Capital and Tenari Rule
Tequaltor is the capital of Thalcoris, a Tenari city-state in northern Xolterra. Tequaltor, Xalatun, Chalxata, and Aurivallis are the old cities that formed Thalcoris. Tazarin rules from its central pyramid as emperor of Thalcoris and later as the archon of cosmos.
Zayren brings Eira, Kaelion, Cassian, Lythariel, and Splin into Tequaltor after they cross from Xalmyrra into Xolterra. The city gives them their base in Thalcoris and their first contact with Tenari power. After Cassian breaks Xoh'Metztli's control over the Tenari, Tazarin, Kaelion, Amaril, Razen, Zayren, and other Tenari begin rebuilding there.
Geography & Layout
Tequaltor stands in the jungles of northern Xolterra. The city is entered through an immense gate and opens into streets, canals, towers, plazas, temples, and broad routes leading toward the massive pyramid at its heart.
Chalxata, Thalcoris's primary port, gives Tequaltor sea access and a trading route. Aurivallis lies farther north along a road through dense jungle and mountain country. Xalatun lies west across jungle, savannah, river country, and essence-tower territory.
Design & Architecture
Tequaltor is built largely from golden-tinted stone, with geometric buildings, canals of flowing water, massive essence towers, essence technology, and temples whose songs carry through the streets.
The Pyramid of Tequaltor dominates the city. Tazarin later proposes renaming it the Palace of Cosmos.
Palace of Cosmos
The Palace of Cosmos is the central pyramid of Tequaltor and the seat of Tazarin's rule in Thalcoris. The pyramid dominates the skyline with golden stone, glowing boundary lines, cascading golden-pink water, ornate golden-armored guards, and a throne room inside.
The central golden pyramid dominates Tequaltor during Jin's first visit. Zayren later brings Kaelion, Eira, Cassian, Lythariel, and Splin there so Tazarin can decide their fate. After Tequaltor is rebuilt and Thalcoris joins Thalassai, Tazarin takes the archon of cosmos seat, walks the city with Ziyara, Razen, and Amaril, and plans the Palace of Cosmos name.
Society & Culture
Tequaltor honors Xoh'Tenol, the sun god of Thalcoris. Aether magic is common there, and Thalcoris blends aether and resonance magic.
Moon priests and priestesses from Aurivallis travel through the city in silver-blue robes. Their resonance songs draw public reverence, halt public activity around them, and carry Xoh'Metztli's control through Tequaltor.
The city has libraries, scroll collections, dueling grounds, and the Tequaltor Magic School. Children and adults train together, crowds gather for duels, and citizens react sharply to outsiders who carry darkness magic. After Xoh'Tenol chooses Kaelion in the pyramid, Ziyara, Zayren, the guards, and Tazarin kneel to him, and Tazarin names him Thalcoris's future emperor.
Government & Power
Tequaltor is the imperial capital of Thalcoris under Tazarin. After liberation and rebuilding, Thalcoris formally joins Thalassai, and Tazarin takes the sixth archon seat as archon of cosmos. Tequaltor keeps Tenari customs and local rule.
Ziyara serves among Tazarin's guards and later speaks for Thalcoris in diplomacy, Razen teaches at the school and commands the Tenari army, and Amaril is Tequaltor Magic School's head librarian, a teacher, and a healer.
Features & Routes
- Palace of Cosmos, the central pyramid and seat of Tazarin's rule.
- Tequaltor Magic School, formerly called Tequaltor War School.
- City libraries where Jin Leiyun studies and copies The Eleven Stories of Old.
- Temples and streets where the Moon Priestesses sing.
- Canals, essence towers, golden stone streets, plaza roads, banners, and the immense city gate.
- Routes to Chalxata, Aurivallis, and Xalatun.
History
Therion founds Thalcoris and Tequaltor. In early Tenari history, Xoh'Tenol and Xoh'Metztli meet the refugee leaders in Tequaltor, and Therion and Xandor accept the two gods as allies against Xol'Zahir, beginning the religious and political order that controls the Tenari for millennia.
Long before Eira's group arrives, Jin spends several weeks in Tequaltor. He duels Razen, Ziyara, and Zayren, studies in the city libraries, and gives Amaril a copy of The Eleven Stories of Old in the Tequaltor War School library.
When Eira, Kaelion, Cassian, Lythariel, and Splin enter Thalcoris, Zayren brings them into Tequaltor and up to the pyramid, where Tazarin decides their fate. They remain in the city and train at Tequaltor War School under Razen and Amaril. Their stay exposes them to Tenari history, aether magic, resonance magic, the moon priestesses, and the false war around Xalatun.
After Cassian kills Meliora in Aurivallis and destroys Xoh'Metztli's essence, the control over Tequaltor breaks. Citizens, students, guards, and mages collapse or suffer as their minds are freed. Tazarin, Kaelion, Amaril, Razen, Zayren, and others begin rebuilding Tequaltor.
Tequaltor is later rebuilt and thriving. Thalassai windweavers bring supplies into the city, new roads connect it more directly with Aetherion, Chronasis, Terranova, and Xalatun, and Tequaltor War School is renamed Tequaltor Magic School. Tazarin keeps Tequaltor as his home, Tenari seat, and archon-of-cosmos seat after Thalcoris joins Thalassai.