Emberholt
The Emberholt is one of a few bastions of law and order in Signr's Sprawl, an elemental realm of fire that leans more toward chaos than it does to order. It is a thriving settlement, built on nineteen hills surrounded by a tall obsidian wall known as Haðran's Divide, that plays host to a variety of creatures, both sapient and not, who possess some affinity for fire and the law and order that flourish within the walls. Built at the base of the Blackcrown, a thrumming nexus of the chaotic elemental energies of fire, the relative tranquility of the Emberholt is enforced and maintained by a mystical domain known as the Order of the Carmine Kings, which stems from the eponymous rulers of the city.1 O mighty mountain of molten blood and ashen hair
2 Thou sacred heart of mine cherished home
3 Take thee this libation of blood and tears
4 Upon thy black hallowed slopes
5 Grant this thine humble supplicant,
6 The strength of mighty Iðil,
7 The fire of vicious Magi,
8 And the strength of placid Bragm's Will
9 That this thine lowly servant,
10 Thy child of embers born
11 Might in my time of greatest need
12 Find a way back to mine home
Demographics
Despite being situated in the hostile landscape of Signr's Sprawl, the Emberholt boasts a surprising diversity in its sapient inhabitants, with both shardborn creatures and creatures from the mortal realm alike managing to live in relative harmony within its obsidian walls.
Eambrin, especially those aligned with the elemental energies of fire, require a degree of chaos to be born into the shardscape. As a result, very few of them actually came into being within the walls of the Emberholt as a direct result of the lack of chaos enforced by the Order of the Carmine Kings. However, many of the flameborn eambrin still call the city home. Newborn ones, especially those of a more lawful temperament, find themselves inexplicably drawn to the Emberholt — the likely result of their innate affinity for fire.
Similar to the eambrin, khendir are necessarily surrounded by chaotic energies at their birth as they come into being from reflections that are warped by negative emotion. While they are not attracted in any way to the Emberholt, because many of them are wanderers, many pass by the city on their way between the many different realms of the Shardscape, and of those, a small number who find the temperature comfortable might stay. As khendir by nature lean more toward chaos, some might bristle at the rule of law that governs the Emberholt, but a good number stay because it is a place that they can avoid the strange looks that they often get elsewhere.
The velherem are creatures who are naturally aligned with order as they are born from reflections warped by powerful positive emotion. Although generally they are not too fond of the near-oppressive heat of the Emberholt, many of them find reason to make lives in the city and make do with magical trinkets that help ward away most of the negative effects of their environment. Many of the velherem do so because the Emberholt is a relative comfort in the chaos that governs the rest of Signr's Sprawl, and the vastly more erratic wilds of the Shardscape beyond.
The Zenharim are spirits of fire, born out of mythology rather than the reflections of people. Myth alleges that they have the power to grant wishes, but the most respectable and reputable among them deny it. They are naturally drawn to the powerful beating heart of fire that resides within the Blackcrown, and many come to the city to ply their trades. A good number stay as a result of finding the lawfulness of the region amenable to business. For some, the mere fact that competition between vendors in the same market never reaches the point of violence is reason enough to stay.
The kuderash, reptilian creatures with an affinity for fire, are relative newcomers to the Emberholt. They rely on a constant source of lava for sustenance, as it is the only food that nourishes them properly. Originally existing as disparate tribes living in the wilder areas of the Emberholt, they have come to the city to avoid the hardships of life outside the obsidian walls, as well as for the nutrient-rich lava that flows unceasingly from the Blackcrown. In the intervening years since the first kuderash tribes came to be integrated into the society of the Emberholt, they have formed a warrior culture focused on merit, martial ability, and rank, and have proved to be staunch and dedicated defenders of the city.Tretâllë and Sylvari
Main Articles: Tretâllë & Sylvari
| Proportion | Demographic |
| 40% | Flameborn Eambrin |
| 25% | Khendir |
| 15% | Velherem |
| 5% | Zenharim |
| 4% | Kuderash |
| 3% | Sylvari |
| 2% | Arventiri |
| 2% | Tretallë |
| 2% | Others |
Eambrin
Main Article: EambrinEambrin, especially those aligned with the elemental energies of fire, require a degree of chaos to be born into the shardscape. As a result, very few of them actually came into being within the walls of the Emberholt as a direct result of the lack of chaos enforced by the Order of the Carmine Kings. However, many of the flameborn eambrin still call the city home. Newborn ones, especially those of a more lawful temperament, find themselves inexplicably drawn to the Emberholt — the likely result of their innate affinity for fire.
Khendir
Main Article: KhendirSimilar to the eambrin, khendir are necessarily surrounded by chaotic energies at their birth as they come into being from reflections that are warped by negative emotion. While they are not attracted in any way to the Emberholt, because many of them are wanderers, many pass by the city on their way between the many different realms of the Shardscape, and of those, a small number who find the temperature comfortable might stay. As khendir by nature lean more toward chaos, some might bristle at the rule of law that governs the Emberholt, but a good number stay because it is a place that they can avoid the strange looks that they often get elsewhere.
Velherem
Main Article: VelheremThe velherem are creatures who are naturally aligned with order as they are born from reflections warped by powerful positive emotion. Although generally they are not too fond of the near-oppressive heat of the Emberholt, many of them find reason to make lives in the city and make do with magical trinkets that help ward away most of the negative effects of their environment. Many of the velherem do so because the Emberholt is a relative comfort in the chaos that governs the rest of Signr's Sprawl, and the vastly more erratic wilds of the Shardscape beyond.
Zenharim
Main Article: ZenharimThe Zenharim are spirits of fire, born out of mythology rather than the reflections of people. Myth alleges that they have the power to grant wishes, but the most respectable and reputable among them deny it. They are naturally drawn to the powerful beating heart of fire that resides within the Blackcrown, and many come to the city to ply their trades. A good number stay as a result of finding the lawfulness of the region amenable to business. For some, the mere fact that competition between vendors in the same market never reaches the point of violence is reason enough to stay.
Kuderash
Main Article: KuderashThe kuderash, reptilian creatures with an affinity for fire, are relative newcomers to the Emberholt. They rely on a constant source of lava for sustenance, as it is the only food that nourishes them properly. Originally existing as disparate tribes living in the wilder areas of the Emberholt, they have come to the city to avoid the hardships of life outside the obsidian walls, as well as for the nutrient-rich lava that flows unceasingly from the Blackcrown. In the intervening years since the first kuderash tribes came to be integrated into the society of the Emberholt, they have formed a warrior culture focused on merit, martial ability, and rank, and have proved to be staunch and dedicated defenders of the city.
The Mortal Races
The signing of the Treaty of the Pale Flame, which made official a partnership between the Emberholt and the Dominion, has led to the growth of the once-tiny mortal population of the city.Tretâllë and Sylvari
Main Articles: Tretâllë & Sylvari
The tretâllë and sylvari who reside in the Emberholt are there mainly for administrative reasons. The hot, arid environment does not agree with the tretâllë, but like the velherem they make do with trinkets to help them adjust to the environment. They do not stay long and are cycled in and out of the Emberholt on a monthly basis, but a small number have decided to move to the city on more permanent terms.
The sylvari are more accustomed to living in volcanic regions and thus form the backbone of the administrative infrastructure of the Dominion in the city. Many find being stationed in the Emberholt reminiscent of their homeland, and a number of families have taken up residence in the city.
IstErinin and Arventiri
Main Articles: IstErinin & Arventiri
The erinin and the Arventiri that flock to the Emberholt on a semi-regular basis do so in the hopes of gleaning new insights about jewelry and metalcraft as the volcanic environment is very rich in metals and precious stones. Many of them stay on a semi-permanent basis as apprentices under artisans and smiths, learning what they can from the intuitive knowledge of the inhabitants of the Emberholt.
The erinin and the Arventiri that flock to the Emberholt on a semi-regular basis do so in the hopes of gleaning new insights about jewelry and metalcraft as the volcanic environment is very rich in metals and precious stones. Many of them stay on a semi-permanent basis as apprentices under artisans and smiths, learning what they can from the intuitive knowledge of the inhabitants of the Emberholt.
Government
Law and order are the two fundamental forces that guide the governance of the Emberholt, and as such, it should come as no surprise that the city is ruled by a rigid hierarchy defined by specific roles and duties. This system of governance has inevitably come to produce a towering bureaucracy, but the Emberholt remains a well-oiled machine as a result of the discipline that is ingrained in all of those that do work on behalf of the government. From the highest members of the royal court to the lowliest clerk serving a temporary position in one of the city's many offices, each person is expected to do their duty without hesitation, saving recreation for a time when it is appropriate.
At the top of the hierarchy of the Emberholt are the Carmine Kings. While they do not often play a direct hand in the workings of the city, they are looked to for guidance, judgment, and for final assent with regard to any laws that pass the scrutiny of the city's many lawmakers. They are largely removed from public life save for when their duties require them to be seen out and about. Despite this, the Carmine Kings play an important role in the very existence of the Emberholt. Together, the four Kings are able to combine, concentrate, and uphold their divine domains, creating a region of relative stability within the walls of the Emberholt and the immediate region. This mystical field is known as the Order of the Carmine Kings, and no matter how turbulent and erratic the energies that course through Signr's Sprawl might get outside of the Order, those within suffer little, if at all, from the effects. There are four Carmine Kings, and each is known by a different title as each one rules over a different aspect of the metaphysical concept of fire. No one of these titles is greater.
Known as the King of the Earthly Fire, the Veðr Dunna represents the fire that resides in the molten heat of volcanoes, that which melts rock and belches ash. The Ashen Goddess Noa'Ana, worshiped by the sylvari, is the deity that holds this title. She is the goddess of volcanoes and holds sway over the immensely destructive power that they hold within them. But she is also the protector of towns and villages that might be in the way of their violent emissions. Beyond these things, she also represents the fertility bestowed upon the land followed by a volcano's cataclysmic tantrum, that allows life to return, stronger than before, to the slopes.
King of the Forgefire, patron of all craftsmen and artisans in the Emberholt and overseer of its many giant foundries, is the Smith, one of the Nine deities of the tretâllë. He represents the fire of creativity and innovation, as well as the determination that burns in those that desire to create. He embodies the craft of taming fire, which is normally a rather destructive beast, to create beautiful works of art.
Known to the urkal as the Bright One, Arynnon Elethiem is the King of the Heavenly Fire. Titled the Thundering One and the Summer Tempest, he not only governs the scintillating sheets of lightning that course through the dark and roiling clouds of thunderstorms, but he also represents the raging wildfires that follow long periods of drought, often started by lightning. The title of Veðr Tuma is his to hold because his fires, while destructive and unpredictable, pave the way for the return of order to a chaotic world. He is the god of the cleansing fire.
The true dragons are not beholden to any deities, but in the shared myths of their people, there is one dragon, born of the light of the stars, with whom they align themselves. Known only by the title of Great Giver, the King of the Celestial Fire is also known as the Nameless One, He-Who-Gives-Without-Asking, the Eye of Day, and the Great Golden Disc. He embodies the sun and its light, representing the calming, nurturing warmth of the sun that allows civilization to flourish and crops to grow. He is the benevolent celestial light without which order cannot survive.
Below the Carmine Kings is the Lohjrin Assembly, acting as the primary administrative body of the Emberholt. Its constituent departments are dedicated to the governance, maintenance, and preservation of the city.
Occasionally, the Carmine Kings elevate one of their exceptional subjects to a position that is the rough equivalent of nobility in the Emberholt. Through this process, they incentivize the type of exemplary, disciplined behavior that they wish to see in their citizenry. These lucky subjects, along with their immediate families, receive not only accolades, but a privileged position in the social hierarchy of the Emberholt should they accept their appointment. These individuals, and their families, also enjoy economic privileges and receive an education in how to best manage and utilize the wealth that comes with their new position. However, to become a noble in the Emberholt also means taking on a mantle of responsibility. Each noble must pledge allegiance to the Carmine Kings, to the Emberholt itself, and, since the signing of the Treaty of the Pale Flame, the Pale Imperator and the Stranger. They must pledge their lives and the considerable resources to which they will have access to the preservation and defense of the principles and way of life represented by their liege lords. Each noble family is expected to field a military force, no matter how modest, and as such they are known as the Banners.
With the economic and social privileges that come with Bannerhoold, the noble families of the Emberholt have the power to propose laws to the Chorus, either directly, or as the patron of a private citizen or group of private citizens. However, conspiracy between the Banners and members of the Chorus is viewed as a potential source of corruption and as such, stringent rules govern the interactions between the Banners and the Chorus. The first and foremost rule is communication between members of the Chorus and the Banners. That is, neither party in any communication must be aware of the identity of the other. However, this proved a significant hurdle to any negotiations between the two groups, and to help things along the Hyltria were conceived. Occasionally, typically at the behest of the Banners, but always with the consent of the other party, a Hyltr is held. Hyltria are masquerades during which members of the Chorus and the Banners alike wear masks enchanted to disguise all other attendants as indiscernible ashen figures except for the masks which indicate whether a person is a member of the Chorus or a Banner. During Hyltria, Banners approach members of the Chorus with their proposals. Hyltria are an exercise in diplomacy and rhetoric, and can sometimes act as a miniaturized version of the clashes that transpire in the chambers of the Chorus. Banners often act as the Advocates, and members of the Chorus, regardless of their political alignment, are encouraged to act as Adversaries. During this time, any Banner that wishes to put a proposal before the entirety of the Chorus must do two things: argue the merits of their case, and gamer support for their proposal, typically by finding a sponsor. At the end of any given Hyltr, any proposals that find sponsorships are put before a preliminary committee hearing where initial arguments are heard and an impartial panel decides whether to put the proposal before the entirety of the Chorus.
The Carmine Kings
Main Article: Carmine KingsAt the top of the hierarchy of the Emberholt are the Carmine Kings. While they do not often play a direct hand in the workings of the city, they are looked to for guidance, judgment, and for final assent with regard to any laws that pass the scrutiny of the city's many lawmakers. They are largely removed from public life save for when their duties require them to be seen out and about. Despite this, the Carmine Kings play an important role in the very existence of the Emberholt. Together, the four Kings are able to combine, concentrate, and uphold their divine domains, creating a region of relative stability within the walls of the Emberholt and the immediate region. This mystical field is known as the Order of the Carmine Kings, and no matter how turbulent and erratic the energies that course through Signr's Sprawl might get outside of the Order, those within suffer little, if at all, from the effects. There are four Carmine Kings, and each is known by a different title as each one rules over a different aspect of the metaphysical concept of fire. No one of these titles is greater.
Veðr Dunna
Main Article: Noa'AnaKnown as the King of the Earthly Fire, the Veðr Dunna represents the fire that resides in the molten heat of volcanoes, that which melts rock and belches ash. The Ashen Goddess Noa'Ana, worshiped by the sylvari, is the deity that holds this title. She is the goddess of volcanoes and holds sway over the immensely destructive power that they hold within them. But she is also the protector of towns and villages that might be in the way of their violent emissions. Beyond these things, she also represents the fertility bestowed upon the land followed by a volcano's cataclysmic tantrum, that allows life to return, stronger than before, to the slopes.
Veðr Kona
Main Article: The SmithKing of the Forgefire, patron of all craftsmen and artisans in the Emberholt and overseer of its many giant foundries, is the Smith, one of the Nine deities of the tretâllë. He represents the fire of creativity and innovation, as well as the determination that burns in those that desire to create. He embodies the craft of taming fire, which is normally a rather destructive beast, to create beautiful works of art.
Veðr Tuma
Main Article: Arynnon ElethiemKnown to the urkal as the Bright One, Arynnon Elethiem is the King of the Heavenly Fire. Titled the Thundering One and the Summer Tempest, he not only governs the scintillating sheets of lightning that course through the dark and roiling clouds of thunderstorms, but he also represents the raging wildfires that follow long periods of drought, often started by lightning. The title of Veðr Tuma is his to hold because his fires, while destructive and unpredictable, pave the way for the return of order to a chaotic world. He is the god of the cleansing fire.
Veðr Osðr
Main Article: The Great GiverThe true dragons are not beholden to any deities, but in the shared myths of their people, there is one dragon, born of the light of the stars, with whom they align themselves. Known only by the title of Great Giver, the King of the Celestial Fire is also known as the Nameless One, He-Who-Gives-Without-Asking, the Eye of Day, and the Great Golden Disc. He embodies the sun and its light, representing the calming, nurturing warmth of the sun that allows civilization to flourish and crops to grow. He is the benevolent celestial light without which order cannot survive.
The Lohjrin Assembly
Main Article: Lohjrin AssemblyBelow the Carmine Kings is the Lohjrin Assembly, acting as the primary administrative body of the Emberholt. Its constituent departments are dedicated to the governance, maintenance, and preservation of the city.
The Stewards
The Lohjrin Stewards are in charge of the economy and maintenance of the city. The chairman of this sub-branch of the Lohjrin Assembly is known as the Curator. The Stewards are tasked with ensuring that commerce transpires with the proper governmental oversight and are responsible with ensuring the smoothness of trade between all involved parties. Apart from this, they are also vital to the continued functioning of the city, employing a cadre of experts ranging from botanists who ensure the health of the crops in the Blistered Garden to engineers that oversee the work done by the water extractors in the Mudtracks. The Stewards also supervise a task force of custodians who are in charge of clearing the streets of ashfall, lighting and extinguishing the streetlamps, as well as some of the "dirtier" jobs necessary for the operation of the city.The Preservers
Chaired by the Blackspear, the Lohjrin Preservers are tasked with maintaining the rule of law in the Emberholt. Largely comprised of kuderash, partially because of their innate resilience and warrior spirit, but also because they are likely to be the best adapted to protracted sieges of the city, the Preservers also man the defense of the Emberholt. The long stretches of the wall between the Hours swarm with the forces of the Preservers and while they may appear to be somewhat disorganized at a glance, there is an underlying order to their movements, and they can quickly organize into a formidable force once the command is given.The Chorus
The Lohjrin Chorus is the only elected body of the Emberholt, and its primary function is to argue the merits of the body of laws that govern the city, as well as to deliberate on the merits of adding new legislation whenever it is proposed. The adversarial system that comprises the Chorus is presided over by the First Orator. Each piece of legislation or topic of deliberation that is brought before the Chorus is discussed between two parties. Each is represented by one individual or a small group of individuals who will be deemed the Advocate/s or the Adversary/ies. A third party comprised of the moderates can participate in the discussions, but this is uncommon. In addition to the legislative function served by the Chorus, it also serves as the highest court of the land, in charge of hearing cases as well as appointing and confirming judges and officers who serve in the lower judiciary for each district of the Emberholt.The Banners
Main Article: The BannersOccasionally, the Carmine Kings elevate one of their exceptional subjects to a position that is the rough equivalent of nobility in the Emberholt. Through this process, they incentivize the type of exemplary, disciplined behavior that they wish to see in their citizenry. These lucky subjects, along with their immediate families, receive not only accolades, but a privileged position in the social hierarchy of the Emberholt should they accept their appointment. These individuals, and their families, also enjoy economic privileges and receive an education in how to best manage and utilize the wealth that comes with their new position. However, to become a noble in the Emberholt also means taking on a mantle of responsibility. Each noble must pledge allegiance to the Carmine Kings, to the Emberholt itself, and, since the signing of the Treaty of the Pale Flame, the Pale Imperator and the Stranger. They must pledge their lives and the considerable resources to which they will have access to the preservation and defense of the principles and way of life represented by their liege lords. Each noble family is expected to field a military force, no matter how modest, and as such they are known as the Banners.
The Hyltria
Main Article: The HyltriaWith the economic and social privileges that come with Bannerhoold, the noble families of the Emberholt have the power to propose laws to the Chorus, either directly, or as the patron of a private citizen or group of private citizens. However, conspiracy between the Banners and members of the Chorus is viewed as a potential source of corruption and as such, stringent rules govern the interactions between the Banners and the Chorus. The first and foremost rule is communication between members of the Chorus and the Banners. That is, neither party in any communication must be aware of the identity of the other. However, this proved a significant hurdle to any negotiations between the two groups, and to help things along the Hyltria were conceived. Occasionally, typically at the behest of the Banners, but always with the consent of the other party, a Hyltr is held. Hyltria are masquerades during which members of the Chorus and the Banners alike wear masks enchanted to disguise all other attendants as indiscernible ashen figures except for the masks which indicate whether a person is a member of the Chorus or a Banner. During Hyltria, Banners approach members of the Chorus with their proposals. Hyltria are an exercise in diplomacy and rhetoric, and can sometimes act as a miniaturized version of the clashes that transpire in the chambers of the Chorus. Banners often act as the Advocates, and members of the Chorus, regardless of their political alignment, are encouraged to act as Adversaries. During this time, any Banner that wishes to put a proposal before the entirety of the Chorus must do two things: argue the merits of their case, and gamer support for their proposal, typically by finding a sponsor. At the end of any given Hyltr, any proposals that find sponsorships are put before a preliminary committee hearing where initial arguments are heard and an impartial panel decides whether to put the proposal before the entirety of the Chorus.
Defences
The Emberholt is surrounded on its eastern, western, and northern sides by the enchanted obsidian wall known as Haðran's Divide. Its southern edge is bounded and protected by the hallowed slopes of the Blackcrown itself, ensuring that none but the most foolhardy of enemies would attack the city from the south.
Along the arc of the wall are four imposing citadels, each the seat of one of the four Carmine Kings that govern the city. Each fortress is equipped with a standing army that is trained to repel attacks on the section of wall that it is responsible for. The majority of the city's defensive forces is comprised by kuderash, who are capable of surviving on a diet of fresh lava alone, making the Emberholt nearly impossible to siege due to the constant supply of lava that flows from the Blackcrown. If there is need for additional military support, the Carmine Kings are capable of summoning elemental servants to bolster their forces.
At regular intervals between the Hours are guard towers. These serve as weapons repositories as well as points of defense along the wall. Each tower is equipped with four ballistae, two facing outward and two facing inward. The ballistae are meant to be used against larger foes, as well as ones that take to the sky. There is ample space atop the wall for archers, and arrowslits to facilitate firing arrows down on enemies that might get to the base of the wall. In addition, there are channels built into the structure itself to aid in raining hot oil or boiling tar down on enemies below.
Marking a perimeter 100 feet from the base of the wall is an underground tunnel filled with barrels of explosive tarwood sap. Normally flooded with inert gas, the tunnel is rigged to explode and collapse when the gas is vented and a fire is started inside, creating a moat that will either deter attackers, deal damage to an attacking force, or trap an attacking force between the moat and the walls.
Should the walls be breached, an ancient enchantment serves as the final line of defense for the city. This enchantment can be triggered by any one of the Carmine Kings to cause a cataclysmic eruption of the three biggest and most active peaks of the Blackcrown. Though the enchantment will not permit the lava generated by such an eruption to flow into the city below, it will channel the entire pyroclastic surge down the slopes of the blackcrown and through the streets of the Emberholt, flattening all the infrastructure of the city along with the enemies that will be trapped behind the walls.
Infrastructure
The abundance of volcanic ash, both in the form of perpetual ashfall and the ashen cascade, provides a healthy environment for the development of infrastructure in the Emberholt, a fact that has been exploited to the greatest possible extent by the inhabitants of the city. It is not uncommon to see old and damaged buildings get torn down to be recycled instead of undergoing painstaking repair. The destruction and renewal of infrastructure is not seen as an inconvenience or waste of resources, but rather as an opportunity to build better and stronger moving forward.
Another structure that predated the arrival of the Carmine Kings, the Buried Archive is built into the side of the Blackcrown, roughly sixty feet up from the floor of the Emberholt. The external architecture of the building has never been directly examined in living memory and is known only through old schematics found inside the structure itself. The archive is buried deep within layers of cooled lava, presumably from the same sizable eruption that covered the last three blocks of the Old Ward in the southern section of the Emberholt. The only part of the structure that remains above ground is the uppermost dome of the archive, as well as the tapered spire that juts out from the top of the dome. A single road leads up to the only entrance into the building: a sizable hole formed by the collapse of roughly a quarter of the upper dome. Despite the lava that encases the building, however, the interior of the Archive remains surprisingly accessible, with only the outermost rooms being inaccessible due to lava damage. The interior doors have proven to be quite resilient and effective at preventing further damage, but a preservation effort has nonetheless been undertaken to ensure that the Archive would remain usable for the foreseeable future. The true extent of the structure is unknown. While the upper levels are well-explored and the works present there are well-documented in the modern day, the lower levels remain largely unexplored. The first few basements are overrun by opportunistic vermin which are slowly being cleared out. It is known that the Archive runs deeper than that but political will to continue exploration is lacking due to intense heat in the lower levels as well as due to a fear of increased structural instability further down in the structure.
Also known as Foundry Row, the Ironworks form the beating industrial heart of the Emberholt. With humble beginnings as a small group of flameborn eambri hoping to make use of iron ore being mined from the depths of the Blackcrown, the Ironworks have grown into an economic powerhouse that keeps the entire city afloat. Although metal ingots of practically every known metal are produced in the Ironworks, as the name suggests, iron is the primary product. As a result, the Emberholt has become an important strategic and economic point for the Dominion, which relies heavily on iron as the backbone of its anti-arcane magic divisions. With a total of twenty-seven distinct metal foundries employing nearly 2500 workers in all, the Ironworks are a marvel of collective engineering, somehow managing to minimize their spatial footprint as much as possible while having streets wide enough to accommodate the cartfuls of ore that are constantly winding their way through the district.
The Broken Parapet
The Broken Parapet is situated halfway up the slopes of the Blackcrown on the southern border of the Emberholt. It is one of the few crumbling structures under the purview of the Carmine Kings that predates their reign. It was commissioned by the original founders of the Emberholt to divert lava flows and pyroclastic surges, from the Blackcrown ridge, away from the city. In the modern day, the Broken Parapet is more of historical oddity, than anything else as the Order of the Carmine Kings has made the lava flows easier to manage without the need for large standing structures. Pyroclastic surges are diverted by the Order itself, the churning clouds of superheated gas and sediment flow harmlessly around the edges of the Order.The Buried Archive
Main Article: Buried ArchiveAnother structure that predated the arrival of the Carmine Kings, the Buried Archive is built into the side of the Blackcrown, roughly sixty feet up from the floor of the Emberholt. The external architecture of the building has never been directly examined in living memory and is known only through old schematics found inside the structure itself. The archive is buried deep within layers of cooled lava, presumably from the same sizable eruption that covered the last three blocks of the Old Ward in the southern section of the Emberholt. The only part of the structure that remains above ground is the uppermost dome of the archive, as well as the tapered spire that juts out from the top of the dome. A single road leads up to the only entrance into the building: a sizable hole formed by the collapse of roughly a quarter of the upper dome. Despite the lava that encases the building, however, the interior of the Archive remains surprisingly accessible, with only the outermost rooms being inaccessible due to lava damage. The interior doors have proven to be quite resilient and effective at preventing further damage, but a preservation effort has nonetheless been undertaken to ensure that the Archive would remain usable for the foreseeable future. The true extent of the structure is unknown. While the upper levels are well-explored and the works present there are well-documented in the modern day, the lower levels remain largely unexplored. The first few basements are overrun by opportunistic vermin which are slowly being cleared out. It is known that the Archive runs deeper than that but political will to continue exploration is lacking due to intense heat in the lower levels as well as due to a fear of increased structural instability further down in the structure.
The Cloaked Temple
At the southernmost edge of the Old Ward, near the base of the Blackcrown, in an area that historians believe to be the heart of the old city, is a temple buried under an old lava flow. Despite some minor structural damage, however, the temple remains largely intact, a testament to the resilience of Emberholter architecture. The front of the building was only partially buried under the lava flow, and reclamation efforts have managed to clear the primary entrance of the church. Relics of the old religion have been retrieved from the church, but the building has since been repurposed into a small hospital with a shrine to Al Sira, the Arventiri deity that represents the healing warmth of the sun.The Ironworks
Main Article: Emberholt IronworksAlso known as Foundry Row, the Ironworks form the beating industrial heart of the Emberholt. With humble beginnings as a small group of flameborn eambri hoping to make use of iron ore being mined from the depths of the Blackcrown, the Ironworks have grown into an economic powerhouse that keeps the entire city afloat. Although metal ingots of practically every known metal are produced in the Ironworks, as the name suggests, iron is the primary product. As a result, the Emberholt has become an important strategic and economic point for the Dominion, which relies heavily on iron as the backbone of its anti-arcane magic divisions. With a total of twenty-seven distinct metal foundries employing nearly 2500 workers in all, the Ironworks are a marvel of collective engineering, somehow managing to minimize their spatial footprint as much as possible while having streets wide enough to accommodate the cartfuls of ore that are constantly winding their way through the district.
The Great Diversion and the Splits
Between the three mightiest peaks of the Blackcrown ridge rages an indefatigable storm known as the Hissing Deluge, so named because of the sound that the raindrops make as they touch the smoldering slopes of the volcano. The storm provides a torrent of water that, together with the perpetual columns of ash that spew from the peaks of the Blackcrown, churns into a river of veritable concrete that rages down the slopes. Although the river, known as the Ashen Cascade, is relatively tame by the time that it approaches the southern border of the Emberholt, leaving an untamed force of nature to its own devices was seen as contrary to the values of law and order that govern the city. As a result, a massive artificial structure, the Great Diversion, was built to collect the flow into a more controllable current that could be used by the denizens of the city. Although many creatures who reside in the Emberholt have minimal need for water, having been born of fire, the city has always had a minor presence of mortal creatures, and the water brought by the Ashen Cascade is vital to their survival. Moreso in the modern, post-treaty Emberholt. Built into the Great Diversion was a number of junction points, allowing the current to be shared between the different areas of the city that needed it. The bulk of the current flows through the Mudtracks, just south of the Southern Split, which divides the flow in two, one headed east to the Blistered Garden, and one headed west to the Ironworks. Just before the Ironworks, the western branch of the Ashen Cascade hits the western split, which diverts some of the flow toward the residential and market districts in the heart of the city. On the other side, the eastern branch of the river hits the Eastern Splits that evenly divide the flow among the various farms and orchards in the Blistered Garden which rely on water to sustain the crops.The Extractors
Along the western side of the southernmost stretch of the Ashen Cascade are twelve large structures known as the Extractors. These buildings provide the city with all of its potable water. They use the flow of the river itself to draw the ash-laden water up into the higher levels where both magic and technology are used to filter the substance. Extracted ash is packed into bricks and shipped across the river to the Ashchurns, while the purified water is packaged for distribution throughout the city.The Ashchurns
Across from the Extractors on the opposite bank of the Ashen Cascade are the Ashchurns, a series of large warehouse-like structures that produce the fertilizers that enrich the soils of the Blistered Garden. Within the Ashchurns are large tanks that are piled high with volcanic ash, slurry from the Ashen Cascade, excrement, household waste, and crop waste. These act as large comost heaps that must be watched very closely as the materials therein break down into useful fertilizer. The tanks require regular aeration, which is accomplished by churning the vats with the use of large metal fins.
Alternative Name(s)
Ever-Burning City, Jewel of the Blackcrown,
Type
Capital
Population
35000
Inhabitant Demonym
Emberholters
Location under
Signr's Sprawl
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
Comments