Doljinaar, City of Kings

Written by jlficks

Doljinaar, City of the Kings, is capital of the united human nation of the same well renowned name. The capital is considered a wonder of the world. Capital Doljinaar, sometimes called Ten Cities, is divided into ten massive districts. Each district is the size of a massive metropolis, clustered tightly together side by side. Some even boast the entire capital is the size of a small country, which isn't far from the truth since the early nation of Doljinaar once took up the entire southwestern most tip of Sylvane, over which the massive city has been built. In fact, all the ancient Doljinn lands have been paved over, removing even the Old Kingswood due to the constant never-ending expansions of the city.

Capital Doljinaar is the seat of the White Throne and was founded by High King Doljinn himself, who was the first to dream of a single united kingdom of men. The White Throne has been held by over a dozen kings, who have for the most part, enjoyed long and prosperous rules. Doljinaar's walls are two-hundred feet high and said to be too high for any siege engine. Doljinaar is surrounded by ocean on three sides, having a long winding pass called the Trail of Majesty as the only land-based entrance into the capital. Statues of the Ascended Kings have been erected on either side of the Trail of Majesty said to strike down any trespasser. Doljinaar has three huge ports by which traders, sailors and refugees enter by the thousands, since Doljinaar is considered the light of the nations.

Demographics

Doljinaar is the second most frequented trade city in the kingdom, behind only Kurn in terms of its rich diversity and world famous trade markets. However, Doljinaar is the true political center of the kingdom. It houses both the Royal Palace and the Imperium. The upper class districts are dominated by pureblooded Doljinns and the rich, living in the wealthier districts such as the Hugrand District, Kingswood District and the Mydrian District, also known as the Royal District. Many clans of men can be found here, but the Durnish, Haradrik and Vespuvians, all have their own Districts. Even the half-breed Dwarmen have earned a district of their own through their brilliant craftsmanship and clever inventions. Elegant Elvish ships can often be sighted in these waters bearing goods from Jui-Rae. Slums can be found in most districts of the capital, but the Arodius District is by far the poorest and most overcrowded. The Arodius District is well known for its famous trade markets, though the once famous Mage Markets lay abandoned after the abolishment of magic in Doljinaar. The Darum District used to be a series of small rocky isles and coastal sea, after the capital ran out of room and builders were forced to expand southward into the Duvildarum Waterways.

Defences

Doljinaar's two hundred foot walls are said to be impenetrable, manned by archers, catapults and modified ballista capable of shooting down dragons. The capital city is surrounded by sea on 3 sides and its walls are built on giant sheer cliffs. Siege towers are too short and impossible to use against the sheer rocky seaside walls of the capital, providing both a manmade and natural defense. This would force potential sieges to use warships in the efforts to mount a three-hundred to four-hundred foot escalade on unsteady coastal tides, a recipe for disaster for any invading army.

The only land route into Capital Doljinaar is through the Trail of Majesty, which passes through the Jaril Mountains just north of the city, but it is an extremely well guarded pass which winds through the mountains for miles. Not only is it filled with countless watchtowers and murder holes, but it is even said the ascendent spirits of the ancient kings still watch over the pass. Any enemy or night mortal who dares risk the pass will die under a hail of arrows. The Trail of Majesty would also press any army into a booby-trapped bottle-neck, which can be converted into a kill zone and so no army has ever dared attack Doljinaar through this mountain pass. The impregnable defenses of Capital Doljinaar have largely prevented any major attack in centuries, causing the world of men to grow fat and complacent. Most night mortals have hardly been able to even get close to the capital in over a thousand years. In especially cold winters when the Duvildarum Waterways freeze over, unsuccessful raids of ice barbarians, from the frozen continent of Witherglace to the south, try to attack the capital, but are easily repelled by the thousands. Yet the Dwarves who live deep underground beneath the western surface world, warn that the so call invincible human capital is vulnerable by what has come to be known as the Doljinaar Catacombs buried deep below the city. They say forgotten passages lie deep underground connecting to the vast Underrealms, which lie beneath the great continent of Sylvane. The underground city ruins have become infested with rats, Welves and far worse, according to the grumbling of Dwarves. Dwarves also claim it is their blood that buys Doljinaar additional safety and security from other foes and blacker more evil things that lurk in the deep, dark caverns far below...

Art by Nestor Cruz

Infrastructure

Doljinaar's constant expansions and building over has granted it several very unique characteristics. Firstly, as districts were added to the capital, old city walls were converted into curtain walls, hundreds of feet high. This gives the feeling that the city walls constantly dwarf the city and that each district is a city onto itself with its own unique culture, architecture and personality.

Moreover, Doljinaar has been built over upon itself again and again for thousands of years. In fact, in many cases old sections of cities were roofed over multiple times, paving new city streets above which resulted in multiple buried levels beneath the city. This came to be known as the Doljinaar Catacombs. Cities upon cities buried beneath the feet of the unknowing citizens above. The lowest levels have been flooded with seawater, but there are stories upon stories of ruins below, where dark things lurk, long forgotten by the complacent people of Doljinaar.