Sky-port
Sky-ports are massive floating cities in which the Kharadron Overlords dwell. The earliest ports were mere floating fortresses and while they retain massive firepower modern sky-ports are centres of trade in the Mortal Realms where thousands of Duardin live and visited by many more races. According to the Code, a Sky-port only controls the airspace within the span of three cannon shots and beyond that is the high airs which is neutral territory. The borders are guarded by floating fortresses armed with arrays of cannons and swivel-guns known as Zunfar towers.[1c]
Design
The size and layout of a sky-port can vary but most are constructed as a series of concentric squares with the administrative districts at the centre. The outer areas consist of vast dockyards and are often the only area allowed. Internal transport is provided by endrintrams and steam-gondolas that travel through the canalways that run through the sky-port. The canals also function as sewers and water-pipe routes as well as waste-disposal systems that release waste to lands below. [1c]
Beyond the dock districts are warehouses, aether-factories and other industrial zones run by lesser-chartered guilds. While aether-gold can be processed without pollution the Kharadron Overlords’ heavy industry uses a wide variety of chemicals and metals thus smog and acid rains are common. Endrin-bellows and dispersal fans are built to clear the worst of the contamination but some such as Barak-Nar’s relentless industrial drive and Barak-Zon’s weapons industries create even greater levels of pollution and cause diseases such as sky-miner's consumption, ironscale and the glowlung. While Aether-Khemists Guild of Barak-Nar has dedicated an entire arm of its alchemical labs to research cures using subdermal infusions of aether-gold for now only the richest residents are able to afford it. Barak-Thryng’s refusal to utilise wasteful, non-traditional methods of power generation has given it relatively clear skies.[1c]
Those that live in the industrial districts are canned together in almshouses and workhalls while the wealthiest reside close to its heart in gated towers and floating manses held aloft by a steady flow of aether-gold where Lord-Magnates and master industrialists literally look down upon those less fortunate. [1c]
At the centre is the nexus of government and is often a wondrous district that displays a city's greatest achievements. Here the Admirals Council gather and very few outsiders have ever been granted access to these. This is populated by minor armies of runescribes and dignitaries.[1c]
Notable Sky-Ports
While Chamon is home to some of the most powerful sky-ports due to its richness in aether-gold, sky-ports can be found in every Mortal Realm.[2]
- Barak-Mhornar, The City of Shadow: Hidden in dark mists and with a reputation for shady deals, piracy and "innovative" interpretation of the Code.[2]
- Barak-Nar, City of the First Sunrise: Well known for its mastery of science and technology. They also have the most delegates on the Geldraad.[2]
- Barak-Thryng, City of the Ancestors: The most conservative of the Sky-ports and full of monuments to the ancestors and gods of the old Duardin.[2]
- Barak-Urbaz, The Market City: A cosmopolitan centre of trade whose citizens "pursue profit with unmatched zeal." Has access to secret Realmgates and it is said the most skilled Aether-Khemists are from this sky-port.[2]
- Barak-Zilfin, The Windswept City: Famous for its shipwrights and pilots, the 2nd largest sky-port with the best Endrineering Academies or Coghalls. Often called the "Windmasters".[2]
- Barak-Zon, City of the Sun: First of the sky-ports and renowned for its martial pride.[2]
Known sky-ports with no Geldraad representatives:
- Barak-Dren: A kharadron sky-port famed for its discovery of one of the largest seams of aether-gold ever recorded, located above the Sirrusian Fields of the Realm of Hysh.[3a]
- Barak-Khazzar: Overrun by an alliance of Gloomspite Gitz and Grotbag Scuttlers, now a Gloomspite enclave known as "Da Moon City".[4]
- Barak-Skarren[6]
- Barak-Zhoff: Missing, last sighted above the Rabble Coast in the Realm of Metal.[2]
- Barak-Kol: The City of Ashes. A Kharadron trading post floating above the Charrwind Coast, near Anvilgard (in Aqshy).[5a]
- Toba Lorchai: Sky-port established by pioneers from Barak-Thryng in Blackfire Bight, in Ghur. Following its founding, a free-city, the Greys, formed under the sky-port. Both were last seen being raided by the Idoneth Deepkin of Aighmar.[8]
- Barak-Durmmaz: Overwhelmed by the Nighthaunts processions following the Garaktormun. Legends say that the port still plies the sky-lanes, crewed by the bitter spirits of dead duardin.[1a]
- Barak-Kling: Destroyed by the first destructive shock-waves of amethyst magic swept forth from the Realm of Death.[1b]
- Karak Ohrgaf: Like many ancestors of the Kharadron Overlords, the duardins of Karak Ohgrgaf attempted to flee the hordes of Chaos by retreating into the stratosphere. However not every attempt was rewarded with success, out of the countless thousands of inhabitants of Karak-Orgaf only three lived to tell the tale of their sky-port. The fate of the others is hinted at in gruesome details when twisted wrecks of sky-vessels and mangled duardin corpses begin to rain down from the Chamonic clouds.[6a]
- Barak-Mor: A sky-fleet from Barak-Mor sought to harvest the aether-gold clouds which drifted about the peaks of Garnhak’s Maw. In the attempt, the kharadron were swarmed by hulking, leather-winged monsters which snatched scores of crewmen from their vessels.[7a]
- Barak-Shunti: A smaller sky-port far away from Barak-Nar.[9a]
- Barak-Thargar: Successor sky-port of Karak Thain.[10a]
- Barak-Laskar[13a]
- Barak-Ungrin[11a]
- Barak-Khrum: A warlike sky-port widely known for its mercenaries and breweries.[14a]
- Barak-Jazbaz[15a]
- Barak-Glöm: A sky-port located in Shyish.[16a]
Sources
- 1: Battletome: Kharadron Overlords (2020)
- 2: Battletome: Kharadron Overlords (2017)
- 3: Aether War (boxed set)
- 3a: The Spiral Crux, pg. 2-3
- 4: Battletome: Gloomspite Gitz (2019) - Ages of Loonacy, pg. 16-19
- 5: Soulbound Core Rulebook
- 5a: Aqshy: the Realm of Fire, pg. 171
- 6: Battletome: Beasts of Chaos (2018)
- 6a: pg 18
- 7: Battletome: Legions of Nagash (2018)
- 7a: pg 19
- 8: Myths & Revenants: The Sea Taketh
- 9: Code of the Skies (novella)
- 9a: pg. 86
- 10: White Dwarf October 2020
- 10a: pg. 30-31
- 11: Overlords of the Iron Dragon
- 11a: pg. 284
- 13: Inferno! Volume 4
- 13a: The Fourfold Wound
- 14: White Dwarf May 2017
- 14a: pg. 140
- 15: White Dwarf November 2020
- 15a: The Comet’s Call, pg. 76-93
- 16: White Dwarf April 2019
- 16a: pg. 25
