In the last few months, Ivan and I have been working on a demo for Undertones. That demo takes place in the city of Qans, home of the Primordial Source of Yellow. We now invite you to get to know its story.
By the time Dorothea reaches Qans, it has been abandoned for centuries. It is, in fact, a city in ruin, seemingly without any intelligent life.
Well, actually there is, but I’m not sure that Nabat counts as “living”. :p
The Golden Empire of Qans
At its peak, the Golden Empire of Qans was lead by the Assi clan, a family thought to be direct descendants of Asfar, the God of Yellow. The asfari (those born in the city) believed that Asfar was the One True God, the creator of all life.
Being His favorite children, humans were gifted the promised land of Qans. A land filled with wealth, but also with hardship that would prove their faith in their God.
For a long time, the city thrived and Qans became a magnificent empire. It is said that they used pure gold as a common ornament on the facades of the buildings, such was the riches in this land.
Even though naturally separated from the rest of the world, it became a legend among those that dare cross the desert to discover its cultural and scientific advancements.
Asfar
As told by the asfari, Asfar was the One True God. They believed that in the Chaos of Creation it was Asfar who created the Light and the Darkness. They also believed that He gave birth to the other gods that make their pantheon and, as a result, life itself.
The asfari knew about the existence of other human settlements and were appalled that other cultures did not follow the One True God. Qans grew more isolated, fearing the noxious impact of such heresy. They built walls and imprisoned travelers who dare enter their land.
As with other cities in Ismylra, the most sacred artifact for the asfari is the Primordial Crystal that lies in the Source deep beneath the city. The magical power of that artifact emanates the color yellow that (used to) cover the world.
The fact that the color yellow emanates from Qans is the reason why Asfar is also represented as the God of the Sun. It is not known when the asfari mythos incorporated that connection with the Sun, but it is very common to find representations of the Sun throughout the city.
The fall of the Golden Empire
Living from the land in this desert landscape was bound to become infeasible. The population grew too large and resources became too scarce. That scarcity is believed to have led Qans to chaos.
It is unclear whether the events that led to the Achromatization caused or expedited the downfall of the Golden Empire but the result is well documented. The people grew more and more avaricious and, ultimately, violent.
To make matters worse, a drought was followed by disease and water became even more precious. Families even took to theft and murder to feed its children.
For all its might and riches, the Golden Empire of Qans perished from the inside out.
The Primordial Source of Yellow
The moment Dorothea reaches Qans is her first contact with the color yellow. Compared to the gray of her hometown of Gris, everything in this fallen Empire seems so vivid!
However, the impact of color is not only visual.
Dorothea notices that exposure to the color yellow for an extended period not only affected her complexion but also her spirit. There’s a new sense of curiosity and bravery she has never felt before. Although this feels intriguing, she wonders if these new feelings will ease or hinder her path.
