saddle arabia [Lore] Wakr

[SteelEagle]

WAKR - CITY OF ENDLESS MINES AND JEWELS

 

Wakr is a city that on the front face of things looks like it houses little more than an administration building and some guard posts plus lodgings, an all together unassuming place for a weary traveler to rest. These looks can be deceiving no matter which one of the three dozen entrances to the city are chosen by the traveler, as Wakr is a mammoth city buried deep in the mountain Each entrance has a large city administration building, some guard posts, lodging, and massive roads coming In and out in order to facilitate trade and travel across the breadth of the range. Its unique design would give one the impression that it is the most heavily populated city in all of Saddle Arabia but this is not so- as with everything, looks can be deceiving wherever Wakr is concerned. A mining city like no other, it is the capable engine of Saddle Arabia's economic power and one of the most influential energy producers in the world.

 

Each entrance leads into a series of expertly hallowed out caverns which house the vast majority of the populace. Each cavern has been measured out to the the same size and the same number of Saddle Arabians lives in each cavern, give or take a few dozen here or there. Here is where most city life takes place, with shops and bazaars in the vast open area giving way to large public races and other events when the time is right. Smaller caverns are positioned alongside for special facilities and the palaces of the city's many civic leaders. Smaller tunnels lead to and from the caverns, taking the character of side alleys and smaller streets. The seedier elements of a city can be found there but in all things Wakr is structured and the city is one of the safest in a land known for safety. The most common tunnel however is the mining tunnel, dozens of which head deeper into the mountains.

 

There they mine many of the important resources that fuel Saddle Arabia's growth, but they also mine beautiful jewels and diamonds. The mines themselves are resplendent and stunning arrays of light and color contrasted with the dirty work of mining. Each operation is owned either by a conglomerate, city official, or even individual families seeking to strike it rich. Meritocratic societal standards look down upon bosses who can't keep their employees safe and while mine work can never be made completely safe, truly terrible accidents are rare despite the constant work of the mines. Workers who show themselves as being among the best are offered plentiful vacation time topside with their families, occupying some of the lodging to be found at a city entrance in great luxury. Mine operators can earn considerable loyalty this way and a well-run and happy community is often able to produce at a higher level, aiding the city and Saddle Arabia at large,

 

Wakr is run in a somewhat unusual manner for a Saddle Arabian city. Every city entrance and inner cavern constitutes a district, and each district elects two sets of representatives. The first set head off topside to the administration buildings and run the district, the second set head to the deepest part of the city where every road leads. One giant council hall deep in the mountains is where all major city-wide decisions are made. This system rewards good civic behavior, financial acumen, and intelligence in a manner unique to Saddle Arabia by placing the decision-making power into the hooves of the workers and common horses who see for themselves the effect that the candidates have had. The result is a well-run city that is constantly churning at the top in the best ways, allowing for the city to constantly evolve itself. The stony face of the city hides the churning evolution in its bowels- as with all things Wakr, looks can be deceiving.

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