Khaerynith

The Skyborne Realm Ship of Gerlandria: The Azure Citadel of Khaerynith

High above the cloud-touched mountains and misty canyons of Gerlandria, the Realm of All Air, drifts one of the most magnificent and enduring relics of the First Black Fire War—the Azure Citadel of Khaerynith. This flying behemoth is one of the three great Gerlandrian realm ships, once constructed to be formidable warships but now repurposed as peaceful floating cities. These massive, sky-sailing fortresses, now vibrant with life, stand as monuments to both the glory and the folly of an ancient conflict that reshaped the skies.

Origins in War

The Azure Citadel of Khaerynith was built by the Aetherian Artificers of Gerlandria during the height of the First Black Fire War, a catastrophic conflict that saw realms torn apart by the chaos and ambition of both gods and mortals. The three great realm ships were to be Gerlandria’s answer to the rising threat posed by the marauding forces from Marenwe, the Realm of All Water, and Malondria, the Realm of All Fire. Crafted with precision, blending arcane magic and state-of-the-art sky engineering, the Citadel was a masterpiece—a vast, floating city built upon the bones of a warship.
Constructed from Aethersteel, a rare alloy infused with both elemental air and lightning, the ship’s frame was designed to be nearly indestructible. The Citadel was outfitted with arcane ballistae, thunder cannons, and Aetherium engines, which drew power from the realm’s elemental currents, allowing it to navigate the most tempestuous skies. However, before it could unleash its fury upon Gerlandria’s enemies, fate would intervene.

Abandonment and Rebirth

During a fierce engagement, an unforeseen surge of black fire—an eldritch force that burned through reality itself—ripped through the realm ship's core, causing the Aetherium engines to malfunction. With no means to control the Citadel, its crew abandoned it in the midst of battle, leaving the massive sky fortress adrift in the endless skies of Gerlandria. It floated, unmanned and ungoverned, through the centuries, becoming more of a legend than a tangible location.
Decades passed, and the ship continued its unending voyage, untouched and silent. Eventually, however, curiosity got the better of a coalition of adventurers, refugees, and scholars from various realms. They ventured aboard the Citadel, discovering not a war-torn relic but a pristine, albeit empty, floating city—a world within itself. Slowly but surely, the vessel was repopulated and transformed from a weapon of war into a sanctuary of peace, exploration, and community.

Present-Day Khaerynith

Today, the Azure Citadel of Khaerynith is a bustling, multicultural metropolis in the sky. It has evolved from a warship into a vibrant city, with its once-martial architecture reimagined for peaceful coexistence. Its terraced pagodas and multi-leveled promenades now serve as homes, marketplaces, libraries, and academies for its diverse population.
The Citadel is divided into four major districts, each catering to the different communities and cultural practices of its inhabitants:

The Celestial Gardens of Yenaal

: Situated on the upper decks, this district is renowned for its sprawling hanging gardens that thrive on aetheric mist and sunlight. Once empty gun turrets have been converted into arboreal greenhouses filled with exotic sky flora like the Luminwillow Trees and Breezebloom Vines. It is a place of meditation, where the Sky Elves and Cloud Mystics of Gerlandria commune with the elements.

The Skyforge Commons

: In the midship lies the industrial heart of Khaerynith, where Aether Gnomes, Human artisans, and even Molten Dwarves from Malondria have established a thriving community of engineers, smiths, and technomancers. Here, the arcane engines of the ship are maintained, and new inventions are crafted using a blend of Gerlandrian aetherics and fire-born metallurgy.

The Veil Market District

: A multicultural bazaar that occupies much of the lower decks, the Veil Market is a hub of trade and cultural exchange. Merchants from all five realms, including Zerthia’s Earthen Folk and Marenwe’s Aquatic Traders, converge here to barter goods, services, and stories. The district is famous for its Floating Inns, which are suspended from massive, enchanted silk balloons and provide lodging to travelers.

The Aetherium Sanctuary

: Deep within the ship lies the Aetherium Sanctuary, a sacred place that houses the still-functional Aetherium Core. While it no longer powers a warship, it does provide energy for the Citadel’s various needs. This core is maintained by the Order of the Aetherial Veil, a group of scholars, mages, and monks who study its mysteries and ensure it remains stable. Pilgrims from the realms often come here to meditate and seek enlightenment.

The Unique Culture of Khaerynith

The culture of Khaerynith is unlike any other in Gerlandria or Aina. It is a blend of the traditional air-based practices of the Aeytharians, the fiery customs of the Molten Dwarves, the water rituals of the Aquatic Traders, and the earthbound wisdom of Zerthia’s folk. This melting pot of cultures has led to a city where air-borne festivals, such as the Festival of Winds and Flames, blend pyrotechnic displays with sky dancing; where scholars debate the metaphysical properties of the five realms, and where marketplaces hum with a thousand dialects.
The ship itself is seen as a living entity, not in the biological sense, but as a metaphysical being whose presence has become a symbol of peace and coexistence. The citizens of Khaerynith hold an annual Voyager’s Communion, a ritual where they collectively steer the ship using a mix of arcane rituals, communal will, and ancient Gerlandrian star charts.

The Mysterious Decks Below

While Khaerynith thrives in its newfound purpose, there remain sections of the realm ship that are untouched, unexplored. The lower decks and forgotten holds of the Azure Citadel are said to be haunted by the echoes of the First Black Fire War. Strange phenomena occur here: whispers of old battles, shadows that move against the wind, and rooms that lead to nowhere or even to different realms. Some believe these areas still contain lingering shards of black fire, while others whisper of trapped souls from the ancient battles.

The Ship’s Eternal Journey

The Azure Citadel, like its two sister ships—The Starbound Seraph and The Thunder Leviathan—continues its eternal journey across the skies of Gerlandria. Once feared weapons of mass destruction, they now stand as symbols of transformation and resilience. They serve as a reminder that even in a world scarred by war, there is always the possibility of rebirth, of turning instruments of death into harbingers of life. And so, the Citadel sails on, a beacon of hope, a bastion of diversity, and a living testament to the indomitable spirit of Aina’s sky-dwellers.

Type

Metropolis

Location under

Gerlandria