Karst (kɑːrst)
Karst
Between mountains and valleys south in the Aghmarti region lies Karst. Originally a small farming village, it was transformed to a paradise for builders, engineers, and architechts half a century ago. A nomadic tribe of carpenters and masons found the small farming village after making their first big hit, and formed the area into an outpost for their upcomming project. While bulding the enormous waterways of Kastrum, the closets neighbouring city, this tribe transformed into the noble House Amseent, establishing itself on the hills over the limestone quarries in Karst. With their commission finished, they spent the following decades supersizing their new home, emptying the limestone and forming the large chasm that defines a modern Karst. The Amseent's most recent contribution to the city is hosting the annual Builder's Brawl, a grand festival that invites builders from all around to spar in creative innovation. The city's main industries include lumber, grains, and labour. Having emptied their quarries, the locals mostly establish crafters guilds to offer their services accross the neighbouring regions. Less fortunate citizens tend to host smaller businesses in the Chasm area, lumbering in the southern slopes, or till the fields outside the city walls. Karstonians' diets consists of mutton, grains, and foraged goods. Their kitchens famously blends many different tastes, having imported spices from both south and north. Their take on curry is especially of note. One of the main struggles of those living in Karst is access to clean drinkable water, which tends to be kept to the Upper City dwellers.Districts
Upper Karst: Situated on the northern ridge, looking over the emptied quarries. Life in Upper Karst is rich and full of liesure. If one becomes a respectable enough merchant or builder, one might commission or build a mansion of oneself at an open spot in this district. This is also one of the few places which can expect a steady and safe supply of the little clear water found in the remaining aquifers beneath the hills. Some residencies even employ this water for fountains and artificial rivers to garner the jealousy of neighbours and the poorer residents below. This district is also home to the area designated for the annual Builder's Brawl. Sponsored by the House Amseent, this field has been flattened and is cleared out each year for the festivites. At this time, one will find market stalls and festival tents, before the challenge itself begins. In a week, one is expected to use a tiny spot of land to create a risky and fresh build. The winners gains their prices, and while their builds stands for most of the year, as to serve as inspiration for any new projects in town, they are all unsermoniously flattened to the ground before the next celebration. The Chasm: In the middle of Karst, the older quarries once harvested to build the waterways of Kastrum, has now become a network of cheaper housing and tents, serving as the favelas or ghettos of Karst. Many ramshackle houses and storage units are spread out without a proper system. In the last few years, investors from outside the Chasm has begun exploring the possibilty of gathering more water from the flooded mines beneath the shacks and homes here. New pipeworks and pneumatic pumps have been raised, buying out the residents they cover with a tiny pittance. These new constructions, while promising to help battle the irregular floodings the poorer population experiences, have also been met with outcry over construction issues and disregards of locals. The Quarries: Flat surfaces and cliffs is all that is left of the old quarries that once dug out most of Karst. The limestone harvested is nowhere to be seen, and the residents now live in shacks up against old blocks of stone. Many of the quarries also extend into mines and caverns, some dug by desperate trailblazers looking for ore, others naturally generated or left over by ancient dwarven settlers. What the current population knows, however, is to be careful with the risk the caves hold. Some use the holes and mineshafts as temporary housing when in need, but rarely stay once a detrimental flood potentially wash through. Those spelunking deeper, usually either find flooded caves, or ruins left by the dwarves. Rumours and stories are often whispered of those finding treasures and riches deeper beneath, but also of how few come out again to tell of it. The House Amseent has an official policy of deeming the caves stripped from any value, and sees the constant flooding as a risk to high to challenge with exploration. The dwarves of Moradin's temple in Karst however, are willing to sponsor the most experienced of dwarven adventurers, all while warning of greater dangers for those not descendant of rock and stone.Demographics
Karst is a diverse city, but is chiefly made up by Humans, Dwarves, and Gnomes. Halflings and Goliaths is not a rare sight, in addition to the odd Elf or Orc.
Inside the city's walls, one would find all members of the Amseent house residing on the north hill, overlooking the limestone chasm in the middle of Karst.
The slopes down, surrounding the middle district houses the workshops, schools, and markets, where one would find Gnomes and Elves making their crafts.
The central chasm suffers periodic flooding and accumulation of waste, making it the de facto slums. Here one can find all manner of species, but a large percent is Humans and Halflings, as well as most minority species.
The only exception to this quality of living is Moradin's Madrasa, a semi-walled quarter in the chasm, housing many markets and schools filled with Dwarves both native and from afar. The ingenuity of the district's creators has made the quarter less suseptable to the flooding.
In the very south stands St. Florence Monastery, surrounded by forest and parks. The monks and nuns all live on the grounds, but often mingle with the locals while tending to the parks and graveyards in the city.
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