Urbana al-Svara

Urbana al-Svara is the largest city on the island of Malakar, in the southern Aquatic Kingdoms.

Demographics

Urbana al-Svara has an elven majority, though this is largely split between moon elves,, sun elves, and half-elves. Humans are also common, and several southern halfling clans have become prominent citizens in the past few centuries. There is a small but vibrant community of rock gnomes in the northeastern Blackrock Point neighborhood, who claim heritage from obsidian, basalt, and pumice.

Government

While the island of Malakar is still under the rule of the Phoenix Regnant, Urbana al-Svara and its surrounding municipalities in the Obsidian Cove have run under a parliamentary system since the early days of the reign of Nákhira Rangatir'peléa. Parliament Hall was constructed in south-central Urbana al-Svara near the Sun Market and has quickly become one of the city's most recognizable landmarks.

by Manfredwinslow

History

Urbana al-Svara was founded by sun elf explorers in the Y1500s Age of Integrity. Over the next roughly two thousand years, it was the seat of the Malakan Empire, which at its height in the Y3000s stretched as far south as Chorr'zya, as far east as the Isles Rovelle, and as far north and west as Port au-Cimba. Earthquakes and eruptions ravaged the city and the entire island of Malakar during the Litigation of Flames; nearly the entire city has been rebuilt during the Age of Complexity.

by chensiyuan

Pictured: The ruins of Templar del Ra, on the eastern edge of the city, one of the few Age of Integrity buildings not razed in the Litigation of Flames.

Points of interest

The most famous landmark in Urbana al-Svara, Puerta del Cítta, is the gate into the central city from the mountains of Malakar. It appears in many famous paintings from both Svari and non-Svari artists.

by Pedro Szekely

by Toby A

The Sun Market is a major street market that takes up most of the south-central portion of the city. It is a famous source of spices and moon elven silks, as well as the birthplace of many street foods beloved worldwide (such as Ice Cream).

Opera de Malakar is the largest opera house in the Aquatic Kingdoms. Its resident opera company (also known as Opera de Malakar) is well-known for premiering new works by prominent composers.

Universidad al-Svara is the preeminent educational institution in the city. Though it has a small arcana department, its courses of study focus largely on history and theology, particularly the workings of the Olympian Dynasty and the Upper Planes in general.

by Robert Schediwy

The Paláz Yára was the royal palace and seat of government during much of the reign of the Malakan Empire. It was heavily damaged in the earthquakes and eruptions of the Litigation of Flames, along with much of the city. It remains standing towards the southern portion of the city, primarily as an archaeological site and tourist attraction.

The Hephaestan Cathedral, the city's largest temple, is a massive domed building in neo-Cantonovan style built by moon elven architect Cecily Bartolo, a student of the legendary Arturo. Bartolo, currently in her late 600s, still resides in Obsidian Cove and occasionally consults for major architectural projects, most recently Parliament Hall.

Tourism

Because of the geothermal vents running beneath it and the particularities of the ocean current around it, Urbana al-Svara is notorious for its sweltering heat for three seasons of the year. Its only real tourist season is the winter, where temperatures are mild and the famous hot springs of the surrounding areas are at their most pleasant. The city is often confused with the larger and more noteworthy Urbana al-Sona. Much to the chagrin of residents, a non-trivial number of tourists come to the city on accident, due to trickery or bad research.

A view of Urbana al-Svara at dawn, with the domes of the Hephaestan Cathedral visible in the center.