Early History
Ajandah was once the center of the world, the capital of The Alammar Empire that engulfed the entire world. It began as a simple town formed next to a lake that was attached to a river, and quickly grew to the size of a town, then a city. The City-State of Ajandah was reliant on the lake and the river as its source of food and the place that helped provide water for their crops. Their first leaders were the merchants that had gotten rich and powerful over their importance in trade routes and resource gathering, utilizing their political power to take over land within and around the city. The merchant's chokehold wouldn't last long, as the owners of the farms struck back, driving them from the countryside and using their control over the food supply as their political instrument. Eventually the two were both usurped by an Emissary-Priest, who used his connection to the gods and their early crude magical abilities to take supreme control of the city and name himself the Lugal.
The new Lugal would delegate the merchants and the landowners to a secondary ruling class that would serve under the Lugal, each with control over their own little niche. The new Lugal would then begin solidifying his control and civilization, creating laws, societal roles, some things imported by the merchants from other cultures and cities and regions, creating a rudimentary militia that was capable and sometimes waged battles against Ajandah's neighbors. Eventually the Lugal would pass, but left behind a son. His intention was for his role as the Lugal to be passed down to his son, and create an ever-lasting dynasty like ones heard of in faraway lands, but the son was quickly torn apart both figuratively and literally by the merchants and landowners because he did not inherit the divine powers of the gods and was deemed to have been cast out by the gods, having lost their favor.
The merchants and landowners would rule the city together in an uneasy equilibrium. It wasn't a peace per se, the two classes frequently conflicted with each other, their thugs having frequent brawls in the street, often to little effect. The two would constantly fight, but never be able to overcome one other, the two stuck in a violent harmony without being able to triumph over one another.
Alammar Empire
This would all change when the gods contacted one William the First. He would rally the populace against the two warring classes, utilizing his Emissary powers to give him an edge in political power like the first Lugal did, saying he was divinely ordained to rule the world. He quickly grew a massive following, assembling his own citizen militia within the city. The merchants and the landowners attempted to crush him, but failed every time. The tide would turn when a local wise man and priest that was respected in the community, Pojia decided to throw in his lot with William when the gods urged him to. William would overthrow the two classes and take control of the city as the King of the city-state, either executing the remnants of the two classes or exiling them.
The city would be transformed under William. He had visions of the future (more accurately the past of the Giants gifted to him) and used them accordingly, transforming the clay city into one of stone. He also cast aside bronze for the most part and used iron, giving the city a massive technological edge over its neighbors. As the Empire expanded all over the Continent and its conquests grew larger, so did Ajandah. It was the seat of Alamarran power, the center of the growing nation. It expanded in leaps and drives, engulfing the entire shoreline of the lake and some of the river besides. Soon enough the city was the envy of all nations and of all kings. It rivaled all other great cities, even outdoing them, a certified metropolis, the center of the world. The city would continue growing until 946 BS, after High King Arthur the Second decreed a set of laws and decrees aimed at limiting the amount of people immigrating to the city.
It would serve and continue to serve as the capital of the Alammar Empire until the fall of the empire, being privy to the latest technological innovations. It was where history was made for nearly 2000 years, the center of trade, the seat of power for the High King and all the low ranking nobles and officials that comprised the Alammaran Empire.
Layout and Districts
As it grew, numerous walls were constructed around the city that were all eventually replaced as Ajandah grew uncontrollably. These would serve as the building blocks for the numerous districts that would emerge throughout the city. The one most central to Ajandah is the Central District, the oldest and grandest of all the sectors within the ancient city. It would house the ruling houses of the city, like the Imperial Palace, the central headquarters of the Fervoni Holy Union and a number of the grandest and oldest temples in the world. Along side it are the hundreds of houses and various living quarters for the richest and most powerful people in the Empire, vast manors reconstructed from the old houses of the old city, architectural wonders and plazas and gardens that look like something out of a depiction of the heavens. Nearly every street is spotless, and depending on who you ask, paved with gold.
No expense was spared when creating the Central District. The place most likely costs more than 70% of the dominions of the Empire combined, all concentrated into that singular district. Each person that lives there is rich; there's upwards of 30 slaves and servants for each person within the Central District. Regular people are rarely allowed in, with a full contingent of guards dedicated to keeping the riffraff out of the Central District. Those that are allowed into the Central District but aren't dressed like nobles are treated condescendingly and with scorn, or mistaken as servants. Security is relatively lax for the most part within the district, mostly because the guard force is focused around keeping everyone out rather than keeping the peace within. That doesn't mean that there's no laws in the district, far from it. Those caught committing a petty crime like thievery that aren't part of the elite are subject to capital punishment.
That isn't to say, on the other side of the spectrum, that the Central District is a site of virtue without crime. The crimes that occur in the Central District are often not of the physical kind. Within the walled off district are various forms of schemes and plans, an elaborate web of conniving between the elites to earn the favor of the High King, to secure a grand wealth, and cement the name of their family into the annals of history.
Next is the Market District. It's centered around, you guessed it, trade and markets. It's a pretty lively place, the melting pot of Ajandah. In it the bright colors of the market stalls fly 24/7. It's the trade hub of the trade capital, where all the merchants in the world worth their salt go to trade and do business. It's heavily monitored by guards, due to the large influx of people in the district all the time. There exist several back alleys where the destitute and street urchins reside, where the guards barely go. The buildings and houses are mostly for the permanent traders and local merchants within the city, or are repurposed as inns for the numerous travelers to Ajandah. Nearly every product that exists can be found in the endlessly bannered and colored streets of the district, sold at some outlandish price.
At night, the Market District doesn't go to sleep, it takes on a new form. There are countless festivals all around the Alammar Empire, and the countless festivals for each one are held in the Market District, during the day and during the night, leaving the district an endless time of festivities no matter the time of day, or the time of year. The district is a cultural melting pot, where all the diverse elements of the Empire that were not suppressed in order to force a centralization of state gather and mingle.
The largest district is easily the Residential District. It's where the majority of those who live permanently in the city live, and probably the first place people see when they enter the city. The Residential District itself is divided up into multiple sub-districts and zones depending on a great many factors, like wealth or ethnicity. Most of the district is packed to the brim to accommodate with the high population density, with streets no longer than footpaths and buildings stacked high and filled full. Others are much more spaced out and luxurious, though not as luxurious as the houses in the Central District. Any number of people can be found here, though congregations of a great number are not encouraged and are likely to be broken up by guards in the interest of keeping the peace.
While slums are strictly discouraged in the city due to the High King and everyone higher up in the city wanting to keep Ajandah the shining crown jewel of the Alammar Empire and not have any dirty peasants running about making a mess of things, slum-adjacent sections of the Residential District do pop up occasionally, and are torn down or destroyed by the city if they take up too much space or attract too much attention. As such, the poorer areas of Ajandah typically are small and unnoticeable to the person who's just visiting for the first time. Most of the poor are more often just shoved out and forced to leave the city rather than staying.
In various rings around the city expanding outward are the Industrial Districts. They're composed of buildings like slaughterhouses or blacksmiths, places that polite society wanted out of sight and out of mind, pushed to the edge of the city, right up until the point where the city expanded, leaving the Industrial District like a bunch of rings in a tree. Some that relied on being outside of the city (like farmers or wood choppers) moved out to wherever the next urban frontier was, but others were much too transfixed in their position to want to move. Some were forcefully moved by the guards, others were too much trouble for what it was worth and were allowed to stay.
Notable Locations
Ajandah was the crown jewel of the Alammar Empire, and as such it was treated to the best the Empire had to offer, monuments that would stand the rest of time and serve as tribute to the Empire for years to come. Such monuments were mostly erected in the Central District, for the viewing pleasure of the elite and the High King. Others were more open to the public in other districts.
First up is the Heavenly Pavilion. Located in the Market District, it's open to everyone in the public, though Union officials can kick out anyone they don;t like at any time for any reason. The Heavenly Pavilion is one of the largest temples in the world, rivaled only by the Citadel of The Order in the future. It's basically a temple for all the gods in one, a place where all worshippers can gather to pray to the gods, whether they're listening or not. Most of the time they're not. It's a work of art in itself, with hundreds of stained glass windows, floor tile paintings, ceilings filled with art and depictions of the blessed and interpretations of the gods. Meticulously crafted and chiseled statues of the gods made with the finest materials money and political power could buy line the halls. The place, while located in Ajandah, is actually under the jurisdiction of the Fervoni Holy Union as part of an agreement with the Alammar Empire.
Second up is the Spire of Kings. It's a large stone pillar with a pointed top, easily taller than any building in Ajandah. It's bound in place by a number of magic spells from Emissaries and careful engineering. Bands of gold line the sides, making the spire shine when the sun casts its light on it. The names of every king in the history of the Empire are carved into the side of the Spire. Whenever a new one is added to the dynasty, the Spire will update automatically due to the Emissary and divine magic placed upon it.
Thirdly is the Imperial Palace itself. It's massive, unmatched by any palace in the past or future. It takes up a third of the Central District with its monumental size, and towers over the rest of the buildings, the Spire of Kings being the buildings only companion above the skyline. The interior is winding and labyrinthine, but rivals the Heavenly Pavilion in its extravagance and richness. Many of the finest architects throughout the land have gathered time and time again to add to the building. You can see the ghosts of past and present architects within the palace, see their impact and how others built off their foundations. The focal point of this is, of course, the throne room of the High King. It is grand. It is divine. It is mind-bogglingly large. It is the seat of all power within the Empire and thusly it is the grandest part of it. Paintings of limitless worth, rugs weaved as magnum opuses of hundreds of weavers. There can be no comparison, no structure its equal.
Fourthly is a bit stranger, and a bit more down to earth. It's the statue of a lion by the name of Vesulio, who was said to have defended Ajandah against an army of raiders when the William the First was away conquering a distant nation, giving their life in exchange for driving the bandits back. A statue was erected in commendation of this animal of myth, which soon became a landmark for travelers visiting the city. It is said that touching the statue brings good luck, which is definitely something a lot of people want to get in on.
Fifthly is an iron stake in the ground. It was said to have been blessed by Zelial. It's not open to the public, and is located within the Central District. Mainly it's just for elites to look at every so often, but there's a tradition of military leaders coming to the stake and praying near it for good luck and fortune during military campaigns and conflicts.
Collapse
Few things pass the test of time, and Ajandah was not one of them. The fall of the city came with The Splintering. It had been undergoing some economic and domestic troubles for some time now, with people frequently breaking into the Central District, the Industrial District fighting for its existence as various High Kings decided it was ugly and should be removed, the Residential District going smaller and smaller, the festivals of the Market District being cracked down on. When the inevitable mass rebellion came, hundreds took to the streets, intent on storming into the Imperial Palace and dragging out Victor the Fourth before he could flee. This rebellion was put down, however, because despite it all, Ajandah was a stronghold for the loyalists. Civilian loyalists and guards who stayed loyal to the Alammar Empire rallied and managed to turn back the rebels midway through the Central District, albeit at the cost of high casualties and damage.
This wouldn't last long, however, as eventually the rebel armies began to strike towards Ajandah, the heart of the Empire. The loyalist forces were being continually pushed back, the defense force losing hundreds in each battle, with many more deserting to the rebel's side. The High King Victor had already long since fled the city for somewhere safer, leaving behind only Legatus Ludari in defense of the city with dwindling manpower, morale, and supplies. Unrest in the city had only grown since the failed uprising, and now there was a home-grown guerrilla movement right in the Empire's crown city. With rebel armies fast approaching, Ludari had little choice but to surrender to preserve Ajandah and the lives of his troops.
The Splintering was a messy affair, and while the rebels were all fueled by opposition to the Empire, there was little else other than that keeping them together. There was no one unified leader, no system of command, which meant that the surrender from Legatus Ludari was met with only confusion and chaos. Some wanted to respect the wishes of the Legatus, preserving the city and the lives of the imperial troops. Others cried for bloodshed and the total destruction of this symbol of oppression and tyranny. Regardless, the rebels marched into Ajandah and occupied it while they discussed what to do. With days passing as the rebel army sat in Ajandah and no consensus reached, some began to worry about the future. The city was a center of industry, a symbol of power. In the post-Splintering world, whoever controlled Ajandah could be a new power, rolling over their neighbors until they too became a second Alammar Empire.
The occupation of the city saw a number of different responses from the rebels. Some where upstanding occupiers, having been former residents of the city or having visited it before, or just sympathized with the populace. Others were looters and bandits, doing whatever they pleased, leading to tons of infighting within the rebel ranks and a near total breakdown in cohesion. The loyalist forces were often brutalized, executed, or lynched, or sometimes managed to slip out, be free, and escape with their lives. Ludari himself was hanged in the central square of the Market District, his corpse left there to rot for days. This chaos would finally culminate just two weeks after the initial occupation. Someone would set fire to the library of the city in the middle of the night, the fire quickly spreading with no one to stop it. Some mages attempted to stop the spread of the fire, but their primitive magic could hardly do anything to the rapidly spreading fire. The fire was only enhanced by the fact that the city was full of wood which was being used as temporary repair materials.
Everyone had to evacuate the city, as the smoke and fire made staying within the walls a death sentence. Hundreds died in the blaze, caught dead in their sleep. After all was said and done, Ajandah was burnt to a crisp, and almost entirely abandoned. Large portions of the rebel army and several bandit gangs proceeded to loot the city for whatever was left, and tear down anything still standing. Some particularly spiteful rebels salted the earth around the city, so that it would no longer be a viable place to settle.
In the aftermath of it all, Ajandah faded out of the limelight. A small village popped up in its general area, but the city's status as an industrial powerhouse and a seat and symbol of power were gone, scorched away in the blaze that engulfed the city. Eventually it was forgotten, no one caring to have marked it down on a map. Everyone knew where it was, cartographers said. And the maps that did mark the city were left to fade away over time. Nowadays, the city is lost to time, most traces of it having faded away or eroded, or being picked clean by looters. It is said that the greatest of its treasures, those in the vault of the Imperial Palace, still reside, untouched by the bandits that looted the rest of the city.