May or may not exist. [hider=Noctua] [centre][h1][u][colour=navy]Noctua[/colour][/u][/h1] [img]http://i.imgur.com/qsybWyg.png[/img][/centre] [centre][colour=navy][h3]NATIONAL[/h3][/colour][/centre] [b]-Capital:[/b] Noctua. Affectionately nicknamed the Gilded City. [b]-Government Type:[/b] Noctua is governed by the Weiskreis, a council consisting of representatives of the major organizations and factions present within Noctuan society. These include the Sovanids, the long-time patrons of Noctua's banking tradition, as well as the various artisan's outfits and trade guilds established within the city. The Weiskreis, and therefore Noctua, is famed for its neutrality in international affairs; Noctua is extraordinarily well-defended, and it is generally taken for granted that if the Gilded City does not involve itself in the conflicts of the empires, the empires will not involve themselves in Noctuan affairs. [b]-Currency:[/b] Noctuan Krone, plural kronar. [b]-Population:[/b] 200,000, of which 160,000 live in the city of Noctua, and the remainder in smaller towns or adjoining rural areas. [b]-Unique Trait #1:[/b] Bank Vaults; The mountains of the Noctuan countryside are littered with heavily fortified and well-guarded banking vaults carved into the mountains, holding secure the extraordinary wealth of not only the Noctuan citizenry and elite, but also numerous foreign kings. [b]-Unique Trait #2:[/b] Neutrality & Isolation; Noctua has a long-standing policy of avoiding military conflict, and it is politically impossible for the Weiskreis to deploy the Noctuan Guard abroad. Furthermore, Noctua's geographical position, nestled high in the mountains, deters would-be attackers and makes those invaders that [i]do[/i] try their luck unlikely to succeed. [b]-Unique Flaw #1:[/b] Bourgeoisie; The people of Noctua are wealthy, even the common folk holding greater financial stock than they otherwise might in any other land. A curse in disguise, the high class nature of Noctuan society begets high class tastes. Good enough, in Noctua, is not good enough. Everything made in Noctua and everything brought to Noctua from somewhere else must be made by the finest craftsmen and of the finest materials, or it will not so much as be deemed worthy of entry. [b]-Unique Flaw #2:[/b] Neutrality & Isolation; Noctua has a long-standing policy of avoiding military conflict, and it is politically impossible for the Weiskreis to deploy the Noctuan Guard abroad—even when it would clearly be in Noctua's best interests. Furthermore, Noctua's geographical position, nestled high in the mountains, deters commercial trade, and makes those materials that Noctua [i]must[/i] import (such as lumber and foodstuffs) more expensive. [centre][colour=navy][h3]GEOGRAPHICAL[/h3][/colour][/centre] [b]-Major Towns/Colonies:[/b] Korgelinn, a small but heavily fortified town that guards the beginning of the winding mountain passage leading towards Noctua proper. Korgelinn's tall, thick and generally imposing reinforced walls, built into the sides of the mountains, demarcate the outermost extent of the Gilded City's authority. Within the Walls of Korgelinn, all belongs to Noctua. Outside of the Walls of Korgelinn, none. Owing to the town's strategic importance, it is the centre of Noctua's military, and houses a large permanent garrison ready to defend the Gilded City against all who may seek to plunder her riches. The most populous of the Noctuan countryside's towns is Jund, a mining settlement. Located about half way along the winding road through the mountains leading from Korgelinn to Noctua, Jund is a town constructed almost entirely from stone, quarried from the same sapphire mine which most of the town's economy is centred around. Originally an insignificant hamlet useful only for designating the distance remaining to Noctua, the settlement's population exploded upon the discovery of a massive sapphire deposit only a stone's throw away from a free peasant's backyard. This originally modest farming family took the surname 'von Jund' after the sapphire deposit afforded them an extraordinary fortune. The von Junds then used their newly acquired wealth to commission themselves a massive, extravagant villa in Jund's outskirts, from which they rule over Jund as the town's assigned governors to this day. [b]-Major Castles/Fortresses:[/b] Talonspire, a major financial centre and the personal residence of House Sovanid. One of the tallest structures in the land, Talonspire is an architectural marvel of the age, soaring high into the sky to afford its residents unparalleled views of the Noctuan countryside. Designed in an intimidating Gothic style, the interior is decorated with contrastingly warm-coloured and plentiful artworks commissioned from Noctua's many famous artisans. There are two separate staircases leading up and down to Talonspire's many floors. One is for public access, allowing the employees of the Bank of Sovanid to gain access to their working place and entreat prospective clients with the amazing wealth and beauty of Noctua. The other staircase, accessible only by members of House Sovanid and their servants and guests, leads directly to the residential rooms in the building's top floors. Although imposing due to its sheer height, Talonspire isn't really a defensive structure. It's assumed that no foreign invader would ever be able to penetrate into Noctua so far as to reach it, and thus the only guards are those in the personal employ of House Sovanid. These men, wearing plate armour painted blue and decorated with the Sovanid owl sigil, have the task of ensuring the maintenance of law and order and presenting an air of utmost safety and security, rather than actually warding off any aggressors. [b]-Buildings of Interest:[/b] Noctua is home to the Laiskas Medjan, perhaps the largest library with the most voluminous collection in all of Avara. It is built adjoining Talonspire, and its construction was funded with Sovanid coin. Whereas Talonspire is the centre of Noctua's banking tradition, the Laiskas Medjan is the centre of its literary tradition. Untold numbers of writers and artists practice and ply their trade in the Laiskas Medjan's numerous floors, some of those most talented even possessing residences within the semi-circular construct's elegant halls. [b]-Geographic Features of Interest:[/b] The most spectacularly beautiful of Noctua's geographical features is the Godfalls, a massive waterfall cascading down from the mountains to feed a small river, which then falls down from the plateau again and to a river at ground level. The Godfalls occur at the border of Noctua proper, where the Korgelinn Road officially ends, and the ornately crafted bridge leading over the fast-flowing river the Godfalls create therefore demarcates the official entry into the City of Noctua. [b]-Territory Description:[/b] Noctua is built atop a mountain plateau, entirely inaccessible from all sides spare through a single, wide road leading down to Korgelinn. The landscape of city's surroundings is therefore mountainous, and contains wildlife and natural features fitting of a place in the mountains: most of the trees are pine, and the climate in the winter can be quite cold. [centre][colour=navy][h3]RACIAL[/h3][/colour][/centre] [b]-Majority Race:[/b] Human. [b]-Majority Race Appearance:[/b] Humanlike. [b]-Majority Race Characteristics:[/b] Two arms, two legs, a head, etc. [b]-Minority Races:[/b] None in significant quantity. There are some members of non-human races that have moved to Noctua, either to further their careers in finance or to ply their artistic talents, but these individuals do not represent a significant visible demographic. [b]-Minority Race Characteristics:[/b] Various. [centre][colour=navy][h3]RELIGION & MAGIC[/h3][/colour][/centre] [b]-State Religion:[/b] None. Noctua is officially secular. [b]-Religious Information:[/b] Both Justinian and the Old Gods are worshipped in Noctua, as well as the gods of numerous other smaller faiths endemic to the Dragon's Spine. The only religious belief which faces official persecution is the worship of the Red Pantheon. No deity within the Red Pantheon may be honoured in any public place in Noctua, and although religious practice in private quarters is unrestricted, the law is not stymied by the excuse of religion. If, say, worship of a particular deity should happen to include ritual human sacrifice, those rituals will not be permitted regardless of their importance to that religion. The demands of the theological bend to the requirements of the secular in Noctua. [b]-Religion Demographics:[/b] The largest faith is Justiniaism, closely followed by worship of the Old Gods. Followers of these two combined practices comprise upwards of 90% of Noctua's population. The remaining tenth of the citizenry either belong to smaller religions or do not profess any faith at all. [b]-Holy Relics In Possession:[/b] TBA [b]-Holy Sites Under Control:[/b] TBA [b]-Magical Schools and Curriculum:[/b] TBA [s][centre][colour=navy][h3]MILITARY[/h3][/colour][/centre] -Military Details (Focus on unit types, ect. You can keep numbers vague) [centre][colour=navy][h3]NATIONAL DRAMATIS PERSONAE[/h3][/colour][/centre] -Head of State/Monarch: -Ruling Dynasty (If applicable): -Military Chief (If applicable): -Religious Head (If Applicable): -Persons of interest: [centre][colour=navy][h3]CULTURAL[/h3][/colour][/centre] -History: (I will add key historical episodes to the history timeline above.) -Historical Relations and Greivances -Cultural Notes[/s] [/hider]