Alunna (Al-oo-en-nah)
As you walk through the dunes your eye spots a tower in the distance. You move towards the sight as if a beacon, walking along a broken path near a cliff, the sea stretching out before you to the south. The breeze gets stronger and cooler as you approach a grand, sand stone wall. The road leads up to a great wooden door with gilded gold bands as guards wearing red silks over golden armor stand ever watchful as you draw close. You gaze past the wall, and find a bustling street with shops lining the paved road. Sandstone buildings covered in intricate mosaics glisten in the light as colorful cloths are strung between the buildings above, casting shade below. Your gaze once again turns to the tower you saw a few minutes back. Up close, you are awe struck as you see it looming over you and the people living within these walls. The guards ask that you pay 1 silver per person entering their city. Upon payment, you pass through the gate. Smells of incense, spices, and the sea surround you as you pass into the city. Welcome to Alunna.
A city built on a cliff reaching out to the Hanu Sea. It has a population of 10k. A tall tower stands at the edge of the cliff, looking over the town and the crashing waves of the sea. This structure acts as the home to Mona Zakaria, the advisor to emperor Elias Tuk and Countess to Alunna. There are many who call it the city of witches due to the magic that Mona and her students study within the aptly named Tower of Arcanum. A temple to Astra, Goddess of the Stars, Gwyndolyn, Goddess of Magic, and Damon, God of Alchemy is located in a rotunda at the center of the city, Astra at the center while Gwyndolyn and Damon are on opposite sides. This place is known as The Court of Stars.
No one is allowed past a large gate leading to the path into the tower besides those that bear the mark of Zakaria. These are brands that have been seared onto the forearms of her students. Mona herself has never been seen leaving the tower, but has been seen within the city surveying and at the side of Elias during moments of stress. Zakaria also spends several moments of her time at the docks, looking over captains logs for several ships belonging to Amonkhet. The reason for this is unknown.
Demographics
30% Human, 30% Tabaxi, 5% Half-Elves, 5% Half-Orcs, 5% Tieflings, 5% Goliaths, 5% Genasi, and 5% Halflings. 2% highborn, 58% middle class, 30% low class, and 10% poor
Government
The laws of Alunna fall under the jurisdiction of Oasiras, but Mona is known to make a few amendments. Criminals are shipped to Alluna to act as a labor force for their mining and naval operations. It is illegal to fish on the docks of Alluna and one must have ownership papers for a ship to dock. If no ownership papers are present, they will either need to leave immediately or be arrested and undergo an investigation for the rightful owner of the ship. If no owner is found, the ship will be put up for auction and the arrested individual will be freed. It is illegal to be out on the streets between midnight and 5 AM.
Defences
A thick, sandstone wall protects the city to the North as guard towers are placed on either side of the gates to the East and West. A guard post is built into the rock forming the arch on the opposite side of the mainland, acting as a fort to attack any sea based assaults and a lighthouse for those docking at port.
Industry & Trade
Alunna is known to export Iron, Stone, Copper, Salt, and Fish. They mine gold and ship it to Oasiras to be minted there. There is a 1 silver toll to enter the city.
The taverns in Alluna typically serve imported ales and wines from Oasiras and serve sea food caught in the bays of Alluna.
Infrastructure
The Tower of Arcanum was built as a school back in the beginning of the settlement and was only a few stories tall. Nowadays, the tower is over thirty stories tall. At it's base, it is 2,000,000 square feet and at its peak, it is 500,000.
The temple here, The Court of Stars, is 750,000 square feet and is only one story. The center of the temple, where a grand statue of Astra is located, has a dome of glass overhead, about 60 feet high. On the two wings of the rounded building, the ceilings are about 50 feet tall and curved down to the stone walls of the temple.
Districts
To the North West is the Gilded Sands, home to several shops, The Alunna Bazaar, and Rengar's Retreat. To the South is the Temple District, where many of the stately buildings are and where the highborn citizens live. One could also find The Astrologer's Peephole and Witches Brew here. To the East and South West are the residential districts, East being the place for the middle class (East Gate) where The Scorched Barrel is, and the South West acting as the slums for low class and poor citizens (West Gate). A path within the South West district leads down to the docks and acts as a continuation of West Gate and is home to Port Arcanum.
Assets
There are 5 taverns located within the city, one at the East gates known as The Scorched Barrel acting as a tavern/inn/stable run by a Tabaxi woman named Rye, another near the temples known as The Astrologer's Peephole acting as a tavern/inn/brothel run by a Halfing woman named Heba, another down the long steps to the bottom of the cliff near the docks known as Port Arcanum acting as a tavern/inn mostly seeing sailors and the unsavory as customers run by a Tiefling woman named Augury, but kept in order by a Tabaxi man named Trax, another down a street in the Gilded Sands district known as Rengar's Retreat acting as a tavern and fighting arena run by a Goliath named Rengar, and another located near the Tower of Arcanum known as Witches Brew run by a Half-Elf man named Addarsh.
The Alunna Bazaar has many traveling merchants set up shop to sell a random assortment of goods for the upkeep of the citizens of Alluna. Several specialty shops line the streets of the market district, including tailors (The Favored Needle, Silks by Shani, Simply Elegant), smiths (Hammer and Helm, The Killing Blow), jewelers (All that Glitters, Najeem's), carpenters (Alluna Furnishings, Safe Travels, Shakir's Woodworks), book stores (The Looking Glass [Illusion, Transmutation, and Abjuration tomes], The Collectors Quill [Novels and Manuscripts]), magic shops (Amon's Apotheosis, Oddities and Artifacts), and fletchers (Hawk Eyes, The Mark).
There are three bath houses in Alunna. One in the Gilded Sands district by the temples known as Astra's Embrace, another in the East Gate district known as The Alunna Bath House, and another within the Temple District known as Lavender and Linen.
Guilds and Factions
The Scholars of Arcanum are the students that study under Mona and research Transmutation (up to level 9), Necromancy (up to level 7), and Conjuration (up to level 5) within the Tower of Arcanum. Most of them live in the Temple District and some even have jobs there.
The Children of the Cosmos are the priests and priestesses who work and maintain the The Court of Stars, where they hold their rituals and worship to their goddess Astra and her pantheon.
The Alunna Enforcers (aka The Enforcers), led by Layla Shala, Guild Branch Captain, a human woman, give out contracts to their guild members assigned to them by the Amonkhet authorities for wanted individuals and monsters. Others can also pay for a contract if they wish for a specific monster to be slain. The guild itself is headed by Kissa Hassan within the main guild hall in Oasiras.
The Sailors of Hanu, led by Hunar Khalil, a human man, do business on the docks as they recruit new dock hands and log shipping manifests.
History
Alunna was once just a commune of mages who shared their secrets and guided travelers through the waste. As time passed, people built homes and businesses near the mages and formed a city. The hostile creatures and environment tore down the people of Alunna, however. The old emperors of Amonkhet saw this and helped the city by building defenses and supplying an armed force to protect the people. With this, the city thrived and has become a jewel in the deserts of Amonkhet.
Points of interest
The Tower of Arcanum is the jewel of the city, standing high above all who live there. The temple to Astra and her consorts are a common building for all to visit when they pass through, as well.
Tourism
Many scholars travel here just for a chance to peek into the Tower of Arcanum and maybe even impress Mona enough to join her students. Others visit to see the temple of Astra and ask for guidance from the stars. A few come to simply see the beauty of the natural landscape and the awe inspiring architecture of the Tower of Arcanum.
Architecture
Sandstone and colorful mosaics are the primary material used for buildings here. Vibrant cloths are strung throughout the streets and act as temporary relief from the beating rays of the sun.
Geography
Built on a cliff that is held by a pillar of stone at the outer edge reaching down to the ocean below, The Tower of Arcanum extends high above the city and Hanu Sea at the edge of said cliff. The city is located atop the arch while a stone cut path leads down below into the docks located between the mainland and the pillar that seems to be a natural extension to the Tower of Arcanum. The days are hot, but the nights bring a frigid wind from the Hanu Sea. The winds of the night are present during the day, but are only really felt down below in the docks.
Natural Resources
Iron, Stone, Gold, Copper, Salt, and Fish
Founding Date
763 BR
Alternative Name(s)
The City of Witches
Type
Large city
Population
10k
Inhabitant Demonym
Alunnans
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
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