on foot or horse or in vehicles, including the delivery vehicles of prosperous tradespeople. They are broad and are carefully kept clean and in good repair.
The High Paths are reserved for use by the upper classes, and run over the roofs and across the main streets by means of bridges. People below conventionally do not see anyone moving on them, although people who are also on the High Paths may do so. They are narrow and in some parts dangerous. Often they are the only public access to the homes of the wealthy, which are built above less prestigious dwellings or shops. Goods are delivered to these homes either by being hauled up on ropes from the streets below (in the case of furniture, etc.) or by means of back stairs, back entrances and dumbwaiters.

Appearance

Appearance is extremely important in Bonvidaeo (the name of which is inspired by the Latin words for “looking good”). Anything which is not publicly seen is extremely basic, in order to enable more money to be spent on “fronts”. For example, underclothing will be coarse in order to enable the upper clothing to be rich and fine, and the back rooms of houses will be sparse and ill-furnished to allow the facade and the public rooms to be lavishly decorated. Decoration is laid on thinly, though, over a cheaper base (even in the royal palace, which is brick with a thin veneer of marble).