Vapore
Vapore, the last stand of civilization, may look like the last safe harbor in a world of danger and mystery, but the truth is different. In it's alleys and courtyards, intrigues and secrets are on the daily agenda, and you can't know who to trust or not. Secret powers clash in the halls of government and in the tunnesk below the city, ready to take care of anyone who starts to investigate too deep.
Welcome to Vapore, a city of whispers. May the Winter Moon keep you safe.
Demographics
82% human
6% dwarvish
5% elvish
3% draconic
4% other races
Government
The Free city of Vapore is governed by the Council of the Elders and the Lord of Vapore.
The Council of the Elders holds the legislative power in the free city of Vapore. The council is compsed by fourty Elders, elected directly by the citizens who pay a special voting tax, and twenty Overseers, leaders of the conquered neighbouring cities. The elders stay in charge for five years and the Overseers are nomitated by the council every eight months but can, if they prove themselves to be particularly worthy, be apponted High Overseers and stay in charge for life. The Council can promulgate new laws and repeal old ones, manages the city's funds and acts as a advisory to the Lord of Vapore.
Justice is managed by the Judges who are responsible for judging common criminals, while the Lord takes on more serious cases, and controls the police.
The Lord of Vapore is the leader of the free city of vapore. He leads the army, enforces law and imposes taxes. The Lord is elected by the Council of Elders, and stays in charge for life. In times of war the Lord dons the golden armor and leads the army. He has sworn to protect the city until his death. He can seem to be very powerful, but he gains near to no benefits for this position, and has to even pay for his living using his own money. His authority is strictly limited by the Council of the Elders, and he is more of a symbolical figurehead rather than an actual monarch.
Behind the facade of the official government, the Council of Seven, or Secret Council, holds the actual power in Vapore. It is composed by seven members, and when one seat is vacant, the remaining members choose the new one. It is unknown how the first seven attained that power. It is almost unknown even the existence of the Council of Seven, to the point that some members of the Council of the Elders don't know about it. The Council of Seven has the main goal to stop the end of the current era, by any means necessay. To attain so it can veto the decisions made by the other governmental organs, and control the secet police.
The Secret Police is an instrument of political control used by the Council of Seven to protect itself and keep its existence secret. The secret police is controlled by three Inquisitors, who account directly to the secret council. An Inquisitor holds almost supreme power, and can arrest, process and execute a suspect without any evidence or whitness. The secret police is known, by the few who know about it, to be ruthless and brutal. It often recurs to physical, psychological and magical torture to learn everything they want to know from a suspect, and after that the unlucky is killed and dumped in the harbor at night.
Defences
The city is surrounded by walls 45ft. high and 15ft thick, befended by towers mounting ballistas, used to break enemy formations and kill particularly tenacious threats.
The city guard counts 1.400 members, and up to 20.000 men can be draftet in times of need to defend the city.
Industry & Trade
The most typical industry in the free city of Vapore is the refining of Ironglass, a process that takes place only in Vapore. This industry contributes to a large part of Vapore's economy, creating around three thousands jobs only in the refining workshops, plus other involved in the trade of the finished products.
Other kinds of artisanal products are crafted, and can be found in the daily market held in the Artisans' District.
The most important market in Vapore is held every week in the Plaza of the Four Temples, where can be found every kind of exotical prduct. Daily markets take place in the Market Plaza, but is sold mainly food coming from the neighbouring farmlands.
Guilds and Factions
The Forgers' Guild is a powerful union of artisans with members among the Council of Elders. It has the almost exclusive right to the production and distribution of Ironglass, guarantees high quality standards for products made with such material and sets prices for them. They protect the secret process involved in forging Ironglass, and have an armed branch, the Blue Daggers, that 'silences' those who try to spread the knowledge of this confidential information.
The Gray Syndicate is not an organization, but rather a set of common knowledge shared by the criminal life of Vapore. This knowledge comprends secret signals, safehouses' and fences' locations and targets to avoid in order to not piss off someone up above in the government.
The Sons of the Winter Moon is a religious organization. It doesn't retain any political power but, due to its charitable actions, is vastly supported by the common folk. They act as worshipper of the Mother Winter Moon, and believe that the only way for mankind to survive the end of the current era is to stay united and to help each other.
Alternative Name(s)
The Glass Jewel
Type
Large city
Population
72.424
Inhabitant Demonym
Vaporean(s)
Included Locations
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
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