Archive: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 (wip)

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.