Miroi T'Chi-Chang lies downstream from Daiyla Kiv where the Silu Tan River, flowing down from the Jade Panther Hills, joins the mighty An-Kiu River. Alastarian officials, ruling that the sneeze before the last syllable of the name would be too awkward for foreign tongues (and the name too long to fit onto the forms) have decreed that for dueling purposes, it shall be known as Miroi Chang.

Miroi Chang is one of the oldest cities in the ancient Empire of Lirith Kai. Up until some 650 years ago, Miroi Chang was the capital of the Empire. It was burned during a climactic battle with the barbarian clans who later became the Rirorni; though the city was later rebuilt, the capital was moved to the new city of Daiyla Kiv. Natives of Miroi Chang are still inclined to speak of Daiyla Kiv, slightingly, as "the new city" although it is now 600 years old. Most of the oldest structures in the city are of stone and survived the burning--the semi-ruined palaces on the Royal Hill are between one and two thousand years old. The entire Royal Hill remains crown property--no one is allowed to build there, as this ancient place is regarded as hallowed ground.

The natives of Miroi Chang are purest Adantri, tall and slim with dark hair and light eyes. All the oldest lineages in the Empire have manor houses in Miroi Chang--any family that cannot trace its descent back to this old city is condemned by the snobbish to be forever regarded as an upstart.

Though proud of its ancient roots, the people of Miroi Chang do not live in the past. They engage in vigorous trade; in fact, they are considered to be among the sharpest bargainers in the Empire. The southernmost bridge over the An-Kiu, the famous Floating Bridge, is found here, where the Silk Road from the exotic kingdoms beyond Ratan crosses the river on its way to the western steppes, and all caravans crossing the bridge must pay toll. The many ships that move up and down the river pay toll also, for only the smallest can pass the bridge unless the center span is withdrawn.

The main products of the city are scholars and glassware. Miroi Chang is a center of literature and the arts--writers and poets, painters and sculptors, musicians, actors, and philosophers throng the southern quarter of the city, the Water Garden district, which is threaded with narrow canals, and congregate in the parks and cafes to argue about art and the meaning of life and to drink and party enthusiastically.

The glassblowers are found mostly near the eastern gate, where everything from the commonest kitchenwares to fabulous structures of the imagination are fashioned. At night, the sullen glow of the glass furnaces lights this area.

The Lord Governor of Miroi Chang, Reluin sen Lakha, cousin of the Emperor, long desired an arena to round out the city's appeal to tourists and travelers. Rumor has it that he requested an arena for Miroi Chang shortly after the one in Daiyla Kiv was opened, but that prejudice, or political maneuvering, decreed that Tyrna Lyrl (now Jade Mountain), Simtakka, Mazgourrah, and Lyn Tirian should get their arenas first. Confident that they would get their arena eventually, the citizens of Miroi Chang began construction months in advance on an island in the middle of the broad An-Kiu River. In keeping with the old city's disdain for haste, the arena runs on a slow schedule, with fights being held only at the full of the moon.