Velwythe

The City of Tru Dahn

Though progress is being made to move the Provincial offices and facilities to a more geographically centralized location in Arodil, the city of Tru Dahn is, and has been for decades, the capital of Atla and the home to the Grand Provincial Council. Nearly all national provincial offices are located within Tru Dahn’s borders (the others are located near Sed and FreePort). The city itself is run by an elected mayor who is chosen by the people every five years. Currently the mayor is a man by the name of Alvin Barnes. The mayor’s residence and the province capital are located on opposite ends of the city to minimize the mayor’s influence on the Council and to ensure no special attention is given to the mayor or the city of Tru Dahn by the Provincial Council.
Because Tru Dahn is home to so many national government offices, it has, since the formation of the provinces, been considered to have the best military and law enforcement of any province or city in the nation. Just outside the city’s borders the largest military base on Atla, For Jerrel Command Center, is home to thousands of military officers and their families. This is due in part to the continent’s largest military school where those who join can graduate in any field, including Magi related studies (which have actually become more common and in many cases preferred) and transfer directly to the fort. Aside from the strong military presence is a strict and effective law enforcement which nearly doubles the runner up city of FreePort in number of officers and criminal incarcerations. Further, the training for the law enforcement requires a level of fitness and skill far surpassing any other police and law enforcement organization (and nearly equals that of the military).
Crime rates are lower in Tru Dahn than any other civilized province, and by far lower than any other capital city. But when crime does happen in the city, it’s rarely the petty vandalism or theft like most areas. Anything from corporate theft and insider trading to attempts at overthrowing the government (not to mention robbery attempts in Atla’s largest banks and reserves) usually make headlines at least once a month. However, with the level of law enforcement and if needed, military strength, few attempts have ever been even remotely successful. Because they deal with such extreme situations regularly, the police force is known to be brutally strict and unforgiving with even the most ‘mundane’ crimes. Despite the all present eye of the police and military, most citizens welcome the atmosphere. Because almost all of them work for the government in some way, as the saying goes in the area, “safety first comfort later”. For those who have experienced a bank robbery or full scale putsch during a typical work day, the saying couldn’t be more true.
Tru Dahn isn’t just about government, rules and the military. It was, for many years, the primary port on Atla. It is the second most populous city and is home to the largest library on the continent, the Library of the Ancients. The library is primarily for the public to do everything from finding a nice, quiet spot to read a good book, or for the dedicated researchers and theorists studying for their next project. But deep below ground level, sealed behind an intense and elaborate security system is the Hall of Records. While the government offices may have halls of records for the census and similar information, the Library of the Ancients holds all the true artifacts and relics of the past. Almost all of the records found throughout the desert of Kahn, relics found within the swamps of Sed, ancient documents of once thriving cities long since vanished and almost anything else of great value are preserved for all of time.
Within the Library of Ancients resides almost every ancient text, record or fossil of great importance. All this information, the priceless artifacts that are quite literally one (and in many cases half or part) of a kind are not for the public eye however. Though nobody has been able to verify its existence, many workers have claimed that, deep below ground, held in one of the most secure and ancient sections are small parts of the original Testament of the Gods in the Writ of the Five. Reproductions and varying translations of this make up the first quarter to half of each of the five sections of the Writ of the Five of most major religions. The Testament of the Gods outlines the creation of Velwythe and the very nature of the singularity in the words of the Gods. These tablets of ancient stone were said to have been given to the first humans as not only a record of where they came from, but as a guide for their lives by the Gods themselves. These are a portion of what was said to be granted to humankind on the small island between Peretos and Mogadash.
Because the Library contains relics as sacred and important as the Testament of the Gods, only those who have gone through a lengthy and difficult process of application and receive approval from numerous organizations and religious leaders throughout Atla, are actually allowed in the Ancients Rooms. And even then, those lucky enough to make it are only allowed into the area(s) which holds their requested item or items. Only a handful of scientists and researchers have been able to spend significant time within the Hall of Ancients (which gives the library its name).
Nearly as mysterious as the artifacts housed below ground are the few people responsible for maintaining and protecting them. Nobody knows for certain the full extent of the security protecting the records. Even the exact number of maintenance personnel remains a mystery. The only member of the maintenance staff known by the public is the emissary that physically escorts a lucky individual to the hall. And even this person, the emissary, changes so frequently that it is always someone different no matter when you might go.
Beyond the politics, rules and library, Tru Dahn is a bustling, prosperous city with spectacular mountains and a thriving entertainment business. Other than Floran city, Tru Dahn is home to the largest number of theatre and entertainment studios of any city in the world. While some claim the acting is better in Floran, there is no doubt Tru Dahn is at the forefront of the Magi-Tech revolution in the industry. If the technology is new, amazing and impossible to comprehend, it’s sure have come from Tru Dahn first.
While Alpine may have more family friendly nature trails, the mountains of Tru Dahn attract the toughest and bravest mountain climbers around. With the highest peak in the known world, Dawn Light Peak (topping in at 9493 meters), expeditions are always underway to conquer the King of the World. To date, only two living beings, a man and woman team, have ever been within 500 meters of the peak and only one of them made it down alive. Every year dozens of adventurers attempt the peak and fall victim to any number of dangers. Perilous drops over 1000 meters high, mere rumors of air, hidden crevices, dangerous winds, freezing temperatures and more all serve as strong warnings against any attempt. But perhaps what makes it most dangerous, even more than the lack of air, is the extreme weather. While climbing the mountain or any of the surrounding peaks is possible throughout many months of the year, traveling beyond the Plateau of Respite at 7646 meters is only possible during a brief window in late spring. Due to its height and location on the globe, bizarre and almost un-natural weather torments the peak nearly incessantly. Wind gusts have been recorded at over 475-500 Kph, with temperatures almost as low as -200 after the fierce wind chill. To top it off, the peak produces strange weather phenomena such as incredible lightning storms and frequent earthquakes. Indeed, the Dawn Light Peak is truly a natural wonder and oddity, and to many, a lifelong dream of reaching. Be warned however, recent laws have gone into effect prohibiting anyone without five years professional climbing experience from traveling so far as the Plateau of Respite. The sheer number of deaths from past decades caused such uproar among all of Atla’s citizens that it was put into effect. And if you think the law can’t reach you at 7500 meters, think again.