Vatia
The Heart of an empire
Demographics
Government
House Aurelius, the family of the emperor are of the most influential people in the city, with some of its family members being apart of government that runs the city. As for the more political and law making scene the
Imperial Senate is the real power that runs the city properly since it is their job to keep the capital running properly. The Imperial guard also have some control over the city since they are resposinble for the protection of the emperor, so they have control of security in the city such as the city guard directly works ujnder them. The rest is run by elected officials to collect taxes and makes sure that laws is uphold. Some nobles also have some sway in the city but not as much.
Defences
The main defenses two set of walls, the first and largest walls which is eight hundred feet high with defensive tower equipped with ballistas to deliver lethal damage to the enemy before they even reach the city, along with pitch to poor on enemies if they try to break down the gates. Holes for archers and scorpions to fire from are also used to ensure that the enemy will still be fired upon even if they are to close for the ballistas.Then their is the second walls that are inside of the city which are surrounding the imperial palace. Those are mostly maned by the the place guards and are equipped with scorpions since they are more accurate in the narrow city streets if the out walls were to ever be breached. All gates are reinforced and are equipped with murder holes and a portcullis to ensure that the enemies doesn't have a easy time trying to open the gates. There are only two gates that that allowing entering and leaving the city which can be found on the northern and southern walls of the outer walls.
Industry & Trade
Trade
Vatia as the capital of the Vatian Empire is consider a massive trading hub across the empire. With most traders from across the lands of Humanity bringing with them exotic animals, materials and spices to the populace. Along with being one of the largest Slave trade hubs as well with hundreds of thousands of slaves being bought and sold daily across the city. The city itself mainly gains most of its wealth from trade and much of its exports are that of olive oil, grain, slaves, furs, animals and metals. Imports are more exotic in nature such as materials and goods to the capital for the nobility to live in luxury which can range from jewelry, animals and slaves.Industry
Vatia has always been a center of the arts and culture of the Vatian Empire people and it can be seen through it many libraries, schools, entertainment facilities, and public spaces across the city. These allow the citizens of the capital to be well educated and entertained in order for them to be productive and can be rewarded by enjoying the pleasures of the city. Entertainment is highly important to the city since it often brings large amounts of income from both citizens of the empire and wealthy foreigners. With Wrestling theaters, Boxing and other forms of entertaiment across the city. While the most influential forms of entertainment such as Gladiatorial games, Harpastum and Chariot racing would take place in the Grand Colosseum were thousands would come and see these events take place. These sports among many others would also be highly celebrated during the Imperial Games ever few years. Then there are the leisures of the capital such as the bath houses, gambling dens, brothels and gardens that are found all over the city, but entertainment is no the only thing the city is known for. The city is also known for its craftsman, such as metal workers, sculptors and masons as well. Who are often used to create many great and wonderful items that are sold and build magnificent buildings as well.Infrastructure
The city has many places to visit since it is meant to keep the populace happy. Gardens, theaters, and inn are found all around the city. Then there merchant street, were all the trader and merchants set up shop to sell their goods from far away places. It is known as one the busiest parts of the city as well as one of the most notorious places for pick pockets to steal from unsuspecting customers. The stone roads inside the city are regular repaired due to the constant foot traffic that happens daily. Sanitation is not much of a problem either due to the large sewer systems the dispose of waste and aqueducts the bring in fresh water into the city. The sewers though are often filled with criminals elements such as smugglers and thieves to have their business uninterrupted. Large blast furnaces can be found as well including many blacksmiths that have made their business near them giving it the name forge master street. All sort of things are often made their wether it is farming tools to full set of armor, which are in high quality due to the resources that the smiths have access to. Then their is outside of the city were the famers are often found, though their are not really enough of to actually feed the city, but a little extra food near you before a siege can mean quite the difference in the long run. But their are no actual windmills in the area of the city since the wind does not constantly blow in the area and is consider a waste of time to maintain. Their is also a harbor near the city since small boats carrying supplies on the Bato river to enter Lake Elander to deliver goods and other supplies, The habor is not a large as the average one across the empire since larger ships cannot sail on the river and nobles often sail on the lake in private boats to enjoy the weather or go fishing. Some people even swim in it, but most of them are cadets from the Imperial Academy as training.
Assets
The assets that the city has are the resources and the manpower that comes to the city to properly use them to their full extent and create things that are need for the city. along with access to the Imperial Academy for soldiers in training incase of emergency. The blast forges and blacksmith are also be useful incase of a need for mass production of weapons and armor for incoming battle.
Guilds and Factions
While the true power of the capital is the emperor and the Imperial Senate, the lesser organizations of the capital have control over the streets. Most of which have legitimate authority to be in the city such as the Alchimist’s Assosiation and the merchant's guild. But there are other groups that go about illegal business in the city away from the city guards. Most of these groups are gangs that are found in the slums of Dead End that are often dealing in drugs, smuggling and other illegal activities in the area. Then theirs the Church of the Spirit and Flame which can be found in their temples and churches across the city. Many of them are seen across the city asking for sinners to repent and often butt heads with merchants with some of their other items that are consider sacrilege to the church.
History
Pre-Kingdom
When the The First Kingdom of Men collapsed after the Beast War Vatia was a large city state that acted as a military base that was constantly attack and used to coordinate attack across the region. They soon had to fend for themselves trying to gain as much territory as possible to sustain themselves and keep their former allies from conquers at the same time. these were dark times for the settlement and its people, but it also made them in fierce warriors in the process to the point that they decided to build a standing army to defend them. Their ingenuity was also what made them stand a fighting chance with large stone walls being built, replacing rooting wooding and military tactics that would bring them the advantage on the battlefield. Expansion would take a few decades to properly organize and beginning to expand their borders. This would be consider dark times for the city as fear was always on the rise, wether it was about struggling to feed the masses or trying to defend the city from sieges and raids that always seemed to be around the corner. But as soon as the conquests went underway, Vatia soon had the resources and manpower to improve itself and from the ashes of a war torn land came a beacon of hope in a world gone dark and from that hope came the Kingdom of Vatia.Kingdom Era
Vatia would see many improvements over the next few centuries as the capital of the Kingdom of Vatia, with the resources that came from the conquered land of the kingdom the city would become something to behold. Wooden huts and dirt roads were replaced with stone houses and roads. Culture would flourish as the arts would became apart of everyday life in the city. It even expanded its walls in order to deal with its ever expanding population. It was even said that the first recorded documents and libraries would be created around this time when the rest of the land was still using oral traditions. It was a decent time for the people as well since food was plentiful and their were very few conflicts that ever reached the city creating a false safe hood. House Aurelius would also rise to power from the formation of the kingdom and become its monarchs and from that monarchy a great palace would be created at the center of the city. The military was still part of the city with much of the army often stationed their to deal with and in coming threats since most of the settlements under the control of the kingdom were villages and towns with the futures cities no being built much later. Vatia at since time would be in a golden age at this time and it culture would slowly spread to across it territory and influencing its neighbors. But the final year of the kingdom would case much trouble to the city. The enemies of the kingdom were not as idle to watch the Vatians live prosperous lives in their magnificent city while they often contend with war and starvation. Soon enough, the barbarians of the Tesoni would reign down upon the kingdom and catch them off guard. Much of the army was forced to leave the city undefended and in doing so allowed the barbarians to invade the city with ease. The Sacking of Vatia would be considered a haunting reminder to the Vatians as one of their darkest hour in their history. Much of the city was played was torched and layed in ruins, documents, treasures, and historical buildings were destroyed and lost to history. Only the royal place was the only thing left standing due to its own personal walls and the troops defending them. Those who actual manage to make it into the palace were the lucky ones, and those who were not were killed of enslaved. But out of this tragic day would bring forth something that would bring fear and destruction to all those dare face the might of Vatia and a reign of terror only known as the Scorched Earth Campaigns would see this ruined city reborn into the very heart and soul of the Vatian Empire.Civil Wars
It took time for the city to be finally rebuilt after the city was sack, but with the resources that came from the recent conquests of the Scorched Earth Campaigns saw Vatia into a larger and more majestic city than ever before seen. The city for the time found peace as war was waged all around the land to expand the empire. But it would not last as the reign of Alexios Septimius Aurelius came to be. Alexios' rule was at first peaceful and more agreeable with the people, but a few years later he soon began to consolidate power to the nobility and restrictions were made on the citizenry as the nobles were allowed to do as they pleased. The politics groups that made up the city consider this an act of tyranny agnst the people and tried to negotiate with him to have better terms. But this would lead to the Night of Daggers, leading to the death of hundreds of politicians that were a treat to him. Later on the First Battle of Acci would take place and the First Vatian Civil War would begin. The first few years of the war would see the city under martial law by the Imperial Royalists in fear of Citizen’s Alliance spies to be hiding amongst the populace who at the time hate him. But the city would be under control of the Citizen’s Alliance when the war was in their favor and would remain so until its end. After Alexios' execution, the Imperial Senate would be created and be a permeant part of the city. There would be two other civil wars that would take place but the capital was considered off limits in order to keep war from destroying the placeThe Vampire Uprising
Centuries later and Vatia seeming untouchable by all conflict and disaster made the city one of the largest and most prosperous settlements in the west. But it would be broken when emperor Hector the Cursed was revealed to be a Vampires and turning many of its citizens and his closest follower into them. Before proper action was take, shadow magic was casted create a vail of darkness that blacked out the sun and made the Vampires make easy work of the defenders around them. Much of the inner city was consumed and many more unnatural creatures followed so after. Weeks past and the shadow vail continued to grow by each passing day with more and more of the city taken by it. Soon enough the Black Order was called upon, along with members of the Order of the Righteous Flame to end the threat when soldiers failed. A combined group seven hundred was sent into the vail and after many days and nights the vail was destroyed, but only a hundred returned. It would take a few weeks to clean up what remained of Hectors followers and things would go back to normal over time.Today
Vatia has been a prosperous as it has ever been and no signs of conflict seem to be on the horizon at the moment and the people go onto its daily lives. The corruption of the state however has been showing itself more and more lately and the people are starting to angry because of it.Architecture
The buildings of the city are made of stone and marble like most other cities since wooden houses are considered for barbarian cultures. The roofs of most buildings are made out of clay as well. Building would often have murals and paintings most parts of the city. The buildings would also have carved in details such as patterns and sculptures as well. These would be mostly done for public buildings though since it would just take to much time and effort to do every single living complex in the city. Public places and buildings would also have the buildings name engraved on them in order to make sure that people would not get lost since many public buildings look the same. Most people do not decorate outside of the buildings since many living in apartment buildings with their families and the rich and nobility believes that is beneath them. Their are a lot of monuments in the city as well often to remained the people of tragic events, glorious achievements, and historical figures.
Geography
Vatia was built right next to Lake Elander on the Genavini Plains. The lake itself has been considered the jewel of the empire due to its clear water and has many different areas for people to enjoy picnics, sail, a fish upon. It also gives access to the Beto river for trade with the rest of the empire. As for the plains all you can see is miles and miles of grass land were ever you go. Except east then you can see the Frost Wind mountains after traveling a few hundred miles from Vatia.
Natural Resources
The only actual resource that is outside of the city are the farms that are built around it, trade is usually how the city flourishes since all other resources have been used up in the area over the centuries to build the city.
RUINED SETTLEMENT
1402 BCA
Alternative Name(s)
The Imperial City, The imperial seat
Type
Capital
Population
2,000,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Characters in Location
Related Professions
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