Lhûmar

The Imperial Capital of Lhûmar (Celestial Home in Aurlûnoren) also known as the Dragon Capital, or the City of the Dragons, is the capital and largest city of the Aurlûnor Velande and the United Crowns of Syltör. The city is located on the northern point of the Gulf of Heaven of the Lothranis Sea, and serves as one of the most important commercial hubs, as well as a trading hub for the Imperial Province. Technically located in the Imperial Province, Lhûmar is an independent city from the region. The city has its own administration, which is overseen directly by the Imperial Court, and the Imperial Chancellor.

Etymology
The name Lhûmar which means "Celestial Home" (from the Aurlûnoren words, Lhû, which means Celestial, and -mar, which means Home) was chosen by Sareariel Lelya-Earcala upon her descent in 0CA. Prior to this, the area was known as Lingrinwë (from the Middle Almadoric words Lingrin meaning fishing and wë meaning village).

History
Prior to it's foundation, the area was known as Lingrinwë, which was a small fishing village. Though multiple forts existed nearby, the area would not see much relevance, as it was outshined by the old Linyese city of Linyemar, to the far west of the settlement. Often, the small village would trade with other Lhûren settlements such as Yi and Sachómar. The village was described to have been "humble, peaceful and often quiet. Undisturbed from the troubles of the outside world.". The village's strategic importance was often overlooked, as there has been evidence of forts located in areas thought to have been more strategically sound than within Lingrinwë itself.

By 118BCA, Sareariel Lelya-Earcala would base herself and her new state in Lingrinwë, in which she would build Fort Lingrinwë and launch countless numbers of assault towards her neighbors. The village would grow into a small town by the time she would establish her own state, and would grow in relevance. Utilizing the unseen strategic value in the settlement, Sareariel would start building walls around the area, and cultivating the region's fertile grasslands, as well as waterways.

When Sareariel established the Aurlûnor Velande, she would declare Lingrinwë as it's capital, renaming it to Lhûmar. From there, the town would eventually grow massively, as it became the important seat of power for the entire Empire. Population would dramatically increase, as the capital grew more and more, eventually surpassing the old capital of Sachómar, and even Qamiya, the old capital of the Dominion of Ashura. By the end of 900ACA, Lhûmar's population would number in the millions.

Geography
Lhûmar is located on the northern banks of the Gulf of Heaven, where it dominates the entire area in terms of size. The boundaries of the city contains the southern Liang River, and the terminus of the Soiran river, straddling the very edge of the West Dragon Lake. It's geography is mostly hilly, with many of the buildings being located on hills, though much of the hills over the years had been flattened or leveled to accommodate larger structures.

Much of the natural geography around the city dramatically transformed to help accommodate the increasingly urban environment of the region. The southern beaches of Lhûmar's south are considered one of the few beaches that has not been touched by urbanization, and is considered a recreational hotspot. Floating islands such as the Lhûmar University are upheld by magical forces, and is elven and manmade. Many natural hills throughout the city were either completely destroyed or reshaped. Efforts have been made to restore some of these hills from the excessive digging, though some had been more unsuccessful than others.

Districts
Lhûmar consists of five distinctive districts: The Imperial District, the Harmony District, Dragon Square, Civic Center and Lingrinwë. Often, Pangnin is classified as a district, as the village is located in vicinity of Lhûmar, even though it is apart of the Imperial Province. Each of these districts have different neighborhoods within them, the more famous of them being the Kumiho Quarter in the Lingrinwë district, which houses the Latice family's most famous stores, the grocer and the inn. It also houses the Jade Nalas, which is one of Lhûmar's most world renown teahouse, seeing thousands of patrons every day visiting it.

Imperial District
The Imperial District is one of the largest districts, though the least populated district within the city. It is home to the Imperial Palace, which houses the Velereth and the Imperial Family. The Imperial District is often said to be a massive extension of the Imperial Palace itself, due to the more closed off nature of the in general district, namely due to how many of the top officials and generals live in the district.

The Imperial District is situated in the northwestern part of the city, where it continues until reaching the source of the Liang River known as the Vuelleng Mountains, until reaching the source of the Temple Creek, which leads out to the Serpent Stream that leads into the Tacuan Jungle.

Harmony District
The Harmony District stretches in the city's southwest, up until the border of the western wall, in which the Temple Creek exits into the southern river which is known as the Almador River. It is where a large majority of the middle class, namely citizen races, and merchants live in. The Harmony District is well known for it's diversity that the empire is well known for, mostly where the main population consists of. The district's neighborhoods are often either mixed together, or have particular distinctive areas of the particular races that live there. The Harmony District is home to the longest natural beach in the city limits known as Endanor Beach, or Heartland Beach, serving as a recreational center. The district is also home to a few local municipal government buildings such as the Ministry of Demographics's office.

Dragon Square
Dragon Square is located in the center of the city, and serves as the heart of the city. In the middle is known as the Descending Pillar, or Sareariel's Pillar, where it is said that Sareariel Lelya-Earcala first descended as the Celestial Matron of Celeia. The square itself hosts multiple market stalls, and is often used as an area where performers host music festivals and where many of the holidays are celebrated, Dragon Day in particular.

Civic Center
Civic Center is located to the northeast of the city, in which the Sorian River cuts through the region underground. Previously a majority farming area, the Civic Center has been changed to host most of the city's industries and the many ministry offices and other government buildings such as the Supreme Court and the Hall of the State Councilor, otherwise known as City Hall. The Civic Center Docks also serves as an important part of the greater docks, serving as a drydock and shipbuilding section, in which it builds trade and military vessels. Crown Beach served as the place where the Crown of Yimmu-Audal was discovered, although it has since been transformed by the more extended docks since that time.

Lingrinwë
Lingrinwë, or Old Town is the smallest of the districts, but is the most densely populated part of the city. Much of the shops and lower class people live within this district, and is home to the Imperial Museum of Lhûmar, as well as the new location of the Rathnir Paleontological Society. The district is also home to Syltör's oldest and still functioning bathhouse, known as the Lhûmar Public Bathhouse. The district is also home to the Jade Nalas, which became world-famous upon Lhûmar's slow opening to the outside world, and is regarded as one of the most popular teahouses in the region.

Art
Lhûmar is home to multiple collections of art and portraits, mostly being self or landscape. The city is often referred to as the "mosaic city" due to the art culture surrounding paintings of art on city-blocks depicting famous historical figures, the Velereth, the divines of the Twin Dragon faith, and multiple others. This liberal approach to art, has encouraged young artists from all around the Empire, including foreigners, to come and paint a piece to beautify the walls of a few public buildings that allow it. In addition to this, there is even a special small art bullion, in which people may freely paint their own creations, provided it is inline with Imperial Law (such as no expressing other faiths, or depicting the government and Velereth in a negative light).

Cuisine
Since the growth of the city, Lhûmar had quickly become a center of cuisine. Lhûmar is often regarded as the birthplace of the Aurlûnoren cuisine, with many of it's original foods such as Punun and Mantou originating from here. These foods are regarded as a fusion culture between both Dawou and Linyense design. In addition, the varying cultures of the Empire that live within the walls of Lhûmar created rather unique blends of their own foods, such as Berry Kimchee, Fried Crocodile seasoned with Tumeric and Saffron, and varying rice dishes that mix in aspects of Azeral and Lhûren designs.

Architecture
Before the establishment of Lhûmar as the capital city, the area would have a village style reminiscent of the traditional Linye style of villages, with plain huts, and slanted straw roofing. When Sareariel Lelya-Earcala took over the area, the housing would upgrade to incorporate sequoia-style designed housing that is seen in the modern day area which is known by the same name. Overtime, as the native Dawou population started to integrate with the new policies laid in place by the Velande's Imperial Law, architectural styles inspired by them had started to dominate the skyline. A blend of both traditional Almadoric building and traditional Dawou style created a fusion that would make the city well-renown throughout the region.

Music
Since 795ACA, Dragon Square became the center of many musical performances by foreigners, which is put on display for many foreigners to experience up close and personal what Aurlûnoren culture truly is through song. Lhûmar is home to many musicians, with some of the most famous ones such as Hui Yan, and Esteldis Sennanis, being natives of the city. Lhûmar over the years had begun to vary in musical instruments, such as imported stringed instruments such as the Viodoxan violin, Fornosian guitar, and the Escharian lute. The most popular instruments used by the people of Lhûmar, are usually the Aurlûnoren piano and the guzhen. The diversity of music has earned the title of the "Singing Capital of the West". Magical objects that float are also said to have give a "singing sound" whenever they are heard.

Demographics
Lhûmar is the largest city in the Aurlûnor Velande with over 3,234,000 residents, many of them being a mixture between that of Lhûren, Humans, Kumiho, Azeral, and varying other races and ethnicities. Multiple districts of the city are densely populated with these people, creating distinctive districts that are mostly populated by said respective race. More than twice as many people live in Lhûmar as compared to Sachómar, the second most-populace city in the Velande and densest city in Syltör proper.

Education
Lhûmar is the center of education, with one of the highest literacy rates in the world. From the late 700ACAs onward, public education has become much more accessible through multiple reforms to the country's education system, having an initiative to have an Academic Examination to help determine the future of the young. Those who are born in the Citizen and Civilized castes of society were able to attend the system, although there have been cases where Plebian, Uncivilized and Savage caste members took the exam, however, they were reported to have questions heavily targeted to be difficult or impossible to complete. Those who pass the exams, usually land themselves in a mid level position in a job, and for those who fail or score lower than average, were placed into lower ranking jobs such as being a farmer, a lowly recruit in the army or lower class laborers. There have been cases however, of those who passed the exam, taking the life of a peasant and refusing the higher life. This is usually due to monetary reasons, or modesty.

Many works, poets and writers originate from Lhûmar, and had actively contributed to multiple works that had became well known throughout the Velande. The Imperial Library of Lhûmar is regarded as one of the largest collections of public works in the Velande, with the Imperial Library of Aballia being the second largest. Works in the Empire are often composed into romanticized novels of certain events in the Velande's history, while others are usually about the philosophical side of the national religion, Twin Dragon. Before the passing of the "Indecency" Imperial Decree, works of explicate nature was also publicly available to read, which gave Lhûmar the "sexual capital of the world" for being one of the two only cities to openly express sexuality. Due to immigrant pressure, however, these works are no longer publicly displayed, and are required by law to be asked for by the librarian.

Higher education and magic and science
Advancements in technology as well as pioneers of multiple inventions such as gunpowder, paper, paper money, advanced sail design, perfected repeating crossbows, and numerous other technological advancements had rightfully coined Lhûmar as the "technological capital of the world". About 56% of the worlds inventions are have said to originate from the city alone. The city is home to a high amount of scientists that originate from the Lhûmar University, and often work together with wizards and meditators throughout the city to help the lifeblood of Lhûmar continue to flow. Much of Lhûmars advancements went abroad. The scientific community abroad however, usually question if Lhûmar truly did actually invented many of these objects, as varying sources contradict the legitimacy of the advancements Lhûmar claimed to have created or invented.

Lhûmar follows the use of the Qie, a powerful meditative magic that can unleash beneficial or disastrous forces from ones energy alone, and it is often utilized in every day life around the city. Several areas, such as Dragon Square, the Lhûmar University, and a few other structures around the city have objects that float through the use of magic, or are held together by magical chains to prevent it going adrift. Lhûmar was built untop of a previously untapped magical supply of magica, which is now meditated into powering much of the city's infrastructure. Lhûmar is also mastered as recycling magica to prevent the supply from being used up, and can be used infindefnitly unless interrupted or the supply is completely destroyed.

Divine Barrier
In the center of the Descendance Pillar in Dragon Square, lies a magical barrier that protects Lhûmar from divine interventions of other faiths, and temporarily nullifies those who are of a different faith from using their powers within the city. The strength of this barrier is powered by the presence of the Velereth alone on Celeia. There have been, however, multiple incidents where a divine was successful in penetrating the barrier, such as Entropy, the Red Sun and the Rooster Wraithbeast, although, many other divines found themselves unable to attack it. This example alone, shows the advancements of magic that Lhûmar had gone through over the years.