Lestin

Lestin is one of the largest towns within the mountain valley claimed by Mustanir. Shrouded in darkness, Lestin is known as the "City of Stars". The peaks of the mountains glow like candlesticks while the people walk through corridors of lanterns. Lestin boasts nearly ten-thousand residents at the time of writing.

Demographics

Lestin is composed of predominantly humans of Mustaniri descent. While travellers from Isfa and Mashangist have made homes here, Children of Shuna remain a rare occurrence. There are rumors that Lestin lies in the eternal eclipse, echoing rumors that those who live in the darkness shall "meet a silvery blade that touches not the body, but that within." Superstitions and rumors have led to amusement by those who have grown accustomed to the shade of the mountains.

Government

The government of Lestin lies within Praetorium Mustanir who maintains control through a designated governor. The governor of Lestin appoints Jurors and Judges to hear and resolve conflicts based on the laws of Mustanir. While Lestin is connected to Dabal (which connects Mustanir to Isfa), Mustanir asserts that the corridor of the mountain remain neutral. This neutrality, however, does not mean that neither government is allowed to operate within the mountain, but that no conflict shall occur between the governments. Mustanir has tracked down thieves and bandits believed to have considered themselves safe within the mountain passage. There are rumors that the guards at the gate of Dabal have witnessed the capture of individuals just feet from the entry into Isfa.

Defences

Lestin has built a large wall that surrounds the town, including a courtyard that separates the wall from the city. While Lestin is prosperous, it faces a consuming forest and vicious creatures that lurk in the woods to the South. While settlers had traveled beyond Lestin to reach the cape, survival was rare. Man-eating plants, venomous creatures, and toxins make the journey a daring feat. Those that make the journey seek to escape the every expanding blight. In time, most of these people stopped in Lestin.
On top of the wall are watchers that ensure that nothing creeps from the wood or the river. On occasion, silent, sneaking vines have made their way up the wall without being noticed. The vine grasped a watched and pulled them into the forest. The sudden shock was alarming as the remaining watchers found that the exterior of the wall was covered in vines. A panic ripped through the city as the local guards attempted to cut away the vines. With each cut, the guards felt nauseated. Some feinted while other began vomiting. Eventually, the wall was cleared with only having three guards die from the lethal toxin.

Industry & Trade

Lestin trades in food and ore cut from the mountains. Unlike on the Isfa side of the wall, the base of the mountain facing Lestin is rich is metallic ores ideal for smelting. The residual, stone material, is ground down into a powder. This powder is gathered together and sold for mortar. The industrial base of Lestin is plentiful with most efforts unwasted. Most trade is conducted with Dabal through the mountain. While relatively little trade comes to Lestin from the Isfan territories, the exchange of rumors and stories maintains healthy relations.

Infrastructure

Lestin makes use of watermills that drive irrigation and water to the population. These watermills are essential as they are used to mine from the mountain side. The mills feed water to a mechanism that raises and lowers a large pointed structure. As the structure cleaves the rock, masons determine the distribution of which rocks fit which application. This loud shock is well-known throughout Lestin as the "Breaker's Lock." To prevent the population from being startled with every fall, bells are rung to signal when the "Breaker's Lock" will strike. Many people use this signal to identify times of activity and rest. While many new visitor's to Lestin offer distain at the event, residents of Lestin act quick to the defense of the machine.

Assets

Lestin boasts innovative technologies from Mashangist to maintain light within the town. With torchlight being insufficient, lanterns have been fashioned to use oil. This oil allows the lanterns to last longer and burn brighter than the torches. Also, the "Breaker's Lock" was a device that was purchased through Mashangist.
Lestin stores great wealth within its walls. Supportive, active mining has brokered trade with cities within Isfa. The fertile soil of Lestin provides abundant crops that grow within the shaded valley. Wild growing berries and delicacies abound, further cultivating trade.

History

Lestin was originally settled by explorers from Mustanir. A company of explorers were intrigued by the Golemstride, a series of connected pools throughout the valley. Finding a total of nine pools, the company halted at the edge of a dense forest. As the company was attacked within the woods, half of the company fell and were never recovered. As the party was exhausted and suffering from various diseases, they sought shelther in a nearby cavern. The injured company remained for a while, ever cautious of the cave that they had found. Their captain, Amaran-Les, established a based at the mouth of the cave. For days, the illness lingered. Eventually, Amaran-Les ventured deeper into the cave, noting the luminous fungi that appeared to be growing. Within the cave were well-springs of hot water. Drawing his company into the mountain, Amaran-Les continued exploring.
The company, experienced explorers, survived within the mountain caverns. While evidence of numerous threats were apparent, the passage seemed dormant. Traveling nearly three days through the mountain, the explorers began hearing feint ticking sounds, "As though a hammer pieced our minds. It was a familiar sound. And to our relief, we saw a flickering candlelight. The way was blocked by fallen rocks, though we could hear voices on the other side speaking our language. We heiled whoever would answer our call. Their accent was strong, like the people of Isfa. In time, with their help, we opened the portal and found ourselves in their mines. I wish that we had found first the mountain that my friends could have been there to share in the excitement. A clear route dusk road from Mustanir to Isfa!"
Emerging into a small, coastal encampment. Surveyors were exploring the mountain for valuable ore. The unlikely circumstance that the surveyors would coincide with the arrival of Araman-Les and his company suggests divination. Spending time in the encampment to rest from their travels, Araman-Les and the foreman Dabal embraced a strong friendship. As a token of this friendship, Dabal indicated that, "the way will be open. Heil and we will answer the call."
Word spread of this passage. Unlike Isfa that didn't directly interfere with Dabal, the entrance into the Golemstride could not be overlooked by Mustanir. Upon returning to the Praetorium, Araman-Les was instructed to take settlers into the Golemstride to "build a permanent settlement to watch the entrance into our lands. It will be named in your honor, Lestin." Though this followed convention, Araman-Les felt uneasy that the open corridor that existed on the Isfan side would be met by watchful and distrustful eyes. It would be the inevitable cause that Araman-Les would resettle into Dabal becoming close friends and marrying into the Dabal family.
As settlers arrived at the "Mountain's Entry," Araman-Les warned of the dangers of the woods toward the "dusk's closure." The Duskwood, the place where half of Araman-Les's company had been slain. Settlers quickly cut back the woodline to provide a relief from the woods. A palisade would then be made to further protect the people. The initial buildings within Lestin were constructed from the woods that had been harvested.
One of the challenges within Lestin would be that no sun would penetrate into the mountain valley. Araman-Les writes, "The sun strokes the top of the mountain, springing tears of joy that fill the Golemstride. It is a beauteous and wondrous sight looking up from the bellows of a perdition were your eyes can hardly find your feet." During this time, torches were carried by nearly every person witin Lestin. Eventually, oil lanterns were brought from Mustanir. These lanterns lasted longer than the torches, but did not burn nearly as bright. Thus, hundreds of lanterns and scores of barrels of oil were brought into Lestin. Oil lanterns flared to life everywhere you turned. "It's as if wisps settled here with us, leading our way." wrote Araman-Les. One of the city guards main duties were to carry oil flasks and ensure that no lantern be left out.

Type

Large town