Tetzcotzinco Settlement in Valley of Man | World Anvil
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Tetzcotzinco

by hughpierre

Demographics

Teiks

The first local inhabitants to colonize the shallow rocks and are generally the richest ethic group in the Triple Alignment.

Sang

The dominant political group of people originating from outside the valley and who carry expansionist tendencies and a greater bloodlust than any peoples before.

Teeks

Teeks are a near extinct people, but their mixed decedents carry on fantastic tales of their, admittedly, scarce heroics.   These storytellers are scattered throughout Sangsalgu communities including Tetzcotzinco.

Government

Tetzcotzinco Campa

As part of the conquest, Texicot was renamed and divided into three calpōlli to maintain control and continue its value as a market center.
Ticomac Calpōlli
Ticomac is managed by three sets of nobles who form part of that campa's nobility.   They are instructed to form many councils within their own districts with varied responsibilities to different administrative sectors towards the daily logistics of the citizenry.   Arrangements are usually made to send the most capable in the campa to represent them in the Sacred Precinct.
Zacahuitzco Calpōlli
Zacahuitzco is managed by three sets of nobles who form part of that campa's nobility.   They are instructed to form many councils within their own districts with varied responsibilities to different administrative sectors towards the daily logistics of the citizenry.   Arrangements are usually made to send the most capable in the campa to represent them in the Sacred Precinct.  
Tepepilco Calpōlli
Tepepilco is managed by three sets of nobles who form part of that campa's nobility.   They are instructed to form many councils within their own districts with varied responsibilities to different administrative sectors towards the daily logistics of the citizenry.   Arrangements are usually made to send the most capable in the campa to represent them in the Sacred Precinct.

Defences

Lake Moat

Mixed lake is an artificial lake made up of a network of canals, aqueducts, sewers, embankments; and even chinampas and smaller isolated reservoirs; separated from the natural Lake Coco by the Dike of Cranotuilloil.   Tetzcotzinco inhabits an area that still retains a semi-natural shoreline. The mixed lake's heaviest influence lies underneath the Great Garden to process waste and fertilize the plants.

Industry & Trade

Pochteca Fleet

These travelling merchants also served as a source of communication between different regions, annexed or not. They trade in food, garments of various kinds, feathers, slaves, and precious metals, but may also be the same means of collecting tribute. Some specially trade on behalf of some noble lords and sell those surplus tribute in the marketplace.

Infrastructure

Market Temple

Resting on its own island; the titular temple is the one to Yacatecuhtli (the nose lord). Formerly a palace to the only other rival monarch on the lake, its large rooms and spacious quads now hold court to daily shops and stalls. Most rooms, particularly on the lower 4 levels, are sectioned into smaller claustrophobic rooms full of various wares, so business is typically struck and finalized in the open crowded hallways.   Unlike the rest of the complex, the upper 3 floors kept the décor and grandeur and uncluttered apartments to service the nobility and the rich. Servants are usually sent to acquire products for their masters, but the temple uniquely services the elite who can make the climb and spend a day.  

Great Tetzcotzinco Garden

The great garden is really two gardens: One, the circumferential loop is to provide a recreational area for families on picnic, outside school classes or simply as a lounge area. Second, the inner area is grimly maintained as a tortuous prison to the highest lawbreakers.   It saw it great expansion after the Sangsalgu annexation over much of the preexisting stone platform to beautify their new holdings and pacify the population.  

Market Palace

A giant multi-level complex for government offices and private residences for the most important officials and their entourage. In the past, it was the Narin king's manse and originally contained a yellow honeycombed vaulted ceiling that displayed a painted history of the family line.   However, the dome was stolen from the Teiks' own market palace where, to this day, remains open to the valley sky.  
Instructions were clear: to take the palace dome in tack so it could crown the headquarters of the Bald Ones.   In the largest piece of plunder ever recorded, the teiks were force to cut up their massive monuments like they were carving a cake. And made to ferry them to Sangsalgu Proper to be remade into the foundations of a greater plan. Fortunately, even the destroyers were not able to find use for all the stone they tore down and eventually gave up for more productive tasks.
— Cuachicqueh Historian

Assets

Chinampas

A chinampa is a small, stationary, artificial island built on a freshwater lake for agricultural purposes. It consists in building up a number of narrow islands, each averaging some 20 to 35 feet wide and some 325 to 650 feet long, using layers of vegetation, dirt, and mud.   They can be made permanently fastened to the shallow lake’s floor or made to float. The lake provides the chinampa with moisture laden with composts that irrigate and fertilize the island’s soil. However, special care and monitoring is done to ensure that the salty parts of the lake water to not find their way into the chinampa’s soil.
Chinampas
Technology / Science | Jan 8, 2021

Guilds and Factions

Pochteca Groups

These are several communities throughout the city who drive the economy and are most concerned with trade relations. Travelling merchants trade between different parts of the empire and sell the surplus goods of one place to the other.  

Speaking Council

The name originated from the advisory council to the only other island rulers on the lake. When the Teeks were absorbed into Sangsalgu, young teeks took up the name and became a loose group of intellectuals with unofficial political pull for particular governmental decisions and issues. The idea has spread to the rest of the city where many people without affiliation express their views.  

Herald Gangs

Herald gangs are a group of loosely affiliated youths within a given campa who deface property, harass rivals and spread rumours at the instruction of the host campa nobles. They serve as an extended tool for rival families to exert soft power against their political enemies. But sometimes, the gangs themselves initiate physical conflict amongst themselves which has brought the families into open conflict.

History

Texicot Nation

Texicot was the first and only other island nation in the valley. Once more, the teiks were the only other people who could hope to challenge the Sang in trade. In no small part because they were first, but also because of their superior navy and higher population density, were they able to maintain their strength.   It is often sited that while as a vassal to Ocumtit, Texicot could not go to war with Sangsalgu without also fighting the biggest land army who could cut off their shore trade routes. In addition, Texicot's population curiously had more outsiders living in it than true teiks. It was truly a market city; with 'trader' being the dominate occupation and most residence valuing their outside possessions more than that inside the city. It also mattered that sang's pochteca were inside to sow confusion when the war canoes and and land blockade finally came.  

Tetzcotzinco

When the Texicot Nation was finally annexed, it was renamed to the Tetzcotzinco Campan of the Triple Alignment. The transition was easier than initially expected as it seemed that prearrangements were made with merchants and certain teik families to sell out other inhabitants. Once the sang army was in its occupying positions, targeted teiks were enslaved and made to tear down half their city's tall buildings that were then transported to be used in aggrandize Sangsalgu Proper.

Tourism

Courtiers

The famous wealth of Tetzcotzinco is highly attractive to Oztomecintli. However, there is a great deal of hostility directed to any maize merchants whether during war or peace, so they courtiers often travel incognito.

Architecture

Stone Platforms

Teiks' population experience several bouts of growth and was in constant need of living space. At first, they merely filled in the islands shores to grow the land, but doing so inconvenienced the fishermen. So, by design of heavy limestone blocks fashioned with interlocking notches, huge pillars sprouted from the waters‌ to act as sturdy bases for stone arches and brick platform.

Geography

Shallow Rocks

The islands that the first settlement was built on we kittle more than a spread of rock that occasionally broke the surface depending on the number of moons there are in their respective lunar cycles.

Triple Alignment
Organization | Jan 18, 2021
Alternative Name(s)
The Market City
Type
District
Population
5000
Inhabitant Demonym
Location under
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
Related Traditions
Related Professions
Related Plots

Traditions

Queen's Construction Method
Tradition / Ritual | Jul 17, 2020
Dike of Cranotuilloil
Building / Landmark | Nov 28, 2020
 

Customs

Water Beast
Myth | Jan 15, 2024
Mace Turtle
Species | Jan 15, 2024
Mosquito Man
Myth | Dec 16, 2020
 

Valueables

Currencies in the Valley
Generic article | Jan 15, 2024
Quetzals
Item | Jan 15, 2024
Quachtli
Item | Jan 15, 2024
Charms
Item | Apr 28, 2021
Notes
Document | Dec 11, 2021
Eye Piece
Item | Nov 19, 2021


Cover image: Aztec Empire by Alexander Sköld

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