Tharkad
The Crown of Ice and Steel
High in the northern reaches of a frost-kissed realm, beneath a sky often veiled in snowlight, stands Tharkad—the capital of the Lyran Commonwealth and the ancestral seat of House Steiner. A city carved from cold beauty and unshakable purpose, Tharkad is a symbol of the Commonwealth’s identity: enduring, orderly, and grand in its restraint.
The city rises across a mountainous plateau, and its architecture is a study in contrast—stone and crystal, fortification and finesse. Its broad avenues are lined with towering statues of past Archons and honored generals, each etched with snow and time. Buildings are angular and strong, their blue and silver banners snapping in the wind like declarations of legacy. Yet despite its martial heart, Tharkad is not a city without elegance. There is beauty here, forged in discipline—stained-glass windows depicting the rise of House Steiner, civic temples to industry and learning, and quiet plazas where music and philosophy are not only practiced but respected. At the heart of the city stands the Royal Palace, a fortress of white granite and enchanted iron, perched upon a raised bastion known as Summit Hill. Here, under vaulted ceilings and icy chandeliers, the Archon holds court. The palace is not gilded in excess but refined to perfection: every line deliberate, every hall functional. Beneath its chambers lie vaults of state secrets and war rooms where the fate of provinces and campaigns is coldly measured.
Surrounding the palace are Tharkad’s most vital districts:
The Hallstadt Quarter is home to the Commonwealth’s ministries and military commands. Here, clerks in uniform process the business of the empire with precision and pride.
The Forge Promenade, where trade guilds and artisan halls operate beneath domed skylights, crafting everything from fine weapons to enchanted tools.
The Scholarium Concord, a district of universities and arcane academies—where learning is honed like a blade and scholars are taught to think and serve.
Despite its northern severity, Tharkad is a city of deep loyalty and quiet warmth. Its people are known for their stoicism, devotion to honor and law, and belief that stability is not weakness—it is strength made permanent. Nobles here do not strut; they command. Citizens do not rebel; they endure. When the snow falls and the banners are obscured, the Commonwealth remains immovable as bedrock.
In recent seasons, Tharkad buzzes with restrained anticipation. With the upcoming marriage between Archon Katrina Steiner and Prince Hanse Davion of the Federated Suns, the city finds itself on the edge of transformation. Some celebrate. Others whisper warnings. But through it all, Tharkad holds firm.
Tharkad does not glitter. It does not sing. It stands—quiet, proud, and patient. A monument to order. A citadel of will. A throne not built to dazzle, but to last.
Type
Capital
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
