Shintonai (Shin-tone-eye)
Capital of the Taesu Empire, Shintonai is an ancient city with a long history. Before Hametsu-sha erupted and decimated the old island of Tawarakanai into the archipelago it is today, Shintonai was the provincial capital of Taesu. When Hametsu-sha brought hell to Tawarakanai in 485 AT, the old capital of Taesuxuzou, Nakashitari, was annihilated. With it, Taesuxuzou itself fell, splitting into the Taesu Empire and the Xuzou Dynasty of today.
As the Taesu Empire began to collect its broken pieces and solidify its hold over the newly born Tawarakanai Archipelago, Shintonai was made the Imperial Capital in 492 AT. It has remained the seat of power in the Taesu Empire ever since, growing steadily and safely.
Guilds and Factions
Sakaguchi Clan Tradeworks
As the largest shipping company in the Taesu Empire, the Sakaguchi Clan Tradeworks owns most of the trade in Shintonai. Though they have stuck to domestic trade for much of their existence, the Sakaguchi Clan's more recent heads of household have been more ambitious and begun trading long-distance, including Ariminium and Yathra Silthame.History
Before the eruption of Hametsu-sha, Shintonai was a city of some 10,000 people, built at the feet of the Nakashibiro mountains, several dozen miles in-land from the coast. When the volcano sundered Tawarakanai, the land between Shintonai and the coast fell into the sea -- taking half of the old city with it. Afterwards, Shintonai became a harbor city, expanding along the mountainous coast it found itself upon.
It became the Imperial Capital in 492 AT, and was the birthplace of the first Taesunese Empress, Minamoto Nyoko, matriarch of the Minamoto Clan. While the Imperial clan is the only clan required to make their home in Shintonai, most noble houses do anyways as it keeps them in the social, economic, and political heart of the Taesu Empire.
Points of interest
Kōshitsu (Emperor Home)
Kōshitsu is the titanic palace-city complex that sits right on the once-sundered shores on Shintonai. Before, it was a small bureau that served as the provincial throne of Taesu. That bureau was split in two by Hametsu-sha's eruption, then restored once Shintonai was named Imperial Capital. Now, it serves a multitude of purposes: throne of the Emperor, home of the Imperial clan, personal harbor for VIPs and ambassadors, and embassy-complex. The heart of Kōshitsu is the Dai ōi, the throne hall of the Emperor. Here, the Emperor hears law propositions, ambassador meetings, and the like. Surrounding the Dai ōi -- and forming most of the rest of the complex -- is the Ōzoku no tochi, a series of mansions and estates that serves as the Imperial clan's home and the residences of visiting royals and ambassadors. The personal harbor is known as Kōtei no minato.Architecture
Shintonai is built in typical Taesunese fashion: wooden structures, typically elevated slightly on cobblestone foundations, with sliding doors in place of walls and tiled roofs made of ceramics. While dense, the city is still built to be in harmony with nature. Streams flow in tight canals between homes, made to look natural, while small gardens and forest retreats dot roads and throughfares.
Founding Date
305 AT
Type
Capital
Population
54,208 (74% human, 14% elf, 6% dwarf, 6% other)
Inhabitant Demonym
Shintonite
Characters in Location
Comments