Jiy

Jiy

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Capital of Jilvayna, Jiy

Jiy is the capital of Jilvayna. It rests at the edge of the agriculturally-rich grasslands to the north and heavy forest to the west. It is divided in half by the river Wrain, with the poorer sections to the west and the more prosperous ones across the river, to the east. The Avranda River runs through the eastern city and meets the Wrain in the Orchards and Songbird districts. The royal palace sits atop a hill called the Green Castle, and possesses several tall, thick walls.
Jiy has several districts. Unlike other Taangis-built settlements, Jiy's initial growth was natural rather than planned, so the city, its walls, and its neighborhoods do not follow the straight lines and artificial square roads that other Theyndora cities possess. They do, however, loosely follow the lines that Taangis employed when breaking apart cities for removal of their citizens to other territories.

Jiy

• Capital of Jilvayna
• Pop ~500,000 metro area
• ~81 square miles

Jiy has a large foreign population. There are several smaller neighborhoods that cater to these people and their cultures.

Western Districts

The Stone Streets
The poorest citizens live in this section of the city. It once housed the royal palace and noble homes, before the Dentherion invasion.
The Grey Streets
The poor also live here, but it is a step up from the Stone Streets. It is known for its two large outdoor markets; the Lells and Candycakes.

Grey Streets by Виктор Сапожников from Pixabay / Shanda Nelson
• The Orchards
  The Orchards houses merchants and tradesmen, as well as teachers, scholars and the like. It is a firmly merchant class district.
• The Meadows
  The Meadows is a park-intensive place where prosperous merchants and white collar workers live. It is lovelier than the average Jiy district. It has a stone wall that blocks it from the poorer sections of the city.
• The Vale
  The Vale is in the valley to the northeast of Mountaintop. It is home to many commoners who are too prosperous for the Grey or Stone Streets, but do not make enough to live elsewhere.
• The Docks
  The Docks are not the poorest place in Jiy, but they hardly count as rich. Many warehouses and tradehouses are found there. Few live in the area, but trade-related businesses are everywhere.
• The Shell Streets
  A nicer district to the south of the Grey Streets, but outside the city walls. Known for the large fossilized shells found in the soil.

Eastern Districts

Green Castle
The hill upon which the royal palace sits. Noble mansions span down the slope from it.
Harkenberry
Noble estates owned by Gall supporters are about all that can be found within Harkenberry. There are scattered schools, a handful of businesses and two markets. It is lush with parks.

Mansion in Jiy by Greg Montaini from Pixabay
• Romengerie
  Named for a Dentherion general who retired there, the Romengerie district is home to wealthy foreigners. Most have holdings outside Jilvayna that provides income.
• Reeds
  The Reeds sits in the small valley between the hills containing Green Castle and the Bells.
• Kells
  The Kells is a district for the wealthy commoners and down-on-their-luck nobles. Several underbosses live here.
• Songbird
  Songbird houses wealthy merchants and nobles.
• Blossom
  Blossom has many inhabitants who make good money, but cannot afford to live in the more expensive areas of Jiy. It rests outisde the city walls. It's primary attraction is the undermarket.
• Bells
  The Bells is a district where a lot of skilled craftspeople, scholars, teachers and the like reside.

History

Jiy began as a trade crossroads settlement for the Taangis Empire. It originally consisted of Taangis military supply stations and little more. It grew into a large trade center for goods traversing all of Theyndora. When deemed large enough a couple centuries after its founding, the empire cracked it apart like it had other cities, dividing its citizens and sending them to all corners of the conquered lands.
When the Taangis Empire fell to ruin, Thendis, an ambitious noble whose family originally came from Taangis, overcame the mediocre opposition and placed himself on the Jilvaynian throne. Due to its size, he chose Jiy as his capital, and built his palace on a mount overlooking the pristine river snaking through the valley to the east.
Jiy remained a staple trade hub, which became one of the reasons Dentheria invaded Jilvayna. They saw the profits to be made, and lusted after the trade gem. In 428 DE they invaded the country, and in 429 DE, reached Jiy. They easily slaughtered the royal family and their supporters, and threw their bodies into the courtyard of the prestigious Temple of Wratherine before lighting them on fire. They laid waste to the city, then rebuilt it how they desired. The puppet king they placed on the throne eagerly followed through for the Lord's Council, and Jiy continued to be a merchant hub for goods, especially for Dentherion battlefront supplies.

Modern Times

Royal Court

Jiy Palace by Michael Drummond from Pixabay

The royal court of Jilvayna is found in Jiy. The puppet king, Gall, is a crass and cowardly man who sees assassins in every shadow. His court is one formed around intrigue and conspiracies, and even his staunchest supporters are growing weary of his shenannigans. The people of Jiy hold little respect and no admiration for him, and he is basically ignored in favor of ranking nobles who at least pretend to care about the citizens.

This ill will has traversed the land and into Dentheria, where the Lord's Council has withdrawn their favor for their puppet. Gall sent his son, Reythan, to Arvendis, the captial of Dentheria, to plead his case to the Lord's and Second Councils.

Trade

Jiy is a trade hub, between eastern and western Theyndora. Its merchant class is large and active in local politics.
Jiy has several large outdoor markets, where goods from around Theyndora can be purchased.

• The Docks
  The Docks is a meat market, primarily for fish. It is found along the river, and sells food to all of Jiy.
• The Lells
  The largest market in Jiy. It is found in the Grey Streets, and sells cheaper items to buyers. It has a well-known busker and folk art commuity.
• Candycakes
  The second large market in the Grey Streets. It sells slightly less cheap goods, and has a reputation for extraordinary foods.
• Marskant
  The Marskant is named for the noble who first built it. It is found in the Orchards district and caters to the merchant and scholarly classes. They are known for their numerous jewelry shops.
• Providence
  Providence is found in the Bells, a place wealthy commoners and lower nobility mingle. It is known for being absolutely average, but also having the largest array of foreign goods.
• Decantur
  The upscale market for nobles. It is found in the Songbird district, a wealthy place for merchant princes and nobles to shop. The most expensive restaurants are there, and it is the place to purchase ball gowns and formal wear.
• Underground Market
  This market, officially known as the Danceling, is found in the Blossoms district, just outside the northern city walls. It mainly deals in tech, but all manner of legal and illegal merchandise can be found through their traders. The legal selling provides cover for the underhanded deals.

Jilvayna Rebels

The rebellion in Jilvayna started in Jiy. The depravity of the Dentherion victors, coupled with the indifference of the puppet king and his allies, struck too many remaining nobles as evil. Jovin, a noble with ties to Shalaor, decided to gather other discontents together and follow the Shalaor rebellion example. He joined with the sole remaining member of the royal family, a young girl who had been in hiding, and they led the initial rebels. Both decided that the rebellion needed a presence in Jiy to keep an eye on the puppet king, so they selected a staunch ally, a smith named Ecordim, to create the first Rebel House.
The rebellion has remained in Jiy since. They are one of the more generous employers in the city, and have a decent relationship with the underground bosses. The current Headman is Baldur, though few respect him or his decisions.

Jiy Underground

The Jiy underground is a crowded place, but the most important player is the Minq Syndicate. They have a vast network of divisions around Theyndora, but the one in Jiy is the most active. They make a good deal of money sneaking bodies of the deceased to descent burial grounds, and have made it perfectly clear they will not tolerate another stepping on this turf.
Hoyt, a bit criminal who managed to form a small group of disparate members with the help of his family, wants more of the action. He has dipped his toes into all manner of illegal activity, and has decided to persue a darker course for the promise of more cash.

Timeline

382 TE
Jiy Founded

23 TE
Taangis pulls out of Jiy

15 TE
Thendis chooses Jiy as his capital

429 DE
Dentheria conquers Jiy and places puppet on throne

429 DE
The Pit created

434 DE
New palace built across the river, by Dentherion command

442 DE
Severe food shortage kills or forces the move of half the Jiy population

444 DE
Jilvayna rebellion founded in Jiy

468 DE
Jiy puppet king falls to another willing to be a puppet king, who refuses to indulge in the excesses of his predecessor.

478 DE
Dunwrit Aquaduct built to bring fresh water to eastern Jiy, bypassing the river and its contamination from the Pit.

479 DE
All burials in city take place by throwing deceased into the Pit

513 DE
Peasant's Rebellion: short-lived demand by the poor in Jiy for better conditions. Obliterated in a matter of days.

514 DE
Severe worker shortage forces the hiring of people from outside Jiy, at much higher salaries than previously paid.

543 DE
Storm breaks retaining wall of the Pit, flooding communities downstream of Jiy with contaminated remains. Disease kills thousands. Dentheria rebuilds a better wall, changes spray to better handle disease.

545 DE
Underground begins a clandestine burial of bodies to a Taangis catacomb. Charges exorbitant amounts for the privilege.

646 DE
Over half the city guard implicated in a tech smuggling ring. Sir Armarandos put in charge to clean up corruption.