Avangard (ah-van-guard)
The city/state of Avangard sits on a small island in the Ocean of Loneliness off the western coast of Melstrom. As small as the nation is size the reverse is true about the influence in the world of Tempest as Avangard holds the Gate of Avandra, the entrance to the Endless Dungeon.
At the root of the power that Avangard holds is in it's protection of the Endless Dungeon. There is a symbiotic bond between Avangard and the The Conduit, which guides the world and distribution of crystals, bloodstone and painite, for use in enchanting. The Conduit is just that, the conduit of those resources for the world, the pathways in which mages, blacksmiths, artificers, and countless other craftsmen get the crystals for enchanting. The other side of that relationship is the City/State of Avangard, the shield and protector of that resource.
The city/state is made up of eleven different districts each with their own purpose and culture. Each district has a council that rules over the district and is in charge of carrying out the duties and responsibilities that district has. The districts each provide for the others in some form or fashion.
Countless protections within the city/state have been erected to protect the Gate of Avandra. The first of which is magical circles and transportation within the city is strictly restricted, requiring a permit for each circle in or teleportation to the island. Moving inward towards the central district it becomes even more restricted, limiting it to specific keeps and locations inside the district. Each circle inside the Central District is required to have a fail safe dispelling enchantment placed within the circles that could be triggered by the three guards always posted in the chamber. The keeps are fortified from within and without, in order to maintain the barrier between the rest of the world and Avangard. On top of this all other transportation into the city except for by foot or ground vehicle such as a cart is prohibited. As such the port cities of Eastport and Westport are nearly as vast as the Central District and they both have massive naval and air docks that support the island's global trade. Another set of protections is the Bubble in the Central District, a double bubble of immense force that surrounds the great hill that hosts the entrance to the Endless Dungeon. Some call that part of the city the old city and others call it the beacon. Only the truly blessed or rich can afford housing or buildings inside of the walls. Inside the bubble contains a fair number of buildings exist, ranging from the Great Temple of Avandra to the at least one house of ill repute. A few notable places include The Variance (the Great Temple to Avandra), Jesnaw Keep, and Holintar Castle. The first series of protections that the bubble consists of is a massive ringed wall with nine massive keeps that hold countless Avangardian soldiers. Just beyond the walls there is a long plain of jagged black rock and wet red moss that is treacherous to walk across let alone run. Beyond that plain lies the edge of the first magical barrier, to the eye it appears to be a dome but there is some speculation that it is actually a sphere. The first moat is of lava that seems to be stoked to consistent temperature by a series of wards. On the other side of that lies the second magical barrier followed by a moat of water that seems to always be just above freezing temperatures. Nothing can pass through either of the magical barriers, even to the point that there are nets cast out into the moat of water to collect the dead birds floating in it by what the city call murkmen. Within the bubble at the base of the hill which leads up to the entrance to the Endless Dungeon lies another series of walls and a pathway of gates circling up towards the top of the hill. At the top of the hill there lies Gonnwa Castle. The Castle is a large diamond shaped castle with only the main entrance being a very large double gate with thick metal portcullis. Inside the walls there is a large ornamental building made out of marble which holds the Gate of Avandra. The last notable protection that can be seen throughout the city is the presence of dragons. A good number of dragons serve within the cities militia as guards and protectors of the city. It is not uncommon to see a few flying overhead at any given point in the day or night. Most of these dragons are metallic and can vary in age from young to ancient, with the more ancient dragons having more at stake with the politics of the Conduit and city overall. A notable exception was Varlvern the Red, an elder red dragon that was known to help bring in the lava and other different materials for the protection of the city in exchange for access to the Endless Dungeon and political office within the council. After an attempted coop, Varlvern was exiled from the city and a culture of oppression of chromatic dragons can be seen through out the city. This is the only exception to the anti-slavery rule within the city, it is perfectly legal to own a chromatic dragon, albeit very frowned upon.
The nation is governed by two bodies the Council of the Central district and the Council of the Governors. The Council of the Central District is directly responsible for the protection of the Gate of Avandra and the creation of the laws of the nation overall. The Council of the Governors is responsible for the well being of the residents of the nation as well as the enforcement of the laws. This dichotomy between the creation of the laws and the enforcement has lead to a culture of respect for specific laws and the blatant disregard for others as they are not adequately enforced. There is a some overlap at times on the councilors of either council, leading at times to a unified direction for the nation and at other times there is stagnation due to the conflicting bodies. The common laws that forbid murder, theft, and other vile acts that a decent society has at it's foundation are in solidly in place through out the nation. There are many laws and restrictions within the city/state each with their own intricacies but the following defines the main principles that guide the city militia in their enforcement of the law beyond those fundamental laws.
Power from the Endless Dungeon
At the root of the power that Avangard holds is in it's protection of the Endless Dungeon. There is a symbiotic bond between Avangard and the The Conduit, which guides the world and distribution of crystals, bloodstone and painite, for use in enchanting. The Conduit is just that, the conduit of those resources for the world, the pathways in which mages, blacksmiths, artificers, and countless other craftsmen get the crystals for enchanting. The other side of that relationship is the City/State of Avangard, the shield and protector of that resource.
Districts
The city/state is made up of eleven different districts each with their own purpose and culture. Each district has a council that rules over the district and is in charge of carrying out the duties and responsibilities that district has. The districts each provide for the others in some form or fashion.
Avangard Central District
This is the seat of government and the location of the Gate of Avandra, the entrance to the Endless Dungeon. Within the district lies a society of mercantile, adventure, and politics. The population of over 1.5 million individuals consists mainly of adventurers, mages, scholars, merchants, and anyone who can support those enterprises. The many precincts host a multitude of different imported cultures and blending of beliefs that leads to the overall complication of governance within the district.Eastport
The major naval and air port for the city/state, it sits at the mouth of the River Kael as it flows in the Bay of Resdor. It acts the primary freight dockyard for the island being able to host massive ships and airships. The nearly 400,000 people living in the city are just as diverse if not more so than the central district. Several sentient species that prefer being near the water can be seen more often in Eastport than the central district. There are massive warehouses and inns that house the transient cargo and people as they make their way to and from the Central District. It's main responsibilities are to import all the necessary materials and goods that the nation needs that the nation cannot produce itself.Harbor
The harbor district is mainly made up of the second major naval and air port for the city/state, Westport, that sits at the mouth of the Taerabith River. The port is smaller due to both the nature of it being on the west side of the island as well as it being a less protected harbor. Typically, smaller navel ships arrive and disembark from here. With nearly a quarter of a million individuals in Westport it is the third largest city on the island. As far as responsibilities it hosts several processing plants for the massive Lucent Rays that are caught out further into the Ocean of Loneliness which helps feed the nation as well as provides the phosphorescent liquid, Glow Oil.Farming
The farming district is the bread basket of the nation. Countless numbers of crops are grown in order to sustain the nation's food supply. The district is oddly on the western side of the island or the leeward side and as such it has a tangled web of irrigation canals and magically enhanced wells that provide the majority of the water for the district. The soil is full of nutrients and the crops are rotated to keep soil fresh. Hosting the largest number of cities/towns within its borders at 13, it actually hosts the third largest population of the districts at over 275,000 individuals living in the region. Quite obviously the responsibilities of the district go to feeding the nation through crops and domesticated herd animals, such as Relic Sloths and Aurochs. The seat of government for the district is Tortledrum, with the majority of the goods flowing through it or Radiantrun.Coastal
On the northeast side of the island is the Coastal district, the fifth most populated with over 160,000 residents. With rocky beaches and lush forests, the area is known for it's massive fish and shrimp farms and exotic fruits from the forest. It produces food from these farms for both the residents of the island and the island's domesticated carnivores. On top of this the wood and lumber from the forest is larger and sturdier for use in construction as compared to the lumber from the southern parts of the island. Manarise is the governmental seat of the district, as it is more connected to the Farming District and Central district.Mountain
One of the larger districts in square volume but smallest in population is the mountain district north of the Central and Valley districts. With only close to 50,000 individuals residing in the district, it is second in the number of towns that are located within its borders. It is responsible for providing many different types of ores and coal for the nation, this includes gold and silver. The governmental seat is in Coalalden, a small town with over 15,000 residents.Valley
The Valley district is small and clearly overshadowed by the Central district and both of the ports, Eastport and Westport. It occupies the area between the northern and southern mountain ranges and goes nearly from Eastport to Timberpool on the west end. Most of the other districts have proposed legislation to incorporate the district into the others, however it has been met with stern resistance from the residents of the district. Centerton acts as the capitol of the district as it holds the most power being a way stop between Avangard and Eastport. The district has made itself a niche resource of knowledgeable road maintainers and builders, which nearly half of the 30,000 residents are proficient in. Often the other districts will hire out crews and engineers from the district to construct new roads or train locals to maintain their own roads. As such there is a noticeable decline in the road quality between Timberpool and Westport due to an ongoing feud between the district and Westport in conjunction with the Hunting district over land that used to be within the Valley District.Hunting
As far as the hunting district goes, the name speaks for itself. It covers a majority of the vast woodland on the western side of the island. Known for its game hunting and large lumber mills that provide the construction material for the central district. At almost fifty thousand residents, it is a breeding ground of trackers that ultimately get into the adventuring business in the Central district. Vassselock acts the nexus for the district as most of the goods coming from both the Granite and Southern districts flows through the city in one form or fashion.Granite
Smallest in terms of population is the Granite district with only about 20,000 individuals within the district. It serves to provide the nation with iron ore and stone for construction. The largest of the towns, Elkenroth, acts as the districts capital and main economic driver due to the Trantock Mine being located so close. The Trantock Mine is the largest mine that produces mostly iron ore and fire agate. The fire agate being critical as it is not known to be produced or found anywhere else in Tempest, as such it is used as a gemstone that can be traded as currency around the island and with Conduit contracts.Golden
The Golden District is the secondary district for multiple resources, providing redundancy for the nation in many different areas. Early in the nation's history the district acted as the main bread basket, woodlands, and fishing grounds which lead to over utilization of the district. The farms were over farmed leading to the creation non-fertile ground which is currently under going extensive revitalization by bringing in many druids from through out Tempest. These druids are also helping to regrow the over forested, Postrun Forest in the middle of the district. Lunastor acts as the region's seat of government that helps represent the over 125,000 residents of the district.Southern
At the southern most part of the island is the Southern district that is mainly made up of the woodlands southwest of the Southern mountain range and a swampy marshland that is nearly uninhabited on southern most tip of the island. At the confluence of the River Aspen and River Helix, Ilexwick acts as the hub of the district hosting the majority of the population of the district that hosts just over 50,000 residents. The region provides an essential function for the nation in providing ice for the rest of the nation at a low cost. A magical enchantment has been placed in a five mile radius around the town of Aspen Abbey by the monks of the abby there that creates a localized storm every other week freezing the lake. This provides a way to float large chunks of ice down the river to Ilexwick that can be then shipped down further to Neverlow or across land up to Vassallock.Protections for the Gate of Avandra
Countless protections within the city/state have been erected to protect the Gate of Avandra. The first of which is magical circles and transportation within the city is strictly restricted, requiring a permit for each circle in or teleportation to the island. Moving inward towards the central district it becomes even more restricted, limiting it to specific keeps and locations inside the district. Each circle inside the Central District is required to have a fail safe dispelling enchantment placed within the circles that could be triggered by the three guards always posted in the chamber. The keeps are fortified from within and without, in order to maintain the barrier between the rest of the world and Avangard. On top of this all other transportation into the city except for by foot or ground vehicle such as a cart is prohibited. As such the port cities of Eastport and Westport are nearly as vast as the Central District and they both have massive naval and air docks that support the island's global trade. Another set of protections is the Bubble in the Central District, a double bubble of immense force that surrounds the great hill that hosts the entrance to the Endless Dungeon. Some call that part of the city the old city and others call it the beacon. Only the truly blessed or rich can afford housing or buildings inside of the walls. Inside the bubble contains a fair number of buildings exist, ranging from the Great Temple of Avandra to the at least one house of ill repute. A few notable places include The Variance (the Great Temple to Avandra), Jesnaw Keep, and Holintar Castle. The first series of protections that the bubble consists of is a massive ringed wall with nine massive keeps that hold countless Avangardian soldiers. Just beyond the walls there is a long plain of jagged black rock and wet red moss that is treacherous to walk across let alone run. Beyond that plain lies the edge of the first magical barrier, to the eye it appears to be a dome but there is some speculation that it is actually a sphere. The first moat is of lava that seems to be stoked to consistent temperature by a series of wards. On the other side of that lies the second magical barrier followed by a moat of water that seems to always be just above freezing temperatures. Nothing can pass through either of the magical barriers, even to the point that there are nets cast out into the moat of water to collect the dead birds floating in it by what the city call murkmen. Within the bubble at the base of the hill which leads up to the entrance to the Endless Dungeon lies another series of walls and a pathway of gates circling up towards the top of the hill. At the top of the hill there lies Gonnwa Castle. The Castle is a large diamond shaped castle with only the main entrance being a very large double gate with thick metal portcullis. Inside the walls there is a large ornamental building made out of marble which holds the Gate of Avandra. The last notable protection that can be seen throughout the city is the presence of dragons. A good number of dragons serve within the cities militia as guards and protectors of the city. It is not uncommon to see a few flying overhead at any given point in the day or night. Most of these dragons are metallic and can vary in age from young to ancient, with the more ancient dragons having more at stake with the politics of the Conduit and city overall. A notable exception was Varlvern the Red, an elder red dragon that was known to help bring in the lava and other different materials for the protection of the city in exchange for access to the Endless Dungeon and political office within the council. After an attempted coop, Varlvern was exiled from the city and a culture of oppression of chromatic dragons can be seen through out the city. This is the only exception to the anti-slavery rule within the city, it is perfectly legal to own a chromatic dragon, albeit very frowned upon.
Politics & Laws
The nation is governed by two bodies the Council of the Central district and the Council of the Governors. The Council of the Central District is directly responsible for the protection of the Gate of Avandra and the creation of the laws of the nation overall. The Council of the Governors is responsible for the well being of the residents of the nation as well as the enforcement of the laws. This dichotomy between the creation of the laws and the enforcement has lead to a culture of respect for specific laws and the blatant disregard for others as they are not adequately enforced. There is a some overlap at times on the councilors of either council, leading at times to a unified direction for the nation and at other times there is stagnation due to the conflicting bodies. The common laws that forbid murder, theft, and other vile acts that a decent society has at it's foundation are in solidly in place through out the nation. There are many laws and restrictions within the city/state each with their own intricacies but the following defines the main principles that guide the city militia in their enforcement of the law beyond those fundamental laws.
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