Shirk'la
Government
The culture is very hierarchical, with the High Priest and Priestess of Terra as the ultimate authority.
Infrastructure
The entire city was built when those touched with Terra magic altered a natural underground cave so the citizens of the Shirk Valley could move underground. The city is light almost exclusively by a luminescent mushroom called a nuropi'ga.
Assets
Due to being near active and recently dormant volcanoes, Shirk'la has gemstones in abundance. After the city was reopened, the Shirk soon became famous for their gems and the unique gem-molding technique.
History
In the year 30 of the Fourth Era, a group of humans settled in a lush valley that is now known as The Oasis. The soil proved to be extremely fertile, and the people started to export their excess crops. Barely twenty years later, all of Tilandrial knew the food from the Shirk Valley was the best. At first, The Natura farmers tried to expand outside of the valley in respond to the increasing demand for their food, but for whatever reason the soil was not a fertile and they couldn't grow the food they were famous for. The farmers kept demanding more space to grow their produce, even at the cost of shoving the rest of the city into uncomfortably close quarters.
The mountains that surrounded the valley were dormant volcanoes, and some daring Terra utilizers started to explore the cave systems. They soon discovered the caverns were full of valuable gems, and started to mine and sell them. The city got richer, even as the living conditions worsened. Finally, in the year 88 of the Fourth Era, the city's leader implored all those touched with Terra to build a city within the volcanic caverns. It took them five long years, but in the year 93 of the Fourth Era, the city of Shirk'la was completed, and everyone moved underground.
After spending years mining and selling the gems found within the caves, those born in Shirk'la who were touched with Terra could use a special form of Terra magic called gem-molding, unique only to Shirk'la. The gem-molders became the leaders of the city, forming a cult devoted to the Arch of Terra. The Natura farmers discovered a species of bioluminescent mushroom that they named nuropi'ga, and cultivated them to grow larger and give off more natural light. In doing so, not only did they provide Shirk'la with natural lighting, but they also discovered a way to grow crops underground. Any food meant for consumption by the Shirk was grown underground from then on.
This underground agriculture saved the lives of the Shirk. In the year 249 of the Fourth Era, the dormant volcanoes erupted, covering the once lush valley with ash and toxic air. The Shirk retreated underground, thanking the Terra magicians who shored up the structure of the city to withstand the frequent earthquakes. By the time Arch Ananda arrived to the valley, the lava flows had destroyed any structures remaining above ground. She, and the rest of Tilandrial, thought Shirk'la to be lost forever. The underground city was not destroyed, and although many died in the original eruptions and subsequent earthquakes, the survivers outnumbered the dead. The large cavern that held the food for the city was mostly undamaged. It took years for the earthquakes to subside enough for the Shirk to venture above ground once more. When they did, they saw the volcanoes still spewing toxic gas and occational lava flows. The air above was almost impossible to breath, and the High Priest and Priestess of Terra decreed that all remain underground until it was safe to venture forth again.
The mountains that surrounded the valley were dormant volcanoes, and some daring Terra utilizers started to explore the cave systems. They soon discovered the caverns were full of valuable gems, and started to mine and sell them. The city got richer, even as the living conditions worsened. Finally, in the year 88 of the Fourth Era, the city's leader implored all those touched with Terra to build a city within the volcanic caverns. It took them five long years, but in the year 93 of the Fourth Era, the city of Shirk'la was completed, and everyone moved underground.
After spending years mining and selling the gems found within the caves, those born in Shirk'la who were touched with Terra could use a special form of Terra magic called gem-molding, unique only to Shirk'la. The gem-molders became the leaders of the city, forming a cult devoted to the Arch of Terra. The Natura farmers discovered a species of bioluminescent mushroom that they named nuropi'ga, and cultivated them to grow larger and give off more natural light. In doing so, not only did they provide Shirk'la with natural lighting, but they also discovered a way to grow crops underground. Any food meant for consumption by the Shirk was grown underground from then on.
This underground agriculture saved the lives of the Shirk. In the year 249 of the Fourth Era, the dormant volcanoes erupted, covering the once lush valley with ash and toxic air. The Shirk retreated underground, thanking the Terra magicians who shored up the structure of the city to withstand the frequent earthquakes. By the time Arch Ananda arrived to the valley, the lava flows had destroyed any structures remaining above ground. She, and the rest of Tilandrial, thought Shirk'la to be lost forever. The underground city was not destroyed, and although many died in the original eruptions and subsequent earthquakes, the survivers outnumbered the dead. The large cavern that held the food for the city was mostly undamaged. It took years for the earthquakes to subside enough for the Shirk to venture above ground once more. When they did, they saw the volcanoes still spewing toxic gas and occational lava flows. The air above was almost impossible to breath, and the High Priest and Priestess of Terra decreed that all remain underground until it was safe to venture forth again.
Architecture
All of the dwellings are made of stone, wood being too precious to use in everyday building materials. Obsidian furniture is extremely commonplace. Furs from the animals the Shirk brought with them to live underground are used to make soft bedding and cushions.
A section of the city lit by a nuropi'ga.
Founding Date
Year 93 of the Fourth Era
Type
Underground / Vault
Related Ethnicities
Inhabitant Demonym
Location under
Ruling/Owning Rank
Related Tradition (Primary)
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