Kladinsk
Centrally located in the eastern part of the country, Kladinsk is the capital and most populous city in Volinsk. Nestled on the shores of a small lake at the base of the Kladinsk River, The Dread Sovereign rules here from the Royal Palace in the walled city-within-a-city, Vlotscaw.
Hundreds of years ago before modern Volinsk was united and the independent duchies were still under threat from Gneiss to the north, Kladinsk created a network of connected walls and bulwarks to defend its citizens. These walls, gates, and defensible bridges still stand today and are sources of pride to the city’s sons and daughters. Although direct threat from Gneiss is no longer a pressing issue, Kladinskian citizens still maintain the defenses and have even taken great pains to decorate and adorn them in the fiercely beautiful Volinskian aesthetic. The walls also serve to separate the city into different wards while the gates serve as guard houses, checkpoints, and customs houses. These different walled sections are the city are named The Eye, The Tear, The Werks, The Spike, The Sun, and The Heart. In addition Kladinsk also houses The Crown Gardens, numerous bridges of note, the lake know as the Sovereign’s Tear, and the city within the city, Vlotscaw.
Demographics
90% Human, 5% Dwarven, 5% Other Mixed Humanoids.
Government
Kladinsk is the capital of Volinsk. National matters are ruled over by the Dread Sovereign while municipal matters are brought to the attention of the Royal Court once a month by a team of elected officials from each of the wards.
Defences
With a standing army of 2000 housed in the city and a network of walls, gates, and guardhouses, Kladinsk is an incredibly well fortified city and more than capable of defending itself from foreign invaders. The guards are always wary of strangers and new visitors to their city and everyone who moves through the main entrance into the city, the Trepplok Gate is well scrutinized.
Industry & Trade
Kladinsk's main commercial ward, The Sun District houses three different squares and numerous other shops along its side streets. Established trade between the dwarves of EarthHome and Gneiss, as well as intra-country business keeps the economy of Kladinsk on a steady pace. Additionally, The Tear District takes care of marine business and the Heart District is home to a number of high end specialty boutiques.
Infrastructure
The walls of Kladinsk, many of which are left over from times of the city's founding, have been lovingly maintained and decorated over the years by its citizens, albeit in a distinctly striking Volinskian fashion. These walls also serve as the borders for each of Kladinsk's different wards: The Eye District, The Tear District, The Sun District, The Spike District, The Heart District, The Werks District, The Crown Gardens and Vlotscaw.
Assets
Kladinsk houses a vast supply of military equipment and stores of food to bolster its large standing army. The artisans in The Heart District craft and sell a number of valuable, one of a kind items. The Royal Palace contains the National Vault and a number of treasures.
Guilds and Factions
Each ward elects an official to bring municipal issues to the Royal Court once a month to discuss them with Vanna Korkorov, the head of the Merchant's Guild.
History
Hundreds of years ago, the Royal Palace in Vlotscaw was the sight of the original keep constructed by the 7 tribes of Volinsk to combat the threat of Gneiss invading from the north. Over the years of the conflict the keep's boundries and walls expanded outward, eventually building itself into the capital city that stand today.
Architecture
Volinskian's take great pride in carpentry and engineering and Kladinsk showcases this pride in every one of its wards. A few spires stand out on the skyline of Kladinsk: The Arcane Hermitage, The Spindlewerks, and The Royal Palace. The Entertainment District of Kladinsk, The Eye District, also house Siegfried's Pentacle, widely regarded as the most beautiful collection of buildings in all of Volinsk. These are: The Volinskian National Opera House, Stanislav Von Karsteins Royal Theater, The Empress Ballet, The Grand Orchestra Hall, and The Soveriegn's Pavillion.
Geography
Kladinsk is built around a lake known as The Sovereign's Tear.
by Zac Thompson
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