Alankha

From Metrophor

Alankha is a city of staggering wealth and power nestled in obscuring mist at the foot of the Marudeva mountain. Its power is concentrated in the Spires: phenominal, sky-reaching structures built by the most powerful Societies and Temples in Alankha. Although many smaller spires exist in imitation of their larger, illustrious bretheren, the nine great Spires most commonly referred to house the Societies and Temples that form the Conclave.

In addition to trade, Alankha is known for its higher-than-normal population of those skilled in enchantment. While this obviously has a beneficial effect on the trade passing through Alankha, it also has a direct effect on the culture of the city itself. Streetskimmers and thautomata are commonplace amongst the urban bustle, and magic has pervaded every aspect of daily life within the city walls.

Alankha suffers, as most cities of its size do, from a population greater than it can easily provide for. Immigrants and traders have caused the already-burgeoning population to swell almost beyond the ability of the Conclave and city to handle, and those who find themselves without decent means of support have to get creative in their efforts at urban survival.

The city now known as Alankha is actually the third to bear its name. Second Alankha, known in its time as New Alankha, was devastated over one hundred years ago during the Rending. The effects of the Rending left the area uninhabitable, and what citizens survived had to relocate to their current site and rebuild the city from what they could scrounge. The use of enchantment aided greatly in this endeavour, and Alankha was rebuilt and teeming again before the passage of a decade.

Little is remembered about First Alankha, the city having been destroyed in excess of two thousand years ago.