Lux Tenebris: Goldsun

The city of Goldsun sprawls through the Lirwood, far from any other humanoid city.  Founded over four hundred years ago by elves exiled from the Southlands, Goldsun has become one of the dominant political powers in Western Nur.  It claims a vast swath of territory as its own, encompassing several smaller elvish communities, most of which lie within the shadow of the Lirwood itself.

Goldsun is heavily defended.  Its stone walls are forty feet high and fifteen feet thick, with sentinel towers spaced equidistantly along its length. In addition, the city is defended by various magical wards that confound, confuse and contain almost anyone who tries to approach the city through the Lirwood itself.

There is only a single road that leads to Goldsun, known as Kalo's Path. It winds through the Lirwood, connecting to the Eastern Trade Road in the south. Kalo's Path is well-maintained and patrolled by Goldsun militia.  There are tolls to use the Path, but they are not prohibitive for most merchants.  Some travelers seek to avoid the tolls by going off the Path, into the Lirwood. Most fall victim to the wards strung throughout the forest, wandering lost and confused until rescued by the city's agents.  Some fall victim to the many dangerous beasts and creatures that make the Lirwood their home. Others simply vanish, never to be seen or heard from again.

The City of Goldsun

As travelers near the end of Kalo's Path, the first thing they see before the city itself is a sprawling graveyard. Dominated by a modest temple to Rovelek, the god of the dead, this graveyard is known as the Fields of Mercy. It is used exclusively for the burial of nonelves, and is, perhaps, the first indicator that nonelves are not entirely welcome in Goldsun. Indeed, goblinoids and drow are forbidden to enter the city upon pain of death.

As travelers pass the Fields of Mercy, they can see the winding walls of Goldsun itself. The walls are difficult to miss as they are made of a pale yellow stone, unique to the region. Rumors abound that illusions are also used to give the city walls their unusual color. 

Travelers who admire the city walls inevitably notice a smaller, more drab walled enclave just outside the city.  This small village, known rather dismissively as the Shacks, is home to some three hundred people. The Shacks contain mostly of inns and taverns to house Goldsun's visitors and, despite the name, the community is actually quite nice.  The Shacks fall firmly under the control of Goldsun, specifically the Master of Gates. Although the Shacks has a large transitory population, its permanent residents are mostly elves.

The gates to Goldsun are open from dawn to dusk. Once travelers pass beyond the gates, they find themselves in a walled ward known as the Market. This is the only ward in Goldsun that most nonelf outsiders ever get to see.  The Market teems with shops and stalls where elvish merchants buy raw materials from all over Nur and elvish craftsmen sell fine wares to be resold beyond the city.  There are taverns and restaurants within the Market as well, so that visitors may refresh themselves, but no inns or guesthouses. Nonelves are forbidden within the city walls outside of daylight hours. This rule is enforced with brutal elacrity by Goldsun's city watch, known locally as greenjacks because of the color of their uniforms.

If one is granted the privilege of passing beyond the Market's walls, they find themselves in one of several forested areas that act as natural barriers between Goldsun's various wards.

North of Market is the ward known as the Commons. This ward meanders through the city and is the largest. The Commons are the home of elves who are not considered of noble-blood. They reside in whatever homes they choose to fashion for themselves. Some live in stone houses, while others live in houses magically woven from living trees, and others sleep in gaily colored pavillions. Colorful pennants flutter from doorways and windows, proudly displaying family crests, and, after dark, the Commons are illuminated by strings of flickering colored witchlight.

Adjacent to the Commons, on the other side of a narrow greenward, is the area known as the Necessities. This ward is the site of Goldsun's local industry. Its existence is considered a necessary evil, as far as many city residents are concerned. The Necessities house those industries that are deemed too unsanitary, dangerous or just unpleasant to be located elsewhere in the city.  For example, the city's tanneries and slaughterhouses are located within the Necessities, as well as forges and alchemical foundries. There are no set hours of labor within the Necessities, and although most of the industries within close at sundown, it is not uncommon for some craftsmen to work late into the night.

North of the Commons, beyond a wide wooded area, lies the Palace.

The Palace is one of the largest single structures in Nur. It is a single, enormous house crafted from white marble. Its towers rise above the surrounding woodland, and the crest of Goldsun's royal family, the Summerharts, is proudly displayed above its gates and from its towers.

The Summerhart Crest

The Palace is the seat of political power in Goldsun. It is the residence of the High King, Elox Summerhart, as well as the noble-born families of the city.  The Palace employs hundreds of servants to see to the comforts and needs of its noble residents and, as you would expect, its security is all but impenetrable.  Occasionally, a great honor is bestowed upon visiting dignitaries who are invited to remain within the Palace for the duration of their visit.

Goldsun is an absolute monarchy, but the High King does not rule in an echo chamber. The members of the Royal Court are invited to offer advice or wisdom, in an respectable manner, to his royal majesty.  Courtiers may attempt to influence the High King's decision, but, ultimately, power rests solely with the High King.  Any noble who publicly questions the wisdom of this situation often finds themselves shunned within the Palace, sent to live among the Commons for a while, or, in a worst case scenario, exiled from Goldsun.

East of the Palace, beyond a band of thick woodland, is the Citadel. If the Palace is the heart of political power in Goldsun, the Citadel is the heart of its military. The Citadel consists of a large fortress surrounded by several smaller structures and practice fields. The outer walls of the Citadel are stained red, a stark reminder of the elvish blood spilt to protect Goldsun and its people.

The Citadel houses the College of War, which is overseen by the Master of Swords, the Master of Shields and the Master of Wits.  Every citizen of Goldsun is required to attend the College for seventeen years. Most attendees learn basic combat, but more advanced students learn military tactics and strategy. Some citizens choose to join the city's militia, known as the Vigilant Orders, and become permanent residents of the Citadel.

West of the Palace, tucked away in a quiet corner of the city, near the wall, are the Fields of the Dead. This massive cemetary is the site of Goldsun's temple of Rovelek, which houses the largest ossuary in Nur. All elvish residents of Goldsun have their remains interred within the temple ossuary, and those who perform notable feats in service to the city are awarded a monument within the confines of the cemetary. Visiting elves who die within Goldsun can have their bones interred within the temple, but nonelves are relegated to the Fields of Mercy beyond the city. By royal decree, no drow dead may be interred within the city.

Directly north of the Palace are the Sanctum and the Inner Ward.

The Sanctum is the site of Goldsun's wizardic academies, including the Royal Academy of Thaumaturgy. Although sorcery is more common among elves, in Goldsun wizardry is held in higher regard. This is reflected in the number of academies specializing in wizardic magics and the few, rather shabbier schools, that offer instruction in the sorcerous arts. 

Within the Sanctum, but apart from it, is the Inner Ward. The Inner Ward is the spiritual center of Goldsun. Here, temples to almost every diety can be found.  Especially prominant in the Inner Ward are the temples to Abasha, Lukrym and Rasha.

Goldsun has a complicated relationship with the other nation-states of Western Nur. Although a formidable economic and military power, the city has few longterm political allies.  The siege mentality of its founders has passed on, somewhat, to their descendents who are largely disdainful or downright dismissive of the other shorter-lived races. These attitudes have often impeded true diplomacy with the other nations.

More and more often, in recent years, Goldsun has found itself excluded from alliances that could have benefitted the elvish city. When the Draconic Legions invaded the west, Goldsun's isolation offered it a degree of protection, at first. However, when the legions attention finally turned toward the city, Goldsun discovered that it had no close military or political allies to call upon either, to reenforce its defenses.  As such, many of the smaller communites on the far fringes of Goldsun's influence were decimated by the dragonborn invaders.

Much to the High King's chagrine, many of the survivors from these attacks chose to seek refuge in non-elvish cities such as Fallen Baramir, Swordhold and even Darkwater. And, although Goldsun itself was never attacked, the fact that the city could not protect its external territories has come as a great blow to the High King's pride and sense of honor.

In light of these events, the High King has been meeting in private with trusted members of the Citadel, the Court, the Sanctum and the Inner Ward.  Recently, he announced that Goldsun would join the other nations of Western Nur, to oust the Imperial Legions at Calhorne. He has even gone so far as to order the Crown Prince, Eloron, to lead the Vigilant Order to Fallen Baramir in hopes of strengthening ties with the other nations.