Karmis
With a population of about 60,000 it is a major port and largest city in the Empire. The city has large slums, opulent palaces and large markets. Since Atheneis conquered Karmis, the City has lost much of it political importance, but remains an economic powerhouse. Several mystical and military-religious orders maintain chapter houses in the city. Various royal family members and associates have served as governor of the city. The Empire maintains a council of notables drawn from the nobility, guilds and various other groups.
The city is bisected by the River Karm, which is crossed by three bridges. In the center of the river is Royal Island, which includes the old Royal Palace, now used as the governor’s residence. Also located on the island is the city’s imperial garrison. On the northern ocean side of the city is the Imperial Naval Yard on the south Oceanside are docks belonging to various trading companies.
Atheneis maintains a large military garrison, a naval base and allows the Alyites to keep a garrison there. The city’s garrison includes 10-12 infantry companies, 2 squadrons of cavalry, four companies of marines and approximately 1,000 Alyites. The Alyite force contains a garrison company, one company of heavy cavalry, two medium companies and five companies of light cavalry. At any given time several of these units will be patrolling the surrounding countryside. The city also had a militia force that can be called up in any emergency. The militia is organized into 22 one hundred member companies. Half are armed with crossbows and the rest are equipped with polearms or battles axes.
Demographics
Northron humans make up the perhaps 80 percent of the population. Pethaps 5 percent of the the population are Southrons, Mountaineers and Eskil. Another 10 percent of the population are Northron Corgerians. The remaining 5 percent is split between Danites, Dark Corgerian half-breeds and Dark Corgerians.
Government
Since the Kingdom of Karmis fell the Empress Atheneis Majara has made her second wife, Queen Floret official ruler of Karmis. Real power is exercised by a governor appointed by Empress Atheneis and the Royal Council which consists of several local leaders, and the ranking military officers of the garrison.
Defences
About two-thirds of the city is surrounded by a 20 foot stone wall with six inland and two harbor gates. About a third of the city lies outside of the walls. The Royal Island, a long narrow island houses the Imperial garrison and has it's own 30' wall.
Industry & Trade
The city is a center of maritime trade serving as a major hub for exporting both grain and manufactures. The city contains numerous workshops. The port area includes stone wharves, several shipyards and numerous warehouses. The two major sections of the port are the barge basin which serves the river trade and the Ship Port, which serves the ocean trade. The city has a number of merchants dealing in luxury goods including silks and spices from the southern lands. The gems. glass and fine jewelry of the north are favored items among the luxury exporters.
Architecture
The older sections of the city within the walls are built almost universally of stone and brick with many houses having slate roofs. Roof lines are generally high pitched to shed the copious winter snow. Many residential blocks have internal courtyards entered by one or more covered passages. Commercial streets often have covered sidewalks with roofs running the length of the block and supported by stone pillars one the street side. Most streets in the walled city are paved with cobblestone or ballast stone from ships. Outside the city walls buildings tend to be built with wooden frames, wattle and daub walls and roofs made from thatch or wooden shingles. Outside of the walls only the main streets are paved with rest of the roads being dirt. The walled city has a large network of sewers which provide drainage for the streets and remove raw sewage.
Geography
The city is bisected by the river Karm. The south of the city is relatively flat an faces out onto a large natural harbor. The north occupies a bluff overlooking the river and the port's secondary harbor. In the center of the River is Royal Island, which is half a mile long and about 200 yards wide. The city is bound together by several bridges. The fortified North and South Asnay Bridges connect the Royal Island to the rest of the city. Upstream from the Royal Island are three more bridges. All of the bridges are high enough for river traffic to pass beneath their central span.
Natural Resources
The City has an excellent natural harbor.
Founding Date
176
Type
Large city
Population
60,000
Related Ethnicities
Inhabitant Demonym
Karmins
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
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