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| {{Settlements in the Sanctuary Vale Infobox | | {{Settlements in the Baviare Vale Infobox |
| |Name=[[Kar-Thul]] | | |Name=Lavierin |
| |Image=[[File:Kar-Thal_Gate.jpg|center|frameless]] | | |Image=[[File:Lavierin_Gate.jpg|center|frameless]] |
| |Type=Capital City | | |Type=Capital City |
| |Location=Citadel Mountains, Central Khamria | | |Location=Western Așdilu Mountains, southern Baviare Vale |
| |Realm=Khamria | | |Realm=Khamria |
| |Region=Sanctuary Vale | | |Region=Baviare Vale |
| |Subregion=Citadel Mountains | | |Subregion=Așdilu Mountains |
| |Inhabitants=[[Arânzeni]] | | |Inhabitants=Arânzeni, Oinien |
| |Significance=Ancient capital and spiritual heart of Khamria | | |Population=c. 150,000 |
| |Controlled by=Council of Kar-Thal | | |Significance=Capital of the Arânzeni Confederation and oldest human city in Khamria |
| | |Controlled by=Council of Lavierin |
| }} | | }} |
| {{Settlements in the Sanctuary Vale Sections | | {{Settlements in the Baviare Vale Sections |
| |Introduction=Kar-Thal is the ancient capital and spiritual heart of [[Khamria]]. Located in the Sanctuary Vale and carved into the [[Citadel Mountains]], it is the largest and oldest city in Khamria and serves as the center of Arânzeni civilization. Among the Arânzeni, the density of one's stone-skin is most recognized here, and often associated with ancestral proximity to [[Yairan]]. | | |Introduction='''Lavierin''' is the capital of the [[Arânzeni Confederation]] and the largest city in [[Khamria]]. It is carved into the western side of the [[Așdilu Mountains]], at the southern end of the [[Baviare Vale]]. Founded in 302 ME, it is the oldest human settlement in Khamria. It has a population of about 150,000 and is the seat of the [[Council of Lavierin]]. |
| |Geography=Kar-Thal is located deep within the Citadel Mountains, a rugged and sacred range that shelters the remnants of the original primordial realm. The city itself is vertically structured, with tiered districts built into the contours of the mountain.
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| |History=Built on the bones of an [[Yairanian]] settlement, Kar-Thal was officially founded soon after Arânzeni arrived in the [[Sanctuary Vale]], Kar-Thal emerged as the first permanent settlement in the Khamria. It has served as a continuous center of governance, tradition, and spiritual practice since the earliest days of modern Khamria.
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| |Districts==== Darak-Kel ===
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| [[Darak-Kel]] is the political and ceremonial heart of Kar-Thal. Built around the [[Grand Hall of Yairan]], it houses the chambers of the Council of Kar-Thal. Public access is limited; citizens gather in outer halls to hear announcements of council proceedings.
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| === The Veins === | | |Etymology=Derived from the Arânzeni word ''Lavierinze'', meaning "great cliff". |
| [[Veins|The Veins]] are a residential and market district. A web of tunnels and grotto-homes, where daily commerce and family life unfold.
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| === Kel-Siruun === | | |Geography=Lavierin lies in central Khamria, on the western side of the Așdilu Mountains, which enclose the [[Domain of Yairan]]. The city is built vertically, with tiered districts cut into the mountain. Most of it is underground. The [[Binzir Hills]] lie to its northwest. |
| [[Kel-Siruun]] hosts the Archives and [[Stonecraft Guild|Stonecraft Guilds]]. A tiered arc of carved vaults surrounding the '''[[Ashlar Vaults]]'''. Home to [[Lorewarden|Lorewardens]] and artisans. Every wall here is etched with law-stones, genealogical records, and geological treatises. Entrance to inner archives requires express permission of the Lorewardens.
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| === Surn's Refuge ===
| | Two [[Deep Roads]] begin at Lavierin. The Lav-Lep Deep Road runs west toward [[Lepigisțil]], and the Lav-Gar Deep Road runs northeast to [[Gareag]]. |
| [[File:Kar-Thal - Darak Kel 01.jpg|thumb|The Grand Hall of Yairan]] | |
| [[Surn's Refuge]] is a district focused on public ceremony. A cavernous sanctuary filled with chimes made of minerals and natural spires. The city's public rituals and events take place here. | |
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| === The Stonesteps === | | |History=Lavierin stands on the site of a [[Namuril]] settlement built during the [[Great Erosion]]. When the Great Erosion ended, the Namuril sealed the [[Gates of Origin]] and left the Baviare Vale. |
| The [[Stonesteps]] are the place for trials and Initiations. A dangerous spiraling stair carved from obsidian-glass along a vertical chasm wall. Used for trials of endurance and rites of passage. Only those seeking to join the ranks of Stonewardens are permitted to ascend.
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| === Tarsu-un ===
| | The ancestors of the [[Arânzeni]] entered Khamria in 300 ME and founded Lavierin in 302 ME among the abandoned Namuril structures. It was the first permanent human settlement in Khamria. [[Loarpie]], an architect and [[Yacinsain]], was an early figure in the city and is credited with shaping its civic law. |
| [[Tarsu-un]] is the district with quarry access and miner guilds. This district lies closest to the city’s outer quarry networks and is inhabited by stonecutters and Oinien tunnelers. The dwellings here are more utilitarian. | |
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| === Stone's Hold ===
| | The Yacinsains emerged in about 310 ME and were formalized as an order in 325 ME, when they established their archive in the [[Ierigiț Vaults]]. The Council of Lavierin was founded in 340 ME as the governing body of the city, and the [[Guziria|Guzirias]] were founded with it as its military order. |
| [[Stone’s Hold|Stone's Hold]] is a defensive stronghold and logistics hub. Located around the '''Lithic Gate''', this fortified district houses the city’s [[Stonewarden]] barracks, storehouses, and defense infrastructure. | |
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| === Varen-Kelun ===
| | Oinien tunnels from [[Orinilure]] reached Lavierin by way of [[Gareag]] in 372 ME and became the Lav-Gar Deep Road. The Lav-Lep Deep Road was opened in 431 ME. The roads opened trade with Orinilure and brought [[Oinien]] to live in the city. |
| [[Varen-Kelun]] houses the diplomatic and external relations A relatively newer addition to Kar-Thal, Varen-Kelun was built to house visitors, traders, and emissaries from beyond Khamria. | |
| |Notable Locations==== The Gates of Origin ===
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| The [[Gates of Origin]] are the sole known entrance to the [[Domain of Yairan]], thought to be the home of Yairan himself. This sacred land had been sealed off by Namuril centuries before the city was built, after the Namuril left the Vale following the end of the Erosion Wars | |
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| === '''The Grand Hall of Yairan''' ===
| | In 389 ME a force of [[Mundari]] crossed into the Baviare Vale and attacked the approaches to the city. The attack was turned back at the [[Arlindu Gate]], which the Namuril had built during the Great Erosion. Afterward the Arânzeni built the fortified district of [[Arigiterlic]] beyond the gate. It was completed in about 400 ME. |
| The [[Grand Hall of Yairan]] is the central chamber of governance and ritual. Its basalt columns and echoing stone acoustics are said to resonate with the voice of Yairan himself. Here, the Council of Kar-Thal deliberates under the watch of ancient statues carved from the mountain's heart.
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| === '''Tarrakul Arhun''' ("The Rooted Temple") ===
| | When the Arânzeni Confederation was formed in 450 ME, Lavierin became its capital, and the Council of Lavierin took authority over the Confederation as a whole. |
| [[Tarrakul Arhun]] is a sanctuary built around a massive column of uncarved stone, considered a conduit of Yairan’s essence.
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| === '''The Ashlar Vaults''' ===
| | The [[Ziplițic District]] was added in 640 ME, as trade with peoples outside Khamria grew. |
| The [[Ashlar Vaults]] is a tiered archive of knowledge and law, composed of memory-stones and carved tablets. The Vaults are maintained by the Lorewardens, who chisel updated records and guard ancient civic decrees dating back to the city's founding. | |
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| === '''Hall of Binding Echoes''' ===
| | The collapse of [[Lainer Station]] in 781 ME closed the Lav-Lep Deep Road for several years and cut the city's western route. |
| The [[Hall of Binding Echoes]] is a secluded chamber where oaths are sworn and ancestral pacts sealed. The acoustics preserve and repeat vows whispered into the stone, allowing them to echo across generations.
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| === '''The Lithic Gate''' === | | |Districts==== Oispiún District === |
| The [[Lithic Gate]] is a fortified threshold into Kar-Thal, constructed from interlocking slabs without mortar. The gate’s architecture is designed to shift subtly with seismic vibrations, rendering it unbreachable. Guarded by Earthbound Sentinels
| | [[Oispiún District]] is the political and ceremonial center of the city. It is built around the [[Grand Hall of Yairan]] and houses the chambers of the Council of Lavierin. Public access is limited. |
| |Culture and Society=Life in Kar-Thal is slow and deliberate. As the seat of the [[Council of Kar-Thal]], and ruled by the council itself, the city embodies the most formal and conservative expression of Arânzeni values. Every civic process, from decision-making to public labor is guided by ancestral precedent.
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| Ceremonial roles in Kar-Thal are deeply institutionalized. Stonewardens and Lorewardens maintain the city’s sacred routines.
| | === Sainace District === |
| | [[Sainace District]] is the main residential and market district, made up of tunnels, plazas, and dwellings in the central tiers of the city. |
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| Citizens of Kar-Thal observe [[Veshariin]] (''Harmonic Days''), when public life slows to a standstill and many citizens descend into meditation chambers commune with the subterranean vibrations of the earth itself. These moments of stillness are said to maintain spiritual balance and civic unity.
| | === Iacângeni District === |
| | [[Iacângeni District]] holds the city's archives. Its tiered vaults surround the [[Ierigiț Vaults]] and are inscribed with laws, genealogies, and geological records. It is home to the [[Yacinsain|Yacinsains]]. Entry to the inner archives requires their permission. |
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| Artisans in the Kar-Thal tradition craft for the longetivity of the art itself.
| | === Loar's Refuge === |
| |Spiritual Significance=The city is situated on the border of the [[Domain of Yairan]] and as such Earth Spirits are frequently encountered within its caverns and halls. Arânzeni believe Kar-Thal to be one of the few remaining places where the voice of Yairan can be heard directly through the stone. Though Yairan remains the core presence of the city, the [[Ascendant Spirit]] [[Varunel]] is also invoked in archival and legislative rites, representing continuity and recorded truth. | | [[File:Lavierin - Darak Kel 01.jpg|thumb|The Grand Hall of Yairan]] |
| |Economy=Kar-Thal’s economy centers on stonecraft and mineral trade. Much of there trade is done with the nearby [[Oinien]] Settlements via the [[Deep Roads|deep roads]].
| | [[Loar's Refuge]] is a cavern district used for public ceremonies and events. It is named for Loarpie. |
| |Defense and Military=Kar-Thal is naturally fortified by the Citadel Mountains. In addition, the Stonewardens are warriors capable of reshaping terrain during battle. The city’s layered structure and deep caverns make it nearly impregnable to direct assault.
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| |Dangers and Threats=While isolated and well-protected, Kar-Thal faces threats from deep-earth disturbances. Seismic tremors, though rare, are sometimes seen as warnings from Yairan.
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| |Representation in Media==== '''Art and Visual Depictions''' ===
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| Kar-Thal is frequently portrayed in Arânzeni art, though rarely in full or literal form. Instead, artists emphasize the city’s underlying geometry, mass, and silence. Resonance painters, stone-dust muralists, and sculptors often represent Kar-Thal through abstract forms—layered arches, weight-bearing columns, and partial echoes of walls and halls.
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| Artists from other cultures often portray Kar-Thal with more literal detail: towering subterranean gates, vast chasm-plazas, and monolithic guardians. These depictions typically emphasize scale and mystery over ritual accuracy, blending reverence with distant speculation.
| | === Stonesteps === |
| | The [[Stonesteps]] are a spiral stair of obsidian glass cut into the wall of a vertical chasm. They are used for the trials of those seeking to join the Guzirias. |
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| === '''Literature and Inscription''' === | | === Biașirisă district === |
| Kar-Thal figures prominently in Arânzeni civic verse and ancestral inscription. It is described not as a place, but as an experience of being shaped by stone. Short form stone-verses are commonly found on resonance posts across Khamria, many of which begin with invocations of Kar-Thal as the seated breath or “the listening vault.”
| | [[Biașirisă district]] is the outermost district and gives access to the city's quarries. It is inhabited by stonecutters and by Oinien tunnelers. |
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| Civic records and historical chronicles, such as those preserved in the [[Ashlar Vaults]], often reference the city as the anchor of law and spiritual continuity.
| | === Arigiterlic === |
| | [[Arigiterlic]] is the defensive and logistics district around the Arlindu Gate. It houses the Guziria barracks and the city's storehouses. |
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| === '''Music''' === | | === Ziplițic District === |
| Kar-Thal’s internal architecture has deeply influenced Arânzeni harmonic tradition.
| | [[Ziplițic District]] houses visitors, traders, and emissaries from outside Khamria. It is a later addition to the city. |
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| These compositions rely on slow, breath-aligned tones and reverberations. Outsiders attempting to recreate these patterns often miss the spatial depth.
| | |Notable Locations==== Gates of Origin === |
| | The [[Gates of Origin]] are the only known entrance to the Domain of Yairan. The Namuril sealed them at the end of the Great Erosion, and they have not been opened since. |
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| | === Grand Hall of Yairan === |
| | The [[Grand Hall of Yairan]] is the chamber where the Council of Lavierin meets. |
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| | === Ierigiț Vaults === |
| | The [[Ierigiț Vaults]] are the civic archives of the city, maintained by the Yacinsains. They hold legal, genealogical, and historical records going back to its founding. |
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| | === Chamber of Vows === |
| | The [[Chamber of Vows]] is a room in the Oispiún District where oaths are sworn and pacts are sealed. |
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| | === Arlindu Gate === |
| | The [[Arlindu Gate]] is the fortified outer entrance to the city, built of interlocking stone slabs without mortar. It is guarded by Guzirias. |
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| | |Culture and Society=Lavierin is governed directly by the Council of Lavierin. It is the most formal and conservative of the Arânzeni cities, and civic decisions follow precedent. The Guzirias and the Yacinsains hold the city's main ceremonial and administrative roles. |
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| | The principal festival is [[Ioriea]], a celebration of [[Yairan]] that marks the new year. |
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| | Most inhabitants are Arânzeni. A community of Oinien lives in the Biașirisă district. |
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| | |Spiritual Significance=Lavierin stands beside the Domain of Yairan, and earth spirits are often encountered in its caverns and halls. The Arânzeni hold that it is one of the few places where Yairan can be heard through the stone. The [[Ascendant Spirit]] [[Yala]] is invoked in archival and legislative rites. |
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| | |Economy=The economy of Lavierin is based on quarrying, stonecraft, and the mineral trade. Much of its trade is with Oinien settlements and travels by the Deep Roads. |
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| | |Defense and Military=Lavierin is protected by the Așdilu Mountains and by its position inside them. It is defended by the Guzirias, who practice the [[Path of Yairan]], the branch of [[Osia]] concerned with earth, and can use it to alter terrain in battle. |
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| | |Dangers and Threats=The main natural hazard is seismic activity. Tremors are rare and are regarded by some Arânzeni as warnings from Yairan. |
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| | |Notable Individuals= |
| | * [[Loarpie]], architect and Yacinsain |
| | * [[Gire Bialse]], leader of the Guzirias and member of the Council of Lavierin |
| | * [[Bavisle Aită]], historian |
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| [[Category:Council of Kar-Thal Holdings]][[category:Major Cities]][[Category:Citadel Mountains]] | | [[Category:Council of Lavierin Holdings]][[category:Major Cities]][[Category:Așdilu Mountains]] |