Cities

Name: Nuru
Inhabitants: Sol’tera
Location: The mountain cliffs of Sunstone Peak
Appearance: The city of Nuru is carved entirely out of stone in the cliffsides of the mountain. The stone is a reddish brown color, with flecks of amber colored minerals embedded in the rock. This gives the entire city a beautiful sparkle. Carved high above the ground, the village is a very secure location for the Sol’tera and their guests who live here. Access to the village, for non flying species, consists of a very, very long set of winding stairs. These stairs are rather narrow, with rails carved into the side to prevent accidental death by fall damage.

The exterior of the cliffside city is fine gardens and meeting places. Verandas full of beautiful plants, fountains; and lamps of beautiful sunstones illuminate the walkways at night. There are many cafes and inns here, touting the cliffsides’ exceptional beauty as one of its main attractions. Higher up on platforms are eries where flying visitors may land to enter the city. Deeper in the cliffs are other shops and businesses, like smiths, taverns, and other social places. In the back of town, carved into the stone, is a large door engraved with a beautiful golden sun. This is the tomb of the first Sol’tera, the father of their culture and the one who lead them into peace. No one quite knows if he’s buried within, but the plaza outside the door is often a place of worship.

The residential area of Nuru is the top layer of the cliffside city. This area is very peaceful and quiet. Not much goes on here, which the residents prefer.
Culture: Nuru is a quiet city, well guarded and well protected. As the capital of Sol’tera society, Nuru holds the grandest temples, and is the resting place of the first of their kind. The people of Nuru are kind and dedicated in their worship. Everyone works to keep the streets clean, and littering is frowned upon greatly. The community here is very strong and tightly knit.

The Sun Celebration is held every year, and is the largest celebration in Sol’tera culture. The celebration falls on the longest day of the year and consists of a grand feast that lasts all day long. Then, in the evening when the sun sets, prayer begins and lasts for the entire night. Come the following morning, it’s custom to break the evening’s fast with another celebratory feast consisting entirely of pastries and chilled fruits. The remainder of the day is spent socializing with friends and family, and is a very jovial affair. Businesses are closed, since everyone attends the festival. It’s customary to bring food to share at the feast, and it generally seen as a faux pas to come without one.

Name: Estosa City
Inhabitants: Human
Location: West of the Nkazon Desert, East of the Sattus-Regis River (roughly halfway between both)
Appearance: Estosa City is one of the older settlements in the human territories and originally started out as a fortress to stand against the dragons to the north and west that soon grew into a sprawling town into a large city. Parts of the original Fortress Estoss is still visible in the castle that was built on. The city has three main walls, each section is called a ring: the Outer Ring with the lowest but thickest wall, Second Ring with the most heavily armed wall and Inner Ring with the highest wall. The Outer Ring is the largest and is home to most of the farmland with very few farms outside the wall. The Second Ring is home to the majority of the citizens and is split into quarters: The Trade Quarter-home to the market and many shops-The Living Quarter-where the citizens live, The Barracks-where the military soldiers and city Guard are trained and reside-and the Divine Quarter-where temples to various gods and goddesses are and the cemeteries and tombs of the dead. The Inner Ring is home to the nobility of the city and is the smallest of the three Rings and at the very center is the fortress turned castle atop a small hill with a large and deep moat at the base. The streets are very neat and organized, even in the lesser developed Outer Ring, in case of an attack the soldiers, knights and guards can easily travel from Ring to Ring to defend the city.
Culture: The people of Estosa are militaristic in nature and rather paranoid to outsiders, as the original settlers of the town had to defend against many creatures, mainly dragons and occasionally Kitsune. They do not like or trust any form of Magic, and had split off from their original home in the forests on the eastern coast of the continent. The leaders of this split--called the Divide by humans--named themselves rulers of their new settlement and their closest friends named themselves the new nobility. Enlistment into the Guard is mandatory for at least one member of each household of the lower class and rising through the ranks is considered one of the highest honors.

Name: Yfarsal City
Inhabitants: Humans and Kitsune
Location: South East of the Nkazon Desert
Appearance: One of the oldest human settlements, it is also among the largest. It resides in the highland moors where it is foggy almost all year. The castle sits against a cliff side, parts of it actually built into the cliff face, there are even rumors of twisting, labyrinthine passages deep within the rocks. Most of the buildings here are built from stone believed to have been quarried from the tunnels under the moors. The city itself doesn’t have many tall buildings, the castle is the tallest of them, with many tiers and towers, the highest of which can see for many miles around. Yfarsel is not very well organized, there are no set districts or quarters, with perhaps the exception of the Royal Circle, an area surrounding the castle where the majority of the nobility reside. The city has just one wall on the outside of the city that is both large and thick. Outside the city, there is farmland that tends livestock more than crops as the ground, while rich, is riddled with many rocks. There are also a few outposts scattered through the farmland to defend against attackers and to rally troops.
Culture: Unlike their Estosan cousins, the citizens of Yfarsel don’t fear and hate magic and instead actively embrace it. Magic helped to build their city, carve the cliff to make the castle. They have a partnership with the Kitsune.

Name: Murky Hollow
Inhabitants: Nixies, Nox, Swamp Mermaids, Kitsune
Location: Xystal Swamp
Appearance: Murky Hollow is a town that extends both above and below the waters of Xystal Swamp. Many houses are built into the trees of the swamp, and wooden docks provide pathways through the town, allowing water dwellers to travel beneath the water’s surface. These boardwalks are lit by lamps, giving the entire town an eerie vibe, aided by the mist that perpetually covers the city. Under the water, the denizens of Murky Hollow make their homes out of the reeds and grasses. The roads underwater have been cut away, creating maze-like pathways through the water that mimic the boardwalks above. The murky water is illuminated by globes filled with luminescent jelly, and these are surprisingly effective. At the center of town is the market, where one can find a variety of items, from the mundane to the extraordinary.
Culture: The citizens of Murky Hollow are very quiet and secretive. Due to the city’s location in the heart of the Xystal Swamp, it’s very difficult to reach Murky Hollow in the first place. As such, many of the citizens tend to be on the unsavory side. This is a common hideout for thieves, rogues, and assassins. If you can make it through the swamp’s thick mist, the citizens will welcome you with open arms, albeit with a healthy amount of caution. Bar brawls are common, and disagreements are settled with fists. This seems to work surprisingly well, as the entire city is under the watchful eye of the king of the Silver Fang. It’d be a wise idea to keep a close eye on your pockets.

Name: The Bog of Lost Souls
Inhabitants: Swamp Merfolk, Nixie, Nox, Ruffians
Location: Off the Blodet river into the surrounding forest
Appearance: A little inlet of river that has grown over time due to a dam made entirely of dead tree parts. The external appearance seems to invoke thoughts of graveyards and shipwrecks, but beyond the dam is a relatively lively town. Every building is built into a ledge, with a dock leading out to the murky water. During the dry season, the river’s water can evaporate almost completely, allowing residents to walk on the banks of land.
Culture: The Bog seems to have been born from nature out of necessity for a homeland for wayward vagabonds and vagrants. Give it your tired, your poor, and those yearning to breathe free, there is somewhere for everyone. Although home to mostly aquatic life, the occasional banished elf will find themselves living here as well. Everyone incapable of swimming in the dubious waters owns a small kayak to venture outside their home.

Name: Eden
Inhabitants: Primarily Sphinx, but all species are welcomed
Location: The center of the Nkazon Desert
Appearance: The city itself is surrounded by tall stone walls, guarded by female sphinx. To gain entry into the city, one must present the appropriate identification. This varies, and can be anything from a ring, an earring, necklace, or even bracelet. They are gold in color, and carved in the native language of the sphinx There’s an application window at the main gate to the city, where the clerk takes note of how long your stay is and what the purpose is. Irrigated channels run through the city, bringing fresh water to the people.

The city is divided into districts: farming, residential, trade, business, and the palace itself, with each district separated by large channels of water and connected by expansive stone bridges. The buildings are all hewn from the same sand-colored stone, with open windows and floor plans to allow air circulation, keeping the buildings cool during the day and warm during the cool desert nights.

On the outskirts of Eden, outside the walls, are the orchards and farms. Here all manner of crops are grown, with the most prominent being olives, figs, and pomegranates. Among other common products are hearts of palm, honey, different milks and cheeses (camel, goat, and sheep), different textiles, and oils.

Directly inside the walls is the residential area, full of houses that stack on top of each other. The styles contained within the houses are as rich and varied as the people themselves--spanning all races. Wells are scattered all around, and from there town squares have sprung up as places of gossip, many now having small restaurants and inns surrounding them. Community gardens have become popular as well in recent years, where neighbors come together and farm smaller plants, like herbs and flowers.

The next district is the trade district, full of smiths, wineries, dye houses, slaughterhouses, tanneries, and all other manner of trade crafts. This district is a bustling medley, with many residents, like smiths, living above their shops.

The business district is a lively place, full of all manner of shops, from tailors to jewelers to butchers and doctors. Also located here are the towering temples, with spires reaching skyward, the Grand Library of Eden, the courthouse, and other public buildings of import. These public buildings are guarded by female sphinx, who require visitors to show their identification. This is just a quick visual check, and doesn’t interrupt the flow of business.

The library itself is a sight to behold, made of white stone with shining golden statues. Inside are books of all races, in all languages. The books and scrolls contained within contain a wealth of knowledge, including history, recipes, and even tales of lore and fiction. There’s a large glass dome ceiling at the center of the building, referred to as the reading room, where people can lounge around a pond and read at their leisure.

Finally, at the center of the city, is the palace. A grand estate hewn of opalescent stone with golden statues of sphinx and lions. Channels of water run through the grounds of the palace, feeding pools of water full of water lilies. The palace gardens are open to the public, as is the menagerie of exotic creatures. Water features, like fountains and water-walls, are prominent features of the palace, as are lush green plants and flowers. The king himself can often be seen walking through the halls and gardens.
Culture: A prosperous city located next to the largest oasis in the Nkazon Desert. The oasis is a prosperous, lush place filled with birds, crocodiles, and various desert creatures taking shelter from the heat in the shade of the pomegranate, fig, and olive trees. The palm fronds and cattails provide shelter for small birds, amphibians, and rodents.

Filled with fish, the lake has a bustling fishing industry, though the fishers are careful not to overfish, as they strive to preserve their oasis.

Eden is a melting pot of a city that welcomes all races. The citizens are welcoming to travelers and newcomers alike, and sharing stories is an important part of daily life. There’s a strong sense of community, though tensions among certain races can often run high--like those between demons and sol’tera, for example.

Knowledge and learning are an important part of the city, and many scholars travel to Eden in pursuit of knowledge. Many schools are set up, and it’s said that the children of Eden are some of the brightest in the land. Many of the children are taught to read and write, even those of farmers. Eden is a city of prosperity and opportunity.

The current Sphinx king is Amun-ra Calicus Firenze Indaeg Solavis, who has ruled for several thousand years. He has one remaining heir, his nephew, who currently resides outside the city. Amun-ra was made to kill his younger brother, who attempted to take the life of his nephew. Amun-ra has never taken a wife, nor any lover of any sort, and regards his nephew as he would a son of his own.

The name of his brother is forbidden to be spoken of within palace walls. All records of him have been erased, as Amun-ra considers him such a disgrace on their family.

Name: Khu
Inhabitants: Sol’tera, Or’rix
Location: Southeast of Eden, on the shores of the Mbizi Eshe
Appearance: In the shadow of Eden, Khu is fairly small town that serves as a place for traveling caravans to rest. While many of Khu’s buildings are canvas tents and yurts, some of the more permanent buildings are mudhifs--arched buildings made of woven reeds.

The streets of Khu are wide, allowing caravans to move through with ease to the oasis. Many merchants make their living trading here. Local wares consist of fish, canvas, cloth woven from sheep’s wool, sashes, and tent poles, to name a few.
Culture: Life in Khu is fairly quiet. Many of the Sol’tera here lead simple lives, helping their nomadic brothers and sisters rest and replenish their stores. While generally a quiet town, there’s one time of year where Khu becomes a lively place: The Sun Celebration.

During the Sun Celebration, Sol’tera from Eden--those who do not make the journey to Nuru--head to Khu to celebrate the festivities. Around this time of year, the citizens of Khu erect many more tents to house the guests who will be attending the festival. It’s a time of socialization, where friends can catch up after a year apart.

Name: Mir
Inhabitants: Sol’tera, Sphinx, Or’rix
Location: None--the city wanders with its people
Appearance: Mir is less of a city and more of a wandering settlement, though it is the largest of the wandering caravans.

The people live in colorful canvas tents, with the largest tent serving as a barn for the camels and sheep. The overall appearance of the settlement is rather modest, if not impressive by the sheer number of tents that make up this settlement.
Culture: The people of Mir are hardworking and, while friendly, many of the residents are off in their own worlds. They enjoy their wandering lifestyle, and have friends throughout the desert cities. Many came to travel with the city for their own reasons, and it's an unspoken rule to not ask others of their past. Their community is close knit, and messing with one means you've messed with them all.

Name: Ecuru
Inhabitants: Nixies, Sirens, fresh and saltwater mermaids
Location: Roryd Lake
Appearance: The majority of buildings in Ecuru are constructed of old shipwrecks. This gives the buildings of Ecuru a unique, eclectic appearance, looking much like a patchwork of nautical history. Nothing goes to waste in Ecuru, with all salvaged parts from shipwrecks being put towards improving and expanding the city’s infrastructure. Residential areas are built into the walls of the lake’s banks and rivers, with the bulk of the city resting on the lake’s bottom. Most of these buildings are short, single story dwellings and shops, allowing for incoming ships to come overhead. The older buildings in the city are coated in algae, and rest at the heart of the city.
Culture: Ecuru has a long history with ships, and not all of it is pleasant. The siren population occasionally goes out and sinks ships, which not only upsets the locals above the water, but also below. Relations are tense between sirens and the other residents, and in recent years sirens have become forbidden from singing, under punishment of death. This has done little to soothe the tensions, but has eased the fears of local sailors, even if only slightly. Many residents make their livings helping to load and unload cargo, and in the event of a shipwreck there are plenty of salvage teams available to rescue lost cargo, in exchange for the use of the sunken ship, of course. The city is unique in that it mixes salt and freshwater races together, creating a bustling trade.

Name: The Canopy
Inhabitants: Kelahati, though other races are also found here
Location: Within the canopies of the Cloudborne Jungle
Appearance: From the ground The Canopy looks like nothing but dense jungle underbrush. The trees are so ancient and thick that it would take fifteen people to wrap their arms entirely around them. But on closer look, or rather looking skyward, The Canopy is a grand village in the treetops. The homes of The Canopy are built in the treetops, and the larger to tree the more houses it can hold. The homes and businesses are all connected by branches or vine bridges. The residents reach their treetop homes by climbing the trees, flying, or for those less athletically inclined there are vine ladders scattered through the sprawling town.
Culture: The Canopy is well hidden and easy to defend, and as such the citizens are carefree and peaceful. They have a strong sense of community, and it’s not uncommon for neighbors to drop in on each other unannounced. Many of their festivals revolve around hunting, which involve bringing down massive game a throwing week-long feasts where they dance and socialize.

Name: Mosswail
Inhabitants: Kelahati, Humans, small dragons
Location: The southern region of the Cloudborne Jungle
Appearance: Mosswail is a city built out of the ruins of another civilization. The city is built out of crumbling stone buildings; even those that have fallen over have been repurposed into homes of businesses. The grey stone is covered in moss, and plants snake their way through the buildings. Many believe some of the buildings are held up entirely by the vines and trees that have taken root here. Statues lay broken and worn away by time, fountains, while still running, have been chipped away or pieces eroded.

The crumbling streets are laid out in a grid, and lead towards the center of town, where ancient stairs lead down to an atrium, covered by what appears to be a glass skylight that has been cracked and overgrown as well. This area has become the city’s market, watering hole, and performance hub. Waterways follow along the stairs, creating a sort of man made island between the town and the market.
Culture: The people of Mosswail settled here for many reasons. Some were refugees, others were explores and archeologists who settled here to continue their work. However they came to be here, the people have done their best to make do with what the crumbling city has to offer. Many seek a life of peace, and treat outsiders with caution.

Locations

Name: Zarith Mountain Range
Location: The northern border of East Sleibte, east of Vrocheros Lake
Appearance: A tall, rugged mountain range with high winds and unpredictable storms. Traversing is difficult over the mountains, and flying over is nearly impossible, thanks to the snowy mountain’s frigid temperatures and unpredictable winds. Rumor has it that a tunnel leads under the mountains to the snowy north beyond, but no one has ever found it.

Name: The Eye of Jackroth
Location: The Zarith Mountain Range
Appearance: A massive, active volcano that spits fire and ash clouds. While there are other volcanoes surrounding The Eye, they pale in comparison to its size. Rivers of lava are a staple of the landscape, and this is rumored to be home to The Lord of the Mountain. It’s been some time since The Eye has erupted, and the denizens of Nuru dread the day it rumbles again.

Name: Sunstone Peak
Location: The southern edge of the Zarith Mountain Range
Appearance: The second tallest mountain in East Sleibte, Sunstone Peak is home to the sunstone mines, and is also home to Nuru. The peak of the mountain is said to glow at night, having stored the rays of the sun all day.

Name: Zarkos’ Shrine
Location: The Zarith Mountain Range
Appearance: Within the snowy reaches of the Zarith Mountain Range, halfway up the tallest mountain, lies the shrine of the sky god Zarkos. After climbing a massive stone staircase one reaches the shrine, which sits atop a rocky cliff face and is carved into the mountain itself. With massive stone spires that break up the wind, the shrine is a peaceful sanctuary among the harsh mountain. The shrine is tall, with a spacious atrium where one may leave their offerings at the garden before taking refuge within from the elements. The air within the shrine is always warm and fresh, and is always in eternal spring.

Name: Cloudborne Jungle
Location: The peninsula west of Roryd Lake
Appearance: This dense jungle is home to all manner of creatures, large and small. The jungle is prone to frequent storms, and when it’s not raining, it’s hot and humid. With both a wet and dry season, the jungle is a dynamic and varied biome.

Name: Vrocheros Lake
Location: To the East of Naminoishi Mountain Range where the ice region slowly becomes forestation
Appearance: The water, despite it's location, is never truly frozen because it is always moving. The top layer ice which goes down into the water about a foot making it easy to travel across. Close to the southern part of the lake, the ice is much thinner and can result in breaking through the ice and getting trapped beneath the ice. Believed to be due to this the lake is home to drowned dead of those that have never made it back from the lake. From the lake the river, Saltus-regis, flows South West. The water in the lake itself is a dark blue clear and can often see deeper in this one particular lake then the other ones. However, the ice on top of it distorts the images below. Sometimes it is rumored an Eastern Dragon can be seen swimming below the ice because the lake is in their known territory spanning to the desert.

Name: Saltus-regis River
Location: Comes off of Vrocheros Lake
Appearance: One of the few rivers that do not lead all the way to the ocean, it is very clear. The further south along the river, the more clear it becomes and it is no longer frozen on the top layer. It actually slowly becomes warmer at the more southern end of the river where it stops at making a small pool that gathers there. This one river is home to many fish, but most are kept in check by the local eastern dragons that live along this area at the northern end and swim along the river having claimed this area as part of their domain.

Name: Blodet River
Location: Starts at Xystal Swamp and goes all the way down into Xira
Appearance: The river is very dark and impossible to see the bottom where it connects with the Xystal Swamp. The water here is often rumored to be home to a monster, but no one has never seen it or even know what it looks like. There are rumors that it has taken a few victims already. The further the river goes south, the more clear it becomes and by the time it crosses the border into Xira, it has become clean enough to drink with the pollutants having been lost along the way with the turning of the current.

Name: Nialle’s Shrine
Location: Deep in the woods bordering Xystal Swamp
Appearance: In order to visit Nialle’s Shrine one must first find the shrine. Within the misty forest there are several enchantments that ward those with ill-intent away with nightmarish abominations. Those with good intent, or those seeking shelter, must simply follow the lights.

The shrine itself is a massive tree, surrounded by orbs of shining light. During the day these lights are soft, but at night they gleam in dazzling colors. Within the shrine is another, smaller forest that shimmers and seems ever changing, and provides the shrine’s interior with ever-present light. This magical forest surrounds a marble slab, held up by roots, which serves as the shrine’s altar. A red pot of incense is always burning, left to fill the air with a hazy, warm atmosphere.

Name: Xystal Swamp
Location: Northest towards the top of the land.
Appearance: The swamp is often bathed in a soft light during the day because of the dense vegetation. The trees are covered in soft green moss that is grows more rapidly near the bottom of the trucks and vines often hand down low. The swamp is also known for having a mist about it at all times of the day because of the forest, it never truly leaves because no sun ever reaches it. It gives the swamp a mystic and eerie vibe. In the center of the swamp is said to be a house, however very few ever find it. It is said to also disappear and reappear. It is unknown if the house is real or just an illusion created by the local kitsune playing with passing travelers.

Often people get lost in the swamp who are brave enough to venture in. Only one has been reported to have died from getting lost, most just lose time in here, but nothing too drastic at least by the kitsune's work. Fogmen have been reported in this area and are often quite dangerous to the lost and unsuspecting traveler. This lost of time feeling is due to both the swamp itself, and it's inhabitants. The swamp looks the same almost all the way though so getting lost is very easy. It is rumored that only the kitsune can travel through the swamp without getting lost.

Name: Nkazon Desert
Location: Mideastern Sleibte, located right in the middle of the region Saltus-Regis River and the Blodet River
Appearance: The Nkazon Desert seems small compared to the entire mass of Sleibte, but it is actually an enormous, sprawling desert of sand dunes and dust storms. The outer edges of the desert are covered in dry brush and cracked ground, but the terrain quickly turns to sand further into the desert. Oases are small and very rare, and many tend to dry up in the blistering heat of summer. This results in scarce life, other than the hardiest plants and the smallest animals that reside as close to the waterholes as possible.

Name: Mbizi Eshe
Location: The center of the Nkazon Desert, next to Eden
Appearance: The oasis is a prosperous, lush place filled with birds, crocodiles, and various desert creatures taking shelter from the heat in the shade of the pomegranate, fig, and olive trees. The palm fronds and cattails provide shelter for small birds, amphibians, and rodents. The name means “Life Water” in the language of the sphinx, and without it, their life would be impossible.

Name: Jackroth’s Shrine
Location: The southernmost reaches of the Nkazon Desert
Appearance: Jackroth’s Shrine was burned down upon the death of the Oracle, and was rebuilt by those devoted to the god. They took the ashes that were left and used them to forge a pair of dual swords that have come to symbolize a phoenix rising from the ashes.

The Shrine was built in the same spot as the old one. It rests in the white sands of the beach, which reflect the rays of the sun back onto the shrine itself. Its walls pearly white on the outside, and they gleam during the day. On the inside the shrine is spacious and equally bright, with the noon sun falling on the altar at midday. The table itself hosts a fire from the first shrine that will never extinguish, and on the wall behind the altar rests the swords forged from the old shrine’s ashes.