The city of Caulderon is the mythic flying city. Once a magnificent city on a cliff, it was saved from being lost to the sea by being lifted by alchemical means. It was filled with impossibly tall shining spires standing above golden domes. The sunlight striking it is said to blind those who come to invade the city. The people lived in this magnificent city in health, wealth, and safety. They rode Griffons and created all sorts of creature. Caulderon was known for its magic, its alchemy. In the old tongue, the word Caulder means alchemey, from the word Cauldron. It is from their alchemey that their great wealth and comfort is derieved. Legends (and Elven History) states that the floating city would visit The Lands once every few years, blown by the winds. They would trade for things and sell their magikal goods. After a year or so, their cities would be be blown to other places. It has been over four hundred years since any credible source has seen the floating cities. It is the thing of legends. Then why has one been seen over the Land?
The legends and description of Caulderon are all true, for as far as they go.
The small continent that Caulderon once sat was a small one to the south and west of The Land. It was rocky and uninviting for farming, but it had a vast mineral wealth. Travelling there as colonists from the Great Empire, they became the greatest sailors, miners, and alchemists, of the Old World. As the Great Empire fell, the people of Caulderon managed to maintain themselves, though they lost touch with the rest of the world for a time.
Caulderon is the name of the capital city and country of the thirteen city states.
A terrible alchemical accident (things that should not be mixed) began to destroy the bedrock of the small continent. A bold plan was initiated to save their fair cities. Using the tunnels under the city, vast amounts of 9th metal- the metal that pushes against the Earth, began to support each city. Synchronized, each city floated to the sky. Within a month of the great lifting, the continent was gone.
The Caulderonians applied their skill with sails to sky sailing their new flying cities. There were 13 cities that lifted from the sky. One was lost to a storm (making 13 an unlucky number). Using alchemy, they were able to create almost everything they needed. They only needed to occasionally augment their supplies with fresh water, food, and wood (which can not be made through alchemical means).
Centuries after The Lifting, they created alchemical engines that allow them to fly where they will. No longer victims of the wind, they have been flying over the semi-mythical northern continent, which had people and cultures that were their equals. Now a holy war ravages that continent. Unable to get what they need easily, they decided to set sail once again... for the first time in centuries.
Now the 12 cities are flying to The Land. Their Gryphon forces have now scount The Land as they set their course. The people here are primatives when compared to their old trading partners and themselves. The ruling council of 12 can not agree upon their next course of action.
There is a setting thread by this name:
http://www.strolen.com/guild/index.php/topic,620.0.html
There is not much there, but it includes the campaign uses for the city
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Lots of Hits. A very good rating. No Comments. I am confused. I will be putting a few plots associated with this place in the system soon.
MOOOOoooooOOOOOOOooooOOOOOOOOOnnnnn-Hunterrrrrrrrrrrr!
I'm leaving a comment for you!
Loved the intro, probably wouldn't use some of the actual description. I would be trying to fit it into my world and to do that I would want to stick with the main idea of a floating city that goes where it may vs a lot of them and being able to control themselves. Unless I was basing a campaign/world around it of course, then I would jump on it all.
I love it as an explanation of where the 'legendary' magic items may come from or perhaps explain where a certain vein of magic items come from. Perhaps they all have style about them or a signature that makes it obvious it is from Caulderon.
Its return could be fated and a new series of magic items enter the world just in time for a fun battle. They trade with evil or good since they don't know the politics of the lands they travel through or something. Will think some more on it.
Very interesting - I like it.
It would be amusing to playsay a Caulderonian who managed to get left behind when his air ship gathering supplies had to leave urgently, or fall of the city and saving himself with a parachute/getting caught by a griffin and carried off...
Of course, if the Caulderonians decided to be nasty, it could lead to scenes like in Independence Day, with a city floating above the royal palace, and dumping something unpleasant on it.
As for the name - what else could be a city of alchemy be named after but the cauldron :)
Love the Setting and am planning on starting to use it in one of my campiagns, this is a great start for a fantasict set of adventures and locations, as well as no end of item...that is it...I am stealing it!!!! Bahahahahaha!!!!!
I am with Anteaus. I am stealing it to. Where is the setting you mentioned in the post?
Haha!
In my favourite book series there is a floating city called Moon's Spawn.
Got it? Moon's Spawn...
Haha.
This city is an excellent write up of an old fantasy idea.
Brilliant - love it - I'm definitely gonna pinch it too - 5/5 - and gets today's HoH vote
Updated: Updated the links
Updated for the Link... and thinking about this setting again.
waaarrrgghh. Can't get something to work.
Oh, and a great location.