The World, it's structure, Lands, Areas, Cities

Altem
Smallest and western end of Curra, this Area has a wide variety of terrain to explore. From the northern most part of the habited world, the tundra is chill and windy, none but the bravest dare those flat lands, one town (Bok) is situated in the tundra. A deep and hardy forest spreads north of the mountains, where Watok, Kubbi, Dlem and Ri'iri are situated, eventually smoothing out to the brief but fertile grasslands where Qimira and Moth rest. Abruptly, the Curra Range emerges and splits the north and south halves of Altem, the tallest peak of which is just east of Astel; Opal, Lantu and Ist are in these mountains. Nestled between the north and south forks on the west side is a marshy area containing Frea and Astel. Finally on the south-east side where the plains start across Curra, the cities of Coa'tl, Imat and Hatel dot the area. Altem is mainly rural, though the cities themselves may contain quite a large number of people.

Unincorporated Population: just about 1 million people. Mostly making their lives near the seashore and in the mountain areas north of Ist. There are also a number of officially unnamed Islands, which support populations of fishermen and hideaways, but rarely have more than 100 people on them at a time.

Qimira: With the flatlands on the north, and the Curra range to the south, set directly into the rough land between, Qimira is a huge city with its main port leading almost directly into the mountainside! Many buildings have been physically carved into the mountain, while others are being developed for the hard ground. The bulk of the city is angled against the mountainside, sprawling huge across the foothills and finally spreading gently into the flatlands. All the homes here are modern, clean, and well-heated. The heights of some downtown buildings are dizzying, but the actual number of floors a building has is illusory, since many of them never leave the comfort of the mountainside. It isn't impossible to see windows glimmering directly out of the side of the hill! Homes built into the mountain must be made to certain specifications, those down on the ground are less rigorously attended to.
Earthly equivalent: a Maya civilization put into the tech age
Founded around 4500 Pronounced "kim-eer-ah"
Population: 2.4 million SM: .1 VM: x5

Astel: The very corner of the marshlands between the Curra mountains' feet, where the angles of the hills provide darkness from the east. Astel is comfortably the most urban of Curra's cities. Many sites here are on huge pillars, with smaller homesteads built below them and scattering rooftop gardens to the sides of the hills. Deeply into the mountains, literally into, are the DungeonCrawl sites, led by the desire to scare people into paying more money to be scared again. These are hugely natural cavernous places, very beautiful and well-guarded.
Earthly equivalent: communities below the Matterhorn
Founded around 6000 Population: 1.89 million SM: .3 VM: x4

Ri'iri: So much can be said about the Ri'iri Breeding facilities, much is written about each competing Breeder... Their lands are beautiful and wide, the slightly rolling hills covered with light forest and high grasses, abrupt stone batholiths and striking clear lakes. The city itself is nearly invisible against the woodlands, it is the oldest large city in Altem, and has much in the way of culture. The wooden outer rim of structures are maintained as a kind of tourist attraction, while the central city changes decade by decade. There are few tall buildings here, most are simply made larger than the rest, and most are made of huge stone or stucco covered brick. Yes, they're hard to heat. But they look good.
Earthly equivalent: German woodland-farmland with the fantasy castles overlooking them Founded around 3647 Population: 960000 SM: .3 VM: x3 Pronounced "ree-eerie"

Imat: Steeds Bred in Imat are aggressive and sturdy, fast and angry beasts. Their land is rugged and tough. The grasslands have barely a hold here, the rocky foothills still tapering off from the Curra range. The grasses themselves are sturdier than those found on the central plains, the wind keeping that assured. Imat itself is a moderately sized city, but is largely low to the ground and dark, built of brick and stone, and the hard, dark woods of the northern forests. The streets are cobbled, rather than paved, and there is little in the way of modern exteriors -- inside, however, most places have all the proper amenities.
Earthly equivalent: Italian hill country Pronounced "ee-mot"
Founded in 1174 Population: 735000 SM: .5 VM: x3

Ist: Both a port and a mountain retreat, Ist manages to maintain a large permanent population (in as much as that is possible in Zekira!) which lives mainly in the sharp foothills near the beaches. Higher homesteads are for the brave, for the mountain which Ist is situated upon rises sharply and for a very long stretch. Two hoverports are found here, and the major export of Ist is stone from the mountain.
Earthly equivalent: if the opal mines in Austrailia were on the beaches...
Founded around 6720 Population: 340000 SM: .7 VM: x2

Frea: Surprisingly modern for a mid-sized and recent city. Frea has as much to do with building engineering around the world as it can, many of the finest engineers and architects get their start here building against either extreme of high cliffs or low marsh.
Earthly equivalent: flood a low-lying Colorado town
Founded in 8300 Pronounced "fray"
Population: 275000 SM: .7 VM: x2

Opàl: The Steed facilities in Opàl are generally recognized as the best in the world, most Steeds are winners and those which are not are still tougher and grittier than most. Having been compared to Qimira 'without the seaside port', Opàl has a fierce reputation as a small but perfectly maintained community. The entire place is professional, high quality, and high demand. It is perhaps the highest growth community in Zekira at the moment, simply because the Zone around its northern side is so fertile, and the land worth so much.
Earthly equivalent: some parts of urban and suburban Chicago
Founded around 1939 Population: 235000 SM: 1 VM: x2

Hatel: Resting near the border of Altem and Polaen, a major export site. Grazing and rest lands are popular, otherwise the whole of Hatel is a calm (verging on boring?) town.
Earthly equivalent: when Oceanside used to be small
Founded in 6970 Population: 112000 SM: 1 VM: x2

Watek: At the edge of the forest and the sea, Watek is pretty but tight as a town gets. Most of its houses are of the wood found directly around it, and decorated with objects from the sea. The beach is mainly rocky, but the pebbles found here are forming their major export of building materials.
Earthly equivalent: pick a Northern California coastal town
Founded around 6100 Population: 87000 SM: 1 VM: x2

Kubbi: A small foresting community, most of the people living here are Free Workers or Land Holders, rare is the High Holder or Owner. Carvings and home-town style crafts are getting popular to sell to those city folk to the south.
Earthly equivalent: anything from Washington state
Founded in 5663 Population: 66000 SM: 1 VM: x2

Co'atl: A sea-border town, with all kinds of terrain for the young Rider to practice on. The notable feature of the nearby landscape is the huge Cavern of the Winds, where an opening into the mountainside proves that much of that hill is hollow.
Earthly equivalent: picture a Greecian cliff community
Founded in 3198 Population: 55000 SM: 1 VM: x2 Pron: "co-ah-tl"

Lantu: Another growth community, with room to grow. It has become popular with retiring High Holders, but some newer ones have begun building their homesteads here as well. Much of the town is composed of the hoverport, the only way into the town at all. This area is known for its metal knives, swords and blade school.
Earthly equivalent: high-altitude Arizona retirement community
Founded in 8500 Population: 45000 SM: 1 VM: 1

Moth: Though this town is situated on prime land, it seems to be overshadowed by some of the other Altem cities, and is not growing much beyond its current 35k population. The inhabitants are happy about that. They grow a lot of feed here, their main export.
Earthly equivalent: Kansas City without the City
Founded in 6544 Population: 35000 SM: 1 VM: 1

Bok: A tundra community, where some very brave souls have decided to put down roots. Steeds don't like this place, it is far too cold for most normal beasts, but those developed here are sturdy and survive well in long-races.
Earthly equivalent: anything north of Anchorage Alaska
Founded in 7867 Population: 22000 SM: 1 VM: 1

Dlem: Between dark woods and even darker woods, Dlem has the occasional spot of clear ground, most of which has been used for solar collectors and wind mills. Their main export is actually electricity and power, rather than wood!
Earthly equivalent: eastern European unspoiled wilderness
Founded in 7892 Pronounced "duh-lem"
Population: 8000 SM: 1.5 VM: 1