Plaxton

Plaxton is the capital and seat of government for all of the Caspian Democratic Union, located on the Marincara continent of Caspar. It is second only to Dunwelton in population and area covered, but occupies a slightly more hospitable location on the western coast of Marincara.

The city is constructed on a plain, or plac in Sarian, bordered on three sides by mountain ranges and bluffs. The impressive Marin Mountains to the north and northeast are covered with dense forests, while the more jagged and craggy Carasin Plateaus rise up and roll off to the east. To the south, the daunting Vira Bluffs overlook the city, and their foothills, spillways, and approaches form the southern fringe of the city limits. On the backside of the Bluffs, the ancient, and still inhabited, Sarian city of Trinumvira sits, accessible by way of an Aerotram rail pass cut through the Bluffs.

It is a moody city, no doubt due to the tumultuous seasons and weather patterns that cycle through the region. The rainy season can be especially dreary and dismal to the offworlder, but most Caspians cope with it rather well. Structures in Plaxton usually have a Sarian design flair, usually accenting some sort of Core Worlds architectural foundation. There isn't a set standard, but most buildings don't look obtrusively modern. The government buildings occupy primarily the eastern quarter of the city, while alot of recreational and cultural structures are "downtown", along the western shoreline and bay. Alot of commercial development has taken place in the northern quarter, along the length of the Sepesan River, which flows east to west and empties into the Cappula Ocean through a granite channel, enabling the Caspians to have a substantial water harbor there. Most of the western shoreline is a rough beach, leading down to the southern horn where the Vira Bluffs spill into the Ocean. Most of the southern quarter of Plaxton is heavy industry, with ProThrust being the major employer. The southeast corner is the site of the famous Union Starport, built upon the ruins of the Flude Cauldron from old Sarian times. A major hub of Aerotram traffic is located here as well, so many of the structures in the area are warehouses and communication structures, with a few hotels and short-term housing projects thrown in.

The military capitalized on a network of natural caves within the Bluffs to create Trinumvira Base several years ago. The base was first accessed through Trinumvira, but after extensive expansion, most of the yards and facilities are on the Plaxton side. Two large, gaping, armor-doored bays yawn out over the Ocean from within the Bluffs, used as launch and landing bays for the aerospace craft housed within the base.

Most of the city's most well-known citizenry lives in the northeast corner, in the Bluffs Park district, all along the twists and small gorges of the Sepasan as it emerges from the pass between the Carasin Plateaus and the Marin Mountains. Castle Rock Manor is built upon the named outcropping, jutting out into the riverway and forcing a horseshoe-shaped bend in the river at that point. The Manor was built by the Hechin family, one of the first offworld settlers to take up residence on Caspar. Many years later, it was offered to Dergan Roj as a residence while he was in his last days, and after the Admiral's passing, was turned into a House of the Crest. It functions as a living museum, conference building, and host to government functions, parties, and celebrations. Other famous houses are in the area as well, such as those belonging to the Adamovs, Camms, Dustens, and Forsythes.

The center of the city is undoubtedly Fountain Square, which is suprisingly calm for its role as the hub of all Plaxton traffic. Most of the traffic stays at the rim of the square, while the plaza itself is rather placid. Several tragic events have happened here over the years, though, since this square has become iconographic for Caspia's current state of affairs.