Thousand Cities:Centre

The Central Islands

The Central Islands are home to most of the Thousand Cities. Sheltered by their proximity to the elemental pole of Earth, the island chains of the Near South house the greatest human civilisations of the current age.

Allesandra

On the island of Eildrathe lies Allesandra, birthplace of the Gods Phoebe and Paragon. The city is considered the most ordered of the Thousand Cities, and the most modern. It is alo the most ancient – the first of the modern civilisations.

The city has a vast arena, rebuilt into amphitheatre for the first of the great Contests. Here, Parthos the Great defeated the God Nerat the Relentless, and ascended to the heavens.

Allesandra is also known as a centre of learning, with a great university that is home to many of Creation’s finest philosophers and alchemists. The direct intervention of the twin goddesses protects the city from most military threats, allowing the city to flourish in relative peace. The Council Hall often hosts negotiations between warring states, mediating the disputes of their neighbours.

If the Central Islands recognised a capital, it would be Allesandra. Its gleaming white marble buildings and monuments honour the many gods andheroes who have helped raise the city to its present glory.

Ildur and Ildrin

The twin cities of Ildur and Ildrin share the island of Nerethain, in the central Southeast. Separated by a steep mountain range, both cultures are entwined closely throughout their long history. Their relationship is defined by their intense competition in all aspects of life. Outsiders often have difficulty distinguishing between the two groups when outside their cities, as they appear to dress and speak in a similar fashion. While the cities share a common root language, attempts to speak the local dialects are fraught with danger, as slight differences in meaning can twist a casual comment into a killing insult.

Unsurprisingly, the God Cypher has played a role in the development of the twin cities. Both cultures are warlike and volatile, quick to avenge a perceived insult. The two royal families are deeply intermarried, as tradition dictates that a victorious army should seize a royal son or daughter from the defeated city for a forced marriage with the victor. Despite their intermingled blood, the inhabitants of both cities would sooner die than give their rivals any advantage.

Constant conflict has driven great advances in engineering, especially in the field of warfare. The Sea Wall of Ildur is considered a marvel of Creation, rendering the city's central port almost impregnable by naval assault.

At present, Ildur has seized the upper hand in the most recent conflict after acquiring a large number of essence gems from Cinnador. However, the great general Herak Dawn-Treader, born to Ildrin in 977AF, is gathering the greatest army seen in their history of conflict. Herak is considered the greatest strategist of his era, and bears the favour of Roane herself.

Yilgarn

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