The Grand Citadel of Kharia

History

Once thought lost to time, the ruins of the once great Citadel of Kharia stand as a testament to the strength and endurance of the Maerokyan Empire. Although a shadow of its former self, the city is still home to a large number of Maerokyan citizens, nearly all of which still follow the old ways of the empire.
Mostly made up of humans, the city also has a notable number of tieflings that have made their home here. Unlike their Human neighbors, the original Tiefling inhabitants were accidentally brought to Bacresia as a result of experimental planar magic, leaving them stranded with no way of returning home. Fearful of being mistaken for demons, the chose to hide within the city walls, fearful that outsiders may harass or even violently attack them if they were seen. As generations passed however, Tiefling and Human worked together and those who were once outsiders now too treated the citadel as their home.
The city is split into 5 different quarters, each with a stellar receiver at its centre. These acted as hubs and were linked with a mass transit system to allow fast and easy transportation around the city. After The Collapse, the massive burst of magical energy overloaded each of the receivers, resulting in their irreparable damage. Without a source of immense magical power, the grand magitech creations of the empire ground to a halt. Out of fear of attack from outsiders, the empire was ordered to be sunk below ground, hiding from outsiders under the desert until the stellar receivers could be repaired and the citizens could once again be safe.

Quarters

Nights Borough

Housing nearly all of the residents of Kharia, the Nights Borough is the main residential district of Kharia. The houses here are made of limestone quarried from the rock around the city. Although some may find them plain on the outside, most homes are furnished incredibly well, filled with ornate wooden furniture and woven tapastries. Along with the citizens housing, the Nights Borough is also the centre of culture and entertainment within the walls. Most nights the sounds of applause and merriment echo down the streets as laborers, craftsmen and researchers relax after a long day. Some establishments of notable repute include:

Sahir District

Located to the East, the magical district of the citadel is nearly always bustling with activity. The tall stone towers can be seen from anywhere in the city and act as waymarks for those who find themselves lost exploring the winding streets. Mostly made up of schools and guilds dedicated to the 8 types of magic, there are also still a small collection of mages attempting to develop ways to repair the magitech of old. As the centre of learning, the schools and colleges for both young and old are found here. Below the streets of the Sahir District is the location of The Eternal Falls, a magical source of water which is them pumped throughout the city and to the other underground towns of the empire. As it is such an important part of the empires infrustruture, The Eternal Falls are guarded as heavily as The Emperors Palace.

Starfall Quarter

Named after the meteorites that were once the source of iron for the empire, the Starfall Quarter is the industrial heart of the citadel and home to the craftsmen and artisans who work with metals and precious stones from the earth. The enormous factories which once built magitech machines soon fell into disuse after the calamity, however most were repurposed and many are still inhabited to this day. With no sustainable source of coal or other fuel for their forges, the blacksmiths here have become accustomed to using magical fire for their craft. Although this doesn't necessarily impart any magic into the blades, it does give the metal an azure hue, the signature of a Maerokyan-manufactured weapon.

The Golden Scales

Filled to the brim with shops and stores, The Golden Scales is a bustling hub of mercantile activity. Traders from throughout the empire not only bring their wares to the bazaar, but also news and information from across the empire. Having once been one of the most advances realms of Bacresia, it's not uncommon for strange and fantastical relics or weapons to find themselves in shop windows. To help curb the proliferation of dangerous magical artefacts, the empires economy revolves around a license system, limiting who can buy and sell items within different tiers. The tier in which an item is place is decided by mages employed by the city, who also keep a ledger of all magical items bought and sold within the walls.

Iron Barracks

The Iron Barracks the military and judicial quarter of the city and is the home of The Sanguine Shroud, a highly trained and well equipped military force. Acting as the standing army of the empire, members of the shroud are tasked with expeditions into the Underdark. The courthouse (known as The House of Adl) is found at the centre and is surrounded by guildhouses and combat academies whose doors are open to the pubic for a fee. Police patrols and guard duties are carried out by The Golden Fleece, a reserve force made up of new recruits and older veterans nearing their time in the armed forces of the Maerokyan Empire.

Location under

The Jangwa Desert

Owning Organization

Maerokyan Empire