Nauhtli

The first aitectli settlement above the ocean floor. Other accepted spellings: Nauthli, Nautli.

Foundation

When the founder, Aiounnae'Kael Nectn first emerged from the ocean floor, she settled in what is now the location of the City-State, among the corals of the reef in front of Egregan, in the Sedemok Sea. Her humble abode then slowly became a hub of congregation of further aitectli that had emerged from the depths, some called by the news of her settlement, some bumping into it by chance.

The settlement slowly but surely grew from a couple of stone homes to a hamlet to a full grown city, with all the infrastructure one would expect from such a growth.

Locations

A brief overview of the places and sights of Nauhtli.

Port

Nauhtli's port is unique from all other alathran ports, as it is not a permanent structure jotting out into the ocean from a landmass, but it's instead a refined bundle of driftwood, dirt and leaves, anchored to the ocean floor with the use of a heavy duty chain of a igneous rock, which is sligthly ligher than normal rocks thanks to inclusions of airbubbles, but still with enough weight to do the job.

Anchored to this unusual structure, it can be often found a catamaran which serves as a ferry from the port to the mainland, with white and blue sails and a spacious deck.

Neuston Lounge

This floating structure was born to be a place of mingling between the ocean folk and the "dry folk", as they are often locally referred. This structure has a dry portion, a gazebo topped by a luxurious tapestry and illuminated by primitive fairy lights, a tiki bar and confy couch, and an underwater part, for the aitectli to be more in their element. In this location, tourists can also read up on some basic information about the city and purchace a diving helmet, for the ones unable to breathe underwater, a primitive instrument but effective enough for brief trips.

Floating Farms

Not all materials the aitectli need day-to-day can be found underwater, and these floating platforms made of bound together driftwood offer the perfect structure to grow some food and even trees, as the currents sometimes dont provide enough driftwood as the need might be.

Notable mention, the "Salt Cactus" is grown here, a special succulent plant which can tolerate very well the high salinity of the ocean water, and which would usually be found only where a desertic biome meets a tidal plane. The aitectli produce a couple of alcoholic substances from this plant, which they usually dont drink but instead use to disinfect surfaces or wounds, but since many humanoid species like the taste and effect of alcohol, they have started selling it as a beverage.

Duliltak Arena

This floating structure looks a lot less primitive than the other ones that can be found riding the waves around the city. On this transformable platform is played the local traditional game of "fishball" or "Duliltak", which is played with a pufferfish ball to be thrown in two elevated hoops.

The arena can also be converted to play a sumo-like individual challenge, which is usually played with snowballs, but could also be played with fists alone.

Central Plaza

This is the first square, or plaza, that arose when the town was still developing. Here can be found the Bulletin Board, the central source of public announcements from the administration and between citizens. News, projects and available jobs can be found out here. It is the smallest of the two plazas, but the closest to the port.

Temple

The central focus and location for the local worship of the religion of Tidalism, this structure is so tall to breach the ocean surface.

The interior includes a now famously treacherous Sacrifice Pit, where usually no humanoid sacrifices are made, but that has done victims nontheless, via people carelessly not looking where they were walking, and falling in. It has now been properly fenced (but it can still be climbed inside of), and even a sign was briefly put up to warn tourists that the administration will not be held responsible for anyone falling in.

Interestingly, the bottom of the Pit is on fire, but the pit itself receives flowing water from grooves in the ground around it, and yet it doesnt seem to be put out, or suffer from the presence of water at all. This fire is regarded as sacred by the aitectli, even though fire itself is not considered sacred in the religion. It is unclear if this blue fire is seen as fire at all.

Post Office

This office is the primary location where to purchase stationary to write letters, and where to drop off mail and packages to be delivered across the city.

Stables

Aitectli do not ride horses, obviously, but they do ride dolphins, although it would be more appropriately descibed as "being dragged", as they dont sit on saddles on the dolphin's back, but either tie themselves to the animal, in a loose manner, they grab the dorsal fin for a ride or even they hold on to a rope that the animal then drags with its mouth.

This building has individual sections where a singular animal can be hosted to rest and eat, rarely it being the same animal over and over, apart from the case of elderly dolphins, which get housed here semi-permanently for better care in their last days.

Apothecary

Although aitectli medicine is not very advanced, they do have some knowledge around extracting some animal and plant substances to aid their phisiology. For example, since aitectli have a dual system for both breathing and blood systems, neither of which is effective on its own, the species is prone to disfunctions of oxygenation, meaning that oxygen isnt always delivered correctly at full capacity. Usually this is entirely accounted for by the overlapping dual systems, but sometimes they both fall short, and need external help, usually via a concoction extracted from the the toxin of a local fish.

Market Plaza

The second plaza of the city, but first in size. Here one can find the trade hub of the city, as the name implies. From here Wal Street goes away from the city centre, and the plaza is connected to Central Plaza via a short but unnamed path. Overlooking the plaza one will also find the residential area of the city.

Wet Market

Originally only called "the market", it was renamed by traveling merchants surfacers. Here one can find any tipe of ware, from lowly hunting materials to the highest jewelry the aitectli can produce.

HiTide

The local "watering hole", actually a tea house mixed with a bar, where one can find a selection of traditional aitectli drinks, strictly non-alcoholic, to the more "spirited" and more common drinks with alcoholic content. A small selection of foods is also provided to accompany the cocktails.

Pottery Shop

One of the workshops of the city, this shop sells anything from pots to goblets to plates to raw materials, sourced from local quarries and fired in a lava kiln.

Hospital

Although aitectli do not have advanced medicine, they have knowledge of basic first aid and in the local Hospital one can even find personnel capable of stitching up bad wounds. It is fortunately often empty and unused.

Sleeping at the Fishes BnB

For tourists that would prefer to have a resting spot between their travels and shopping trips, the Bed&Breakfast "Sleeping at the Fishes' " would be the perfect fit. As the name implies, breakfast is also provided, and the rooms are cheap but clean and with a gorgeous view of the corals.