Rocky Roost

"I tell ye, those Roosters got themselves a grand city above the clouds. Trouble is, it ain't meant for walkin' round. Ya gotta fly from place ta place. Couple that with the thin air and thinner magic, and its downright unlivable."
Part of an overheard conversation between two dwarven laborers from Baradin.

Demographics

Rocky Roost is extremely uniform in culture and species. This is as much due to the Aarakocran disdain for settlers as it is a practical issue of altitude. Rocky Roost is placed so high in elevation that the air is hard for other species to breath.

Government

Rocky Roost is run by a council of elders. There are three seats which are filled by respected members of Raakhal society. When a seat opens, the most eligible elders meet and privately negotiate for who should take the seat. One elder then takes the seat and the others retract their claim to it. On rare occasions the elders are unable to make a decision and the Council must pick. This is considered distasteful and is an foul mark at the beginning of a new councilman's career. Seats are held until the elder dies or abdicates. A leaving elder may indicate who they wish to replace them, and the wish is often respected.

Defences

Rocky Roost is not designed with defense in mind. That being said, it is highly defensible. Situated atop the highest mountain in the known world, it's location is challenging to reach without the ability to fly. Its height adds two more defensive effects: limited atmosphere and magic. Only beings who are adapted to the high elevation can survive without some form of breathing aid. The weak arcanothaumic field causes most spells and magic items to be partially to completely nonfunctional.
Finally, Rocky Roost was designed solely for aarakocra. Many public places cannot be reached without taking flight at some point. Any land-based foe will have to surmount large chasms and shear cliffs without very limited magic to aid them.

Infrastructure

The central elements of Raakesh society are the rearing of young and the collection of water. This is reflected in the settlement's infrastructure. Sitting high above the clouds and on the sun-facing side of the mountain, Rocky Roost uses sunlight to heat its egglaying chambers and melt ice for drinking water.
As part of a daily routine, aarakocra fly down the mountainside and drag waterweaves through the clouds below them. The gathered frozen ice is then taken up to the Lensworks where sunlight is focused into a beam that melts the ice into drinkable water. Similar lenses heat the stone floor of the egglaying room where eggs are laid and incubated until hatching.

Geography

Rocky Roost is set well above the tree line of Mount Carriole, the highest peak in the Known World. The whole town is set on the leeward side of the mountain, sheltering it from the brunt of the wind but making the air turbulent as one flies away from the mountainside. The residents have found a path that follows the terrain that allows smooth flight up and down the mountain.

Natural Resources

Rocky Roost does not have a large amount of natural resources around it. Its main draw for the aarakocra is its vast height. Aarakocran legends state that their children must be born above the clouds as part of the curse placed upon their people for entering the Divine Palace. Due to being well above the clouds, Rocky Roost is a prime candidate for child-rearing.
Most natural resources gathered by the people of Rocky Roost are gathered afar. As flighted creatures, aarakocra can cover great distances to work away from Rocky Roost. Many labor settlements exist in lower and more resource-rich regions of Shalailan.

Alternative Name(s)

Raakhey (in aarakocran tongue)
The "Rocky" in Rocky Roost is a common-tongue bastardization of Raakhey.

Type

Large town

Population

1,000 permanent residents
600 temporary juveniles
50 temporary breeding couples (100 individuals)

Inhabitant Demonym

Raakhal (as referred to by aarakocra)
Roosters (as referred to by others)