Lyonnesse
Founded TN 1327 as a support station for logging operations in and around Lake Tristan, Lyonnesse was little more than a provincial town when Earth withdrew in the mid fifteenth century. The local people struggled to rebuild their lives, with local politics shattering into numerous self-serving factions. Work gangs, a thinly disguised form of slave labor, were a common sight in the TN 1460s and 70s, but by the turn of the century a measure of civilization had returned to the region. Realizing that Lyonnesse had been fortunate to survive the chaos, City Administrator Yvgeny Corman set about building alliances with nearby cities, resulting in the formation of the Lyonnesse League in TN 1528. The lakeside city became the administrative hub of the new alliance, its leaders wielding immense power until rampant government corruption prompted the Lake Tristan Conclave and the ensuing corporate coup.
The United Mercantile Federation chose to retain Lyonnesse as the capital, but slimmed down the grossly bloated bureaucracy, putting many of the former administrators to work turning the city into the centerpiece of the new league. The old, decrepit pre-fabricated buildings, many of which remained from the colonial era, were torn down and replaced with massive edifices i n the neo-gothic style. From the ground up, the new Lyonnesse was builtto impress. Of all the projects undertaken during this period, none has attracted more attention than Building A, known by locals as The Cathedral. Construction on this building, intended to become the center of Mercantile government, began in TN 1571 and was completed in TN 1628. The structure was badly damaged by orbital artillery during the War of the Alliance, however, and reconstruction work finished in TN 1928, just in time for the building's 300th anniversary. The deliberate targeting of Building A by the CEF prompted the UMFA high command to construct a subterranean command post known as "the Pit." Completed in TN 1929, the exact location of the facility, which houses the strategic command, remains classified.
At first glance Lyonnesse looks to be an elegant, relaxed city with few concerns beyond the constant circuit of political lobbying and socializing. Many visitors to the city comment on its tree-lined boulevards and broad canals, little realizing that the city is one of the most heavily fortified in the UMF. The boulevards are intended to facilitate the swift movement of troops and many are sufficiently broad to serve as emergency runways once trees and vegetation are cleared. The canals are placed so as to hinder the movement of troops without bridge-laying equipment. Furthermore, the city's towers and rooftops conceal an extensive array of anti-aircraft weaponry, together with a number of 'dazzle' lasers intended to render useless the observations of reconnaissance aircraft and satellites. Such systems are particularly dense around the Cathedral, where they are supplemented by antimissile batteries. It is rumored that new sensors and computer software allow the system to engage ground and orbital artillery rounds, but this is most likely little more than press conjecture.
Demographics
Lyonnesse is the heart of the UMFs high society and the rich and famous from across the arctic - and before the war, no small number from the Southern Territories - maintain houses and apartments in the city, partaking of its famous nightlife. Most companies also keep offices in the city, using them as the base of operations for the swarms of lobbyists which seek to influence the Mercantile government, their efforts merging with those of the socialites to ensure a nearendless circuit of balls, dinners and related functions. The organizers put considerable effort into their events, seeking to distinguish themselves from the dozens of rivals, and no expense is spared to create or import appropriate centerpieces or attractions. Numerous society columns and trideo programs play out the dramas of the social circuit, which play to the rest of the population as a real-life soap opera. Indeed, in the last few cycles a prominent Lyonnesse socialite, Man Feldman-Schroeder, has acquired national fame as a society journalist as much a result of her good looks and numerous contacts than for any real skill. Nonetheless, she is the role model of young girls across the nation and the subject of many pin-ups.
While the Federation capital Likes to portray itself as rich, prosperous and sophisticated, Lyonnesse too has its darker side. The western districts are home to a sizable underclass, though government statistics do their best to hide their presence. Many residents of these districts barely manage to eke out a living at the subsistence level, driving many to seek a life of crime.
The Forzi Cartel dominate the local underworld, headed by Geraint Forzi, son of the cartel leader. They make considerable profits satisfying the desires of the jaded high society, though their traditional businesses, particularly money- Lending and gambling, are strong in the city's poorer districts. The cartel has so far avoided serious clashes with the strong police and FIA presence in the city, using their close links with the city administration (and even the Caucus) to maintain the status quo.
Government
Games of State
Politics in the Federal District of Lyonnesse, known as the "rainy city," are appropriately murky. Corporate, governmental and other interests pull in dozens of different directions, making their mark on local politics, which often serve as a surrogate for federal or even CNCS issues. For example, a group seeking to promote the expansion of the road network in the Marathon Basin may support a local rezoning bill to win the support of a senior bureaucrat or even a Caucus secretary. This trading of favors and influence is a cornerstone of Mercantile politics, working hand in hand with both reasoned argument and direct pressure. Kompromat is used liberally, as is bribery and intimidation. Uncooperative individuals often find salacious details of their private life -true or otherwise, it hardly matters - leaked to LBC or one of a host of other broadcasters in the area.
LBC has recently alleged that several government bodies, including the FIA, have established links with the Forzi Cartel and have used them as neutral couriers and go-betweens. Indeed, it is alleged that the some of the military and hi-tech equipment the Forzi smuggle out of the UMF go with tacit government approval, payment for services rendered. Furthermore, rumors in several local scandal sheets link Geraint Forzi and City Administrator Tessa Niedich-Lywin, allegedly seen together at a private spa on the shores of Lake Tristan, though the one grainy photograph in circulation has done little to cast light on the situation.
The area around Lyonnesse is the wettest in the CNCS and as a result is heavily wooded with a diverse range of flora and fauna. The steady encroachment of residential and industrial developments on the city's wilderness preserves - most notably the Golden Bough development - has led to many animal species being driven out of the region. A small but vocal environmental group called the Animal Rights Corps, led by Verity Kimsey, proprietor of the vegetarian Johar's Bounty chain of restaurants, has repeatedly petitioned the city administration to do something about the situation, but to no avail. After all, neither woodspringers nor arboreal hoppers can buy electoral vouchers.
Industry & Trade
- Luxury Goods
- Goverment
- Service
The Price of Votes
Lyonnesse is the center of the UMFs financial services industry, home to many banks and finance houses as well as the UMFs principal stock market, located on Commercial Street, west of the Cathedral. Many finance companies work hand in hand with the corporations, providing loans and facilitating inter-corporate deals, but a few like the Harper Banking Trust specialize in funding small agricultural concerns in the Marathon Basin and along the Badlands Fringe. Information brokering forms another major strand of the local economy, ranging from credit-rating companies to agencies specializing in public relations and market research. A number of such companies work under contract to the government, carrying out polls across the league and providing advice on the public presentation of the Caucus' decisions.
Entertainment is a major industry in the city, ranging from the tourist hotels and theaters of the Agora district to the swish restaurants and casinos west of the Plaza. The National Gallery on the eastern side of the Plaza, overlooking the marina, is a magnet for connoisseurs of fine art, containing a wide range of Terranovan works and a handful of priceless works from Earth.
Logging, the city's original industry, continues to play a major role in the local economy, though the remodeling of the city in the sixteenth century forced the yards almost thirty kilometers out of town. More immediate, but still marginalized on the lake front, are factories and workshops dedicated to producing a broad range of luxury goods. The city's craftsmen are renowned for their woodwork, and furniture produced in the city is in high demand across the CNCS.
Maps
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Lyonnesse
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