Melkan Thindin

Melkan Thindin is a port city located at the southern tip of the Dragon Spine Mountains. The city itself is built into the back of a large natural harbor, protected by high mountains and sheer cliff faces surrounding the harbor. The name Melkan Thindin is dwarvish for "Great Arms" to describe these cliffs acting as natural defensive walls. The mountains to the north along the coast are seismically and volcanically active. The city remains stable, though some nights are lit with an orange glow to the north in the event of large volcanic eruptions. Weather patterns generally keep ash flows away from the city. Earthquakes seldom cause more than a few broken dishes and windows due to the strong construction of the buildings being carved directly from the mountains themselves. The city was founded close to 500 years ago as a military fort due to its natural defensive position and access to the seas. The city has since grown with buildings carved into the mountains themselves. Though originally founded by dwarves, the city's population has grown to include multiple races living within. This growth and inclusion of multiple cultures has given rise to the city's crowning achievement, the Melkan Thindin Museum of Natural and Cultural History.

The museum is located at the northern tip of the city, built deep into a sheer rock face, with known exits being only the front doors for security. The treasures within have attracted multiple thieves and bandits, though in the museum's 200 year history, it has never been successfully robbed. Artifacts contained within date back several millennia. An institute of learning has grown within the museum to study its artifacts

Recent seismic activity has uncovered the ruins of ancient temples to what has been understood as a violently monotheistic religion. The ruins are heavily scarred by volcanic eruptions, rock slides, and signs of massive creatures warring. The direct source of the scars created by living beings is yet unknown by scholars at the museum, though fossilized dragon skeletons show signs of massive trauma. Skeletal remains of multiple races, sentient and not, have been located at the site. Very few writings have been recovered, with only 1 or two actually being translatable. Some artifacts are on display in the museum, though the bulk of the writings and artifacts remain deep in the archives for continuing research.

The port of Melkan Thindin was built out from the natural shoreline using rock carved out from the cliffs as land fill to extend the shoreline. At any time, the port can be occupied by up to 75 vessels of differing size, while offering safe anchorage for up to 40 others just off shore, though still within the protective barrier. The entrance and exit of the harbor is a mere quarter mile wide, so entrance and exit is managed by several lookouts placed on the peaks of the cliffs on either side. Communication is achieved via lights and flags to allow various ships to pass. The lookout emplacements each also contain a small ballistic battery for defenses, while a force of 5 frigates act as a defensive force to dissuade any attacks. As the passage is too wide for any gates, the cliff lookouts are also rigged with explosives to drop a rockslide on any invading forces. These explosives are protected my multiple spells as safeties and have never once been set off in the city's history. The passage is deep enough that even the most heavily laden ship can pass without risk of grounding as long as navigational beacons are followed.

It is believed by some harbor workers that when the rock used to extend the shoreline was cemented into place, small voids were left in the rock and are used by unsavory characters as hideouts or supply caches. The local militia has yet to look into these claims as many who claim these stories to be true are often drunk or deemed deranged.

Multiple small passages are carved through the mountains to allow access to the coastlines on either side of the harbor, and are heavily defended and passage is closely monitored. Communication lines are established between passage entrances so that guards may track the number of travelers at all times. These passages are large enough to allow two large wagons to pass each other on the side without risk of collision. The passages may be sealed at any time for defensive purposes.

The city's security is managed by a volunteer militia. The militia guards the passageways, harbor lookouts, and naval frigates. While the city has not been breached by any invading forces in 4 centuries, the defensive stance is never lowered from its state of readiness. The militia is not tasked with defense of the museum as the institution managing it employs their own private guard who are fiercely vetted prior to employment.

The city's entertainment district is renown for its variety of performance available to patrons. Multiple theaters feature plays, music, magic, comedy, tragedy, and academic lectures. It is stated that an entertainer will always find employment here, regardless of their specialization or training.