Free City of Qadakh

[Last Updated: 27/07/2021]

Qadakh (pronounced: kah-DAK) is the second city of the Sultanate of Tetra in Eldham. It lies on a peninsula jutting southwards out into the ocean in Annoros. The city was founded on the 14th July 2021 by Flingbing and has been growing rapidly ever since.

The people of Qadakh ventured forth from the Capital of Tetra, Hesti'a, to found a new city and expand the power of the nation across the vast desert. On the opposite side of the Tetran desert, the architectural style of Qadakh is similar in that to its parent city, although with a greater mixture of builders.

The Bay of Qadakh was decided upon as a suitable settlement location due to the presence of natural springs that run into the bay, the strategic placement of the bay over the ocean, and the presence of the ruins of a fort from an age long ago - which provided much needed defensibility and building materials in those early days. This fort underlies much of the core of the settlement, it's outline still visible in older stone walls and the grid layout of the city centre.

Construction and Landmarks
The first buildings in Qadakh were erected on the west side of the peninsula, facing the Bay of Qadakh. Expansion of the settlment has since expanded in all directions. Below are listed some of the more notable landmarks and quarters of the city.

Eastern Market and Docks
Participating in the trade networks of North Western Eldham was an important early goal of Qadakh and the Eastern Market popped up almost immediately after the city's founding. Goods such as fine carpets and tapastries, flowers and plants, and fuel and redstone, as well as a dry dock for the construction of ships, can be found here to be bought and sold.

Qadakh Lighthouse
Constructed by _fief_ on the 17th of July 2021 to guide ships in and out of the docks, the Qadakh Lighthouse stands proudly over the Bay of Qadakh.

Storehouse
Containing many of the goods that flow in and out of the Eastern Market and Docks, the Storehouse provides a safe, dry space for the storage of goods being loaded and unloaded onto ships out in the bay. Stall owners and shipping merchant pooled money and resources together to finance the construction and it was completed on the 18th July, 2021.

In addition to pure storage space, the Storehouse houses a workshop in one corner, to allow the production of tools, maintenance of equipment, and the cooking of food all on-site. The centre of the storehouse is a small courtyard, built to preserve an old Yucca Tree that has been growing on the site for at least a hundred years. This space is left as a spot of calm and tranquility in the busy Eastern Market quarter.

Castrum Ruins
The city of Qadakh is not the first settlement to have been built on this site. Current archaeological estimations place the ruins of the castrum at Qadakh at a year predating our modern day by perhaps thousands of years. Further study is required to authenticate this claim.

Today the ruins only hint at the grandeur the castrum must have once possessed. The roads and streets of the old fortress continue to be some of the busiest thoroughfares in Qadakh, and many buildings use the old walls as part of their construction. Keep your eyes peeled for the worn brick and granite rock of the castrum when exploring Qadakh.

Foundation of Qadakh
The founding of Qadakh in 14th July 2021 came about because Hesti'a was undergoing an period of extensive reconstruction, with little end in sight. Combined with this, the new building codes and zoning laws in the Tetran Capital meant that many Qadakhis would be limited or even restricted in the construction of their own homes. To meet this immediate need of shelter, Flingbing petitioned the Tetran Royalty to permit a settlement expedtition to what is now known as the Bay of Qadakh.

The Great Famine
Between the 16th and 26th of July 2021, Qadakh experienced a severe famine. While the natural springs provided access to clean, fresh water, the Bay of Qadakh initially contained very little suitable arable land. Additionally, much of the wheat being grown at the time was needed for animal feed - leather especially was sorely needed at this time.

Much of the food production for the citizens of Qadakh consisted of sweet berries, not a very nutritous food source. In order to quickly rectify the situation (the construction of large scale irrigation infeasibleat the time), most of the wheat production was replaced with potatoes - coal being a commonplace resource in Qadakh. A diet of cooked potatoes made up the majority of this early Qadakhi diet.