Hearthtown

Hearthtown

Location: Mount Celestia / Lunia

Hearthtown is a the crossroads of Lunia, where planes converge, and travellers from across the multiverse find their way. Let me paint you a picture of this bustling city of wonder. Situated on a sprawling island near in the Silver Sea, Hearthtown is the go-to harbour for inter-planar vessels. The are ships and portals aplenty, all bringing visitors from the far reaches of the Upper Planes and beyond. It’s like a grand meeting place where the cosmic tapestry weaves together.

Now, this city ain’t your typical settlement; it’s a grand metropolis, boasting three circular districts, each with its own flavour. The outermost ring is the Ring of Welcome, and it’s got white marble walls guarding its flanks. A bit like the bouncers at a fancy tavern, these walls ensure only the invited guests make it out of the harbour.

Then comes the Ring of Trade, the true heart of commerce in the burg. It’s a bustling marketplace, and one of the biggest in all of Lunia. You want exotic items from distant realms? Look no further. Hearthtown’s got you covered, friend. It’s a hub where buyers and sellers haggle, barter, and trade, and where the wonders of the multiverse are on full display.

But the innermost circle, the Ring of Sanctuary, that’s where things get truly celestial. Imagine a glorious temple of Hestia, the Lady of the Hearth, nestled here, radiating divine energy. It’s a place of solace, where pilgrims and seekers find spiritual refuge.

And then there’s the Teleportation House, where planar travellers can hop from Hearthtown to some of the other sites of Lunia. Its hallways bustle with folks coming and going, touts selling the secrets of which portal goes where, what the keys are, and offering to sell those too for the right price. This place is also used by the Knights Hospitaller, on their missions of mercy to bring parcels of food and Good News to sods in need across the planes.

At the heart of it all, in the inner sanctum, resides Kamaryss, the ruling Deva. She is a being of pure celestial grace, making decisions that shape the fate of Hearthtown. 

Hearthtown’s island location on the Silver Sea in Lunia is very much deliberate, cutter. It’s not so much about the archons being wary of interplanar visitors (although many of them are) but more about practicality and control. While the archons of Lunia are hospitable and welcoming, they do take their responsibility to defend Lunia seriously. Placing Hearthtown on an island allows for better control over the flow of interplanar visitors. It’s not so much about barring folks from the Threshold as it is about ensuring a structured and orderly process for arrivals. The island can serve as a natural screening point where arconic authorities can assess and facilitate the entry of travellers. Placing Hearthtown on an island provides a degree of natural security. It’s easier to defend an isolated location against potential threats or incursions. This way, the safety of both residents and visitors is maintained.

The presence of numerous portals in Hearthtown is no accident. It’s strategically designed to serve as a nexus for planar travel up to higher layers of Mount Celestia. These are tightly controlled however, with only archons or their trusted allies allowed to know the dark of the pathways to locations beyond the Prime Vallation. The Ring of Trade, as the name suggests, is a bustling marketplace where goods from various planes are exchanged. Having a location like Hearthtown on an island allows for efficient handling of exotic items, making it a prime spot for trade.

Source: Panjatogo and Jon Winter-Holt