Vulfheort Alpha Canis - The Silver City of Lunaris
Ancient Origins
Lunaris at its greatest
Elevation to Greatest
Fall into Disrepair
The current territory of the Lupine Democratic Monarchy
Summary
Table of Contents
Lunaris began its life as a small communal village of early-day Lupine, far before a monarchy was established or the Lupine had taken to the stars. The village was merely a plot of land where the soil was nutrient-rich, a long and lazy river, and surrounding mountains that shielded the Lupine kin from the harsh winds that blew across the plains beyond. These long-ago Lupine people put down roots for the first time, abandoning a nomadic life in order to settle their weary bones to rear their pack in more comfort. And the spot in which the city of Lunaris would spring, seemed the perfect location to do so.
As the years went by, other packs roamed into the valley and settled nearby, forming their own small villages and plots in which to farm and raise their families. Soon, these packs would converse and organize into a larger settlement, deciding there was strength in numbers and that a larger pack could help them construct larger, safer structures and get more done in less time. This proved to be true, and merely a hundred or so years into the settlement of this valley buildings of stone and cleared paths of dirt formed a quant little town of several hundred Lupine. But the years of the great Silver City of Lunaris were still many generations away, but this small unnamed town would be the timbers upon which it would be built.
Hundreds of years would pass before any significant change would come to this small town. Until a discovery within the mountains that protected them from the harsh winds beyond changed the trajectory of the quiet settlement. Within these mountains various ores were discovered, iron, copper, gold, and most importantly silver in which the mountains were teeming. The discovery and eventual mining of these ores would jettison the town into a technological and economic revolution. Smelting was already an established trade, having learned to use traded ore from beyond the mountains decades before, but now the tradesmen of the town had a seemingly unlimited supply to experiment with. And with the help of a burgeoning crowd of men and women that would be later called the parents of science and engineering developed new and wonderous constructs. New sturdier buildings and machines which would help with manufacturing and transportation. All of the wonders of modern-day life, suddenly come to fruition within the next one hundred or so years.
From this, the true Silver City of Lunaris emerged. As the city grew and grew, it required a guiding hand in order to keep it and its citizens from collapsing upon itself. From these needs, the first monarch of the Lupine would spring forth. A matriarch chosen from amongst the people to sit upon a throne made of silver and stone, chosen to represent them and guide them in earnest for the rest of time. With their next of kin taking over when they fell to age and time. This would be the first time the city would be called by the name Lunaris. Thought to be named after its first queen.
And for the next several thousand years the city would grow and prosper, becoming the seat of power and rule for all of Vulfheort over time. Lunaris became a symbol of the Lupine's success and prosperity. It would be the city in which the first spaceports would be built, the first space-bound trade and exploration ships launched, and the origin point of Lupine expansion to the stars. But it would not stay this way forever.
Current-day Lunaris is not what it once was. The city and the surrounding area have seen a slew of unfortunate events over the past two hundred and fifty years, throwing the citizens and their homes into turmoil. First, the silver mines finally ran dry, draining the city of its most culturally significant trade. Silver from these mountains is so rare and coveted now that any item that was made with it is considered significant and will be frequently stored away as a heritage piece worthy of preservation.
Secondly, nearly a hundred and fifty years ago another serious event struck the city. The event was a massive earthquake that not only caused significant damage across the city itself, including an almost complete collapse of the monarchies Grand Matriarch's Castle, the home of the Lupine monarchy and democratic council, but it also lead to a major collapse of part of the mountain range surrounding the city. This collapse would cause much more dire consequences than the destruction ravaged across town. It could create a gap in which the biting cold wind of the ice plains beyond blows through into the valley. This wind would become even harsher as it whipped through the gap in between the mountains, jettisoned forward by a wind tunnelling effect. The valley now had to endure an endless blast of chill wind, and over the next decade, the average temperature of the valley plummeted. The ground would begin to frost and freeze, and the soil's ability to grow anything fresh and green would be hampered only able to grow the hardiest tuber and root vegetable.
This destruction of the region's ability to farm would decimate the population and the health of the city. Causing famine and eventually plague to spread for decades, and while life has continued it struggles to this day. With a sudden lack of material to build with, and a loss of food the city and its citizens have fallen into disrepair. Much of the city's once beautiful buildings have been stripped of materials, in order to create more stable housing elsewhere. Much of the city now resembles ramshackle structures barely holding together in the biting wind.
But regardless of these circumstances, the queen and her council still rule from Lunaris. Acknowledging that the spiritual and cultural importance of the city is far too important to abandon for more comfortable climates. They always believe that they must share in their pack's sufferings to show them that they are not alone in this fight. This has gone a long way to keep the Lupine people together as one, and very little in fighting occurs despite the pressing issues. The Lupine are a proud people, that rarely abandon each other and their pack. And they continue to fight and live within Lunaris in the hopes that it can be great once again.
The Silver City of Lunaris is an ancient settlement on the planet of Vulfheort Alpha Canis, the homeworld of the Lupine people and the seat of power for the Lupine Democratic Monarchy.
Lunaris was first settled thousands of years ago, well before the Lupine expanded into space, starting as a simple farming community. Before expanding into one of the architectural and cultural greats of the Lupine people. Thanks in part to its formerly rich silver mines, its fertile soil, and enduring history that has spanned countless generations of monarchs and other important Lupine of historical value.
However, after thousands of years of profit, funded by their silver mines, the mines ran dry and the city has fallen into disrepair. And after an ongoing process that has lasted nearly five hundred years, the city now sits as a shell of its former self. Built on the ruins of great architecture are the ramshackle buildings of those just trying to survive. Even the monarchy's once brilliant spires have fallen into disrepair. And citizens and royalty alike struggle together to try and cling to the noble and spiritual remnants of once beautiful city.
The Lupine are a proud race of canine-like people, they generally stand five to six feet tall and weigh up to two hundred fifty pounds at their heaviest. They are covered in thick white, or grey fur and have piercing yellow, blue, or orange eyes.
They have expanded from their origin planet to now hold responsibility for a large region of territory in space. Their Territorial Goverance is called the Lupine Democratic Monarchy, and their queen rules in conjecture with a democratically elected council.
They have positive relationships with most of the other territories but have a bitter rivalry against the Imperial Council of Planets of whom they have fought for generations. They have recently come to blows with the Ka'yar Colonial Governance as well due to the ongoing civil war with the Representative Democracy of Liberation.
Lunaris was once a grand city, at its zenith it was a city constructed of hundreds of stacked homes and businesses built and adorned with silver, iron, and cut stone sourced from the mountains surrounding the valley. With the Grand Matriarchal Castle standing tall as an icon of Lupine pride and strength. The castle at the time was a sprawling arrangement of silver towers and domes, a beautiful arrangement that was visited by thousands of Lupine each day.
Present-day Lunaris is in a much more dire state. Much of the stacked buildings remain, but they sit in a crumbling state. Having been stripped of all valuable material and merely being held together by sheets of steel and gravel concrete. The castle is in a similar state, having been almost completely destroyed during the earthquake that ravaged the city over a hundred years ago. The castle now is merely a collection of low buildings and a single dome leftover from the previous structure. Nobody visits it for its beauty anymore.
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