Rortal

City of Steam

**Rortal**, (pronounced /rɒrtɑːl/) also known as the *"City of Industry",* is one of the few major cities of Fracti Terra. The city led by the Fumuse family, has managed to retain shape and influence through a concerted effort to always be developing, to put themselves towards innovation at every turn. Creating a complex network of canals that feed their indrustious machines and transport their new productions. Their newest path to progress has been integrating the miracle of *Red Deus* into more projects and making sure it's usage is as efficient as possible.

## Description

### Geography

The city lies between a network of waterways, rivers and tributaries. That have now been twisted into the infastructure of the city. The city lies on starnge steps of rock, that jutt out from the ground at steep angles, these are due to the geological activity. Each time a new step is produced by an earthquake, the city works to make it part of the infastructure in the best way it can. The city is surrounded by forests, clinging desperately to the new steps forced into the earth, roots exposed.

### Architecture

The city's buildings are all of the local stone, usually a light grey kirmenjak stone, that makes up the base parts of the city, lining the long canals, that topple over the steps in a controlled fashion throughout the city. The buildings nearer to the city's industrial complex, have become a deep and dark black coloration, the smoke being emitted seeping into the stone, rotting it from the outside, these buildings are one of the first to fall during earthquakes.

The Carcere is made of the same stone but towers over the city and is much older than the other buildings specifically designed to stand against the forces of an earthquake, an expensive and complicated procedure. This building incarcerates the worst criminals of Fracti Terra and is specifically designed to prevent those with magical abilities from escaping.

The Eau de Vermiculus is a new development, what was once a rather plain and boring canal has become the object of great fascination, as it flows thickly with a deep red colour. It has been explained by an official statement that during the last earthquake, a deposit of iron oxide had been released into the water stream, and has been warned not to draw from it until the colouration has left for some time. It has been 60 years, the water still runs red.

## History

### Introduction of Red Deus

Once the deal was made with Fortis over supplies of *Red Deus* had been accepted, Rortal made sure to get a large shipment sent to them as soon as possible, eager to implement its uses. However it is noted there is contention between Rortal and Venerage as, despite numerous requests to carry out their own experimentation with the elixir, they have all been rejected as it is a right only held by the Alenlun Scholars and Sanatio Church to investigate the elixir.

### The Beast Scourge

Multiple beast attacks have been recorded against the workers of the industrial complex. More than most locations, this has been put down to the large populace presence present there that is most likely attracting the beasts. In this way there are usually a few Hunters seen along the streets or in taverns across the city.