Setting
The Empire
The Imperial City - This is the largest city in the land and the centre of power for the Empire. It plays host to the bulk of their military power, houses the castle from where the Empire is ruled, and stretches from horizon to horizon, bustling with civilization.
Key Features:
[/div][li style="text-align:justify;"]
The Upper Quarter - a city as great as the Imperial City is, of course, where anybody who's anybody lives. Noble families, distinguished military personnel and anybody with an ounce of influence live in great manors overlooking the majority of the city from on high.[/li]
[li style="text-align:justify;"]
The Lower Quarter - on the very outskirts of the city are the slums. This is where the filth and the unfortunate all find themselves washing up to. Houses are cheap, often built in several layers and hardly secure or safe, but it's still a home.[/li]
[li style="text-align:justify;"]
The Institute of Technology - once the home to the Academy of Magic, there's been a huge surge o technological breakthroughs in the Empire recently, and they've been riding on high. This sprawling structure is a patch job of workshops, laboratories and strange spires used for whatever experimentation is going on.[/li]
[li style="text-align:justify;"]
Imperial Knights Headquarters - home to the Imperial Knights, the militaristic body that polices the Empire, this barracks is located just underneath the castle itself.[/li]
[li style="text-align:justify;"]
The Imperial Castle - once upon a time it might've been a majestic castle belonging to a king, but it has taken up a stony façade now, standing tall over the rest of the city and over the empire itself. This is home to the Emperor and his governing body.[/li]
[/ul][/li]
[li]
Port Town - while not as impressive in size as the Imperial City, Port Town is perhaps just as close in traffic. Ships are constantly coming in and out of its expansive harbour, and the whole city is build along the shoreline and cliffs of the Lahrean Sea.
Key Features:
[/div][li style="text-align:justify;"]
The Harbour - of course this is the most prominent feature of Port Town, a wooden jungle of docks, warehouses and even a beach. This is the centre of the city and the source of its economic prosperity. Just be careful at night; because of it's size and labyrinthine construction it's quite difficult to patrol efficiently.[/li]
[li style="text-align:justify;"]
The Merchant's Sector - Port Town receives business from all areas of Astrae and even the continents beyond. It's the only port that accepts worldwide traffic and so it sees some of the rarest, most exquisite goods pass through. If you want something, you can find it being sold somewhere along this street.[/li]
[li style="text-align:justify;"]
The Academy of Magic - moved from the capital to the inland edges of Port Town, the Academy of Magic still holds the world's largest collection of magical knowledge and wisdom, producing some of the top Imperial mages for the military and nurturing any sort of magical talent.[/li]
[/ul][/li]
[li]
Oya Plateau - once upon a time this was a small mining village, however the Empire has used it as a home in the Oyahn Mountains and it has boomed ever since. Oya Plateau sees all of the mining traffic from the mountains and prospers off of the seemingly unlimited ore the mountains produce.
Key Features:
[/div][li style="text-align:justify;"]
Imperial Mining Incorporated - while technically owned by the Empire, this company operates under private ownership and provides the standards for the mining industry in Oya Plateau. Their massive work yard takes up a large portion of the city, and sees regular Imperial patrols to keep it safe.[/li]
[li style="text-align:justify;"]
Oyahn Bathhouse - perhaps the greatest attraction outside of the mining that Oya Plateau offers, this bathhouse is world renown. Using natural hot springs found in the mountains, it's easily one of the most luxurious, and expensive, places to relax in Astrae.[/li]
[li style="text-align:justify;"]
Greymarrow Lookout - high above Oya Plateau through a treacherous path is Greymarrow Lookout, one of the highest points in the Empire beyond the deep peaks of the Oyahn Mountains. It is said that on a clear day you can even see the Imperial City from this peak. But because it's so far out of the way, make sure you get a room at the lodge.[/li]
[/ul][/li]
[li]
Hamlet - a quaint little village on the edge of the Sayera Forest, it has recently gotten far more attention that it's capable of handling. With rumours of rebel activity inside the forest the Imperial Knight have set up base inside, but with rebel traffic also moving through, this village is becoming the mixing pot for all out war.
Key Features:
[/div][li style="text-align:justify;"]
Imperial Knights Barracks - a large wooden structure that breaks what was once a serene place, this is the temporary home of the Imperial Knights as they investigate the rebel presence within the forest.[/li]
[li style="text-align:justify;"]
Wayward Tavern - one of the only businesses to do well with all of this activity in the town is the tavern, which is now a booming enterprise, serving ale and food and even rooms to any and all who pass through.[/li]
[li style="text-align:justify;"]
Stonecreek Mill - once upon a time this was a busy mill for the farmlands around, using a creek running from the forest to turn its grindstone. It has long since been abandoned and now rests as a secret entrance into the village for rebels coming from the forest through the creek.[/li]
[/ul][/li]
[/ul]
Independents
Yehran Village - village is hardly an apt term to describe this slowly growing metropolis on the far side of the desert. Independent of the Empire, but still hosting Imperial presence, Yehran Village is one of the last of the free states and actively holds onto this title.
Key Features
[/div][li style="text-align:justify;"]
Yehran Cantina - the Yehran Cantina is one of the busiest places in the village, a place where anybody can drink with anybody. Because of this free ideology, there are, unsurprisingly, almost frequent bar fights happening inside. But that hardly takes away from the cheery atmosphere that makes it practically a party every night.[/li]
[li style="text-align:justify;"]
Yehran Manor - despite its stance as an independent village, Yehran still has laws and a governing body, a small council of elected officials representing the people of Yehran that regularly meet and even live within this large sandstone structure.[/li]
[li style="text-align:justify;"]
Temple of Xera - atop a hill that looks over the village rests it's most impressive structure, the Temple of Xera, Goddess of the Sun. Despite the decreasing number of nomadic tribes leading to a diminishing belief in the ancient goddess, this temple still sees a large population for prayer and tribute.[/li]
[/ul][/li]
[li]
Isles of Lahrea - these islands dot the coastline of the Lahrea Sea, an uncountable number of landmasses of various sizes. They also play host to fishing ports, larger free ports and caves in which pirates might hide. The Isles are well outside the Empire's dominion, but are a kingdom of their own.
Key Features:
[/div][li style="text-align:justify;"]
Hangman's Harbour - one of the largest settlements to be found on the Lahrean Sea, it's a veritable hive of scumbags, cutthroats and whatever other free folk exist outside the Empire's hold. It's comprised of wooden structures, old ships and dozens upon dozens of long docks.[/li]
[li style="text-align:justify;"]
Kilgrave's Cove - despite the name, Kilgrave's Cove is the name of one of the largest islands found at the furthest outskirts of the Isles. It is said to be the grave to a great pirate and his untold wealth, and hosts countless tales of horror and haunting to scare off those who might seek out that very treasure.[/li]
[li style="text-align:justify;"]
Middleman's Tickle - one of the only settlements within the Isles that sees traffic from the Empire, it's existence is essentially what allows the Isles to stay free, a spot where treaties are signed and business between the freemen and Imperials can be conducted without either side intruding on the other.[/li]
[/ul][/li]
[/ul]
[/blockquote]
