LANDMARKS:
1) The Lukedu Center for the Exploding Arts lies in the basin of the giant crater formed by the spectacular destruction of the previous Lukedu Center for the Exploding Arts. It hosts Shireroth's weapons laboratory, armory, and, once a year on the last day in Agnifiero, its most popular fireworks show. Excited citizens start grabbing seats on the crater rim up to a week in advance, and the Kaiser himself traditionally watches. Since the unfortunate incident cutting short the reign of Kaiser Leto II, he has watched by video link from his palace; since the unfortunate incident cutting short the reign of Kaiser Santiago II, from his winter palace in Brookshire. Visitors are invited explore the Center between 10 and 5 weekdays; guided tours are free, but renting a hazardous material protection suit, highly recommended, is twelve erb extra.
2) The St. Zor Railway Station is the portal to and from Shirekeep, linking the Elwynnese Railway to the Shirelands Line. It also is the hub of the bus system, receiving all buses from out of city and connecting their passengers to the intra-city bus lines. The station opened a hundred twenty-seven years ago, and has never had a bus be more than a hundred twenty-seven years late.
3) The Mattlore Devious International Airport / Hospital / Stadium / Aquarium / Zoo / Mini-Golf Course / Cemetery / Ashram / Fire Station / Racetrack / Copper Mine is the first glimpse most international visitors see of the capital and, thanks to draconian zoning laws starting in the time of Kaiser Meskan I, home to 64% of Shireroth's public services at last count. The Mattlore Devious Shuttle System conveys visitors from the parking lot (the third largest on Micras) to the various substructures in the complex.
4) The Triple Towers stand within the Ancient City, the part of Shirekeep within Kaiser Raynor I's old city walls. The first houses the Imperial Advisory Council, where the Kaiser meets his most trusted friends. The second is the barrack of the Kampeions, the Kaiser's private bodyguards. The third is the home of the Imperial Arbiter, who dispenses justice on the realm's most sinister criminals.
5) Also within the Ancient City is the Temple of Mors, possibly the oldest building in Shirekeep after Raynor's Keep itself. The Temple houses the remains of all the dead Kaisers of the past, and living Kaisers enter it only once, on their coronation day. The Temple is the most isolated building in the Ancient City, it being considered horribly bad luck to be close to a Temple of Mors for too long.
6/7) The Museum of the Fine Arts houses Shireroth's best paintings and sculptures. Its sister structure, the Museum of the Mediocre Arts, houses all the paintings and sculptures not good enough to be showcased in its neighbor, and is one of the least visited museums in the city.
8) Raynor's Keep is the oldest and largest building in Shirekeep and occupies the center of the city. Built by Kaiser Raynor I as his capital and fortress, it now serves as the Kaiser's palace, administrative center, and reception hall. It connects to the Triple Towers by a series of battlements, which are currently used as government offices and storerooms.
9) The Landsraad stands near but outside the Old City, in the center of a district called Ministry Row for the seven Government Ministry Buildings located side by side there. Before it is the famous equestrian statue of Praetor Nicholas Raglan, and its legendary cast-iron Front Gate both keeps out commoners and serves as a meeting-point where they can protest the body's actions. The Landsraad also has a much less conspicuous Back Gate, built by Nicholas Raglan as a secret escape route during a period of tensions between the Kaiser and the nobility. The period ended amicably when Kaiser Trantor III signed the famous Mango Carta. Tourists are welcome unless there is a meeting going on; while adults view the majestic meeting hall, children can try their hands at the fun Landsraad Water Bottle Toss game outside.
10) Raynor Village is a portion of the Ancient City restored to how it might have looked when Kaiser Raynor I ruled the Keep. It contains the Shirekeep Visitors' Center. Watch as women in authentic Raynorian dress demonstrate how the first Shirerithians used to mix gunpowder (please, no smoking in Raynor Village)
11) The Cedrist Temple, also called the BOOMist Temple, is along with the Temple of Mors the holiest spot in the BOOMist faith. Built by Raynor I to honor his gods, it holds service every Vivantiaday, Semisaday, and Hasanday, as well as on special occasions. All BOOMists are welcome to attend freely, although be warned that the temple fills quickly, especially on Vivantiaday.
12) SARTRE, the Shirekeep Area Rapid Transit Railway Enterprise, is the best way to travel Shirekeep quickly for tourists and citizens alike. Travelling alternately above and below ground its four lines (the Station line to the north, the Brookshire Line to the west, the Landsraad Line to the east, and the Malarbor Line to the south) include stations only minutes away from all of Shirekeep's major attractions. Every third car is kept empty, to symbolize the crushing emptiness of modern life.
13) John Metzler III University, or JM3U as it's known by the locals, is Shireroth's most prestigious institute of higher education, available only to students who have done phenomenally well on their Shireroth Test Of Order and Development, or STOOD tests. Come watch a game by JM3U's sports team, the Fighting Meese, or hear a lecture by some of their world-renowned professors.
14. The Temple of the Quintessences, designed as a smaller copy of its original parent temple in Menelmacar, is the largest surviving Soloralist temple and a center of the faith in Shireroth. It is located by the Hyperborean Temple and the Multi-Temple on a street that has now become known to locals as Heretics' Way.
15. A short walk from the Temple of the Quintessences are the Hyperborean Temples of Truth and Beauty. While these pale in comparison to their parent temples in Thule, the former provides a voluminous library open to the public (albeit mostly in Hyperborean), while the latter holds the Benacian most prestigious collection of Hyperborean art off the island itself.
16. The Multi-Temple was built by Kaiser Matthew "the Mad", who hoped to lure all the heretics in Shirekeep to one place and then light it on fire. Before it was completed, Matthew was replaced by his nephew, Kaiser Edwin "the Seems Sane Enough, At Least For A Kaiser" who allowed it to be used for actual worship. Visitors can attend simultaneous ceremonies by, among others, the Priests of Eru, the Aralanic faith, the Zoroastrians, the Christians, the Ultimate Comment, and the Path of Yellow. Those sensitive to loud noises should be warned that the Multi-Temple can provide quite a cacophony, as each priest does his best to outyell the others.
17. At the very point where the Elwynn splits in two stands the pride of Shirekeep, the Statue of Malarborty. This ninety-four foot bronze image of Shireroth's most recognizable god is located on the very spot where, according to legend, Kaiser Francis I fought the evil Malarbor and made him swear to serve as Shireroth's protector. The statue is the first sight visible to boats sailing up the Elwynn, and was built partly to awe any emissaries viewing Shirekeep for the first time. In this goal it is certainly aided by the primitive but effective sound system installed by Kaiser Nicholas III, which at intervals shouts at passing boats "TRADE WITH SHIREKEEP! MALARBOR DEMANDS IT!"
...more information on Shirekeep sites later.
[Edited to link to new image file location]
I love this town!
