Moldatun
The Ancient Mountain Shielded Capital of Renai.
The cities rejoice at the sound of the drums. As the threads of the fourth month ascend and the fifth begin, the feast of awakening is at hand.
If there was such a thing as a perfect time to visit the ancient city of Moldatun, the Feast of Awakening would be it. The entire day is a feast of worship and praise. Songs and music constantly circling and rebounding from the heights of the surrounding peaks down to edges of Emmalice's wall. The temples are alive and well, the observatories overflowing with people as they take a day off work to look upon the glory of the Northern Giant.
The Feast of Awakening fills the city with a sense of well-being and happiness. It's a sensation unlike most others I've experienced. It's almost as if Firn and Garma come together on this day to truly bless their followers. The foods, smells, and divine attention all come together to make this a beautiful time to visit.
However, it's not that you shouldn't visit at any other time! Some say Moldatun has eons of history worked into the mountains. And that shows every day, not just during this special feast.
Species
An overview of the most common races found in Moldatun.Halflings
Halflings stand as having the highest ranking in Moldatun, with most leaders remaining halfling and the richest of the city remaining halfling. This is not to say that all Halflings are relegated to a set of snobs, rather that Halflings have learned to value themselves and their own over the remnants of the races that surround them.The halflings that show or act on this in Moldatun are few, but opinionated.
Humans
Humans remain wholly present as the most populous race in the city of Moldatun. They work everywhere, from the mines, to the docks, to the offices. They are not the richest, but they have great influence on how the city functions.Elves
Elves are a rarity in Moldatun. Well, most are. Due to it's northern placement and the favorable lighting conditions provided by the high walls of the mountain on either side, a vast amount of Drow have taken up residence here.They are known for their work in the dark of the mines below Moldatun as well as their presence in the Underbelly of Moldatun.
Dwarves
Dwarves work in the mines and the construction. They are rather populous in Moldatun due to its unique position as being a city within a mountain, yet above ground. Duergar are also often found here for similar reasons as drow.Areas in Moldatun
A Number of the main Points of Interest in MoldatunDraconic Roost
The Draconic Roost takes up the far northwestern corner of the city. This is where Pursir and Brodray can be found most days, It is extremely rare that they venture forth from their roost, generally only coming out in times of distress or to make proclamations that effect either the entirety of Renai or possibly all of Ithungsida.As the lair of two ancient silver dragons, it is said to be coated in countless magic protections of immense power and sophistication, however the only major things that can be seen of this are a number of faint lights that float above it during the long nights. The Draconic Roost is separated into two major sections cut in half by the river coursing past.
On the SouthWestern Bank, one can see the ancient remnants of a palace with debris and rubble left to fade away into dust. No person in living memory has told a tale of walking upon those ancient grounds, however, that is not to say that no person has.
On the NorthEastern Bank of the river is the dwelling place of the Draconic Duo, with 3 massive palaces dedicated to the dragons. Each filled with their own staff that are eternally dedicated to the dragons. Of these three palaces, one is dedicated to each dragon and the third is a viewing room for viewing and discussion with Brodray and Pursir themselves.
Halfling Quarter
The Halfling Quarter is Opulent and well built with ordered streets and buildings finely arrayed in degrees of ever increasing levels of opulency as one approaches the draconic gate, the only official entry into the Draconic Roost. Halflings as a whole are accepted throughout this area, with prominent community feasts and parties open to all of the city, but most parties will find only halflings flocking in due to proximity. Any Halfling that lives above the poverty line has the capability to find a cozy home in the Halfling Quarter.There is, however, a delineation between the poor and the rich in the Halfling Quarter. Namely the distance between the home of a halfling and the Draconic Roost. All paths in the Halfling Quarter lead to the Draconic Roost, Every building oriented so one can see the high walls of the palaces in the distance.
The few homes that are the nearest to the draconic gate are the simplest, forgoing all opulence and absurdity to cleave to the traditions of the past, of the Icegut and halfling ways of building into a home. of making themselves a fashion of being that meshes with Halfling Culture. While most of these have been owned by families and passed down for generations, the few that are not used as inheritance generally cost more than any person can think of purchasing and are rented out to lucky halflings by a lottery to see who can find an experience to return to halfling culture as it was meant to be.
Rich Residential Quarter
While the Halfling Quarter retains its culture with its Opulence well constrained. The Rich Residential Quarter has no holds barred in the massive buildings lavishly decorated and crammed into a space filled with countless others. The Largest and most ornate of these are arrayed across the quarter and heavily built on the sides the furthest from the Draconic Roost.
Some of these buildings are built up the sheer sides of the mountain itself and drawn towards the sky.
Residential Quarter
The Residential Quarters encompass a wide variety of living types, from larger homes to vast apartment complexes that quickly replaced the general smaller dwelling known of in Icegut and halfling culture. Instead, the buildings are under the constant strain of people trying to pack more living space inside through the usage of primitive magics or other ill-informed ventures before getting caught out by building surveyors who keep everything at least partially to code.
Slums
The Slums take the problems of the Residential Quarter and multiply it by a thousandfold. The building surveyors are lax here, knowing that anything they tried to enact would be summarily ignored and possibly worked against in spite. As such, the slums are covered in broken buildings, collapsed walls, destroyed roads, and other things that are carefully cleaned sector by sector under the supervision of clean up crews that work almost non-stop making their rounds through the slums.
Boardwalk
The Boardwalk was to be a large shopping center and corollary to Moldatun's Docks as a place for sailors to rest as a ship unloaded or was retrofitted. However, with the development of the slums cutting the Boardwalk off from most of the rest of the city, it quickly became a hotbed of crime and figures of ill-repute.
Brothels line every other street, fighting pits, gambling rings and shady magic workers can all be found here.
Market Quarter
The Market Quarter is a bit of a misnomer, as it holds far more than just markets. Also across this area is the main town hall, a massive building that can easily hold both Brodray and Pursir without issue. As well as a fair few shops and residential areas mixed in. However, the vast majority is commercial, so this holds the title of Market Quarter.
Urban Quarter
The Urban Quarter is truly a mix of everything. From scattered temples with smaller congregations to tend to those that don't wish to make the trek all the way to the temple quarter just to make a sacrifice. To shops and marketplaces near the main gate that deals with trade from travelers and some of the outlying villages.
The Urban Quarter also has a fair bit of residential housing crammed into the mess as well as offshoots along the walls of pure lower grade residential housing. Due to the proximity to the walls and having a less intimidating face than the Slums, this has the highest presence of guards in the city.
Docks
The Docks have been referred to as the lifeblood of Moldatun. Whatever is in the near frozen blood of Moldatun, the docks likely helped to contribute to it. This is where the majority of the workforce of Renai come to toil the day away. This traffics a massive amount of supplies and foodstuffs as a near constant stream of ships and other types of ships come through.
The Docks are also equipped to receive airship drops and landings and have areas designated for that!
Temple Quarter
The Temple Quarter holds the most elaborate Temples, Sanctuaries and Cathedrals on the continent. Most of which had either degraded over time, or had been destroyed during the Orcish Incursion. All gods have a Cathedral here, even the newer Hex-Tank has a modest cathedral built with of a shiny metal exterior.
Temple Residences
The Temple residences house monks and nuns. As well as a number of Orphanages that are sprinkled through the Temple Residences to take care of the children left or donated to the temple by parents who could not afford to feed them or take care of them. Or pious parents who felt that donating their child to the service of the gods was a greater calling.
As such, a fair number of Paladins, Clerics and self-professed Holy Warriors make their way from Moldatun to the rest of the world after being reared by monks of many gods.
Emmalice's Wall
Emmalice is the daughter of Brodray and Pursir, a vibrant silver dragon that controls the territory of Kenek far from Moldatun. The Walls were named after her after she had an argument with Brodray that led to him remarking that she was as a stone in her argument and as a wall in the discussion.
The Three Tears Rivers
High in the mountains above Moldatun the frost cools and keeps a trickle of water flowing down into and through Moldatun. Alone, this is almost pointless, filling little else than two basins near the back of the valley.
In 0621, building was began to change the flow of a nearby river and transform Moldatun into a proper port city. With the aid of the powerful magics of Brodray and Pursir, the rivers were filled to the brim with ever-flowing water and a suitable temperament for ships to enter the cove.
This project was finalized in 0230 and named "The Tears". In 0982 The project was rebuilt and the three tributaries were named after the Wounded Soldier, Mourning Mother and Crying Child.
Demographics
Wealth
Wealth in Moldatun is a simple subject. The majority of the city lies in a beautiful menagerie of well built homes and happy people. The richest finding their residences in the halfling quarter and the more upper class areas of the city. While the poorer are relegated by their employers to near their jobs for ease of traffic. Or to the Slums, where the cost of living is reduced dramatically.Government
Moldatun is under the direct influence of Brodray and Pursir, they have full autonomy in decisions affecting the land, layout and runnings of Moldatun. They also do this very well, Pursir keeping the many facets of the nation and the city in check.
Defences
Brodray, Champion of Garma and Pursir, Faithful of Firn hold the entire city of Moldatun as a massive lair that they protect. The surrounding remnants of the massive mountain Moldatun was built inside of, easily deters intrusions to most of the city while massive walls separate the different portions of the city and help the city to readily shift into a fortified position with rivers and roads quickly fortified against attack. These factors contributed to Moldatun being one of the only cities left untouched by orcish troops in the Orcish Incursion.
Industry & Trade
Shipping
Moldatun is a very active port city that serves as a midway point for shipments from Aegis, Gata and Kaldr. Inland river routes to Eske and a path through the Freezing Sands to Iwasunna are also heavily used as shipping routes.Mining
Moldatun has a heavy mining industry that extends tunnels deep into the very core of the broken mountain the town inhabits. Moldatun is well known for the provision of extremely valuable materials that are found deep in the remants and innards of this mountain.Fishing
The bay of tears has a magical quality to it, holding a vast amount of well fed, healthy fish that are easily harvested by a medium fleet of fishing ships Moldatun possesses.Transport
As a major port city, the Docks of Moldatun have a massive worker force that keep the import of goods flowing, new ships constructed, and the movement of materials secure.Architecture
Emmalice's wall is made of granite, topped with a fine black obsidian. As such, the temple and the urban quarter take the same approach, using fine granite slabs for construction before adding on their own toppings to demarcate the different buildings with their own character.
In the Halfling Quarter, the buildings are generally remniscent of sized up halfling holes, made at least in part by the earth forming the walls and then transitioning into a modern granite and wood construction.
Geography
Moldatun is a large city built in a valley cut out from the remnants of a huge mountain that was destroyed in millenia past. Separated into a number of sections that are divided in part by a massive set of three artificially made rivers that flow out from the mountain tops. The remnants of these mountains climb towards the sky and provide an effective deterrent from land or sea based attacks on all but the southern side of this city.
Natural Resources
Moldatun is rich in resources that are found in large mining tunnels branching out from the main valley through the center of the destroyed mountain. Because of this, Moldatun has a fair amount of mines that help to employ and serve the city by providing resources that can be traded to other portions of Renai.
Maps
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Moldatun - Capital of Renai
This is a map of Moldatun, the Capital of Renai!
Type
Capital
Population
279,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Moldites
Location under
Owning Organization
Related Tradition (Primary)
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