Hasdria
Hasdria, named after its founder, is the primary trade hub across the Hasdriac Sea.
As the ship draws near to Hasdria, you see a shimmering slice of warm bronze pierce the horizon. You pass rising hills covered with buildings, glowing gold in the bright midday sun. Atop one hill you see the many cerulean domes of the Al-Madrasa towering over the surrounding neighborhood. Your ship pulls into harbor and docks as the smell of salt carries off the sea with you, and is immediately met with the vibrant air of spice and sand. The bustle of the teeming metropolis echoes behind the immediate activity of the docks; from dockhands sweating in the beating sun to wealthy merchants haggling prices while their ships are unloaded. You see spiraling towers as they pierce the sky across the city; the closest of which is set at the center of the Grand Bazaar.
The Great City of Hasdria was founded as a trading post between the kingdom of Cyndrilia and the city of Kathroku. Since its founding, the city has become the premier trading location across the world, with traders from all corners of Luna traveling to Hasdria to reap the rewards of their labor. The Grand Bazaar was constructed near the city docks to ensure ample space for traders while consolidating merchant interests to one centralized locale. The Bazaar is a sprawling complex of several buildings and tented pathways to create an indoor/outdoor marketplace, creating a veritable labyrinth of walkways and shopfronts for merchants to peddle their wares. The most famous area of the Bazaar is the long alleyway known as Spice Row. Initially a collection of spice merchants from across the world, the current connoisseurs of Spice Row also include herbalists and substance traders in addition to their expanded selection of spice vendors. The more illicit of substances, while not expressly illegal, are almost never advertised under strong encouragement from the Lyyng'haran Council of Seven.
Tucked between two traders which specialize in substances of delicate and altering natures is the secret entrance to the antechamber of Kei Lummennura, proprietor and patron of the Gold Gardens.
In the southeast section of the city, the Muhadib District houses the Haradu Palace; where the Lyyng'haran Council of Seven lives and serves as the autocratic ruling body of the Nation-State of Lyyng'hara. The Haradu Palace rises high above the city, perched on a hill overlooking the surrounding plains beyond the walls and the bay leading out to the Hasdriac Sea. The approach to the Haradu is impressive, a winding pathway leading through a lush network of gardens; and only surpassed by the sight of the Haradu Palace itself. A long courtyard with marble paths through a modest open garden flanked by wings of the Palace, directing the eye toward the high arch entrance to the main Palace at the far end of the courtyard. The whole structure is a striking warm alabaster with accents of gold trimming and cerulean mandalas emblazoned on walls throughout the Palace. The main building stands taller than the wings and two towers of different heights sprout from the domed roof. The courtyard is often used by Trenarchs and foreign dignitaries alike for relaxation and casual meetings. Throughout the Palace complex, adorned in garb both impressive and subtle so as to disguise their appearance unless being directly regarded, the Huraas Haradu stand vigilant at the ready to protect the Palace against all foes.
Hasdria boasts the most comprehensive collection of scholarly knowledge at the Hasdria Al-Madrasa. The Al-Madrasa is an ornate and expansive place of learning and knowledge, making the city a place of congregation for many of the world's wizards, sages, and scholars. Visible from ships as they sail into port, the many buildings that comprise the Al-Madrasa are capped with a towering cerulean dome adorned with gold accents. Here there are separate buildings that house each school of wizardry, as well as a massive Arcanatoreum and an extensive library that houses the Anthology of Recorded History.
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