Djekhen (JEH kin)

The Grand Epitome of Progress

CobaltDM - November 28, 2022

Nestled between the Jungles of Satiir and the Tujak Wetlands, Djekhen is the largest city in and capital of Tekoril. It is the only city in the Republic that does not reside in a State. It lies along a stretch of the Teroki River and sees riverboat travel to and from Edshana and Amsidet. Djekhen is far from religious; it is home to some temples but most have fallen into disrepair and seldom see visitors. The city consists of five primary districts, each representing a different purpose but all focused on production and prosperity.

Demographics

Djekhen is home to a large population of Leonin, Harengons, Gnomes (primarily Steam Gnomes), Goblins, Hobgoblins, and Genasi (primarily Earth and Fire). Also found within the city are Humans, Dwarves (primarily Castle Dwarves), Loxodon, Tieflings, and Warforged. It is not uncommon to see one of the races not listed here, although these represent the most dominant demographics. In Djekhen, your race and homeland matter little; the value of a citizen is derived from the value they add to the city. Any with a trade, a talent, or a will to work can find a home in the City of Progress.
The seat of the monarchy, parliament, and the high courts all can be found in Djekhen. As such, it is home to many politicians and government employees. Beneath them are business owners, merchants, military officers, and large-scale farmers. The middle class is comprised of skilled craftsmen, inventors, and soldiers. Meanwhile, the lower class primarily consists of factory workers, scrappers, sailors, and unskilled laborers. Income inequality is rampant in Tekoril, and Djekhen is no exception. However, it is rather common for an upstart inventor to get their big break here and climb rapidly to the top of the economic hierarchy. It's a winner-take-all, highly competitive environment, and there are far more losers than winners.

Government

The city is led by a Parliament-appointed Lord Director like each of the four States. Each subsidiary district of the city has its own Overseer, appointed by the Lord Director. This dissemination of responsibility prevents such a large city from slipping into lawlessness. The current Lord Director, Thea Qaszack, has served the city faithfully for eight years. Under her rule, the city has seen a decrease in crime due to her increased spending on defense and law enforcement. Her intimidating Bronzeguard are a common and welcome to sight to all except those who would break the increasingly strict laws of the city.

Defences

Like every other city in Tekoril, Djekhen has no outer walls. The city has natural defenses due to the jungles and river to the west and marshlands to the northeast, and so the primary defensive structures are to the south. A collection of seven watchtowers, known as the Seven Eyes of Idros, are set up in a line extending southeast along the river. These watchtowers offer no real defensive capability, but serve rather as scouts for any army approaching by land or river. If any aggressive force is spotted, the watchmen ignite a massive beacon fueled by whale oil. This beacon is capable of being seen for miles on a clear night. If another tower sees the lit beacon, it sets off a chain of warnings that will alert the city long before any attack could happen.

Industry & Trade

As the industrial heart of the most technologically advanced country in Mytkora, Djekhen has a long list of exports. For simplicity and readability, this list has been condensed into the following:

• Smelted ingots (steel, bronze, iron, copper, silver, gold, tin, and brass)
• Raw black powder
• Steam engines
• Steam-powered inventions
• Riverboats and small seafaring ships
• Firearms and cannons
• Other miscellaneous inventions

The city is not self-sufficient. Many imports are needed from within the Republic and beyond to keep its citizens fed, clothed, and sheltered, and to keep its factories in operation. This list has similarly been condensed:

• Stone
• Raw metals and ore
• Timber
• Furs
• Food (livestock, crops, fish, spices, etc)
• Usturium devices
• Medicine
• Other raw materials and sustaining goods

Districts

There are five districts in Djekhen, each dedicated to a different purpose. These districts are summarized below:

• The Gold District - The Gold District is at the heart of the city. It is the smallest of the districts and is the most heavily guarded. It serves as the foundation of the Republic's government; Parliament, the Monarch's Palace, the Great Court, foreign embassies, and all federal departments can be found here. It is characterized by high-rise housing units, brightly painted buildings trimmed in silver and gold color schemes, and classical architecture with tall pillars and beautiful sculptures to mark official government buildings.
• The Silver District - The Silver District is just north of the Gold District and is nearly as opulent while being only slightly larger. This section of the city is defined by the campus of the Grand Academy of Djekhen, a relatively recently added national university where students from all across Mytkora gather to study a variety of sciences, history, literature, mathematics, and many other subjects. This impressive institute is characterized by its domed ceilings and limestone bricks.
• The Bronze District - The Bronze District dominates the southeastern quadrant of the city. Its purpose is twofold: First, it serves as the primary residential area for the middle to upper class of the city. Second, it hosts the Riverside Bazaar, which is the largest market in the city. Travelers and merchants can find several shops here in addition to the standard market stalls. These shops are generally the high-skill craftsmen, such as glassblowers, jewelers, enchanters, and inventors. The District contains many tightly-packed houses and apartment buildings. The wealthiest and most elite members of society often have tiered gardens in their backyards and spiked iron fences.
• The Iron District - The Iron District is the center of all production in Djekhen. It is here where the massive factories operate day and night to pump out countless machines and devices to be sold across Mytkora. Additionally, this District is home to some of the massive scrapyards, where broken, inoperable, or otherwise unsellable devices are dumped to be picked apart and recycled. This District makes up the western half of the city and is the second largest.
• The Copper District - The Copper District neighbors the Iron District to its east and is the largest of all. It is the residential sector for the vast majority of Djekhen's denizens, including unskilled laborers, factory workers, sailors, and all other lower class households. It has many tall apartment complexes that sometimes can fit hundreds of residents at any given time. The Copper District also holds more scrapyards, although the respectable scrappers avoid these and prefer the Iron District's. Crime is highest in this region of the city.

Guilds and Factions

There are a few guilds that have formed among the skilled craftsmen of the Bronze District. These guilds have their headquarters along one street in the western section of the District called Spinners' Street. The most influential guilds are listed below.

• Tekoran Enchanter's Guild - This guild has a branch in Djekhen, though they are based in Zakrata.
• Capital Smithing - This union of silversmiths, blacksmiths, armorsmiths, weaponsmiths, and metallurgists helps to unify the voices of the various specialties in smithing. Its members have their doors marked with a golden hammer.
• Pryrodna Magum (Tides; Translated: Natural Magicks) - Branch of a southern Tekoran alchemist's guild based in Tanale.
• Laborer's Guild - Another union initially sponsored by King Damos to give a voice to the lower class. It is run by foremen and other factory workers and conducts monthly meetings to discuss wages, working conditions, and any other concerns.

In addition to these guilds, there is one faction that law enforcement officers have struggled to overthrow for over a decade. This nameless organization operates an illegal black market in hidden locations within the Copper and Iron Districts. They are led by one calling himself The Scrap King, although his true identity remains hidden.

History

Djekhen was established in 819 AC, just over 500 years prior to the Silence. It began not as a city, but as a common meeting ground for the various bestial, nomadic races of Tekoril to convene. This first began during a period of gradual civilization that saw Leonin, Harengons, Minotaurs, and Loxodons breaking away from the teachings of Kebis to seek a more comfortable existence like their Athelesian and Isatisian neighbors. As these meetings grew more common, eventually some began to settle along the river. Drawn to the permanent supply of food and water, the relative safety of the region, and the promise of sturdy shelters, more and more began to flock to the steadily growing town.
After some decades of this slow expansion, a council of leaders was selected from among the various tribes and clans that had gathered. These leaders decided their tribes would assimilate and become one body, stronger than any of its individual parts. There was a great feast said to have lasted over two weeks. At its conclusion, the leaders created a pyre and burnt it together to symbolize their unity. The settlement was named Djekhen, which translates in Tekoran to "They Burn." Every year, this occasion is celebrated in Tekoril on Burning Day.
Centuries later, Djekhen continued to develop. It had grown into a proper city by the 12th century AC. Other cities like it had begun to spring up across Tekoril, such as Amsidet, Edshana, and Tanale. Each settlement was independent of the next, but that all changed when Cadros tore through western Isatis during the Second War. Fearful of an eventual campaign in Tekoril, the cities met to form a nation together. For four years the representatives of the different cities discussed how best to run their nation, and eventually the Republic of Tekoril was formed. Djekhen was chosen as the neutral capital due to its central location and having been the first organized settlement on the continent. To the relief of the new Republic, Cadros never came for them.
By the time the Silence began, Djekhen had largely moved on from its religious ways. Instead, the city was in the midst of a technological revolution that continues to this day. Black powder, steam power, metallurgy, mass production, and many more incredible advancements in production were birthed in Djekhen. Inventors flocked to the city to make use of its assets. Warforged were created. The Republic became stronger than ever under its current King Damos Do'tal's first term, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

Points of interest

In a city as extensive and massive as this, it is impossible to describe every establishment or interesting shop that one may encounter. This list highlights a selection of the more popular locations and establishments, and is by no means complete.
The Gold District:

• Palace of the Republic, the seat of the executive branch of government and home to the current monarch
• The Great Court, the heart of the judicial branch of government
• The Parliament Building, the meeting place of the legislative branch of government
• The Stone Gardens, an art museum with an impressive collection of sculptures and statues from across Mytkora

The Silver District:

• The Grand Academy of Djekhen, a prestigious university
• Hall of Scholars, an extensive library open to students of the Grand Academy

The Bronze District:

• Riverside Bazaar, the primary market in Djekhen

The Iron and Copper Districts:

• Scrapyards, massive piles of metal and parts
• Tekoran Production Facilities, large factories capable of mass-producing machinery

Temples:

• The Sun Temple of Djekhen, dedicated to Mestonia (Gold)
• The Church of Azheron, dedicated to Cadros (Bronze)
• The Wanderer's Refuge, dedicated to Otia (Bronze)
• Teroki Temple, dedicated to Makeiro (Copper)
• Church of Nature's Blessing, dedicated to Kebis (Copper)

Inns:

• The Silk and Satin, an expensive inn for traveling diplomats and wealthy merchants (Gold)
• Riverview Inn, a sizable and well-respected establishment along the Teroki River (Bronze)
• The Bright Pyre, an inn near the place the leaders of old united the tribes to form Djekhen (Bronze)

Taverns:

• The Humble Cartographer, a lavish, three-story bar and brothel too close to the Parliament building (Gold)
• The Ink and Quill, a fashionable pub near the Grand Academy (Silver)
• The Church of Ale, a rambunctious establishment next to the Riverside Bazaar (Bronze)
• The Drunken Dryad, a tavern and brothel with "dryad" barmaids and musicians (Bronze)
• The Rusted Hammer, a popular place to end a long day of work (Iron)
• Tomorrow's Regrets, an old pub barely breaking even (Copper)
• The Locked Jaw, a tavern near the largest scrapyard in Djekhen (Copper)
• The Angry Automaton, a ramshackle bar with a stubborn barkeep and cheap drinks (Copper)

Stores:
Djekhen is home to dozens of general stores and smiths. Practically any store one could ever dream of can be found in this city. Alchemists, Herbalists, Apothecaries, Enchanters, Tinkerers, Glassblowers, Masons, Carpenters, Jewelers, and any other skilled or unskilled laborer will have a storefront or a market stall in the Bronze District that one could shop at. See also: Stores in Djekhen

Geography

Djekhen lies on the Teroki River, just southeast of the massive Lake Makhier. This river serves as the primary method of travel for anyone coming from Amsidet or Edshana. Across the river to the west are the Jungles of Satiir, a dense rainforest that many Tabaxi call home. This jungle is treacherous at best; even the bravest adventurers think twice about looking for secrets buried within. To the northeast are the sprawling Tujak Wetlands. This region is known for its swampy terrain and dangerous fauna. At times, the giant Mount Azheron can be seen to the east, a symbol of Cadros’ power.

Climate

Djekhen is warm most of the year with high humidity. In the summers it can get incredibly hot and muggy. It rains often in Djekhen, usually between four and six times per week. The city has seen several large-scale tropical storms over its lifetime, but there is no consistent monsoon season like in some parts of Nassa. The most dangerous natural disaster that can occur is flooding, which has led to an elaborate storm drain system that routes water away from the Copper and Bronze Districts and deep into the Tujak Wetlands.

Founding Date

819 AC

Alternative Name(s)

The City of Progress, The Jewel of the East

Population

1.8 million

Inhabitant Demonym

Djekhenite