Augustin
The city of Augustin is the capital of the Free City of the same name. It is the center of both governance and commerce within the Free City's bounds and hosts the majority of its population and wealth. It lays in the northeast corner of the Jakonian Peninsula, along the Coast of the Ancients, and is believed to be the first city built by the original settlers of the Nameless Empire. Today it is easily the most prosperous and stable of communities along the eastern coastline of the peninsula.
Government
The elected Crown Mayor of the Free City is the direct ruler of Augustin itself. Most of the actual day to day administration takes place by the bureaucracy that has been put in place, managed out of the Castle of Saint Mark. Nearly every affair of the city is managed by this organization, which functions regardless of which person has actually been elected to the leading office of the nation. The final say, however, in every legal matter ultimately goes to the Crowned Prince for any rulings or decisions that cannot be taken care of at lower levels, or to resolve debates over policy.
Defences
The city of Augustin possesses two major defensive lines, the Fountain Wall and the Cabo Wall. The greatest protection for the city however, is that it is surrounded on three sides by rivers, adding an inherent moat. The Fountain Wall is the northernmost defensive wall, a single line that spans the available crossing into the northern part of the city. The Cabo Wall, on the other hand is integrated into the formidable Castle of Saint Mark and the riverline defense towers. All of these walled positions are well equipped with siege weapons, and the Castle of Saint Mark is the oldest and most impressive citadel in the entire Jakonian Peninsula, having only ever fallen once to a direct assault in battle, and only with extensive casualties.
The city itself is defended by the Drakans, an elite group of guards and warriors that serve the people of Augustin. They number over one thousand that serve every day, watching ships and the walls themselves. The Drakans can also call upon the Menorcan Battalion, a mercenary organization stationed within the city, and over ten thousand trained militia levies in the case of a critical attack or invasion. The fleets of Augustin are also routinely stationed along the docks and within the rivers, providing an additional wooden wall of defense and helping to protect against any waterborne approach to the city.
Industry & Trade
The basis of the economy of Augustin itself is in trade. High elf banking houses, trading offices, shipyards, and all of the industries of building and using ships are the core components of the industrious people of Augustin. The majority of the infrastructure is service based, with the shops, inns, and hotels of Augustin being nearly as big of business as the industrial sectors. Augustin is considered to be the financial capital of the Endless Ocean coast, with traders from Populres and Recfrere alike coming to conduct business.
Infrastructure
The city of Augustin features numerous tall buildings packed into a densely populated area, much like the heart of the Imperial City upon which the recent construction is modeled. The roads are well paved with stone, and wells dot the various neighborhoods of the city itself. The famed Bridge of the Lions connects the center of the city to the outlying island, upon which an ancient lighthouse provides a beacon to ships off of the coast. All of these have been painstakingly maintained for centuries, ensuring their value to the growth of the community. Much of the surrounding area was originally swampland that has since been drained to allow for new construction, including the famed shipyards which produce many of the vessels that ply the oceans for the Free City's traders.
Assets
In the Free City of Augustin, nearly anything can be found within the markets. The city is a major trading partner with the entire Circle Sea, and has nearly exclusive trading rights with the coastal towns of the Kingdom of Recfrere. The city has also begun trading with the Kingdom of Populres and the Bahami Federation, bringing in lucrative commerce not touched by kingdoms more loyal to the old ways of the Jakonian Empire. The wealth of these trades can be found within the Obelisk Market, named for the three obelisks that are within, each of which are inscribed with words in Elder Common, long faded and only of interest to archaeologists and scholars. In that market, most of the town's commerce takes place under the shady trees and pavilions, and the shops are built around it.
The Old Gate market is another major center of commerce, built around the venerable gate that marks the entry into the city. Although the original gate only exists still in parts the name has remained, as trading here takes place in the shadow of the Castle of Saint Mark. This is where the goods of the surrounding farmland can be brought in for trade, and where the common folk buy most of the goods and services that they need in normal life. Travelers can find a handful of quality weapons and tools within this market, but usually only of mundane nature.
The Colegio de Banderas is the preeminent center for the study of the Nameless Empire and archaeology in Emicara. The college specializes heavily in the excavation and retrieval of artifacts from all over the continent and is well known to be the best place to learn history and archaeology alike. The Colegio itself is said to be the oldest institute of higher learning in Emicara, dating back to 111 BF, with the central structures still unaltered from that time. Their museum is open to the public, displaying nonmagical relics of the Nameless Empire for students, travelers, and commoners alike. Magical items are also available, but only to scholars and occasionally wealthy buyers, and the Colegio possesses the largest collection of magical relics outside of the Monastic Brotherhood, a fact which often brings the two groups into conflict.
Guilds and Factions
The City Council of Augustin is a battleground for myriad wealthy houses and businesses seeking to gain an edge, and everyone has their own objective and agenda. That said, these agendas and objectives have coalesced into three distinct factions each attempting to alter the fate of the city. These include the Traditionalists, the Interventionists, and the Commecialists, all of whom seek a different direction for the people of Augustin.
The Traditionalists are those who back the old Jakonian Empire and the Church of the One Sun. They view the efforts to integrate other races into the society of Augustin as foolhardy, and long for the days of the empire to return. They seek to increase the influence of the Church and to reduce the presence of nonhumans and halfbreeds throughout Augustin. They also wish for greater economic integration with Jakonia, and the end of any covert support for Nasite rebels within the empire.
The Interventionists seek a more aggressive foreign policy. They believe that the wealth of Augustin could be channeled into the expansion of the city's borders, perhaps with efforts to pacify the Badlands or the Bahami Islands. At the moment they are focused upon the Nasite dissent within the Jakonian Empire, and believe that Augustin should take a more active role in aiding the rebels of the Starshine Front. They hope that Augustin could take the lead for the creation of a Nasite state, and be the center of whatever new nation could emerge.
The Commercialists believe in a more moderate approach than the other two factions, seeking only to expand Augustin's trade share across the Endless Ocean and into the Circle Sea. They believe more upon focusing on the rivalry with the Free Cities of Riveraineville and Capcora, by encouraging the Bahamis to raid them more over Augustin. The Commercialists are known to be a deciding factor in foreign policy debates, often aligning with either the Traditionalists or the Interventionists depending on which way there is more money to be made. The high elf banking houses back this faction, which often provides them with greater throwing power in debates within the Council.
The Colegio de Banderas is a secondary faction within the city limits itself. They mostly advocate for free trade, but their primary interest is keeping the Monastic Brotherhood away from their collections of relics from the Nameless Empire. The college hopes that with the support of the government, more archaeological expeditions can be lost, perhaps even mapping out northern coasts of the Deadlands, and they often end up supporting the Commericialists in political disputes. In contrast, the Church of the One Sun backs the Traditionalists, hoping for the Free City to eventually come to its senses and return to the Jakonian Empire.
History
It is said that Augustin was founded by settlers seeking out a new life and to build a new empire for themselves, away from oppressive rulers over the Endless Ocean. The city was established and thrived, and from that foundation, the rest of the first empire of Emicara was built. The city thrived and expanded, and remained one of the most prosperous urban areas of the Nameless Empire. Despite their prosperity, they were not targeted by the enemies of the old empire when the Last War began. Instead, Augustin survived nearly unscathed.
Having survived the collapse of the Nameless Empire with their city and infrastructure intact, the Augustinians managed to play an important role in the formation of new civilization upon the Jakonian Peninsula. At first they supported the Nasite Kingdom, but in time their efforts turned towards the Jakonians instead, who seemed ascendant. The Jakonians proved to be harsh overlords, and the city lost its independence for centuries.
For nearly seven hundred years, Augustin remained part of the Empire, still an important trade port, but just one among many. The Nasite culture and people that the Augustinians once denied became the foundation of their society. Therefore, when the Northern Rebellion began in 944, Augustin rose up with the other states, as their people advocated for a new Nasite nation. Despite their rebellion, the past could not be denied, and the locals of Augustin struck a bargain once more with the Jakonian government. In exchange for a restoration of Trade City status and local freedoms, Augustin would end its support for the rebellion. Despite being called out as traitors, the Jakonians accepted the proposal, and Augustin avoided the devastation that the war brought to the rest of the Nasite province.
After the rebellion ended, the Jakonian government was focused on the suppression of their remaining provinces, and few gave much thought to the Augustinians. The wealthy Nasites of Augustin quietly built up their wealth, power, and influence. In 1000, they reached a point that should they rise up, it would cripple the Jakonian economy all on its own. Faced with the implied threats of these merchants, the Jakonians realized that another rebellion would likely bring the empire to a final conclusion. In exchange for a payment of a mere six hundred thousand gold pieces as compensation for infrastructure and bureaucratic services, the Jakonians granted Augustin its full independence as a Free City.
As a Free City, Augustin has become a power player due to the extensive trade ties they have established within the Endless Ocean. The maps and ports of call used by their traders are precious national secrets, but they often bring in exotic goods, creatures, and peoples from distant lands. Their merchant fleets are the second largest after only their rivals in Capcora. They occasionally have had some recent skirmishes with various Bahami mukarribs, but the Cooperston Reprisal demonstrated that the Augustinians can bring a truly massive war fleet to bear should their trade be seriously threatened. After that, most Bahamis are content with the payoffs offered by Augustin, rather than risking open conflicts.
Architecture
The architecture of the city of Augustin is nearly unique, as some of its most ancient buildings date all the way back to the Nameless Empire. Painstakingly preserved by the Colegio de Banderas, these buildings offer a limited insight into what life in the old empire may have been like. The Castle of Saint Mark in particular is noted, that while the interior citadel is of more modern structure, the exterior walls date nearly all the way back to the founding of the city. These walls seem to simply soak in enemy siege weapons, while never giving way to attackers. The rest of the city is more modern Jakonian styles, with brick and stone structures extending three or four stories in height, to allow for greater population density to cram into the walls of the community.
Geography
The main city is built upon a peninsula dividing the San Sebastian and Matanzas Rivers and possesses four districts, known locally as barrios. These rivers separate the city from the outlying cattle fields and farms. The area on the north side of town between the two defensive walls is known as the Old Gate Barrio, where the Old Gate Market is built, and most of the poorer residents of the city reside. The Saint Mark Barrio covers most of the northern part of town, and it is here that most of the businesses and middle class homes are located. The southern side of town is best known as the Barrio Libertad, where the wealthiest citizens have their homes and gardens. The final district is on the eastern side, located upon the Isla de Anastasia, where the industries and slums are located on the other side of the Bridge of the Lions.
Founding Date
512 BF
Type
City
Population
115,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Augustinians
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
~105,000 Nasite Humans
~3,000 Halfbreeds
~1,000 High Elves
~8,000 Various Other Races
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