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settings:jaern:therhine:centralia:centraliacity

Centralia City

Centralia City is a shining spectacle of intricate buildings and happy, carefree citizens who spend their days in artistic, scholarly and religious pursuits. After its sacking and razing in 2555, the city has been rebuilt in near entirety. Its leaders are eager to reclaim their place at the center of the world, with bright eyes on the future and the vast, untamed seas. The city's rebuilding has provided many with the opportunity to make a name for themselves in a city that used to be ruled by a strict caste order, now broken down in the wake and rebuilding that followed the razing.

By Chaim Holtjer @chaimholtjer

Centralian Society

Centralia is heavily class oriented and everyone is very conscious of the ranks of others and of themselves. This vision has been fractured heavily in the past 3 years (Said in 2558).

Nobles

At the top of the society we find the Nobility. Nobility in Centralia is a matter of money and politics. The Nobility of Centralia exists entirely without restraint. While the nobility of Centralia used to be quite hedonistic and uncaring for the lower classes, this possibility has long since faded. Now, its more common for mid class nobles to fight and scheme among themselves to claim the top ranks of nobility. Seeking to gain the common mans help as either laborers, assistants, or electorate is proving to be the most powerful way of gaining stature.

Current Noble Families

Crownguards - Led by the matriarch Shiyana Crownguard, they control Crownguard university and a substantial amount of wealth. (Active PC, contact @Scizor021 for help) Wills - Veles -

Mid Tier Nobility

Cromwell -

Past Noble Families

Dain, Trine, Archer, Shaylyn. (Not much is known about these families, with information being lost to time)

Artisans

The nobility sponsor the artists and craftsman they take a liking to. These people tend to rise in their chosen field faster than a more talented associated who lacks the patronage of the nobility.

Priests

The priests are free to devote themselves to the worship of their god and to put aside worldly matters. The temples are slowly gaining a foothold within the politics of the city, reversing decades of influence by past nobility as bargaining chips among themselves.

Workers

At the very bottom of the class structure we have the workers. These people don't live in the city but occupy two seperate cities nearby: menial workers in Prall, house servants in Pregada. Workers come to Centralia to work as they are scheduled. They have recently come into unions and workers rights, using their electorate power and withholding labor as bargaining chips against the nobility.

Districts

Nayaka

The Nayaka is also known as the Administrative District of the city. It encompasses much of the political work, and headquarters for many of the guilds and businesses. It also houses the jail and detention areas for the T'orites.

Aetheria

The Aetheria District is home to the education and magical centers of the city of Centralia, the district is filled to the brim with magic crystals that act as street lamps, small portals that teleport people around. And is home to the largest university in Centralia. When coming here many will find some new type of magitech being worked on or mages practicing their crafts in the field. It is also not uncommon to find small gold spheres that hover and wander the district; these orbs are Aether orbs and they often can be asked to show directions or maps to wherever one needs to go to.

Devatana

The Devatana District is also known as the Artisans District. It is where many street vendors are guided to, along with hundreds of merchants opening their businesses in the provided buildings. The second story of these buildings also provides much of the common folk housing and affordable apartments to live in.

Crownguard University

A majestic university, standing tall among the hills on the northern edge of Centralia City. Crownguard University boasts some of the most talented professors and students Jaern has to offer, and a curriculum that spans the planes.

Pattarik

The Pattarik is the eastern side of the port of Centralia. Its home to a few temples, and many shipyards.

Pattanacima

This is the western side of the port of Centralia. Also home to a few temples, its the main place for warehousing and trade for ships to dock at. The temple of Neptune is here along with places for sailors to stay the night on land.

Sarvakartum

The Sarvakartum is also known as the Forge District. The beating heart of Centralia’s industry, once a wrecked wasteland of crumbling homes and shops. Now the forge district has been rebuilt by the hands of itsNi people and renamed Sarvakartum, the district is home to many metalsmiths, armorers, and weaponsmiths that specialize in integrating aether crystals into armor, weapons, and decorative metal structures. Many smiths also specialize in gear for the mounts of the falconers.

Bhavya Vipani

The Bhavya Vipani is also known as the Grand Market. One of the largest markets known to all of jaern, It hosts travelers and interplanar traders from far and wide, where most goods are available, for a price.

Anantaloka

Anantaloka is the 'Interplanar' district of the city. It is where ALL interplanar travel must go through to access the city. ALL permanent portals are located in specialized buildings, guarded by the Temple of the Vigil.

Taurdehuineva

Taurdehuineva is the forest located north of Centralia. Its existence and inhabitants far predate Centralia’s creation and formation. It is home to some of the oldest elves on Jaern who go to great efforts to stay reclusive and isolated. Traveling through the forest can be quite dangerous, as a spell has been placed upon the forest to make travel exceedingly difficult for the uninvited.

Adhas-Darpana

This is the undercity of Centralia. Its far bigger than the rest of the city put together, but proves to be impossible to map as the tunnels are always changing. The entire place is cursed by Rudri to be so. Rumors even have it that theres a small city down there.

Temples

As a note to fellow GM's, the map intentionally did not label which temples are where. This is to cover the shifting landscape of the gods and where their temples might be. Unless specified, which some are, choose the location most fitting to your temples needs.

The Temple of Anubis

(Information)

The Temple of At'ena

(Information)

The Temple of Isis

The temple of Isis is by far the most extravagant and beautiful temple of the city. Word has it, that an extremely wealthy benefactor solely funded the construction in the exact design given by Isis herself. The temple is open to the public and never asks for donations or anything out of those whom are in need. It is clean through and through, and offers a gentle peace to all those whom enter.

The Temple of Orus

(Information)

The Temple of Tarus/Vormaxia

The temple of Tarus and Vormaxia has been created within Crownguard Univeristy. Headed by the headmaster of the university, Shiyana, the temple contains all the knowledge available within the city proper. Some information is available freely, while more dangerous information is restricted by layers of magical wards and charms.

The Temple of Almar

Almar exists I guess.

The Temple of Zepherin

The temple of Zepherin is a publicly accessible temple, dedicated to enhancing of ones own body and health.

The Temple of Mishra

Located far outside the city walls, the temple of Mishra often proves to be an experimental training grounds for explosives and firearm testing. They have been experimenting with aether as use of a weapon lately as well.

The Temple of Rudri

Not on the map, the temple of Rudri is located deep beneath the city. Past a labyrinth of old dwarven tunnels, worship to Rudri is performed among the chaos and shadows of the underworld.

The Temple of Neptune/The Temple of Kelvar

The Temple of Neptune is located alongside the port, so that ships and travelers may always have ready access to it. This temple is shared between Neptune and Kelvar due to the cities layout and the overlapping domains of these two gods. Both focused on trade and mercantilism, The temple of Neptune has some of the best bathhouses known to Jaern. Donations are always expected for use of the bathhouses, but donations are always used to upkeep the area in cleanliness.

The Temple of the Vigil

Located at the intersection between the Interplanar District and the old Guild of Wizards, the temple of the Vigil stands ready and guards over most of the interplanar trade that occurs within the city. Less concerned with the actual trade, but more to keep watch on anything that might be coming through that can pose a threat to the city.

Contact @Scizor021 for more information.

The Solarium of Ra

The Solarium is on the inside eastern edge of the port. The location was chosen to prevent anything from blocking the sun from the eyes of its worshipers.

The Solarium is always held in high regard by nobility and artisans alike. The temple is surrounded by a 9 foot wall to prevent random gawkers from interfering with the worship of those on the grounds. At the main gate is a lone priest who asks worshipers for their clithing and gives them a ring that may be used to gain their return.

Inside the solarium walls is a mostly open area where worshipers can bask in the glow of the ever-present Ra. Although there are some gaming areas inside (a small swimming pool, volleybal, badmitton and tables for board games) most worshipers prefer to just lay about and enjoy the cleansing warmth of Ra's light.

There is always at least one priest whose duty is to see to the comfort of the worshipers. He offers drinks, towels and tanning oils of various colors and scents.

The Solarium was leveled and left as a crater around the year 2524. The Nobles rushed to the aid of the temple and it was rebuilt in less than a week. Many workers died in the rush to get the temple rebuilt. A dedication to the dead workers was constructed by the Solarium (at their own expense) in the city of Prall.

The Enclave of T'or

There are probably 50 priests of Justice throughout the entire Rhine. They were never used for policing and operate as a religious order with no civil authority. They live lives of justice and spread their beliefs by being a model of behavior. They also practice weapons and combat a lot but do so more as a means of understanding balance rather than preperation for ass kicking. Centralia island has a civil police force. Smaller islands of the Rhine don't require dedicated police but do take the occasional hand from the main island.

The Enclave of T'or servers as a public center. People come to the Enclave to settle disputes over the punishment of crime (ie unjust or excessive punishment, lack of punishemnet, etc…) The priests (including Lay Priests) serve more as arbiters and Judges than the policing role they hold elsewhere. The Civil Police have been known to deputize T'orites on occasion (once the entire Temple) and some priests also hold positions within the Civil Police.

While most cities of the world look upon the Enclave as a policing force, and local governments eagerly back the priesthood to gain the use of their services, this is not so in Centralia. The nobility of Centralia (which are in reality its only law making body) are willing to back the priesthood only so far as it is understood that the nobility can still do anything they wish regardless of the right or wrong as viewed by the Enclave. The agreement exists but it could break if either side ever truly pushed the issue.

T'or's Laws

The laws in Centralia are kind of dim, there are no real written laws. If you see a crime, you punish it… if you can. If you can't you should notify the Centralia Civic Police. In Centralia it is a crime not to intervene in some manner. There also seems to be a general taboo against litter or anything that would give the city a bad look/feel. Your personal rights are determined by your station. Interfering with an artist at work could be a more heinous crime than murdering a street-sweeping Prall (providing that you did your buthering neatly and tossed the remants into a trash rescepticle).

Of late, the local enclave in Centralia has resurrected a tradition of providing body guards for persons that they honor.

Places of Note

The Guild of Wizards

The Guild of Wizards

For a sum of One thousand gold per annum any person with the demonstrated ability to cast spells may join the Guild of Wizards. Benefits include:

  • Hang out at their really cool (if somewhat overly artistic and trite) tower
  • Read books from their exclusive library of rare and scary tomes
  • Get first bidding on any stuff the guild decides to auction off
  • Access to counseling and tutoring from the finest mages that walk Jaern
  • Have full access to the guild market

Historical Information/Outdated Information

This is all left here as a historical reference, but should not be often used in modern day.

Klepna’s Holdout

Owned by a half-elf with an eyepatch over a gouged out eye named Klepna Nester, this is a store that has a Old Western white-washed feel to it and sells mid-ranged and upper end adventuring and general store goods. If the party is able to, they might recognize a small pin with the heraldry of Scourgtide on it. Should certain trades or events come to pass, adventurers might be able to gain access to the black market and gambling pit underneath her shop1).

4/2555 - She and her crew would have barricaded themselves in the basement during the raizing of Centralia. The store front itself may be gone, but the black market is still there, but out of commission for the time being for the most part2).

The Hysteria

About four miles outside of Centralia City and well off the beaten path one may find a cobblestone path that up to and around a massive tree with a canopy filled with autumn colored leaves. Opening up the door will find one in a large nomadic shop with an almost feral woodland aesthetic (see: Toadstools as tall as stools to sit on) and an even more feral yet buff elderly gnome woman with purple hair confined to a wheelchair with a voice that can only be described as Toad from the Mario franchise. Kara the Krazy (spelled with a “K”) is an extremely talented nomad and craftswoman that has a habit of grossly upcharging her wares. However, she is also willing to drop the prices significantly should anyone be willing to help her deliver her goods across Centralia for her since she is unable to anymore. It should also be noted that she always has an intense amount of Sago Weed available and has a deadbeat husband named Clive, who more information will be provided later about3).

1)
Ex-pirate that went on to be the main Scourgtide black market dealing in Centralia
2) , 3)
These details added by Lauren G. 2/6/2022
settings/jaern/therhine/centralia/centraliacity.txt · Last modified: 2024/12/31 17:24 by scizor021