A Preliminary Guide to the City of Elysia

[Vanoviel]

Preliminary Guide to the City of Elysia

Elysia Demographics and Government

City: Elysia
Nation: T?Nanshi
Location: Along the western edge of T?Nanshi, south of the Halfling nation of Ferrel

Name Derivation: Elysia is named after the Neutral Good Outer Plane, Elysium.

Predominant Race: Sylvan. The population consists of mostly elves, half-elves, and fairy races.

Predominant Alignment: Neutral Good

Brief History of the Formation of Elysia:
Elysia is a fortified city located along the shores of Lake Eridanus, along the western edge of T?Nanshi, south of the Halfling nation of Ferrel. The city is actually the made up almost entirely of loyal followers of the Champions of O?ma. Vanoviel Niltaurwen, after helping to foil the plot of Valok to enter Avlis, was tasked by O?ma himself to create an order of holy warriors to help in defending the ideals of Goodness throughout the planes. 50 years ago, Vanoviel, a half-elf/half-nymph, created a small fort as the headquarters of the early Champions of O?ma where Elysia is presently. Over time the small fort became a keep, the keep became a castle, the castle was surround by farms and artisans, and eventually the city was formed. Vanoviel decided to call the city Elysia, in honor of O?ma?s home plane of Elysium.
Elysia still serves as the headquarters of the Champions of O?ma, however the Champions do not run the city.

Government: Democracy
The city of Elysia is governed by a Mayor and a City Council.
The mayor is elected bi-annually by a popular vote of all citizens of Elysia and its surrounding farm areas that submit to the city?s rule. The current mayor is Ainthradion Rinthon, a well respected elf who has lived in Elysia for many years and a relative of Aratelda Rinthon, a former adventuring companion of Vanoviel.
The City Council members are elected or selected, depending on their sending district, to a one year term. Each of the city?s districts has an equal vote in the council. In addition to the elected members there are four permanent members of the council. Vanoviel Niltaurwen, Head of the Champions of O?ma, or in her stead Saramon, her chief lieutenant is one of the permanent council members. Vanoviel or Saramon do not have a vote on the council. The remaining three permanent council members are the Masterwizard of the Champions of O?ma, High Cleric of the Champions of O?ma, and Head of the Elysial Guards, the city?s militia. Each of those three members has full voting rights. The positions are currently held by Maria Torin, Masterwizardess of the Champions of O?ma, Laucin Ulyn, High Cleric of the Champions of O?ma, and Derrik Ogresbane, Captain of the Elysial Guards. The remaining eleven members of the council represent each of the city?s districts. The mayor is afforded a vote only to break a tie among the council.

National Affairs:
This may be an overstatement to consider Elysia as having national affairs. Elysia is a quasi-independent city in the nation of T?Nanshi. The government of T?Nanshi doesn?t attempt to control the city, as the true elves of T?Nanshi feel the city is too organized and the goals of the Champions of O?ma currently coincide with the goals of T?Nanshi. The city tries to keep itself independent of the rulings of T?Nanshi and to maintain itself as a self-sufficient entity.
The Champions of O?ma are directly involved in the struggle between M?Chek and T?Nanshi for control of the disputed borderlands. The Champions do not necessarily feel that the elves are right in denying the humans the land, but they are distressed that the Equalizers have enlisted the aid of the Titanean Fairies. The Champions feel that this is an undeniable act of evil and have themselves joined the struggle and enlisted the aid of the O?ma Fairies.
The struggle between the nations of T?Nanshi and M?Chek put the Equalizers of Mikon and the Champions of O?ma on opposite sides of the battle where in other areas of Avlis, they fight side by side.

Local Affairs:
While most of the citizens think of Elysia as only their home, the Champions of O?ma consider it both their home and if need be a highly defensible bastion. This thought played a huge role in the design of the city. Vanoviel chose the location of Champions Castle carefully. It is situated on a hillock nearly a half mile from the shores of Lake Eridanus, the highest land mass for five miles in any direction. The city grew in concentric near circles around the completed castle. It is easiest to imagine Elysia as a bull?s eye with Champions Castle as the center. The only difference is that the bull?s eye is shifted right of center if facing north and looking down from above. There are eleven districts in Elysia and they form four concentric rings around Champions Castle.

Parks District: The first ring is formed by the Parks District. This district was created in deference to Tupia Dagroth, a druidess of O?ma and an adventuring companion of Vanoviel, so that the city would be less of a smudge on nature. It is located primarily on the slopes of the hill on which Champions Castle sits. Tupaia makes her home outside the city, but often visits the Parks District, and when she is at neither place, she is usually tending to affairs in her estate in Mikona, which she inadvertently inherited from the late Lord Dagroth nearly 50 years ago.

Temple District: The second ring is formed by the Temple District. The district contains temples to many of the major gods of good and in time of siege would be the primary fall back position of the citizens of Elysia. This walled area was the first completed after the castle. The High Priest of all of the major temples selects one of their members each year to be the voting member of the City Council from this district. While it is not always true the chosen high priest is usually rotated through all the temples.

Nobles District: The third ring is formed by the Nobles District. This walled and gated area of the city is misnamed since Elysia, being a true democracy, has no nobles. It is simply called the Nobles District because the wealthiest citizens of Elysia live here. The wall surrounding the Nobles District is actually the first city wall that was built nearly 25 years ago. It remains a defensible structure even after Elysia continued to grow around it. The four gates leading into the Nobles District are named for the four cardinal points. North gate connects the Nobles District to the Northern Residences. East Gate connects to the Eastern Residences. West Gate connects to the Artisans district. South Gate connects to the Market. The citizens of the Nobles District elect their City Council member yearly by popular vote.

The fourth ring is formed by the remaining districts of the city: Northern Residences, Eastern Residences, Artisans District, Market District, Warehouse District, Forge District, and the Wharves. The entire fourth ring is surrounded by the city wall, which has four gates named for the principal race found on the roads exiting each gate. Elf Gate, on the cities eastern edge, leads to the nation of T?Nanshi. Man Gate, on the south side, leads to the nation of M?Chek. Dwarf Gate, on the northwestern edge, heads towards the nation of Deglos. Dracon Gate, on the west edge of the city just south of the lake, leads to Toran Sharda.

Wharves District: The Wharves District is obviously located on the lake and contains most of Elysia?s inns. The port is a major source of income for the city as Elysia is nearly the halfway point between the ocean at Mikona and the mountains of the dwarves in Deglos. The wharves always have a strong military presence, as the Champions are constantly vigilant against attacks that may come from the lake. The voting member of the City Council from the Wharves District is always the Harbormaster. The position is currently filled by Angathon Galenlom, a crusty old elf and rumored reformed pirate. The Wharves are connected to the Warehouse District, the Forge District, and the Artisans District.

Forge District: The Forge District is the small area of the city containing many of the skilled professionals in the creation of both martial and everyday materials. The name comes from a visiting dwarf that claimed the district smelled like his home. Rumor has it may have even brought a tear to his eye. This is the area to find all manner of high quality weapons and armor. The member of the City Council from the district is elected by the shopowners and residents. The current councilperson is Ollom Hammersong, a well respected dwarven transplant from Deglos. The Forge District is connected to the Wharves, the Artisans District, and the Warehouse District.

Warehouse District: The Warehouse District contains all of the city?s storage areas for the goods that are entering and leaving the bustling port. Unbeknownst to the City Council and the Elysial Guards, this area also houses one of the few areas of crime in the city. A small thieves guild, an offshoot of the Grey Dirk in Andarr, is alleged to operate out of one of the district?s many warehouses. There is even scuttlebutt that Vanoviel Niltaurwen knows of the guild?s existence and allows it to remain, provided it doesn?t grow too large. It is speculated that she does this for all of the help that Raven, a former adventuring companion, gave her over the years. It is also whispered that the guild also occasionally does some work for the Champions of O?ma, and still has close ties to the guild run by Raven in Mikona today. The City Council member from this district is selected by the owners of the warehouses. The councilman from this district is Nimir Eowondil, a lesser warehouse owner. This district connects to the Wharves, the Forge District, and the Northern Residences. The Warehouse District also contains Dwarf Gate.

Artisans District: The Artisans District contains the city?s primary mercantile areas. In this district you can get everything from a magical ring to a pair of trousers and everything in-between. The heads of the various guilds select one of their numbers to be the district's council members each year. The Artisans District is represented with two members on the City Council. The council members are generally the heads of the guilds that were most profitable in the previous year. The current council members are Legilia Ibiralian, half-elf/half dryad head of the weavers? guild, and Simon Wren, human head of the carpenters? guild. This district connects to the Market, the Wharves, and the Forge. It also contains Dracon Gate and West Gate.

Market District: The Market District contains most of the city?s access to foodstuffs, ranging from wheat grown on the farms outside the city walls to fine elven wine imported from T?Nanshi. The owners of the shops and services in the district vote for one City Council Member and the farmers in the surrounding area also vote for one City Council Member. This gives the Market District, as a whole, two voting members on the City Council. The current Council members are Bieb Galie, an elven farmer and one of the citizens that has been in Elysia the longest, and Seveliwyn Kohajan, a half elf/half nymph grocer. This District connects to the Artisans District and the Eastern Residences. It also contains South Gate.

Northern Residences: The Northern Residences contain just that, the residences of most of the citizens of Elysia. This area contains the homes of the lower class of citizens. The house are in good repair, but not large. This district has one City Council member that is elected yearly by popular vote. The current member is Sevywia Qaurwen, a half-elven refuge from Mikona, who arrived in Elysia with nothing and has learned the skills needed to survive. She is a child of war, whose human father raped her elven mother. This district connects to the Warehouse District and the Eastern Residences. It also contains both Elf Gate and North Gate.

Eastern Residences: The Eastern Residences contain just that, the residences of the citizens of Elysia. This area contains the homes of the middle class of citizens. The house are in good repair and larger than the homes in the Northern Residences, but not as opulent as the homes in the Nobles District. This district has one City Council member that is elected yearly by popular vote. The current member is Eterra Miryldan, an elven former landed noble from T?Nanshi who grew disillusioned with the levity of the government there. This district connects to the Market District and the Northern Residences. It also contains both Man Gate and East Gate.

Champions Castle: Champions Castle is the headquarters of the Champions of O?ma and as such is the largest single structure in the city. With the exterior castle walls are the exterior bailey and the keep proper with the walled inner bailey. During festival times, the outer bailey is filled with vendors and performers to entertain all the citizens of Elysia. The keep and inner bailey are the nerve center of the Champions of O?ma. The everyday running of the Champions of O?ma are seen to at the local level by the sub-commanders, but the large grand exploits of the Champions of O?ma are planned here. All early training for the Champions of O?ma takes place here.
Inner Bailey: The inner Bailey contains the Drill Grounds, Archery Range, the Champions Smithy, the Champions Bowyer, the Champions Stables, the Champions Hospital, and the Champions Temple of O?ma. While these buildings are primarily for use by Champions of O?ma it is not uncommon to see people from all walks of life with the inner bailey:
Champions Keep: The Champions Keep contains the formal audience chamber, the Champions Mess, Elysia?s library, various meeting and planning rooms, housing for many of the higher level officials in the Champions of O?ma, and Maria Torin?s personal laboratory. The Champions Keep is also used for all City Council Meetings but is usually closed to the general public.

[Strangg]

This is your next server folks so read up. Vanoviel is working hard on this place.

~S