87- Caimaninae, The Sinking City

## **Basic Info**

Caimaninae is an ancient city which is surrounded by vast tidal swamps and waterways. The inhabitants of Caimanae are mixed but the ruling class is human. The city itself is divided in four districts:

The High Quarter, the administrative and most wealthy part of the city.

The Brackish or Floating Quarter, the major trading place in the city where small boats can enter during high tide.

The Stilted Quarter, where most of the cities population lives.

The Sunken Quarter, a large area of the old city which only reveals itself at low tide.

## History

Caimaninae's history is rarely discussed by the common folk and even less by the nobles. The city itself is ancient and swamp is just as old, truth be told no one knows which came first. Though the history is murky there is one thing for certain Caimaninae has never had an issue with wealth, this has allowed the large ancient structures in the high quarter to withstand time and the threats of the harsh enviroment. Due to its difficult to reach location and secluded nature Caimanaes people have managed to live in peace for centuries allowing further prosperity.

## Architecture

There are three distinctive architectural styles found in Caimanae:

The most noticeable and intricate is that found in the High Quarter and sunken quarter. The buildings are made of intricate worked stone, and waterproofed with a wax like substance to protect the buildings from the elements. The buildings within the High Quarter are connected through elaborate arched passageways allowing the inhabitants to keep to themselves and only be seen when they desire to be seen. The passageways and stairwells are well lit throughout day and night with fine candles, and there are many widows that allow the light in and the inhabitants to the rest of the city.

Unlike the mighty stone monoliths found in the old city the brackish have buildings which adapt and change with their surrounding. The brackish quarter has lightly build shops and docks which are made of buoyant materials to rise and fall with tide which explains the name of the floating quarter. The buildings are kept in place through complex anchors and the presence of adjacent buildings. Most buildings don't surpass the 2 story limit yet they are quite large due to not requiring land and the vast availability of building materials. Traveling through the district is done either on small canoes or through the extensive bridge system which also connect it to the other districts.

The stilted quarter gets its name from the stilts used to keep the buildings over the water. Due to the scarcity of good building land the majority of the population of this city lives in houses propped up above the water by large stilts. The Stilted Quarter is always bustling with people and like the Floating Quarter it is connected by bridges and canals. most of the buildings are made of wood and lean against others or even are built atop other houses.

## Economy

Primary Exports:

Raw products: Cotton, soybeans, sugarcane, rice, honey, lumber, beast of burden from the jungle and seafood.

The most prosperous and well known companies and exporters are: Aranae Silk & Weaves, Apoidean Artisan Guild., Castor and Sons lumber Mills, Caddis & Co.

Import:

Raw products: Fruit and vegetables, grains and nuts.

Due to the lack of metal and blacksmiths in the city all the tools are imported.

 Primary trade partners: Jildos

## Religion

Theriana is the patron goddess of the city, the entire local population worship her and partake in weekly ceremonies. Throughout the city there are many shrines depicting her embracing different animals. The House of Peace & Beasts is the only temple in the entire city and is solely used to worship Theriana, within the temple grounds all sorts of animals and beasts are found lounging and at peace with anyone in the temple. The keepers of the temple are all native humans and druids who burn incense and lead prayers for the masses. The temple is located at the edge of the Sunken quarter and is an immense building filled with many large rooms for organised worship as well as smaller rooms which tell different tales of Theriana making peace with beasts. In addition to the vast amount of rooms a large natural amphitheater is found at the rear end of the temple. The priests of the city also treat locals afflicted by disease or injuries at no cost but will charge outsiders to maintain the temple grounds.

## Activities

### Dino Races

The city was famous for its weekly dinosaur races through the streets in the outer part of the city where a large racing arena is found. Dinosaurs were painted in bright designs, and their riders tried to steer them along a course that winded around the harbor and the city's four hills. Spectators were seldom injured, but it was a dangerous sport for the dinosaurs and their riders. A typical race day had three races: one for four legged beasts, one for two-legged beasts, and one no-holds-barred "unchained" race. Many of the dinosaurs involved were juveniles, since fully grown versions could be too large and too difficult for riders to manage. The dinosaurs were stoutly muzzled and had their claws and horns blunted in all but the unchained race. The four-legged race was dominated by young ankylosauruses and triceratopses, but dimetrodons had also done well when paired with Small riders. Most competitors in the two-legged race were hadrosauruses and deinonychuses (again with Small riders). The unchained race saw racers on anything, including young allosauruses and very young tyrannosauruses.

Caimaninae 2Caimaninae 1Stilted Quarter