Meido, Capital of Naraka (Reference Thread)

[CodexGigas]

Centered around the magnificent Cenotaph, a "public tomb" built by the last daimyo of Diyu and the first king of Naraka, Meido is an extremely orderly city.

As in all Narakan cities, architecture is uniform, maintained to fairly strict geomantic standards. The historic pit homes of the old realm province have been well-maintained, and their stone roofs serve as foundations for the wooden building of the present age. The subterranean old city is very much the center of contemporary culture as it is a repository of the past, a popular location for informal get-togethers, public festivals, artistic performances, and the like.

Above ground, all buildings are wood with the exception of the Cenotaph, shrines, and fortifications. Build in late shogunate style, the gracefully curved roofs are typically stained a dark purple in veneration of various gods.

The city is composed of five administrative wards. The central "Sacred Ward" includes the Cenotaph and its encircling palace complex, occupied by the royal household and the central bureaucracy. The palace also includes a full suite of rooms maintained by each noble family. The fortified HQ of the army and the Royal Boneguard surrounds the palace. A large pond dotted with island gardens stretches from the base of the palace through graceful arches in the fortified wall to surround the entire ward.

The other four wards are designated "True Wards," each administered by a noble family.