Dawnkeep
The largest city state in Grafwin, and the unofficial capital, the city sits perched atop the highest peak as if to keep watch over the land.
Demographics
Race
Humans make up the majority, however due to the proximity to many other countries there is quite a mix of other races. As of the last census the numbers are:- Human - 41%
- Elf - 18%
- Gnome - 12%
- Dragonborn - 9%
- Orc - 7%
- Halfling - 7%
- Loxodon - 3%
- Other races - 3%
Wealth & Class
On a whole Dawnkeep has a very level field as it comes to wealth. All basic needs are met by the local government and each citizen is paid a monthly stipend. Anything more than that however and you'll have to earn that money on your own. There is class divide, but it is a small one that many don't see as an issue at all.Government
Parliament
Dawnkeep has a parliamentary system with 2 representatives from each district of the city, of which there are 43, and they vote to enact legislation. The executive and the judicial systems are both covered by the military, but ultimately they are subservient to the parliament, and the people. Every year 11 districts must change their representatives and they are chosen via a lottery system to keep it impartial. This is done for many reasons, but the biggest are to avoid corruption, and to keep the common voice apart of the legislative process.The Military and Governing
As for the military civic duty is not only honorable, but expected. Every citizen must complete at least 2 years of service in some part of the government, the most common choice is the military. Judicial proceedings are carried out much like a military tribunal as the military is also the city watch. The military leadership is relied upon when quick and decisive action is a must however they still serve the parliament, and can and will be replaced if the people lose faith in them. They also perform the duty of diplomacy with the idea being that first the military should be there to diffuse and negotiate issues before resorting to putting bodies on the line. As most every citizen serves in some capacity many are not quick to jump into military conflict.Citizenship
With basic necessities being met by the government through the will of the people one might imagine that people from all around would come to take advantage of this system. The reality is that does happen, but many times after most people live in Dawnkeep for a few years they become ardent supporters of the system. Citizenship is granted to any person under the age of ten, and if older they are required to perform 4 years of civic service however citizenship is applicable the moment the begin working.Laws and Taxation
In an official sense most things are not prohibited by law except for the most egregious crimes that everyone can agree on. Socially there are still actions considered taboo, but they won't get you arrested just side eye, and possibly shunned. Theft is not as harshly punished as most parts of the world as the stigma is that if someone needs to steal it is a failing on the cities part. That being the case however Dawnkeep does still maintain a prison, but it is far more focused on paying off your debt to society than retribution. Capital Punishment does exist for more serious crimes, but it is used sparingly. Those sentenced to death are given clothes, one days worth of food, and a shortsword before being exiled from the city. What happens from there is up to them and whatever god they pray to.Taxes are more or less the same in Dawnkeep as most places except when it concerns salt. As it is the chief export of the city and a valuable commodity the sale and distribution is tightly controlled by the city, and makes up much of the revenue of the city.
Defences
The city of Dawnkeep boasts impressive walls that are near 30ft thick in most places with only one main gate into or out of the city. However rumors exist that due to the mining of the mountain there are numerous tunnels leading out of the mountain that the military might use to surprise invaders. With military service being extremely common and combat part of the education every citizen is considered a soldier which is potentially hazardous for any invading force. With it's elevated location watchtowers are manned at all hours to watch for threats and can maintain a safe zone of about 50 miles around the city and it's outlying areas.
Industry & Trade
Many of the city's inhabitants choose to work in the Sythern Salt Mines as it is the prime export of Dawnkeep and easiest way of making money in the city. Another boasting point of Dawnkeep is their transportation industry is top notch and their are many businesses that perform much of the large trade transportation of the Eastern Territories utilizing the native Mammoth, Triceratops, and Gila populations. The city also has a large industry of animal husbandry raising groups of Bighorns, a local species of goat large enough to ride, Gila and Ater Lizards, Mammoths, and the truly special Triceratops, only found in this region.
Infrastructure
Water
Through a complex irrigation system bringing water up from a massive river in the Underdark there is quite a bit of terrace farming, and many homes have gardens built onto their roofs. With this most homes have running water, or if not there is a communal well. However as water is still a valued resource for this climate water rationing is a common practice during the hotter months. Bath houses are also a common sight around the city as most homes do not contain a bath.Transportation
For quick traversal of the more elevated parts of the city there are chain fed platforms that can take you up or down the mountain as you see fit. For more personal transportation the common methods are by Gila and Ater, both subspecies of giant lizard, Horse, and Big horn (a large subspecies of goat, cousin to mountain goats) with roads built to accomodate these animals. For larger scale transportation Mammoths and Triceratops are used.Education
Dawnkeep provides all citizens with access to basic education that includes reading and writing common, basic arithmetic, and combat training typically with a spear. This is usually taken when a child reaches the age of seven and takes about three years to complete however it is not gated to those who are older or newer citizens and there are also schools that are catered to them. Anything above basic education is left up to the individual. Due to Dawnkeep's close ties with the Mage's Guild there is a college citizens may attend although the cost is between the individual and the guild.Districts
Each of the 43 districts of Dawnkeep contain housing, shops, bath houses, and markets essentially each is a community in and of itself. This is done as a way to foster a sense of community within each district and encourage citizens to interact with their neighbors. The only parts of the city that don't fall into a district are the government and military buildings. The reason is so that no specific group of people holds sway over the government and to remind the population that the government belongs to the citizens and is a tool.
Guilds and Factions
The home of the Messenger's Guild, a guild that specializes in transporting packages across distances with great speed and efficiency.
Points of interest
Places
Tourism
Sauros-racing
A local competition born out of Dawnkeep's pride in speed. These massive events involve a rider and their giant lizard mount racing others around a track through the canyons and landscape around Dawnkeep. These races are typically held multiple times a year and they're massive events the whole city will turn out for. In every race each of the 43 districts will put forth a candidate and 5 races will take place. The first 4 races will be 11 districts, except the last will be 10, and the matchups are chosen via a lottery. The final race will be the 4 winners from the previous race, and the district that wins holds a massive party feast for the city. These events are a very big deal and districts take great pride in winning. Currently there are two kinds of Saur-racing:Solo Races
These races are a Rider and their Lizard, and the goal is three laps around. The course for these races are complex including canyons, jumps, and underpasses among other trials. Riders are secured to their mount and the focus of these races is purely skill and the connection of a Rider and their Lizard
Team Races
Racers are teams of three, Rider, Knight and lizard. The goal is still to complete 3 laps around the track however there is a twist, these races can get dangerous and if a racer is unseated the are disqualified. Riders and Knights aren't secured to their lizard so not only do they need to pay attention to the track which can scale walls or ravines, but they can also be attacked by other racing teams. Riders cannot attack other racers however their Knights can. Armed with a 6ft quarterstaff and a shield they can attack other riders and may use spells of 1st level and lower, but cannot directly target another racer or lizard. This means that much of the spells cast are causing ice slicks or creating other environmental hazards. The tracks for these races are not aa complicated as Solo races with less of focus on traversal skill and more on teamwork.
City Races
Much like Sauros-racing these races are a source of pride amongst the population, and are held by the Messenger's Guild as a sort of recruitment test. They are held every three months with the same tournament style as Saur-racing except the final contestants that make up the last race are each offered a guild membership with the winner of the final race receiving a guild special magic item. These races take place within the city walls and have a starting line, and a finishing line with 2 to 3 checkpoints somewhere in between, but how you get to each of these is up to the runners as there is no track. Spells are permitted only as enhancements, any offensive spells used will disqualify the runners. It is up to each runner to come up with their own routes quickly as the placement of the markers is not known until the day of.Architecture
Many of the buildings and layout of the city were designed with the help of the Mage's Guild and so the style tends to mimic that of the western desert city Newbury. Buildings are either made out of stone, or carved directly in the mountain. Windows and doorways are large and the floorplans tend to be open so as to let air flow freely through and keep the temperature at a reasonable level. At some of the lower parts of the city a style similar to adobe can be found in areas that are more densely populated.
Small personal gardens or farms are an extremely common site around the city with their ease of access to irrigated water and some take great pride in the looks of their garden. Arrangement of plants to make a shape seen from above and extravagant displays of color coordination are among the more popular ways of making statements. Although, practicality is still the priority and as such most gardens, while looking nice, are used mainly for growing food.
Natural Resources
The Sythern Salt Mines are the chief natural resource of Dawnkeep providing the city with consistent trade. The Underdark river that feeds the city is also a blessing in their environment as water is precious.
All them are too buddy buddy for me. Oh, and bathhouses... *spits*
Dawnkeep Coat of Arms
Type
Large city
Population
56,000
Location under
Owning Organization
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