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--- geography:settlement:kalzendil [2025/11/12 14:17] – patrigan
+++ geography:settlement:kalzendil [2025/11/20 14:09] (current) – ↷ Links adapted because of a move operation patrigan
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 Kalzendil stands upon a hill at the geographical heart of Aestilon — a radiant city of stone and light, said to be ruled by a sage descended from [[pantheon:deity:the_princess|The Princess]].
-==== Background ====
+====== Kalzendil ======
-The city rises in graceful tiers, its pale grey walls crowned with blue-roofed towers and fluttering banners that dance in the winds of the [[..:aestilon_fields|Aestilon Fields]]. Sunlight spills across cobbled streets and polished marble plazas, illuminating the gold-adorned mansions of the noble houses — their gilding both a mark of status and a display of wealth drawn from trade with [[geography:settlement:rudiana|Rudiana]] in the mountains to the north.
+Kalzendil stands upon the gentle heights of the Golden Rise, at the heart of Aestilon — a radiant city of stone and light founded by [[pantheon:deity:the_princess|The Princess]] herself after the completion of the Prime Quest. Today, it remains the symbolic, mystical, and political center of the world.
-Each district bears the subtle imprint of its dominant faction. Near the halls of [[organisation:faction:the_treant_s_roots|]], gardens and parks thrive amidst living architecture. In the quarters of the [[organisation:faction:order_of_the_sages|Order of the Sages]], disciplined courtyards and banners of blue and white line the streets. The [[organisation:faction:the_triumvirate|Triumvirate]] raises shining temples to the Three Goddesses, their spires rivaling the citadel’s own.
+===== Background =====
-Despite the balance of power, tension between the Order and the Triumvirate never truly rests. Both seek the ear of the noble houses, whose rivalries shimmer just beneath the surface of the city’s calm.
+==== Founding and Legends ====
+Kalzendil was established when The Princess — leader of the Seven Sages — was granted the central lands after the triumph of the Prime Quest. Though the Golden Rise holds no unique geographical advantage, its location is far from ordinary: the city sits upon the convergence point of several major ley lines running through Aestilon.
-Kalzendil’s radiant image draws all manner of travelers — pilgrims, artisans, scholars, and wanderers — and serves as the meeting place for the Seven Sages, who gather here to decide matters that affect all great cities.
+These currents of magical resonance make Kalzendil a place of balanced power, ideal for divine rites, arcane gatherings, and political councils. Legends say the Seven Sages first felt their magic strengthen when they stood upon this hill.
-=== The Princess ===
+==== Architecture ====
-Kalzendil is ruled by a sage descended from [[pantheon:deity:the_princess|The Princess]], her true name unknown. Her rule seems largely ceremonial, with the noble houses administering the day-to-day matters of state. Nobility in Kalzendil is not inherited by blood alone, but bestowed or revoked by divine right — only The Princess herself may name or excommunicate a noble.
+Kalzendil gleams like a crown set upon the hills. Its pale limestone walls and polished marble towers reflect sunlight by day and lanternlight by night, earning it the name City of Light.
-=== Architecture ===
+The city ascends in graceful tiers:
-Kalzendil gleams like a crown set upon the *Silver Rise*. Its walls of pale limestone and polished marble reflect the sun by day and lanternlight by night, earning it the name *City of Light*. Buildings ascend in graceful tiers, their blue-tiled roofs and gilded trim forming a skyline that seems to ripple like water in the wind.
+  * Blue-roofed towers and gilded façades mark the noble districts.
+  * Measured courtyards and stone halls define the quarters of the [[organisation:faction:order_of_the_sages|Order of the Sages]].
+  * Radiant glass temples rise under the care of the [[organisation:faction:the_triumvirate|Triumvirate]].
+  * Leafy promenades grow near the halls of the [[organisation:faction:treant_s_roots|Treant’s Roots]].
-Each district bears the mark of its patrons: temples of radiant glass for the [[organisation:faction:the_triumvirate|Triumvirate]], measured courtyards and castle towers for the [[organisation:faction:order_of_the_sages|Order of the Sages]], and leafy promenades near the halls of [[organisation:faction:the_treant_s_roots|The Treant’s Roots]]. Even the humblest dwellings follow the city’s harmony of line and color, for Kalzendil tolerates no decay — every stone and banner serves the ideal of beauty in order.
+Even the simplest homes follow strict aesthetic harmony, for Kalzendil tolerates neither decay nor disorder.
+===== Culture and Faith =====
+Kalzendil is both cathedral and academy — a place where devotion and knowledge intertwine. Pilgrims, scholars, and travelers from every major city walk its luminous streets.
-=== Culture and Faith ===
+Temples to every deity of the [[pantheon:pantheon]] rise within the temple district. The Triumvirate dominates public worship, though shrines to lesser gods can be found throughout markets, alleys, and gardens. The Order of the Sages balances this influence by preaching understanding and study as the purest form of worship.
-Kalzendil’s light is not only of stone and sun, but of spirit. Here, knowledge and devotion intertwine — the city stands as both cathedral and academy, where faith guides reason and wisdom refines belief.
-Temples to every deity rise within the grand temple district, their spires catching dawn before the rest of the city. The [[organisation:faction:the_triumvirate|Triumvirate]] holds the greatest presence, their devotion to the Three Goddesses forming the heart of daily worship. Yet even the lesser gods find followers here: merchants pray to deities of luck and trade, travelers to those of wind and wayfinding, and the desperate whisper to darker patrons in hidden cellars and silent alleys. Each god of the [[pantheon:pantheon]] is represented somehow.
+=== Festivals and Traditions ===
+  * **The Prime Quest** (Winter’s Dawn): Lanterns and silver banners adorn the city as noble houses host public feasts in remembrance of the ancient victory.
+  * **The Festival of Light** (End of Winter): Thousands of lanterns rise into the sky, their golden-blue glow visible from distant cities.
+  * **The Harvest Festival** (Mid Autumn): Offerings are made to [[pantheon:deity:arbia|Arbia]] as she is swept away by [[pantheon:deity:farore|Farore]]. The markets overflow with produce and song.
-The [[organisation:faction:order_of_the_sages|Order of the Sages]] tempers this fervor, preaching reason and the pursuit of truth. They see understanding as the purest form of worship — to know the world is to honor its divine design. Between the Order and the Triumvirate lies a delicate accord: one guards culture, the other faith, and together they sustain Kalzendil’s luminous equilibrium.
+Each faction and noble house maintains additional rites, from the Triumvirate’s ceremonies to the tournaments of the [[organisation:faction:lanista_gladiatoria|Lanista Gladiatoria]].
-Culturally, Kalzendil is a reflection of the world. Each district bears echoes of other cities — Rudianan metalwork, Piam's music, the flowing silks of Toru — woven together by pride and ceremony. Noble houses fund theaters, libraries, and academies not merely for love of art, but to shape opinion and legacy. To live in Kalzendil is to walk among ideals made visible: truth, beauty, and the eternal balance between light and power.
+=== Local Customs and Etiquette ===
+Life in Kalzendil follows unwritten rules:
+  * Lighting candles at dusk is a sign of reverence.
+  * Public debates are formal events attended much like performances.
+  * Cleanliness and order are expected in attire and environment.
+  * Hospitality is warm, though subtle judgment is common.
-==== Geography ====
+===== Government and Power =====
-Kalzendil crowns the "Golden Rise", a broad, gentle incline that lifts it above the surrounding plains of the [[..:aestilon_fields|Aestilon Fields]]. The slope is gradual enough for farmland and villages to flourish upon it, but steep enough for the city’s towers to be seen from miles away — a true beacon at the world’s heart.
-From its gates, well-kept trade roads radiate outward in all directions, linking the great cities of the realm. Caravans bound for [[geography:settlement:piam|Piam]] and [[geography:settlement:toru|Toru]] pass southward through golden grasslands, while stone-paved routes lead north toward [[geography:settlement:rudiana|Rudiana]] and west toward [[geography:settlement:rurua|Rurua]], the floating city above the [[..:elemental_wastes|]]. To the east, winding forest paths connect to [[geography:settlement:iaras|Iaras]] and [[geography:settlement:borunoa|Borunoa]], where the air grows cooler and wetter.
+==== Factions ====
+Power is shaped by three main groups:
+  * The Noble Houses, who hold political authority.
+  * The Order of the Sages, who influence education, magic, and philosophy.
+  * The Triumvirate, who guide spiritual life.
-This network of roads has made Kalzendil not only the ceremonial center of Aestilon, but also its pulse — the meeting point where trade, faith, and knowledge converge.
+Other factions, such as the Treant’s Roots or the Lanista Gladiatoria, hold influence in specialized domains.
-==== Festivals and Traditions ====
+==== Laws and Defense ====
-The people of Kalzendil mark the passing of the year with light, gratitude, and remembrance.
+The city is governed by a Parliament of Noble Houses, where each house’s “greatness” grants voting weight. At its center sits the Representative of the Princess — chosen by her descendant — who serves as advisor, mediator, and final arbiter in deadlocks.
-  * **The Prime Quest** (Winter’s Dawn):
+Laws emphasize harmony, beauty, and the sanctity of knowledge. Crime is rare; political maneuvering is far more common than open conflict.
-    Each year begins with solemn celebrations honoring the ancient sages who defeated the Great Evil. Lanterns and silver banners line the streets, and the noble houses sponsor public feasts that last through the night.
-  * **The Festival of Light** (End of Winter):
+Defense is maintained by:
-    As the frost fades, every household and the many tourists in the street release a floating lantern into the sky. The lights rise together in a sea of gold and blue, their glow visible even from distant cities. It is said these lights rekindle the strength of the sun for the coming year.
+  * The Radiant Guard, elite soldiers trained in both martial and magical arts.
+  * Temple Wardens of the Triumvirate.
+  * Boundary Sages, who monitor disturbances in the city’s ley lines.
-  * **The Harvest Festival** (Mid Autumn):
+===== Economy and Trade =====
-    The city’s farmers and merchants give thanks to [[pantheon:deity:arbia|]], Goddess of Plants, as she is once more swept away by [[pantheon:deity:farore|Farore]], Goddess of Air and Growth. Markets overflow with produce, and the air fills with the sound of song and prayer.
+Kalzendil prospers through:
+  * Agriculture from the fertile plains around the Rise.
+  * Trade, as roads from all great cities converge here.
+  * Tourism from festivals, temples, and performances.
+  * Cultural exports such as art, music, textiles, and academic expertise.
-Beyond these great observances, each faction and noble house adds its own customs — from solemn rites of the [[organisation:faction:the_triumvirate|Triumvirate]] to the open tournaments of the [[organisation:faction:lanista_gladiatoria|Lanista Gladiatoria]]. No matter one’s origin, there is always a reason to celebrate beneath Kalzendil’s golden light.
+=== City Relations ===
+  * **Rudiana** — strongest trade partner.
+  * **Borunoa** — strained relations due to crime and instability.
+  * **Piam, Toru, Iaras** — generally positive, valuing Kalzendil’s cultural leadership.
+  * **Rurua** — respected yet slightly envied for its arcane marvels.
-==== Notable Features ====
+Some noble houses privately view nobles from other cities as lesser, causing subtle diplomatic tension.
+===== Geography =====
+Kalzendil crowns the Golden Rise, a broad incline rising from the [[..:aestilon_fields|Aestilon Fields]]. Its elevation allows the city to be seen for miles.
+Ancient ley lines intersect beneath the city, stabilizing its magical environment and strengthening rituals performed within its walls.
+==== Climate and Environment ====
+The climate is temperate and stable, similar to Belgium:
+  * Mild winters
+  * Warm but moderate summers
+  * Regular rainfall
+  * Predictable seasonal cycles ideal for farming
+==== Travel and Access ====
+Well-maintained roads radiate outward in all directions:
+  * South to [[geography:settlement:piam|Piam]] and [[geography:settlement:toru|Toru]]
+  * North to [[geography:settlement:rudiana|Rudiana]]
+  * West to [[geography:settlement:rurua|Rurua]]
+  * East to [[geography:settlement:iaras|Iaras]] and [[geography:settlement:borunoa|Borunoa]]
+Caravans, pilgrims, and scholars travel constantly through its gates, making Kalzendil not just the heart of Aestilon — but its pulse.
+===== Notable People =====
+{{page>templates:list:notable_character}}
+===== Notable Features =====
 {{page>templates:list:sublocation}}
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Aestilon

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