Chachin

Chachin is the capital city of Kandor, in the Borderlands. It is located on the junction of several trade routes, including the cross-Borderland route running from Bandar Eban to Fal Moran and another running south to Tar Valon. It is located just south of the Blight and as a result is extremely heavily defended, although it is large enough and far enough south that vigilance is not quite as severe as in smaller settlements such as Canluum. Chachin is not usually counted as one of the great cities of the Westlands, but it rivals Tear in size. Despite being neither built by Ogier nor founded on the site of a city built by Ogier, Chachin holds its fair share of ancient relics; foremostly the documents named the Strike at Shayol Ghul were found inside the mountain city. It is unknown exactly how old the city is; it is known that it, and its neighbor capital Shol Arbela, lay within the borders of Elsalam, but it is neither said of what importance they were nor if either of them was capital.
The city is built around several hills with three tall mountains rising out of the center. The Aesdaishar Palace, the seat of the ruler of Kandor, currently Queen Ethenielle Kirukon Materasu, is located atop the highest mountain, which rises over 5,000 feet over the city below. Three tall ringwalls encircle the city with a 100-foot-wide drymoat located beyond that. Twenty-four bridges cross the moat, each overlooked by a small fortress where the bridge meets the city. The Bridge of Sunrise is located on the eastern side of the city, where the road from Canluum enters the city.
Its location is at a high enough altitude to cause some difficulty in breathing and dizziness. This is a sign of altitude sickness which generally occurs only at altitudes above 2500 m or 8000 ft. Examples of capital cities in the real world at this kind of altitude are Bogotá (2,640 m or 8,660 ft), Quito (2,850 m or 9,350 ft)) and La Paz (3,640 m or 11,942 ft).
As with many Borderland cities, Chachin is mostly made of stone buildings with glazed tile roofs that are more difficult to burn in a sneak attack. The poorest districts are nearest the edge of the city, within the first ringwall, with the districts becoming richer and more prosperous the closer a traveler comes to the central mountains.
The city is also the home of the Merchants' Guild of Kandor. These merchants can easily be recognized by the chains going across the front of their coats.
Inns within Chachin include the Silver Penny, Ruffled Goose, Evening Star and Blind Pig.
==In the books==
Chachin was visited by Moiraine Damodred and al'Lan Mandragoran in early 979 NE, during the events of New Spring. Moiraine was searching for evidence of the Dragon Reborn and Lan was attempting to halt an attempt by his former lover Edeyn Arrel to have him claim the throne of ruined Malkier against his wishes. During their visit several important people died, including Prince-Consort Brys and his son Diryk, as a result of the machinations of the Black Ajah. After these events Lan agreed to become Moiraine's Warder and aid her in her search for the Dragon Reborn, a quest that would eventually be fulfilled twenty years later in the Two Rivers.
es:Chachin
Category:Capitals
Category:Kandor
Category:Borderlands