Syliran Districts
From Mizahar Lore
The Syliran Districts are the geographical neighborhoods found within the city of Syliras. As most of the city is housed within the walls of Stormhold Citadel, many of these districts are found exclusively within the castle. Each district has its own personality and eccentricities, and each area is patrolled by the Syliran Knights, who take their jobs as protectors of the citizens very seriously.
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History
When the Syliran Knights first built Stormhold Citadel, it consisted of enough space to house a few thousand people and a sturdy wall to protect him. In the centuries since, it has had to adapt to the population explosion and expand after becoming the bastion of human civilization. Each expansion created what have today become distinct districts, and while the history of Syliras can be read in the stone and architecture used for each district, its citizens make little distinction between one and the other on a day to day basis.
A citizen giving directions will often use cardinal directions and district names to a lost soul. For instance, they might say "All Things Leather is on the southwest end of Winthrop Alley - you'll take the main thoroughfare up past the Maiden District and turn when you get to Bittern. Then just follow it to the docks and head north along the wall."
Below is a map of Syliras proper, which will be broken down further into each district.
Main Gates and Nettle District
The Main Gates are the first thing most people see when entering Syliras. The massive gates stand tall and firm against the outside world, guarded by the Syliran Knights. Once inside, there is a bit of an open area with a few freestanding buildings. For some reason, it is typical for citizens of Syliras to refer to this area as the Gates as well, as if the open space were an extension of the world outside the walls and therefor foreign.
Once inside, the first buildings one encounters are the Welcome Center directly ahead and Traveler's Row to the west. Just behind it are the stores and market tables which deal exclusively in serving the needs of travelers and those who frequent the wilderness. The Butcher of Alban is located here for the convenience of hunters come to sell their wares. This is often the home of spontaneous outdoor markets, which can be found in several spots throughout the city.
A little further in, one can find the block that houses the taverns and inns of Syliras, clustered together for the convenience of the intrepid traveler. This is the home of the White Swan Inn, the Golden Dragon, and the Rearing Stallion among others.
The Nettle District lies east of the Main Gates, and is one of the oldest in Syliras. This is nominally considered the more posh business district, boasting the finer shops and stands in the citadel. The few suites which are not occupied by merchants are used to store emergency supplies for the Knights that might be needed at the Gates.
Here on the ground level you can find Sultros Blades, the Feathered Shaft, Wildwood Music, Undeniable Interests, Sensual Scents, the Flower Stand, Stormhold Salves, and Soothing Waters.
Below the ground level on the Fourth Tier you can find Ethereal Notions and a large portion of Soothing Waters, though that is only accessible from the Third Tier.
Dyres District
Dyres District is the oldest part of Syliras, the original fortress built by the Syliran Knights over 250 years ago. The ground level is built of the same imposing gray stone as the Wall, but the Second and First Tier show glimpses of white and blue marble. The architecture here is unique, for it was built not only for protection but for the comfort of the Knights. As such, the First Tier features many floor-to-ceiling windows and spiraling decoration along its roof. The rest of the city was built with expediency and with an eye to making as many people as they could as safe as possible, and so it lacks the hopeful artistry that epitomizes the Dyres District.
This district and Nettle are the only ones whose Fourth Tier is accessible by the general public - the rest of the city's underground halls are food storage and emergency shelters which only the Knights have daily access to. Dyres District, however, is home to the Great Bazaar, which sprawls through much of the basement level of the old fortress. Many small tables and shops can be found here, such as Qayala's Quill. The basement is also home to Dra-Kalinor, the laboratory and home of Devandil Nightshade, the Magecrafter of Syliras.
The Third Tier consists of much of the personal housing for the unranked Knights, as well as sparring arenas and classrooms. The Knights do most of their training here, and anyone looking for a Knight needs only to go to the Dyres District and inquire after them. The Housing Authority is located here for convenience, just inside the walls. Deep within the district, far from prying eyes and accessible only to Knights and squires receiving their quests, lie the Windoak Courtyard. Here you will find Syliras' most treasured possession, and it's most heavily guarded.
The Second Tier is used mainly as housing for those Knights who hold rank and their families. Some of these suites are expansive, while others are merely better decorated and more private. Anyone who is not a Knight must be escorted while traveling through the Second Tier. Though it is mostly residential, there are a few locations which can be accessed here, mainly the Inner Sanctum.
The First Tier is the domain of the Grandmaster's offices, the Dyres family, and the highest ranking members of the Knighthood and their families. Anyone may petition to see the Grandmaster, but they must be inspected and escorted by his personal guard. This tier also houses the Antinous Training Grounds where the knights learn their deadliest skills.
Maiden District
This district is devoted almost entirely to residential housing for citizens. It is speckled here and there with the occasional business, and it's common to see people sitting in a corner of a hallway with a blanket showing off a few small wares, but by and large this district consists simply of common apartments.
Illythian District
While this is also a residential district, it is a much more upscale neighborhood. Those with the coin to spend on their surroundings will often purchase one of the suites here. Apartments usually consist of multiple spacious rooms, and light is at a premium. Some owners spend lavish amounts on having parts of the roof knocked out and replaced with glass to allow more of Syna's balmy light to grace their homes.
This area also features the theater, several art galleries, and the Illythian Ballroom where the rich and the Knights meet and mingle at the season's social events.
Windmount District
Taking up the entire southeast corner of the castle is Windmount Stables and the fields that support it's vast array of horseflesh. There are several buildings scattered along the property, and fields designated for different uses.
Jordon District
The northernmost Jordon District is often thought of as the heart of Syliras. Here you can find some of the most important political and social landmarks of the city. The Stone Garden stands as monument to those men and women who have fallen in the establishment and protection of the city. Kova's Wishing Well gives visitors a chance to toss in a coin and find the answers they're seeking.
This is also the seat of both The Tank and the chambers of the Council of Three, which serves as the judicial process for Syliras. Most of the southern part of the district is taken up by the Miza Mint, and supplies for it are brought in directly from the docks.
There are residences here, but it is a toss-up as to whether it's a preferable place to live. On one hand, it is one of the safer neighborhoods around thanks to the Knights protecting both the Miza Mint and the council chambers. However, most evenings are filled with the sounds of drunks being dragged through the streets to the Tank to await their trial. It all depends on which you value more - safety or sleep.
Roshin District
Another residential district, Roshin tends towards a quieter group of subletters. They are often widows of Knights who prefer not to live within the Dyres District any longer, or the parents of those accepted into the Knighthood who are ineligible to live there. Many of the politically influential citizens of Syliras reside here and join together to pursue their agendas.
The conference chambers of the Council of Nine can be found here, as well as the Welcome Home. In addition, there are often open-air bazaars held in the narrow courtyard on the southern border of Roshin which can be as much a friendly social event as a place to purchase baubles.
Bittern District
The Bittern District is another mainly residential area, though the apartments are not in the best of condition. They are livable, but there are few amenities and little aesthetic pleasure to be taken from them. It is inhabited mostly by common laborers and foreigners who come to Syliras with little more than a few coins and a dream.
This is the only district other than Dyres to have a Second Tier. It is used to house Squire Dormitories, where the massive number of squires who seek to enter the Knighthood live. These are set up in typical dormitory-style: a suite has three bedrooms, and house up to six squires. The dorms are overseen by several chaperons, usually one of the widows who are so prevalent in the city. As such, it can get a bit rowdy at times, but rarely from any bad intentions.
Winthrop Alley
Squeezed between the Docks and Bittern District, Winthrop Alley has grown to become a district in its own right. This is the manufacturing area of the city: close enough to the docks for easy access to import and export goods, but buffered from the turmoil of the Warehouse District to allow a decent experience for local customers.
Though it is within the arms of the Wall, this district is not part of Stormhold Citadel. Instead it is a conglomeration of buildings which are open to the air and often have courtyards of their own. Some of the business to be found here include All Things Leather, Inner Fire Glassworks, and An Elegant Weave. However, most of this district is taken up by the massive Ironworks, which supplies Syliras with all of its blacksmithing and weaponsmithing needs.
In a far corner sits an unassuming building, low and long, beneath the shadow of a towering smokestack. This is Li Mauta, which marks the tallest point in Syliras.
Warehouse District and Docks
Syliras serves as one of the most important trading cities in the world, and its expansive and elaborate docks and warehouses stand as evidence of this. The docks themselves lie outside the Wall, though the warehouses are still protected by the tall stone edifice.
The Warehouse District offers its own brand of merchandise, some fair and some foul. The Tooth and Claw is here, occupying a large building near the entrance to the district. Further in, one can find the sometimes violent delights of the Spinning Coin.