In the age that was, the city of legends rose from the fires of war, vanquishing the shroud of chaos with its glory and calling the sons and daughters of the races to its embrace.
In the age that is, the city remains, illuminating the world, shining like a beacon of hope in an untamed land...
In the age to be, the city will serve as a harbinger for fell deeds and great challenges, calling those of honor, guile, and power to stand against the eternal night.
For the City of Omens is Destiny manifest, where those seeking their fortunes and glory are gathered...
Approximately 10,000 years ago, Omenaru was founded by a coalition between the elves of Sylvania and the dwarves of the northern mountains after a great victory in battle over hostile enemies. It stood for millennia as a symbol of peace, prosperity, and fellowship between different peoples. Then, approximately 3,000 years ago, the Great War divided most of the cultures of the world against each other. In the course of the war, Omenaru was abandoned and eventually lost to memory for reasons unknown. Some five centuries ago, a great human warlord named Malketh attempted to re-found a human kingdom in Omenaru. He failed to establish a kingdom, but there are those who yet live in and around the ruins of the city, and the legacy of his attempt has left an association in the minds of some, particularly some more cult-like residents of Lyne, between Omenaru and a kind of "human supremacy." It is largely populated by Humans, though it is also home to a fair few Elves and Dwarves and a scattering of other races.
Daily Life
Life is quite good, generally, in Omenaru. Few go hungry, and many craftsmen have perfected their skills to an art form, favoring intricacy and beauty over crude functionality. The ports and roads are busy with visitors and commerce, and the marketplace bustles with activity each day. Magic is studied widely, though it remains only a fascinating mystery to most members of the populace. The royal court is a vibrant, colorful place, full of intrigue, and high society has entered a world of sophistication and genteel graces that were wholly unknown in the more savage times during Malketh's original reign.
Layout
The city is arranged in four quarters: the Queen's Quarter, home to the Temple of the Gods and various moderately expensive housing; the Docks Quarter, home to shipping and industry, as well as some of the city's less savory elements and the poorest housing in the city; the Market Quarter, home to the largest concentration of businesses, the primary marketplace, midrange housing, and the city's "red lamp" district; and finally the King's Quarter, home to the royal palace and the wealthiest homes and businesses in the entire city. In the center of it all, the broad plaza of Rose Court allows passage between any of the four walled districts. The Vanyaduin River runs east to west through the city.
Points of Interest
- The High Temple in the Queen's Quarter
- The Great Library in the Queen's Quarter
- The Omenaru Public Baths in the Queen's Quarter
- Lionscourt Castle in the King's Quarter
- Rose Court in the city center
- Omenaru Docks in the Docks Quarter
- Omenaru Marketplace in the Market Quarter
Inhabitants
- Malketh the Great is entombed here.
History
- Main article: History of Arcadia
Founding
Back an age, when Humans were little known in the world, the Elves and the Dwarves were on far better terms. Their societies enjoyed strong trade and friendship, and in their greatest endeavor they joined together to build a city standing between their two societies; a place where Elf and Dwarf could live together in unity. The city was was built on the river, at the bottom of a valley between the two great kingdoms. They named it Omentien Numenalu, meaning "Meeting at Westwater". The city was a marvel of architecture, with the strength and craftsmanship of Dwarven construction, and the beauty and grace of Elven. The city stood for a thousand years, as a symbol of the friendship between Elves and Dwarves.
The Great War and Abandonment
However, in the wake of the Great War, the great city was abandoned. No Dwarf or Elf yet lives who had seen what specific part of the war touched the city, so no one knows quite what happened. Stories and legends of the city remain, and all claim that it was destroyed by some great tragedy. There are many such stories, and each one is different. However, the one certain result of the loss was that the great city of Omentien Numenalu fell, and the joint culture of Elves and Dwarves never regained its former unity.
The Reign of Malketh Omensworn
Over twenty centuries later, humans came down from among the mountains in force. Led by a warlord named Malketh, they visited the first the Dwarves and then the Elves, asking for each to join with them in the retaking of the city. Even among the humans, the legend of Omentien Numenalu was still told. The great city was gone, but in the mind of this ambitions human leader, it was the perfect site for mankind to found its own kingdom at last. The Elves and Dwarves each refused, scoffing at the humans who were arrogant enough to believe that they could survive the monster-infested valley long enough to set up a campsite, let alone build a city. They told the humans that if they could build the city, they could have it. The humans accepted this and left. And to the surprise of both Elf and Dwarf, they succeeded. Their leader was a truly gifted military genius, and he led his small army of men to victory against the dangerous creatures of the river valley.
The city was reborn, under the Humanized name of "Omenaru," also called the City of Omens. Malketh ruled for seventy-six years, steadily consolidating the kingdom from the eastern shores of the Bay of Omens in the west to the Teliosan River in the east. The northernmost settlement was the holy city of Lumens Thelaris, and the Humans' territory stretched southward beyond the Elvish outpost of Numentir, to the Astorian River at the border of the Wilwaro Forest. Tragically, Omenaru would survive barely a generation after Malketh's death. No sufficiently effective leader rose to take his place, and within a century the city had once again been abandoned.
The Quincentennial
The memory of Malketh persisted, and five hundred years after the founding of Omenaru, a new expedition went forth to explore the ruins. The Guild of Heroes and Altur offered strong support, and within a few years a thriving settlement had been established, though they had no king or queen, nor any true ruling body.