Krada

"As the elements come together to form something everlasting, so too shall we remain as the passage of time falls like grains of sand, until the very end."

## History

The waypoint of Krada has been around since people learned how to stack stones on top of one another. Its history spans thousands and thousands of years into the past, and yet, it remains a relatively humble location in comparison to most other settlements. It is capable of sustaining a large population due to is key positioning between the mountains, the lake, the plains, and the desert; it is this very junction that has allowed it to function as it has for millennia as a short rest stop for those passing through. That, or for those who seek enlightenment and perfection of the self, there may be more to the waypoint than its symbolic and strategic location. Some whisper that as a crossroads for so many natural landmarks, let alone its relative proximity to a rather potent natural wonder, that it is a potent junction for leylines that run beneath its ancient stone roads.

## Geography

Situated in the center of four different terrain-types, Krada is rich with all types of resources. Minerals, precious gemstones, metals, and stone from the mountains. Fresh water, fish, coral, and seaweed from the lake. Vast plains capable of sustaining miles of farmland, complete with large herds of big and small game that graze upon the tall grasslands. Finally, the desert provides many natural wonders thought to be found only deep underground; precious stones, fantastical flora and fauna, and an abundance of all the materials necessary required for mass-producing glass. There are even small forests nearby in both the north and south of the division between plains and dunes, allowing for lumber production. All of these resources, ripe to be exploited; none thus far have made any extensive use of any of the abundance that exists within Krada and its surrounding regions.

There doesn't mean there hasn't been construction, however. A long, even, and level sandstone road ten men wide spans from the middle of the grasslands nearly all the way to the Oasis to the south. A second road, equally as even, level, and wide spans perpendicular to the first, rising from out of the middle of the lake in the west to the peaks of the mountains to the east. Where the roads meet in the center are a number of large, heavy buildings made from a peculiar mixture of stone and glass. Were it not for the highly artistic nature of the architecture, one might easily assume the buildings were originally built as defensive structures not unlike castles. None of the buildings have doors, and are all open to the weather; despite living in a place where one might assume climate and weather ought to shift rapidly, no such changes exist. Much like the nature of the roads that reach outwards from the center of Krada, so too is the temperature perfect; not too hot, not too cold. The humidity is likewise the same, being not too dry, nor too moist. It is a place of harmony, where the wind sings when it comes into contact with the glass architecture designed to capture and tune the breeze.

## Inhabitants

Despite the extent of the architecture present, there aren't very many inhabitants in Krada, nor its surrounding regions. In the settlement itself exist a limited number of warrior monks and spiritual ascetics with an elemental bend to their culture, traditions, and combat styles. While members of any race can be found here, there do tend to be a higher number of genasi and samsaran present than elsewhere, likely due in part to the proximity to the Oasis, if not for their own diverse locations connected by the ancient crossroads. Not counting visitors, pilgrims, or those passing through, the existing population of Krada typically rests somewhere around one-hundred, at least half of which is considered to be an elite warrior and spiritually mature.

## Religion, Magic, Technology & Military

### Religion

While there are no specific deities that are worshipped in Krada directly, there is clearly homage given to the great elementals of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth, along with a smaller number of other minor elements. All of the warrior monks that live in Krada are well-practiced when it comes to spirituality in general, and some travelers even suggest that a select number of monks have mastered some form of traversing the planes.

### Magic

The magic of Genies and Elementals is prominent within the settlement, so much so that a large portion of its inhabitants are descendants of the wish-granting lords or have been otherwise infused with the elements themselves. A popular spot for any burgeoning kineticist!

### Technology

While there is an emphasis on simplistic living, there are a number of unusual technologies that can be found within the settlement; the glass that is used to catch the wind, for example, is said to contain a method of long-distance communication for those who are more attuned to psychic energies, or who are musically inclined. Other smaller and more obscure wonders exist throughout the settlements that aren't immediately obvious; the stonework and engineering behind the sandstone roads, for example; they've existed for millennia without much requirement for maintenance, despite the natural wear and tear that they should've endured over the ages.

### Military

There is no organized military within Krada, though each individual within the settlement is trained in the ways of combat. Challenging a single monk within the settlement won't bear that much weight, and small scale conflicts are quickly resolved. Large forces in the past have crashed against the crossroads, and each time the invaders have been repelled, despite the severely underwhelming number of combatants on the part of Krada. Some say they have the blessings of the elements and the reality warping powers of the genies within their grasp, and are capable of wide-scale carnage should they will it to be so.

## Law & Crime

There is little in the way of crime that happens within Krada. When it does occur, it is almost always due to outsiders wishing to inflict their own agendas upon the inhabitants. Though there are no overt laws written and enforced by any of the warrior monks, there are a number of simple rules they follow in order to deal with outsiders who attempt to steal, attack, or otherwise cause havoc within the settlement.

#### Rule 1 - Seek Peace

This rule encompasses any discourse had between two or more individuals; if one person has a problem with another, they are to find the quickest and most direct route towards conflict resolution. Most people have misinterpreted this rule as meaning 'no fighting'. If the quickest method of conflict resolution is to bear arms against one another, then it is to be so. Other warrior monks are to supervise, and if one party simply does not yield, and no intervention by the supervisory monks is requested, then it is perfectly fine to fight until one party is no longer capable of fighting. Most times, the monks prefer to simply disarm their opponents, knock them unconscious, or disable their limbs in some capacity. While death is not the most favorable of outcomes, it is not always avoidable, and is seen as a method by which peace may be achieved in certain circumstances. Whatever ordeal was behind the aggression is considered to be resolved after a victor has been determined. In most cases, rarely do conflicts ever rise to such a level, and most problems are quickly resolved through thoughtful discussions, or should that fail, a contest of wit, endurance, or skill relating to the matter at hand.

#### Rule 2 - Temper Passion

This rule in in place so that conflicts don't get out of hand. If at first one feels an urge, they must contemplate that urge. Only when one truly understand what made them feel such a way is it appropriate to act. If one feels an urge and simply acts upon the urge, as a base creature might, then there is a lack of understanding, and the individual who acts upon basic urges walks the world in a state of blindness. One who is blind to the pain or joy of others is ill-equipped to tackle even the most rudimentary problems, and should be educated and guided so that they may rule their passions, rather than have their passions rule themselves. When one's passion is known, their actions become more focused, their intent hardened like the striking edge of a hammer. Those who persist as forged blades without tempering will break upon the hardened blades of others.

#### Rule 3 - Remain Flexible

This rule exists to teach empathy and coexistence while maintaining individuality. While it is important to know one's self and to act according to one's passions and desires, it is also important to acknowledge the passions and desires of others. Relationships between each other are as important as the rain is to the mountain, the mountain to the river, the river to the lake, and the lake to the clouds. Respect is given to those who give respect, the push and pull of every request and act of kindness balancing out each other. If an individual sees themselves below others, expecting to be given everything without giving in return, they will pull others down with them. If an individual sees themselves above others, expecting to be given everything without giving in return, they too will pull others down with them. Better to be the waves themselves, than to sink below them and drown. Without acknowledging and respecting others, how will someone expect to be respected or acknowledged by others?

#### Rule 4 - Crush Discord

This rule exists to preserve the lives of those living within Krada against any who would desire to see them broken. Any force that would bring ruination should find itself in ruination first. Any force that would seek to destroy utterly and without remorse or thought should first be destroyed utterly without remorse or thought. Any force that would break apart unions and oaths and practices without regard for such things should first be broken apart without regard for such things. One may break stone with a hammer, but the hammer is just a tool wielded by a force. A force that would use the hammer to break things simply for the sake of breaking things is to first be broken, so that they may know what they would have wrought upon the world. This applies not just to physical acts of wanton destruction, but to insidious whispers or devious schemes meant to sow discord among the populace; any who stand against those with a proper foundation will always falter first.

## People & Places of Interest

### Places

* **Altar To The Sky:** Taking the road from the settlement in the center of Krada towards the mountains will lead up many stone stairs, eventually leading to the very peaks themselves. A large, thirty-foot-diameter circular stone platform resides at the very top of the stairs. In this space, wind blows constantly, seemingly from every direction. Save for the thick stone platform itself, in which there are carvings depicting a dance, Auran text detailing the steps to the dance, there is only a single altar in the very center. The alter is made of the same material as the platform and the road, rising up three feet in a cylinder. There are no markings on the altar, and for all intents and purposes, it seems like it is a simple stone cylinder.
* **Altar To The Sand:** Taking the road from the settlement in the center of Krada southbound towards the Oasis will eventually lead to a large raised platform, cylindrical in shape, with stairs leading up from its entire circumference. Upon the platform are four pillars that support a ceiling with a single circle cut from its center, allowing sunlight to beam directly down when the sun is at its highest point, forming a perfect circle that matches an indent in the floor.
* **Altar To The Grass:** Taking the road from the settlement in the center of Krada north towards the fields will lead to a single, large hill. A single staircase leads up the hill from the road, the earth bare, with the steps uneven and held in place with cleverly embedded wood. Atop the hill is a large open pit, ten feet down from the edge, where roots grow outwards from every surface, creating a soft bed upon which to lay. In the very center of the pit is a single tree stump, perfectly cylindrical, with an ounce of sap that leaks from its very center every sunrise.
* **Altar To The Bed:** Taking the road from the settlement in the center of Krada to the lake leads straight down into it. At the edge, steps descend into the water, all the way to the bottom, where the road continues straight towards the center of the lake. Large pillars jut upwards from each side of the road to the very surface, allowing those without the ability to breathe water to skip along to the center of the lake. Surrounding a thirty-foot-wide stone platform at the bottom of the lake are twelve thin pillars that rise out of the water. Above the surface, threads of woven seaweed create a pattern above the water. They cast their shadows upon the bottom of the lake below, forming a perfect circle in the very center when the waters are still.

### People

There are very few individuals that live within the center of Krada, and while each of them are their own person, following their own individual paths to enlightenment, self discipline, and connection to the elements. Finding a specific person, whether they're a recent initiate, or a practiced master, is a simple matter of asking where the individual might be found. The denizens of Krada are more than accommodating to travelers, especially those who aren't there to cause a disturbance.