Tharsa
"Tharsa is the capital of the Crown Lands in all but name. Any who have had the pleasure of visiting the city will easily understand why."Tharsa is the capital of Sarjn Hold and is the largest city of the Crown Lands of Demia as well as its de facto capital. Tharsa sits at the mouth of the Hyljin River on the Black Ocean, making it a vital lynchpin in international trade for the Demians as goods can be shipped to and from the interior along the Hyljin and internationally across the Black Ocean with relative ease.
Demographics
Tharsa is populated mostly by Demians but has sizable minorities from all across the region as well as noteworthy Kolu and Kosva communities in addition to small communities of men and elves from across the world.
The city's religious scene is more homogenous, with the mainstream Draskyitist faith being the professed faith of about 80% of the population. Other forms of Tosemuism, namely Patrokism and U'wa'ne, largely practiced by the city's Kosva and Kolu populations, respectively, make up most of the remainder. About 4% of the population follows what are considered to be purely shamanist beliefs.
by Jordo_707
by Jordo_707
Government
Tharsa is the capital of Tharsa hold and is the de facto capital of The Crown Lands of Demia as well, as such there are several government layers within the city.
The head of the executive arm of government for the city, hold, and Crown Lands as a whole is held by the Ekärti, who is responsible for maintaining the law at all three levels. While it is possible for the Ekärti to be the leader of one of the other four holds, this is rare in practice due to Sarjn's dominance.
The legislative arm of government is made manifest in the Grand Moot, itself composed of representatives of several noble families, prominent guilds, and a set number of elected officials from among the commoners.
Defences
Tharsa sits on a peninsula overlooking the Black Ocean, thus it has only one significant land border to defend. The city has two sets of defensive walls equipped with battlements, murder holes, and mounted ballistae.
From the water, Tharsa is defended by the famed Demian fleet, making an attack from the sea a foolish prospect for any but the strongest naval powers.
Industry & Trade
Tharsa is the largest trading port in Demia, drawing merchants from all over Kedizlim and beyond. The city's harbor districts are heavily trafficked and as such generate a pretty sum from harbor fees and tariffs. Security at the docks is taken very seriously in contrast to other notable ports, leading to relatively low rates of smuggling and crime, though such things cannot be completely erradicated. This added security, combined with the sheer access to world markets that the city provides, make paying the higher than average fees a bargain in most captains' minds.
Tharsa's industry is primarily in manufacturing, as the city itself is not near any large resource deposits or fertile land but sits at the end of the Hyljin river, allowing easy access to the rest of Demia's major settlements and their resources.
Infrastructure
Tharsa is a large city with stone roads and an above ground sewage system. There are several market squares within the city to facilitate trade as well as three separate dock districts.
Districts
Tharsa is divided into ten main districts
The Palatial Grounds
The Palatial Grounds sit at the highest point of the city just to the east of the center and is home to the Oak Palace and other important government offices and residences.The Academic Quarter
The Academic Quarter is home to the University of Tharsa as well as a number of museums and other smaller schools and scriptoriums. The district is under the control of the Society of Academics and is noted for being exceptionally orderly and clean.The Snow Wards
The Snow Wards are a collection of city blocks on the northwestern edge of the city, just outside the walls. They are the poorest district in the city and are home to most of the crime as a consequence.The Ice Water Docks
The Ice Water docks are the northernmost docks of the city that are primarily concerned with the import of goods from abroad. As such, it is the most diverse district in the city with a large foreign-born population and a good portion of the residents are only in the city for a season before heading elsewhere. In recent years the district has fallen under increasing control of the Frannʧe Frorch Trersstühungchsara due to their monopolization of trade.The Sea Wall
The Sea Wall is the main naval district within the Crown Lands and plays host to a number of ship construction facilities, repair yards, and armories. Access to the district is restricted to those who have approved business there.The Howling Shore
The Howling Shore, named such for the strong winds that blow in from the south, is the smallest docking district in the city and plays host mostly to smaller vessels that conduct domestic trade along the Demian coast.Sanjr
Sanjr is the newest district of the city and was brought into being after a fire burned down a large portion of Axe Head and the Sefun Wards. Sanjr plays home to many of the city's middle-class residents and service workers.Axe Head
Axe Head, named initially for the curved shape of the district's borders but now known more for its traditional business, is one of the smaller districts of the city. Axe Head is dominated largely by the various mercenary companies that call Tharsa home and Crown troops only occasionally patrol the district itself, though whether this is due to fear of the mercenary guilds or simply a lack of need perceived need is debated.The Wide Square
The Wide Square is the city's main trading district. The vast quantities of foreign goods that make their way to the city can all be bought here and travelers from abroad can meet all their needs here as well, so long as they can afford to.Sefun Wards
The Sefun Wards are the collection of craftsmen districts that lie between the various docks and the Wide Square. The easy access to both markets and raw materials make it a natural place for those in the business of refining and producing to ply their trade.
Assets
The city is firmly the wealthiest within Demia and is a contender for the lofty title of wealthiest in the world. As such, the city wants for very little and has ample stores of every necessity from food to clean water to medicinal supplies as well as enough currency and trade goods to outlast nearly any crisis.
Guilds and Factions
Society of Academics
The Society of Academics wield a considerable amount of authority and influence within not only their home district but throughout the city. Though they will rarely openly confront other factions or compete with them directly, they are known to hold leverage over several prominent citizens of the city and their members are afforded great privileges, including exemption from taxation.Frannʧe Frorch Trersstühungchsara/FFT
The large state-backed trade company has its headquarters within the city of Tharsa and its influence has only been growing in recent years. Mercenaries on FFT payroll guard its warehouses and patrol sections of the Ice Water Docks.Mercenary Guilds
The longstanding martial traditions of the Demian people combined with the long period of peace their homeland has experienced has lead to the formation of several mercenary companies that sell their services to foreign powers in their constant wars. Some of these companies have existed for centuries and possess numbers and arms capable of toppling a small state on their own. Some of the notable guilds are the Red Axes, Black Blade Company, and Shatter-Shield Company, but there are dozens of smaller mercenary outfits within the district as well.Minor Mercant Guilds
There are a number of independent merchant guilds who have vowed to resist the rising influence of the FFT, but their progress has been hampered and their rival continues to grow stronger, though it has not managed to snuff out all competition just yet.Tradesman Guilds
Guilds representing the wide range of craftsmen found within the city wield varying levels on influence depending on the importance of their products. Some of the most influential of these guilds are the Armorer's Guild, the Brewer's Guild, and the Navigator's Guild.
History
Serene Era
While Tharsa certainly predates the arrival of the Domi to Demia, little is known about the city during the Serene Era as most elven records were destroyed during the Domi Invasion of Demia. It can be assumed, however, that the city was important to the elves of the Dominion due to its geographic position. Demian oral traditions speak of Svendrir Smoke-Sheild's famed siege of the city, where he supposedly burned down the forest lands to the city's west to blot out the sun over Tharsa and allow the Domi force to storm the docks under cover of darkness despite it being mid-day.Freehold's Revolt
Following the formation of the Crown Lands of Demia, Tharsa quickly gained importance within the confederation and became its de facto capital for many years. The city briefly lost this position with the election of Kadok White-tooth to the position of Ekärti in the year 270 LE. Resentment over losing their position as de facto capital, along with Kadok's desires to centralize the confederation and institute a hereditary monarchy in place of the Ekärti, led Sarjn (and Tharsa, by extention) to declare itself for the "Free Holds" in the Freehold's Revolution, which aimed to topple Kadok's reign. Tharsa itself was spared much of the fighting as the frontlines were far inland, but trade from the interior was stiffled due to royalist forces damning the Hyljyn and its finances were strained supporting the freeholder forces on the field. Following Kadok's death and the surender of his remaining loyalists, Vikra of Tharsa, Tojn of Sarjn, was elected as the new Ekärti of the crown lands.Architecture
Tharsa favors ebonwood lumber in it's buildings due to its strength, resistance to fire, and the fact that its dark color absorbs heat, warming the city slightly during the winter months.
Geography
Tharsa rests on a peninsula on the eastern coast of Demia facing the Black Ocean. The river Hyljin ends within the city itself, making it trivial to access and thus trade with the rest of the Crown Lands.
Natural Resources
Tharsa's only noteworthy natural resources are the vast stores of fish that live in it's port and surrounding waters and the pine forests to it's south. The rest of Tharsa's resources must be imported either from the interior by the Hyljin river, or from the coast or other nations by it's port, though due to its role as a trade hub this is not seen as an issue.
by Jordo_707
Alternative Name(s)
Tarsan, Dar'ah'sa
Type
Capital
Population
250,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Tharsan
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
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