Correb

Capital of the The Communes of Celvesso

Correb is the entracing ancient capital of The Communes of Celvesso. Swaddled tight against the vast shores of lake Reshuul, which is the highest lake in all of Lavenna at 4,589 meters above sea level, it is renowned for its emblematic steep white pyramidal aquitectures - monolithic living structures that also function as cisterns, condensing moisture from the high mountain winds into fresh water. Having emerged as a major trade linkage through the treacherous Merkosta mountains, the city is known for its hospitality and friendliness to outsiders, be they passing through, or choosing to dwell within the towering peaks it calls home.

Infrastructure

Certainly the most emblematic and no less essential part of the city are the dozens of monolithic aquitectures - steep white pyramidal living structures which work symbiotically with the mountain ecology to provide the city with drinking water. Their pourous stone exteriors absorb atmospheric moisture which travels inside hollow chambers within. There, moisture condenses on cooling surfaces and drips into collecting cisterns, from which water is then distributed throughout the city through a network of aqueducts. They are an important civic symbol, not just for their vital service to the city, but also as ecosystems in their own right. The largest of the aquitectures in Correb, known as Al-Durrust, even has entire preserved rainforest microclimates from before the sterilisation of the planet housed within its depths. This has been incredibly valuable for reconstruction-era environmental restoration.
Diverse microbial colonies within their stonework break down minerals leeched from the condensed water, giving it an unmatched quality that is highly coveted across Lavenna for its alledged medicinal properties.

History

Pre-Sterilization

It is believed that the city has been inhabited from as early as the ancient starborn settlers of the planet from before the sterilisation, who created the frameworks for what would become the aquitectures as water collectors using advanced geological shaping technologies. The site was likely then abandonned for centuries as the desert wastelands rapidly swept away its ancient lush rainforests.

Prehistory

As one of the few navigable passages through the trechearous Merkosta mountain range, the site found a renewed prominence as a key trade linkage. At first, nomadic herders made seasonal camps in the protected mountain valley surrounding the calm waters of lake Reshuul, leaving traces of their rituals which involved communing with mountain spirits to ensure safe travel.

Early Beginnings

The first permanent settlement of what would eventually become Correb took shape as markets sprang up, serving as a neutral melting pot composed of the various cultures passing through. A council of merchant communes arose to cooperatively manage the city and the trade routes that passed through it, maintaining a tradition of providing refuge for all peoples braving the treacherous crossing.

The Golden Age

The wealth amassed from transit tolls and the markets made the city fabulously wealthy, which financed the restoration and continued construction of the aquitectures. The inhabitants developed an ingenious strategy of using a combination of stonework and organic accretion to expand the aquitectures by having algae, fungi, and calcium-secreting microbes gradually secrete layer upon layer of living stone, which was guided through stonework into an optimal moisture collecting form.

During the War

Correb remained a member of a collective of independent merchant communes up until the The Continental War, which saw the bloody occupation of the city by Seriphanese forces for several decades. It was an early hotbed of resistance, and during the Violet Rebellions it was a major rebel stronghold. The aquitectures provided refuge for citizens and resistance fighters alike during intense shelling from Seriphanese forces, giving them a steady supply of fresh water. Many of the aquitectures were severely damaged as relentless bombing campaigns sought to eliminate them since they largely negated Seriphanese attrition tactics, though the living stone continued to heal itself. Even so, countless scars are still visible across most of the aquitectures, serving as constant reminders of the horrors of the Continental War and the steadfast service they provided to the city in its darkest times.

Post-War

It was chosen as the capital of The Communes of Celvesso largely due to its historical significance as a symbolic peaceful meeting ground, although more pragmatically because most of the founding communes of the republic had risen up in and around the city, making it an important political stronghold and fortified position.

CULTURE

A history of cultural exchange has seeded a highly syncretic identity, with a diverse tapestry of languages, spiritual traditions, cuisines, and artisanry having evolved over generations of trade passing through its gates.

ECONOMICS

Despite its history as a wealthy trading hub, wealth has always been quite evenly distributed by the merchant communes that once controlled the city. As is standard with the rest of Lavenna, poverty has been eliminated, and the vast majority of inhabitants are of more or less equal socio-economic status, leading comfortable lives as members of their local communes, which distribute resources locally and are self-sufficient.

POPULATION

Correb is highly multiethnic, having originally been founded by a mix of various tribal groups from across Celvesso. Currently, the city has sizeable Seriphanese, Matroshki, and Karsovian populations, with none having a majority.

Alternative Name(s)

Kofona

Type

Capital

Population

1.2 million

Inhabitant Demonym

Correbasi

Owning Organization

The Communes of Celvesso