Exelnar, Outer Circle
The Outer Circle of Exelnar, is as large as many other cities, and wraps all the way around the inner circle, some of its walls even going into the Lionel, to protect against waterborne threats. This distict is the most varied in the city, ranging from humble houses, to sprawling slums, to abandoned ruins. This variety is due to the difference in resources between the Holy Crusade and Age of Divinity, and now. When the outer ring was full of people, the Gods walked the land, and granted food and basic necessities to everyone with a mere wave of their hand. There was no need for farming, the production of goods, mining, or any form of work, other than worship of the Gods. In modern times, a population that big cannot be sustained without a massive cost to the Empire, which most Emperors are unwilling to pay, to sustain an unproductive population. As a result, many areas are simply left abandoned, and have been so for hundreds of years. Some of those ruins are newer, and some are ancient stone structures from the times of the Gods, where only those who are welcome nowhere else reside, and the eyes of the Empire cannot see.
The majority of the district however is inhabited, with buildings resembling any other city, dotted with massive ancient structures. The main points of interest of the outer circle are the two massive docks and dockyards, where ships for both trade and war are docked and built. As ocean trade is still new in the Empire, the capacity of the docks is still increasing, and new, more efficient ideas for docks and ship designs are tested. The docks, and the surrounding neighbourhoods, are some of the most productive and hard-working areas in the Empire, as the constant trade, safety, and close proximity to the center of bureaucracy, create a self-perpetuating machine of good production and trade, making many people very well off. As the ports go through more and more goods, the surrounding neighbourhoods produce more, and the nearby smelters and forges work around the clock, most of the wealth generated is taken up by the local Nobility. As a result, the Lords and Ladies of Exelnar, though they may not have the land and titles of those outside the capitol, have much more wealth, and easier access than most to the Royal Court.
While in the best case, this means that nobles will do their best to compete within the laws of the Empire, and increase their efficiency, it usually also means corruption. With the massive amounts of money and goods flowing in and out of the city, forging documents, lying to reports, skimming off the top, and many other corrupt practices are incredibly common. That is not to say that there are not some honest nobles, or that there are not efforts from the higher powers to clean up the corruption, but such actions are usually the exception instead of the rule. It is important to note however, that even with this environment, the average resident of the docks and other productive areas in the outer circle is still much more well off than the average citizen of the Empire.
The same cannot be said for the slums in the outer circle, where many struggle every day to survive, and abusive slum-lord nobles rule their properties with an iron fist. In such areas, crime is commonplace, drugs and stolen goods flow, and it is not uncommon for criminal organizations to become so entrenched and heavily armed, that they require a full-scale military operation to dislodge. These areas are heavily dependant on the goodwill of the current Emperor to survive, as well as the free bread provided often by the Church of Vitaria, and benevolent members of the Nobility.
The walls that surround the district are patrolled by Guards in groups of at least a dozen, and the occasional Paladin. Due to their size, a constant garrison cannot be held over the entire height of the walls, and in most areas, there are only guards at the very top of the walls, who live in fortified garrisons inside the walls. The exceptions are near any of the gates, the ports, as well as any decent neighbourhood where the local lords want to pay more for increased security. As a result, many areas of the outer walls have been abandoned, and have even become the homes of criminals, heretics, or even nests for monsters and abominations. Whenever a threat becomes sufficient, the Imperial Mint Mercenaries Guild usually sends a group of mercenaries to clear it out.
It is also said, that beneath the city is a network of tunnels, accessible from the walls, and the deepest parts of the sewers. The existence of the tunnels as a network is disputed, though individual tunnels have been found before, going as deep as the Underdark. Some believe that the tunnels were built by the betrayers before the Schism, but nobody who has expressed such opinions has lasted long in the public eye, for one reason or another.
The majority of the district however is inhabited, with buildings resembling any other city, dotted with massive ancient structures. The main points of interest of the outer circle are the two massive docks and dockyards, where ships for both trade and war are docked and built. As ocean trade is still new in the Empire, the capacity of the docks is still increasing, and new, more efficient ideas for docks and ship designs are tested. The docks, and the surrounding neighbourhoods, are some of the most productive and hard-working areas in the Empire, as the constant trade, safety, and close proximity to the center of bureaucracy, create a self-perpetuating machine of good production and trade, making many people very well off. As the ports go through more and more goods, the surrounding neighbourhoods produce more, and the nearby smelters and forges work around the clock, most of the wealth generated is taken up by the local Nobility. As a result, the Lords and Ladies of Exelnar, though they may not have the land and titles of those outside the capitol, have much more wealth, and easier access than most to the Royal Court.
While in the best case, this means that nobles will do their best to compete within the laws of the Empire, and increase their efficiency, it usually also means corruption. With the massive amounts of money and goods flowing in and out of the city, forging documents, lying to reports, skimming off the top, and many other corrupt practices are incredibly common. That is not to say that there are not some honest nobles, or that there are not efforts from the higher powers to clean up the corruption, but such actions are usually the exception instead of the rule. It is important to note however, that even with this environment, the average resident of the docks and other productive areas in the outer circle is still much more well off than the average citizen of the Empire.
The same cannot be said for the slums in the outer circle, where many struggle every day to survive, and abusive slum-lord nobles rule their properties with an iron fist. In such areas, crime is commonplace, drugs and stolen goods flow, and it is not uncommon for criminal organizations to become so entrenched and heavily armed, that they require a full-scale military operation to dislodge. These areas are heavily dependant on the goodwill of the current Emperor to survive, as well as the free bread provided often by the Church of Vitaria, and benevolent members of the Nobility.
The walls that surround the district are patrolled by Guards in groups of at least a dozen, and the occasional Paladin. Due to their size, a constant garrison cannot be held over the entire height of the walls, and in most areas, there are only guards at the very top of the walls, who live in fortified garrisons inside the walls. The exceptions are near any of the gates, the ports, as well as any decent neighbourhood where the local lords want to pay more for increased security. As a result, many areas of the outer walls have been abandoned, and have even become the homes of criminals, heretics, or even nests for monsters and abominations. Whenever a threat becomes sufficient, the Imperial Mint Mercenaries Guild usually sends a group of mercenaries to clear it out.
It is also said, that beneath the city is a network of tunnels, accessible from the walls, and the deepest parts of the sewers. The existence of the tunnels as a network is disputed, though individual tunnels have been found before, going as deep as the Underdark. Some believe that the tunnels were built by the betrayers before the Schism, but nobody who has expressed such opinions has lasted long in the public eye, for one reason or another.
Header Image Credit: jbrown67
Type
District
Location under
