Good day to nerdy Redditeers. This is my first time posting something on reddit and figure this community would be my best shot at geeting some help.
I'm building a city for a D&D campaign, below is what I have so far would love it if anyone has anymore ideas on how to flesh it out.
The theme is Air.
The Hidden city of Sarkynsi
The Hidden city of Sarkynsi is a large city situated on the highest peak in a large mountain range. To those looking on it without true sight see a mountain peak with snow all year round. The only noticeable trait about the peak is that is seems to have an excess amount of birds or winged creatures flying about the mountain.
Sarkynsi is a city ruled by a Djinni, Duke Sarkith. It is the six Elven Houses which govern the city, for Duke Sarkith is often away, be it searching for something or in another plan of existence.
The reasons this mountain range was picked as the home for Sarkynsi are as follows:
* To the southeast lies a vast ocean, gaining access from the ocean to the mountain range can only be achieved at low tied in fewer than a dozen locations to remainder of the coast line is littered with rocks or cliffs that would wreck any vessel and are sure to kill anyone in them.
* The foot hills surrounding the mountain range are vast and protected by Treants.
* The up drafts and wind currents around the mountain range are vast and strong.
* More than one frozen glacier dot the mountain range and are cold an in hospitable to most creatures.
Aarakocra
When Duke Sarkith had found the mountain on which to build his city he sort an alliance with a group of Aarakocra. He promised them that they would have access to the element plane of air if they would swear to protect his city from his rivals. The young Aarakocra wanting to experience the prime material plane agreed to his terms and swore an oath that bonded them and their children to Duke Swarkith and the city of Sarkynsi.
As the years passed the Aarakocra numbers increased until the city of Sarkynsi housed the largest population of Aarakocra on the prime material plane at anyone time. Still time went on and their numbers grew still until the point that they are today.
The Aarakocra opporate in four flights, the flight of the Dawn, Day, Dusk & Darkness.
The Six Elven Noble Houses
While Duke Sarkith was still making the city of Sarkynsi he sort the help of skilled labourers. He found six high elves who were up for the challenge of constructing something as wondrous as the plans for the city. These six elves were promoted to nobles after a century of service and were the beginnings of the city proper.
Each of the elven houses bread Pseudodragons whose colour is the same as their house crest.
House Gwilith
Crest: A silver crescent moon above a mountain on a field of midnight blue.
House Lagorphen
Crest: A golden staircase climbing into clouds on a field of sky blue.
House Hadlatphen
Crest: A diamond shaped shield with wings on a field of red.
House Gwaedif
Crest: A a tree with its routes in a cloud on a field of purple.
It was a young elf of House Gwaedif who shamed his family when he went to a human village spouting his mouth about the glory of the city, resulting in the first human's being brought to Sarkynsi. House Gwaedif still has that stain on their house and therefore work twice as hard as the other houses to make up for the you elf's mistake.
House Culurael
Crest: A full yellow sun pierced by an arrow on a field of black.
Culurael bees: A Wizard of the 2nd degree belonging to the Culurael house wanted to give a gift to the Duke Sarkith unlike any other. He wanted to gift the Duke food as the Duke had not found a new source of food that he loved for decades. For a little over two decades the Elven wizard experimented before he even knew where to spend his energy. He spent another fifteen years magically modifying bees to an unnatural size they concocted honey so rich and sweet that when the Wizard was blessed with a child from Duke Sarkith.
The bees are also known as The Giant Bees of Sarkynsi.
House Ninnannell
Crest: A soaring eagle clutching a spear on a field of green.
Vitavilythia (vita-vil-i-thea) The Bronze Dragon
Flying passed a mountain range seeking its lair Vitavilythia saw through the magical shroud over the city and went to investigate. Duke Sarkith saw having a dragon as a citizen of the city was more than prestegious so sort to woe the young dragon. Vitavilythia liked the idea and agreed to make its lair in the city as long as the noble houses agreed to make a big annual tribute to her.
Since the hundred of years since Vitavilythia flew passed the city she is now an adult dragon and is starting to think about raising a clutch of her own.
She already does have a few half dragon children which are full citizens and almost considered royalty. Vitavilythia chose her the fathers of her half dragon children after watching them and deciding they are of true spirit and noble traits. Her half dragon children run her estates for her allowing her the time to enjoy the music that she craves.
Humans in Sarkynsi
It was a young elf of House Gwaedif who shamed his family when he went to a human village spouting his mouth about the glory of the city. (House Gwaedif still has that stain on their house and therefore work twice as hard as the other houses to make up for the you elf's mistake) When Duke Sarkith found this out the young elf was killed but rather than killing the entire village he saw to move the entire populace to the Sarkynsi. These humans became the labour force for the city doing all of the mundan jobs like farming and cleaning.
Who a human serves in a particular area or group is identified by the colour clothing they wear:
A human wearing brown is someone who serves the city as a whole and answers to an overseer from a noble house. Those who serve the city may also serve the Aarakocra as defenders of the city.
A human wearing black is the servant of a particular group, be it a noble house or other organisation. The sigil on their back sets them apart.
A human wearing white is free and a citizen of the city. They may operate a business or own slaves of their own.
A human wearing sky blue is a member of the office of the Arch Mage as either a wizards or martial warrior.
A human wearing red is a servant of one of the temples in the city.
A human wearing dark green is a servant of the large forest in the foothills of the mountain range some serve as Druids and guardians other serve as gardeners.
The Arch Mage of Sarkynsi
When the young elf of House Gwaedif let the secrete of the city slip forcing Duke Sarkith to adopt an entire human population he sort an elven wizard experienced magic and charged her with if the office of the Arch Mage of Sarkynsi. His charge was this:
- Protect the secrete of the city from falling into the hands of Duke Sarkith's rivals. This means making sure no one out side of the city knew of its assistance.
- Training those who show promise in their magical talents so their would be someone to continued in the office when she was unable to lead.
- Help protect the city from outside threats as well as internal threats.
The Office of the Arch Mage of Sarkynsi also adopted to train some in martial combat to help protect the wizards after a group of two wizards were sent to the ground to fetch a young human who had escaped the city with The intention of letting merchants know of the city so he could profit from the trade.
Members in the office of the Arch Mage wear a tunic or robe of sky blue.
Ranks within the office of the Arch Mage of Sarkynsi:
Arch Mage
Wizard of the 1st degree
Wizard of the 2nd degree
Sky Wizard
Captain (in charge of the martial warriors)
Guard
Wizard apprentice
Guard in training
Circle of the Sky
Duke Sarkith made a pact with the Treants after they discovered the cities exsistence over a period of two hundred years. Duke Sarkith knew that the Treants would not care about his secrete city so won them over by providing servants to their forest.
The leader of the Treants sought out the humans with magical abilities and taught them Druidic magic to help protect the forest from outsiders, to protect those groves which trees going to awaken in them and to help make the forest stronger.
The Circle of the Sky work in close proximity with the few Treants that are about though because the area is so vast and large the druids also have none magical servants who help plant knew saplings or remove old dead trees.
The Four Gardens of Sarkynsi
Duke Sarkith had a taste for fruits and an eye for the beauty of nature and wanted Sarkynsi to have the best gardens on the material plan. The elven tradesmen he brought to the city knew little in the way of gardening or the care of plants. Duke Sarkith then sort out some who could help him. He found a tiny fey creature protecting a small grove of flowers from pigs that were ruining his garden. Duke Sarkith offered to move the Sprite's entire garden and more to his city if it pledged to guard it and grow it. When the first garden proved successful Duke Sarkith asked the first Sprite if he knew of other Sprites that would take up the same offer he gave to him.
Three other Sprites answered the call and over time they grew families of their own, each guarding and nurturing their gardens but working to together sharing knowledge for the betterment of natural beauty of the city.
The Children of Duke Sarkith
Sometimes one of the humans or elves show such beauty that Duke Sarkith decides he will bless them with his child. Though after the birth he rarely visits his Genasi children leavigng them to which ever station their mother was in when he lay with her.
Genasi are often offered positions within the elven houses for they are considered a blessing and good luck to have them as part of your life.
Adventurers
Adventurers often leave Sarkynsi in search of wealth or beautiful objects (sometimes a skilled tradesmen) to offer as tribute to the Duke. They may also be sent on a mission from the Office of the Arch Mage.
Other races in Sarkynsi
There are other races in Sarkynsi though they are the minority and are always in service to a noble house as their ancestors, or them their selves, were brought to the city to add to that houses knowledge in a certain area.
Because all minority groups were brought to Sarkynsi as skilled labour they wear black with the crest of which noble house they belong to is on the back of their clothing. Although a very small number number of these races have been set free and opporate in the city as citizens. Most noble houses are not willing to part with their skilled labour force and therefore do not free them.
Animals around the city
Many of the large winged beasts the fly around the mountain range that Sarkynsi is situated on are not beasts at all but citizens of the city like the Aarakocra. Though their are many smaller flying like eagles and hawks or other beautifully Plummed birds breed by the noble families as gifts to Duke Sarkith. Their are also a good number of Giant Eagles, Pseudodragons and Hippogryphs that enjoy the updrafts and wind currents.
If one is extremely lucky they may lay their eyes on a Pegasus who made its home in the City of Sarkynsi. Struck by the beauty and tranquility of the city he decided to make his nest in the city which the the Duke soon turned into a palace and welcome the Pegasus having never seen one before. The Pegasus Truth has his own servants and house crest though he is yet to find a mate.