Selvaron
Overview
Selvaron is the capital city of Lastor. It is a large coastal metropolis built around a natural bay with residential areas and public buildings arranged in terraces along the slopes above the harbor. At its center rises the Acropolis which hosts the main halls of governance. The city is divided into sectors each functioning as a city within the city with schools markets hospitals and services. The sectors are connected to the Central district the Central which opens toward the sea. Leaving the city requires passing through the gate of the sector to which one belongs.
Harbor
The main commercial hub known throughout Thalma. Its piers and floating markets trade spices metals timber and fine textiles. Languages and cultures mix daily. A characteristic seaside quarter includes stilt houses and narrow canals. The Grand Market and the Sea Gardens lie directly on the waterfront.
Governance and Authority
The conference hall of Lastor with its domed chamber hosts the national assemblies while the Governor’s Palace houses the executive authority combining older architecture with monumental new wings. Consulates and residences of foreign envoys are concentrated in the refined district of Araveth not close to the center. Public functions align with the nine day Ennead of the Universal Calendar and with the policies of the Social Point System.
Society
Elites live in mansions on the Acropolis. Merchants and craftsmen inhabit the areas around the harbor and the markets. The northern districts border warehouses and working class neighborhoods. Many foreigners merchants sailors and mercenaries pass through the city in cycles. Daily life is mediated through Communicators and public Cast systems.
Key Landmarks
- The Grand Market a plaza arcade trading with the entire continent
- The Sea Gardens public parks along the waterfront
- The Tower of Envoys residence of foreign delegations
- The South Gorge Passage the route from Selvaron toward the inland regions of Lastor
Central the Core District
Role and Structure
The heart of the city where all peripheral sectors converge. Each sector has a controlled gate leading into the Core. After dusk entrance is strictly limited making nightlife more closed and selective.
Characteristics
Dense construction with multilevel residential blocks services and shops. Entertainment sites such as the Nightpoint stand beside places like SelvaGym One. Movement is intense but controlled by cameras and private security.
Social Life and Regulations
Citizens of all backgrounds gather here workers after shifts students office staff artists street vendors. Although open to everyone the rules of the Social Point System are stricter in the Core with frequent checks and targeted announcements on the Cast networks.
Atmosphere and Symbolism
Both showcase and stage the Core projects the vitality and controlled order of Selvaron while its side streets host underground currents that question official narratives. Boundaries between legal and illicit activity often blur.
Araveth the Refined District
Overview
A cultivated quiet district known for its careful urban planning and its elegant orderly character an intentional contrast to the glass and metal aesthetic of the Core.
Urban Layout and Architecture
Detached houses built on quarter block plots each home occupying one fourth of a city block. The style favors symmetry and simplicity rather than display.
Verandas and Gardens
Most houses have wide front verandas with steps leading to small gardens with flowers and young trees. A paved path leads to the entrance of the yard usually a double iron gate with geometric patterns.
Courtyards and Boundaries
Low perimeter walls often topped with decorative railings offer visibility into the inner courtyard giving a sense of completeness without isolating the house from the street.
Character and Contrast
Araveth conveys dignity and restraint a traditional aesthetic woven into everyday life. It shares the urban class identity of Lastor but rejects the showy modernism that defines the Core.
Notes
Selvaron’s structure reflects Lastor’s emphasis on controlled openness. Movement is free within sectors but always accountable through gates and surveillance systems. The contrast between the ordered Core and the restrained elegance of Araveth highlights the cultural divide within the capital and frames many of the social tensions present in the broader story.