Mt. Kyora

Mt. Kyora is the highest peak in the Hariad Mountains, located in western Theolin. The city of the same name sprawls over a series of plateaus roughly two thirds of the way up the mountainside on the eastern side of the mountain face. While the majority of its buildings are outdoors, the city does stretch a ways into the interior of the mountain itself - connecting to the various mine shafts and natural caverns in the mountain’s heart.

Mt. Kyora is governed by a council of guild representatives, with every guild of appropriate size within the city granted a seat. From those representatives, a primary, secondary, and tertiary speaker is selected by vote every three years to lead any deliberations and oversee the council’s meetings. Guilds are responsible for putting forward their own representative, and should there be conflicting representatives, no member of the guild will be allowed until the matter is resolved.

Currently, Mt. Kyora’s council consists of a representative from the Mining, Leatherworking, Metalworking, Woodworking, Textile, Architectural, Magistrates, Mercantile, Victual, and Luxury guilds. Each of these eleven factions have their own internal structure of minor guilds, based on their day to day obligations and pursuits. A group must consist of at least 50 individuals to count as a minor guild, and larger guilds must have over 1,000 Journeymen or Master signatures to petition for a council seat.

The city's economy is predominately based around mining. In addition to the raw stone pulled from the quarries around the mountain, there are two main types of ore veins, and numerous gemstone deposits. Imported textiles and foodstuffs are in high demand, while exports are typically raw or processed metals and stones. In the last decade, Mt. Kyora has suffered a lack of medical professionals, while the number of miners, gemcutters, and jewelers has swelled.

Guilds as Guiding Factions

Since its founding, the city of Mt. Kyora has chased out, overthrown, or otherwise deposed no less than thirty two attempts to install noble oversight in the city proper. The first attempt, by an enterprising but poor Orelli noble in 302, failed spectacularly when he attempted to intimidate the miners into obeying him. Once his accountant admitted that the miners were pulling gemstones worth twice what the noble had in his coffers every day, they proceeded to buy him out of house and home. That tradition continued, and with it, the idea of professionals banding together.

Guild membership in Mt. Kyora is not merely a token of skill, but rather a sign of citizenship. Not every profession is represented as a minor guild, but nearly all can find some greater umbrella willing to take them in. Adults without guild membership, whether as an active member or spouse of, are largely held to be less than true citizens of the city. Therefore, the vast majority are affiliated with one or another.

Since Theolin's independence was declared, there have been numerous debates as to whether Mt. Kyora should establish itself as an independent city-state, or accept the governance of the interim monarchy. So far, the only guilds to make public statements in favor of independence are those from the luxury guilds, who view this as an opportunity to set their own taxes. This sentiment is largely from the gemcutter and jewelers factions within the Luxury guilds, and not necessarily shared by the Chandlers or Guilds of Pleasure. The debate has put pressure on an already widening rift between the 'Gemstone' guilds and their assorted counterparts.

For more on the structure of guilds within Mt. Kyora, see the Guilds of Mt. Kyora.

Type

City

Population

Approx. 35,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Kyori

Location under

Hariad Mountains

Owning Organization

Theolin