Tàlant

Tàlant is the central metropolis of Ma'Dain Aurora, as it carries the majority of industry, populace and education.

Origin

Tàlant was the original city, where the Great Thinker settled when he created the world. He chose the place, due to easy access to water, the mountains, which shielded and brought rain, and a plain where farmland could be created. At first, it was a lone city, with only one central building - imposing as it was. The Great Tinker would then tinker with the world from the central building, until one day another person arrived. He, Iron Ugved, had transported himself from the Archipelago of Hope to Ma'Dain Aurora and naturally, as all visitors, landed next to the Great Thinker. But Iron's power was much weaker, not as grand and masterful as the Great Thinker. Iron could only build and grow - a combination of powers, now rare.

They got along well, at first, and built the majority of Tàlant together as more and more people arrived. The community wasn't large, only a hundred or so, and for a time, none came. Under the guidance of The Great Thinker and Iron Ugved, Tàlant prospered. Ma'Dain gave people mysterious virility and longevity, so families of 20 were not uncommon. They continued to populate Tàlant and built the rest of the districts, where each district specialized in an area. But Iron and the Great Thinker parted later on, causing the town's prosperity to reduce. Some of the other colonists also moved away, some on their own, some went with Iron. But Tàlant had enough momentum to grow, even though the time of the Great Thinker ended, as he walked up the mountains never to return.

The Districts

• The Fields - the agricultural part of town. In Tàlant they grow wheat, barley, corn and hops, enough to feed the masses. There are also orchards and other fruit trees, but not as abundant. The livestock industry is also located here, but no animals are ever hurt in Ma'Dain, since they are so rare. Most animals are wild, as the domestic rarely make it across for their second life. The animals are only used for meat, when they die, so the meat is never high quality. There is also a low amount of dairy products, but some farmers are good with taming, so they produce a modest amount - enough for dairy to become a luxury product.
• Smoke and Soot - the industry part of town, lies next to the mountain. It contains all the heavy industry, the mining, steelworks, blacksmiths. It is where people with the right Wonder create fantastical and incredibly strong structures and tools and ornaments. The logging industry is also present here, with the trees being ferried over the river, which are then collected and sent to the local saw. The district is darker than the rest, due to the constant burning of coal. It is also foggy often, especially during mornings and nights.
• Language District - the COOL and its arboretum, nothing else.
• The Hub - it is the main square with the statues of the Great Thinker and Iron Ugved, the founders. It is a place to have celebration, for parades and for tournaments. It can house over ten thousand people when the bleachers are set up.
• The Long Market - you can buy practically anything that's made or found in Ma'Dain in the long market. It stretches for a few miles in a snakelike trail, where the traders haggle for pennies. The market is made from foldable tents, which always sport a display in front. In the Long Market, you don't haggle on the road, as it is disrespectful and tells every other customer how much you managed to knock down the price. Some traders even have very rare and sometimes forbidden items there. Most of the traders don't have an active wonder, but the ones that do, usually stay at the center of the long market, called the Arena, where there are no tents. It is very competitive and only the traders at the Arena may offer a large amount to construction companies, societies, settlers. Why mostly traders with Wonder? It is easier to convince, when you can flash your customer. If anyone is caught doing it outside of the Arena, his trader's license is revoked.
• Waterworks - the mill and the aqueducts part of the city. Also the local beach, the laundry companies and a favorite spot for taking romantic walks.
• Lenses - the scientific part of town, close to the Language district. Most of the houses have an observatory on the top of the house, where the name comes.
• The High Chair - the palace, next to the Hub. It is where the tri-kings council works and lives.

The COOL

The Chamber of the Occult and Obscure Language