Dragonsend

Dragonsend is the de facto capital of Kalaren, and the royal seat of power. The city is half carved into the mountain side and half built, leaning against the southern slopes of the Scaleridge mountains. Its layout includes a vast amount of platforms, pillars, bridges and archways, creating what can loosely be summed up as three layers.

## Layout

Dragonsend consists of a number of platforms on top of gargantuan stone pillars, which roughly seperate the city into three districts:

### Shade District

Named like that not for any ill repute, but for the fact that the lowest rank of Dragonsend is covered by the shadows of the higher platforms for most of the day, the Shade District is the main residential area of the city, being home to commoners, inns and taverns and shops for cheap and simple goods.

### Merchant's District

Home to the wealthier citizens, the merchant district offers more luxurious residences and shops with bigger and more exotic inventories.

### Noble District

On the highest points of the city entry is only permitted for people of noble birth or explicitly invited guests. This district holds the Citadel, seat of power of the royal family.

## Notable Locations

### The Citadel

On top of the central platform, the highest point of Dragonsend, rests the Citadel, home of the royal family. It is a long structure, the main wing stretching south to north, where a single tower stands. Over the main gate loom the skeletal remains of Marwoleath, the dragon the city is named after.

The Citadel contains among other rooms an extensive library, the throne room, chambers for the royal family and their retainers, barracks for the guards stationed there, the court sorcerer's wing dedicated to the study of magic, and a chapel to the gods worshipped throughout the land.

### Goldbarrel Inn

Right behind the city gate lies Goldbarrel Inn, run by the halfling couple Wynston and Wylla Goldbarrel. It offers decent quality food, drink and beds for travelers that arrive in the city. Its signature beer, Goldbarrel ale is a brewed according to a well guarded recipe passed down the Goldbarrely family for generations.

### Ranja's Herbal Remedies

Not far from Goldbarrel Inn, Ranja's apothecary shop offers healing services, potions and ingredients for the people in need.

### Thieves Guild Headquarters

Accessible through a secret entrance in the Shade District marked with Thieves' Cant for the initiated to find, the thieves guild's main base of operations lies under the city.

## History

Construction on Dragonsend began shortly after the Dragonfall, both as a symbol of celebration and unity between the races and as a fortress to defend against another calamity like the reign of Marwolaeth the Red. It was a unified effort of humans, elves, dwarves and gnomes, with each race involving their best specialists:

A definite point of completion is hard to pinpoint, as the city continued to grow and evolve for many decades, but most historians consider 50DF to be the end of core construction.

In 100DF the city saw its first dragonfall festival, celebrating the anniversary of the world's salvation from Marwoleath's reign. Since then the festival is an annual occurance.

During the events of the 437th dragonfall festival the then reigning monarch, king Jurex I, was assassinated by a group of unknown assailants, despite the efforts of a present adventuring party.