Bigton

The Free City of Bigton is the largest city in the Ammar Midlands and home of some of the most historically influential political alliances, guilds, and companies in Pillarin's history. Its strategic location just north of the main Imperial Highway's Grand Artery has afforded it significant influence in the trade and security of the Ammar Midlands. From its initial policing of the Grand Artery in the 20th century, to the formation of the First Bigton League in the 61st Century and subequent Bigtonian Wars, to its modern economic and political influence within the Union of Free Cities, the city of Bigton has played a large part in the development of Pillarin and overarching Free Cities culture.

Mythical Beginnings

The city's founding myth states that a group of settlers set off into the wilds of Pillarin in search of a new home, safe from the wild creatures of the world. After wandering for decades, the leader of the group, Teltak the Immense, was given a vision from the god Helm of a large hill emerging from a dense forest from which beautiful gems and ore protruded. Teltak led the group into the forest for weeks after which they found the hill from the vision. They found a series of caves leading into the hill in which they founded a small settlement. Teltak named the hill Big Hill and the settlment Bigton in reverence of their new home, believing the simplest names were often the best. He was named the first Earl of Bigton, which began a tradition of the community naming its leader from the most capable among them in times of the position's vacancy.
Further myths speak of the Years of Oppression from the Nameless Empire that ruled Pillarin. Like most Free Cities with dubious founding dates, Bigton legend claims that it was the first city to rise up against this Nameless Empire, leading the other Free Cities to liberation. By the era of the First Free City, Bigton was a prosperous city which strived to forge its own identity. From its place underneath Big Hill, it exerted influence on its neighbors as the Free Cities of Pillarin vied to prove their worth. Mining was a major enterprise, apparently fillling the entirety of Big Hill and the lands beneath.

The Velnorclast

During the Velnorclast in the 16th century as a result of the War of the Starfall, large pieces of stellar debris impacted Big Hill. The impact completely obliterated half of the hill, killing every citizen in Bigton at the time. The city was completely lost, and debris rained down in the surrounding forests. The surrounding old growth forests were leveled by the shockwaves, and immense blocks of sandstone and bedrock littered the southern landscape. The only survivors of the destruction were miners deep beneath the surface at the time of impact. Legends state that the survivors dug their way out of the over the course of weeks only to be met with the destruction and continued Starfall. During this time, the survivors led by the legendary Polton Carn carved new homes inside the large sandstone and bedrock megaliths for shelter. These shelters proved to be highly effective, and Polton Carn was named the new Earl of what remained of Bigton's people.

The Years of Carving

In the centuries following the Starfall, many refugees fled to the ruins of Bigton after learning of the near-indestructible shelters that had been constructed. The growth led to further demand for housing which was met by further shelters being carved from the debris field. As Pillarin recovered and new farmland was planted in the surrounding former-forests, the survivors in Bigton rebuilt major infrastructure and reopened a large stretch of the Imperial Highway. As more people flocked to the growing city, Bigton's citizens carved a labyrinth of structures into the debris field in an attempt to future-proof the city to future growth. These structures were standardized in the Masonry Code of Bigton, defining Bigton Megalith Homes as perfectly-measured prism-shaped structures, polished for optimal sheen and survivability. The many centuries of construction became known as the Years of Carving. While the exact dates are disputed, it is mostly accepted that these years took place sometime between the 17th and 20th centuries. The resulting mostly-empty pre-made city became known as the Bigton Warrens.
Over the centuries, the Warrens filled with settlers and local-born citizens. With the population growth came a highly-diversified culture of ingenuity and self-determination in the face of adversity. The idea of Bigton Exceptionalism became a dominant concept through the 60th century, as did Bigton's political influence.

The Bigton League and the Bigton Wars

In the eons following the completion of the Years of Carving, Bigton continued to grow. Its people became known as experienced masons and carvers, in high demand for services across Pillarin as it gradually recovered. The wealth that flowed into Bigton allowed new and ambitious construction projects, eventually culminating in the Seven Levels of Big Hill, a series of massive half-discs embedded into the shattered hillside intended to house entire neighborhoods and districts. The wonders of Bigton's economy and infrastructure attracted further immigrants, eventually resulting in many other Free Cities to take note officially by establishing permanent ambassadors in the city. Eventually, several cities in the Ammar Midlands proposed an official coalition between the cities to benefit mutually from Bigton's successes. However, Earl Kimt Lessh had greater ambitions and countered with a proposal of a military alliance. In 6095, Bigton officially formed the Bigton League, a coalition of a dozen Free Cities from the Ammar Midlands intended to gain control over neutral territory along the ancient Imperial Highway to further their economic superiority.
The Bigton Wars began in earnest in 6100 as the joint militaries declared war on their neighbors. While they did not conquer other Free Cities, they would force them into submissive states in which they were required to join the Bigton League, contributing massive amounts of indemnity and membership dues. The twenty-nine wars that spanned into the early 65th century became collectively known as the Bigton Wars. Their expansion eventually stalled as other Free Cities formed rival coalitions for mutual defense, especially in the Hi Ba Lowlands. After the war efforts stalled, the Bigton League officially made peace and began to shift to peacetime economic ventures. While Bigton remained prosperous, many other members of the League realized that Bigton's position as head of the League meant it benefitted exclusively.
The power of Bigton remained robust within the League for multiple centuries, which attracted foreign delegation from the continent of Sinderlan. Representatives of The Final Kingdom and Didaction Consulate met in Bigton regularly to discuss long-term trade treaties. During tensions from the Wine Wars, many peace talks were held in Bigton as it served as a powerful third party. In 6837, Warforged 2 of the Didacian Conulate traveled to Bigton, where he negotiated and signed the Treaty of Bigton. The treaty estabilshed the first major connection of the Sinderlan teleportation network and stone sending network to Pillarin, bringing offices to all Bigton League members. These offices were the first of the multinational Teleportation Commission and Sending Stone Network, which eventually expanded to include all of Pillarin.
Despite the immense benefit of the new networks, Bigton retained many exclusivity agreements and levied huge taxes on Bigton League members, driving tensions to a fever pitch within the League. The tensions continued to mount until the official dissolution of the Bigton Leage in 7402, sending shockwaves through the region. The fallout allowed the rise of many rival cities, such as Hi Ba.

Dominance of Gunkleton Enterprises

The Bigton Wars, despite their varying success, led to an increased demand for weapons, armor, and magical services across the League. This resulted in several corporations to form offering these services, one of which was Gunkleton Enterprises founded by Dougan Gunkleton, a blacksmith. The company, like many of the others, exerted influence on Bigton's government for private contracts in creating military technology. Gunkleton's contracts, however, were considered the highest quality due to his experience working forges in the city's Warrens. By the Fifth Bigton War in 6322, Gunkleton Enterprises held exclusive rights to 74% of all military contracts in Bigton and Bigton League members. After the collapse of the League, Gunkleton Enterprises was the only major contractor to survive the economic fallout due to its sheer size.
In the collapse of the League, Gunkleton Enterprises pivoted to construction as its primary service. It sold the natural masonry talents of Bigton to all the victims of the Bigton Wars, reconstructing much of the destruction they themselves had wrought through their military contracts. Despite the reconstruction, the economic fallout led to many cities in the Ammar Midlands to default on their debt. This resulted in Gunkleton Enterprises to foreclose on roughly 42% of the buildings in the Ammar Midlands, and their ownership of all property. This exclusive ownership, which had previously been illegal in many Free Cities, caused Gunkleton Enterprises' overall value to skyrocket beyond any company in history. After its dominance was secure, it expanded beyond the Ammar Midlands and became a dominant company across Pillarin. By the 80th century, it opened its first office in The Final Kingdom's Duchy of Ulana, intent on entering the lucrative wine industry. By the 85th century, it had offices in the Didacian Consulate and was a primary construction contractor for the government.
Gunkleton Enterprises eventually transitioned to become Gunkleton Industries as its power grew. It is rumored that nearly all members of the Bigton City Council and most Earls of Bigton have been on the payroll of Gunkleton Industries since the 81st century.

The Fen Crisis and Union of Free Cities

By the time of the Fen Crisis of the 89th century, Bigton was being challenged by many rivals. Hi Ba's rise to strength bolstered by the Harwick Trade Company had led to recessions and population decline in Bigton. As the Fen expanded into Pillarin and began encroaching on the Ammar Midlands, the Earl of Bigton sent out calls to raise a mercenary army to help defend the region. In 9032, Sebastos Carson Kierman of Hi Ba proposed the remaining cities unite in a confederation to oppose the Fen advance. In a rare show of solidarity, High Earl Greystad Bannorn at the summit agreed along with the other leaders and laid out the Writ of Union, forming the Union of Free Cities. Given Bigton's previous history, it was a suprise to many that it agreed to such an alliance.
Since the formation, Bigton has contributed heavily to the war effort. Gunkleton Industries has secured several contracts competing with the Harwick Trade Company in the Union for defense manufacturing. Bigton was selected as the host of the Convention of Union for the first half of 9048, promting the city to convert the Earl House on the Seventh Level of Big Hill to the city's Hall of Union.

Districts

The city is made up of hundreds of districts, neighborhoods, and regions as it sprawls out from Big Hill. However, the most important features of the city are the Warrens and the Sevel Levels of Big Hill. Both are further subdivided into districts that serve specific functions within.
The Seven Levels of Big Hill are the premier region of the city, carved into the southern half of Big Hill. The carved half of Big Hill has a series of seven half-discs that radiate from the center of the hill. As the discs increase upward, they reduce in diameter up to the apex of the hill. On each of these levels are constructed elevated neighborhoods, primarily consiting of luxury residences and businesses. Unlike the structures found in the Warrens, many structures on the Hill are built on-demand and are regularly demolished and rebuilt. At the apex of Big Hill on the seventh level, the Earl House has historically been located. Over the years, the Earl House has evolved from a simple home to a sprawling palace. After the foundation of the Union of Free Cities, the Earl House was converted to a Hall of Union as defined in the founding documents in anticipation of Bigton being a regular host of the Convention of Union. Permission to do business or host offices on Big Hill is a highly-regulated privilege, typically being reserved for local well-established businesses. Gunkleton Industries has frequently lobbied the Earl and the City Council to exclude competitors; the compan maintains exclusive contracting rights on Levels 1-4.
The Warrens sprawl out from Big Hill and are comprised of immense pillars of polished sandstone which were ejected from the impact on Big Hill during the Velnorclast. These sandstone structures are near indestructible due to years of reinforcement and are the hosts of primary points of commerce, housing, and utilities throughout the city. Their immutability has proven both a blessing and a curse as they are rarely damaged, but they prevent any major maintenance or rennovation. The Warrens form an immense labyrinth that outsiders find difficulty navigating. Some areas of the Warrens have been buried from landslides off Big Hill during accidents related to expansions. This has led to the modern street level of the city's Warrens to be over 50 feet above the original street level. These buried levels are sometimes uncovered and explored by archaeologists, adventurers, and criminals.

Founding Date

Before 1 FFC

Type

Large city

Population

4,223,845 (9040 Union Census)

Location under

Ammar Midlands

Owner/Ruler

Greystad Bannorn

Ruling/Owning Rank

High Earl of Bigton

Owning Organization

Union of Free Cities

Characters in Location

• Luna Nestron-Harwick