Keadin
Keadin is the capital city of Unem. But it holds significance for the other subcontinents as well. Keadin is built around the orange heat shard.
The founding of Keadin
After the Silver Rain, the world started to heat up over the course of a couple of years. A magical pulse of warmth rolled across the continent a few times per day. This made the dwarves curious about the source of the heat, so each clan sent out envoys to locate and investigate the source of the heat. Over time more envoys arrived at the heat shard and they banded together and set up a small settlement. They sent back word to their clans, who in turn sent more resources and dwarves. The settlement became more permanent, and the dwarves started carving out the city in the mountainside. The glacier at the bottom of the town melted more and more each year, allowing the town to expand further down. Until eventually the glacier had melted completely and the valley was flooded with water, giving the settlement a natural harbor connected to the great bay. They built a small port and started to located the best places to find food and water. The settlement grew to be a prosperous town due to the knowledge, skills, and cooperation of all the different clans. After the first ship was built in the year 46, the dwarves decided to name not only the ship but also the town. They decided on the name Keadin. To celebrate the shared contribution of both the Kádi and Dîn dwarves.The early history of Keadin
Now that the world's climate had warmed, the great bay is now no longer frozen for half the year, and only freezes over during the month of Iridir in the colder year. Ships became the fastest and most efficient way to communicate, travel, and trade. The strategic and central location of Keadin, combined with the varied skills and knowledge of the inhabitants, led to it becoming the capital of all of Ûnduleah. The orange heat shard emanates warmth through regular pulses. It also appears to have other magical properties, but despite the combined efforts of all the clans, what magical properties and uses it has exactly still remains a mystery. However, it is believed to be a gift from the Goddess Arutixe, the goddess of nature, warmth, day, and emotion. When the humans came, they brought seeds and taught the dwarves how to cultivate them. The flat grasslands of Unem were an excellent location so many farms popped up around Keadin that supplied the town with its food needs and Keadin became a major food exporting city. The humans however started stealing and were banished from Keadin. After many years, the humans retaliated and attacked the city. Taking the dwarves by surprise and they conquered the city within a day since it wasn't built to defend against large-scale attacks. Many dwarves died, some were captured and the rest fled via the sea back to their clans. The humans started building defences around the city, and the counterattacks from the dwarves proved unsuccessful. Eventually, the tensions eased and the humans took full control of the city.Demographics
Each of the dwarven clans sent envoys to the mysterious source of heat. Leading to a never before seen collection of different dwarven clans all meeting up in a single location. There are peoples from the Dîn, Bar, Remu, Fili, Escar, and Iri dwarves. Most of the dwarves were killed or driven away by the humans, so now the town is only inhabited by humans and a few captured, and deserting dwarves.
Defences
The old city was not built with defences in mind. There had never been a war before, and protection was only needed against wild animals and the elements. After Keadin had been conquered by the humans, more conventional walls and guard towers were put up.
Industry & Trade
Keadin has a central location on the continent. Especially via the great bay. Trading ships nearly all go to and from Keadin before they to to their final destination.
Districts
by nicemustang
Upper district
The upper district is the oldest part of the city, carved in the mountain side, right around the orange heat shard. It started as small hiding holes, but over time was carved into a stunning complex of towers and temples and workshops dedicated to studying the shard.Middle district
As the glacier beneath the shard melted, the city expanded further down the mountainside. These are old carved-out and built stone houses, small and modest. But connected with the upper district and dotted with beautiful bridges, towers and waterfalls.Lower district
As the glacier melted further the city expanded further down toward flatter areas. This part of town is located quite a bit below the middle disctrict, underneath the waterfalls. The buildings here are made of stone and wood and consist of workshops, taverns, town halls, squares and houses. It's the most productive part of town.Port district
At the edge of the lower district and the lagoon lies the port district. The lagoon provides a natural harbor which is further shielded from the sea by the crescent islands. Piers, cliffs and towers are the main structures, along with pulley and conveyor systems for moving goods to and from the higher levels.Guilds and Factions
Scholars gathered here to study the heat shard and its properties.
Points of interest
The orange heat shard is located in Keadin. The shard is, apart from the sun, the biggest source of heat for the entire continent, so it is almost revered as a god itself.
Geography
Keadin is located on the edge of the Laraki Mountains. Some of the buildings go partway up the mountainside. The city is built around both sides of an ocean inlet (carved out by glaciers that the orange heat shard melted). The bay is shielded by the crescent islands.
The image with the different districts mapped out like that is a great touch!
Creator of Araea, Megacorpolis, and many others.
yay. Thanks! :)