Carakum (City)

When the land of Gaellia was conquered, the Shadow-Mage required a fortress and citadel from which to rule. He found what he was looking for in Mith'ara, a Gaellian palace/ temple. Modifying and enlarging the palace, the Shadow-Mage quickly made the Dark-Palace his capital.
Although originally an isolated fortress, a town quickly grew around the citadel, originally comprising builders, soldiers and herders. With time, this town expanded onto and around the Amon Gur, Hill of Dread.
The city is now the second largest, after Mellye-Terric, and is the realm's capital. The city is divided into two sections, each surrounded by tall black walls, and guarded day and night by Gaellian soldiers. The section around the fortress is known as the Zer-Mer'zot (B. The Shadow-Mage's confines), and they are strictly off-limits to the general populace. Inside the Zer-Mer'zot are the barracks, administrative buildings and guild-halls. Access to the section is permitted only to soldiers, guild-masters and officials, on production of the proper documentation. Around the dark walls of the Zer-Mer'zot lies the city proper, the Zer-Gizar (B. The People's confines). This is where the common people have their houses, inns and shops. It is also the location of the city's plethora of temples. The streets of the city have grown as the population dictated, and thus there is very little planning. The avenues and roads form narrow mazes throughout the city, and it is easy to become disorientated and lost in amongst the high buildings. Only the large squares, where the people gather daily to worship Balzot, provide a landmark in the labyrinth. These squares are usually dominated by large statues of Balzot, the Death-Queen or the Shadowmage. Again, the Zer-Gizar is surrounded by fortified walls.
The city is home to the guild houses, in particular, the Thieves Guild and the Guild of Masons. The Thieves Guild pay a large commission of their victims' wealth to the Citadel of Carakum. Also located here, within the Zer-Gizar, is the sprawling complex which makes up the College of Eternal Flame. It is here, near the walls of Zer-Mer'zot, that the next generation of Black Fang are trained.
Category:Cities
Category:Udum
Category:Shadowmage
Category:Daenor