Yronroost
Yronroost... She was a beauty to behold, a monument to industry most sublime. To become one of the chosen few who live and breathe in its narrow streets and ramshackle buildings is to become a cog in a machine far greater than oneself. The untrained eye may balk at the conditions in the city, but that is only because they do not, and perhaps cannot, understand the genius of the Architects and the grand design woven into the very cobblestones of the city. In Yronroost there is neither wealth nor poverty, only the machine. Those who are able to withstand the ravenous appetite of its industry are kept safe and fed for as long as they dutifully play their parts. Those unable to do so are chewed up and spat out, alive but nevertheless changed by their experiences. In Yronroost, to live is to work, and to work is to live. Production is the ultimate goal, purpose, and duty of life in the shadow of the dead star.Yronroost, or Tunāk-hāla (Sutsumāk: /ty.nɛk-hɛ.læ/) in the language of the Architects is one of the few Shardscape cities that does not reside in a realm of its own. Also known as the Ringed City, or the City of the Black Star, Yronroost drifts across the Shardscape Wilds in the company of the enormous sphere of Deadiron that is the source of its industry. As it is never in the same place twice, Yronroost is almost impossible to find unaccompanied, and relies on eldritch beacons to guide travelers who are attuned to them. Governed by the eccentric Architects, Yronroost is said to be home to the worst living conditions for civilians out of all the Shardscape settlements known to the Dominion. Besides the living conditions that result in rampant suicide and substance abuse, the city is notorious for severely shortening the lifespan of its inhabitants compared to healthy members of their species, in some cases by over half their total life expectancy. It isn't unheard of for newcomers with compromised health to simply drop dead within hours of exposure to the conditions in Yronroost.
Demographics
Ostensibly the only population that appears to be relatively unaffected by the deadiron dust that pervades the atmosphere of Yronroost, the Architects comprise a relatively small proportion of the population. Architects occupy the highest positions in local government, as can be expected of the founders of the city, and are also the owners and workers of the numerous research and development firms in Yronroost. Outside of academia, Architects occupy regulatory, administrative, and supervisory positions in the hundreds of merchant guilds that have struck ground in Yronroost.
A variety of Kuderash from an as-of-yet unknown plane of fire provide the bulk of the security forces stationed around Yronroost. Though they breed and mature at a rate that would be considered alarming anywhere else, Yronroost's effect on the longevity of their species prevents their numbers from spiraling out of control, while their reproductive and maturation rates allow them to consistently replenish their numbers. Though serving primarily as stewards and peacekeepers of the city, the Kuderash number among the wealthiest citizens of Yronroost on average.
The rest of Yronroost's population is quite diverse. Though life in the city is hard, being able to survive to retirement in Yronroost means leaving with a lot of money, which attracts a lot of hardworking wealth-seekers to the city. Individuals displaced by disaster might also be drawn to Yronroost by the promise of work, lodging, and food. As such, much of Yronroost is made up of an eclectic mix of species, from many different realms and walks of life.
Alternative Name(s)
The Ringed City, City of the Black Star, The City of Ways, Tunāk-hāla
Type
Large city
Population
500000
Inhabitant Demonym
Hālani
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