Xanalph

Xanalph is a bit like the story about Atalanta, as it is also a city that cannot be found. The difference is that Atalanta was supposedly destroyed by the maelstrom in the Stormsea while Xanalph was buried under the ever moving sands of Karra.

— Warden Shima

Xanalph is a place of legend. There are those who think it to be a myth, there are those who think it exists and there are those who know the truth.

Purpose / Function

The myth is that Xanalph was the place where knowledge was kept before it was buried under the sand. The myth contains a grain of truth. The full truth is that it is the seat of Alta, the god of secrets and leader of the wardens of knowledge. The citadel serves as a place where knowledge is hoarded and where Alta and their closest followers can experiment with conduits away from any interruptions.

Alterations

For as long as Xanalph has stood, the structure has changed. It went from a massive rock in the middle of nowhere to have easily defensible walls over centuries. Lodging went from simple to ornate and comfortable.

Architecture

Xanalph consists of three seamless, concentric, sandstone walls, each slightly higher the further in they are located until the central tower is reached. The walls and space between the walls is large enough to be considered comfortable. Entry and exit is only possible through solid metal doors. These door are engraved with fading pictograms and text of times past, telling stories and serving as functional historical monuments.

The central tower itself is dark stone that had been carved out of a massive rock instead of built, with the higher parts completed with the same sandstone as the walls.

Alternative Names

The Citadel of Secrets

Type

Acropolis / Citadel

Parent Location

Karra

Owner

Alta