Biva Myasdiqu
If you can't make it to the top - and don't worry, most of us never do - at least make it up to Biva. You may not find it to be to your aesthetic preference, but it cannot be denied how incredible a construction it is. An entire city carved from stone a thousand metres up!Biva Myasdiqu is a major city in northern Thurásin, and the second largest within the Republic of Gze Gu'azhayddzi. Carved directly into The Carved Mountain, and being partially responsible for that name, it is renowned far and wide.
History
Like many unusual things throughout Tiyu Amara, the Carved Mountain came to exist during The Collision, which brought people and place from the Elven realm of Tiyu Noha. As a colossal pillar of rock, this mountain fascinated the people who lived at its base, and many efforts were made to scale it without success. A route to the top of the mountain - or rather, to the bottom - was only achieved 70 years after its arrival, as the Ayddzim elves had slowly dug a spiral staircase down. Though many would make the journey up the mountain in the following years, the trek was far too long for a single trip. Rest stops were carved out of the rock at many locations, often including small holes in the outer walls so that natural light could peek through. Even with these allowances, many travellers would give up part way due to the decrease in oxygen and the steepness of the stairs, which the mountain dwellers found infuriating. In an effort to make travel up and down easier, the Republic of Gze Gu'azhayddzi organised for one of the rest stops approximately halfway up the mountain to be expanded. Residential housing was carved from the rock, farms were established to harvest cave mushrooms, and a large hole to the open air was made to allow for the arrival of Dragons and their potential passengers. Rather than straightforwardly improving the ability of people to make it to the top, the town of Biva Myasdiqu made more people willing to make the attempt. Many flocked to the north for the express purpose of visiting the town and seeing its expansion, as stone carvers and architects worked tirelessly to construct new dwellings and maintain the structural integrity of the roof. They were not always successful in this effort. In 15 Discovery, 51 years after the first stones were broken, a large section of the cave ceiling collapsed. Not content with merely destroying houses, this collapse also snapped off the edge of the 'ledge' to the outside, sending it careening to the ground below and sending shockwaves throughout the surrounding areas. Though surprisingly few people were harmed in the accident, Gze Gu'azhayddzi doubled down on requiring supports and regular maintenance on the ceiling, with many restrictions in place for where and how new constructions could commence. With this mindset, the city grew rather slowly, but remained a bustling halfway stop between sea level and the sky. Multiple levels and areas were slowly built out, and its 'port' expanded to include accommodations for the dragons delivering people and parcels. By most accounts it has generated more trade and travel than any other part of the Republic, even though it is still smaller than the country's capital.Resources
While the majority of things such as food come from above and below the city, Biva Myasdiqu does produce its own food in some capacity. This comes from the extensive mushroom farms that exist in the dark caves further into the mountain, as well as the farming of cave-dwelling creatures such as fish in underground lakes and moles. More importantly for the city's economy is the harvesting of ores and minerals from the Carved Mountain. These range from the common, such as iron and silver, to the rarer gold and platinum. Iron is used extensively throughout the city to help reinforce supports and the roof, giving sections of the city the curious property of being magic dead zones.
Founding Date
23 Ascent
Alternative Name(s)
The Carved City
Type
Large city
Inhabitant Demonym
Myasdiqim
Location under
Owning Organization
Demographics
The majority of permanent residents of Biva Myasdiqu are elves, specifically the Ayddzim. Among the smaller human population, these are predominantly Jii'amii from the island below, or Tsädhayo from the more distant continent. The tourist population, on the other hand, is extremely diverse. While no Merfolk have yet made the journey up the mountain for obvious reasons, people from as far afield as Lawaguum and the Shyanhol League will make regular visits to the city's markets.
Coins by Udit Saptarshi
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