Thronehold

Thronehold is the capital city of the Argo Empire. It is located in the center of the kingdom to maximize the queen's prosperity aura, and was founded on top of an extensive nullstone mine.

> Thronehold was a location that demanded to be seen.
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> A massive castle jutted into the sky, four times as tall as the next tallest building in the city. The flat roof and giant balcony at the highest point of the castle made for a perfect dragon landing, and a wall circled the base with enough fortifications to stop a small army.
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> The thousands of buildings that made up Thronehold’s city proper had little rhyme or reason. Unlike Ellios, with its grid-like streets and uniform construction, Thronehold had as many unique structures as it had citizens. The roads twisted all around, some narrow, some wide. Towers dotted the cityscape, some made of stone, others of twisted wood.
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> A river cut Thronehold down the middle. Bridges crossed it every half mile or so, and small docks lined the waterway. Creatures swam in the waters, including beasts large enough that their giant silhouettes shimmered beneath the surface.
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> And the smoke…
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> Pillars of black and gray rose from the depths of the city, no doubt from the smiths, mines, and mills.
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> Atty placed her hand on my shoulder and pointed to the sky. “Look there.”
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> A single airship hung with the clouds and smoke. It had sails on top and on the sides. I had heard of ships that took to the sky, but only arcanists with powerful control of the wind could create such things. They were rare—and breathtaking—and I never expected to actually see one.
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> We got a good look at Thronehold during the entire trek toward it. Once the road slanted downward, however, the city wall blocked most of our view. It wasn’t too bad, though. The wall itself had been built to prevent sieges, and the many defensive turrets and arrow slits made for an interesting sight.
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> Once we got within half a mile to the fortified gate, something happened.
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> It was hard to describe at first, but it felt like I couldn’t get enough air to breathe—and no matter how much I inhaled and exhaled, the irritation never left me. The frightening sensation of suffocation worked its way from my chest out to my arms and legs.
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> The others must have felt it as well, because they glanced around and shivered, each with a furrowed brow. The crowds around us—and all the arcanists—spoke in concerned tones, their volume increasing with each step.
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> Traces leapt on top of the carriage, her fur shimmering in the gentle breeze.
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> “Don’t worry, apprentices,” she said. “My arcanist sent me up here to tell you we’re just traveling through the nullstone fields.”
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> When we neared the fortified gate, Zaxis and I leapt off the carriage. I held out my hand and helped Atty make a graceful dismount. She gave me a smile for my effort and even slid her hand down my arm. Before I could comment, she pointed to the city’s defenses.
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> I had to crane my head back to take in the sight. The outer wall had to be forty feet high. Within a few steps of the city’s boundries, the anti-magic effect faded. I took a deep breath, thankful the suffocation feeling had faded.
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> The main road of Thronehold was paved with smooth cobblestone. Water rushed down the gutters, washing horse feces and waste into drains. I stared at those too, curious about the steam flowing up from underground.
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> The smells of the city weren’t like Fortuna, where the aroma of fish tainted everything. Thronehold had a grit to it—a grit I could feel in my nose—and the buildings were so tall that the city seemingly created its own darkness. Although the sun had set, the moon and stars remained hidden.
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> “Thronehold was built atop of old nullstone quarries,” Lyell said from the back, his voice loud, but not shouting. “Some of those old tunnels were turned into catacombs, but most were repurposed into sewers.”
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> - Coliseum Arcanist
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