Senturica (Centericka)

"It was Zeal's best shot against the coming storm... against the Heartless. The virtuous fortress of dreams, built from the arid canyons of the rose desert, would serve its citizens one final time. The oasis surrounding the capital radiated all different shades of color the eye could witness. On that day, enemies would ally, bonds of brotherhood would be forged, and the outstanding passion for life the citizens of Senturica felt within them would be taken into the heat of battle!" - The Passionate Soul

The city of Senturica was a metropolis unlike any other. It served as the capital for the empire of Zeal, and is now the prison of Thalian, the god of knowledge. Truly the greatest city to ever grace the world of Zealor, it was a place where Zealomancers (people who practice Zealomancy) could express their mental prowess freely and where innovation, technology, and passion flourished.

Location

Similarly to the rest of the locations found on Amgine: The Lost Continent, Senturica can be split into two time periods, Antiquity and Modern-day. In Antiquity, Senturica was truly the greatest city to ever exist. Sitting upon the central mesa of the rose desert, Senturica was a metropolis that had Zealomancy at the very heart of its society. It is said that before the creation of the Zeal Empire, the central mesa of the rose desert was a hyper arid wasteland of empty space devoid of life. This was the case until one day a powerful Zealomancer aligned with the empire of Zeal created infinite flows of holy water out of the love she felt for another to encapsulate the mesa and turn the arid wasteland into an oasis of safety and prosperity. In the center of the city, an obelisk of rainbow dragonglass was erected to honor the union of the sentient species of Zealor. Some other significant areas of the city during this time were the innovators circle (a round courtyard full of young inventors trying to show their latest creations to the world), the embassy square (a place for the different sentient species to mingle and express themselves), and the University of Heart and Mind (a place for young Zealomancers to hone their skills and become functional members of society). The city of Senturica was surrounded by a large oasis of holy water, spreading the city's facilities across multiple mesa islands. This oasis fed into desert canals which ran through the entirety of the rose desert, connecting other settlements and allowing commerce to flourish. The inner oasis of Senturica flourished with life. Many varieties of canal fish, desert avian species, sand crocodiles, and the occasional juvenile flame leviathan all swam through the central oasis. This made it akin to the likes of a large inland sea.
After the 1000 year storm, the geography of Zealor was drastically altered. The continent hit the hardest by this disaster was Amgine, which became almost completely enveloped in water. Amgine was transformed into a mountainous archipelago, submerging most of the continent, including Senturica. The once bustling ancient metropolis of Senturica devolved into a desecrated, yet beautiful relic of a bygone era. The ruins of Senturica were overrun by a coral reef, creating the crumbling reef. The once great structures of Antiquity were now admired and inhabited by the sea life inhabiting the reef. Thalian, the god of knowledge was imprisoned in this area. While he is unable to escape due to the undying passion of the Passionate Soul, he is still able to exert his powers within the area. He used his immense store of memories to attract simple-minded creatures such as fish and crustaceans in droves to inhabit the reef. Additionally, a large flame leviathan now guards the ruins (and Thalian) from any harm and is a great deterrent to any trying to enter the once great city.

Culture

The culture of Senturica was unlike any other city in modern-day Zealor. The level of tolerance and unity between all the different sentient species was unlike anything ever witnessed. The different species lived intermingled within the city and you moved up in the city not based on wealth or species, but on skill. It was a meritocracy unlike any seen before or since. Below is a description of Senturica from the famed adventurer Pulshio:

"The streets of shining orange sandstone ran far and wide through the different nooks and crannies of the city. Bustling boulevards broke off into the most charming of inner-city neighborhoods. One minute you could be heading to the rainbow obelisk, and the next you could be in a small market right on the edge of the oasis. Despite the massive size of the place, everyone seemed to know each other! What struck me the hardest was the dichotomy of it all. Sandstone bastions beside hilly alleyways, the crystal clear water and the dark orange terracotta tile, all the races living besides one another. None of it should've worked, but it all did! And that is what made its beauty so striking. You can leave Senturica, but a part of Senturica never leaves you." - Pulshio, Ex royal chancellor of New Zeal.

As stated above, the biggest draw about Senturica was how well it blended aspects of different cultures together to make something truly special. The use of Zealomancy in every day life was something also unheard of before and since. Zealomancy was a common skill taught to most children in grade school and was improved upon throughout the rest of their lives. It was the cornerstone of Zealish society. The people of Senturica were able to live fulfilling, emotionally deep, and passionate lives through their expression of Zealomancy. One great example of this is with the creation of Passion food, a rite of passage for any young member of Zealian society.

History

Senturica was the site of many historic events. Technological innovations such as the birth of non-magical aviation and the creation of advanced submarine vehicles all found their roots in this great city. Senturica was also the site for many great battles. The Passionate Soul battled the three gods of Zealor to save the sentient species. Dubbed the Triangle Conflict, the battle ended with the downfall of the three gods and the permanent impression of the legend of the Passionate Soul on the history of Zealor. Thalian was then imprisoned within Senturica, bringing peace to Zeal for some time. However, due to the deterioration of the powers of the three gods, the seal holding a more dangerous evil back was released. The heartless, a sentient being composed of cold indifference and nothing else was born from the darkness of Zealor. Eventually, they amassed a force great enough to challenge the Zealian Empire. Known as Darkest Zeal (D.Z.), the heartless launched a full raid on multiple locations vital to the Zealian Empire, one of which being Senturica. It was here where the Passionate Soul and a militia of Zealomancers battled the heartless, eventually winning freedom for the sentient races of Zealor. Sadly, the Passionate Soul lost his life in the process. This led to the one he loved manifesting a storm of pure anguish, ambivalence, disgust, and many other emotions. This was the 1000 year storm and in the end it vanquished the once great Zealian Empire. The sentient species went their own ways and the once great metropolis of Senturica was claimed by the waves.

Society vs. Nature

While Senturica may have been the greatest metropolis to ever grace Zealor, it is also a solemn reminder of the power of nature. Nature doesn't discriminate between good and bad. Even the most pure, just, and advanced of societies was overcome by nature in the end. Nature will overrun all things made by the sentient mind, and this is not necessarily a bad thing. It's just the truth.

Population:
~1,000,000
Notable Places:

• Rainbow Obelisk
• Inventor's Circle
• Academy of Heart and Mind
• Dungeon of knowledge
• Pier district
• Embassy Square

Type

Capital