Saint's Maar
Saint's Maar is the capital city of the Augury, originally founded following The Rembrandtic Wars as a new seat of power for the Saltkrigere Empire. While its central location and proximity to several waterways made it a sufficient seat for its founders, its true potential was achieved by the Augury. Saint's Maar was established around the year 1199 DY, where the Saltkrigere military and nobility could keep an eye on conquered territories to the west. Following the death of its final emperor, an internal conflict erupted in which conspiring Maari nobles ousted the Saltkrigere with the help of forces from Fjordstrond and Eldurgrund. In the year 1478 HN, Saint's Maar was formally established as the capital of the Augury as its predecessors returned to Shellbay or fled to the Snow Rock Isles.
Geography and Strategic Position
Upon its founding, Saint's Maar served as a centralized location for the Saltkrigere Empire while also providing protection for Shellbay from antagonistic forces to the west. The majority of the Saint's Maar military at the time were trained in Shellbay while marriage arrangments improved political ties, making many consider the two territories as one: an accurate claim at the time.
Upon the Augury's rise, the ruling nobility took advantage of its central location by creating the Saint Roads, which expand across every Trinen territory and reach a confluence at the capital. The location allows the denizens of the Maar to enjoy goods from around the world, all while corraling taxes from the sale of such goods. Its position along the riverways also allows for waste disposal and quick military mobilization. While the Augury may lack the robust Saltkrigere navy to exploit the rivers, their patrols have proven sufficient in times of conflict. Ocassionally, the Augury requests Saltkrigere forces if the need proves dire.
Sharing many tenets of faith with the Saltkrigere Empire, it's no surprise that the Augury also views the Maar as sacred ground. The city is built around a maar (one of the few known craters in Laminaurm) of unknown origin. The crater can induce a sense of vertigo, especially as several cultural centers and popular locales are built within the crater itself, making the sea-level upper city appear as a daunting mountain from beneath.
Smaller craters in the surrounding forests also serve as quarries, giving the Maari a litany of natural resources to exploit. The climate of the region is similar to Eldurgrund, predominately covered in temperate forests. While the region boasts similar species diversity as Eldurgrund, most of the territory is dominated by invasive species, likely due to the Saint Roads and consistent trade.
Nearby waters provide employment to fishermen, farmers, and riverside taverns. Such a fruitful location also drives competition from pirates, who prowl the waters at night to commandeer trading vessels.
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