saddle arabia [Lore] Dufly

[SteelEagle]

DUFLY - NEVER GROUNDED!

 

Of all the cities in the hooved world nowhere has verticiality been such a trademark as it is in Dufly. A coastal city in the northeast of Saddle Arabia, Dufly's history is replete with contact, war, and friendship with Griffon colonists, adventurers, military figures, and leaders from Aquellla. The ancient griffon empire used to be a colonization machine which planted seeds from Unyasi to Maretonia and beyond, but in Saddle Arabia they encountered something different. Large, intelligent, advanced and confident, Saddle Arabians did not kowtow to the griffon advances no matter the aggression. Several air and naval skirmishes did not turn out well for the Griffons and after several generations of off and on campaigning, Griffon ambitions for Saddle Arabian land ended. Instead of expansion, Griffons sought to establish a powerful trading partnership and nowhere has Griffon influence been as obvious as it is in Dufly.

 

Originally a small settlement, Dufly grew as contact with griffons increased. As Saddle Arabian resistance proved more and more effective it became a symbol for dissident griffons and as a result the griffon population grew in great scale, and soon the way the city was laid out started to change. Buildings started to add floors instead of expanding horizontally in accordance with standard griffon city planning. Saddle Arabians at first disliked the change and more than a few early city meetings ended in Saddle Arabians tearing down a building and rebuilding it in a proper manner. However, after a major naval battle happened off of the coast of Dufly that saw a significant effort by Dufly's legendary Minister Jameel to persuade a portion of the Griffon fleet to rebel work, attitudes changed. The newly rebelled Griffon fleet was commanded by an elder Griffon captain who had fallen in love with the beautiful Minister, all of whom needed a place to stay. Dufly now had an influx of griffons and in gratitude allowed the greater whole of the city to be changed to match more traditional griffon architecture.

 

Generations later, the city is perhaps the second largest in the world that has such griffon inspired architecture. Large skyscraper type cylindrical towers stretch out over a vast landscape, each one build to support the other to the extent that even if the bottom floors of the building are taken out it can still stand. These supports also act as large walkways and roads for the horses of the city to traverse from one place to another. Griffons and other flight enabled creatures don't need these for travel, but instead decorate the underside of the supports with beautiful paintings and gardens. Creatures from all corners of the planet come to experience the swinging gardens and beautiful tapestries that dot the city but it is not only these things which make the city famous.

 

In a nation that values efficiency and education, few places can claim to have such an edge as Dufly. It is home to several of the most powerful and well thought of educational institutions. Technological development is also centered on Dufly, with some of the most advanced airship designs and technological philosophies being born here. Cultural power is apparent to visitors from a great distance as well, as two huge statues flank the city. Each one is the size of the largest structures in height though both are of much greater length and width, and both are statues of ancient Arabian legends. Sculptors throughout time have put their whole lives into their construction and while both are finished, whole teams dedicate themselves to maintaining their glory. They in many cases portray the grandeur that is Dufly and it is further reflected in the mannerisms of the horses who live there.

 

By and large, horses in Dufly look at life as a bit more of an adventure with few things ever actually hard and fast. This has always allowed them to push the envelope in technology and scale but also makes them a haven for adventurers and travelers. While the majority populace are still Arabians, it has the largest population of griffons and hippogriffs in the land. Saddle Arabians tend to view the griffons and hippogriffs as one of their own, and there is no hint of special issues in society or government. The only non-Arabians to have any government position in all of Saddle Arabian are Duflyian griffons, who make up a third of the city's leadership. The ports are covered by stone and concrete and are considered the safest in the known world, allowing it to be the launching off point for any number of Saddle Arabian expeditions and trips abroad. Likewise, any traveler seeking to see the sights and sounds of Saddle Arabia could do no better than to start in the city of stone in the sky.

A Journal Between Lovers: My Travels and Travails, by Flowing Stars