Engapoylao

The city in the Demon Realm known for being a haven for beast hunters.

Demographics

Species

• Demon - 80%
• Beastkin - 10%
• Human - 9%
• Troll - 1%
• Siren - <1%
• Kinfolk - <1%
• Elf - <1%
• Fae - <1%
• Dragon - <1%

Demon Variant

• Trollish - 60%
• Traditional - 25%
• Beastly - 12%
• Inspired - 10%
• Arcane - 3%

Government

Unlike most other demon cities, Engapoylao has only one body of governement - as it has no castle nor stronghold. While its founder was a king, and maintained his position until his death, he had no desire to rule over hunters. Rather than providing them physical protection, as most kings, he provided them instead emotional support. As such, his castle was the one building he did not have rebuilt when moving the settlement - and as beast hunters carry high respect throughout the realm for providing food and supplies to settlements all over, none desired to disturb a place of rest for them. 
Enga is still ruled by a king of the founder's descent - but they are advised by the Council of Elders, formed of the most decorated retired hunters. Ruling a settlement takes different skills than running a band, and requires one to remain in place; but the respect of the citizens of Enga for the hunters they cater to has never waned.

Defences

Enga is one of the few demon settlements with no walls - sitting on a plateau populatedprimarily by spearhorned treekings with few of the large predators common to the rest of the realm. By caring for the treekings, the residents have come to rely on them for defense instead, as well as their high ground positioning.

Industry & Trade

Enga does little trade with the rest of the realm - with the plentiful river curtain trees nearby and a fishery having been built in an articfical lake upon the plateau, the city is very self-sufficient. They do, however, provide pelts to Ae°calikaslavven for creating currency, and in return the Ascended Demon King ensures they have any supplies they need outside of their regular duties. 
Provided the requests are not outrageous, most other cities are willing to send supplies to Enga out of their own respect for the beast hunters who long served the realm.

Infrastructure

Engapoylao has meandering roads and canals that serve as easy but laidback means of travel within the city. River curtain trees line the canals, and wild treekings roam the streets because of this.

Districts

Internal City Districts

Camp District

The original site of the campsite turned city, now the main residential district and where the Council Hall is located. There are also several bunkhouses available for bands to stop for a rest before going on their way. While in the past it was frequently the case that more than one band would stop in the city at the same time, with dwindling bands, this is rarely the case. 
This is also the district where one can find public works and other administrative buildings. 

Temple District

The district where one can find temples to Maenscul, Deity of Kings; and Vouscu, Deity of the Hearth - and a temple to Vouscu's comaes, Nosu, Deity of Wisdom, within Vouscu's. 
Though most famously one can find the Great Temple of Enaroy, God of Beast Hunters - fittingly, of course. 

Market District

Though hunters themselves are never charged currency for goods, there is still a robust bartering system within Enga - especially between hunters. As such, the market district often sits empty when there is no traveling band in residence - many elders saving weaponry and tools they have crafted to exchange for rare furs and supplies for making more of the same. Some traveling merchants bring goods from further afield - usually seeking furs and leather in return. The return is high, but the long journey prevents many from making the trip. 

Entertainment District

Engapoylao's entertainment district is very quiet compared to other demon cities - catering to the generally older population. A large public bathouse with mindful attendants, sheltered patios for enjoying the calm atmosphere, and several restaurants make up most of the amenities. Having spent so many centuries fighting, the more common debate halls and fighting arenas are absent here - even poetry battles are rare, though that may be due to hunters not having much practice while in the field. 
Playhouses are more common here than elsewhere - as hunters do enjoy reliving past battles. 

External City Districts

Training Grounds

As most children are now left with their grand and great-grandparents, the beats hunter elders take great pride in training their children to one day join the bands. They have built several obstacle courses for the children to train their reflexes and stamina, and often lead combat exercises - as beast hunting is a group profession, teamwork is a large focus on their training. 

Rice Fields and Fishery

Beastkin that immigrated to Enga saw that the plateau would benefit from a proper staple grain, and successfully hybridized beastkin rice with a similar demon plant to provide one. The fields surround the lake that serves as a fishery, most of its irrgation in the form of the canals found throughout the city.

Guilds and Factions

Political Factions

Beast Hunters have always been progressive-leaning - their profession demands it. To fight beasts, one must be willing and able to adapt. As such, there are no strong divisions of a political view with Engapoylao. That is not to say that everyone shares the same beliefs, but the shared professional background has prevented the common split of conservative and progressive opinion into true factions in Enga. 

Engapoylao Tradesman Guilds

Tanning and Leatherwork

Engapoylao, being the only city with a significant tanning and leatherwork industry, is one of the only cities with a guild for its craftsfolk. 

Artisans

Like other demon cities, all other craftsfolk share a single guild. 

Smithing and Bowyer

The Enga Smithing Guild is small in comparison to other cities - which is why it also home to the bowyers of Enga. Beast hunters also prefer the siren-engineered crossbows to traditional bows, for the faster reload easier accuracy. 

Agriculture and Fishing

With the rice fields and fishery working in tandem, those who maintain them do the same in the Agriculture and Fishing Guild. 

Stonemason

As most demon architecture is made from a combination of stone, clay, and packed earth, all three fall under the purview of the Stonemason Guild.

History

Originally founded as Ae°Vonomes Gasenaos, or "Hunter's Rest", by a well-meaning king at the beginning of the Fractured Realm Era. After a beast hunter band saved his initial settlement from destruction, the king and his people traveled to a well-known beast hunter camp and rebuilt - intending to provide a permentant settlement for the hunters to return to. This goal later expanded to providing a place for older hunters to retire. 
At first, the hunters that found a settlement at their long-term hunting ground were annoyed - but the genuine desire of the settlers to repay the profession that had saved them won over the warriors. Though it could have also been the advantages of a town settled specifically to be a place of rest for them - the settlers happily taking care of all their needs when they arrived, and providing them with amenities for more relaxation. 
The idea of retirement was also met with resistence - hunters did not retire, they fought until their last battle. But there were some older hunters that felt they were slowing their bands down that begrudingly decided to stay in the settlement. Having elders in one place gave young hunters from different bands the opportunity to learn from their wisdom, and some also saw an opportunity to leave their young children in a safe place to learn before they were old enough to fight. As these advantages became better known, more older hunters decided to retire, and doing so was no longer seen as a last resort for those unable to fight until death. 
The name of the settlement over time changed due to the hunters - a common term for elders used by the bands was "dried meat", seen as a good-natured endearment despite seeming rude to outsiders. As more elders retired to Ae°Vonomes Gasenaos, hunters began referring to it by the same term - in Demonae, Engapoylao. 
As any who can prove themselves able to fight are welcome in the bands, the city has also taken on the spirit that any willing to work are welcome there. As such, many humans that chose to live in the Demon Realm find their way to Enga if they're able. Though this tends to more specifically be imps, who hear more news from the Demon Realm than the rest of the Human Realm.

Points of interest

Great Temple of Enaroy

The Great Temple of Enaroy is very different from other demon temples - firstly in that is it entirely open to the elements. Enaroy is also god of beasts, as well as hunsters, and so it was thought best to allow both access to his seat. As a low water basin was built in the center of the temple, many animals are frequently seen lounging on the base. Enaroy's throne, the center of every demon temple, hangs about this basin - a much larger version of demon teardrop tree hammocks used when a suitable camping ground cannot be found. 
The temple appears overgrown by plants - but all efforts to clear it are soon abandoned for seeming impossible. It is thus believed that Enaroy desires his temple to be so - and it does reflect his home of the wilds of the world better in that manner. 
There is also no formal priesthood of Enaroy - though some elders take on the responsibilty of caring for the temple, it is merely as thanks for the god's protection, not a profession. The exact time and reasoning of the temple's construction has been lost to history - many believeing Enaroy himself willed it into being to look after the hunters that served him well.

Tourism

Tourists are uncommon in Enga - while the city itself is easily the most idyllic of all demon cities, it is difficult to reach, and its residents do not encourage outsiders. They are not forbidden, nor turned away, but they must prove their dtermination by either climbing the face of the plateau or traveling narrow, winding trails to the top. It is said there is a secret, easier path taken by the hunters themselves - but this is not true. It is simply that the paths others find daunting are common for the traveling bands. 
Those who do make it into the city most commonly come to visit the Great Temple of Enaroy, or simply give thanks to beast hunters in a general way.

Architecture

Like the rest of the realm, Engapoylao utilizes dome shaped buildings made of clay, packed earth, and stone. However, due to the high amount of hunters, many of the furnishings of these buildings include hide and fur, where most other cities have more stone and clay furnishings. 
Enga also features many more long bunkhouses, as they provide faster and easier accomodation for visiting bands.

Geography

Enga sits on top of a plateau, where an artifical lake was dug to provide easier access to food and water.

Climate

Enga experiences year round cooler whether, with a colder season where they experience snowing.

Natural Resources

Rivercurtain fruit is abundant from enthusiastic planting efforts. Enga has also been domesticating mountainhounds, providing a steady supply of their wool and meat.

Alternative Name(s)

Ae°Vonomes Gasenaos

Type

Large city

Population

250,000

Location under

Demon Realm

Ruling/Owning Rank

Petty King

Owning Organization

United Demon Realm