Krakonia City - 176.139
Krakonia City, the capital of The Kingdom of Krakonia , and located within the Southwest Northeast Quadrant (The Adventurer’s Domain) of Requerm (Hex Coordinate 176.139), is the main hub of the campaign, where player characters must return to turn in behests and level up. It is a bustling, diverse city, by far the most prosperous settlement known to citizens of the kingdom.
One cannot talk about the history or culture of the kingdom without mentioning Krakonia City. One cannot talk about The Unification Wars without mentioning Krakonia City. One cannot talk about the legendary Harbingers of the Rising Dawn without mentioning Krakonia City. One can't so much as look at a map without mentioning Krakonia City. Needless to say, the city is quite influential, with a rich history predating the founding of the kingdom and access to every aspect of modern life in Requerm. It is, without a doubt, the crowning jewel of the kingdom, the place most people wish to live in, and the beacon for safety and prosperity for all of Requerm.
Krakonia City had a humble beginning, starting out as nothing more than a tavern known as The Hook . The tavern was based on an old tavern found in the ruins of The First Civilization , and was revived by the Harbingers of the Rising Dawn in an attempt to find like-minded adventurers willing to search into the mysteries behind The Dawn . Eventually, enough refugees from the surrounding conflicts found their way to The Hook's doorstep that the Harbingers decided to build a settlement around The Hook, constructing a castle around the tavern that they named Silver Gull Castle. The castle served well enough for a time, but eventually enough people settled down nearby that there was precedent for the founding of an entire city. This was the beginning of Krakonia City, founded on Mya's 14th Oath, 10AtD, as a simple settlement meant to protect victims of The Effects of the Dawn as well as act as a beacon for adventurers and researchers looking into The Effects of the Dawn. The new citizens just about unanimously elected Daerius Quintus as their mayor, trusting the Harbingers to keep helping them survive in the dangerous land of Requerm. This election would later become the precedent for how new settlements in the Kingdom of Krakonia determine their leaders, despite the kingdom itself being a monarchy.
As Krakonia City grew, its needs grew with it, and soon the city was thriving as a safe haven for all, with the Harbingers alone being strong enough to protect the settlement from the biggest threats to its existence. Eventually, the Harbingers concluded that their original, main goal to discover the secrets of The Dawn could not continue until the many conflicts surrounding their land were resolved. With heavy hearts, they formed a formidable military force, disbanded the Harbinger name, and set out to unite the land around them. Daerius Quintus announced the start of The Unification Wars on Stugua's 19th Oath, 23 AtD, declaring war not on any single enemy, but rather the various conflicts plaguing the lands themselves. During this time, Krakonia City was the center of these conflicts. As their military might and alliances grew in strength, so too did the attention of enemies looking to expand or protect themselves from potential danger, putting a major target on Krakonia City's walls. The city managed to stay safe due to a mixture of military might and conniving strategies, but that did little to sway the unease its citizens felt, particularly as the war dragged on for literal decades.
Eventually, the Krakonian Military declared victory over the Unification Wars, founding the Kingdom of Krakonia in the process. Mayor Daerius Quintus became the king of the entire kingdom, naming Krakonia City its capital. Due to all the most relevant players of the Unification Wars gaining positions of power on the federal level, there was a vacant space for mayor of the city itself, so Quintus held an election for his old position, giving the citizenry the chance to voice their opinions on who would be the best successor and why. Eventually, after he, along with Ashley Windsong of the The Diplomats Guild of Krakonia(DGK) reviewed the citizens' opinions, he eventually gave the position to Mayor Norin Bladewing , a strong pyrgona merchant with experience handling the domestic economy as well as fending off invaders during the Unification Wars. This decision was the product of the kingdom's first use of the new "Positional Election System" that determines the mayor of any settlement within the kingdom.
During the first year of the budding new kingdom, Mayor Bladewing worked closely with the king and his associates to determine the best locations to build the many new buildings the kingdom needed to construct for the new Guild System , Clan System , and Military System to work, which proved to be a logistical nightmare to any city planner cursed to be responsible for the layout. Eventually land was set aside, citizens reinbursed and relocated, and buildings constructed, all to make way for the kingdom's many new plans to achieve the longterm goals for the nation.
Krakonia City is now divided into many different districts, with the castle district near the middle of the western coast, with the important military, commercial, and government districts spreading eastward towards the center of the city. Residential districts tend to be along the walls of the city, with the occasional small commercial district between them for the citizens to get their everyday goods and services without dealing with the traffic of the main commercial districts. Due to how the city has expanded, there are three different major layers of walls through the city, with each layer representing a different period of growth for the city historically. These walls are all heavily guarded by the Kraken's Reach, ensuring the safety of the citizens and politicians alike. The walls determine which of the five "major" districts any particular building is located in, which each of these major districts being divided further depending on the city's needs. The five districts, named after the four expansionist lords of The First Civilization's Pantheon , are as follows:
The Core District: The Core District refers to the interior of the city's original walls before Silver Gull Castle was known as Krakonia Castle and Krakonia City was ever even a city. This is now the location of The Heart of the Kraken (Krakonia Castle) , the The Adventurers Guild of Krakonia(AGK) (AKA The Hook), The Diplomats Guild of Krakonia(DGK) , The Krakonia National Postal Service HQ(KNPS) , The Krakonia National Treasury(KNT) , Krakonia National Institution of Intelligence(KNII) , Krakonia International Institution of Intelligence(KIII) , The Head of the Kraken , and The Brain of the Kraken . Most of the people who live in the residential districts here are diplomats, ambassadors, and politicians, or otherwise work for the major organizations that are placed here. The Core District is named as such due to it housing many of the most important, core values of kingdom, where the kingdom keeps the heart of its government pumping its ideals into the rest of the city, and by extention, the entire country.
The Sky District: The Sky District refers to the walls built around Krakonia City after it was first founded, creating the first layer of the city outside of the original Core District. This is now the location of The Mages Guild of Krakonia(MGK) (AKA Evergreen Tower), The Krakonia National Library(KNL) , The Warriors Guild of Krakonia(WGK) , Spintail Colosseum , The Physicians Guild of Krakonia(PGK) , Krakonia National Hospital(KNH) , Krakonia National Institution of Health(KNIH) , The Theologists Guild of Krakonia(TGK) , The Krakonia National Omnichurch(KNOC) , The Scientists Guild of Krakonia(SCGK) , and The Krakonia National Research Facility(KNRF) . Most of the people who live in the residential districts here are researchers, scholars, or otherwise work for the major organizations that are placed here. The Sky District is named as such due to many of its facilities/districts being aimed towards the sky in terms of achievement, whether that be the prosperity of the kingdom, the city, or the individual.
The Land District: The Land District refers to the final, largest layer of walls built around Krakonia City during the Unification Wars. This is also now the location of The Merchants Guild of Krakonia(MEGK), The Grand Bazaar , The Artists Guild of Krakonia(ARGK) , The Krakonia National Theater(KNTR) , The Krakonia National Gallery(KNG) , and The Lucky Hound(Casino) . A majority of the residential districts in the city are found here, consisting of the many citizens that do not have specialized work in the other major districts. The land district is named as such due to the land being the base on which all else is built upon: the people and the economy.
The Sea District: The Sea District is a special district behind the Core District that hugs the western coast of the city, with walls built specifically to protect the port without interfering too drastically with trade vessels. Many fishermen and traders work in this district. This is also now the location of The Eyes of the Kraken , as well as Marlin Medleys . The sea district is named as such for obvious reasons, as this is where the city's ports meet the sea itself.
The Expanse District: The Expanse District is the land considered a part of Krakonia City despite not being within the walls of the city proper, and is considered to essentially be the outskirts of the city. It is technically the largest of the major districts, but also the least populated. Mostly farmers and other occupations that require lots of land make their home here. This is also now the location of The Scouts Guild of Krakonia(SGK) , The Hunters Guild of Krakonia(HGK) , Krakonia National Zoo , and The School of Discipline .
The Kraken's Reach's...Reach: The Kraken's Reach has a few different types of buildings that can be found in every major district of the city. The first is The Arms of the Kraken , which is the name assigned to any army-related building, including the walls that make up the borders of each major district. This also includes any recruitment and/or training facility, which can be found all over the city. Each major district also has an official barracks to keep the city safe from harm, despite the day-to-day protection of the citizens generally being the Enforcement Branch's job. Speaking of which, the other notable buildings here are the The Radula and Teeth of the Kraken , which are the many police stations and jails throughout the city, placed so that there can be a quick response time to any immediate troubles anywhere in the city.
The Krakonia City Public Teleportation System (KCPTS): Krakonia City is a big place, a place so big, in fact, that it takes up a majority of the entire hex that it can be found in. Including the outskirts, the city is estimated to be about 300 square miles (For context, that's roughly the size of NYC in the Earth plane of existence). Because of this, and the fact that cars haven't been invented yet, Krakonia City has spent the resources necessary to create a significant amount of special teleportation circles throughout the city, roughly one for each minor district (with some getting additional circles depending on size/population). Each circle is monitored by specialists known as architect mages that use magic to communicate with each other, allowing safe, instantaneous travel for those who do not want to make an 8 hour trek just to see some friends on the other side of town. It usually costs some amount of sp depending on distance, but licensed adventurers get to use these services for free as part of their guild membership. Depending on how far the circles are, some citizens elect to walk instead (or use other mundane modes of transport, i.e. horses) simply because the lines for using these circles tends to be pretty long. More recently, the KCPTS has expanded to have a specific location in the Grand Bazaar, the largest commercial district, dedicated to teleportation circles outside of the city. This is considered a luxury service that does not get covered by guild membership, so adventurers do have to actually pay out of pocket to teleport to other locations on the map. The further the destination, the pricier the teleportation trip. The hefty gp cost for these trips generally prevents regular civilians from using these services except in emergencies, since traveling by foot is much cheaper. Not too many of these circles exist as of the beginning of the campaign, but as one may have learned from the prologue session, the MGK is looking for adventurers to help them expand the kingdom's teleportation network.
One cannot talk about the history or culture of the kingdom without mentioning Krakonia City. One cannot talk about The Unification Wars without mentioning Krakonia City. One cannot talk about the legendary Harbingers of the Rising Dawn without mentioning Krakonia City. One can't so much as look at a map without mentioning Krakonia City. Needless to say, the city is quite influential, with a rich history predating the founding of the kingdom and access to every aspect of modern life in Requerm. It is, without a doubt, the crowning jewel of the kingdom, the place most people wish to live in, and the beacon for safety and prosperity for all of Requerm.
Krakonia City had a humble beginning, starting out as nothing more than a tavern known as The Hook . The tavern was based on an old tavern found in the ruins of The First Civilization , and was revived by the Harbingers of the Rising Dawn in an attempt to find like-minded adventurers willing to search into the mysteries behind The Dawn . Eventually, enough refugees from the surrounding conflicts found their way to The Hook's doorstep that the Harbingers decided to build a settlement around The Hook, constructing a castle around the tavern that they named Silver Gull Castle. The castle served well enough for a time, but eventually enough people settled down nearby that there was precedent for the founding of an entire city. This was the beginning of Krakonia City, founded on Mya's 14th Oath, 10AtD, as a simple settlement meant to protect victims of The Effects of the Dawn as well as act as a beacon for adventurers and researchers looking into The Effects of the Dawn. The new citizens just about unanimously elected Daerius Quintus as their mayor, trusting the Harbingers to keep helping them survive in the dangerous land of Requerm. This election would later become the precedent for how new settlements in the Kingdom of Krakonia determine their leaders, despite the kingdom itself being a monarchy.
As Krakonia City grew, its needs grew with it, and soon the city was thriving as a safe haven for all, with the Harbingers alone being strong enough to protect the settlement from the biggest threats to its existence. Eventually, the Harbingers concluded that their original, main goal to discover the secrets of The Dawn could not continue until the many conflicts surrounding their land were resolved. With heavy hearts, they formed a formidable military force, disbanded the Harbinger name, and set out to unite the land around them. Daerius Quintus announced the start of The Unification Wars on Stugua's 19th Oath, 23 AtD, declaring war not on any single enemy, but rather the various conflicts plaguing the lands themselves. During this time, Krakonia City was the center of these conflicts. As their military might and alliances grew in strength, so too did the attention of enemies looking to expand or protect themselves from potential danger, putting a major target on Krakonia City's walls. The city managed to stay safe due to a mixture of military might and conniving strategies, but that did little to sway the unease its citizens felt, particularly as the war dragged on for literal decades.
Eventually, the Krakonian Military declared victory over the Unification Wars, founding the Kingdom of Krakonia in the process. Mayor Daerius Quintus became the king of the entire kingdom, naming Krakonia City its capital. Due to all the most relevant players of the Unification Wars gaining positions of power on the federal level, there was a vacant space for mayor of the city itself, so Quintus held an election for his old position, giving the citizenry the chance to voice their opinions on who would be the best successor and why. Eventually, after he, along with Ashley Windsong of the The Diplomats Guild of Krakonia(DGK) reviewed the citizens' opinions, he eventually gave the position to Mayor Norin Bladewing , a strong pyrgona merchant with experience handling the domestic economy as well as fending off invaders during the Unification Wars. This decision was the product of the kingdom's first use of the new "Positional Election System" that determines the mayor of any settlement within the kingdom.
During the first year of the budding new kingdom, Mayor Bladewing worked closely with the king and his associates to determine the best locations to build the many new buildings the kingdom needed to construct for the new Guild System , Clan System , and Military System to work, which proved to be a logistical nightmare to any city planner cursed to be responsible for the layout. Eventually land was set aside, citizens reinbursed and relocated, and buildings constructed, all to make way for the kingdom's many new plans to achieve the longterm goals for the nation.
Krakonia City is now divided into many different districts, with the castle district near the middle of the western coast, with the important military, commercial, and government districts spreading eastward towards the center of the city. Residential districts tend to be along the walls of the city, with the occasional small commercial district between them for the citizens to get their everyday goods and services without dealing with the traffic of the main commercial districts. Due to how the city has expanded, there are three different major layers of walls through the city, with each layer representing a different period of growth for the city historically. These walls are all heavily guarded by the Kraken's Reach, ensuring the safety of the citizens and politicians alike. The walls determine which of the five "major" districts any particular building is located in, which each of these major districts being divided further depending on the city's needs. The five districts, named after the four expansionist lords of The First Civilization's Pantheon , are as follows:
The Core District: The Core District refers to the interior of the city's original walls before Silver Gull Castle was known as Krakonia Castle and Krakonia City was ever even a city. This is now the location of The Heart of the Kraken (Krakonia Castle) , the The Adventurers Guild of Krakonia(AGK) (AKA The Hook), The Diplomats Guild of Krakonia(DGK) , The Krakonia National Postal Service HQ(KNPS) , The Krakonia National Treasury(KNT) , Krakonia National Institution of Intelligence(KNII) , Krakonia International Institution of Intelligence(KIII) , The Head of the Kraken , and The Brain of the Kraken . Most of the people who live in the residential districts here are diplomats, ambassadors, and politicians, or otherwise work for the major organizations that are placed here. The Core District is named as such due to it housing many of the most important, core values of kingdom, where the kingdom keeps the heart of its government pumping its ideals into the rest of the city, and by extention, the entire country.
The Sky District: The Sky District refers to the walls built around Krakonia City after it was first founded, creating the first layer of the city outside of the original Core District. This is now the location of The Mages Guild of Krakonia(MGK) (AKA Evergreen Tower), The Krakonia National Library(KNL) , The Warriors Guild of Krakonia(WGK) , Spintail Colosseum , The Physicians Guild of Krakonia(PGK) , Krakonia National Hospital(KNH) , Krakonia National Institution of Health(KNIH) , The Theologists Guild of Krakonia(TGK) , The Krakonia National Omnichurch(KNOC) , The Scientists Guild of Krakonia(SCGK) , and The Krakonia National Research Facility(KNRF) . Most of the people who live in the residential districts here are researchers, scholars, or otherwise work for the major organizations that are placed here. The Sky District is named as such due to many of its facilities/districts being aimed towards the sky in terms of achievement, whether that be the prosperity of the kingdom, the city, or the individual.
The Land District: The Land District refers to the final, largest layer of walls built around Krakonia City during the Unification Wars. This is also now the location of The Merchants Guild of Krakonia(MEGK), The Grand Bazaar , The Artists Guild of Krakonia(ARGK) , The Krakonia National Theater(KNTR) , The Krakonia National Gallery(KNG) , and The Lucky Hound(Casino) . A majority of the residential districts in the city are found here, consisting of the many citizens that do not have specialized work in the other major districts. The land district is named as such due to the land being the base on which all else is built upon: the people and the economy.
The Sea District: The Sea District is a special district behind the Core District that hugs the western coast of the city, with walls built specifically to protect the port without interfering too drastically with trade vessels. Many fishermen and traders work in this district. This is also now the location of The Eyes of the Kraken , as well as Marlin Medleys . The sea district is named as such for obvious reasons, as this is where the city's ports meet the sea itself.
The Expanse District: The Expanse District is the land considered a part of Krakonia City despite not being within the walls of the city proper, and is considered to essentially be the outskirts of the city. It is technically the largest of the major districts, but also the least populated. Mostly farmers and other occupations that require lots of land make their home here. This is also now the location of The Scouts Guild of Krakonia(SGK) , The Hunters Guild of Krakonia(HGK) , Krakonia National Zoo , and The School of Discipline .
The Kraken's Reach's...Reach: The Kraken's Reach has a few different types of buildings that can be found in every major district of the city. The first is The Arms of the Kraken , which is the name assigned to any army-related building, including the walls that make up the borders of each major district. This also includes any recruitment and/or training facility, which can be found all over the city. Each major district also has an official barracks to keep the city safe from harm, despite the day-to-day protection of the citizens generally being the Enforcement Branch's job. Speaking of which, the other notable buildings here are the The Radula and Teeth of the Kraken , which are the many police stations and jails throughout the city, placed so that there can be a quick response time to any immediate troubles anywhere in the city.
The Krakonia City Public Teleportation System (KCPTS): Krakonia City is a big place, a place so big, in fact, that it takes up a majority of the entire hex that it can be found in. Including the outskirts, the city is estimated to be about 300 square miles (For context, that's roughly the size of NYC in the Earth plane of existence). Because of this, and the fact that cars haven't been invented yet, Krakonia City has spent the resources necessary to create a significant amount of special teleportation circles throughout the city, roughly one for each minor district (with some getting additional circles depending on size/population). Each circle is monitored by specialists known as architect mages that use magic to communicate with each other, allowing safe, instantaneous travel for those who do not want to make an 8 hour trek just to see some friends on the other side of town. It usually costs some amount of sp depending on distance, but licensed adventurers get to use these services for free as part of their guild membership. Depending on how far the circles are, some citizens elect to walk instead (or use other mundane modes of transport, i.e. horses) simply because the lines for using these circles tends to be pretty long. More recently, the KCPTS has expanded to have a specific location in the Grand Bazaar, the largest commercial district, dedicated to teleportation circles outside of the city. This is considered a luxury service that does not get covered by guild membership, so adventurers do have to actually pay out of pocket to teleport to other locations on the map. The further the destination, the pricier the teleportation trip. The hefty gp cost for these trips generally prevents regular civilians from using these services except in emergencies, since traveling by foot is much cheaper. Not too many of these circles exist as of the beginning of the campaign, but as one may have learned from the prologue session, the MGK is looking for adventurers to help them expand the kingdom's teleportation network.
Comments