Gai Zai Yok
The Faction City of Iron is located near the faction’s first mine, at the northwestern extent of the Hollow Spire Mountains. Although the faction has widespread interests now, it has never changed the location of its city, where its colors of red and black appear everywhere. Being near the source of the Nakchon River makes it fairly easy to ship raw materials and great forged items down to the coast and other cities.
Gai Zai Yok is as far away from the capital as it is possible to get and still be within Bhanakhiri, which means that the Iron bureaucrats have a great deal of freedom to be practical in their administration, not necessarily following every tiny regulation put out by the Council of Ottiarks. Because the area around the city is mostly unsettled and sometimes dangerous, Ottiark Klahan Tak Jiern has his house and gardens safely inside the city wall. If he wants a change of scenery while in town, he goes out to one of the mines for a few days.
The city has a gilded temple to Sifkra, Who Loves Coins, but the largest edifice in the city is dedicated to Newan, Lady of Fire and Water. Her worshippers are mostly found in Iron, though she has adherents among Sword and Gold as well. Most smiths have at least her symbol near their forge for a blessing.
Being so far from other large cities means the faction’s arena is a major source of entertainment. With no other factions to provide regular competition, the Iron arena sometimes invites people from tribes in the region, and even dwarves from the mountains have been seen from time to time.
The distance from Gai Zai Yok back to Dunchamba sometimes makes the other ottiarks think they can agree on proposals without the participation of Klahan Tak Jiern because he is away at his faction city. However, he always manages to show up at crucial times, as did his predecessors before him. This ability is due to a secret that is closely guarded within the faction: a teleportation circle set up from Gai Zai Yok to the Iron faction estate inside Dunchamba. It has the ability to transport up to five people once per hour, as long as each time it is used by someone who knows the control words. Legend has it that Iron once saved the life of a great wizard named Muargaun in the Hollow Spire Mountains, and this magical circle represents his unending thanks.
Settlement
Gai Zai Yok, City of
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