The western portion of the map has a single point of interest.

The Citadel of Creation

The first mountain rising forth from the desert that heralds the rough and craggy mountain range west of the source has been carved into a giant fortified city.

The outer wall at the base of the mountain is a mountain itself, 1000 feet high, with watchtowers at regular intervals.

The mountain city behind the wall is truly a great wonder of this world. However, few beyond the walls have seen it.

The Citadel is very isolated from the rest of the world. The desert to the south and north, the mountains and glacier to the west, are empty of people, except for the occasional hermit.

Inside the walls however is a vibrant and bustling civilization of nearly a million people. The mountain sits on top of a large underground aquifer. They have mastered terrace farming techniques to maximize their farmable land.

Large sculptures and reliefs are carved into the side of the mountain and many of the buildings extend deep into the rock so a small façade may open up into a mansion when you go past the entrance.

The most prestigious profession in The Citadel is that of a Master Stone Carver. It takes many years of study as an apprentice stone mason to be trusted in the carving of stone. Each of the great carvings around The Citadel are named for the person who carved them. The Masters, as they are known, are also the high clergy and main government officials.

Views on Magic

To the people here, the source is the forge of the creator. The place in the universe where the creator is actively forging the future. The power is seen as the heat from the forge radiating out. A gift from the creator so that people can help complete the creation. All are encouraged to develop their talents with the power so that they can help with completing the creation.

Society Structure

The Citadel of Creation is a theocracy.

Each year 23 people are randomly chosen from the population and designated The Watchers. They serve as figureheads in the government, leading discussions about various topics and passing new laws and regulations that then get approved or vetoed by The Masters.

Their ultimate purpose is to stand ready for the day the creation is complete. Then the forge will go silent, and the source will stop radiating power. This prophesy is the center of their religion.

The Watchers are the representatives chosen to meet the creator when the creation is complete. If the forge falls silent on their watch, they are to undertake a journey to find the forge and present the people’s work to the creator for his judgement.

The Scriptures

There are three books that the people of The Citadel hold as their holy scriptures.

The Journal – Written shortly after the old world was destroyed and the source was born. There are some entries talking about the world that was, but mostly about the struggles in the immediate aftermath. Questioning why would this happen, what is the purpose. Longing for a world where the source is no longer there.

The Commentaries – Years after the author of The Journal died, it was found by someone looking for meaning. The Journal had all the same questions he had and The Seeker, as he is now known, wrote a commentary on The Journal providing his own theories on why and how and what would happen when the power stopped. This is where the prophesy of the end of the creation, and the power being there so that people may aid the creator in his work came into being.

The Chronicle – When The Citadel of Creation was founded as a place for the followers of The Seeker’s prophesy to do their work, The Chronicle was begun. A long scroll detailing the history of their efforts to help in the creation.

As a side note, they don’t have book binding technology here, so the scriptures are on scrolls. They have developed writing tables that have winding reels, like old motion picture film inspection tables, that allow them to scroll through these very long documents.