The City of Tura

110,573 (58% human, 22% elves, 9% dwarves, 6% halflings, 5% others)

Government

The capital city is run primarily by the Holy Synod but there is a royal family, namely King Gavinus Bryde and Queen Lyla Bryde along with their children who live in the Golden Keep. The rule here is primarily a theocracy wherein religion is at the forefront of law, order, and society. The head of the Synod, called the Orator of the faith of Helm, has the final say in all laws, including their creation and enforcement. While there are other councilmembers on the Synod, they do not have final say and merely serve as counsel to the Orator, casting votes on what they think is best.

There are various churches spread throughout the city that give access to the various classes in Tura. The noble class attends the Church of Tura, while the middle class goes to the Cloudtop Citadel, and the poor attend the Lower East Reliquary. On top of being places of worship, these churches serve as collection points for the taxes that are paid by the citizens of the city. There, the Bishops count and process the money, and the Septans go out and collect it.

Defense

The Luminous army, which is the holy army of the Empire, is headquartered in Tura within the Luminary Citadel located in the Voolemrip Quarters. These soldiers man the massive 40 foot walls that surround the city, and the 20 foot walls that surround the Holy District and the Golden Keep. Fierce and devout soldiers, the Luminous, headed by Illuminator Supremum Sampson Caruso, is the first and last line of defense for the Empire.

This city has many checkpoints and strongholds built into the walls that surround it. Here, powerful ballistae and skilled archers keep watch and protect the city from any incursions. On the inner walls, there are more ballistae as well as checkpoints where tar can be poured down and lit on fire in case their is an uprising or an enemy force makes its way through the outer walls. There are also many strategic cutoff points where walls or entire districts can be cut off in case of an incursion, making it that much more difficult to overtake the city.

Commerce

Due to their location on Whispy Lake, a large portion of Tura's exports are freshwater fish and vegetation. Not many places in the Empire are able to harvest freshwater fish and have it be sustainable, but given the substantial size of Whispy Lake, this is possible for Tura.

Being surrounded by forest, Tura has a minor lumber operation that supplies internal construction (for ships, docks, etc.), but is not substantial enough to become a serious export.

Tura also trades goods with the nearby mining city of Galena and the Amber Mines. In return for fish, lumber and gold, Galena provides large deposits of amber, various precious metals, and a steady supply of precious gems to Tura.

With the metals and gems brought in by the Amber Mines, Tura creates some of the finest jewelry in the Empire. Made with only the best materials and by the best hands, these pieces of art are equally as beautiful as they are functional and command a hefty price. If one's pockets are deep enough, they may even come with certain enchantments or incantations to enhance their functionality, but of course, one can apply these separately.

Crime

Despite having the best quality of life in the Empire, and most of Caldron, Tura still is troubled by crime, albeit in much smaller quantities than anywhere else, that demands justice.

The most severe, and common, form of crime is being suspected of worshiping demons or the Deities of Chaos. The punishment for this, in most cases, is public execution in various forms including but not limited to: flogging, stoning, hanging, and burning. The most high profile cases are judged by the Holy Synod and are conducted at the hands of the Luminous. For the lower profile cases, the various Bishops in which the perpetrator resides is in charge of handling them.

Aside from this, general forms of lesser blasphemy are handled rather severely, with their punishments largely depending on the severity of the crime and who you may know or how much you can pay. While the system is not entirely corrupt, there are hints of favoritism that can be witnessed if one looks close enough.

While petty theft and the likes are existent, they are rare as most people are obligated to give to the poor and do community service as part of their Holy Tribute to the gods. For those that are caught, they are generally let off with a warning and if caught again, are put into the Graystone Prison.

Most of the theft that does occur is conducted by an organization called the Nobles of Naught, whose entire goal is to take from the rich and give to the poor. While their cause is noble, they are considered vigilantes and are not exempt from the law. In recent times, the Nobles of Naught have transitioned to also outing those who may be faking their faith or otherwise not adhering to their righteous duties. They give anonymous tips to those in power that they have acquired through theft in order to convict high profile targets.

The last major crime in the city is the evasion of taxes or the incorrect payment of them. The Church of Turia requires low, but strictly enforced, taxes that the commonwealth must pay. These dues are used to fund the church to keep it running and up to date as well as go towards paying the wages of the Luminous. Violators of the tax laws on multiple occasions are either put into Graystone Prison if they are multiple time offenders, or they have property taken equal to the amount they owe if they are not frequent offenders.

Geography

Being on the banks of Whispy Lake, the city of Tura has used this to their advantage by becoming the leading exporter of freshwater fish and vegetation. Similarly, due to their location relative to the Amber Mines, Tura has also become a hub of precious metals and jewelry mined from there and as a result has the most skilled jewelers in the world. Their products, of course, come at a hefty price.

The city is divided into eight districts, each encompassing its own class or classes, and function in society.

Holy District

This is the central district and contains the Golden Keep, the Church of Turia (where the nobles go), the Skyport Spire, and the Holy Synod Assembly. Because these buildings are the most important and contain the most important people in the Empire, they are separated from the rest of the population by 20 foot high walls. These walls are armed with Luminous and are a mighty obstacle separating the upper echelon from the rest of Tura.

Within the Holy District, the Royal family, the Holy Synod, the High Bishops, and the Illuminator Supremum live. On top of this, all of the nobles and houses of wealth are here, and have access to the finest shops and restaurants in Tura. Entry into the Holy District is difficult, and only those with written permission or valid documentation saying they are merchants and the like can get in. All those who enter and leave are documented.

Because Tura values Elven society so much, they make up most of the population in the Holy District. There are houses of wealth that date back to the founding of the Empire, and as such, have become tightly wound in the politics of Tura. While not exclusively elf, those that carry Elven blood are definitely valued over those that do not. This favor manifests in various forms in this district, whether it be having more leeway with taxes, more opportunities for business, or political sway, these elves are most definitely at a higher advantage than the other races in Tura.

Westway Docks

Home to many businesses and merchants, the Westway Docks are the place to be if you are a merchant looking to peddle high quality goods. Due to its location relative to the Holy District, the Westway Docks are used to import, store, and process many of the precious metals and gems from Galena and the Amber Mines for later sale in Tura. Here, boats drop off crates and barrels full of these unprocessed gems and metals that are then stored in very secure warehouses across the district. Access to these warehouses is very limited and any crimes committed here are punished very severely.

While there are merchant shops in the Westway Docks that sell some of these precious materials, they are mainly reselling the raw materials or very crude jewelry since the shops in the Holy District are the ones that sell the more hand crafted and expensive goods. Thus, the merchants here have a very good relationship with those in the Holy District, with their business deals being very lucrative. New players on the block find it tough to break down these long standing relationships and get a foothold in, with many of them going out of business not too long after they open. While there is no written rules against crossing the territory of another seller, these acts tend to end in the destruction of property or business of the perpetrators.

Again, being mainly a place for merchants and business, the Westway Docks do not have many residents that live there. Despite this fact though, there are still many instances of theft and breaking and entering that happen here as the storehouses in this district contain within them small fortunes.

Eastway Docks

Unlike the Westway Docks, the Eastway Docks are more for trading and importing the fresh fish and vegetation harvested on Whispy Lake. Being closer to the poorer side of Tura, this move was strategic, and even though they aren't trading metals and gems, there are still many opportunities to earn an honest living. Since Turia doesn't have many locations for freshwater fish to be gathered at a sustainable rate, Tura has capitalized on this by becoming the largest exporter of these freshwater goods. As a result, many fishermen have moved to this city and are competing to get the most fish to sell for the cheapest price. This fierce competition has helped many people in Tura as the prices have consistently been getting lower and lower, however, it has made the act of fishing a much more dangerous job.

Many fishermen in Tura have entered into a turf war with each other, with some sabotaging the ships of other sailors in order to get ahead. While this has become a more serious problem over the years, the Synod refuses to enact legislation on it, and things are getting more and more violent. The only rule is whoever is there first gets to fish the spot. This has given new meaning to the early bird gets the worm, as sailors are sending out ships earlier and earlier in the morning and evening, putting their ships in danger of crashing and wrecking due to the decreased visibility during those hours. Many have urged the Synod to get rid of this rule, or supply more lighthouses on the docks to counter these issues. These demands have fallen on deaf ears, making some more upset with their government than usual.

Nearrun Commons

The Nearrun Commons are home to a variety of lower middle class families and standard middle class families. The houses here are modest, not large or extravagant, but big enough to fit a family comfortably depending on their size. Most of the people here work for shop owners that live in the Holy District or the Cloudtop Gardens and earn a decent living doing so. These jobs range from standard blue collar work to more trained and skilled work. They are definitely not business owners, but have carved out a decent place to live in any case.

The wealthiest people in the commons are those that hold the more skilled jobs, such as masonry, smithing, or jewelry making. For the most part, they are paid fairly and complain very little, especially when compared to the Lower East Greens.

Cloudtop Gardens

This district is home to the upper middle classes and their church the Cloudtop Chapel. Here, most people are small business owners that make an honest living buying, selling, and manufacturing goods that either stay within the walls of the city, or carted out and sold throughout the Empire. While they are pretty well off, these people don't own the most successful and largest businesses, and often employ 15 or less people.

The homes here are larger, and more luxurious, but nothing when compared to the Holy District. Since the people that live in the Cloudtop Gardens are more well off, they are expected to pay more taxes and do more charity on behalf of the church. Thus, many charity drives take place here, or are at least organized here.

Within the Cloudtop Gardens is the Gardens to the Gods which is a collection of beautiful pathways, parks, and gardens that make up the majority of the district. They are heavily protected and are considered to be the most holy place outside of the Holy District. Many families from all over the Empire travel to these gardens to see them and walk within them, often claiming to have moments of divine intervention. This reputation has garnered the attention of many people who find themselves lost in life and wanting to find answers. These people walk through the gardens until their questions are answered, with some wandering still to this day.

Vessolad Commons

This district is very similar to the Nearrun Commons in that lower class, but not poor, citizens live. These people usually work within the Eastway Docks and deal with the unloading/loading of the ships there and processing the goods that come in from the Whispy Lake. They are not poor, but neither are they wealthy. They live fairly comfortably and are in a weird gray area within Tura in that they are too well off to receive the charity work of the rich, but too poor to contribute to that as well.

Voolemrip Quarters

This district is home to the Luminous forces and the Luminary Citadel. Here, the bulk of the Luminous army is recruited, trained, and dispatched, and as such is separated from the rest of the districts in Tura. The Luminous forces are fierce and strong, and their training is unparalleled in the Empire. In order to ensure the quality of each soldier is satisfactory, they must pass the physical and mental tests before joining the forces. As far as the curriculum for these tests and the overseeing of the forces in general, this is all conducted and created within the walls of the Luminary Citadel by the Illuminator Supremum.

Since this district is home to soldiers, it contains barracks, as well as training grounds for them to use, and less traditional homes and businesses.

Lower East Greens

This district is the poorest in Tura and the recipient of most of the charitable acts that take place within the city. The people here live in hovels and shanties and work all day in the fields within the walls to grow food and care for the livestock that Tura uses. The ones that live near the Eastway Docks are the fishermen that man the boats that scour Whispy Lake in search for fresh fish to catch and sell. Grossly underpaid and overworked, these people are by far the least well off, but still are able to survive due to the charity of those in better situations.

Despite their situations, these poorer people are still subjected to a better way of life than most poor people across Caldron. This is thanks to the charitable nature of the Turan society. Thanks to this fact, the people here don't often rebel or form unions, and instead are thankful to at least receive help from those more fortunate.

Society

Because Turia is a very religious Empire, Tura itself is the most religious city in all of the Empire. Here, it is pretty much required to go to church, and uphold one's religious duties which are charity, community service, and aiding those in need. As a result, Tura has some of the best quality of life that Caldron has to offer. The poor in this city are taken care of, in part, by the rich who both employ them and offer them charity. While they are gracious for these efforts, they are still poor, and some wonder why they aren't able to move up in society.

The middle classes, minus the upper class, exist in a sort of limbo. They are too well off to be the recipients of this charity, but are too poor to be the ones giving it, and so this class often feels ostracized and less valued. Most of the people here are blue collar workers or skilled artisans, but very few own any form of businesses. Most of the discontent in Tura comes from this group of people as they feel both neglected and under-appreciated.

The upper classes in Tura are by far the most content with their situation. These people own many businesses or at least the larger ones and enjoy a life of luxury separated, literally, from the rest of Tura. These people contribute the most to the charities across the city and employ most of the populous. Being an old city, those in this class often come from families of nobles that have been at the top of society for hundreds of years. Thus, the people here are very stuck up and exclusive.

The upper echelon of Tura take most of their inspiration from High Elven society that has since morphed into its own sect entirely. Here, being elvish is considered to be a noble feature, and those humans that contain these traits (not physically of course) are often appreciated more than those that don't. As a result, most of the people in this part of Turan society are elves.

Because Elven society is so important here, it is considered good business to conduct all formal matters in Elvish and not in common. So the nobles of Tura grow up learning Elvish as a second language, with some having it be their first language. Those that don't conduct their business in Elven are considered to be sketchy businessmen and are not respected at all.

Tura overall has a great quality of life and all those that inhabit it are in considerably better conditions than in other places on Caldron. This is thanks to the charitable society that Tura has turned into, and the altruism and philanthropy of the upper classes. Despite this though, there are many people who are fake in their righteous ways and only do these things to uphold their charitable and righteous appearance to the others in the city. They may say and appear to do things in public that are holy, but in private quite often do the opposite. These people are cancerous to what Tura is really about and are working only to improve their own situations by taking advantage of others in the city.

Silverwood Family

• Delilah and Vasco Silverwood are the heads of the Silverwood family

• Alwin is the son of Vasco

Rothstein Enterprises

• Arnold Rothstein and Beatrice are the heads of the family

Highwater Family

• Iago and Elizabeth Hightower are the mother and father of Tenley

• Marcus Hightower is the brother of Tenley

Miriardi Family

• Vincenzo Moriardi is the head of the Moriardi family, Giuseppina Moriardi is his wife

• Eldest son is Vinny Moriardi, Jr.

• Middle son is Frankie Moriardi

• Youngest Daughter Vanna Moriardi

Organizations

The Order of the Archive

The Order has a library in Tura that is the center for most knowledge in Turia itself. The only other archive is in Needelpoint, but that is mainly concerned with the Frozen Expanse and the mysterious therein, while the one in Tura is focused on acquiring the knowledge of the lands of the Empire at large.

It is headed by High Septor Sia Kresh who works tirelessly to uphold the institution and circulate knowledge to the masses, but has been facing increased pressure by the Synod to give up valuable information so that it can be destroyed and forever hidden from the public. In any case, this archive is still the mecca of knowledge and history within the Empire and the Western half of Caldron.

The Luminous

This is the armed forces of the Empire and the city. They are headed by the Illuminator Supremum in the Luminary Citadel and are charged with enforcing the laws of the Empire, collecting taxes, and protecting the citizens from threats. Thus, they function as the army, palace guard, and police force of the Empire.

The Nobles of Naught

Since the rich in Tura lead a life that is completely disjoint from that of the classes below them, the Nobles of Naught have been formed to return back some of the luxuries the wealthy get back to the poorer classes. This form of vigilantism is not allowed, but encouraged by the less fortunate in Tura. The Nobles of Naught strike at those who are fake and a cancer to society or to those that simply deserve less than they are afforded. This form of charity greatly benefits the poorer classes and no one knows who these individuals are, let alone if they are wealthy or poor themselves.

The Brotherhood of Steel

Located mostly in the Westway Docks, a few members of the Brotherhood of Steel own small forges or jewelry shops. These people are considered to be the more skilled artisans of the Docks and have built up a strong reputation in Tura. In fact, the most skilled members of this organization have even been able to open up shops in the Holy District.

Places of Interest

Golden Keep

Located in the Holy District, this is the home of the Royal family, the Brydes. It has many luxuries, but in the central keep, there is a golden dome that hangs high above the throne room, reminding those within it of the power of the gods above.

Graystone Prison

This is the home to the criminals and blasphemers of Tura. Headed by Warden Troth Redforce, this prison is definitely not the place to be. There are tortures, heated interrogations, and many beatings that take place on the prisoners within the walls. This is definitely the ugliest place in Tura and home to the most unholy acts.

Holy Synod Assembly

This extravagant building is the place in which the Holy Synod meets to discuss laws and strategies. This building is the most protected and secure building in all of Tura, and is without a doubt the most important to the Empire.

Church of Tura

Accessed only by the residents of the Holy District, this old church is the central location of worship for the elites in Tura. Here, all the nobles families come together to pray and socialize, and has become more of a social requirement than anything else. Those who don't show up are gossiped about and are considered to be lesser.

This building also serves as the central location for which taxes from all of the Empire are counted and documented. This church is led by High Bishop Shia Rihnir.

Skyport Spire

This is the skyport in Tura that allows for air travel to other continents in Gaia. It is only available to very limited people and requires explicit permission from the Synod to ride. This skyport was opened a few decades ago in order to open up Tura to the rest of the world.

Gardens of the Gods

These are collections of parks, gardens, and pathways located in the Cloudtop Gardens that are said to be one of the holiest places in the Empire. People from all over travel to these gardens to find answers to their burning questions, and is considered to be the place in which one can experience the strongest connection to the gods.

Figures of Interest

High Bishop Shia Rihnir

(Lawful neutral, male human)

Works at the Church of Tura and is in charge of collecting and counting all of the taxes given to him by the other churches in the city. He then gives it to Orator Petfyr Quolamir for use by the city.

Dockmaster Yarna Truedoh

(Neutral good, female elf)

Yarna is an honest woman who just wants to see the docks of Tura function as they should. She cares deeply about the safety of the ships and enforcing the regulations of the Synod and works very hard to be honest and fair. Recently, she has noticed the struggles of the fishermen of the city as they come back empty handed and fight each other for territory. Using what little pull she has, Yarna has been trying to help the docks get back to their original order, fearing greatly that they may be slipping out of her control and into chaos.

Master Winslow

(Neutral, male half-elf)

Master Winslow is a strange, damp man. Always seen wiping his brow with his handkerchiefs, he has a nervous tick about him that is undeniable and very peculiar. Despite having gotten involved with the wrong crowd, Winslow does intend to do good overall, aiding Yarna in her daily duties and ensuring the docks run smoothly. Easy to dismiss and distrust, Winslow is certainly a character that is both unique and often misunderstood.

Quinton Cornelius Crasus, "Q"

(Chaotic good, agender human)

Quinton is boisterous, he's gaudy, but more importantly he is connected. His connections allow him to know what is put up for sale that may or may not be legal. Despite his uncanny ability to be a salesman and crack jokes to lighten the mood, Q cares deeply for his friends, often going out of his way to do things for them and ensure they are safe and happy. If you are friends with Q, he considers you a friend for life, and despite his getting into trouble, he usually always means well.

Q takes pride in his shop, the Velvet Vow, and dresses it just as luxuriously as he does himself. He fills it with the odds and ends he finds in his escapades and keeps the more lucrative items for his most special customers. He also despises Harrington's Daring Delights for its cheap, knockoffs of his products and its drab and tacky decor.

Iago Hightower

(Neutral, male human)

The Father of Tenley and the head of the Hightower Trading Co., Iago is a stern man and very hard on his daughter. Since the disappearance of his only son Marcus, Iago has been devastated, losing his only heir and his favorite child. Now, this coldness is taken out on Tenley and the stress of raising a daughter with no rightful heir is weighing on him heavily.

Elizabeth Hightower

(Neutral, female human)

Elizabeth is kinder than her husband, and feels for Tenley knowing that she has had a great loss too, but she is equally strict and cares very much about the family name. Often times, this care trumps her care for Tenley and she can be seen as pretty cold and unpleasant towards Tenley as a result. She does want what's best for her family, but she has some roundabout ways to get there.

Sofia Belrose

(Lawful good, female human)

Miss Belrose serves as Tenley's friend, confidante, and mother figure. She has been tasked with caring for the Hightower twins from birth, and she took on the responsibility with pride. Tenley quickly took to Miss Belrose’s playful demeanor and empathetic personality. Though the twins are now well into their adulthood, Miss Belrose has earned a place among the Hightower family staff, and Tenley intends to keep it that way.

Sir Ibrahim

(Lawful good, male human)

Sir Ibrahim is the head of the Hightower family guard. He and Iago have known each other since birth, having grown up near each other and having gone to the same school. Ibrahim decided after he graduated to join the Luminous and was a Commander in the army for nearly a decade before retiring. Now, he works for Iago as the head of his personal guard and would give his life to see that the family is safe and secure. He is a loyal, brave, and experienced soldier who gives his everything and stops at nothing to see justice prevail.

Clyde La Croix

(Lawful evil, male human)

Clyde is a wounded, older aged human male, who works at the Lower East Reliquary by day, serving as the Bishop there. He has been hired by the Moriardi family to carry out a series of thefts on key ships that the Moriardi's have been told to steal from by Eddard Bryde. He is evil, and calculated and uses his job as a Bishop to cover his vial nature. He heads an organization called the Golden Swords who have been created by him to carry out the acts given to him by the Moriardi's.

The rest of the figures of interest not listed here can be viewed on the page for the Empire.