Nikalanta isn't the oldest town, not even the largest - though it's in the top five of both categories -, but it certainly is the most crowded, most popular and most overwhelming town of the post-Rain Azum. Also, it really deserves to be called "patchwork city", since you can find here all kind of architectural influences the Eastern cities assimilated throughout over four hundred years: as being stated in the history section, especially Nikalanta has always been the first places benefitting from the latest inventions concerning subterranean constructions, new, optimizing machines, building techniques or material supply, coming from within the country or abroad, to make each section of the city more stable, safer, cleaner and healthier to live in and also speed up Nikalanta's growth, to ensure the steadily increasing number of inhabitants, tourists and guests would find enough space for living and/or accommodation.
Nevertheless, Azum's 'main' capital is a buzzing and loud place and aside from the fascination many visitors experience during her stay in the "patchwork city", most of them can't imagine to ever move there. On the other hand, Nikalanta's people say that when you grew up there or spent several years in one of it's areas, especially in the older ones, you'd never want to live somewhere else. It is possible to find a quiet place, though - but then you often have to pay to spent a few hours of silence and peace in one of the subterranean parks, for example.
1 (time of construction 0 a.r. - 100 a.r.)
C = "Core" - The oldest part of Nikalanta, a natural cave being extended and later on, when the technical possibilities finally were in reach and at some corners the cave started crumbling, strengthened - still it kept its original charme since architects and craftsmen gave their best to hide the supporting constructions behind artificial fronts of stone. Like all other parts of the city, the 'core' has a public track transportion system, but due to the lack of space (area 1 is the most crowded of Nikalanta) there're only two tracks, built in circles, carrying three cable cars each, whose design appears to be rather retro in comparison with those of the modern city parts: another trick to create that 'original' atmosphere - just like the revamping of nearly all buildings during the last hundred years, giving you the chance to enjoy that wonderful architecture which had made Azum so popular before the Rain, combined with modern inspirations. However, you get the impression that only natural materials have been used in the 'core'.
The 'core' has two storeys. The original floor of the cave (straightened, second layer of bricks/marble) is plastered with building after building, creating terraces along the wall, as if halls and houses tried to crawl on top of each other to get some fresh air. The ceiling is between 50 and 100 metres high, equipped with (UV) light plates that are an earlier version of the 'artificial skies' in area R1, II, R2 and 4 and the common light source in sections a - f.
Known for: Trading (many bazars/ stores for fabrics, clothes, goods made of glass, wood, marble etc.), gastronomy and entertainment - the second floor of the core (finished two hundred years ago) is a jungle of bars, cafes, gambling corners, dancing clubs, brothels/harems etc.
Section a - f - Mainly used for living. The standard varies from section to section, though, and many people criticize that even the most plain 'temple of lust' in the 'core' has more comfort than their own huts or houses. Especially section a and f require a large number of Clan patrols, but if you're not familiar with all those alleys, narrow streets, hidden corners and back yards it's often impossible to follow a loca thief in need of a hideout.
All sections are seprated by a 30 ft thick 'wall' (height about 80 m, just like the average height of all sections): five feet on each side are solid, containing supportive structures; the hollow core is used for small stores and stands, Clan checkpoints and the like. All walls also have two gates for the cable car's ring lines.
Furthermore, each section sports one or two towers, which aren't only meant to stabilize the 'halls', but also to offer more living space.
Section x - The section between a and f, marked with a dark brown swirly spot, is a restricted area, a second original cave which had to be evacuated around 10 years ago because a serious weakness of the stone was detected with the alarming result that half of the huge cave could crash any moment in a chain reaction, despite all pillars and other safety constructions. But although the renovation seems to be done - the section is a fourth smaller now since a part was blown up and a new wall erected to erase the danger zone and kind of seal it - the re-opening date was around a month ago. Just like the 'core', section x has two floors with the same design. So now, there's a small ghost city within Nikalanta: a living and an entertaining area. The only hints what the reason for the still lasting restriction might be are the news that there have been quite a lot accidents during the construction works...
2 (time of construction 88 a.r. - 120 a.r.)
This section was build extremely fast since with the year 88 a.t., when Azum got back its connection to the rest of the world, the whole cultural and social developement exploded and the then leaders decided, after having long discussions with scientists, that they would urgently need an extension of their town in a few decades, at latest in hundred years, even if it seemed to be ridiculous with regard to Nikalanta's population around that time. Thus plans were made for the first additional living area, R 1 - as well as the 'halls' I - III: I is for the production of food, II like a giant greenhouse and also the home of many domestic and working animals, and III for the production of all kind of other goods. In 120 a.t. all three 'halls' (each of them as large as the 'core') had only one floor. Today, hall I has five floors and had been one of the most important location of food production for over hundred years, until industrial areas were built away from cities, later on even on the earth, not subterraneaous anymore. Also, 40% of all used animals/their meat is imported from farms or breeding stations on the land's surface. It's more expensive, though, because its quality is better and people voluntarily working outside, without any protection, get higher wages.
R 1 is partly a very noble area these days. Nikalanta's own leading heads (president, vice president, four elder) and the Chazni Family, a widely known and powerful family of cats have their seat and domiciles in this area.
3 (time of construction 140 a.r. - 190 a.r.)
R 2 is the result of one of the first projects being planned with companies from abroad and mainly financed by charity funds. Azum's traditional architecture was combined with modern elements and material which makes this area a preferred place for tourists and travellers of all kind. R 2 is also known for its many dome like parks and garden for which you usually have to pay a fee to finance the power needed since those places all have an artificial sky.
TC = "Trashcan" - This places nickname was soon officially accepted although not all of its inhabitants find it funny. What you have here is a small town dealing with waste: all kind of waste products are stored and, if possible, recycled there. Many employees of the different garbage disposal companies live in this areas. Since keeping Nikalanta, a city with around 2 Mio. people, clean is a hard job, 'trashcan' jobs are well paid. Today, this area has three floors, as well as an extension on the surface.
4 (time of construction 230 a.r.- 240 a.r.)
Another tourist attraction is this area with its huge, enormous dome: equipped with the biggest artificial sky in all Azum it's the 'greenest' place of Nikalanta (apart of course from II), with a zoo, several lakes - and a lot of imposing buildings, for example the seat of the Grand Council of Azum (GCA): a 'house' made of marble, decorated with gold and turquoise, whose high, slim towers can be seen throughout this section . Rents are surpsingly low in the dome, but owning a flat, house or just a room there means you're oblieged to take care of a certain area or part of the artificially grown nature around you.
The area around the dome is mainly stuffed with hundreds of lovely stores, creating a bazar which can compete with that of Semyon...aside from the fact it's not recommended to go for a walk after dawn in the narrow passages of the maze like bazar of Semyon.
5 (time of construction 300 a.r. - 320 a.r.)
This section of Nikalanta represents a new era of Azum's living culture and can also be seen as an indicator for a slow, very slow change in the heads of most Azumerians': instead of digging deeper into the earth or extending the subterranean cities, official projects everywhere in the East were made for outdoor buildings - even though during the next fifty, sixty years most of them were constructed like malls, so giving the best protection against a second Rain possible...because the fear wasn't likely to vanish just withing hundred years...or two hundred.
The first outdoor housing and trading areas grew around the entrances - (freight) elevators, staircases with small floors in between where you can find stores or accommodation - and still today a bird's-eye view of cities as large as or larger than Nikalanta gives the impression of an accummulation of several spots of buildings, or maybe a couple of small villages/towns very close to each other.
Not to be seen on the map:
Outdoor housing and trading areas (see passage above)
All areas of Nikalanta are connected by tunnels and passages. You can cross the distance by foot or take a cable car - on the surface and in some parts of the city there're carts pulled by horses or other animals. In those tunnels you can find shops, stands or small houses/huts as well.
Two power stations and waterworks are near to the areas shown on the map.
