Ah. There you are. Welcome to Rann. I am Aelinor, your Steward; while you are in the city, you are my charge. Whatever you need, you come to me, and I will see to it.

There is a good deal to get through, and we do it in order, so bear with me. First the rolls: your name, your people, the day your magic first showed. Then the scholars, who will want a lot of your time and ask about everything, your family, your parents, when the magic first came. I will sit with you through it; the next office cannot begin until they finish.

And did you bring any books with you? Anything at all; leave them with me and they go up to the Library. It holds a copy of every book there is, and takes in each one that comes through the city. If we already have yours, you have it back the same day. If we do not, it goes to the copyists, and you have it back before your intake is finished, at no charge. You are out nothing, and the collection is up a title.

After that, a sitting for your portrait, and your measurements. There are people you must meet, and I will take you to each. A bed, a good one, and your food and lodging are covered, so put your purse away; give me the bills and I will handle them. At the end you get your letters and seals, worth the whole tedious week: with them, doors open for you anywhere in the world.

It is a great deal of sitting still, I know, and I am sorry for it. It goes faster if we simply begin. Come, mind the step. Your name first, and slowly; I want to make sure I pronounce it correctly.

TL;DR

• Capital of Pallas and the cultural center of the world: marble terraces, colonnades, painted statues.

• Governed by a council drawn by lot. Rann writes everything down.

• The Library copies every book that enters the city and returns the original free.

• The Hero Office registers every hero team and issues letters and seals honored everywhere.

• Rann's biggest export is trained people, and the sea's magical standard was developed here.

Location

Rann is the capital of Pallas and the cultural center of the world. Rann stands on the southern coast of Pallas, near the middle of the Logathriad Sea, on cliffs above the Kephis plain and back from the water. The Kephis delta and its farmland lie below the city, and the harbor and shipyards stand on the shore.

The Penthis mountains rise inland to the north, and the Kephis River runs off them to the sea.

The northern tropic crosses Pallas, and Rann lies on the warm side of it, so the city is hot. Rain arrives from the Logathriad Sea in the wet season and raises the Kephis. The dry season is long, and wind off the sea cools the city. The Penthis catch the rain and stay green, so the Kephis runs year-round.

The Terraces

Rann is built in terraces of pale Penthis marble up the gray cliffs, and the same slopes supply the stone. Broad public stairs join the levels.

Colonnades and porticoes of fluted stone run along the public buildings, and the streets between open into paved squares.

Statues stand on plinths, along the colonnades, at the head of every stair, and in the center of every square. They are painted in deep reds and blues, with black-lined eyes and gilding on the hems and crowns. Most of the statues show magistrates, founders, and past defenders of the Wall. Inscriptions on the oldest have worn away.

The People

Humans are about seven in ten of the people in Rann. City elves are the next largest group.

Dwarves, orcs, and Hakaan are common in the city. Devils are uncommon. No Memonek or shadow elves are known to live in Rann.

The Council

Rann is governed by a council drawn by lot from its citizens, under the same system Pallas uses nationally. A councilor is examined before taking the seat, serves one year, and is audited after leaving it.

The treasurer is elected rather than drawn, because an untrained treasurer costs the city more in a year than it will accept.

The Library

The Library claims to hold a copy of every book in the world. Every book that enters the city goes to the Library, which copies it and returns the it at no charge. If the Library already holds that title, the owner has the book back the same day. If it does not, the copyists work on it and the owner has it back within the week.

The Hero Office

Every hero team that comes to Rann passes through the Hero Office. The office records the names, the peoples, and the day each hero's magic first appeared, and it issues the letters and seals that other cities honor.

The office keeps a roll of every team it has registered. The rolls go back to the start of the recorded era.

Trade

Rann's largest export is trained people. Scholars, artisans, and engineers trained in the city work in ports around the Logathriad Sea, and the magical standard used across the sea was developed in Rann.

Penthis marble is shipped out through the harbor. Pallas grows its own food in the Kephis delta, so Rann imports little beyond luxuries.

Living in Rann

Rann is built for walking. A person can cross the city and stay in the shade the whole way.

People argue, teach, and do business under the colonnades. A councilor drawn last month and a scholar who has never held office argue in the same square.

Character

Rann writes everything down.