Urbana al-Sona

Urbana al-Sona is the seat of government for the regnant of Sona, who serves as the chief regnant in the confederate system of the Aquatic Kingdoms.

A qanat system dug from the aquifers of the main island of Sona extends outwards to the base of the island's main reef, where the coral has been trained to draw fresh water up through its capillary networks to water pumps across the city, providing fresh water. To protect the coral and avoid contamination of the aquifer system created within it, the city's sewers are lined with iron pipes that prevent waste from escaping.

Notable neighborhoods and districts include:

• The Cuarto al-Bazaar, the primary marketplace for the city.]
• The Irin Allondë and Irin Argentë, historic enclaves of sun elves and moon elves (respectively).
• The Cuarto al-Vientë, the city's oldest neighborhood and home of the Circle of the Blushing Brine
• South-o-port, a neighborhood popular with young people

• Viade Ajedreçe, home to the Temple of the Minds
• Viade Sjedtatör, an entertainment district known for its gladiator fights
• Rossossa Street, the jeweler's district
• Viade Kuhyira, the garment district
• Bladesrook, the traditional barracks district that houses the Drakeblades

Urbana al-Sona was constructed by the druids of the Circle of the Blushing Brine and the sultans of ancient Sona during the Age of Integrity. The island of Sona is rich in resources, particularly luxury trade goods such as vanilla, coffee, and spices, but lacks natural deepwater harbors of any size and is difficult to settle due to its dense jungles. Urbana al-Sona was designed as a functional seaport and well-fortified citadel from which the royal family of Sona could control their export and import.   The ancestral language of Sona is Maqámat, a pre-Age of Complexity human language descended from High Achlyssian. Many landmarks and neighborhoods in Urbana al-Sona are still named with Maqámat words, and there have been recent movements to revive and popularize the now-endangered language among the scholars of the city.

  The primary religious institutions of the city are the Temple of the Fates and the Temple of the Minds, two large aggregate temples near the center of the city. The Temple of the Fates worships gods of creation, destiny, and related domains, including The Fates and Osiris. The Temple of the Minds worships gods of invention and knowledge, such as Prometheus, Athena, and Hildegard.

Urbana al-Sona is the most visited city in the realm. It is famous worldwide for its architecture, history, academic halls, and rich trade goods. It is also a coveted destination for academics, with several world-renowned learning institutions, most notably the Academia al-Sona.

Besides the unifying aspect of the pink coral construction, the architecture of Urbana al-Sona varies by neighborhood, reflecting the many different groups that have built up the city over the years.   In the earliest days of Urbana al-Sona, pure coral architecture was reserved for only a few small, sacred buildings. Homes in what is today the Cuarto al-Vientë supplemented the reef-grown walls with tile roofs and iron door frames, while the buildings of important institutions like the Academia al-Sona installed roofs and ornamentation mostly in copper. As the city grew and construction techniques were further refined, buildings became more ornate and more purely constructed of coral. Moon elven architectural motifs, such as pointed arches and intricate geometric patterns, are common in the wealthiest neighborhoods of the city. Areas with more architectural influence from sun elven and kala'adrin traditions often have humanoid statuary carved into the buildings' façades.   Above: a kala'adrin storefront with humanoid statuary.   Modern building trends of the last two centuries have somewhat returned to the old ways of augmenting the walls with outside decorations; colorful doors and window shutters painted to contrast with the natural pink hue of the city are particularly popular in the commercial districts. Potted or hydroponic plants have also become fashionable status symbols. At the recommendation of the Circle of the Blushing Brine, most streets have now been paved over with lightweight clay or terracotta tiles to protect the coral underneath. Kentanae tiles have recently been installed beneath the pavers, allowing the city to adopt a network of Flying Carpets.