Arlesciatre (Ar - Leh - Sheea - Treh)
Arlesciatre is, without a doubt, the largest and grandest city in the world. Built in and on the bones of a dead titan, the Bones is a hive of culture and commerce, of corruption and disease. the seat of Akroni power.
The ruling house of Arlesciatre is the House of Haingaing. Immigrating from Xixuegui in 5788 DS, they gained a great deal of influence when they helped finance the construction of the Titan's City. It wasn't until a peasant uprising (that they helped provoke and led) placed the family in command of the city. Overall, they have proven fairly egalitarian leaders, their main concern is keeping control of the city and keeping it functioning. The city's treasury is their treasury, so as of now, their finances aren't great. They also have a Strati supremacy and favoritism problem, sending the most funding to state communities. It isn't prohibitive, but it is noticeable.
The biggest contender for the title of ruler of Arlesciatre is the Drow House of Perekh, distant relatives of the Khul House of Pekh. A few ancestors of theirs had married into the Haingaing line, granting them legitimacy, and the current Matriarch is exceedingly ambitious. She expanded Perekh control from a small fortress in the Skull to control several of the left ribcages in their entirety. IN the controlled territory, the Arlen Guard had been replaced with her private army, but for at public utilities. They very much want control of the city, and the Haingaing exterminated. However, low public support has kept them from reaching this position, as the Haingaing have remained exceedingly popular with both the populace, the Arlen Guard, and the criminal elements of the city. Their arm is also stretched very thin, so a military coup would be impossible.
The House of Lumiko is the third largest aristocratic power in the city. They have generally remained aligned with the Haingaing, however, should this change, the Haingaing would face serious challenges to their power. The current house Patriarch, a Dragonborn named Arjun Olan, is a cautious man. He has spent most of his tenure consolidating Lumiko control over their territory in the high vertebrae, as well as in the pelvis docks. Their goal is security for the family, as they, unlike most of the aristocracy, act like a family.
The Capi di la Madre is the current ruling organization in Tedua Ler. They're old friends with the Haingaing, and a beneficial relationship has been maintained, where the Capi can do as they please, running their quarter as an independent entity, so long as they obey the ruling family, and control the crime. Control does not mean curtailing but keeping it away from the aristocracy and anyone sponsored by them. This creates a dual authority system, where the crooks in the city pay heed to the Capa, while the legitimate elements (of which there are far more), swear to the Duke at the Breastbone. The Capa is currently facing an insurrection, however, as several other gangs and crime families try to seize power from the current Capa Vittorio Umberto.
The Arkonaut Corporation, as ever, has its claws in Arlesciatre politics. Largely, they support the more corporatist factions, get themselves research grants, and reduce regulations. The Arkonaut Corporation will support whoever gets them the above.
The Civil Service Guild is a corporation made up of the mages who created and run the public service works such as the sewer systems, waterfalls, and artificial suns that keep Arlesciatre living. Largely complacent, should an exceptionally greedy mage come to power, they could destroy the city by overcharging for the guilds prices. For now, they sit as a looming, but not yet present, threat.
The Arlen Guard is a large army of guards and police who patrol and enforce the massive city. Nominally loyal to the city throne, not the person who sits on it, the Haingaing have maintained control by keeping the guard personally loyal to them. This has been necessary, due to the Guard's opposition to the mere existence of the Capi di la Madre as a recognized (not explicitly but in practice) authority. Without these measures, should a rebellion occur, the Guard would likely do little more than protect public services. Should they be turned against the ruling family, it is likely a rebellion would occur.
Factions
The ruling house of Arlesciatre is the House of Haingaing. Immigrating from Xixuegui in 5788 DS, they gained a great deal of influence when they helped finance the construction of the Titan's City. It wasn't until a peasant uprising (that they helped provoke and led) placed the family in command of the city. Overall, they have proven fairly egalitarian leaders, their main concern is keeping control of the city and keeping it functioning. The city's treasury is their treasury, so as of now, their finances aren't great. They also have a Strati supremacy and favoritism problem, sending the most funding to state communities. It isn't prohibitive, but it is noticeable.
The biggest contender for the title of ruler of Arlesciatre is the Drow House of Perekh, distant relatives of the Khul House of Pekh. A few ancestors of theirs had married into the Haingaing line, granting them legitimacy, and the current Matriarch is exceedingly ambitious. She expanded Perekh control from a small fortress in the Skull to control several of the left ribcages in their entirety. IN the controlled territory, the Arlen Guard had been replaced with her private army, but for at public utilities. They very much want control of the city, and the Haingaing exterminated. However, low public support has kept them from reaching this position, as the Haingaing have remained exceedingly popular with both the populace, the Arlen Guard, and the criminal elements of the city. Their arm is also stretched very thin, so a military coup would be impossible.
The House of Lumiko is the third largest aristocratic power in the city. They have generally remained aligned with the Haingaing, however, should this change, the Haingaing would face serious challenges to their power. The current house Patriarch, a Dragonborn named Arjun Olan, is a cautious man. He has spent most of his tenure consolidating Lumiko control over their territory in the high vertebrae, as well as in the pelvis docks. Their goal is security for the family, as they, unlike most of the aristocracy, act like a family.
The Capi di la Madre is the current ruling organization in Tedua Ler. They're old friends with the Haingaing, and a beneficial relationship has been maintained, where the Capi can do as they please, running their quarter as an independent entity, so long as they obey the ruling family, and control the crime. Control does not mean curtailing but keeping it away from the aristocracy and anyone sponsored by them. This creates a dual authority system, where the crooks in the city pay heed to the Capa, while the legitimate elements (of which there are far more), swear to the Duke at the Breastbone. The Capa is currently facing an insurrection, however, as several other gangs and crime families try to seize power from the current Capa Vittorio Umberto.
The Arkonaut Corporation, as ever, has its claws in Arlesciatre politics. Largely, they support the more corporatist factions, get themselves research grants, and reduce regulations. The Arkonaut Corporation will support whoever gets them the above.
The Civil Service Guild is a corporation made up of the mages who created and run the public service works such as the sewer systems, waterfalls, and artificial suns that keep Arlesciatre living. Largely complacent, should an exceptionally greedy mage come to power, they could destroy the city by overcharging for the guilds prices. For now, they sit as a looming, but not yet present, threat.
The Arlen Guard is a large army of guards and police who patrol and enforce the massive city. Nominally loyal to the city throne, not the person who sits on it, the Haingaing have maintained control by keeping the guard personally loyal to them. This has been necessary, due to the Guard's opposition to the mere existence of the Capi di la Madre as a recognized (not explicitly but in practice) authority. Without these measures, should a rebellion occur, the Guard would likely do little more than protect public services. Should they be turned against the ruling family, it is likely a rebellion would occur.
Geography
Arlesciatre is a city built on the decomposed corpse of a titanic humanoid creature. The body rests on a mountain range, leaning on the earth while "standing" in a man-made sinkhole. Its head reaches close to 5000 meters above sea level, while its feet are theorized to be 5714 meters below sea level, assuming the titan follows Human male body proportions. The body had fossilized, having become part of the stone, for at least several millennia by the time the first settlements appeared on it. The arms, however, are missing. Now, the city is divided into quarters, boroughs, and neighborhoods based on the area of the titan's body. Some of the most famous will be listed below.
The Skull is where most of the nobility and the universities reside. The richest at the top, the poorest at the bottom, were it intentional, the symbolism would be quite blunt. However, this came about due to worker strikes and peasant revolutions in the old noble quarter forcing them to flee upward. Access to the skull for those of the "lower classes" is difficult to receive, as none but the aristocracy live in the uppermost parts of the skull. The lower sector is home to the universities. This was intentional, being established in the brain of the titan. The Arkonaut College can be found here.
The Pelvis is the most famous of the city's merchant districts. A settlement so massive needs several, however, most Overland foreign imports come in through the upper pelvis, before being filtered out to the rest of the city. Many of the richest merchants make their homes and bases here, only slightly resentful about their relegation away from the Skull, despite holding more influence than much of the aristocracy. Foreigners are also most likely to find themselves here, resulting in this borough being a shining example of the city's diversity.
The Breastbone is the seat of local power, as well as of the Akroni Confederacy. The entire area is a diplomatic quarter, with most buildings being built on the surface of the bone to provide a view of the surrounding landscape. The residences here are all massive mansions, aristocrats who don't want to reside or are not wanted in the Skull.
Castletown is a quarter on the seventh vertebrae up from the sacrum and is entirely a series of castles and fortifications. It serves as a home and headquarters for the city's police forces, the Arlen Guard, which is larger than many of the armies Akroni client states can muster. The city itself has a larger output than a good quarter of all the client states put together, as massive as it is. Castletown is the last place a criminal would ever want to find themself, being surrounded by guards, inside a labyrinth with no escape.
Kneehome is a quarter situated on the left kneecap of the titan. It serves as the main port in and out of the Sotteran. It is actually a far more law abiding place than the pelvis, however, whether the increased guard presence is to credit, or the inhabitants simply being more moral is for others to judge, Regardless, Kneehome is effectively the pelvis but for the Sotteran, so much of the foreign cuisine and influence is that of the Duergar or Dragonborn.
The Tedua Ler is the aptly named Crime Quarter. The name is a direct translation from an archaic form of Gui Biaozhun, so most tourists don't realize it until their coin purses are already gone. Such a blatant slap in the face of the Arlen Guard's authority exists solely due to politicking by the current Capa of the quarter, with the ruling house of Arlesciatre, as well as an outstandingly friendly history between the two families. The Quarter is built on the right Thighbone of the titan, taking up the middle third. A large borough, all things considered. There are several known, and several dozen more suspected, entrances to the Sotteran in this quarter, most manmade.
It is worth noting that the city isn't simply a series of shanty houses built hanging from the skeleton. The skeleton fossilized, becoming part of the mountain, so much of it is still uncovered, including everything above the upper left shinbone and lower right thighbone. Spaces are carved out as needed, and very little of the inside is hollow. Settlement inside the bones themselves is varied. The upper bones have largely been hollowed out, the marrow extracted. The lower bones, by contrast, still have mining operations going. Most of it is filled with settlement and industry. The architecture varies from quarter to quarter, sometimes even street to street, however, the most common style is gothic cathedral. Here is a view from inside one of the upper ribcages.
The Skull is where most of the nobility and the universities reside. The richest at the top, the poorest at the bottom, were it intentional, the symbolism would be quite blunt. However, this came about due to worker strikes and peasant revolutions in the old noble quarter forcing them to flee upward. Access to the skull for those of the "lower classes" is difficult to receive, as none but the aristocracy live in the uppermost parts of the skull. The lower sector is home to the universities. This was intentional, being established in the brain of the titan. The Arkonaut College can be found here.
The Pelvis is the most famous of the city's merchant districts. A settlement so massive needs several, however, most Overland foreign imports come in through the upper pelvis, before being filtered out to the rest of the city. Many of the richest merchants make their homes and bases here, only slightly resentful about their relegation away from the Skull, despite holding more influence than much of the aristocracy. Foreigners are also most likely to find themselves here, resulting in this borough being a shining example of the city's diversity.
The Breastbone is the seat of local power, as well as of the Akroni Confederacy. The entire area is a diplomatic quarter, with most buildings being built on the surface of the bone to provide a view of the surrounding landscape. The residences here are all massive mansions, aristocrats who don't want to reside or are not wanted in the Skull.
Castletown is a quarter on the seventh vertebrae up from the sacrum and is entirely a series of castles and fortifications. It serves as a home and headquarters for the city's police forces, the Arlen Guard, which is larger than many of the armies Akroni client states can muster. The city itself has a larger output than a good quarter of all the client states put together, as massive as it is. Castletown is the last place a criminal would ever want to find themself, being surrounded by guards, inside a labyrinth with no escape.
Kneehome is a quarter situated on the left kneecap of the titan. It serves as the main port in and out of the Sotteran. It is actually a far more law abiding place than the pelvis, however, whether the increased guard presence is to credit, or the inhabitants simply being more moral is for others to judge, Regardless, Kneehome is effectively the pelvis but for the Sotteran, so much of the foreign cuisine and influence is that of the Duergar or Dragonborn.
The Tedua Ler is the aptly named Crime Quarter. The name is a direct translation from an archaic form of Gui Biaozhun, so most tourists don't realize it until their coin purses are already gone. Such a blatant slap in the face of the Arlen Guard's authority exists solely due to politicking by the current Capa of the quarter, with the ruling house of Arlesciatre, as well as an outstandingly friendly history between the two families. The Quarter is built on the right Thighbone of the titan, taking up the middle third. A large borough, all things considered. There are several known, and several dozen more suspected, entrances to the Sotteran in this quarter, most manmade.
It is worth noting that the city isn't simply a series of shanty houses built hanging from the skeleton. The skeleton fossilized, becoming part of the mountain, so much of it is still uncovered, including everything above the upper left shinbone and lower right thighbone. Spaces are carved out as needed, and very little of the inside is hollow. Settlement inside the bones themselves is varied. The upper bones have largely been hollowed out, the marrow extracted. The lower bones, by contrast, still have mining operations going. Most of it is filled with settlement and industry. The architecture varies from quarter to quarter, sometimes even street to street, however, the most common style is gothic cathedral. Here is a view from inside one of the upper ribcages.
Natural Resources
The main unique resource to come out of Arlesciatre is known as the Titan's marrow. Due to its necessity in keeping the population of the city alive, it is rarely found outside the city. It is mined form the inside of the bones. The marrow, in its current, fossilized state, when crushed and mixed with dirt, sand, or any other similar matter, makes the land immediately arable. Produce grown from it is exceptionally huge and ripe. As such, every household, building, or borough, however that quarter deals out food, needs to have a stockpile and garden to create and provide food with. The amount of arable land required to keep everyone in the city fed is insane, so this provides a good solution. Despite this, food still needs to be imported at a massive rate to keep the city fed.
History
Arlesciatre was settled by several different groups in prehistory, however, they came and went, with very few actually staying, and no large settlements popping up anywhere on the titan. After the formation fo the Akroni Confederacy, large scale settlement started. Several small-scale wars have erupted in the city, and it has seen steady population growth, despite the perils of living in the city. It has never been sieged by a non-Akroni force, and never been conquered either.
Tourism
The tourism industry is massive, as people from around all of Diyu come to visit and marvel at the largest city in existence. Many others claim that title, Otanli and the great cities of the Dead Empire among them. However, even their majesty pales in comparison to Arlesciatre. Notable sites include the grand universities in the skull, the seat of confederate power in the Breastbone, and the Pelvis and Kneecap for their wide variety of influences, cuisines, and goods available. Even Tedua Ler gets recommended often as a prime visiting location, despite the quality of amenities and fact that most tourists leave without their coinpurses.
Quality of Life
The city, as with most cities in this age, is rife with disease and death. It is massively overcrowded, and reliable food is difficult to come by. Water is plentiful in the city, but only because of engineering projects that were started after mass rebellions and protests. The freely accessible waterfalls, connected to a production facility at the skull where mages work day and night to create water, are the most secure parts of the city, except Castletown, the Breastbone, and the Skull. The thankless job of protecting access to the resources falls to the Arlen Guard, which despite its size is still stretched thin across the massive city.Thankfully, disease is not as entirely rampant as it would otherwise be, thanks to waste disposal methods created and operated by mage guilds and corporations. However, their services carry hefty fee, and the Arlesciatre government is barely able to make ends meet, so to finance more public projects has dived head first into debt.
Alternative Name(s)
The Titan's City ; The Everdeep ; The Bones ;
Type
Natural Wonder
Included Organizations
Owning Organization
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