Arawat Stone Pyramid

The tiered structure of many of Arawat's towns and cities is often quite a surprise to visitors. Some say it was an artistic choice to reflect the islands of Droden, others claim it was a natural way to build up the settlement without having to expand outwards. Whichever may be true, the structure known as a stone pyramid is the heart of the design. Square houses made of grey and white stone form the building blocks of the pyramids, and they are stacked on top of each other with each layer smaller than the one below it. The exact details of the houses vary from pyramid to pyramid, but more than three layers is a rarity, and usually only the first level above the ground is connected, providing an upper walkway around the city.

Purpose / Function

Though the original reason for building in such a manner has been forgotten, the stone pyramids provide numerous benefits. Primarily, the upper levels provide open space in the cities without sacrificing room for more buildings on the lower level, while the ground level is more sheltered from the weather. The centres of the pyramids are also cool and dry, making them an ideal place to store food. Often, places of work will be found on the ground level, with the building and company owners having houses above it.

Architecture

The stone pyramids are made up of layers of small sections, constructed from bricks of white and grey stone found on Balura. Most of the individual buildings take up just one section, but larger structures can consist of multiple sections, even across different layers. At the first layer above the ground, wooden bridges between different pyramids have sometimes been put in place, and throughout the towns and cities where pyramids can be found, numerous stairways exist to provide access between layers. In some cities, notably Ranmau, the lowest levels of building are offset, so that the stairs are flush with the walls.