Vaelhart is the capital of
The Vale, a carefully constructed city divided up into twelve "circles" which are roughly symmetric about the center. These circles were built outwards as the city's population grew, which resulted in initially sparsely-populated circles. These have since grown into densely-populated city districts, with the occasional historical building that has a sprawling courtyard or lawn. At the very center, about which all the circles extend, is
The Icharn Column, the massive black tower rumored to be the home of Vaelhart's founder.
In the center-most circle also lies the
Golden Gardens, a publicly-accessible expanse of parks and gardens maintained by the city. Most government buildings lie within the Golden Gardens, including the
Council Court and the
Center of the People. The Golden Gardens neighbors the
Universal Square, which makes up the campus of the
University of the Vale, which is secondary only to the
Nexus Aurorealis of
Rhowyn as a college of magic.
