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Exalted City-State The Lap
Terrestrial Compass:	The South
Map Location:	K-12 on StephenLS's Map of Creation.
Government:	Triune
Ruler(s):	Cathak Sijip, Ragara Aloru & Peleps Tuchet
Population:	100,000+ (est.)

The Lap is a city in the fictional world of Exalted. As such, the following general information is typically presented to provide world-development and to give players and Storytellers a basis for an infinite array of adventures in or in the vicinity of The Lap.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Government and Politics 3 Military 4 The Last Supplicant 5 Sources

[edit] Overview

The Lap gets its name from its unique location: The mountain was long ago carved into the shape of a meditating hermit sitting in a cross-legged posture. Much of the city nestles into the "lap" of the mountain, though some outlying houses spill out across the broad legs. Many of the structures consist of interlocked adobe buildings. Along with Gem, The Lap is one of the twin powers of the Southwest and often trades its excess grains, maize and squash in return for the riches of Gem. The two cities are connected by a well-traveled trade route known as the "Diamond Road", and The Lap provides troops to patrol the road. The Lap is also the location of Gate 52, one of the gates into the Celestial City of Yu-Shan.

The identity of the meditating hermit is questionable, but it is known as the Old Man or the Last Supplicant. This wonder of the First Age was quite literally defaced during the Great Contagion. Those who ascend to its shoulders can see for hundreds of miles around, from the distant islands of the Western Ocean to the dark clouds of smoke that pour from the smithies of Nexus.

The small valley of fertile land between the Last Supplicant's legs is known as the Verdant Triangle. There are three tunnels that lead from the base of the mountain into The Lap, that can be sealed off - at which time, The Lap is almost completely inaccessible. The Lap has enough stored and preserved food to last two or three years, even with a full export of crops. This stockpile is one of the largest in Creation, and "starving The Lap" is synonymous with a futile gesture. Bandits that occasionally raid farms face retaliation by the Imperial forces garrisoned there.

[edit] Government and Politics

The Lap is governed by a council of landholders who prop up a figurehead on the throne of the kingdom, while a Golden Triumvirate, rather than a single satrap, represents the interests of the Dynasty. While the three members of the Golden Triumvirate, Cathak Sijip, Ragara Aloru and Peleps Tuchet represent his or her family individually and squabble amongst themselves, they always vote unanimously on all public decisions. For the council's part, they rarely argue with the Dynasts, generally acceding to the Realm's wishes. The council's pliant character has helped keep their city free and the children of the junta at home and not in the Scarlet Court as hostages.

The Lap itself is closely allied with The Realm, a fact that The Realm uses as a lever against many city-states in the Southwest. When The Realm desires stability in the region, city-states wishing to purchase part of The Lap's regular surplus must pay two, three or even four times as much per unit to prevent stockpiling for rations or extended sieges. The threat of withholding agricultural exports to warring city-states weighs heavily on The Lap's neighbors, leading many to attempt more diplomatic measures prior to outright war.

[edit] Military

Militarily, The Lap is one of the mightiest forces that The Realm supports. There is an imperial legion deployed there, and each of the three triunes commands several thousand house troops, bringing the total number of imperial troops deployed there to just over 10,000. In addition, there are an equal number of local soldiers. The actual government of The Lap fields one legion organized along imperial lines and 6,000 gendarmes suited for little more than supporting tax collection and chasing bandits. In addition, the various magnates have several thousand individuals tasked with plantation security loyal to them as well.

The close proximity of the Deathlord, First and Forsaken Lion, who rules over The Thousand and The Legion Sanguinary, is ever a concern and does nothing to comfort The Lap or The Realm.

[edit] The Last Supplicant

Multiple contradictory canonical explanations for the massive statue of the meditating hermit exist.

• It is an ancient spirit carved by a long-retired lesser elemental dragon of earth. He has been slumbering since the First Age and remains naïve regarding the events of the last several thousand years, including the destruction of his face. He stands 1,500 feet in height and has the strength of mountains but dislikes making physical efforts in favor of meditation.

• It is an enormous public works project from the First Age, one of the Eight Gifts of Celestial Grace, made in to a dragon-line projector and Essence flow controller, capable of regulating and reshaping the geomancy of the South.

[edit] Sources

• Exalted 1st Edition Collector's Checklist. White Wolf Publishing (April 30th, 2006).
• List of Exalted Sourcebooks. White Wolf Publishing (February 10th, 2007).

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