Atlan-Khot
"Well, I gotta go. Thank you for helping, sorry for... ending up here? I guess?" She grabbed her leather bag from the mud, just as soaked as she was. "I'm just hoping those bullies aren't still here, I just wanna walk home in pea-" The Undead grabbed her shoulder, stopping her. She looked back nervously, wondering whether it was going to try and keep her for the authorities or whatever security the construction site had. It stared at her for a moment, before crossing its arm over its chest in something resembling an Khaganate Military salute, if a bit more stiff than usual. Senkhara beamed at the Undead, perking up at the realization of what it was offering. "Yeah, sure, you can come! Just as long as nobody misses you while you're gone." It stared back at her, which she took to be confirmation. The young girl took the Undead's hand, and pulled it along.Over the course of The Great War, many of the cities in both the United Khaganate and Freymoor were devastated by unprecedented levels of conflict. The path of war lead through both countries, leveling cities and razing villages in ways that the cultures of both continents are still grappling with. In some cases, this has left communities struggling to reclaim a history and culture while dealing with the fact that said history and culture will be irreparably scarred. In others, this has only strengthened the resolve of said communities. Growing from a small 6th era village, the city of Atlan-Khot became the unparalleled jewel of the Khaganate. Acting as both the center of trade and politics, its opportunity attracted people from all over the known world. Towering stone citadels held the finest minds locked in fierce discussions of cutting-edge science and arcana. The necromantic laborers that the city ran on moved with undead efficiency. In every sense, the city shone with orkish splendor. Like all things wonderful, Atlan-khot eventually attracted those who wished for its end. In the waning hours of the 8th era, the Asmon-Yi of the Khaganate was assassinated by an extremist using tech stolen from a Freymoorian armory. This act sent shock-waves through the city, and was single-handedly responsible for launching the known world into an era defining war. In the course of the war, the city was nearly leveled. This period, known to the people of the obsidian city as "The Ashing", marked the lowest point in the cities history. Citadels that stood tall above the horizon lay in heaps of bricks. Entire districts were flattened into homogeneous sheets of burnt rubble. The city was left as a shadow of its former self. With this destruction, however, came a will to rebuild. In the 9th era Atlan-Khot is in the process of rebuilding. Although it has not reached its former splendor, the people of the obsidian city have worked tooth and nail to rebuild a city many love. The palace has been mostly rebuilt, swaths of residential areas have been once more made live-able.
Government
The local government of Atlan-Khot is ruled by a council of Vadhzerre, or Viziers. These Viziers are tasked with handling various specific aspects of the cities governance, ranging from education to necromancy. These Viziers are chosen by a council of randomly selected electorates from fields related to the Viziers sphere of influence (e.g. a random selection of the cities top necromancers and necromantic scholars would select the Vizier of Necromancy). Although the number of Viziers can depend year by year, with the current council deciding on whether to appoint new Viziers or remove old Vizier positions based on current need, the average number of Viziers is between 15-20.
The Vizier system is rather new, concocted post-war by the Asmon of the Eastern Wind as a way to make the United Khaganate's quickest growing city run smoother and remove the need for him to micromanage the city. The system ran into several roadblocks at first, as the process for selecting electors was highly controversial. Many in the general public questioned whether or not the system would be used in the future to select corrupt viziers, a serious possibility considering the cities then state of rocky growth. A random selection system was thusly implemented, with the ability for Viziers and the election committee to challenge an elector's ability to fairly choose a Vizier. Although this has somewhat allowed for the process to be guided, principally this has allowed the process to remain fair.
The Viziers meet bi-monthly in the Vadzhītse, a purpose-built hall in the Ash Prefect. Although they may meet sooner based on current situations or emergency need, a bi-monthly schedule is generaly sufficient due to the independence of each Vizier's control over their subject of rule.
Districts
Atlan-Khot, being the immense city it is, has subdivided itself into several prefects. These prefects are arranged in a circle, with the Ash Prefect in the center. Each of these is ruled by its own Vizier, elected by a selected group of people from said prefect. The prefects are as follows:
Ash Prefect
Old brick and marble chunks fill the walls of this part of The Ashed City. These remnants of the city, from before it felt the terrifying fire and force of Republic mages, were placed into the walls of the new buildings whenever possible. They act as not only decent reinforcement and stylistic texture, but as a reminder of the strength of soul of the Orkhi people.The Ash Prefect is a beautiful district of anachronisms and modernism. Full of the last remaining buildings from the pre-war period, architects of the ashing rebuilt and reused ruins from all over the city to create one beautiful district of pockmarked brick and historical rejuvenation. This Prefect is home to all of the major governmental buildings and trading ports of the city, forming the primary economic backbone of the city. The Palace of the Eastern-Wind is one such landmark, stretching through a large part of the Ash Prefect. During the palace's rebuilding period, its walls were expanded to surround many historical districts. This process was thought of as a "veneration" of the cities history, with then Asmon of the Eastern Wind speaking on this as a "natural preservation of an honorable history". Acting as the capital of both the city and the United Khaganate as a whole, the Ash Prefect is one of the richest and most heavily guarded places in the Khaganate. Many Orkhi guilds call this district their home, with companies such as MagiTek owning massive compounds that rival even the Palace of the Eastern-Wind in size and complexity. The Vadzhītse is also located in the Ash Prefect, placed closer to the other prefects in the city. As the location of the major trading ports in the city, the GDG also calls this district their home. Through a intricate network of bribes and legitimate cover businesses the GDG operates unhindered in this port. The GDG is, as such, more of an open secret than a secret organization. The Ash Prefect operates as the primary intake of Shenk into the Khaganate, with the nobility of the Ash Prefect acting as a major customer of this smuggling operation.
History
Born from a 6th era from a small fishing village simply called "Daegwi" (Flowing Rock in Old Ork) in the open fields leading down from the nearby volcano Asmenwi, Atlan-Khot grew slowly through the era into a booming port city connected to much of the known world. As the city grew in size, it managed to capture the attention of a local Asmon by the name of Dasdan de Aewikh. de Aewikh, enraptured by the beauty of the volcanic field that the city sat in and its many river-like rock formations, made a declaration that he would henceforth call this city his dynasties home. To embolden this relationship with the city, he sunk the shaft of his dynasties ceremonial axe into the earth facing north, commanding his mages solidify the soil into a hard stone permanently. This symbol, known as Lodecutter, ceremonially tied the de Aewihk dynasty to this land and future Asmon took up the title of Asmon of Eastern Wind to reflect this.
Through eras of development, the city became the seat of power for the burgeoning United Khaganate. After electing the cities Asmon as the Asmon-Yi, Atlan-Khot was declared the capital. Trade, science, and magic all developed at lightning pace. The city was even the site of the invention of electricity, with MagiTek's founders being born and raised in the metropolis.
Founding Date
6E 2650
Alternative Name(s)
The Obsidian Capital, The Ashed City, Daegwi
Type
Capital
Population
2 Million
Inhabitant Demonym
Khotian
Location under
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