Acostead
Eldcolary's Capital City
Founded in 1120, Acostead is the capital city of Eldcolary and home to several of the largest corporations and businesses on the entire continent. It has been at the forefront of all scientific and technological advancements, creating a wealthy upper class who exploit the lower classes.
Shopping District
The Mystic Cat (Alchemist's Shop)
The HotShot (Weapon Shop)
Demographics
Races Present
Acostead is made up of people of all races and types for it is the great melting plot of the world, where millions come, hoping their luck might be better then those who came before. It never is, but it doesn't stop them from trying. While humans are the dominant demographic in the city, you can see dwarves, elves, the odd firbolg, and occasionally, rarer races like grunge.
Attention all citizens. If you spot a grunge you are to report the sighting to your nearest corporate military office. All grunge are to be considered armed and dangerous currently, and should not be interacted with. Failure to report a sighting of a grunge will result in the execution of you and three generations of your family. Thank you for corporation. - The Haxian Corporation
Distribution of Wealth
Wealth in Acostead is entirely in the hands of the CEOs of the major corporations, with very trickling down into the rest of the economy. While this would typically cause a collapsing economy, the corporations employ over 76% of the entire working population, keeping the flow of money internally.
New businesses try to start up and fail by the thousands every year as people are desperate to try to claw their way out of the poor and desolate life they live.
Main Professions
Almost all of the working class in Acostead work for the three major corporations, which dominate almost all markets. While the Haxian Conglomerate technically evenly splits everything amongst themselves, there are some smaller businesses that have managed to find some success. These however typically are within the waste and body disposal businesses as none of the corporations can really be bothered with that.
Government
Acostead is controlled by primarily by three corporations, the largest of which is the Haxian Corporation. While the Lords of Night technically rule over the city, they have not had direct interactions with the inhabitants for over a thousand years now. This has lead to a corporatocracy in which the power and wealth is held in the hands of business leaders, and almost all the citizens live in filth.
Taxation
Citizens of Acostead are all taxed a flat rate of 30% of all earnings regardless of financial standing. Due to the heavy taxation, many Acosteadians are extremely poor, barely making enough each month to keep a roof over their heads or meet their basic needs.
As one would expect, the corporations are the ones to do all the taxing, and as such, pay absolutely nothing in taxes, citing the "invaluable services that they provide." In truth, the corporations pay nothing because they make up the entire government of Acostead.
Districts
Lower District
The Lower Districts make up most of Acostead, with a little over 90% of the population living in them. These districts are filled with high rise apartment buildings that have been smushed together, creating literally walls of tiny apartments stretching up as far as the eye can see.
Alongside residential complexes, small businesses and corporation offices are on every street, with bright colors, flashing signs, and ads taking up as much empty space as possible. The scent of refuse and death is constant in the Lower Districts, mixing in with the ever-present scent of iron found throughout Eldcolary.
Life in the Lower Districts is incredibly difficult, with many people who are not employed by the corporations joining various gangs or becoming a mover for the black market. Around every corner is someone willing to sell you anything and everything, from various drugs to your grandmother's liver.
If you make the mistake of moving into Acostead from one of the other large cities or even from the countryside, you will wind up in the Lower Districts which will eat you up and spit you out. Tens of thousands of people go missing every year here, and if you disappear, no one will be looking for you.
The Lower Districts have a well-earned reputation for being violent, which comes as no surprise to anyone living in the Lower Districts. Everyone living there barely has enough money to pay for rent each month, and they are more then willing to kill, torture, and steal to get what they need each month.
Upper District
The Upper District of Acostead is made up entirely of the major corporations and the wealthiest citizens of the city. Most people in Acostead work here, as all of the corporations keep their headquarters in this area. It tends to be fairly safe, minus political and company-related assassinations.
Due to how common these assassinations have become, those who can afford it use the AEX-235 Haxian Fleet Car, which comes with numerous features to keep its occupants safe. However, even these have become more vulnerable to recent attacks, with people believing there has been an internal leak or hack.
Most people who visit Acostead will never see the Upper District, unless they are some type of political ambassador. These ambassadors are kept away from the Lower Districts to keep up the appearances that Acostead is a rich, thriving city, that everyone should want to live in.
Guilds and Factions
The Major Players
Within Acostead there are currently three big players: The Haxian Corporation, BioTechnica, and Asco Pharmaceuticals. There is also a growing group of active rebels in the underground of Acostead who are working closely with the leaders of the black market. However, the black market leaders are not entirely on the side of the rebels, as the corporatocracy that currently exists has made all of them quite rich.
Maps
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Liberation Front Warehouse
Corpo Hierarchy
CEOsTaskmasters
Internal Affairs
Corporation Resources (CR)
Managers
Department Heads
Desk Jockeys