Marukan
Originally a city founded by refugees and deserters all the way back during the end of The First Age, Marukan has recently come under control of outside forces by way of conquest. The populace and its new rulers have been butting heads ever since, and the situation in the city is quite volatile. As of the year 32SF, the city is home to ~60.000 people about half of which are hominids, and since the conquest there has been an ever growing Draconid presence. This makes it the most culturally diverse city in all of Upper Zagesi by a decent margin.
This only changed with the conquest of Marukan in the years 8-10 SF. The current ruler of Marukan, the draconid warlord known as Kovesh the Conqueror, rules the city with absolute dictatorial power. The situation in the city is quite volatile, countless local militias obstruct the warlord's troops, and Kovesh is struggling to pacify the city. Many say a civil war is just around the corner.
Just days before the referendum was supposed to be held however, Naram-Sin visited the city personally. He held many impassioned speeches, emphasizing the importance of unity to establish peace and prosperity in the region. According to legend, he did not sleep for a single second during his stay, holding speeches and rallying the people for days, and would only stop in time for the referendum. The election resulted in a slim majority for joining, and as such Marukan became the 6th great city of The Ashuurian State.
In the following decades Marukan would become a major trade hub. Nomads and merchant caravans from both south and west would travel to the city, which allowed them to avoid The Boreas Highlands, The Forest of Eternal Autumn and The Whailing Wastes, all of which were known to be dangerous places, especially to large caravans transporting valuable goods.
Around the time of The Lions Reign, Marukan had established itself fully as a major player within The Ashuurian State, though this came not without the drawback of drawing the attention of the great houses. While their influence was not nearly as strong as it was in other cities like Bizantahir and Utarak, House Arkazi still managed to gain some power in Marukan, and a distant member of the family, Hesamedim Arkazi, would be elected as the cities Hanakh around 515 pSF.
While The Great Southern Invasion (510~490 pSF) would sweep across most of Upper Zagesi, Marukan was hit both first and hardest by the full might of the invading armies. The city fell to the siege after about 2 years, though its conquerors did not plunder it.
Recognizing that Marukan held much greater value than just the riches hidden behind its walls, the warlord in charge of the assaulting armies, a Zoltai man by the name of Yadayasha, followed an unorthodox strategy to secure the support of the people. He presented himself as a faithful liberator, claiming that it was only due to the corrupt ways of House Arkazi that harm would ever come to Marukan, and that the gods of The Ur-Ashaar themselves had send him to free not only this city, but all of Upper Zagesi from it’s clutches.
While there was a lot of skepticism and turmoil, many people in the city were not particularly keen on House Arkazi, and even less on angering their current overlords when they were already extending an olive branch.
The city's occupation would only last around 20 years, as the armies of Rubakhal would beat back the invading forces, though by that time House Arkazi’s influence had been thoroughly purged from Marukan. The city would spend the following decades recovering from the occupation, as its coffers had been thoroughly bled by the time Yadayasha had been forced from Marukan.
The Ashuurian Golden Age (450~302 pSF) was also the time of Marukans Golden Age. People from all across Kashura, but especially the Wildkin nations to its west and The Daga-Kurum Desert to its south, flocked to the city. The reason for this was simple:
throughout its occupation, the people of Marukan had become more and more accepting of foreign beliefs, after all, if even a member of The Zoltai Strain could come to see the wisdom of The Ur-Ashaar, who were they to deny them their own faith? The practicing of foreign faiths was not only tolerated, but encouraged in Marukan, which fostered a culture of open theological and philosophical debate.
Instead he called upon his foreign allies and countless mercenary armies to defend the city, so when Malikh Anatep’s troops arrived at the city, expecting a plentiful metropolis ripe for the picking, they instead found an impenetrable fortress, its walls manned by soldiers and mercenaries from lands as far away as Shaoshen, Tamerlane and Garashahati. Marukan would find itself at war with Anatep’s armies for the next 40 years, though it would still emerge from The Reign of Terror better than most other cities of Upper Zagesi, having only lost its riches, instead of its people. With its coffers drained and its allies armies returning home however, the city found itself in a vulnerable position. Lacking both the funds and manpower to properly protect its lands, banditry became a much more common problem in the region, which would slow down the city's recovery.
Following the reign of Malikh Haki the Great, Marukan accepted the claim of Malikh Ayatuur Arkazi to the ashuurian throne, under the condition that he would not involve himself with the city's business, or demand their support in case of a rebellion. While these demands would seem outrageous in any other part of ashuurian history, the Malikh’s claim to the throne was already quite weak, so he likely took what he could get. When Ayatuur was eventually dethroned, it had little to no impact on Marukan, and the city was all too happy with joining the other great cities of The Ashuurian State in dissolving the power of his office.
Throughout The Fractured Dominion (218-86 pSF) Marukan stabilized, though it would never rise back to the status it held during The Ashuurian Golden Age. Most of its time and excess resources were spent on addressing the ever growing presence of bandits and raiders in its territories. Marukan however still grew, as people from all over Zagesi fled the general conflict in the region to the city, viewing it as a safe harbor from the petty squabbles over land and resources most other cities engaged in during this time period.
Marukan belonged to the cities that at first were quite resistant to The Glorious Restoration (86-81 pSF), the project of Malikh Tanzimat Yulani, though he managed to sway the city's populace to his side by promising to provide funds and troops to deal with their bandit problem. A promise he kept, as The Reign of Tanzimat the Sovereign (86-29 pSF) was marked by a sharp decline of banditry and crime in general, at least in the lands surrounding Marukan, allowing the city to once again rise to the status of a major center of trade in the region.
During The War of the Twin Princes (29-18 pSF), Marukan sided with the second prince, Aziz Yulani, as they felt he represented their view of what The Ashuurian State should be going forward better.
When the war began, many expected Marukan to be amongst the first cities to drop out, as it had very little to gain from the conflict. The city's populace however was struck by a wave of nationalistic pride unseen since The Reign of Terror. The city had flourished during Tanzmat’s reign, and wished to see it's debt repaid. While Marukan itself saw relatively little fighting due to its far-out nature, it still provided large amounts of funding and soldiers to Aziz’ armies, without which his brother Elam would have likely won the war.
With the assassination of prince Aziz, Marukan drops out of the war and officially seceded from The Ashuurian State.
In the current age (18 pSF to 32 SF), Marukan finds itself in a similar situation to before the reign of Tanzimat the Sovereign. In the absence of a strong central government with the funds and forces to secure peace, bandits and raiders once again infested the countryside, while great warbands from The Daga-Kurum Desert began to eye up the city's riches. Trade routes to Upper Zagesi became all in all less profitable, hurting Marukan further, and as if all of that was not enough, the city was hit by a famine in 7 SF.
Around 8 SF, an army led by the draconid warlord known as Kovesh the Conqueror invades Upper Zagesi from The Daga-Kurum Desert and conquers Marukan after a lengthy siege. He has been in control over the city ever since.
The occupation has however not been without its problems. Kovesh learned relatively quickly that if he wanted to hold onto power he would have to sway the people to his side. He now finds himself in the precarious situation of having to keep both his armies and the people of the city content, all while having to deal with the larger implications of a faithful follower of The Ruumush Amat, albeit not an orthodox one, ruling over a city whose people mainly follow The Ur-Ashaar. The bandit problem also has so far not been efficiently addressed.
It is the year of 32 SF, and many think a civil war might be just around the corner.
This legacy however is currently under threat, as some of the more extreme elements of resistance are using xenophobic rhetoric against members of The Draconid Strain, to rally the city's hominid population in order to reclaim Marukan from their overlords. While no person can truly claim to be immune to things such as propaganda and demagoguery, the people of Marukan have historically exposed themselves to ideas and ideologies from every spectrum, and while it would be a blatant lie to say that no Hanakh has ever come to power through such tactics, it is probably fair to say that the people of Marukan on average have a better “bullshit radar” than most. Finally, Marukan is probably one of the most well-connected cities of the entire continent, hosting countless embassies and branches of foreign organizations, such as guids, holy orders and mercenary companies on one hand, and maintaining steady relations through its vast trade network on the other. Many say that if one wants to know what goes on in the world they must simply go to Marukan. There is a popular adage “What news from Marukan”, which perfectly illustrates this fact.
Territory:
Marukan is located far in the south-west of Upper Zagesi in a river valley between The Melwar Forest and The Neferi to its east, The Asker Hillocks to its south, The Forest of Eternal Autumn to its west and The Bikamer Hills to its north, all of which it claims to party control and administer. The city of Marukan itself is located at the point where the two major rivers which make up the river valley flow into one another.Government:
Marukan was for most of its history a direct democratic republic. All citizens could propose candidates and vote for the city's ruler, known as the Hanakh, who would then elect their own council. The Hanakh could propose laws and policies which were then voted on by the populace directly. Elections were held every 7 years and there was no term limit, though public referendums could be held at any time (except for wartime) to get rid of particularly unpopular officials.This only changed with the conquest of Marukan in the years 8-10 SF. The current ruler of Marukan, the draconid warlord known as Kovesh the Conqueror, rules the city with absolute dictatorial power. The situation in the city is quite volatile, countless local militias obstruct the warlord's troops, and Kovesh is struggling to pacify the city. Many say a civil war is just around the corner.
History:
Marukan history is tied quite heavily to that of The Ashuurian State. In an effort not to repeat everything, this section will only mention things which relate to the city itself, for more details read the history section in the article of The Ashuurian State.The First Age (??? pSF to 800 pSF)
Marukan was founded by refugees and deserters during The Interregnum War between 830 and 800 pSF. The city quickly grew to be one of the largest in all of Upper Zagesi, and would be named after a deserted commander of the armies of Drustanaar by the name of Maruk. He would be elected as the first Hanakh of Marukan and would later be known as Hanakh Maruk the Founder.The Middle Age (??? pSF to 302 pSF)
When Malikh Naram-Sin the Unifier ascended to the throne of The Ashuurian State around 800 pSF, the city of Marukan at first did not intend to join with the state, instead planning to grow as an independent nation.Just days before the referendum was supposed to be held however, Naram-Sin visited the city personally. He held many impassioned speeches, emphasizing the importance of unity to establish peace and prosperity in the region. According to legend, he did not sleep for a single second during his stay, holding speeches and rallying the people for days, and would only stop in time for the referendum. The election resulted in a slim majority for joining, and as such Marukan became the 6th great city of The Ashuurian State.
In the following decades Marukan would become a major trade hub. Nomads and merchant caravans from both south and west would travel to the city, which allowed them to avoid The Boreas Highlands, The Forest of Eternal Autumn and The Whailing Wastes, all of which were known to be dangerous places, especially to large caravans transporting valuable goods.
Around the time of The Lions Reign, Marukan had established itself fully as a major player within The Ashuurian State, though this came not without the drawback of drawing the attention of the great houses. While their influence was not nearly as strong as it was in other cities like Bizantahir and Utarak, House Arkazi still managed to gain some power in Marukan, and a distant member of the family, Hesamedim Arkazi, would be elected as the cities Hanakh around 515 pSF.
While The Great Southern Invasion (510~490 pSF) would sweep across most of Upper Zagesi, Marukan was hit both first and hardest by the full might of the invading armies. The city fell to the siege after about 2 years, though its conquerors did not plunder it.
Recognizing that Marukan held much greater value than just the riches hidden behind its walls, the warlord in charge of the assaulting armies, a Zoltai man by the name of Yadayasha, followed an unorthodox strategy to secure the support of the people. He presented himself as a faithful liberator, claiming that it was only due to the corrupt ways of House Arkazi that harm would ever come to Marukan, and that the gods of The Ur-Ashaar themselves had send him to free not only this city, but all of Upper Zagesi from it’s clutches.
While there was a lot of skepticism and turmoil, many people in the city were not particularly keen on House Arkazi, and even less on angering their current overlords when they were already extending an olive branch.
The city's occupation would only last around 20 years, as the armies of Rubakhal would beat back the invading forces, though by that time House Arkazi’s influence had been thoroughly purged from Marukan. The city would spend the following decades recovering from the occupation, as its coffers had been thoroughly bled by the time Yadayasha had been forced from Marukan.
The Ashuurian Golden Age (450~302 pSF) was also the time of Marukans Golden Age. People from all across Kashura, but especially the Wildkin nations to its west and The Daga-Kurum Desert to its south, flocked to the city. The reason for this was simple:
throughout its occupation, the people of Marukan had become more and more accepting of foreign beliefs, after all, if even a member of The Zoltai Strain could come to see the wisdom of The Ur-Ashaar, who were they to deny them their own faith? The practicing of foreign faiths was not only tolerated, but encouraged in Marukan, which fostered a culture of open theological and philosophical debate.
The Age of Strife: (302 pSF to 32 SF)
When Anatep the Terrible ascended the ashuurian throne, many presumed that Marukan would be hit the hardest by The Reign of Terror (299-247 pSF), as it embodied most things that the Malikh detested. Democracy, foreign faiths, non-hominids, just to name a few. Marukan had however managed to amass great riches during the past 150 years, and had made many allies in foreign lands. The city's Hanakh at the time, Hanakh Elohim, in his wisdom foresaw what would happen if he handed control of the city over to the Malikh.Instead he called upon his foreign allies and countless mercenary armies to defend the city, so when Malikh Anatep’s troops arrived at the city, expecting a plentiful metropolis ripe for the picking, they instead found an impenetrable fortress, its walls manned by soldiers and mercenaries from lands as far away as Shaoshen, Tamerlane and Garashahati. Marukan would find itself at war with Anatep’s armies for the next 40 years, though it would still emerge from The Reign of Terror better than most other cities of Upper Zagesi, having only lost its riches, instead of its people. With its coffers drained and its allies armies returning home however, the city found itself in a vulnerable position. Lacking both the funds and manpower to properly protect its lands, banditry became a much more common problem in the region, which would slow down the city's recovery.
Following the reign of Malikh Haki the Great, Marukan accepted the claim of Malikh Ayatuur Arkazi to the ashuurian throne, under the condition that he would not involve himself with the city's business, or demand their support in case of a rebellion. While these demands would seem outrageous in any other part of ashuurian history, the Malikh’s claim to the throne was already quite weak, so he likely took what he could get. When Ayatuur was eventually dethroned, it had little to no impact on Marukan, and the city was all too happy with joining the other great cities of The Ashuurian State in dissolving the power of his office.
Throughout The Fractured Dominion (218-86 pSF) Marukan stabilized, though it would never rise back to the status it held during The Ashuurian Golden Age. Most of its time and excess resources were spent on addressing the ever growing presence of bandits and raiders in its territories. Marukan however still grew, as people from all over Zagesi fled the general conflict in the region to the city, viewing it as a safe harbor from the petty squabbles over land and resources most other cities engaged in during this time period.
Marukan belonged to the cities that at first were quite resistant to The Glorious Restoration (86-81 pSF), the project of Malikh Tanzimat Yulani, though he managed to sway the city's populace to his side by promising to provide funds and troops to deal with their bandit problem. A promise he kept, as The Reign of Tanzimat the Sovereign (86-29 pSF) was marked by a sharp decline of banditry and crime in general, at least in the lands surrounding Marukan, allowing the city to once again rise to the status of a major center of trade in the region.
During The War of the Twin Princes (29-18 pSF), Marukan sided with the second prince, Aziz Yulani, as they felt he represented their view of what The Ashuurian State should be going forward better.
When the war began, many expected Marukan to be amongst the first cities to drop out, as it had very little to gain from the conflict. The city's populace however was struck by a wave of nationalistic pride unseen since The Reign of Terror. The city had flourished during Tanzmat’s reign, and wished to see it's debt repaid. While Marukan itself saw relatively little fighting due to its far-out nature, it still provided large amounts of funding and soldiers to Aziz’ armies, without which his brother Elam would have likely won the war.
With the assassination of prince Aziz, Marukan drops out of the war and officially seceded from The Ashuurian State.
In the current age (18 pSF to 32 SF), Marukan finds itself in a similar situation to before the reign of Tanzimat the Sovereign. In the absence of a strong central government with the funds and forces to secure peace, bandits and raiders once again infested the countryside, while great warbands from The Daga-Kurum Desert began to eye up the city's riches. Trade routes to Upper Zagesi became all in all less profitable, hurting Marukan further, and as if all of that was not enough, the city was hit by a famine in 7 SF.
Around 8 SF, an army led by the draconid warlord known as Kovesh the Conqueror invades Upper Zagesi from The Daga-Kurum Desert and conquers Marukan after a lengthy siege. He has been in control over the city ever since.
The occupation has however not been without its problems. Kovesh learned relatively quickly that if he wanted to hold onto power he would have to sway the people to his side. He now finds himself in the precarious situation of having to keep both his armies and the people of the city content, all while having to deal with the larger implications of a faithful follower of The Ruumush Amat, albeit not an orthodox one, ruling over a city whose people mainly follow The Ur-Ashaar. The bandit problem also has so far not been efficiently addressed.
It is the year of 32 SF, and many think a civil war might be just around the corner.
Culture & Society:
Marukan shares quite a bit of cultural DNA with The Ashuurian State, as such this section will focus on what sets it apart from other places in Upper Zagesi. Marukan has a long history of cultural diversity and tolerance, and the city's origins as a refuge for refugees and deserters have shaped it to this day. Throughout its history, Marukan has welcomed people from various backgrounds, and it has become a melting pot of different cultures, faiths, and traditions. The city's open-mindedness and acceptance of foreign beliefs have fostered a culture of theological, philosophical and political debate, which has persisted even through its current occupation.This legacy however is currently under threat, as some of the more extreme elements of resistance are using xenophobic rhetoric against members of The Draconid Strain, to rally the city's hominid population in order to reclaim Marukan from their overlords. While no person can truly claim to be immune to things such as propaganda and demagoguery, the people of Marukan have historically exposed themselves to ideas and ideologies from every spectrum, and while it would be a blatant lie to say that no Hanakh has ever come to power through such tactics, it is probably fair to say that the people of Marukan on average have a better “bullshit radar” than most. Finally, Marukan is probably one of the most well-connected cities of the entire continent, hosting countless embassies and branches of foreign organizations, such as guids, holy orders and mercenary companies on one hand, and maintaining steady relations through its vast trade network on the other. Many say that if one wants to know what goes on in the world they must simply go to Marukan. There is a popular adage “What news from Marukan”, which perfectly illustrates this fact.
Laws & Institutions:
The Laws & Institutions of Marukan for the most part line up with those of The Ashuurian State, though all Strains, not just The Hominid Strain can enjoy full citizenship here, and it has been like this long before any other cities of Upper Zagesi ever even thought of introducing similar measures.
Marukan
Geography:
Region: Northern Middle East - Upper ZagesiSociety:
Population: ~60.000 peopleStrains: Hominids ~50%, Draconids ~20%, Zoltai ~12%, Wildkin ~12%, Elves ~4%, other ~2%
Religion: The Ur-Ashaar, The Ruumush Amat
Politics:
Government: military dictatorshipRuler: Warlord Kovesh the Conqueror
Influence: moderate
Commerce:
Currency:50 copper grains = 1 silver glimmer
25 silver glimmers = 1 gold sovereign
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