City of Kus'Qari

The city of Kus'Qari is a large settlement lacated near the western edges of the Kavasian Grasslands and built along both shores of the Naeso river. It is the capital of the Kavasian Empire and its second largest city, after the City of Vrahlis.

Demographics

General Population

While the city is well within ancestral Kavasian territories, its status as the capital of the largest empire in Arros has attracted people from all over the continent, and from even further beyond, such as Enask and Mahador. The largest minority in the city are Alvarosian, who occupy many important roles in the city, such as merchants, alchemists and scholars. Some have even joined the city guard alongside the native Kavasians.

Mage Population

The city has a fairly large community of Mages. Many of them are various types of Elemental mages, but the largest group of mage may actualy belong to Soulbound mages, which is rare, even in Eastern Arros. Indeed, mage arenas are quite popular in Kavasia, but the capital is particular enjoys battles between shapeshifters and many of them find a living fighting in those establishements, or are forced to do so.

Government

The city is run by the emperor himself with the help of a small council of advisors. This council doesnt have any legistative power and only limited executive power as it's main purpose is to advise the emperor.

Defences

Lack of Natural defences

The city of Kus'qari lacks any natural defenses, as it is situated on very flat ground with nothing blocking a foreign army from marching right to the capital itself.

Imposing fortification

However, once that army would arrive at the city, they would be meant with a very imposing stone wall as the city would seem like a immence fortress rising itself from the otherwise very flat ground, offering a very sharp contrast on the horizon. These fortifications, which surround both halves of the city, are made of dark grey stone, which adds to the contrasting effect. The northern and southern walls are connected together by two bridges, allowing soldiers inside or on top to easely go from one section to the other.

Watch Towers and Harpoons

The wall is also adorned with many watch towers, guarded by skilled archers. Some of these towers also have Harpoons in order to bring down any winged ship within range of the city.

Infrastructure

Roads

Unlike most other cities within the empire, the roads and streets of Kus'Qari aren't entirely paved with cobblestone. Instead, most aren't paved at all. This is because the dirt in the region is extremly compact and hard, due to a lack of rain. Nonetheless, some of the major alterial roads, where vehicles and horse frequent, are paved, but most smaller streets aren't.

Sewers

A small sewer system was constructed under the northern districts of the city in the past decades, but the southern districts still do not have a proper sewer system. The current emperor has promissed to remedy the situated and minor works have begun.

Wells

The river flowing through the city is the only ground level water source. However, the ground below has a large aquifer which seems to be refiled by the river above it. However, the aquifer's reach extends well beyond the river and infact, beyond the city itself. Numerous wells have been constructed in largely equal distances from each other throughout the city, which provides the citizens with ample water even if they live far from the river's shores.

Bridges

Many bridges link the north and south sides of the city together.

Canal

The city is built just a couple kilometres upriver of where the river stops being navigable by larger boats. To remedy this, a canal was built, which extends the river's navigability to the edge of the city. There, a small commercial port was constructed. This allows good and people to travel by boat from the City of Vrahlis all the way to the capital, and vice-versa.

Districts

The city can be largely divided into two halves: The northern shore, which is smaller and newer and the southern shore, which is larger and older.

South Shore

The southern districts are poorer and denser, with worse infractructure, such as fewer water wells and paved roads. The Tower of Bashol and Fheteir's Guild are located here. Most of the city's population lives south of the river, both because this half of the city is larger, but also because it is denser. 

North Shore

The imperial palace and its gardens, the university as well as the larger of the two mage arenas within the city are located in the north. Most roads here are paved and larger. It is inhabited manily by merchants, nobles and of course, the royal family.

Guilds and Factions

Fheteir's Guild

Their headquarters is located along the river's south shore. They are one of the only guild made up primaraly of Shapeshifters outside of Rumalia or the Kingdom of Alvaros. This guild, alongside many others, were a major advocate against slavery. This is because shapeshifters were particulary prized by slave masters within the Empire, as they were easy sells to illegal battle Arenas, who could make huge amounts of money by forcing them to fight each other. Of course none of that money went to the actualy shapeshifter, but instead to their master. Since slavery was abolished, at least officialy, they now focus on destroying the remnants of illegal battle arena rings not just in Kus'Qari, but also in the rest of the empire.

History

The city was founded in the year 559 BC, during the latter half of the Second Age on the south shore of the Naeso river. For centuries, it remained a fairly insignificant town at the western edge of the Kingdom. Because of this relative isolation, it began to attract criminals as well as normal people fleeing the larger cities, looking for opportunity to to escape the law. Due to the apparent lack of strong royal autority this far away from the capital, a criminal underground began to foster within the city, which has managed to survive up to this day, though at a much reduced state.
The city grew slowly for the remainder of the second age. A large battle arena was constructed there in order to host mage fights and a small stone wall way even raised to protect the city. The tower of Bashol was also constructed during that time, named after Veos, which the Kavasian call Bashol. This tower, rising at more than 150 meters, is still the highest building in the city, and one of the tallest in the empire.
However, this slow growth would change as the world entered The Fall. Kavasia innitaly wanted to remain isolated from the chaos, but when the city was attacked in 39 BC by creatures called The Blight Monsters, it sent a shock through the royal court. Even if the monsters had been defeated by the citizens, the king and his court began to move soldiers and ressources to the city, in preparation for the defense of the kingdom.
Soon, Kavasia entered the continental wide war against the The Blight Monsters. Kus'Nae, as it was known at the time, became a very important sttelemtn nearly overnight because of its strategic placement. It began to grow rapidaly thanks to the influx of soldiers and mages seeking to defend their kingdom. A canal was built just outside the city to connect it to the navigable portion of the river, allowing resources to be shipped down river, towards the main battles of the war.
In the year 23 AC, after the war against those creatures ended and the world had entered the Third age, the new king decided that the city was worthy of being the capital, and he made it so, renaming it to Kus'Qari or City of the King. The capital was moved for two reasons. First, the Kavasian kingdom had greatly expanded westwards into an empire and Kus'Qari was now near the geographic center of it, whereas Kus'Eran was not. Second, the city of Kus'qari, unlike Kus'Eran, was built on a river. This river was made navigable thanks to the canal and it now connected the city to the Mahadorian ocean, via the Naeso and Royn rivers.
Since then, many of the famous monuments, temples and palaces have been contructed as the city continued to grow. It is now considered one of the great cities of the continent, alongside other cities such as Palynor, Vrahlis and Raune

Points of interest

Tower of Bashol

The tower of Bashol is a large and tall cylindrical stone tower that dominates the city's skyline. It is a choranian temple used mainly by the mage population of the city. It was named after Veos, as Bashol is the Kavasian name for the moon. A popular tradition for young mages is to attempt to climb the tower on the day of the last Veosian full moon of the year. Usualy, the participant would gather at the base of the tower before noon. Once noon arrives, they begin their ascenscion, attempting to reach the top before sunset. Since the tower is very tall, standing at 230 metres, the journey to the top up its spiraling stone staircase is grueling. However, this is considered a rite of passage for the city's young mages.

Imperial Palace complex

The Imperial Palace is a large series of large and beautiful buildings located partialy along the northern shore of the Naevo river and in the heart of the city. However, it is separated from the city by a wall that surrounds it and the lush gardens around it. The emperor and his family live inside the main château, while high born nobles and extended family relative occupie the adjacent guest houses nearby.

The Gardens

The gardens are located around the palace, surounding the château with greenery. This vegetation is composed of numerous exotic plants, mainly originating from Mahador. Since these plants, trees and flowers are aclimated for a tropical climate, they need a lot of water to survive the heat of the Eastern Grasslands, a small canal was buily, connecting the garden with the river flowing to the south in order to bring water directly to the garden.

Thuran's Arena

On the northern shore of the river, near the imperial palace, is located one of the largest colosseum in Arros. It is called the Arena of Thuran, named in honor of the king who commisioned its construction. It is a very impossing building, rivaling the Imperial palace in both beauty and grandeur. It is cappable of holding up to 170K spectators, which is nearly a third of the city's population. In the centre of the arena, where the fights unfold, and surrounded by a moat cappable of being filled with water, is an elevated square platform. This platform can be accessed by the fighters via a retractible bridge.

Architecture

Most buildings in the city are tall, square and flat roofed. The stone used to built them is of a similar brownish colour as the walls that protects the city.

Geography

The terrain that the city is buil on is very flat and covered in tall grass. The slow moving Naeso river cuts through the terrain and the city.

Climate

The climate is hot and dry during most of the year. Occasional heavy rains during the summer occur as a result of lows forming over the Illinian sea to the south or the Lapisian sea to the east and moving to the west or northwest. The winters are a bit cooler and dryer than the summers as well as being very windy, which has he effect of drying up everything in its path.

Founding Date

-559

Type

Capital

Population

520k

Inhabitant Demonym

Kus'Qarians

Location under

Continent of Arros

Owning Organization

Kavasian Empire