Eigrad

Eigrad, formerly Sura Pel, is a city in Estaria that was once the capital of Sura Pel. It is the largest major point of contact to Sadrove and western Prekha.

Name and Etymology

During the days of the Sura Pel Empire (and the time preceeding it), Eigrad was, somewhat confusingly, also called Sura Pel. This is because Sura Pel translates to "city of the sun," and it was formerly a human city-state before its expansion into an imperial power in the thirteenth century. The city was called Sura Pel up until the Sunrise War, where it was annexed by King Eiknir the Great following Sura Pel's unconditional surrender. The city kept the name Sura Pel until 1753 SE, when it was renamed to Eigrad in honor of king Eiknir.

Government

Eigrad's surrounding land is a dutchy under feilty to the Estarian royal family and parliament. The city itself has an elected mayor and city council, voted by property-owning citizens above the age of 16. Although the duke has little political power to affect policy, his/her endorsement tends to have an outsized influence on elections.

Economy

Eigrad is a trading hub, being the largest Estarian territory with access to the Crescent Sea. It is a major trader in silk made from the webs of Auki Spiders and rare metals mined from the Sura Mountain Range to the west. The natural sandstone and limestone beds around the city make stone construction cheap and easy. Eigrad sandstone has a distinctive dark-red tint and Eigrad masonry is prized the world over. Many lords and nobles far to the east pay exorbinant amounts to have stone materials from Eigrad shipped for their construction projects.