Paqueli

You crest a hill a few days out from Viron to see the bright lights of the city of Paqueli. You are easily astounded by the look of the city; nestled between some hills, you see a round wall of scintillating colour that surrounds an equally colourful town. A few lights show the city's large thoroughfares, but much of the city is still in darkness. In the distance, you can make out a large lake, glimmering in the moonlight.
You begin to ride down to the city's gates. To your surprise, the gates are open; unlike many cities that you've heard of, Paquelians keep their gates open due to the strange hours of the city's wandering inhabitants. In fact, the guards at the entrance ask you what bounties you've completed as a greeting, and you have to tell them that you're just a wandering traveller, and you have no interest in adventuring in that sense. While a little disappointed, the guards wave you through, and you enter the Rainbow City as night falls.

Defences

The city itself is surrounded by the dazzling defences of the The Hundred-Colour Wall, an amazing multicoloured structure that has repelled invasion after invasion. Inside of the city, there are various smaller towers and bunkers in case enemies succeed in breaching the walls, as well as the defensive structure of the Mayor's own home.

Industry & Trade

The city prides itself on its claymaking and bricklaying industries. Much of the high-quality pottery, bricklayers and engineers of the Kingdom of Loria come from this city and the nearby area.
Agriculture, fishing, and smithies make up the other three pillars of the city's economy. These three support the engineers and bricklayers and provide their tools and protection.

Infrastructure

The city's most notable structure is one that most people wouldn't normally notice; its roads. The strong bricklaying guild here and its smaller industries have built incredibly intricate and vibrant roads along all of the main thoroughfares of the city. The city is also has many large plazas and market squares where people from across the lake and around northern Loria.

History

Paqueli was a small town of tepilar just following the events of the Great Sundering. Some say that it was here that the Lord-Smith first taught people how to use bricks and clay to build walls and roads, although this is heavily disputed. Irregardless, it quickly became a powerful source of industry for the growing Star Empire.
Its adventuring past comes about following the Five-Hundred-Day Fire. A huge group of vagrants and wanderers from the devastated regions of Quempo came south and needed work. So the city created a system of contracts that would promote short-term work with the city. Some of these went to some displaced military people for the purposes of collecting bounties on monsters, and the practice continued to the present day.

Geography

The city overlooks the orange-yellow cliffs and the Lake of Deep Dreams. Small paths along the cliffside lead to the small fishing boats that provide food for many of the poorer people of the city. The region is a little hilly, and the city lies in a flat area between these hills. The city's farmland is located on these hills and along the banks of the small creeks that lead out of the Lake of Deep Dreams.

Natural Resources

The orange-yellow clay and sand of the cliffs is the source of the raw materials for the city's major industries. Miners collect this raw clay and bring it up to the refineries and kilns to be made into bricks and pottery.
The hilly plains provide a strong basis for farming. Agriculture is very strong in the area, and so many poorer people farm or herd livestock for a living.
There is a nearby forest that is a source of lumber for the city. The forest is also, unfortunately, infested with monsters, particularly gnolls. Because of this, much of the city's lumber is imported from other towns.

Alternative Name(s)

The Rainbow City

Type

City

Population

30 000

Inhabitant Demonym

Paquelians

Location under

Lake of Deep Dreams

Owning Organization

The Kingdom of Loria

Demographics

The city has a fairly even split between weddelar and tepilar. However, the rough-and-tumble folk here and their proximity to the dangerous Kral-Dogash attract fortune-seekers and adventurers of all kinds. Many of these travellers have then went on to stay in town permanently, contributing to the diversity of the town.

Government

The city is ruled by a Magistrate appointed by the Council of the Twelve in Lerdelore. This Magistrate then appoints any necessary judges, bailiffs and other officials to run the city smoothly. The Magistrate also has contact with the major guilds of the city and the local guard contingent.

Adventuring Guilds

Many adventuring guilds and mercenary groups are either based in Paqueli or stop there regularly. Many hole up in inns and taverns, renting out space or even owning their own watering holes. They provide an important service of protection to the local populace by keeping them safe from monsters to the north and south, through the giving of contracts by the city's government.

Infrastructure

The city's most notable structure is one that most people wouldn't normally notice; its roads. The strong bricklaying guild here and its smaller industries have built incredibly intricate and vibrant roads along all of the main thoroughfares of the city. The city is also has many large plazas and market squares where people from across the lake and around northern Loria.

Art Credit: emperorcharlesii (me!)