Alenhatam

The city of water and people, a meeting point in history, the beautiful Alenhatam! This ancient city was once the capital of Kielsalhima, but after the disappearance of the Nornir from the city, that capital would later become Mebrenst. Nevertheless, Alenhatam has remained an archeological marvel, drawing tourists from all over the continent.

Also Known As: "The City of Water" "The Ancient Capital"

Overview

Anient Ruins

Alenhatam is known for its ruins, which make up roughly 50% of the city, and upon which much of the city is built. Though some of these are known, there's also enormous ruins under the ground that've never been excavated, even some that contain deadly secrets. One such ruin is the Basilicock Ruin.

Tourism

Because of the ancient ruins, combined with the canals that allow boats to sail right through the city, Alenhatam has become a major tourist destination, with lines going through the city gates and wait times in the hours. The crowd is so dense that visitors aren't able to enter in a carriage, and instead must enter on foot. It's said that 30% of the city's population is actually tourists, and the city is mentioned to be more populated than Totokanta.

This high flood of tourism is what funds the entire city, with hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. They enjoy the history of the city, which was said to exist before the first humans settled on the continent.

To accomodate the flood of tourists, most inns are close to the city exits, as travelers will be carrying their luggage on foot. Without a contract with those inns, however, it's rare for ordinary visitors to be able to stay there. They usually have to travel further into the city to find accommodations.

Disdain For Sorcerers

Alenhatam is well known for its sorcerer hunts, which went on for years in the past, but are widely considered discontinued. For sorcerers who live in the city, though, this hatred of sorcerers remains a very real threat. Outside of the tourist-filled streets, in the back alleys of Alenhatam, lynching of sorcerers still continues. This is considered to be because of the past war between the Nornir and the Human Sorcerers, which resulted in the deaths of far more human citizens than it did sorcerers. Many people still remember this 'slaughter' of Alenhatam's people, and will viciously attack sorcerers who cross them, applying full blame for these past crimes. This hatred is also fueled by a fear that the once-persecuted sorcerers will eventually take revenge. After all, there is no amount of human citizens that could hope to defeat the average sorcerer.

Locations

Main Plaza

Upon entering the city, visitors are greeted with a large plaza made up of a cobblestone mosaic with dozens of brick colors and vivid geometic shapes. At the center is a large fountain with a three meter high monolith, and atop that, a statue of a heroic, roaring lion. The body of the lion pours water, with spouts well hidden and indistinguishable, and it's adorned with a mane that stretches further than its torso.

Damsel's Orisons

The Damsel's Orisons (Alenhatam Branch) was located in the residential district. It was renovated from an old elementary school when the school decided to move to another building, and was known to be in disrepair. As most of Alenhatam has a latent hatred for sorcerers, this building was said to be the only place where a sorcerer could live in Alenhatam, among their own kind. However, the building was destroyed by a Killing Doll that referred to itself as the Guardian of the Treasure.

Canal

The canals of Alenhatam are said to be one of the most beautiful sights on Kiesalhima, allowing white billowing sail boats to be seen drifting between the city's buildings. These canals are so wide that the other side can sometimes be distorted by fog, and so deep that even when a barge sunk in it, the top of the mast disappeared beneath the waves.

Old Royal Castle

Once upon a time, Alenhatam was the royal capital. The former castle still stands at the center of the city, in what used to be the aristocratic sector. This castle has since been opened up to the public, transformed into a museum and library.

Residential District

The residential district is composed of identical brick buildings, stacked several stories high.

History

Early History

1,000 years ago, the Nornir (Wyrd Dragons) were plagued by a monsterous magical beast known as the Basilicok. It was the most powerful of their potential threats, and in fear of the creature, they constructed Fort Basilicok. This was the first establishment ever built on Alenhatam soil, and for a period of time, it was the only one. They eventually clashed with the creature, and during the course of the battle, the fort was said to have been destroyed and the Basilicok killed. Though it was later discovered the underground level of Fort Basilicok had survived, unfortunately, it also says that the surrounding land was reduced to a desert.

The Nornir chose to rebuild the land that their conflict had destroyed. They used their sorcery to heal the lands and constructed the canals. The early construction of the city was centered around the unloading dock at the entrance of those canals. Slowly, over time, the city expanded from there. It eventually grew to be one of the largest cities on the continent.

Intermingling With Humans

A few hundred years after the construction of the city, humans who had settled on Kiesalhima were invited to come to the city. Humans lusted after the Nornir's power, which turned to faith, a type of dragon worship. With these two races being so similar, both humanoids with only a differene in standard eye color, the two races eventually interbred, resulting in the emergence of the human sorcerer race.

Assorted Facts

People and Culture

• Alenhatam is one of the only places in the continent where most of the population still believes in dragons.
• With Alenhatam's aggressive dragon faith, the Damsel's Orisons is the only safe place for sorcerers in the city to live.
• As an anti-sorcerer city, many Alenhatam citizens were pleased to see the Damsel's Orisons destroyed.
• Alenhatam is said to have some of the worst historical records, due to being the former capital (stuff being classified.)
• It's implied that a young man who died a strange death near Kinkhall, said to be an Alenhatam citizen, was Sammy.
• It was said that MacDougall's architect was from Alenhatam, but later says Kimrak. It was likely meant to be Kimrak.

Other

• Orphen's journey from Totokanta to Alenhatam took about a month and a half.
• Kinkhall Village is said to be less than 100 kilometers from Alenhatam.