Halcyon

# NOTE - This article is up-to-date for the 16th Century. For the Collapse era, see Halcyon (Collapse Era) and Politics.

**Halcyon, City of Invention** was the largest settlement in the world, located on the west coast of the Danderillon. It was a famous city of industry, ingenuity, invention and intrigue. It was the administrative capital of the Lakayan Federation since the year 1561, and was previously known as Waterdeep. There was also a small walled Vortic Mercatorium trade colony in the north of the city known as **Port-au-Réine.** There were many notable places in the city. It had a symbiotic undercity, Bygone.

## Halcyon, City of Invention

Two cogs from a map, denoting Halcyon and Bygone.

### Names

The City of Invention; The City of a Thousand Stars

### Location

West coast of the Danderillon, twin river estuary

### Rule

Administrative capital of the Lakayan Federation

### Foundation

First remains point to Y'rontaoq / Yurontok in the Late Bronze Age, then as Reimostek in the second millenium pre-0. Colonised as Waterdeep in 3rd century by the Luskens, declared independence in 1514, and remade as Halcyon in 1561.

### Known For

Largest city in the world; industry, ingenuity, invention and intrigue; rich political history

### Exports

all kinds of manufactured goods; oil & natural gas

### Languages

Faerunian Common, Lakayan Common, Luskan, Limba Vrei, Larawiyaki, Vortais, Rakki, many others

### Demographics

~30% Luskan Danderillonian; ~30% Lakayan; ~15% Vreigardt; ~15% Luskan (Peninsula/Fallo); ~5% Vortic; ~5% other.

### Religion

Luskan Maionan, Malinism, Dóism, Blue Sky, paganism, spirituality

## Halcyon's Founding

As Waterdeep, the city was once the capital of Scarossar from 1514-1561, and before that, it was historically the capital of the colonial Lusken Empire in the Danderillon, from around the 3rd century until just after the turn of the 16th century. Its history in those years is more explored on the page for Waterdeep.

In low winter 1560, the Oracles assumed control of the city's government. Their martial law persisted for several months under Aresilia Decimus. In spring 1561, the Night Watch returned along with the Lakayan Navy. The navy blockaded the city briefly, before bombarding it and unleashing the Setting Sun device. The day-long bombardment destroyed much of the docks and some important places like the Old Minster were turned to rubble, as was Fort Laeral, the site of the last stand of the Oracles. With the city free and defenceless, and as order slowly restored, the Lakayan Federation under Lord Governor Machavellio Disforza annexed the city and dissolved and annexed Scarossar proper in the summer of the same year, and moved its administrative capital. Thus, Waterdeep, City of Splendors was renamed as Halcyon, City of Invention.

## Bygone

North of the Reiros river was Bygone, the 'undercity' that provided all the work but was grimy and grotty.

## Languages and Names

As the capital of a federation of countless cultures, and the cornerstone of the world, the city was bound to have countless tongues and ways to call itself. Its official languages were Faerunian Common, Lakayan Common, Luskan, Limba Vrei, Larawiyaki, Vortais and Rakki.

* Its full administrative name in Faerunian and Lakayan Common was **Port** **Halcyon, Capital of the Continental Federation of Lakay,** but in casual speech, it was referred to as **Halcyon**.
* In modern coastal and local Euluska, its name was rendered as **Helxjon**
* In Middle and Lusken Peninsula Euluska its name was rendered as **Halxeiön**
* In Larawiyaki, it was referred to as **Akowá:sion**, simply a transliteration.
* In Vortais it was known as **Halsjión**.
* In Vrei it was **Halzjon**.

## Le Rejuvinasión

> *'The world, ladies and gentlemen, is on the brink of new and terrifying possibilities.'*
>
>

*- Henri Angier on the opening of his Shock and Awe theater show. Though not a contemporary quote, it fits nicely.*

In the years after the Federation's acquisition of the city, many places were rebuilt in an effort to rejuvenate the place, known as Le Rejuvinasión in Vortais due to many Vortic architects throwing in their two cents. Waterdeep had been in a bad way, but Halcyon hopefully would rise onward and upward. Many buildings were rebuilt in a new, beautiful, and exciting style, with detailed facades, pretty streets, wide roads and picturesque bridges. One of the most striking changes was the legislation surrounding factories. Every single factory of the iconic Waterdeep skyline was moved into the surrounding lands and far outside Halcyon, at least beyond the horizon (at least ~3km beyond the city walls). There was plenty space in the Vreilands and the moors for industry, but Halcyon was to be a place of beauty! Old factories in the northern districts had their chimneys dismantled, but many served as town halls, soup kitchens, meeting places or warehouses.

Whilst some sites, such as the Old Minster Church were left as historical ruins, others were given new life. Some of these projects included the rebuilding of House Calinezzi (mostly ruins since the 1520s) into the new headquarters of the continental Davison Detective Agency. The Glasshouse Ménagerie was also built, a large plot of fancy gardens and exotic aviaries and zoos. Some districts were renamed, too.

To sate the curious and potentially dangerous eye of the Mercatorium, the Federation agreed to allow a trade colony, akin to Nova Scandzia in Hjarofjall, which was established in 1563. Its name was Port-au-Réine. A another great canal was widened to provide maritime access to the colony for Mercatorium and merchant ships alike.

## City of a Thousand Stars

> *‘My good friends, my fellow Lakayans, my fellow Halcyians, we are all one under the light of the sun and the stars. And today I must thank you all for your vitality, your strength, your perseverance, your ingenuity. For we enter a new chapter for the Federation; we enter a new age of Halcyon. eMaiona lysenyeuäkuea, my friends. May her thousand stars be with us!’*
>
>

> *With this, as booming applause rang out from the streets, Lord Governor Machavellio outstretched his arms on the balcony. The darkness of the night was suddenly illuminated by a thousand electric lamps in a soft, warm embrace.*
>
>

*- Machavellio Disforza introduces the city to electricity provided by the Vortic Mercatorium.*

In the late 1560s, the city underwent some dramatic changes, as well as some smaller less notable ones. After some events in 1567 that began with the death of Henri Angier, a few knock-on effects occurred, including the death of Chief Harper Salmastrien. These events' consequences were great, as several years later, agents of the Vortic Mercatorium were able to offer Machavellio Disforza the secret of electricity as discovered by J. Arnu Waldenstromm. At the 1572 Halcon World's Fair, it was debuted in a wondrous show by the Professor, who had since been working under the protection of Berthielot Átir, Minister of Vortic External Affairs In Halcyon. It was a resounding success like no other, and the people loved it. What anti-Vortic sentiment some of the Lakayan Halcyians might have once harboured for their past was replaced with a deep newfound respect, and a sense of togetherness. Halcyon was a city united, a city of wonder, looking forward to new and exciting possibilities.

Throughout the 1570s and 1580s, several developments were made. As well as all of the Transport in Halcyon, new and exciting buildings popped up. These included Mackenzie University, the construction of a large breakwater, and the Halcyon Special Economic Zone at the site of the old WDSA, used as a large stockyard and the one place within 3km of the old city walls allowed to host industrial activity. Other factories were pushed to the northern stockyards. Many Papa Warad's Coffee shops also popped up.

## Modernisation

(TO DO)

Halcyon changed significantly through the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries, becoming far more technologically advanced and far less reliant on magic. Legislation was passed to heavily regulate the usage of magic, and very harsh sentences were given out for misuse of magic. Most magic users disappeared as a result, whether willingly leaving the now-HUGE and sprawling megalopolis to go elsewhere in Indratera, or perhaps *disappearing forcefully* if you prefer the official lingo. Many people lived and died in Halcyon, rarely escaping but for a holiday or trip, the outside world but a tale. It catapulted forward compared to the rest of the planet in terms of technology, with a Subterrane train system and the widespread production of more robust motorcars (See 1920s/1930s car designs for an idea). Houses and buildings shot up into the sky, with elevators and cable cars.