Tìl Soren
Located at the confluence of the Gorènyë River and the Grand Feloran Canal, Tìl Soren is one of the longest continually inhabited settlements in Felora, and indeed all of Getninia. Only the abodes of the Giant families are believed to have been inhabited for as long, making Soren one of only a few urbanised settlements in this category.
Crossing under the gates of the ancient walls, you hear the din of a blacksmith's hammer echo in the distance, its ring broken by the shouts of the Sorenian city watch as they chase after a suspected thief. Looming in the distance, visible from all major roads is the Sovereign's court, the tallest building in the former elven capital. The air is thick in the summer heat, however plentiful shade from the immaculately pruned trees lining the city's canals and avenues provide respite from the beating sun.
Districts of Soren
Soren has seven districts, one of which is outside the city walls.- Imperial District. Home to the Imperial Court and Feloran Palace, underneath which are the Sorenian Soveriengty's primary dungeons. Located at the heart of the city, the Imperial District is accessible via water by the Sovereign's Canal, and by the main road leading from the Western Bridge through the city to Lumora.
- Je'thor District. Named for the council, which meets in the garden in the center of this district, located north of the Imperial district, bordered by the Grand Canal to it's north. Mirenelis Avenue runs from the building housing the Council Chambers to the Imperial Court. It is home to many of the artisan and skill tradesfolk's residences, along with some of the larger homestead compounds of Sorenian aristocrats, particularly near the district's south.
- Lèlbrìkèrna. Home to many of the city's shrines, including the Sacred Temple. Also the location of the old Imperial Postal Bureau, which oversaw a network of couriers throughout Felora and it's overseas provinces, and is still home to much of the studies and offices of the scholar-officials of the Sovereignty.
- The Western Port. Along the Grand Feloran Canal, to the north of the western bridge are the docks, and the area between them and the bridge is the Western Port district, a place full of taverns and inns catering to the traders on the canal that pass through, and home to many of the city's free laborers.
- The Eastern Port. Along the Gorènyë River, to the east of the smoke district and north of Lumler, is the eastern port district. Home to more of the city's skilled tradesfolk and some of the residences of the scholar-officials. Running out of this district is the Lërd'Til Canal to Lumora, and at it's interesction with the river is the Goren Docks.
- The Smoke District. Named for the high concrentration of kilns, forges, and other industrial works in the city.
- Lumler. On the outskirts of Soren is Lumler, a series of farming communities to the south of the main city along Leswena's aqueduct and one of the Palm Rivers. It is home to most of the city's serfs, who labour in the fields directly for the Sovereignty, overseen by lower members of the aristocracy.
Important Locations
- The Grand Canal Docks: Located in the western port. The site where most goods and materials from outside the Sovereignty are processed, tariffs assessed, and then loaded onto the local barges that distribute it to points throughout the city.
- The Goren Docks. Located in the eastern port. The site where most goods, including the city's food supply, are loaded from the regional canal barges and distributed by carriage through the city.
- The Imperial Compound. Located on the site of the ancient Mirenelis homestead, the former compound used to be referred to as the Steward's Forbidden quarter, however the Je'thor Reformations stripped the Steward of their royal authority and the forbidden quarter was absorded into the larger compound, which held the head offices of all the Empire's numerous bureaus that managed mail, taxes, and held the vast continental empire together. It is home to the Dungeons of Soren.
- The Sacred Temple. The main temple of Soren, for the practice of all the faith but dedicated as a shrine itself to the sun and moon Yīra of Lèu̯rìa and Kha'sa, believed to be the ancestral Yīra of the Sorenian nobility, likely adapted from sun and moon deities of the pre-Ëlhyaean Feloran pantheon.
- The Ancient Walls of Soren. Standing over 12 meters high, with redoubts stretching even higher, and 5 meters thick at most points, protected in front by bodies of water along most of the city's island, save for it's southern irrigation fields, the walls have protected Soren for most of it's history. Only once, in 1 PE were the walls and the city ransacked, when Orc General Gloggnozz and his thousands-strong force of disgruntled tribesfolk attempted to raze the city before being repelled by forces led by Prince Kaelbryn and Princess Ravadi.
Demographics
Soren is one of the most ethnically homogenous of the cities of Feloran successor states. In the first proper census of the city since the collapse of the empire, conducted in 235 PE, the city had 100,040 residents, with 10,031 non-elves, mostly half-elf descendants of Imperial Officials from the defunct Galisean provinces. Growth picked up after the census of 235, however the city's population of half-elves all but migrated to the Dotharan Alliance. Of the city's current population (297,010), almost 95% are ethnically Feloran Elves, while the rest are mostly Dragonborn or Voth Drow. Historically, more Sorenians have been Moon Elves, while Lumor'ai were predominantly Sun Elves, however this distinction has become less relevant in modern times.
The city's aristocracy, including many bureaucrats and religious officials, numbers at 6,002, 180 of which live within the Imperial Compound, while the rest live in luxurious homesteads throughout the city. Though less powerful and numerous than in other Feloran cities, there is a notable merchant class (8,009). Rounding out the middle class is the city's skilled artisans and professionals (45,322). Most of the population (191,066) lives as free laborers, while remaining are indentured or serfs (46,611).
Government
The city of Soren is the former capital of the Feloran Empire, and seat of the Imperial Court. Under the Sovereignty of Soren, most administrative and bureaucratic affairs have been relocated to the more populous and economically powerful Lumora, which has become the de facto capital of the Sovereignty.
Of the city's residents, only the indentured or serfs are unrepresented in the Je'thor Council, although it's significantly limited in it's legal authority. It may not settle legal disputes, which are heard by representatives of the Sovereign, nor may it make laws that apply to the Feloran Noblity, the Bæslèlbrì, or their agents and representatives.
Defences
Soren is surrounded by a wall, with towers and gates at all major entrances to the city. Most minor entrances are kept closed, only opened as needed by the locals on authority of the Je'thor Council or Sovereign's orders. 500 Fèlmörn are recruited from the city's residents, with many under contracts opting for service in the standing garrisons in exchange for shorter indentures. The 80-strong Knights of Fèl'örë also help in the defence of the city, answering directly to the Sovereign, along with the Sacred Knights of the Temple, who answer to the Bæslèlbrì. At one point, the wall was defended by the famed Feloran Trebuchets, however now the surviving six are kept under lock and key by the Knights of Fèl'örë.
Industry & Trade
Agricultural goods are imported along the canals, mostly from Sorenian villages and towns upriver from the waterways that lead to the city and connect to the Grand Canal. Smiths sell weapons, though not anything like firearms, mostly elven longbows or the coveted duplex bow, artisans such as basketweavers and cobblers sell their goods to the city's merchants who then sell them to the canal traders (this is a system enforced by sovereign decree, artisans may not infringe on the licensed merchants of the city by selling directly, except to individuals.) Many scholar-officials sell their services under contract, such as for cartography and astronomy. In the Smoke District, many of the ancient kilns and imperial forges still function, making new bricks, pottery, and iron works. Modern industry such as large ironworks and textiles are absent from Soren.
Infrastructure
The sewers of Soren are ancient, some of the oldest sewers in Getninia, with some dating to before the construction of the Grand Canal. Today, these sewers are integrated into the canal, irrigation, and drainage system, and connect most points in the city, with pipes, channels, and chambers buried underneath the city, providing access to many forbidden areas for more hearty adventurers. Though not as prevalent compared to Lumora or the cities of the Dotharan Alliance, navigable canals connect most major locations within the city. The city has magical streetlighting, adapted from the Dancing Lights cantrip of many Felorans, along most major streets and avenues, and in the wealthier neighborhoods and public areas.
Guilds and Factions
Since the collapse of the Empire, the city has been dominated by the Kaelbryn Stewardship, which has maintained the city as the personal residence while moving most administrative functions to Lumora. Scholar-officials, Ëlhyaean mages, and wealthy merchants each vie for influence in the Yīlɦ Dollëka's court. Across the city, the Je'thor Council is the battleground of influences for the Merchant's Guild, which seeks to expand the Council's legal and political power, and the city's artisans and skilled tradesfolk, which is split across many guilds with shifting allegiances of their own.
History
Soren was founded as Tìl Soren sometime before -2204 of the Royal Era, when plans for its reconstruction are first dated. Beforehand, Soren existed as a handful of farming villages clustered around the royal homestead of the Mirenelis family. The original villages were demolished and the city rebuilt along an early example of Feloran city-planning, building a city with an orderly grid of streets (and later canals) with standardised building materials. The city expanded in population rapidly due to this grid, which helped keep the city orderly and safe.
The first canal in 1778 RE marked the beginning of intense construction of water-based infrastructure, including irrigation channels, local canals for travel within the city's walls, long distance canals to other cities, and a plumbing/sewage system, all of which became especially useful during seasonal flooding in keeping stagnant, epidemic causing, water out of the city. Soren was the de facto capital of the Feloran Empire for approximately 4,000 years until the Je'thor Reformations, when the city was formally made capital and seat of power for the Emperor. In 2 PE, Sovereign Kaelbryn moved the de jure capital to Lumora, which was and remains more populous and wealthy.
Architecture
Much of Soren's oldest buildings are made of mud bricks made in kilns in the city out of the excavated canal earth, although most royal and imperial buildings were made of imported limestone from what is now the Sarendian Trust. Many of the homesteads of the aristocracy have ornate idol representations of Yīra that they pray to as personal shrines, while most homes of all Sorenians are notable for their green and blue doors.
Geography
Soren is located on an artificial island, cut off from the rest of the Palm Plains by the Gorènyë River and a canal and irrigation channel two kilometers south of the city walls. Until the extensive water works were constructed, the area was prone to frequent flooding, however channelisation and the construction of canals mitigated this. Despite the semi-arid climate, due to the abundance of fresh water, the area has been cultivated for generations. Though there are some gentle slopes on the northern bank of the Grand Canal/Gorènyë, facing downwards to the city.
Founding Date
Before -2204 RE
Alternative Name(s)
Imperial Capital
Type
City
Population
297,010
Inhabitant Demonym
Soren'ai
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
Related Reports (Primary)
