Meridia
M
eridia is the capital city of The Imperium, located in the northern part of the continent Opus. Known for being a political and trading central of the Imperium, Meridia has instilled itself as the core city of the empire.
Demographics
Highborn living within Meridia have been known to own much of the 'Inner City,' which is located closest to the Emperor's quarters and the Council's assembly. For the most part, these Highborn consist of elves and humans, though the occasional Highborn orc and dwarf have been known to reside within Meridia. It is not uncommon to see Highborn Azarketi emissaries visiting the Inner City, though very few live within it's walls.
Lowborn, on the other hand, make up much of the Outer City population. They run the bazaars, bars, and everything in between. Lowborn also make up the homeless population within Meridia, though the Royal Guard does it's best to deter loitering from the less fortunate.
Government
Government in the Imperium is run almost entirely through the Emperor, Malkor Erren, and his Council of advisors. Together, these two bodies discuss, enact, and enforce the law. Additionally, they have near full control of how resources are spent within the Imperium, giving them the power to call the shots on who produces what, when taxes are collected, how much taxes will be, and which able-bodied individuals are to be sent off to war.
Defences
Aside from Meridia's impressive army and Royal Guard, the city is also defended through it's massive lake-side gate on one side, and the formidable Realon Mountain Range along the backside.
Industry & Trade
Much of the trade and commerce within the Imperium comes from military spending - from mining operations to large scale production of military grade weaponry, the majority of the population has found itself surviving economically off of one step along the way in creating these tools.
Within Meridia, however, the economy is less focused on military expenditures, and instead is focused more on catering to tourists from other parts of the Imperium, as well as providing for the posh lifestyle of the Highborn living within the Inner City. This results in a variety of stores and shops that range in price, depending on if it's located within the Inner or Outer city. The general rule of thumb is that everything within the Inner City is incredibly expensive - the average Lowborn citizen would consider just one Inner City purchase to be a small fortune.
However, with price comes quality, and potentially unexpected perks.
Guilds and Factions
Every city has it's secrets, and Meridia is no different. Hidden in the shadows, known only through rumors and word of mouth, the Scarlet Accord is said to work vigilantly against the wishes of the Emperor and his Council. The true intentions and inner workings of this secret organization are largely unknown to the public, but the Lowborn consider them to be their masked saviors. Only time will tell to see if anything meaningful comes from their efforts.
Geography
Placed snugly between the Realon Mountains and Lake Cerise, Meridia's location is both beautiful, and practical. The functionality of the lake into the Cardinal River allows for convenient travel via ferryboat to the city of Lakerest and potentially further down to Gamson Port, should the need arise.
Comments