The central city of the region and the northernmost city on the continent of Eqos, al-Fahim (الفهيم, literally “the Wise One” and anglicized to Alphanim) is considered to be one of the most iconic cities on Eqos... But for all the bad reasons. The city is considered to be the home of all the dark arts, from forbidden magic to necromancy. Cults of demons and shadows alike make their home here, and it’s said that a shroud of darkness allows even vampires to roam the streets freely in the daylight. The city is said to be one of the center-points of dark arcane knowledge. To a degree, it is not known how much information about the city is actually true and how much is infamy. It is impossible to know who all live in al-Fahim, but it is estimated that the city has fifty to sixty thousand residents, undead and living alike. Despite its infamy as a realm of darkness, it is far from chaotic and lawless.

An army of dread knights and vampire spawn patrol the streets, keeping order in the dark city. The council of undead lords rule from the Cathedral of the Betrayer, a large temple dedicated to the god Mawekh. They are currently led by the Mahavetala Vampire Lord Betala Zzar, who is said to have been the first vetala to exist. The city also houses a great college of necromancy where morally dubious wizards from across the world gather to learn the dark arts. 

The city has been used as a location in legends and stories all across the world, especially in the ashtadharmic stories of the Kav’orra Desert just south of the city. Children are taught to never venture into the northern Undead Sands, lest the demons of al-Fahim grab them. The dread harbors of the city house many ships including many pirates and smugglers who use the city as a free port safe from swarnan and kav’orran authorities. Some state that the legends surrounding the city are overstated, but it is true that the undead created it as a dark mockery of Varkunast to the south. The worshipers of Varkayan reject undeath, and banished many necromancers from their city who eventually settled in the Undead Sands and founded al-Fahim. This is also why al-Fahim has a more arabized aesthetic as compared to the other cities of northern Eqos. The mortal residents of the city often venture out away from it, re-integrating into the nearby civilizations often by hiding their true origins in al-Fahim. Famously, Mahatarani Raktii Zaaba once married a mage from al-Fahim and even visited the city to learn dark magic and blood-craft.

Areas of the city include:

Cathedral of the Betrayer. A large temple dedicated to Omegus, the god of undeath.