The Castles and Cities of Aurisium

[Quantum Rain]

Notable Cities:

Haven:
Region: Havenia

The capitol city of Aurisium, Haven is found floating in the Crescent Bay. Utilizing Crystal to counteract its size, it is anchored into place by several pillars. As well, a host of bridges connect the city to the roads of the mainland, making it very much accessible, but still highly defensible. Its ports lay on the outer reaches of Haven, connected to the lighthouses, and separated from the main structure except via bridging. (Three circles basically.)

The main structure consists of three rings. The outermost is the entrance and houses the military infrastructure and other secondary structures, as well as the wall that runs full course around the city. The second inner-ring houses the population of the city. The innermost ring is the palace, complete with its own wall and guard structures. The palace is where the High King makes his residence, and is greatly secured, having only a handful of smaller entrances to the palace grounds.

(Diagrams will come at a later date.)

Aerum City
Region: Sovanis


A fortified city which was the former capitol of Aurisium, Aerum city is the second-most defended city in the empire. Found near the Sovanis mountains, Aerum outlying keeps, walls, and its own natural cliffs and raised elevations as its main means to offer an extraordinary defensive position. Coupled with a strong garrison and Crystal cannons for added defense, Aerum is virtually impenetrable, and can withstand long sieges at a time.

Archorus City
Region: Altius


Perhaps the single largest city in the northern states, Archorus features lighter fortifications than one would expect. However, its walls are constantly patrolled by a large standing army, which is well entrenched in the outer walls and towers, constantly keeping watch. Archorus lies on a central trading hub connecting Anterum, Terminus, and the many port towns of Altius, as well as to the states south of Altius.

Minerva
Region: Sovanis


The largest and most heavily populated city in the entire empire, Minerva can be found at the edge of Sovanis, bordering the states of Tyrain, Laetius, and Terrius. A heavily fortified city, with a large garrison and an army to support it, if Haven is the brain of Aurisium, Minerva would be its heart. Though lacking in any natural defenses, the city's high walls, sheer size, and rising skylines offer plenty of strategic positions to outlast any invading army.

Castles:

Archon's Keep
Region: Altius


Found in the southern portion of Altius, where warmer weather abounds, Archon's Keep is a unique structure utilizing a large cliffside island to its advantage. While lacking in extensive defensive armaments, this castle utilizes underground fortifications to its advantage and forces the enemy to storm them and risk confronting a concentrated defense. Due to its size, as well, the labyrinth of tunnels that lie within the island would offer its own defense, as well as any defenses placed on the bridge entrance. All-in-all, Archon's Grip is a very tough nut to crack.

Crown Gem:
Region: Terminus


Located on the edge of the White Mountains, and the center of operations for the large state, this castle's unique positioning at the mouth of a river offers an obvious defense. However, its precarious location is entirely reliant on Crystal to prevent from falling over the waterfall's edge. The name "Crown Gem" was coined by the architects, calling it such due the extensive difficulties surmounted to construct such a castle, as well as the ingenuities utilized to turn the dream into a reality.

Castle Visaris
Region: Laetius


A relatively simple castle made for housing simple garrisons, and made for defending the farmlands of Laetius, Visaris is not that impressive. It is, however, highly defensible and is armed with several Crystal cannons and Lightblades for a swift, coordinated response and to utilize the artificial lake with the utmost efficiency.

Castle Alesia
Region: Terminus


Found at the very end of the White Mountains, Alesia overlooks a small town that shares its name. Utilizing superior elevation, the natural defenses of the Greatwood trees, and its own fortified walls as its defense, Alesia is a respectable keep. Though not as large as the Crown Gem, its garrison is capable of keeping order and defending Alesia's part of the state of Terminus for a time.

Castle Fable
Region: Terrius


Located at the edge of the Sovanis Mountain range, as is typical with most castles and keeps in the empire, Fable is of considerable strength and size, overlooking a sizable town across the rather distinctly hilly landscape. Once again using elevation to its advantage, it also utilizes its own design to create its own elevations, replacing walls with towers and keeps instead. Armed with an impressive, full garrison, cannons, and even some more experimental defensive weaponry designed in its own halls, Fable is not easily brought to its knees.

Castle Ettas
Region: Sovanis


Located in the center of the Sovanis Mountains, Ettas is a small stronghold built into one of the mountain-sides. Its superior elevation and strategic positioning provide it a very strong defense on its own, however, it typically has a smaller garrison than the average castle due to the fact that very few enemies would even dare to invade there, and a majority of the beasts that used to inhabit the mountain scape have been pushed back.