Walled city of Thène

Located in the Green Belt of northern Taklasil, the walled city of Thène is the central and largest of the five Walled Cities of Rannoni. While by no means it rules over the other walled cities, it is the city where the council of Rannoni gathers to confer.

Web of canals

Like the other walled cities, Thène is situated on the banks of the Pachei River, which cuts straight through the city. However, unique to Thène are the hundreds of canals which sprout from the river. Initially, when the city was still a small settlement, the purpose of the canals was irrigation. However, as the settlement grew, and farmland was turned into urban areas, the canals gained a new purpose: transport. Many of the buildings are connected to both the street and a waterway (sometimes also by being built on top of one), and the inhabitants of Thène use both equally to reach their destination.

Diatimari Palace

At the exact centre of the city, where the various canals converge, sits the Diatimari Palace, a large white and beige sandstone building. Its five high spiralling towers can be seen from anywhere in the city, towering even over the height of the city walls. At first, the position of the five towers seems odd, for they are not placed symmetrical to each other. However, they represent the location of the five walled cities of Rannoni in respect to each other, and so one is positioned at the centre of the palace, while three are clustered a little more to the northwest and one to the east.

The palace is home to the Grand Vizier of Thène, but also functions as a parliament building where the Council of Rannoni comes together. It is here that the major decisions are made, but also where half of the coronation ceremonies of a Grand Viziers of Rannoni takes place, in addition to in their respective city.