Yatian Forum
Standing atop the hill in the city on the hill are the tall, white marble pillars of the Yatian Forum. Built upon the ruins of Duke Rene Parfelle's estate, which fell to ruin in the century of disuse since his grandson's unexpected death, the Forum's exterior was modeled after the architecture of the city below. In fact, the orange trees planted by the Duke provided the seeds for the trees that surround the Forum today. The pillars support broad arches and wide, stone awnings that throw shade over a sunken stage some twenty paces square. The seating, on terraced benches that rise up from the stage, holds five thousand if everyone sits shoulder to shoulder and like the Jendredi Amphitheater in Rathgar (which many believed copied its design from the Forum) a whisper from stage can be heard clearly from the top row.
The Forum serves many purposes in Yatian civic life. It is here that the Senate meets, Senators seated on the lowest benches with the proceedings open to the public on the higher rows. A pair of pulpits are generally found in the middle of the stage to allow for formal speeches and debates, though the Senators most often carry on discourse from seats. During the Water Moon citizens pack the forum to first hear candidate speeches and then to hear the results of voting. Even when formal political events are not in session, the Forum is open to any citizen wishing to use it to meet, be it for informal politics. The only exception is during the period of time when the Electorate uses the Forum to tabulate election results.