Suisbium

Suisbium, the seat of the tebouwa of Stoacca, is the second largest city in Ritilia. It is also the northernmost city, as it sits on the west bank of the Ettomep River, just south of the Schmyse Bend. The main road through the city is the trade route from the capital Ritililium in the south to the hobgoblin settlement of Hasschtau north of the Principality.

Government

Originally, Suisbium was the seat of Suisbiumtebwa. When Ter̂uus Palpurus surrendered to Vonuscidus Depwua in 1339 LE, Suisbiumtebwa was dissolved. She replaced it with the tebouwa of Stoacca, a much larger region, and granted it to Iscina Apalla, the Pacifier, who ruled as Awatcova, passing the title on to her descendants. Today, Suisbium is the seat of Stoacca and continues to be ruled by a member of the royal family.

Defences

A wall surrounds the city. It is stone, rising to about 30 feet, with towers every eighty feet around its perimeter. There are three gates: the Foreign Gate (north), the Capital Gate (south) and the People's Gate (east).

Infrastructure

Suisbium features a central road that is broad and well paved, leading through the city, as noted above. Other roads and streets are haphazard in nature, and mostly are dirt and turf.

In terms of drainage, the central road has a large trough running along its center that drains into the city's cesspool. Other roads and areas are drained by ditches that flow into the cesspool.

Districts

Suisbium features a strong and ancient central keep (Founder's Keep) atop the only exposed bedrock in the city, the Tor of Danpeibus. The central road runs just to the west of the keep, through the Palace District, which is fairly central to the city. To the southwest of the Palace District is the Peat District. Northwest of the Palace is the Foreigner's Quarter. All of the area to the east of the central road is called the Farm District.

Founder's Keep
This ancient shell keep is square and about 300 feet on a side at the base. It's 30-degree walls rise to a height of sixty feet and are surmounted by twenty towers that rise another thirty feet beyond the tops of the walls. The inside of the keep features five stories with a central courtyard. It is currently the barracks and home of the Stoaccan Guard, the military force of the tebouwa.
The Palace District
Unsurprisingly, the dominant feature of the Palace District is the Palace of the Awatcovum. This elegant palace was constructed in consultation with dvaer stonemasons from Schruichterta and lysalfen ones from Bveyth. The unique blend of lysalfen and dvaer stonework is indescribably beautiful, as well as sturdy and functional. The palace features fifty-seven bedrooms, sixteen dining rooms, twelve kitchens, myriad servants quarters, and a single great hall. The palace is far more elegant that the Royal Palace of the Vonuscidus in the capital. Surrounding the palace are homes of the nobility, as well as businesses that cater to them.
The Peat District
This district is a bit run-down and it is the home of fisherfolk and peat merchants who make their trade on the murky and boggy waters and hummocks of Lake Stoacca.
The Foreigner's Quarter
This is a strongly mercantile district. It is also the only portion of the city where those not born within Ritilia are permitted to own land. There are many inns and taverns in this area, along with townhomes, warehouses, artisinal buisness, and so on.
The Farm District
Most of the population of Suisbium lives in this district. It is home to the Shrine of Rigelia, which sits just outside the entrance to the Palace District. Other temples and shrines in the district include a brothel (The House of the Aching Desire) dedicated to Uveiarnica and a cirlce of Standing Stones dedicated to Strubius, Stronus, and Uvistum. Beyond these places of worship, there are several inns and taverns, numerous businesses, a small library (10 gp to enter, 1 gp per page for copyist service), a public bath, the municipal cistern and the city market.

History

Founding and Suisbiumtebwa

Suisbium was founded in 1124 LE by Danpeibus Uvatipius, an Ebaweccan warlord. Though details are scarce, it is likely he originally built the Founder's Keep as a secure headquarters and the city grew up around it to support it.

By the time of his death in 1168 LE, it had grown into a town of importance. It would continue to grow and prosper until the reign of Ter̂uus R̂acceus, who stoked animosity with the other major power of the Ebaweccan people, Denbe (which would become the seat of the Principality of Ritilia). This animosity boiled over into outright aggression during the rule of his daughter, Ter̂ua Qemwinba. Her son, Ter̂uus Palpurus saw the tebouwa conquered by Ritilia in 1339 LE, ending the War of Unification.

Dissolution of Suisbiumtebwa and the Formation of Stoacca

Vonuscida Depwua, upon winning the war, dissolved Suisbiumtebwa, but the city lost none of its prestige. This is because in place of the old tebouwa, Depwua established Stoacca, naming Suisbium its seat. She named her aunt, Iscina Apalla to be the Awatcova of Stoacca, establishing the cadet house Eitasibabum.

House Eitasibabum has ruled Suisbium benevolently in the near century since they took power. They've invested significant resources in Stoacca generally, and in Suisbium in particular. They are widely respected, not only in Stoacca, but throughout the Principality.

The Bleeding of 1429

In Bists of 1429 LE, the Dolorous Rapture sent two agents to Suisbium who magically infected the water and food supply of the city, inciting an outbreak of The Bleeding. Though the source of infection was discovered and neutralized quickly, over 33,000 Suisbians died in the twelve days the plague ravaged the city.

The Long Quake of 1430

The Long Quake hit Suisbium, still reeling from the Bleeding, with force. Fully a third of the population perished in the quake.

Founding Date
1126 LE
Alternative Name(s)
Roviescade ("City of Misfortune")
Type
City
Population
21,200
Related Ethnicities
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization

Articles under Suisbium


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