Emyran Thalor

The Garden City

Nestled into the side of a mountain, Emyran Thalor is the last bastion of Clolst's pre-calamity Elven architecture and culture. This city held strong during the last battles of the Calamity Era is home to the descendants of its survivors. Tall buildings of ivory stone and iridescent pathways stretch down the mountainside, over and through rivers and waterfalls. Flora and fauna from all over Athesia take root here, many of which within small, self-contained, and magically maintained biomes reminiscent of the areas they are indigenous to. In some parts, it can feel sparse. Family homes and some businesses are hidden in beautifully maintained gardens or behind, and sometimes within, large trees that have been maintained by the people of Emyran Thalor for centuries. Littered through the streets, small homes for wildlife can be spotted. Some were built by humanoid citizens, others by the animals themselves as they would in the wild.

The Great Gardener

It is said that Emyran Thalor was founded by a great fey with a love for gardening, one who gathered the plants and animals of the world to create the greatest garden of all. Others simply believe that fey was nothing more than a legend. In any case, the archfey has a district named after him, and his dream of a great garden is alive within the city's walls.

Pillars of Light

In the cold months of the year, mysterious multicolored pillars of light occasionally appear above the city. This phenomenon is not unlike an aurora, though the lights are mostly static and are not the result of a celestial event.

Bright Skies

The people of The Garden City have unique customs and ways of speech. During the daylight, one may hear "bright skies!" when being greeted, a common polite goodbye in the form of "may you find sun." A common nighttime greeting for the citizens of Emyran thalor is "shining moons" and is often accompanied by a small bow. Many variations of these greetings are used and visitors are encouraged to participate and add their own personal spin on them too. ~

Demographics

The majority of Emyran Thalor's inhabitants are Sun Elves.

Population, in order of most to least common:

Elf (Sun, Wood, Moon) Forest Gnome Dwarf Quite Rare: Drow Half-Elf Satyr Kenku, Owlin, Rabbit Folk, Fairy

Government

Emyran Thalor's government is mostly a democratic republic: citizens of various districts will vote in representatives, and those representatives will deliberate law, policy, budget, etc on their behalf. New representatives are voted in every two years and there is a term limit of 3. Representatives of all demographics of the city must be voted in, meaning despite the majority of the population being Sun Elf, there are Gnomish, Dwarvish, Satyr, Owlin, and other representatives within the government. There are a total of 20 representatives (collectively called "The Chamber") within the government with an additional 7 judges for legal rulings. Heading the government is its Chancellor. The Chancellor oversees the Chamber and breaks ties in votes, enacts emergency responses, among other tasks. More often than not, Chancellors will busy themselves with personally listening to the issues and concerns of the people, and will help guide the Chamber towards decisions that would best benefit the people. A chancellor is typically a current or former member of the Chamber or has extensive experience in public affairs. They have a term of 6 years with a term limit of 2, and members of the defense departments are not permitted to run for Chancellor. The city's criminal justice system has offenders work through their sentences via community service but does have a prison system for those who commit the more heinous acts such as murder and similar violent acts. Because it is an Elvish society, haircutting is typically used as a punishment for crimes considered to be "dishonorable" for the accused. While the majority of hair cutting incidents are a choice, some are ruled by the court to be performed by the convicted, and the worst offenders will have their hair forcibly cut by a city official or guard.

Defences

The Khae Thalor is the defense organization of Emyran Thalor and requires extensive training to join. They are trained to fight using a wide variety of techniques and weapons, but many favor polearms. Emyran Thalor relies mostly on natural barriers for its defenses. There are many tunnels running through the mountainside, allowing for hidden watchpoints and bastions for soldiers of the Thalor to operate and defend from. The elves deliberately carved easy climbing points and walking paths to guide visitors down easily-defensible lines. The path that climbs the mountain is, by far, the safest and easiest to travel. It takes slightly longer than an off-path route or low road, but a battle or accident could easily make up for that.

Infrastructure

The Garden City is not short on irrigation, as hundreds of waterfalls, rivers, and creeks run through the city and feed into the White Resovoir at the base of the mountain. In areas where water does not naturally reach, aqueducts are built. They are typically small, and run below average head level, if not flush with the ground. The fastest form of transit within the city is via the Dragon's Roost. Giant Dragonflies and, in some cases, large colorful birds, carry up to 8 passengers and a "pilot" to any other Dragon's Roost in the city for 1 silver piece per person.

Districts

Voya's Crest

The highest point of Emyran Thalor and the most sparsely populated. This district is home to most Khae Thalor operations and religious spaces.

Aurusel's Ledge

From the base to Voya's Crest, Aurusel's Ledge (or Ledges) is Emyran Thalor's hub for trades, arts, business, and entertainment. Family homes are mixed in with the businesses, making for the most walkable part of the city. It is also the district with the most waterfalls and rivers and has been nicknamed The Bridge District by some locals. Two Dragon's Roosts can be found in this district, as well as plenty of room for carts carrying goods and passengers alike. This is the second most densely populated part of Emyran Thalor, and also where Parisco's Provisions & Arcane Supply can be found.

Psilofyr's Conservatory

Both a school and a massive arboretum, this is the place for aspiring sorcerers, druids, and wizards to learn the craft of the arcane. The Conservatory has programs for all ages and levels, including post-doctorate research programs. Tuition is free of charge for full-time students, though certain supplies must be purchased by students if not funded through grants and scholarships.

Garden's Heart

The richest part of Emyran Thalor and home to the Xiloscient Citadel. Most noblemen and politicians live here, and outside of the main residential neighborhoods is where all of the best and most exclusive tailors, designer stores, and restaurants are. Most of the trees in this region are of the colorful flowering type in a permanent bloom state. Cherry blossoms, wisteria of all colors, plum blossoms, other flowering trees, and large twisted willows can be found in abundance in this area.

White Resovoir

This large freshwater lake is refreshed every spring by the runoff of melting snow and sits at the base of the north side of the mountain which Emyran Thalor, The Garden City is built into. Its water is clear enough to see to the bottom of the deep lake, is cool even in the hottest summer months, and acts as the city's main source of water for drinking and irrigation. On some mornings, the water is so still it has a mirror-like finish.

Assets

Emyran Thalor is self-sufficient and has existed in isolation since the Calamity Era. Because of this, most of the flat land within city limits is used for farmland. Residents make good use of personal and public property by growing their own food and creating communal food gardens, but city officials also grow food in large greenhouses throughout the city.