Artus

Metropolis: Population 107,450 (58% vesperkin, 19% humans, 13% luminari, 10% other races)

History

Artus is the largest city in all of Aellorah, and is an imposing sight, located atop the floating Zenith Isles. Artus was established in the Age of Creation and has slowly grown ever since, but during the middle of the Reckoning period, a Wellspring eruption pulled the land below the city up into the air, forming several small islands. In the time immediately following this event, many in the city were starving for a time due to being cut off from outside resources. Though most of the farms supporting the city rose into the air with it, they were cut off from the main city on separate islands. Curiously, no buildings were destroyed by the "Ascension", as this event is referred to, as the ground that was lifted seemed to conform to the city and even have a buffer around major areas. Farms did not lose any land, and the shapes of the isles seem almost designed.

Fortunately, the Sorcerer's Cabal took notice of the new anomaly, and the newly appointed Archmage, Kyran Eyrindor, moved quickly to assist. Kyran gathered a group of ten other sorcerers and wizards and set about building infrastructure and providing food and water to the people of the city. While his sorcerers worked to establish teleportation circles between the ground and the floating city, he established bridges between the scattered isles, built fountains connected to the elemental plane of water to provide fresh water to the people through a series of elevated aqueducts, and even opened a small school to teach the locals basic magic that some of the original ten sorcerers stayed behind to operate. The fountains that provide water to the city run off the sides of the city, creating beautiful waterfalls that add to the city's unique flair. Kyran is a local hero and is commemorated in the center of the city with a series of bronze statues depicting him in the center of a circle of the other ten sorcerers. The statues have long since weathered, but are well maintained.

Due to the high degree of spirit activity in Myr, particularly in areas of darkness, the region directly below the Zenith Isles, in its shadow, is subject to a large number of spirit manifestations. There are signs and fencing all around the shadowed lands beneath the isles warning not to explore them. When the isles were lifted out of the ground, it was not a uniform shape, but a jagged, mountain-like shape, leaving several craters in the land that see no rainfall and where nothing grows.

The Zenith Isles also saw a mass immigration of Luminari who saw the floating isles as a symbol of Astix, allowing them to be closer to their patron goddess. The fact that the Luminari can fly made the isles an ideal home. Though the Luminari have no true "homeland" in Aellorah, they are a common sight in Artus.

In the time since the Ascension, some infrastructure has been built around the gatehouses on the ground to support travelers and expand the city, but the bulk of the city's population live atop the isles.

Government

Artus is the capital of The Commonwealth, and is the location where its annual "Mediation" event, where Speakers review proposed acts from all of the Speakers around The Commonwealth to decide on new legislation. This event is held in the Speaker's Den, where the Speakers gather around a round table and present the will of their citizens. These discussions are very lively, and in some cases, heated. There have been at least a handful of cases every century of fights breaking out, though it is usually due to the Human members of the Speakers rather than the Vesperkin. After the Mediation concludes, the Speakers make a public appearance to announce new legislation, and there is usually a festival held the day of that involves lots of drinking and music.

There are five local Speakers in Artus: Miro Patchfox, Kithri Cottonbird, Velora Goodbottom, Titania Larson, and Erroll Dunhall. Miro is a Vesperkin from a small village to the north who originally wanted to become a painter, but when his village was raided by the Rathmore Empire, they cut both of his hands off as an example. Kithri is a Vesperkin from Catarvoss who couldn't stand the daily smell of the Spicewind and wanted to live in a bigger city, and she enjoys playing the flute. Velora is a Vesperkin who will slap you or stomp on your foot (depending on your size) if you crack a joke about her family name, though she is otherwise a sweet woman who wants more than anything to reclaim her family's home city of Luxandra. Titania is a Human who pursued a military career with The Legion, but during a skirmish with the Myrmidons, her leg was badly wounded and had to be amputated. And Erroll is an older Human who has served as a Speaker for 40 years and is almost ready to retire, but he's hoping for one last meaningful contribution to The Commonwealth.

Economy

The economy of Artus is lively and full of unique industries not found in other parts of Aellorah. One of the biggest sources of income is tourism -- Artus is one of the most unique cities in the world, the only city found in the sky itself, so people visit from far and wide to see the sights. There are a number of unique attractions found in the city, such as the Roost, where visitors can rent gliders to sail across the landscape from on high, as well as activities for the daredevils seeking a thrill -- such as just jumping straight off the side of the city with a Drifter, a minor magical bracelet that jumpers can activate to slow their descent, allowing them to land safely.

The city is host to two notable schools, one of magic, and one of engineering. The Atrautum school of wizardry was established by Archmage Kyran Eyrindor of the Sorcerer's Cabal after he rescued Artus following the Ascension. He wanted the city's residents to be learned in magic so they could not only maintain the infrastructure he had put in place to allow them to get in and out of the city and the aqueducts, but so that they could adapt to their new environment more easily. The school is nowhere near the size of the Ars Aurum Academy in Mythwell, but it is important enough to the city's citizens that the Speakers voted to fund it to make it free of charge to those citizens of The Commonwealth who have completed their mandatory service period in the Legion.

The Stratos Academy is a school for tinkerers and mechanists. The Ascension of Artus brought about many technical challenges that required some innovation. With the Vesperkin's natural curiosity and the Humans' ability to solve problems, the Academy was created to foster creative thinking and to teach the art of engineering. A non-magical counterpart to Reshyk's Runesmith College, the Stratos Academy has focused on gears, bolts, and metalwork. One of the first inventions to be borne out of the school was the glider used by many to soar through the air around the city. They have also created the tram system used to transport people all around the city, including to other isles. They have also harnessed the power of steam to drive more complicated contraptions, such as drills which are used in the mountains below, and machines that can produce textiles much quicker than any seamstress.

Being more than a half of a mile up in the air, there is also a passion for exploration which Artus' elevation provides a unique advantage to. There are several lookouts throughout the isles used to survey the landscape below in a way not before possible, allowing more accurate maps to be produced and points of interest to be spotted from afar. Explorers of Myr consider Artus' maps to be the gold standard.

Notable Locations

1. The Gateways - A series of gatehouses on the ground in well-defended buildings that house the teleportation circles established by Archmage Kyran to allow transportation to and from the city. There are a handful of other buildings built around the gatehouses supporting travelers.
2. The Sorcerer's Circle - In the center of the city is a garden that the locals tend to be marked by eleven bronze statues. These statues were created to commemorate the members of the Sorcerer's Cabal that rescued Artus following The Ascension, led by Archmage Kyran Eyrindor. Kyran's statue sits in the center of the garden with one arm raised pointing directly up, while the other ten sorcerers are positioned on the outer edges of the circular garden looking towards him. The statues have weathered over the years, but are still well-maintained.
3. The Fountains - A series of fountains found throughout the isles provide water to the city through a series of elevated aqueducts. The fountains themselves were enchanted by the Sorcerer's Cabal and connect directly to the elemental plane of water, providing a constant stream of fresh potable water for the residents. They are the only available source of water on the isles. The aqueducts run to the edges of the isles where they dump off the excess in majestic waterfalls that add to the city's beauty.
4. Speaker's Den - The location of the annual Mediation, a large building with a clear dome that lets in natural light. There is a large gathering area outside of the building where the Speakers announce new legislation after the Mediation concludes. For the rest of the year, the building is used to host communal dances, indoor markets, and other events.
5. Atrautum School of Wizardry - A school established by Archmage Kyran Eyrindor following his reclamation of Artus after the Ascension. Several of the sorcerers that helped the Archmage to restore the city and establish its infrastructure went on to become instructors at the school, where they would pass on the knowledge of the gateways and the aqueduct systems so that the city could maintain them by themselves and continue to add upon these unique features so that Artus would not only no longer be burdened by their relocation to the sky, but be advantaged by it. The school is nowhere near the size of the Ars Aurum Academy, but they maintain a working relationship with Mythwell, sharing knowledge and occasionally having each other's instructors travel to give lectures at the affiliate school.
6. The Stratos Academy - A tinkerer's college that teaches engineering utilizing steam and clockwork mechanisms. It can be considered a non-magical counterpart to the Runesmith College of Reshyk, though their innovations pale in comparison to what the Dwarves have achieved, they are no less impressive. The college has even attracted a number of Dwarves seeking to expand their horizons and potentially integrate the two technologies. One of their most proud accomplishments was the invention of the tram system, which was adopted and improved upon by the Dwarves of Reshyk. The tram uses steam powered clockwork mechanisms to drive a vehicle around the isles, providing transport for its citizens around the city.
7. The Roost - A tower near the edge of the main isle of the city that sells gliders to those who want to experience what it's like to fly, with three runways jutting out from the top of the tower. It is owned and operated by a Luminari man named Hiram. The gliders have minor magical safeguards to prevent accidents, and even children have safely glided down to the ground for recreation.
8. Cloudtop Cafe - This restaurant and tavern can be found in the heart of Artus' cultural district, and is one of the more unique establishments in the city, with all of its tables being outdoors. There is a large circular hub connecting several streets that is filled with many plants and trees that has numerous tables and a stall style storefront where patrons can order food and drink and then enjoy the scenery. The cafe gets its name from the fact that it's at the highest elevation in the city, and occasionally clouds will pass through the streets, coating the thoroughfare in a thick mist.
9. The Oasis - This large bathhouse was constructed to divert some of the excess heated water provided by the aqueducts to allow residents to relax and escape the cold air outside. It is a very popular destination, with mixed bathing. Though the Humans have no qualms about shedding their clothes, foreign visitors find this strange and will often wear special clothing.

Culture

Living in Artus post-Ascension has posed many challenges, and their culture and way of life has had to adapt as a result. Being so high in the air, it is not only cold and very windy, but during storms, the city can be blanketed by clouds that not only flood the streets with rain, but put the citizens at risk of sudden death from flashes of lightning that see the isles as the quickest route to ground. Archmage Kyran knew this would be a problem and set about installing pylons around the city to draw the lightning, which can be repurposed now that the pylons have been modified by the Stratos Academy to store the electrical energy in Stormsilver. However, the crack of thunder is considerably louder being so close to the source, and the flash of the lightning can light up the entire city, blinding anyone looking up when it happens. Many choose to remain indoors during a storm to avoid the dangerous conditions.

Besides the thunder and lightning, wind is also a considerable hazard, being much stronger in the city than on the ground. Countless citizens have been blown right off of the sides of the isles for daring to stray into areas not protected by buildings. For this reason, the city's architecture was expanded to fill gaps so that less wind blows through the city's streets, allowing people to walk about safely. However, the high winds can cause damage to anything not designed to withstand them, and much of Artus' existing architecture pre-Ascension was heavily damaged or destroyed as a result. The high altitude can make it difficult to breathe, and though its citizens have adapted after having lived there for so long, visitors to the city can find themselves exhausted or struggling to breathe until they acclimate. The Atrautum school has designed masks to help alleviate this, but they can be expensive for the average traveler. The bridges stretching between the isles were specially designed to be retractable, and are pulled in during storms to prevent damage -- though this proves inconvenient for anyone needing to travel to the other isles.

The temperature of Artus is relatively low as well, with the local clothing having made drastic changes to allow its residents to live comfortably. Temperatures can drop well below zero, despite Myr's perpetual spring climate. However, even on a warm day, these temperatures can make it difficult to grow food -- a problem which the Atrautum school and the Stratos Academy have alleviated, but not solved completely. The low temperatures mean that the water supplied by the aqueducts must be heated to prevent freezing. This led to the development of several bathhouses that use this pure, renewable source of water to help citizens relax.

Because of the various environmental hazards, city planners dug into the ground and began to create housing that protrudes from the underside of the isles. This provides some protection from the elements, though housing is more expensive not because of the construction but because of the comfort it provides.

Defenses

Artus is quite possibly the most well-defended city in Aellorah simply because it is over half a mile up in the air. Though the teleportation circles are an obvious way in, they require a passphrase to activate, and the phrase changes every day. Despite the Rathmore Empire's aggression and eagerness to conquer all of Myr, Artus has a significant advantage, especially over the Rathmore Empire which despises magic. However, the gatehouses containing the teleportation circles are still heavily defended to prevent enemy forces from coming to destroy the teleportation circles themselves.

Artus' local chapter of the Legion is quite sizable given the city's population, with about 2,500 soldiers at the ready and about 1,500 Marshalls. Additionally, with the large number of Luminari in residence, Artus has plenty of aerial soldiers who can rain arrows and rocks down on the Myrmidons well out of their reach. The lookout towers placed throughout the city that are used to survey the landscape also provide an early warning system to spot approaching threats, so it is very difficult to sneak up on the city.

Though the city has no need for walls, there are stone fences surrounding most of each of the individual isles to mark the boundaries to prevent someone from falling off the side.

Crime

Artus does not have a high degree of crime despite its large population, largely due to the communal nature of the majority Vesperkin population. The crime that does exist in the city is largely non-violent, though there is the occasional murder. There are some organized crime syndicates in the city that operate smuggling operations bringing illicit goods into the city -- drugs, weapons, and people. Most of the locals know to keep out of the way of these groups, but the Luminari especially are usually unwilling to look the other way. Those that cross these gangs often end up getting tossed over the edge of one of the isles to plummet to the ground below, but because the Luminari need not worry about this, they often end up with a few dozen extra holes in them.

The gatehouses are guarded well, but the Marshalls guarding them are not beyond bribery, and the crime syndicates of Artus have deals worked out with some of the more corrupt Marshalls to provide them with the passphrase to the gatehouses each day, and to look the other way when these groups smuggle in illicit goods. One of the most prominent goods smuggled into the city is a drug called 'Dew', which is the most addictive substance on Aellorah. It has an aphrodisiac effect and causes euphoria, but with a nasty side-effect of causing mood swings. If taken consistently over a long period, it can eventually make the user violent.

The unique devices invented by the Stratos Academy have given rise to all sorts of crime that has not been seen elsewhere, or at least, not to the degree it is seen here. There are thieves in the city who use the gliders seen throughout the city as a convenient escape device, taking their ill-gotten gains and jumping off the isles to sail down below. The Luminari Marshalls are able to pursue them, but it can be hazardous. Many thieves wait for nights when it will be dark, stormy, or both, to escape the pursuit of the flying Marshalls. Many pay with their lives for it not because of the Luminari chasing them, but from not being able to see the ground where they are trying to land, or even being struck by lightning. Some have the brilliant idea to fly beneath the isles to land in the dead zone below, and end up falling victim to the many spirits inhabiting the area.