Gokolios
Gokolios, once known as Gokoliye, and also known as the Capital of Yore and the City Alight in Winter, is a city in the Suvilidas Plateau in the Arduli Dynasty. Gokolios is an ancient city, and was the longest-acting capital of Tyfilion.
Government and Defences
The ruler of Gokolios is the female Fhianna Elf Emira Holathana Ravenstar, the only member of the noble House of Ravenstar. She was on the side of the Revolutionaries during the Algenos War, and was a personal acquaintance of Shah Zhalita I. With the exception of one short period, she has been the ruler of the city since the founding of the Arduli Dynasty. Many of the members-to-be of the Asulian Guard are trained in a branch of the Hekaline Palace. As well, many of the estate holdings of the original Elvish Guard are within Gokolios. Gokolios is defended by twelve allagia of the Dicarian Legions. The city is surrounded by three walls: the Imperial Wall, the Ikherikos Wall, and the Winter Bastion. The Imperial Wall surrounds the district of Beriyaklos, and the Ikherikos Wall encompasses both Beriyaklos and Old Gokolios. The Winter Bastion surrounds all districts except for Winterrest; it is the most recently-constructed wall, as the fortifications that were once there were destroyed during the Crisis of the Chains. It has been built in a star-fort style, and is protected by turrets armed with ballistae, mangonels, and even cannons. Gokolios also had a sizable Asteramlioi base as a result of the city’s higher crime rate.Commerce
Gokolios produces very little of its own goods; the few exports it has come from manufactured products and animal products from the pastoralist groups that stop there. Even Gokolios’ status as a trade city is lessened by many traders preferring to travel down the Syndarto River straight to Uneipo. Instead, Gokolios’ economy comes from its historical importance, and from its archives and schools.Geography
Gokolios is situated in the centre of the Suvilidas Plateau in Arduli. Few agricultural operations surround the area, as the soil of the caldera is not very appropriate for crops. Instead, much of the food for the city comes from animal products or produce and grains imported from the Karrai Terraces. The surrounding area is filled with cave networks. Gokolios is part of the Exarchate of Gokolios, in the Emirate of the Suvilidas. It is one of the few sedentary settlements of the emirate, and its largest one.Districts
There are five primary districts in Gokolios: Old Gokolios, Beriyalkos, the Annular Mese, the Walks, and Winterrest. Most of the districts are ring-shaped, sprawling out from the inner city. There are also a few structures found throughout these districts, which includes:- The Leyline Archways - found within the parts of the city that date back to the Magocracy, these old, ruined archways sometimes still have runes etched into them. During the Tyfilian Magocracy, Gokolios was situated ontop of a leyline node which allowed individuals passing through these archways to travel to distant places of the state at supernatural speeds. In the modern day, that leyline has long since vanished; however, rumours around the city say that some can still activate on occasion, so many residents try to avoid walking underneath them.
- The Qanats - the city’s water is provided by a series of caves acting as an underground aqueduct system. Many of the qanats rise to the surface as wells around the city. The qanats of Gokolios have been used for a very long time - the original network system was believed to have predated the Wensuan Empire, possibly even stretching back to the time of Akkha.
Old Gokolios
Old Gokolios is, as the name suggests, the oldest part of Gokolios. It is sometimes called “Qalisos” or “Ikherikos”, which translates to “old city” and “inner city” in Ardulese Infernal. It is the centre of the city, and was the metaphorical centre of Tyfilion during the Magocracy. Its residential parts are widely diverse, with working-class, middle-class, and upper-class dwellings all found within the ward. Landmarks in Old Gokolios include:- The Tower of Ardavalos - an ancient and massive tower from the Magocracy. Once a ruin, the ancient Cloud Dragon Ardavalos came to Gokolios and purchased the plot, paying the city to reconstruct it. The tower now acts as an occasional lair for the dragon, and where he sells the items in his hoard that he wishes to part with. The tower’s massive size compensates for the dragon’s, as Ardavalos dislikes shapeshifting into a form other than his own. Most of the time, the tower is attended to by the dragon’s apprentice, the male Njaronse Dwarf Ebkum Boldgrip, who begrudgingly sells the magical items kept there.
- Anabranch Lyceum - one of the most prestigious bardic colleges in Arduli, the Anabranch Lyceum was constructed ontop of the remains of the Acanatorium, the preeminent magic academy of Tyfilion that was raised in Kynthia’s coup. The Dean of the lyceum is St. Rahsiel the Chanter, an angel summoned and bound to the college by the previous dean. The Doruzath Theatre, named after the college’s founder, is on the grounds of its campus.
- The Lost Temple - an ancient temple from the era of the Wensuan Empire. The original deity it was dedicated to has been lost to time, giving it its name. It has housed many idols to many different deities over the centuries, but currently acts as a Niranist cathedral to Ioun. The Sibyl of the Suvilidas, the outspoken male Skagondi Gnome Krizunoud Tebbliddleng, leads the congregation there.
Beriyalkos
To the north of Old Gokolios is the district of Beriyalkos. Meaning “Imperial City '' in Ardulese Infernal, Beriyalkos was constructed soon after Empress Kynthia I’s coup. Until Tyfilion’s capital was moved to Lihnidos, the entire ward acted as the private property of the royal family. After the governorship of the Tyfilian human male Bardas Nassirian, the ward was opened to the general public, but its residents still mostly belong to the upper class. Landmarks in Beriyalkos include:- Hekaline Palace - originally the residence of the Emperor of Tyfilion, the Hekaline Palace is the residence of Emira Holathana Ravenstar. It also acts as the training ground for members-to-be of the Asulian Guard. The palace is a work of beauty, being one of the first examples of the Tyfilian-Kanic architectural style.
- The Hippodrome - the first example of Tyfilian/Ardulese colosseums, the Hippodrome was constructed by Bardas Nassirian soon after the Imperial family relocated their capital to Lihnidos, and marked the opening of Beriyalkos to the general population. Its name comes from how Bardas loved watching horse races, and built the Hippodrome specifically for that purpose. In the modern day, the Hippodrome caters to all sorts of sporting events, all of them presented by the opulent and ambitious female Goliath Parra Keencaller Gathakigo.
- Zeyis Hall - the personal estate of the Hosuse of Zeyis, Zeyis Hall also acts as the headquarters of the Zeyis League, the Divan League responsible for overseeing sports, festivals, and general culture of the Arduli Dynasty. The patriarch of the family is the quick-tempered male tiefling Exarch Mirihim Zeyis; however, the Vizier of the Zeyis League is instead his equally hot-headed bastard daughter, the female Goblin tiefling Vizier Saygi Zeyis.
- The Beautiful Mongoose - a luxury inn, coffee house, and kamikon (Ardulese hot spring) run by the egotistical male tiefling Keykavous Yaghmaei. Originally managed by the Canoku Tathe family, Keykavous somehow manoeuvred the business away from them, getting the deed to the establishment.
The Annular Mese
The first of Gokolios’ ring-shaped districts, the Annular Mese is the first district located outside the inner walls of the city. It caters residents of all social classes, and is also where most of the shops and businesses of Gokolios are located. The centre of the ward contains the wide road for which the district is named. Landmarks in the Annular Mese include:- The Dazzling Wolf - a weapons and armour shop run by the easy-going female tiefling Shemyaza Dadamarei. While there are few magical armaments in the Dazzling Wolf, as Shemyaza usually immediately sells those to Ardavalos, instruments of battle from faraway places and throughout history can be found here, allowing the shop to also act as a kind of museum.
- The Cathedral of Glass - an Urbnatist cathedral, and the seat of the Diocese of the Suvilidas. Constructed during the Imperial Era, the Cathedral of Glass was converted into a Niranist place of worship during the Niranist Inquisition. Shah Beleth I permitted its restoration back into an Urbnatist site in diplomatic talks with the Unimical Church. The congregation is led by Helbrin of Gokolios, an assertive male Hobgoblin.
- The Smoking Flower - a potters and glassworks run by the father-son duo Sylran Bronzegift, a gloomy male Caillaghyn Elf, and Morelt Bronzegift, a loud male Caillaghyn-Thyan half-elf. They are well-known for their crafts involving the obsidian found throughout the Suvilidas Plateau - in fact, rumours swirl that they might be experimenting in an effort to create Xiuh.
The Walks
The Walks are a collection of various districts in the ring outside the Annular Mese, with most of them being residential. Many of the working class of Gokolios live here. Unlike the other districts within the Winter Bastion, all parts of the Walks are dated to after the fall of the Magocracy. Landmarks in the Walks include:- Scoured Delights - a pawnshop and general store run by the clumsy and forgetful tiefling male Moki Hamavahran. While Moki is regarded as charming in a sort of pathetic way, there are rumours that he might be connected with the criminal underworld of the city.
- Pureflame Archive - a Hakiveiran Shamashine matiro, the Pureflame Archive also doubles as a sort of public library. The matiro’s underground section was built as a hidden place of worship during the Imperial Era; when the Kanes were emancipated, the space above was renovated to become part of the archive. The Khaznarro of the Pureflame Archive is Gifro, a peaceful male Canoku.
- The Abstract Pear Inn - a modest inn run by Defiance Zolkin, a cool-headed and heavily-pierced female tiefling of Rakshasa descent. The Abstract Pear Inn serves alcoholic beverages, but Defiance stops anyone from ordering more if they seem drunk, instead directing them towards the Winterrest Moothall if they wish to consume more.
Winterrest
Located outside of the Winter Bastion, Winterrest is a ward of the city set aside for pastoralist groups of nomads to settle the districts during the winter. The ward was divisioned during the early years of Arduli, when tensions rose between the Dynasty and the nomadic tribes and clans of the Tyfilian vassal state of the Suvilidine Hordes. During the warm months, the place is mostly unoccuptied; however, in the cold season, it bustles with the activity of nomadic Orc, Elf, Goblinoid, and Goliath tribes, among others. Landmarks in Winterrest include:- The Outer Stelae - a half-circle of menhir statues depicting various deities of the nomads of Winterrest. The most prominent among them is the stelae of Arostes, Ardulese minor god of competition and glory, and the patron god of many of the Suvilidine orcs. Residents of the city proper sometimes even pay their respects at Arostes’ shrine.
- The Winterrest Moothall - a wooden longhouse that serves as an assembly for tribal issues and, more famously, as a pub. Residents of Gokolios who imbibe alcohol often go there as their main hangout. It is managed by the attentive female orc Mulku Ruznudaughter, who originally grew up in the Buumkhaal tribe of orcs before settling in Gokolios to take care of the structure.
History
Gokolios is an ancient settlement. The earliest written records of the city date back to the Wensuan Empire, where it is believed that it was known as Komolihm. However, the actual history of the place likely stretches back even further, as it is believed that the original system that the qanats stem from was constructed as far back as the age of Akkha. Much of Komolihm was destroyed during the Dawn War. However, during the Dark Ages, the settlement rose to prominence again. Now known as Gokoliye, the city’s dominance and control continued to extend outward, eventually becoming the Magocracy of Tyfilion. Gokoliye stayed as the capital and centre of the Magocracy for its entire existence. In the late 500s MT, Kynthia Hekaline overthrew the Magistrates of the Magocracy and went on to become Empress Kynthia I, the first Empress of the Empire of Tyfilion. Gokoliye remained as the capital of the empire until the capital was moved to the city of Lihnidos in modern-day Aptarika during the late 800s MT. Governorship of the city was then given to Bardas Nassirian. Around this period, the name of the city became Gokolios. In 1028 MT, an alliance of nomadic tribes of various species laid waste to the Suvilidas, raising many of the sedentary settlements in the region. This eventually escalated into them sieging and taking Gokolios, and establishing the federation known as the Suvilidine Hordes. While independent for a few years, the Hordes eventually became a vassal state of Tyfilion in 1054 MT. During the Algenos War, the ruler of Gokolios, the male Half-Orc Akrarg Gneba, allied with the Revolutionaries and allowed them to freely pass through Suvilidine territory. In retaliation, the Empire struck during the Night of Glass Knives, where they assassinated the rulers of many of the Hordes, including Akrarg, causing the federation to collapse. The female Fhianna Elf Holothana Ravenstar, a member of the Ruaqarach clan and a Revolutionary, was instrumental in reorganizing the splintered offshoots of the Hordes under the Revolutionaries’ banner; in payment for her service, she was given the title of Emira of the Suvilidas after Shah Zhalita came to power. When the Niranist Inquisition came to be, Gokolios was hit especially hard. Many non-Niranists fled the city or hid their faiths, and the already tense relations between the nomads and the city rose exponentially. During the Crisis of the Chains, Emira Holothana sided with the Seiriqine family. When the Mormori family accepted the Seiriqine family's surrender, Holothana held Gokolios, still supporting the deposed Seiriqine. She held the city against the Phrantzes, the Ivreth, and the Mormori, but the Ivreth eventually took the city. She was exiled, and rulership over the city was given to the elderly male tiefling Emir Valafar Akalin. Valafar was allied with the Ivreth, but when the Mormori pushed the Ivreth forces to below the Weeping River, isolating the Suvilidas from their allies, Valafar switched loyalties to the Mormori. When Valafar passed away during the Belethian Era, Holothana returned to reclaim her throne. Supported by the Shah herself, Holothana besieged Gokolios, destroying the outer wall of the city in the process. Seeing as they had no political support, the House of Akalin surrendered, and Holothana became ruler of the city and the domain once more. This became known as the Akalinian Strife. In the years after the siege, Emira Holothana rebuilt the outer wall, naming it the Winter Bastion.
Founding Date
Unknown
Alternative Name(s)
Gokoliye, Komolihm
Type
City
Inhabitant Demonym
Gokolian
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
