The Imperial City of Oxengrad is home to the largest and greatest centre of learning within the
Velgan Empire, Oxengrad University which is also regarded as one of Runetalras’ best academic institutions. Oxengrad is ostensibly a university town, albeit a large one, as much of the City trade is in some way tied to the University. Oxengrad University and its press have been, repeatedly, at the heart of controversy and conflict with the
Velgan Empire and threatened closure, censure, and military force.
Geography
The Imperial City of Oxengrad is little more than the City of Oxengrad itself and the surrounding lands which sustain it. The City sits at the mouth of the Oxen River from which the City takes its name, and is on the south shore of Armada Bay. Oxengrad is bordered by
Donieper in the west, the Povitz (Province) of Caedvin in the east, and the Strigori Mountains in the south.
Level of Autonomy
The Imperial City of Oxengrad is a Povitz (Province) of the
Velgan Empire, and is directly ruled by a noble representative of the Tsar known as an Imperial Boyar. The Boyar is responsible to the Tsar and has broad authority to rule as they please so long as they keep the peace. The
Velgan Empire’s tax collectors have a stranglehold over trade and common tax in the Povitz. The Povitz is subject to a process known as Velganisation of culture and language where practices and language are sought to be destroyed and replaced by Velgan ones; as such all official pledges, documents, and duties are carried out in the Velgan language.
Race Relations
The
Velgan Empire has remarkably and notoriously bad relations between races. The Elder Races have a long history of being opposed, abused, and conquered, a feature that is firmly still the case. Discrimination against nonhumans is entrenched in the legal system of the
Velgan Empire, as they are official second class citizens, who are restricted in terms of employment, ownership, and even where they are permitted to live. Additionally, nonhumans have fewer and worse legal recourses when a crime is committed against them by a
Human. The majority nonhuman provinces also face much greater taxes and restrictions against them.
Views on Arcane Magic
The
Velgan Empire believes that magic is an unpredictable risk, but its use is more than justified in service to the Tsar. The
Velgan Empire is a signature to the
Toc’vastil Accords, but only tacitly conforms to it, allowing various leniencies; providing
Bastille Mages prove their loyalty to the Tsar and Empire they are given more freedom that mages in virtually any other
Human kingdom save for
Aarelan, they are permitted to leave the
Arcane Bastille for pre approved amounts of time, and some are even freed from the confines of the
Arcane Bastille system itself. Mages who are not loyal can be subject to the same abuses seen in other kingdoms.
History
Oxengrad was founded at the dawn of the Age of Conquest by Kasari peoples who crossed the Bloody Strait, at the time it was known as Oxenfurt. For over fifty years Oxenfurt grew and its great University was created. Oxenfurt was conquered, and after a pogrom against the kasari and nonhuman peoples, was subjugated, brought under the control of the
Velgan Empire, and renamed Oxengrad to demonstrate the victory of the Velgan peoples.
Its University and its press have been, repeatedly, at the heart of controversy and conflict with the
Velgan Empire and threatened closure, censure, and military force. This has largely been due to the rejection and critique of Velganisation, controversial texts on race going so far as to argue all races are equal, and rejection of the
Radiant Lady.
Religion
The official state religion of the
Velgan Empire is the
Ebon Flame , a sect of worship to the
Radiant Lady , it is the popular religion within the Empire, and the only one that can be legally worshipped. The dogma of the
Ebon Flame is based upon a hatred of the nonhumans, as well as the belief that the
Radiant Lady is the only true faith. The
Ebon Flame believe that those who are born with magic or learn its arts are cursed, but can be redeemed through devout faith and service to the country.
The
Radiant Lady has been rejected by the majority of those within Oxengrad, especially those within Oxengrad University, however, to avoid legal repercussions many still pay marginal lip service.
Despite the illegality, there are other deities and faiths worshipped within the
Velgan Empire, some of these are the
Seldarine is the most popular pantheon among forest gnomes and elves, and the
Morndinsamman among dwarves and rock gnomes. Likewise the
Draconic Pantheon are favoured among the draconic races.
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