Mir'assen
Mir'assen, "City of Coral" in elven, is the largest undersea city. It is, in fact, one of the largest cities in all of the Twin Worlds. It's also called the "Jewel of the Dawn Sea", and for good reason. The city serves as a trading hub for all the Dawn Sea and beyond.
Demographics
Sea elves make up a slim majority of the population. The rest is largely split among merfolk, tritons, and mactirin. Small populations of genasi, locathah, kuo-toa, and even drylanders also exist.
Government
The city of Mir'assen is officially a theocracy, ruled by the Temple of the Twin Goddesses. Indeed, it is seen by the worshipers of Estae and Theane as the site of the mythical Heart of Estae, one of the Hearts of the Sea. The temple is led by High Priestess Tirasala, who leads her flock with a calm confidence.
While the Temple is theoretically in charge, in practice the people rule. Most laws and rulings are made in the manner of an open-forum direct democracy. Public servants like guards and criers are paid by taxes implemented by this council of the citizenry. The temple does have the official power to veto any decision made by the voting citizens.
Defences
The geographic nature is Mir'assen makes the construction of defensive structures practically impossible. However, the city is still a considerable obstacle to invaders.
The primary deterrent to enemies is the high priestess, herself. Not only is she a powerful spellcaster, but she bears a connection to the Heart of Estae that increases that raw magical might by a great deal. It is rumored that she is capable of defeating an entire army by herself.
Even if that claim is wild exaggeration, the temple guards are widely considered the greatest warriors beneath the waves. The city guard, too can easily be rallied into an effective and organized fighting force. The city is also home to a proportionately large population of adventurers and mercenaries, more than willing to defend their home.
Industry & Trade
The city's central location in the Dawn Sea is the cornerstone of its prosperity. Goods from all across the sea flow through it, and almost any caravan will find itself there eventually. A fledgling trade with the surface world was even forming, as set up by a tabaxi merchant named Ebon. His recent death has seemingly put an end to this exclusive market, however.
Due to its suspension in the ocean's center, Mir'assen is not a producer of raw materials, however the manufacture of finished works are quite prevalent. Jewelers, armorers, weaponsmiths, alchemists, and even enchanters all set up shop here and ship out goods across the oceans.
History
Despite its large population, Mir'assen's history is surprisingly short. Legend holds that the followers of Estae sought a place to keep her heart that would please the goddess. They searched every place beneath the waves, but they found no place suitable.
As a reward for their faithfulness, the goddess, herself appeared before them and created a perfect coral globe. Then, in what would become the Grand Temple the Heart found its perfect resting place. Estae then chose the most worthy of her followers and bound her to the Heart, declaring that the most worthy of her children would protect it forevermore.
As both a holy place and a perfect trading hub, the city grew rapidly. It very quickly rivaled its older neighbor, the independent city of Calamand. The two cities have had an adversarial, but peaceful diplomatic relationship ever since.
Since the nearly 2000 years since the city's founding, it has seen few true threats. Even the Sahuagin Kingdom has left them mostly alone, preferring instead to battle the Empire of Triton
Mir'assen's safety was threatened, however by a recent plague. It's magical nature prevented all attempts to cure the illness, and so the bodies only piled up. The true nature of the attack was revealed when a necromancer named Koto Takasuro made a proclamation that the city belonged to him and rose all the dead, which promptly attacked the living. The threat was ended by a group of adventurers known as the Cake Squad.
The story of Mir'assen's founding was revealed to be a myth when the city came under threat once again. A noble marid named Shah Orah instigated a plot to steal the city. It was revealed that the globe Mir'assen was built on was part of his domain in the Plane of Water until it was taken using the power of the Heart of Estae. He attempted to use the Cake Squad to kill Tirasala and destroy the Heart, so he might take the globe, with the city now upon it, for himself. Instead, he was slain by the very group he attempted to manipulate.
Architecture
The buildings of Mir'assen are made of a naturally occurring stone-like coral. These structures come in a dazzling array of colors that leave even lower-class neighborhoods displaying a breathtaking rainbow everywhere one could look.
Most buildings are very large, with even small residences being part of a larger superstructure consisting of many other homes and small businesses.
In more recent years more development is being done beneath the surface of the globe, and it's rumored that some nefarious elements of Mir'assen's society have long maintained discrete systems of tunnels leading from one side of the city to the other. These rumors are, of course, unsubstantiated.
Geography
The city is built on a massive globe hanging suspended in the exact center of the Dawn Sea by previously unknown means. This globe made almost exclusively of coral.
The city's infrastructure is dominated primarily by the Grand Temple, a massive cathedral made of a white coral resembling marble. It is centered perfectly on the top of the globe. Generally, the wealth of the districts are based around the distance from the Grand Temple.
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