The City-State of Vrosa

 Nation: The City State of  Vrosa  OUTLINE:

City state, controlled by several powerful old families with access and control of leftover powerful magic items. Center of Trade and Guild Halls, Gambling, Mercenary Center, and games.

CULTURE:

Corrupt mercantile city state, Machiavellian Politics and conflicts between the guilds. Dueling Culture. Combat for entertainment by volunteers, not slaves. Gladiators, even small scale unit combats fight below, on, and above the ground in organized leagues in arenas that use magic to create amazingly dangerous environments. Rough brutal sports that mix elements of games and combat exist as well.

The place to be for the light armored, acrobatic duelist/fencer. As the city is tall, with many towers, bridges, crowded alleys where heavy armor may be a liability. Thieves and acrobats abound. Cosmopolitan city that doesn't care about the conflicts of the world.

HISTORY:

One of the oldest, if not the oldest inhabited cities of the world. Descending from a long forgotten empire, of which it was a minor outpost.

Conflicts are usually handled behind the scenes, but often personal rivalries are settled by duels; champion fighters coming from the Gladiatorial Arenas or Mercenary Units are hired: These Bravos are not held responsible for their deeds, but the person who hired them. Bravos develop followings, and become almost celebrity like. Assassinations do happen, but those are, technically, forbidden. An Assassin and their employer, if discovered, are executed. Exile from the city is a common punishment for Bravos who fail an employer too often, or break the many unwritten rules of the city.

GOVERNMENT:

Oligarchy of powerful merchant houses primarily made up of Truefolk

TECHNOLOGY:

Almost Steampunkish/Magic for the very rich. Amazing Wonders/Artifact make life in the city unique. Alchemy powered rail cars rumble above the street.

ECONOMICS

Powerful trading guilds. Many True Dwarf guilds have offices here. Money changes hands; opportunities abound, fortunes can be made and lost overnight. Money Lenders abound, enforcing terms with magic, Bravos, and legions of mercenaries if need be. Vast amounts of money changes hands in bets made on the dueling and the small unit combat arenas. Several True Dwarf Fortuneless Chorts are located here.

MAGIC :

Magical secrets of ancient power are hoarded, and used sparingly. The city draws those with power, and seeking it. Anything can be bought for the right price.

INFLUENCE:

Primarily a defensive military power; influence is in trade, magic, and headquartering many mercenary guilds. Business deals happen here. massive trade routes go through here. Many guilds, merchant houses are located here. the Mercenary Guild, managed by True Dwarves, uses magic of the city and True Dwarven Financing to provide liquid credit, iron clad ratings, contract administration, and remote magical review of performance; you can hire the best here, and be assured you are getting the best, and those breaking a contract will suffer the consequences as administered by the True Dwarves.

By having so many Mercenaries located here, the city obtains a de facto free supplement to its elite units, primarily heavy armored infantry/pike units that defend the fortifications around the city.

FACTIONS:

Numerous rival merchant houses. Lots of struggling poor, a moderate middle merchant class.

RELIGION :

Money first, though many different churches exist on the Street of the Gods. Though homage is often given to the Ascendants of Fortune, the, true center of the cities devotion and religious focus comes from their efforts to literally control their own fortunes. By ritual and use of ancient artifacts, the leading families have engaged in a centuries long project to manipulate the Ascendants of Fortune, funneling good fortune to their endeavors, while funneling misfortune to their enemies, or, as a default, the weak and poor who inhabit the city. This results in the families at time requesting for bizarre tasks to be performed, or odd materials gathered as part of this arcane process to regulate luck.

DIVERSITY:

Urban environs, one city, filled with tall. magically supported towers, narrow streets, secret passages, forgotten underground citadels.

FLORA AND FAUNA:

Urban creatures, some undead, underground monsters, and a representative of almost every intelligent race in the city.

BIAS against:

Free Societies; less organized, barbarian cultures.

TABOOS:

Considered ill fated to take in those down on their luck; ill fortune spreads, best not to take it in. A hard city.

PREJUDICE:

The city sees everyone not by their appearance, but the jingle of their coins.

LOCATION:

One City, near conflux of trade routes and major waterway on the north eastern border of the Eternal Empire.