Veladare

Veladare is the relatively small capital, but a capital city nonetheless, for the elven country known as The Nation Of Veldare. The city was originally known as Tas Mora before being taken over by several nomadic groups of evil Avertere elves. Over the past 340 years, the city has become a little less wicked and a bit more hospitable but still has an intense distrust and suspicion of foreigners. All visitors must register and fill out a travel permit upon arrival and all dwarves are subject to immediate arrest and probable execution. While the area was once known for its numerous small fishing and farming villages, it has now become the largest naval power in the region under its new leaders. The city and nation's limited resources create a vast hunger for all manner of imports, goods, and services and it is more than likely that the increased activity of the navy is due to these desires.

Demographics

While most of the population here is human or nonelf, they are completely under the control and deferential to the ruling elves of the city. The citizens are no match for the magic and power of the elven government and find it healthier to just go about their daily lives and not create any issues that the regime may need to take care of. In turn, the elves provide registered jobs and income for all able workers and for the most part, allow them to live their lives.
There population here is approximately 30% Avertere elf, 1% Erumpere elf, 14% half-elf, 54% human, 0.7% gnome, 0.2% halfling, and no registered dwarves.

Government

This city is a bit unusual in that it has two main government systems. One system is used for running the actual city and the other is responsible for running the entire country. Both are housed here as this city is also the capital of the nation. 
The mayor of this city is Verus Carcharias, a direct descendant of the nation’s founder, Squalus Carcharias. He and his handpicked advisors oversee and run the complex Veladare. They are responsible for meeting quotas and deadlines, increasing the production of goods and services, managing imports and exports, securing the docks, gathering taxes, keeping the citizens in line, gathering information, assigning jobs, and running the day to day operations of the city.
The Council Of Carcharin is the national governments legislative and ruling body. They are responsible for making all of the laws and decisions regarding the country and determine what trades, crafts, or goods that each city will produce or focus on. The council sets the prices for all internally produced goods as well as the imports. There are separate prices for the government workers and different prices for citizens and a third set of prices for outsiders. Additionally the council manages and operates the Black Shark navy as well as directs the Tiburo Mages Institute and the Zralok Wardens.

Defences

While most of the city’s human citizens are rough and know how to defend themselves and the elven citizens can all cast at least low level spells, there are several other defenses throughout and around the city. 
The capital’s elevated position on steep ocean cliffs and high walls make attacks from the sea nearly impossible. Interspersed across the walls are several catapults and ballista capable of firing both standard projectiles and those that contain stored spells.
Citizens and visitors both are observed, secured, and policed by the Zralok Wardens. They are the military police and are responsible for not only controlling the population but also physically defending the city from internal and external threats. Several groups will monitor the populace as well as patrol the nearby country side for dangers. Every village, town, and city in the nation has at least several uniformed and undercover wardens within it.
The Black Sharks are the nations navy, that have become a bit more privateer than defender as of late. While most of the fleet is harbored in the city of Black Fish, most of the active ships report in and out of Veladare. Defensively, every coastal community has some of the vessels anchored offshore ready to repel invaders and pirates and take advantage of unwary merchant ships.
While all elven government employees can cast high level spells, the main agent of magical protection for the city comes from the Tiburo Mages Institute. These mages spend most of their days teaching the youth how to produce powerful magic, but when nature brings disastrous thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, or Harmonic Tsunami, the mages are called upon to protect the city and the nation.

Industry & Trade

The capital city is the main trading hub of the nation and requires all imports or exports to run through its gates. From here the goods can be bought, sold, traded and then transported to the various towns and villages of the nation.
The main exports are: various peppers and spices, salts, lemons, limes, oranges, dried kelp, pearls, tobacco, tequila, carved palm wood, and manufactured glass items.
The main imports are: olives, apples, bananas, long lasting fruits and vegetables, nuts, salted beef, iron, steel, weapons, other alcohols, silks, various minerals, and gemstones.
Most commoners and nonelves in the city make their living as laborers, fishermen, dock hands, and simple craftsmen. A few are able to become smiths or join the citizen patrols, and a few rare merchants and sailors do exist but are closely watched.
The elves hold the jobs of upper management, government workers, naval officers, healers, bankers, and magical defenders.

History

After the Sundering and conflict within the elven nation, several tribes of Avertere elves were forced from their homelands and began wandering the transformed continent. Over the centuries many new elves joined the nomadic group as they searched for a new home of their own. After 400 years of looking, they came upon an ideal location at the tip of the Shadow Coast. Here there was relatively easy access to food, water, shelter, and readymade villages and towns.
In 404 A.S., under the leadership of Squalus Carcharias, the 600 elves invaded the small fishing and trading hub and most influential town in the region, called Tas Mora. The simple farmers and fisherman recognized that they were no match for the magic and bows of the elves and offered no resistance to the invaders. A peace accord was made were the elves would spare all of the citizens and protect them from the hurricanes and forces of nature as well as other outsiders who would kill them. In return the elves would live in the town and set up a government system that would allow them to prosper and streamline the production of each village and town in the region. They renamed the town to Veladare, an elven word meaning “to set sail”, as they explored the surrounding sea and furthered their people.
As the time went on, other towns came under the sway of the growing settlement and it eventually became the capital city of the new elven Nation Of Veladare. The Council Of Carcharin was formed from the mayors of the towns and influential elves, so that they could run the burgeoning country. As it grew larger and larger and more resources were needed and the dangers increased, the Black Sharks navy was created, as was the Zralok Wardens and the Tiburo Mages Institute. The capital city itself was run by Squalus Carcharias as the mayor for many years until he retired to work with the council full time. His son Maso Carcharias became mayor from 558 A.S. until 691 A.S. At this time his son, Verus Carcharias became the new and current mayor of Veladare.

Tourism

Few people come here for tourism as there is little to see or do at this dangerous location. Those that do come, usually do so as a means of striking up trade agreements or securing safe passage through the Ko Mora Sea. Those that don't mind the danger usually stay on to become mercenaries that can extend the reach of the elves beyond this city and nation.

Geography

Situated at the southern edge of a northern continent that extends just below the equatorial line is the capital city of Veladare. It sits at approximately 28 degrees south latitude on a rocky outcrop with steep cliffs that give way to wide flattened terrain. Built on the elevated rocks of the Shadow Coast, the city rises just north of the Ko Mora Sea, on the west is the Great Sea Wall and the Vastus Ocean beyond it, and on the east lies the Ples Mora Sea with eventual access to the Daria and Eldoris oceans.

Geology

The city itself rests upon rare dense limestone cliffs and is surrounds by various palm tree forests and tall grasses. The soil here consists mostly of decaying palm leaf matter with a fine sand and crushed coral sublayer that rests above a hard limestone bedrock. The slow weathering and erosion of the rocks cause sinkholes, cenotes, and caves to be interspersed throughout the landscape. Small freshwater streams meander through the plains with occasional lakes, ponds, and swamps collecting the water before it makes its way to the sea.

Climate

Veladare's climate is one of heat and humidity. Its extreme northern location in the southern hemisphere causes it to have a strong subtropical climate famous for its long hot and humid summers and mild and wet winters. The rainy season extends from mid-spring to mid-autumn with short but powerful thunderstorms that traditionally build in the heat of the day and rain as the evening temperatures drop. The winters tend to be short and dry but do on occasion see frost.

Natural Resources

Few natural resources exist in this area, but those that do, come from the surrounding forests, seas, and wetlands. Many species of plant and animal can be found here in addition to the raw building materials. Highly specialized farmers and fishermen are most responsible for harvesting the resources of the area. Specific to this city is citrus fruits, pearls, limestone rock, manufactured glass, carved palm wood, and agave for making tequila.

Founder:

• Squalus Carcharias

Ruler:

• Mayor Verus Carcharias

Founding Date

The capital city was officially founded in 404 A.S.

Type

Capital

Population

About 13,000 permanent residents live and work here full time.

Inhabitant Demonym

The Veladarians

Location under

The Shadow Coast

Related Historical Events

• 10405 A.S.
  The Founding Of Veladare

Mayoral List:

• Squalus Carcharias: 154 yrs from 404 A.S. to 558 A.S.

• Maso Carcharias: 133 yrs from 558 A.S. to 691 A.S.

• Verus Carcharias: 52 yrs from 691 A.S. to 743 A.S.

Half-elf Intrigue:

The presence and growth of the half-elves in the city and nation as a whole has caused incredible debate among the elven leadership. When there were a few in number, it was easy to overlook and disparage and harass them without a care. However, with their large numbers, many of which are the illegitimate secrets of the ruling class, they have become a huge cause for concern. If their numbers were added to the humans, they could cause a revolt that might be impossible to put down and no matter the outcome, forever change the dynamics of the government and population. Not to mention that a great many of the half-elves have an aptitude for becoming sorcerers, wizards, and clerics. This magical might combined with the brute force of the humans would be devastating to the authority.
In the recent Proclamation of Ebbing Tide, the council has decided that the half-elves will be assigned to elevated positions within the government in an attempt to influence and ally with them. Most are assigned to the Black Shark navy, where they can be kept away from the humans and used in sea battles, where they will have a much shorter than average lifespan. Survivors are well rewarded and more easily molded to the values and decisions of the elven rulers.

“We need to do something now! It will only get worse in the future! As time progresses, the extremely rapid reproduction rate of the half-elves and humans will only accelerate their overwhelming numbers and collective power against us. This will cause catastrophic and irreparable damage to the nation.”

— Admiral Otodus Alodon, Avertere Elf, mayor of Black Fish, member of the Council Of Carcharin

The Proclamation of Ebbing Tide allows members of the population to request to be reregistered in a new line of work. This allows the cities mayors to place their half-elves and troublesome humans into more notable, yet dangerous and isolated line of work.