The Way
(Realm of Anu the Skyfather)
Location: Mechanus
The Way is an austere and majestic realm, buried deep within the gears of Mechanus. Here the supreme god of the ancient Babylonian pantheon Anu reigns, and he likes to keep an ironclad grip on order and justice. The Babylonians claim that Anu was the Prime Mover during the creation of the multiverse, and after he was done with that, he became the embodiment of the sky. This also means he can see everything that occurs outside in the open air, for that’s his domain. He’s also the first and most distant ancestor of all the Babylonian powers. The realm of Anu reflects his own nature—rigid, exacting, and utterly unyielding.
The first thing that’ll strike a cutter who enters the Way, is the perfect alignment of everything. Sure, you’re in Mechanus, but the machinery of the plane can be—dare I say it—somewhat chaotic at times. Well, the entire realm of the Way is built on a truly enormous gear, which rotates with measured precision. Its burnished surface is covered in row after row of orderly clay brick buildings. The architecture is severe, with every line and angle meticulously calculated by mathematical architects, and each brick laid with a sense of purpose and symmetry. The streets are wide, straight, and devoid of any unnecessary adornments.
At the centre of this vast gear stands the grand Palace of Anu—a monumental structure that rises above the rest of the realm. The palace is adorned with in countless windows, all set in perfect symmetry, offering breathtaking views of the endless gears of Mechanus and the perfect azure blue skies that surround the realm of The Way like a shell. In the palace, Anu sits resplendent upon his great raised throne, his gaze over the the lands which exist under the multiverse’s skies is ever watchful, and his judgements ever firm.
For those who can appreciate the stark beauty of order, the Way is a place of awe. The realm’s uniformity is a kind of artistry, where the symmetry of the buildings and the exactness of the streets create a sense of perfect harmony, noteable even in a plane knwon for its symmetry. The sky above, vast and unblemished, reflects the dominion of Anu over all things, and reminders bashers of his role as the supreme lawgiver of the multiverse.
However, for those who value freedom or mercy, the Way can feel like a prison. The relentless order of Anu, the harsh justice, and the ever-watchful gaze of the Power combine to create an oppressive atmosphere where it’s abundantly clear that this is a place where the Law is Everything, and compassion somes a distant second. Not all who enter the Way leave unchanged, either. Cutters who spend too long in the realm begin to lose their individuality, slowly losing their identities as they become more and more similar to the petitioners. These bashers are pretty much uniform in appearance; they wear azure kilts, have similar skin tones and hair styles, and appear completely androgynous in gender. Some wags have said they all look like little clones of Anu himself. And frankly, their personalities leave a lot to the imagination too. Or should that be to the no imagination, for if you were to put a petitioner of the Way in a box, you’d think they were a modron.
Source: Jon Winter-Holt
