Fantasy doomsday Las Vegas paradise with Spectators (WIP)

[Superfluous Crow]

I hope the title caught your attention :p (and that the rest of the text can keep it)
Anyway, this is the write-up for one of the cities i've been tinkering with. I sought to combine hedonism and absolute freedom with the absolute authority of a police state. Sort of. Maybe reading it will give you a better idea of what i mean. Any ideas on how to spice it up would be appreciated.

Matassu
In the desert lies the City of Delights, an utopia that rises out of the dismal sands on a pillar of rock. Here there is water and food, as well as everything you could ever need. But is it too good to be true?

Lay of the Land
Matassu lies in the middle of the Makaean Desert and is the only major oasis if you seek to cross the desert. The city is located on a large rocky plateau, and is thus protected from the sand, and the plateau serves as the size of large basin and a lush oasis of palm trees. Of course, some of the trees had to be cut down to make room for the city, but much of it still survives as lush and well-tended gardens and parks. To optimize the use of space, some of the city has been built out onto the basin or into the cliff faces of the rock that lies under the plateau.

Trade and Sustenance
The "government" itself acquires most of their money from the toll that every one who comes to the city must pay. Residents on the other hand often work in the service industry, providing various services to travellers and other residents. The upper middle class often work as merchants, organizing caravans out of the desert. There is also a decent population of artists and other creative minds. The oasis as well as the desert animals provide a small fraction of the food, while trade for food brings in the rest.  

Government
The short story is that there is no government. To be a bit more specific, the city is ruled by the merchant elite and its law is composed of 3 rules: 1) You must not kill a living and thinking creature. 2) You may not control that which belongs to another, and 3) you must keep your word. The last rule is extremely important as it is the basis of all agreements; uttering the phrase "I swear by the 3rd that'¦", followed by a statement is a binding agreement. Lawwriters are professionals who specialize in writing loophole-proof promises and are often hired for more important deals. If anyone breaks the laws they are shunned although they can sometimes remove the shunning if they pay some fine to the wronged person. but if they are real unlucky they are "removed". No one is quite sure what happens, but lawbreakers (or undesirable elements such as narcotic wrec ks) sometimes just disappear. It is said that this is the work of the Spectators, the anonymous and near-mythical enforcers of the Laws who lurk unseen in the crowds. Anyone could be a Spectator, and this uncertainty often keeps people from crime. The Spectators are suspected to be either brainwashed criminals or indoctrinated kidnappings, and are part of an institution started by the Precursors themselves. They have no lives and know no people. They are but shadows of real persons and live to watch. That is, if they actually exist. Another important controlling factor is gossiping. Everything gets out at some point, and if it doesn't reach a Spectator directly, it will quite likely eventually reach a Gossiplord who can sell the gossip on to any individual. Maintenance and toll is controlled by the children of the Precursors, the lords of the city. They also make sure that everybody knows the three laws upon entering, in case they didn't notice .    

Culture
Motassic culture is anarchistic, hedonistic and creative. There are next to no laws, and the motassi are accustomed to indulging their every desire. Brothels, taverns, casinos, and theatres are spread across the city, and people use all of them frequently and openly. Motassi are in no way modest, and can strike some people as being a little too direct and rude. Generally, though, they are a pleasant people and don't mind sharing their experiences and interests with others. Of course, they lack a bit in the field of ethics and might trick people if they find they have something to gain from it. Motassic culture is also a melting pot for ideas and fads, and every day faiths and ideologies rise while others die, and artists make a fortune in a week and are forgotten in the next. The motassi are fickle and unpredictable.    
The Architecture of Motassu is varied and odd. It is a combination of old styles and new eccentric ideas, and there seems to be few similarities between the styles of neighbouring buildings. The only similarity is that most of it is flamboyant in some way or another. Fountains, plazas, small parks, and provocative statues are also common.

Religions and holidays
Precursor Eschatology, the belief that the world is about to end, was the religion the city was built on, and many still hold to its principles of enjoying life while it lasts. That said, most jump from religion to religion as they blossom and wither in the city. A few practice more steady beliefs, although there haven't been built any permanent religious temples in the city yet. New Year is the most important festival, as people celebrate that the world still exists. Eclipses likewise have much religious importance, as they are symbols of change and revolution. Other than that, Matassi are quick to come up with festivals at a whim.    

History
As the world slowly fell apart and suffered disaster after disaster, a group of people decided that the world was about to end and that they might as well make the best of the time they had left. This group was known as the Precursors of Finality. Stocking up on booze, drugs,and whatever else they could scavenge, they set out in search of a place where they could wait for the end of the world in peace. Somehow they stumbled their way into the Makaean Desert, and after wandering for 40 days they arrived at a giant oasis on the top of a small rock plateau. Here they had everything they needed, and so they settled down, celebrating and waiting. Soon they found that caravans passed through, and although they first settled for trading, they soon decided to make them pay a toll for the use of their oasis. The place was far too sheltered for any nation to attempt to reclaim it; that the Precursors had managed it with such a large group was practically a miracle. As their wealth grew they started building a town, and soon some of the travelling merchants even settled down with them. As contact between nations across the desert became more frequent, more caravans came through and more toll was collected, and the city grew exponentially and was left pretty much alone.  

[Stargate525]

Ok. Why does this need spicing up? This place seems pretty amazing to me as-is.

I can totally see a market for genie-proofing a wish using the Lawriters.

[Loch Belthadd]

sounds pretty good. Also sounds easy to throw into a campaign.

[Steerpike]

Very cool!  Love the Spectators... though I want to know more about them.

Are there caves in the cliffs?  Did anyone live here before the city was built?

How big is the gambling?  Are there any unorthodox games?  Which are the most popular?

Who are the major players?  Merchant factions, brothel-keepers, casino-owners?

Can someone bet their own body, or years of service, in one of the games as part of an oath/agreement?  Do slaves therefore exist?

[Superfluous Crow]

Very cool! Love the Spectators... though I want to know more about them.

How big is the gambling? Are there any unorthodox games? Which are the most popular?[/quote]Can someone bet their own body, or years of service, in one of the games as part of an oath/agreement? Do slaves therefore exist?[/quote]
Yes! They can easily do this. It was actually one of the thoughts behind the three laws. Motassi have no problems with slaves as long as they are kept in accordance with the 3 laws (the second would normally bar it since your body belongs to you).

Hmm, can any of you come up with a way to circumvent the 1st law legally for the sake of entertainment (blood sports etc)?

[Steerpike]

You could bet certain quantities of blood as in The Merchant of Venice, or bet your own life as opposed to your body.   If law 3 can circumvent law 2 then why not law 1? I'm sure the expert Lawwriters could finangle almost anything (I come from a family of lawyers, heh).

As for the factions, I wasn't asking for specific NPCs, although it'd be awesome to hear about some!

The Spectators remind me of a cross between New Crobuzon's Militia and the Agents of The Matrix - very awesome.

[Superfluous Crow]

The Agents of the Matrix might be a pretty close comparison actually :)
Actually, rule 1 could be removed since killing someone would be taking control of his body and life which belongs to him; therefore rule 1 would fall under rule 2. Also, this means slaves could be killed without it being a crime. Of course, 3 is a better number than two, so maybe i should come up with another rule. Or just keep it.

[Steerpike]

I think it comes down to what counts as property ("that which belongs to someone") and what doesn't.  If you're going for a very capitalistic, laissez-faire kind of place then presumably everything is property, but in other systems, property might not extend to certain things i.e. a life could never be "owned."

Reminds me of some of the stuff in Gloria, Light Dragon's world, where street-gangs charge you for the time it took to intimidate you.

[Superfluous Crow]

Basically, i just want the rules to support a city where everything is possible without it breaking down.

[Superfluous Crow]

Just wanted to bump this since it was posted over the weekend and quickly fell to the bottom. And by the way, what is best: Motassu or Matassu?
EDIT: also, what order should i put the headings in? The information seems to be in the wrong order. And what format do you use for cities/countries?