Liberty
The perhaps ironically named city of Liberty is one of the larger communities in the Jakonian Empire. Named and built in more optimistic days, it was originally a free city similarly to Augustin and Capcora. Unlike those other two cities, it was unable to retain this identity after Jakonian conquest. Despite withstanding multiple assaults and sieges over the years, they ultimately surrendered to the growth of the empire, and quickly became a backwater. Liberty's legacy is a history of failed endeavors, abandoned industry, and decaying infrastructure. Today it is a barely functioning port city that struggles to compete with even significantly smaller towns along the Jakonian eastern coast.
Demographics
The population of Liberty is mostly Jakonian humans. A handful of halflings and other races have ended up in the city, which possesses numerous nooks and crannies for hiding and concealing oneself. This has attracted criminal elements from all over the empire, as Liberty has become known as a safe place to hide from authorities. The Libertarians have a standing policy of not informing upon outsiders, and families are considered to be the most important factor in a life in Liberty.
Government
The city of Liberty falls under the feudal purview of the lords of the Jakonian Empire. As the seat of the holdings of House Camburn, it is ruled directly by the feudal lord and all affairs of the community are handled by delegates and advisors appointed to the position by the house. The lord presides over all courts and contracts undertaken within the area of the city, although often just in form rather than in practice. Magistrates and guards are appointed directly by the lord, and oversee day to day affairs in his name. These interventions in life are rare, as traditionally, the government in Liberty stays out of private lives, and thanks to wealth generated elsewhere, Camburn rarely even collects more than a harbor tax from the city's inhabitants.
Defences
The walls of Liberty exist in patchwork order, with most of them having been torn down for parts and construction elsewhere. Castle Camburn is the sole remaining fortification in the city limits, acting as a palace for House Camburn and the city's center of military might and government. It has a overlooking view of the city's harbor and strong, well-maintained walls. Supporting these defenses are the local levies of the house, consisting of nearly four hundred soldiers.
Industry & Trade
The economy of Liberty can be said to be barely afloat, much like many of the ships that frequent its harbor. There exists no local industry of any size, beyond the bare necessities that exist to allow a city to continue functioning. That is not to say that some local trade isn't thriving. Thieves and merchants of dubious renown from all across Jakonian come to Liberty to offload stolen goods and problematic people, making it the only center for slave trade in the empire. Although the Emperor occasionally attempts to enforce a crackdown on this trade, efforts to do so are restricted by the ruling house and are often merely just momentary disruptions.
Infrastructure
The roads and structure of Liberty has been in decay over the past one hundred years, with little efforts to finance its growth and expansion. Repeated raids by Bahami corsairs have further deteriorated the situation, as the city's lackluster defenses pose no significant threat to those seeking to enter the city to rob its inhabitants. The roads are entirely dirt, the sewers have been lost to history, and the docks themselves frequently collapse during even a light storm. Only the Free Market still exists in reasonable condition, paid for by its occupants and merchants. The lack of enthusiasm for sponsoring public works comes from the individualist nature of Liberty's inhabitants who instead spend most of their time and gold on their own residences.
Assets
The city of Liberty has little to offer most travelers, with one glaring exception. The Free Market, the center of the city, has become the largest center for the dealing and trade of stolen goods in the entire Jakonian Empire. The local lords turn a blind eye to this trade, allowing the merchants to make a fortune off perhaps the largest trading location of illegal goods in Emicara. Slaves, drugs, liquors, and stolen items of all shapes and sizes are bought and sold in the Free Market daily, along with a plethora of legitimate wares for the city's inhabitants. Travelers are often warned about the hazards of the Free Market, for while it looks to an outsider to be a regular marketplace that could be seen in any town, death and theft are far more likely to be afflicted on such a person here than anywhere else.
Guilds and Factions
House Camburn is the most powerful faction in Liberty, reigning as noble house over the city since shortly after the Great War. They have proven to be a driving force in the battle for control of the city, and for the most part have been successful. The house has attempted to monopolize the illicit trades that take place in the city, and have established themselves as the preeminent power in organized crime in eastern Jakonia. Facing them, in a constant struggle for superiority, is the Rally of Free Men. The Rally is both criminal fraternity and liberation movement combined. They have built support for independence from the empire, while fighting Camburn at every turn for control of the city. These battles are frequently bloodly, and House Camburn often calls in the support of the Empire, claiming that the struggle is strictly to maintain control against radical revolutionaries.
Founding Date
12 AF
Type
Large city
Population
59,000
Related Ethnicities
Inhabitant Demonym
Libertarian
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
Comments