Old Daneska

Old Daneska is the now-destroyed former capital city of the First and Second Litherian Empire. Founded on land believed to be enriched by the blood of both the New and Old Gods, the city was a centre of Litherian art and culture before its destruction in the Second Arcane War.
History
Located just west of the original Litherian pilgrims' settlement, Old Daneska was built on land believed to be near or on the site of the battle between the Seventy-Seven and the Old Gods. It was intended from its conception to be the capital of a new nation, setting aside vast areas of land for agriculture and living spaces.
The city grew quickly, its harvests proving fertile year after year. Some pointed to this as evidence of the claim that the local soil had been fertilised by gods' blood, though future scholars would attribute the land's fertility to a recent volcanic eruption not witnessed by the pilgrims. The first Litherian King took residence in the Daneskan Palace, and grand temples were erected to each of the New Gods.
Some say that Old Daneska was a major reason for Litheria's rise to prominence; its grand structures, fertile soil, and vibrant culture both attracted immigrants and commanded respect from the other nations of the time. The city's design, however, may also have been a cause of the First Empire's downfall. Since the seven temples were located just behind the Palace, priests could sneak away and change their plans, allowing for rapid adaptation behind the King's back. The easy access to the Palace also led to a prolonged siege during the Litherian Civil War.
Old Daneska was not attacked during the First Arcane War, but kept a garrison in the palace should the Alliance of Kings make an attack on the Emperor. This garrison was turned against the priesthood when the Litherian Civil War broke out, but ironically only managed to destroy the Temple of Yithtar before being recalled to defend the Palace in a siege that lasted months.
The city was rebuilt with the founding of the Second Litherian Empire, though the back entrance to the palace was closed off. In addition, the fertile harvests that the city had enjoyed since its founding ceased, leading many priests to repent for perceived sins of the Litherian people. This, however, did not stop their plotting after Elena Tristris's death.
During the Darhemian War, Old Daneska was temporarily locked down and its buildings searched for any sign of Darhemian technology left behind from their cooperation with Litheria during the First Arcane War. Nothing was found, but legends remain of secret troves of Darhemian technology, hidden away by the greedy emperor. This event is colloquially known as the Greatest Treasure Hunt in Litherian history.
During the Second Arcane War, an embittered gnome named Viola Drumtik smuggled herself into Old Daneska, carrying a makeshift bomb made from Darhemian arcanotechnology. Approaching the Daneskan Palace, she set it off, destroying the entire city. The Emperor was outside of the city at the time, but a number of important military commanders and high priests were killed in the attack. Attempts to replicate the bomb have failed due to the lack of usable Darhemian technology.
Not wishing to present weakness, the Emperor hastily moved the capital to the city of Quethdon, renaming it New Daneska and adapting an old temple into a new palace. Old Daneska has been nominally rebuilt, but due to fears of lingering magical effects and the prohibitive cost the city has been mostly left alone, though it is sometimes visited by pilgrims or treasure hunters seeking fragments of Darhemian technology.

Type

City