Tikius, also known as Tikizu (ティキズ), is a city situated on Makal island and formerly the largest free city of pirates. Tikius used to be the unspoken boogeyman of the Blood Sea. It was taken under control of the Cinoh Shogunate after the Siege of Tikius in 3E452. This made it the largest Cinohan city outside their main island of Cinohshima just across the channel. That being said, the shogunate has little direct control over the island which still operates much like a free city to this day.
Its central location in the sea gives it strategic importance, but its existence as a pirate port is an open secret. Once the site of an ancient pre-cometfall city, Tikius is situated on a lot of cliffs of varying heights The city is protected from the island's volcano 'Mount Ashskull' since the lava generally flows west instead of east into the city. It was discovered recently that Ashskull and the island of Makal in its entirety are simply the top of a much larger supervolcano underneath.
The city is named after an ancient Omniborn city that used to be in the same general location around the volcano. In Omnikarn, Tikius means "Divine-Serpent".
The most iconic part of Tikius is the Shipwreck Village, a shanty town made out of shipwrecks built and maintained solely by pirates. Reminiscent of the greater Shipwreck City, it was built by those who could not do better. Near Tiajin Castle are the remains of the ancient city, the ruin of the fort and houses converted into high-class residences with hot springs inside. On the northeast end of Makal island, a day’s trip from Tikius is the Silver Songbird Rummery, a bar that serves travelers owned by the Phoenix Nebula. It creates and sells Nebula Rum throughout the Blood Sea and beyond.
Areas of the city include:
Tiajin Castle. Reclaimed ancient houses and manors built into the cliff walls, including the ruined castle itself, now converted into Belanar's Bar.
Belanar's Bar, run and operated by Governor Belanar Gullis, who used to be one of the dreaded pirate lords.
Razan Manor, a high end hotel built into old omniborn ruins that offers a central hot spring.
Shipwreck Village. A shanty town made of shipwrecks, a very poor and most pirate-heavy part of the city.
Clifftown. Situated on the higher cliffs, houses here are actually structurally sound and relatively richer.
Coral Garden. A complicated and congested settlement of various exotic races, primarily Tritons and Sea-Elves.
Dock District. The primary commercial dock of the city.
Old Market. The city center and main market of the city.
Salyn's Weaves, a clothing and armor shop owned by the triton Salyn.
Demon Juice, a juice stall famous for its mysterious 'demon juice' run by the tiefling Ravir.