The Sand Castle is the beating heart of Arnot, a city that embodies the empire’s power, heritage, and ambition. Constructed by the First Giants and maintained by their descendants, it is a metropolis designed for beings far larger than ordinary mortals, its very scale a testament to the giant-blooded nobility who rule Arnot. It is both palace and citadel, marketplace and arena—a city that reflects the desert itself: harsh, grand, and unyielding.
City Scale: Designed for 70–100 m tall giants, the streets are wide enough for dozens of riders abreast, staircases are as long as bridges in smaller cities, and arches span plazas larger than ordinary castles.
Golden Sand Architecture: Buildings are hewn directly from compacted desert sand, reinforced with salts, minerals, and magical techniques passed down by Oni architects. In sunlight, the city gleams like a fortress of living gold.
Districts of Power:
The Emperor’s Citadel: A labyrinthine palace at the city’s center, home to Emperor Ephram Arnot. Its towers pierce the sky, and courtyards are large enough to host entire regiments. Secret tunnels and chambers allow the Emperor to move unseen.
The Noble Spires: Home to House Oni and other giant-blooded families. Each spire is carved with halls, armories, and gardens scaled for giants, with bridges connecting towers high above the streets.
The Sand Bazaar: A sprawling market district where merchants from across Paradise converge. Stalls sell rare spices, weapons, giant-sized armor, and even captured slaves for the Arnothi elite.
The Barracks of the Desert Legion: Housing thousands of soldiers, drills are conducted in open courtyards the size of ordinary city blocks. The clang of weapons and the roar of commands echo like thunder.
The Arena of Giants: A vast coliseum where warriors test their skill and courage. Gladiatorial contests, combat exhibitions, and duels of will are common, feeding both entertainment and the Empire’s ideology of strength.
The Dunes District: Residential and artisan quarters for smaller giant-blooded families, engineers, and skilled craftsmen. Streets wind like desert canyons, with walls high enough to shield inhabitants from sandstorms.
Construction by the First Giants: Legends claim the Sand Castle was built in a single decade by the first giant-kin, their footsteps compressing the sand into city blocks, their hands carving towers from desert stone.
Seat of Power: Since the rise of House Oni, it has been the political, military, and cultural capital of Arnot, hosting emperors, vassal kings, and councils of nobles.
The Trial of Sand: Every emperor and major lord must prove themselves within the city. From the desert citadels to the Arena of Giants, it is said that none can truly rule Arnot without conquering the Sand Castle itself, either through battle, will, or cunning.
Hidden Histories: Beneath the city lie vaults, tunnels, and catacombs containing artifacts of the First Giants, ancient siege engines, and forbidden knowledge—some say even unfinished constructions that could reshape the desert if activated.
Giant-Blooded Society: Citizens are expected to embody strength, intelligence, and cunning. The streets echo with the stride of warriors, merchants, and scholars alike.
Sand Festivals: Seasonal events celebrate the desert, the First Giants, and martial prowess. Massive sand sculptures, competitive racing on dune steeds, and ceremonial combat exhibitions dominate the festivals.
Slavery & Trade: The city is central to Arnot’s slave economy, serving as both a marketplace and a training ground. Markets display the empire’s wealth and power, reflecting the social order: might over right.
Scholarly Enclaves: Despite its martial culture, the Sand Castle houses vast libraries and laboratories, particularly in human biology, trade logistics, and engineering—areas pioneered by figures like Mitera Sehashi. Knowledge and observation are tools of dominance as much as swords.
Colossal Sand Spires: Towers rise hundreds of meters, with living quarters and halls built into the sand. Bridges, arches, and terraces connect them, designed to withstand storms and tremors.
The Glimmering Walls: Walls glint with embedded minerals and metals that reflect the desert sun, disorienting invaders and dazzling visitors.
Storm Barriers: Magical and mechanical systems redirect or withstand the desert’s frequent sandstorms, keeping city life uninterrupted.
Water Wells & Oasis Network: Ingenious aqueducts and cisterns distribute life-giving water across the city. Control of water is power; the King of Sand’s oversight ensures both survival and leverage over trade.
Heart of the Empire: Military, economic, and political decisions radiate outward from the Sand Castle. Losing it would destabilize the entire empire.
Natural Fortress: Surrounded by shifting dunes and engineered defenses, it is virtually impregnable to conventional armies. The desert itself is a weapon in the hands of its defenders.
Symbol of Power: Beyond its practicality, the city embodies the dominance of giant-blooded Arnot, a constant reminder that the empire is ruled by strength and will.