Silver City of Luna
Luna is a most quiet and reserved settlement, yet is also busier than could be guessed.Glittering walls of silver distinguishes the capital of the Queendom of Lunaria from its surroundings. It is said that the sight is as fair as the celestial Luna herself- the celestial body after which the Silver City is named. This is intentional in case that wasn't guessed already. The Lunarians hold the world's moon in high regard. Displaying strength without washing out the strength of its neighbors; the moon, while assuming an undeniably dominating position in the night sky allows the stars to shine with it. The end result is a ceiling of wonder that captivated the founders of the city as well as their descendants.
A Center for Magic Arts
Lunaria takes pride in its knowledge of the arcane arts, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the Silver City. An entire museum can be found that displays various magical artifacts, runes, and even the practiced skills of professional mages. Study of the arcane is encouraged among all strata of Lunarian society, and the best education is found in the Silver City. However, this openness only extends to acts only slightly more robust than simple prestidigitation. Magic with specific wartime applications, those are held under lock and key. Powerful magics are reserved for the Queen's Guard and high-ranking military commanders.A Beacon in the Night
During the day, Luna residents remain indoors to mediate, sleep, or study their chosen arts. In short, the city sleeps under the sun. The city awakes at night in a splendor of quiet and composed festivities. Many aspiring mages will perform feats of prestidigitation to charm captive audiences. Professional plays are made more engrossing through the rich and judicious use of thaumaturgy, giving these plays a sonic ambience that are unlike anything heard elsewhere. These plays are seen as high prestigious events with expenses to match.Defences
Know that residents in Luna act calm and collected because they can afford to be. Take a gander at their walls when you have the time.
Ancient Steel
Most cities surround themselves with stone fortifications. Not so with Luna. The Lunarians have opted to utilized magic to handle and form large, thick sheets of ancient steel. They used this steal in the construction of all their most important structures, from the Moon-Touched Palace, the Academy of Celestial Learning, and the Dastina Wall. The Dastina Wall outlines the inner crescent shape of Luna Proper, a complement to the natural rocky wall along the western outer shore of the Luna crescent. The wall is made of the Ancient Metal, which is resistant to fire and most other implements of war, making these parts of the city incredibly resilient. The metal is polished to a silvery shine that captures ambient light and reflects it back in a soft silver light. This means that the approach to the walls are softly illuminated at night, the better for Lunaria's archers, with eyes specially adapted to the dark night, to spot intruders. The Dastina Wall was instrumental in fending off the Helian siege in 1201AGC. In fact, the steel wall proved more resilient than the rocky Waning Wall, which itself had been breached in several places where the wall was thinnest. Since the siege, these breaks have been patched with newly installed walls and overlooked by guard towers.Defensive Crystal
The largest known Schutz Crystal resides in the city, and it is used to defend the city from Magic Storms as is the case with most settlements. This crystal has been used in the past to power a fortified barrier against attempted sieges of the city during its early days and it is expected to do so again against the Kingdom of Helia. Between this magical barrier and the adamant properties of steel walls, the city is considerably fortified and regarded as being unassailable.Infrastructure
If you've ever traveled Luna in a boat at night, then you will get your only glimpse of what it's like to travel among the stars.The Lunarians adore the sight and sounds of water so much that they have opted for water canals to act in place of major roads for their capital city. These canals are lined with white stone, and great care is taken to keep the canals clean lest they are unable to reflect the starry sky, or the moon.
Several bays and open marinas were made in the inner city, and these are used for a variety of activities: markets, sports, and for small canoes to venture out and pretend they are floating among the stars. There are two kinds of canals, the aforementioned transit canals and the fresh water delivery canals. Bridges are used to connect the various city quarters with one another, though there are plenty of barges and canoes available for the citizen's use. The Queen herself can be seen traveling the city's network of canals in her private inner-city vessel.
Assets
The Lunarians may be concerned about earthly matters, but their hearts guide them towards the stars.
Academy of Celestial Learning
One of the most prominent structures in the city is a school dedicated to the observation and study of the night sky. The academy in question boasts the most robust pool of knowledge concerning celestial objects and their movements to be found anywhere on the continent. As such, many astrologists and astronomers migrate to the Academy to tap into both its accumulated knowledge and large social network. Queen Shava Lunaria spends a lot of her time here observing the sky and studying its zodiacs. Some believe that the Queen looks to the night sky as an advisor for how to handle important affairs, though no-one is quite sure what she looks for.The Academy commissions the production of the largest and most sophisticated optical telescopes ever conceived. In addition, the Academy has currently commissioned the creation of the first contemporary mirror telescope designed after the recovered remnants of Ancient telescopic equipment. When completed, this telescope will allow Lunarian astrologists and astronomers to peer into the heavens with greater clarity. Many are anxious about what they are about to discover.
It is like the a part of Celestial Luna was brought to the earth and was erected for the glory of the Queen. - Ravawenys Steelarm, Lunarian Knight
The Moon-Touched Palace
This palace was constructed upon the very sight where the city founders saw that they were standing amidst the earthly reflection of Luna. The palace stands today as shining structure of silvery metal itself formed in the shape of a waning crescent moon. In the interior of this moon are many royal gardens and pools. The Queen even had a small telescope installed in the center which was enchanted to always view the moon. The entire palace complex is surrounded by a hedge made of blueish-green leaves. It acts as a protective wall due the many thorns hidden within this bush. Gates are established in four places and guard towers were built to observe the area. Within the palace are halls and rooms of white-hued marble. This marble has various dark spots meant to mimic the dark spots visible on the moon itself, creating the impression that one has transported themselves to an underground structure that lies within the moon. Various ornaments of silver decorate the interior, as well as crystals of in various hues of blue.As the Celestial Luna finds completion on her journey among the stars, so too shall our fair city. - Queen Shava Lunaria
Becoming a Full Moon
Luna proper has been carefully designed to fit the mold of a waning moon. This is not intended to be its permanent form. Plans are being drawn to expand the city over the lake, eventually turning it into a full moon. A full moon city would signify that Lunaria has come of age. This plan has already met with opposition since there are those who would prefer that the lake remained uncovered. One of the reasons cited is that to allow the city to expand they would be mirroring the Kingdom of Helia, and the city would become a second Sol. Rumor has it that Queen Shava Lunaria and Ielenia Lunaria are secretly in disagreement over which direction the city should take. Publicly, they have both stated a desire for expansion. Their adopted daughter has yet to express an opinion on the matter.Architecture
You can wear anything you want in the Silver City, as long as it's silver. - Gu, Former Comedian.Luna architecture is subdued compared to most other settlements on the continent, at least during daytime. At night, the city is alive in soft light. This light is not unlike that which is exuded from Celestial Luna. Each silvery and white facade of Luna's buildings and streets and canal walls almost sparkle with the twinkling lights of the distant stars. The sight of the city becomes glorious when a full moon is visible in the sky. Entire streets and canals appear to be fully lit in full by the bright light of the full moon. When there is no moon, the city would impart the soft light that would otherwise have been missing from the surrounding environment. This has led many to term the city as the second moon. In short, the city's architects have done everything possible to create the appearance that the city is another celestial object in the night sky.
Geography
The city is located along the Fractured Coast, atop an island that forms a unique crescent shape. The crescent bows towards the west, and to its east is a large lake. Together, the island and the lake form the impression of a waning crescent moon.
The island itself, as well as all landmasses that lie along the Fractured Coast, are karst-like formations. The karst formations, which are made of stone highly resistant to water erosion, lead many to conclude that the mountains to the north once extended down to the coast but have been fragmented in the collapse. Thus, the karst formations are not a natural phenomena as evidence by their granite makeup.
Today, the rocks are overgrown with surviving plant life and the ocean waves and winds have been slowly smoothing out the nearby rocks. The outer edge of the crescent is lined by a rocky wall that extends from tip to tip of the crescent. This rocky wall, which is as high as 300ft in places (91 meters), afforded the early settlement a natural defensive line. Many structures have since been carved out of the rocky formation.
All artwork is by Starfarertheta unless otherwise stated.
Alternative Name(s)
The Second Moon
Type
Capital
Population
118000
Related Ethnicities
Inhabitant Demonym
Lunarians
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Related Tradition (Primary)
Characters in Location
Demographics
- 40% Elf
- 20% Faun and Satyr
- 15% Half-elf
- 10% Tortle
- 5% Human
- 5% Firbolg
- 5% Other
Other Assets
- Alchemy shops
- Blacksmiths
- Armorers
- Archery schools
- Alchemist labs
- lleuadalas Academy
- Prestidigitation schools
- Arcane labs
- Magician shops
- Aquariums
- Fisheries
- Shipyard
- Marinas
- Jewelry shops
- Craftsman shops
- Pest Exterminator
Note(s) from the Archivists:
Luna is perhaps the quietest city I've ever been to. The people there seem so gentle, and yet we all know that this appearance belies their Queen's imperial ambitions. - Archivist Enna (written 1276) Does anyone think they know what those ambitions are? - Archivist Theta (written 1276) Yeah, me neither. - Archivist Theta (written 1277)Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
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