Tarbach
The Legal and Cultural Capital of the Emberleaf Republic
Tarbach at a Glance
With a population of 28.8 million, Tarbach is both the capital of the Emberleaf Republic and its most populous city. To many, the city itself could be considered a kind of cultural landmark in itself. However, the reality is that the people of Tarbach can often live starkly different lives, so much so that it can seem as if the city's rich live in an entirely different world than everyone else. The problem of wealth inequality has plagued the Emberleaf Republic for a very long time. Although the government has recently made both promises and partial efforts to resolve these issues, the effect after centuries of the government's apathy regarding the vanishing middle class and worsening conditions of the poor is a pronounced divide between living conditions and general safety in the city's districts. This problem, which is present throughout the nation is evident in its largest city. Tourists are advised not to travel outside of Tarbach's most opulent districts, and to take armed security with them if they do. In these rougher neighbourhoods, civil unrest and high rates of very public crime are not uncommon. Although it is both the nation's capital and its most populous city, it is not impossible for people who do not wish to be found to disappear within Tarbach. The nexus of the Emberleaf Republic's vast criminal underworld is quite literally beneath the city. Underground establishments, speakeasies, black markets, and other unsavoury locales are accessible to those in the know from even the glitziest of public attractions.Demographics
Tarbach is central to the economies of the entire region, which means that throughout history, people from all over have settled within. As a result, Tarbach may be considered the most diverse municipality in the world.
Government
The best way to describe the city government of Tarbach as being similar to that of New York City's, wherein there is a mayor, a city council, various municipal departments, two borough presidents, and a comptroller.
Tarbach is not located in any of the Emberleaf Republic's provinces, instead, the city (as the nation's capital) is part of a special designation known as the Tine Federal District, which until the 2070s did not share the same legal rights as the other provinces. In the current day, the Tine Federal District has representation in parliament relative to its population. Tarbach's government is notoriously in bed with big business, and has grossly mismanaged the wealth inequality crisis that plagues the city. It's unclear whether apathy or malice led the city's government to allow the public transportation system in poorer neighbourhoods to fall into disrepair, but the result was entire districts of the city losing their interconnectivity--which only worsened the divide.
Infrastructure
Public Transportation
Tarbach's public transportation system is comprised of mag-lev trains (both underground and elevated dependent on location, and buses. Tarbach's public transit is dependable, efficient, and clean--if you live in West Torrenberg or South Arvenstadt. In the city's poorer districts, the transit system fell into such disrepair that much of it was abandoned.Mag-Lev Trains
Mag-Lev (Short for "magnetic levitation") trains were once the most popular form of public transit in the city. The train system once connected both boroughs and every district between them. However, the last 60 years' worth of mismanagement and apathy towards conditions in the city's rougher neighbourhoods led to the decline of the Mag-Lev network. Now, these trains only connect the city's opulent districts. Those who live in Orsen Hills, Little Osterdam, or Old Tine that wish to travel to similar districts without having to drive through the more dangerous ones to get there often use the mag-lev lines to do so. In neighbourhoods without luxury grocery stores, the Mag-Lev underground tunnels and their stations were left abandoned by the city and are now reappropriated by the city's vibrant criminal underground for their own purposes. Using the mag-lev network where its functional costs $5.00 a ride.Buses
Tarbach's buses operate in short to medium range, connecting districts with their neighbours. These buses are powered by either electricity or hydrogen fuel cells. In districts that share a border with a wealthier one, the bus lines have been drawn to make it so that they do not interact. A ride on the bus costs $3.75.Roads and Bridges
roads and bridges facilitate automobile transportation throughout the city. The traffic can sometimes be incredibly congested, (since they weren't very skillfully adapted to suit changes in the city over centuries) especially around Federal Circle and Monument Park. The Adams Bridge connects the Financial District to Evelyn's Harbour. The Memorial Bridge connects Inverhauer-Farrely to Alva Cliffs. The Bridge connecting Enton Hills to Carter Village is known as the Lesner Bridge. The Leon Bridge, which connected Port Nygard to Alva Cliffs collapsed in 2462 and was never rebuilt. The Mulberry Bridge connects Orsen Hills and Varten Heights and is in such disrepair that most people are afraid to use it.Districts
Districts & Boroughs
Tarbach is divided into two boroughs. The portion of the city on the western side of the strait is called Arvenstadt, and the portion on the Eastern side is called Torrenburg. Both boroughs have a number of official and unofficial districts. Generally speaking, Southern Arvenstadt and Western Torrenburg are the wealthy parts of the city--places that are picturesque and (mostly) safe. The city's four islands are some of the most luxurious places in the nation, and by extent, the world. The majority of Tarbach's residents live at most a few miles away but will never see these places in their lives.Districts of Arvenstadt Borough
- Federal Circle, in the southern end of Arvenstadt (home to many federal government buildings)
- Torvald's Harbour, in southeast Arvenstadt (an extravagant neighbourhood and luxury marina, as well as The Runway, a massive skyscraper renowned in the fashion world)
- Monument Park Village, the district including and surrounding Monument Park, which was once a place where everyone in the city could gather, but is now occupied by the wealthy who own property in the district. /li]
- Tyr's Row, on the western end of Arvenstadt, just north of Federal Circle. To the city's upper-class and to most tourists, Tyr's row is a small district with lots of restaurants, shops, and markets. To the knowledgeable local, however, the district's real attraction is underneath the fancy storefronts and clean streets, where a literal underground black market exists.
- Port Morgan, a commercial harbour district north of Torvald's Harbour. Unlike its southern neighbour, Port Morgan is one of the city's seedier locales--one which is constantly fought over by conflicting crime syndicates.
- Financial District, contains the headquarters of some of the continent's largest corporations and home to their respective bigwigs.
- Breiðklettar, a district historically home to immigrants from Vandia & Vidmor. Breiðklettar is another one of the city's worse-off neighbourhoods--one which has long been plagued by conflict between the people and a police force that continually feeds into an ever-worsening cycle of violence.
- Abernathy Heights, once an industrial district, now known culturally as "New Rashavar"--home to many Nantajian immigrants. People typically leave Nantajia to escape its rigid class-system, wherein the nobility maintains massive wealth while everyone else must serve their needs to survive. Unfortunately, even though Tarbach has no royalty, life here is not that different.
- Orsen Hills, in the north of Arvenstadt. Andervane University is located here. Its presence has over time led to the gentrification of the surrounding area, pricing the inhabitants of Little Osterdam and Old Tine out of their neighbourhoods. Those three are the only districts in northern Arvenstadt that are connected to the opulent districts by train.
- Walden Heights, an industrial district home to factories, assembly lines, and processing plants. While it's easier to find work in Walden Heights than in a lot of places, the conditions are unsafe and it doesn't pay much. Most of the district is patrolled not by police, but by private security firms contracted by corporations to protect their factories and facilities.
- Old Tine, newly redeveloped land built on the ruins of Tine, the city's name before it was reincorporated in 1966. This district is part of the trifecta of neighbourhoods gentrified by the presence of Andervane University (along with Orsen Hills and Little Osterdam), and is connected to the city's working rail infrastructure
- Etta Point, a hilly district known for its trendy cocktail bars and sought-after property. Its proximity to The Archives district and to Monument Park make it an ideal place to live./li]
- The Archives, a district with many famous museums
- Annesford, west of Monument Park Village, another trendy place for rich assholes to have fun.
- Courtland Parks is a neighbourhood north of Port Morgan and Annesford. On the border between the wealthy half of Arvenstadt, Courtland Parks has long been a place where civil unrest and political action have been waged. As such, its reputation for being heavily policed is not exaggerated.
- Port Lorenz, once a prominent shipyard, now another trendy neighbourhood
- Arno Yards, like Leavenworth have been gentrified in recent years./li]
- Leavenworth, south of Abernathy Heights, Heavily gentrified.
- Rainey Point, a working-class community within eyeshot of the glitzy Deitrich Island. Many of this districts jobs relate to the maintenance or service of the island, whose luxuries are right there but never attainable
- Maarten Hills, a neighbourhood with a long history of contributions to the art canon of the Emberleaf Republic--though very few people manage to perform or write their way into a better life these days.
- Varten Heights, a working-class neighbourhood north of Maarten Hills
- Sendosta Village, part of the old industrial district, many of its factories are owned by the titans of the military industrial complex, and make weapons.
- Deitrich Island, West of Rainey Point--fancy as fuck
- Little Osterdam, once a neighbourhood built by Herdenese refugees fleeing the Ofidolian War (the conflict between Herden and Tuserdia which led to the creation of the Northern Continental Alliance). In recent years, expansion of the Andervane University Campus which led to the gentrification of the surrounding area has made Little Osterdam another place that traded its long-standing residents for new money.
Districts of Torrenburg Borough
- Evelyn's Harbour, On the western end of Torrenburg. Evelyn's Harbour is another one of those fancy waterfront neighbourhoods where yachts travel from its marina to the Casino on Otto Island.
- Little Nalashe, a community made mostly of Egbonenyan immigrants
- Upper Temple Hills, a working-class community in eastern Torrenburg
- Lower Temple Hills, a working-class community south of Upper Temple Hills, home to Ornfathan immigrants and refugees from the Albesian Civil War
- Barrivolo Point, a historic neighbourhood built by Tuserdian immigrants and gentrified by the Virtel Heights Studio Boom. Its more obnoxious residents call it BarPo. Access to Samantha Island helps drive up the property values.
- DeHaan Square, containing the National Maritime Museum, its proximity to both Barrivolo Point and Evelyn's Harbour make it a premier destination.
- West Hanif Gardens, an upper-class neighbourhood bordering DeHaan Square. Known for its theatre scene.
- East Hanif Gardens is in the process of being actively gentrified, which is no fun for anyone.
- Otto Island, contains the Azulene Star Casino, which was built from a decommissioned lighthouse
- Bartholomew Island, a high-end residential neighbourhood north of Hanif Gardens.
- Inadrev Harbour, a community of Kutoplyan immigrants and home to a historic and important shipyard.
- Port Nygard, a port north of Inadrev Harbour. Many of the workers here deal with deliveries from fishing vessels and towns along the coast, which must be prepped for export or proccessing.
- New Djema, another community of Egbonenyan immigrants, many of its residents find work in Port Nygard or Inadrev Harbour.
- Carter Village, south of New Djema, this neighbourhood is often the site of vicious conflicts between organised crime.
- Parker Estates, north of Temple Hills--its name makes it sound nicer than it is.
- Samantha Island, a smaller community west of Barrivolo Point. Samantha Island is known as a place where the ultra-wealthy go to escape the noise of the city. Lots of old money here.
- West Hansen is home to some of the better-off members of the television industry who aren't quite wealthy enough for Siggismund Plaza or elsewhere in West Torrenberg. It's basically one of the few "middle class" places left.
- East Hansen is West Hansen's starving artist of a brother.
- Siggismund Plaza, south of West Hansen (upper-class)
- Virtel Heights, home to a few television studios that film in the city
- Schmidt's point, a community revitalised by the growth of Tarbach's broadcast industry--many people who work on sets live here
- Enton Hills, another working-class community west of Parker Estates.
- Inverhauer-Farrely, less urbanised than the rest of the city (at its eastern edge), home to some prominent medical research laboratories. It is connected to the transport system that unites the fancy parts of the city
- Alva Cliffs, north of Inverhauer-Farrely, many of the labcoats who work in Inverhauer Farrely live in this neighbourhood, which is also connected by transit to the nicer parts of the city. The bridge that connected it to Port Nygard collapsed about six years ago and was never rebuilt.
History
In the days of the Eldureian Kingdom, Tarbach was known as Tine. For its entire history, the city has been the most active port in the North. Tine was often referred to as the unofficial capital of Eldureia, as the de jure capital frequently was reassigned depending on which royal house was in power. In 1966, Tine and several neighbouring cities and towns chose to incorporate together and became Tarbach. After the succession war ended, Tarbach was chosen to become the Republic's capital.
Points of interest
For shady types and discerning adventurers, the Underground of the city is worth a visit. While it's not a unified, contiguous location, various locales are frequented by those in the know.
- The Peregrine Exchanges are located beneath The Runway in Torvald's Harbour.
- The Shaded Bazaar beneath Tyr's Row is also a popular black market.
- Fantagrasa's Tavern is an old-style bar/tavern with secret mercenary lodging. It's located in West Hansen.
- Deepstar Cavern is a popular establishment for those looking for less-than-legal work and a good drink. It's located beneath Alva Cliffs.
- Unknown to many, The Spotless Passenger, a pub just outside the Andervane University Campus has a secret speakeasy beneath it frequented by Tarbach's society of mages.
Tourism
Tourism is a major part of Tarbach's economy. It's estimated that around 80 million tourists from across Boesia visit Tarbach every year. These are the spots that they frequent:
- Since it opened to the public seventeen years ago, the timeline of Emberite architecture present at the federal circle has been a popular attraction for tourists.
- In Torvald's Harbour (Southeast Arvenstadt), Marina 19 and the Runway (The Runway) are popular at different times of the year. The Marina is frequented by wealthy tourists and residents alike during the summer, and Runway is a popular destination during Fashion Week, which occurs in early autumn.)
- Just south of Monument Park (Central Arvenstadt) is Ovard Circle, which borders the park and several important thoroughfares. It is named for the fountain in the centre, known as the Magnus Ovard Monument. (Dedicated to Magnus Ovard, who was both a mayor of Tarbach and later in his life, the 7th President of the Emberleaf Republic).
- Many of the iconic restaurants of Tyr's Row are popular with tourists and affluent residents.
- The Archives (Western Arvenstadt) is home to several renowned museums. Notable favourites include the National Museum of Boesian History, the Tarbach Transit Museum, the Galleries of the Republic, and The National Museum of the Arcane.
- The Financial District (Southern Arvenstadt) has little in the way of tourists attractions unless you're into corporate headquarters or are interested in the Tarbach Stock Exchange. There are, however, a couple of museums in the Financial District as well. the Ironwood Armaments Historical Workshop is a museum dedicated to the history of the renowned armourers, as well as (naturally) the military history of the Emberleaf Republic and its predecessor kingdom.
- On Otto Island, the Azulene Star Casino is accessible exclusively by boat.
- DeHaan Square (Northwest Torrenberg) contains the National Maritime Museum.
- Several prominent theatres are located in West Hanif Gardens (Northwest Torrenberg).
- Virtel Heights (Southwest Torrenberg) is home to several notable studio lots.
- Between Port Nygard and Alva Cliffs (Northeast Torrenberg) lies the wreckage of the Leon Bridge, which collapsed in 2462 and has not been repaired.
- In Evelyn's Harbour (West Torrenberg), the ENS Oliver C. Muhlbach (a 24th-Century dreadnought) has been ceremonially docked for over a century.
Geography
Tarbach is split into two boroughs, which are divided by the Wedlenberg Strait. This strait serves as the only point of entry from the Careic Ocean into the Ornfathan Sea, and as a result, the city has been the most important collection of ports and harbours in the North.
Founding Date
1966
Alternative Name(s)
Tine (Antiquated)
Type
Capital
Population
28.8 Million
Inhabitant Demonym
Tarbachians or Tarbachers
Location under
Included Locations
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
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