Academic City Arte

The Academic City is the heart of Mundo Novo. Originally a fortress designed to stop demonic invaders from the Labyrinth, it has since evolved into one of the most prosperous cities on the continent due to the economic support from the surrounding countries. Over the years, it has changed from a military installation to a free-city for all walks of life, from studies of magic to a center of trade. The Academic City attracts the eyes of many. Adventurers look to seek their fortune, sorcerers seek to advance the science of magic from the mysteries, and merchants invest in the wonderous treasures, all in the city's fathomless dungeon.

Government

Arte City is run by the Arte City Council. This council works with the surrounding countries to provide a place of neutral ground for diplomatic talks such as treaties, information exchange, and trade agreements. The representatives are also responsible for discussing policies and laws for the city. Their first and foremost responsibility is the safety and prosperity of the citizens.

Defences

Military

The Academic City has no military in itself, but a garrison consisting of soldiers from all three surrounding countries that solidifies it as neutral ground. This garrison mostly defends the city against invading forces from the Three Star Order, but its main purpose is to prevent any powerful demons that happen to make their way out of the entrance to the Labyrinth. Since the Yuusha's brave and mad decent with Matari Arte into the depths of the Labyrinth to destroy the demon menace, there have no demon attacks. Even so, the Labyrinth guard remain ever-vigilant.

Structures

Arte City has a solid set of outer walls, made of stone and engineered to be the best in the continent. It also features an inside set of walls that originally served to surround the Labyrinth. These walls still serve their purpose, but the gates are often open to allow adventurers and patrols to venture into the fathomless dungeon. If a demon where to rise from the depths of the Labyrinth, the walls surrounding the plaza would provide an ample place for the demon to be slaughtered.

Industry & Trade

The Academic City enjoys the economic boost of being able to trade with the Keyland Empire, Yuuz Kingdom, and D'holbachs Union at all times due to its status as a free city. Much of the trade comes from the Althia River, a large river that goes right through a portion of the city. The river cuts through the Yuuz Kingdom and D'holbachs Union, providing a safe trade route to and from the city.
Due to the river and surrounding plains, Arte City is also surrounded by fertile farmland, allowing the city to source its own food and water. This lifts much of the economic burden it would otherwise if it was entirely a trade city. Even so, merchants travelling from the other three countries provide other necessary and luxury goods such as cloth, silk, animals, raw minerals, spices, wood, and more, while leaving with treasures and items of supreme craftsmanship.

Infrastructure

Due to the massive amount of aid the Academic City has received over the several hundred years since its founding, the city has some of the most advanced infrastructure on the continent. Many scientific advancements utilizing magic and new technology come from its many competing universities. As such, the city has working plumbing, including sewers and running water. The roads are maintained paved stone. The Althia River runs through the city proper, providing a waterway trade route for merchants at the docks and clean water for the city.

Guilds and Factions

Adventurer's Guild

This guild is the front line for adventurers who wish to travel into the Labyrinth in the center of the city, and is located near the inner gate that leads to the Labyrinth Plaza. It has several different buildings, each with a different purpose. One building serves as an information center for new and veteran adventurers alike. In this building, hopeful adventurers are given a full run-down of what to expect inside the Labyrinth and more experienced adventurers come seeking news regarding possible changes in the dungeon.
In the next building over, the Adventurer's Guild has set up a joint operation with the Merchant and Sorcerer Guilds to appraise and sell treasures discovered in the Labyrinth. Due to the ever-changing nature of the Labyrinth, business here is always thriving as new discoveries are made somewhat consistently. Most of the treasures that come from the Labyrinth are relics from other worlds with little use other than raw materials, but sometimes a piece of seemingly new technology makes its way here.

Sorcerer's Guild

The Sorcerer's Guild is an academic center focused on the study of magic. Most sorcerers that had affinity for war magic are important assets for the armies of the neighboring countries, so the population of the Sorcerer's Guild is made up magic users more inclined towards less-violent magics, such as alchemy, transmogrification, telekinesis, illusion, appraisal, healing, and others. The guild itself is split up into multiple colleges, each competing with each other for funding provided by the city's council.

Merchant's Guild

As one might have ventured, the Merchant's Guild is a subsidiary of the main branch from the D'holbachs Union. Ever since the fiefdoms split from the Yuuz Kingdom, the D'holbach's Union has been the backbone of commerce in Mundo Novo, and the Merchant's Guild in Arte City is no exception. This guild handles the majority of cash flow on the continent due to good trade routes to all three major powers. It mostly imports necessary goods to be manufactured across different workshops in the city that are exported later.

Church of the Star

Despite the knowledge that the Church of the Star considers Arte City to be the center of their holy land, the Council cannot deny practice of the most prosperous and well-known religion on the continent, and so multiple churches preside inside the city. These churches are heavily regulated, and Church is not allowed to bring the Three Star Order inside the city, even if the citizens are allowed to practice the doctrine of the religion. There are other minor religions practiced in the city, but the Church of the Star is by far the most prominent.

Natural Resources

Arte City presides in the center of wide open plains in the Central Border Zone between the Yuuz Kingdom and Keyland Empire, along the Althia River. As such, it benefits from fresh running water and boundless farmland. Sheep are also raised in the hills to the north. Wood is also imported from settlements to the near south, by the border between the Keyland Empire and Yuuz Kingdom.

Alternative Name(s)

Arte City, Academic City, Labyrinth City

Type

Large city

Population

1,200,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Artesian

Location under

Central Border Zone

Included Locations

• The Labyrinth

Owning Organization

Arte City Council