Capital of the continent and nation of Tesaria, New Hollowstone was built atop the ruins of Old Hollowstone quite literally. Old Hollowstone was largely built where it was due to its strategic position, but unbeknownst to the founders of the failed colony, there had once been a human colony deep underground. Due to the ancient human colony utilizing staggering space efficiency in design and a multitude of methods to reduce tectonic and floodwater damage, it had gone largely undiscovered at the time because few of the tunnels leading down to it were still intact, and even those were largely found in caverns beneath the earth. When its population became too small to maintain those systems, much of it sunk into the ground, built too solidly to be completely crushed by those forces even after the millennia hence, but devastated and broken nonetheless. When colonists of Tesaria found its ruins, few entered them, with even fewer coming back out to speak of the wonders underground. As the colony faced more and more dangers coming up from those ruins, they collapsed the tunnels they had discovered and much of the colony itself was rubble at the time to likewise be discovered later.
Danger still lurks in its ancient halls, but amongst the living terrors are also technologies and marvels worth hazarding the journey. As such, sector by sector it is slowly being reclaimed and secured, though only three of its five-mile diameter uppermost levels being fully explored and the dangers removed, and an unknown number of levels below. Atop these three levels skyscrapers have been erected in the last hundred years to replace the buildings constructed during New Hollowstone's formation, though some still exist and are kept preserved for posterity and cultural reasons. Amongst these older buildings is The Singing Stone Tavern and Inn, whose Reynix owners have a lineage tracing back to some of the original founders of New Hollowstone, including the famous Quinn Xhen.
Also amongst the older buildings is the Watchtower Gulden, whose magical design was designed by one of Kestrel Alras' staunchest allies, Renée S. Finch. A null-mage, master alchemist and artificer, she and a crew of two hundred hurriedly constructed it in defense of the capitol during The Tesarian War for Independence. To this day it has been greatly studied in the hope of replicating its design, as Renée had cyphered all of her plans as well as doling out instructions piecemeal while rotating groups of her crew to ensure none could pass on what they learned to other nations. After burning her notes when it was finished, many had implored her to construct more, but like Kestrel herself, Renée not only disappeared from the public eye but seemingly from history altogether. The only remnants of her last journals that have been deciphered so far seem to imply she was trying to construct an artifact that would use magic, alchemy and science for an unknown purpose which would wield temporal might. If ever she did finish this artifact, it either has never been found, or its greater purpose has not been discovered.
Being the multicultural center of Tesarian government, New Hollowstone was not founded with segregation of any species in its design. Still, due to the Tesarian War for Independence mostly being fought against The Great Suarn Empire, the Draconis Dragon-Kin population has mostly settled in The Rookery, a slum neighborhood on the Southeastern edge of the capitol where it begins to ascend Mount Athka, so named after to explorer. The dense design of their neighborhood was initially widespread and lofty, but as more and more felt the need for defensive foresight, it was expanded inward as well as up the mountain in order to prevent any mob force from rising to attack. Few individuals have made the attempt and between the government and the population of The Rookery they have been dealt with great ease. However, there are many prejudiced individuals in The Rookery who feel Tesaria should still belong to The Great Suarn Empire, and there are rumors that there may also be those who feel likewise for the Auduron Empire's scant failed colonies on Tesaria, and may be providing state secrets to each empire.
As Tesaria is inland many miles, few Naiads and Cubi feel comfortable living there for prolonged periods of time, but the Gitwerg, Goblins and Gnomes find great joy and honor in joining with the exploratory efforts to reclaim portions of Old Hollowstone, and the human ruins beneath it, as well as expanding the mining operations around the city. There is still animosity between the three species, but by and large it has decreased significantly as fewer and fewer of their population in the capitol have considered themselves citizens of the distant governments of their birthright and more citizens of Tesaria and New Hollowstone. As such, there are many hybrid offspring of these and other species that reside in New Hollowstone, and the utilization of ancient techniques from each culture present have been studied and melded together as New Hollowstone has developed.
While the Magus Ludus Academy of the Arts itself was lost during The Tesarian War for Independence, many of its surviving staff and student body during and after the war settled in Gear Rise and New Hollowstone, and New Hollowstone has since formed The Skorr University for Spellcraft. While not as revered as many more ancient schools of magic or Magus Ludus itself, Skorr University has fostered creativity with its students and many great modern mages have graduated from its programs.
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