Pallass

Pallass

By Enuryn (commissioned by Pirateaba)

Ruler

Assembly of Crafts

Location

Izril

Inhabitants

Drakes, Gnolls, Dullahans, Garuda

Affiliation

Drakes

Pallass, also known as the City of Inventions, is one of the six Walled Cities located in Izril.

Pallass’ symbol consist of scales and a gear in place over a brass plate.

Background

Coat of Arms for Pallass in tower shield format, by Enyavar

The people of Pallass say that their walls are 300 feet high, but that's only because they reach that exact number at the lowest spots.

Pallass is said to house about a million people. Later, it is said that it is a "city of millions". The inhabitants are mostly Drakes, but there are large minorities of Gnolls as well as smaller minorities of Dullahans and Garuda.

Geography

With a distance of roughly three hundred and eighty miles, Pallass is the closest Walled City to Liscor, thereby the most northern of the Walled Cities.

Layout

impression of Pallass, city of invention
by mg

Pallass is a very organized city with a rectangular ground plan. The inhabitants live in several floors on top of each other, connected by regularly spaced, wide ramparts and elevators. Most buildings along the walls are done in large beige-colored stone. The floors follow the outlines of the wall and each floor below the topmost-level is wider than the one above, which leads to the city resemble an inTverted pyramid. The middle of the city is left as open space, although there are factions arguing to build a central tower.

Some of the lower floors are wide enough that Liscor could be placed on them as a whole.

Transportation

The four largest stairways connect all the way from the bottom to the top of the city, and are divided into three lanes, designated for going up, down, and one exclusively for Runners.

There are magical elevators that connect the floors with each other, but also eight non-magical elevator platforms called Grand Lifts that only go down and are cranked back up when empty. Drake inventors are still struggling with the details of harnessing the wind as a power source for the nonmagical elevators.

For transport of goods along the same floor, carts and horses are in use.

Located Buildings

(not comprehensive)

1. 1st floor: Bazaar/Markets with hundreds of [Traders] and [Merchants], Watch’s Barracks.
2. 2nd floor: ..., Watch’s Barracks, The Noble’s Fancy
3. 3rd floor: Poorer residential districts near the City Prison, Watch’s Barracks
4. 4th floor: Poorer residential districts, Melinni's Meats and other warehouses, Watch’s Barracks
5. 5th floor: Residential districts, Tails and Scales, Merchant’s Guild, Watch’s Barracks,
6. 6th floor: Wealthier residential districts, Watch’s Barracks
7. 7th floor: Residential districts (home of Lasica and Rufelt?), Baker's area, Watch’s Barracks,
8. 8th floor: Newest floor still under development, mid-upper class residential districts and shops, Watch’s Barracks, Magical Door to Liscor (transportable, but usually located there in Vol.6)
9. 9th floor: Industrial (reconstructed 2 years ago) with most prominently the Alchemist's Quarter (Cunning Crafts, owned by Xif) and Blacksmith’s Quarter (workshops of Maughin, Pelt, Bealt). Also some private quarters, e.g. of Maughin.
10. (10th floor): Battlements with Siege machines, as wide as a tennis court at least. Non-troublemaking civilians are allowed in in peace times.

Other Buildings

• Wyvern Steakhouse
• Five Bathhouses able to fit thousands of guests each; all of them outfitted in the way of one of the five continents
• Pallass Hunting (safari organization)
• Alchemium Scholaris, a fully-stocked laboratory and home for [Alchemists]
• Crafter’s Theatre

Government

Pallass is ruled by a democratic Council, called the Assembly of Crafts, who vote on issues. Composed of hundreds of [Senators], the members consist of numerous representatives from all of the major Guilds. Additionally, they are divided amongst various political factions such as the Protectorate. The Assembly of Welfare is a subdivision of the Assembly of Crafts.

Known Members:

• Errif Jealwind - Head of the Merchant’s Guild
• Wishill

Military

The Military of Pallass consists of eight armies. Those known are:

• 1st Army, under command of Edellein Blackwing. Always stationed in Pallass, made up of the best soldiers and rotates in promising candidates and veterans.
• 2nd Army, under command of Shirka. Fights in matters of foreign affairs and campaigns abroad, as well as intercity warfare.
• 3rd Army, formerly under command of Shirka, known as Blackwing's Gold. Monster slayers. Mobile and quick-response specialty, but for non-difficult terrain.
• 4th Army, formerly under command of Edellein Blackwing, know as Pallass' Bandits. Specialized towards resource acquisition. Quick mobilization to secure and area and lay ambushes.
• 8th Army, known as Hellholders. The border-keeping forces.
• 4th Cavalry
• 7th Armored Division, just 400 strong, but fast-moving

Pallass' Generals have seniority based on their army position, with an assumed ranking based on levels.

While Pallass doesn't have the flier corps of Oteslia, they do still have a few hundred [Fliers] in their army, recruited from Oldblood Drakes and Garuda.

Pallass is known for making greater use of potions in warfare, and have unique units of [Alchemical Infantrymen], who throw alchemical weapons and use interesting salves on their weapons, and heavy alchemical support such as [Slingers] launching military potions. Being supplemented by [Alchemists], they comparatively don't field as many [Mages].

The spies and covert agents of the city are called the Eyes of Pallass, and are considered the best at surveillance among the Walled Cities' spy groups.

Uniquely among the armies, the 2nd Army has three [Spearmasters], as well as a number of [Slayer] groups specialized against certain enemies.

Pallass' City Watch maintains Watch Houses on each level except the ninth floor, and there are at least as many Watch Captains as floors.

In the defense of Liscor against the joint attack by Reiss and Veltras, the part of the Pallass Army that helped manning the city walls, shed 28 times as much blood as did the 4th Division of Liscor, which was also present.

Pallass acquired captured Raskghars and planned an experimental program to create a military unit from them, which may take years.

Economy

The economy of Pallass is diversified and on the cusp of industrialization. Its exports of manufactured metals, notably steel, and alchemical concoctions are known throughout Drake lands. Considering the necessity of these goods for warfare and defense, Pallass's ability to threaten other cities' supplies is considerable leverage in negotiations such as when they almost force Liscor to hand over Erin's magical door.

Pallass also has a booming market, with thousands of gold pieces going through it each day. It also has the [Sinew Mage] Grimalkin who helps to regularly train [Mages] and [Soldiers] in the city. As the City of Invention, Pallass is also known for its [Engineers] and weaponry they can produce such as siege weaponry.

Pallass has two capable [Geomancers], who are usually booked out.

Pallas imposes a 6% income tax on incoming goods from the human lands.

National Anthem

Verse 1:

“So long as our heads rise to the sky

Ne’er shall our city silent lie.”

Verse 2:

“Dragon marvel from behind

At the glorious mortal design!”

Verse 3:

“Dawn beholds a day it never dreamed,

onwards our armies scream!

Pallass may you never be the same!

Let the world hear thy eternal name

City to put all others to shame!

Issrysil marvels! Issrysil marvels!”

Notable Pallassians

Drakes:

• Adalton Serristail, [Innkeeper] of The Noble’s Fancy
• Chaldion Oliwing, Grand Strategist
• Edellein Blackwing, General of Pallass 4th Army
• Frasi
• Grimalkin, Sinew Magus
• Kel, Guardsman/Desk Sergeant
• Keldrass, Gold-rank Adventurer
• Lasica, Cook
• Melinni, Butcher
• Nelliam Hailwing
• Noass, Commentator
• Osthia Blackwing, True Oldblood [Captain]
• Oza
• Relz Hauscale, Commentator
• Saliss Oliwing, Alchemist and Named Aventurer
• Salkis Blackwing
• Thrissiam Blackwing, General of Pallass 2nd Army (Deceased)
• Venim, Day Watch Captain
• Mirn, former secret service member and soldier, now a bar owner

Gnolls:

• Bealt, Blacksmith and Farrier
• Errif Jealwind, Senator
• Felkhr, Flying Gnoll of Pallass
• Reikhle, Master Builder
• Rufelt, Bartender
• Xif, Alchemist

Dullahans:

• Duln, General of Pallass' 1st Army (Deceased)
• Lorent, Sharpener
• Maughin, Blacksmith

Garuda:

• Bevussa Slenderscale, Gold-rank Adventurer
• Esor, [Strategist] under Chaldion
• Melika Blackwing

???:

• Toiese, Guildmaster of Merchant’s Guild
• Totene, [Thought Healer]

Former Inhabitants

Drakes:

• Venim, Day Watch Captain

Dwarves:

• Pelt, Blacksmith

Trivia

• Some people who were born and lived in Pallass their entire lives won’t look over the edge of the walls.
• There is a dungeon located south of Pallass but it's was cleared out decades ago.
• Pallass sent four of their Gold-rank teams (along with several Bronze- and Silver- ranked teams) to Liscor to assist them in their fight against the Raskghar. Those four were two thirds of all of their Gold rank teams.
• The [Generals] of the 7th and 8th armies are Gnolls.
• Pallass has dedicated alchemy suppression teams, similar to firefighters.
• Pallass has a list of approved Demi-humanoid species allowed in the city. This list includes Trolls, Ogres, Cyclopes, Giants (who cannot actually enter, but can loiter and trade outside the walls), and there are even provisional forms for Goblins.
• The armies have second nicknames based on their respective [Generals], such as Duln’s Defenders, Shirka’s Slayers, Thrissiam’s Tenacities, and Edellein’s Elites.

Gallery

• 

  Pallass cityscape, by Jason Yao

• 

  Pallass by Jason Yao

• 

  studies of Pallassian elevators, by Jason Yao

• 

  Skating the stairway ramps of Pallass, by mg

• 

  Map of Pallass and surroundings by Enyavar (complete map)

• 

  Tails and Scales, by Enuryn (commissed by Pirateaba)