Alyria

While their reasons for arriving in this humble settlement vary from individual, to individual. The town itself is none the less both home, and a reflection of the Alyrian's efforts as a community. It's size, complexity, and capability are not only determined by the contributions of it's people - but by their voices. As each new development, each potential new district, is voted on and discussed within the town hall. Or proposed as ideas to it's population within town meetings and social gatherings.

From the scouting, taming, and harvesting of resources from the wilds. To it's construction and protection. The town is as much a living, breathing entity as the people who live within it. Thus opportunity and potential is truly limited only by the ambitions and imagination of it's citizens.




Airship Dock
For most, this cliff side platform is the first thing many lay their eyes on when first arriving into Alyrian territory. While modest in size, the sheer height of the mountain it's built upon, in addition to it's smooth straight down cliff. Offer the perfect docking station for the leviathan-class airships that all but dwarf it's existence upon docking. Weather observations, and astronomy studies are also conducted up here due to the high vantage point and unobstructed view that comes from being seated just above the cloud line.

Crystal Caverns
Used both as a passage down the mountain, as well as a mine for naturally forming Manai crystals. This cavernous tunnel is illuminated by the bio-luminescent flora that grows naturally along the moisture slicked rocks and porous surfaces of it's ceiling. While the well traveled path has been worn down to smooth crushed crystal sand, and marks an easy to follow trail. A guardian statue has also made it's home here, where many an offering is made to these servant's of Bentix for safe passage.



Carved out of the thick, dense forest and the rocky mountainside- the town center has kept much of it's natural beauty and charm, while serving as a safe sanctuary for it's citizens. With a large, bountiful lakeside on it's southeastern side supplying the residents with as much fish as they can catch. The river that feeds it and flows naturally down from the mountain also offers a source of continuous fresh, mineral infused water for consumption and use.

The Fanged Papaya
Named after the hallucinations caused by an experimental 'first batch' of Alyrian firewater. This small-ish building is far bigger within then it is without, due to having been built directly into the mountainside for added support and protection. Serving as both a place to sleep, given it's many rent-able rooms, and a social hub given it's large open-doors tavern. It's no wonder it's often the first stop for many new to the town, and wanting to get a grasp of what they signed themselves up for.

Town Hall
Located within the center's northwest corner, this triple story building serves as the gathering place for Alyria's population during meetings, announcements, and other community events.

It also contains the following:

Jails - As much as Alyria strives to be as much of a safe, peaceful, and collaborative place as possible. To think that trouble wouldn't brew eventually is little more that naive idealism. For those who seek to be nothing but trouble, the iron cells are more then willing to accommodate them.

Public Library - Located on the second floor, and always open to the public, these archives of knowledge offer a little something for everyone. From books written by it's residents, to those brought in and donated by travelers and outsiders. One can always serve to find some enjoyment or education in the vast collection contained within. Just be sure to return the books when your done with them?

Government Offices - Located on the third floor, this office serves as a gathering place for Alyria's top officials, and where the residents can meet with the viceroy directly in a more fitting setting to address what is needed, when it's needed.

The White Lilly Clinic
Home to the menders and healers of Alyria, it's inevitable that someone will end up here and in their care eventually. Thankfully, one need not worry about white walls and uncomfortable beds as these individuals have learned that comfort, company, and relaxation does wonders for recovery. In addition to helping you get the heck out, quite a lot sooner.

When not seeing to patients, this place serves as a research and teaching clinic to aid in the advancements of healing techniques and medicines. While it's second floor has dedicated itself to 'Environmental Studies' and is a place where researchers, biologists, and botanists study the local flora and fauna alongside local hunters and alchemists.




The culture of Alyria is a rather unique one, given it's melting pot of so many varied species, races, and ideologies in one small place. Adopting a very 'live and let live' philosophy. Alyrian's tend to be a rather open minded, and naturally curious folk when it comes to opinions and perspectives that differ from their own. Even if they do not choose to agree with it, or adopt it for themselves, their content to simply let it be if it's not being used to harm, manipulate, or endanger others.

As a collaborative driven community, they seek to actively use their strengths to the benefit of others who may be lacking in such areas. Often banding together to take on challenges, or pursue a common agenda - even if it's just to haul home a trophy kill, or a story to tell. Their adventurous, driven, and prideful - often showing it in how even the practical can be made to look beautiful. Something seen well in the town center's architecture given their faith that the strong, thick perimeter walls will hold back the wilds once the sun falls.

However, such strong communal bonds are not without their downsides. Nor is Alyria any exception to the rule. While they see importance in what an individual can contribute, and value is put more in one's actions rather then their 'pretty spoken words'. Many are distrustful of outsiders, and even native dracian's who aren't of notable standing or have much skill and experience to their name. Often resulting in a slow-to-accept, at-arms-length mentalities that often drive more vulnerable individuals to seek acceptance among the guilds. Or worse, attempt to prove themselves with fatal consequences.

In the end however, from noble to slave, the simple fact remains. For each death of an Alyrian, means one less individual helping to strengthen the community against the wilds that push back nightly against the walls, and threaten to bring all they've built down to ruins around them.



The concept of 'coins' forged from precious metals, is a strange and unusual concept for most Dracians, and Alyrians for that matter. Seen as wasteful, heavy, cumbersome, and outdated - coins were phased out of existence as early as the middle of the first era. Adopting instead the system of using 'marks' as the worldwide currency.

Marks, so named after the crest of the nation producing them that is stamped or engraved into the metal. These thin, lightweight, durable strips of easily acquired metals are only about two inches long, and barely half an inch wide. With their denomination deeply engraved to be clearly visible on both flat sides of the mark itself.

The metals, made up of Brass, Bronze, Steel, Mythrel and Blood. Are ranked accordingly from least valuable to most. All marks with the exception of blood, have denominations of 5, 10, 25, and 50 for ease of use and conversion to higher tier marks.

Brass Marks - Elic
Known as the currency of Slaves these beautiful, but utterly worthless marks are unable to be exchanged, or converted for any other type of available marks. Due to this however, only Elic has denominations for 100, 500, and 1000. There is also no standard for how much services, skills, or wares can be sold for in Elic, which makes how expensive or inexpensive things are up to the individual. Generally however, 1 Elic is equal to 1 bronze mark in terms of value.

Bronze Marks - Vel
The lowest tier of marks, and made of the most plentiful metal in all of Dracia. Even the poorest of backwater cities can obtain a permit to produce these marks for their people.

The Value of these marks, is as follows:
100/1 - Steel Marks
10,000/1 - Mythrel Marks

Steel Marks - Sek
The second tier of marks, and generally able to be produced in small towns with a capable blacksmith. They are easily obtained by travelers wishing to upgrade their Vel for something a bit easier to shop with in the local markets.

The Value of these marks, is as follows:
1/100 - Bronze Marks
100/1 - Mythrel Marks

Mythrel Marks - Ler
The third tier of marks, and most expensive of the publicly exchangeable marks. It's uncommon if not impossible to find these marks produced outside of major cities or nation-sanctioned settlements like Alyria. Mostly given to the fact that these marks must be imported through armed guards, and produced only by nation-sanctioned blacksmiths which are heavily regulated.

The Value of these marks, is as follows:
1/10,000 - Bronze Marks
1/100 - Steel Marks

Blood Marks - Drav
Used almost exclusively by criminal, underground, and unlawful individuals these wooden marks are soaked in blood to give them their iconic sanguine color and namesake. While they hold no value in the eyes of the nations, they are none the less the rarest and most valuable currency in the world. Merely due to how their exchanged and collected.

If one is in debt, or otherwise unable to afford something direly needed. The desperate may turn to the underground for aid, financial or otherwise. If accepted, these individuals will see whatever the individuals needs are met - and give one of these marks as a token of their involvement.

It's when these marks are re-collected that their sinister nature reveals themselves. For if you were 'gifted' a mark for the involvement of another, you are bound by blood-oath to do whatever that individual or group asks of you to do. Only by successfully completing this 'favor' are you then relieved of the blood mark with no further strings attached. Failure to do so however, is to forfeit your life to the one you owe the oath to - being sold off as a slave to the trade is considered a 'merciful' outcome.

Exchanging Foreign Currency
Most Dracians, and Alyrians for that matter have no use for off-world currencies save for the metals they may be made from. Thus there is no real 'exchange rate' or means of converting your currency into a local one - aside from finding a willing blacksmith. Only they have the means of melting it down into the base metals, or accepting your bars in exchange for their value in marks. A value which may differ depending on which blacksmith you go to. Though gold, silver, and platinum are common metals on Dracia, they are favored by apprentice jewelers for their wares. Thus often worth more as usable bars, then mere coins, which have a higher risk of impurity when melted down.