Neptaris

The Freecity of Neptaris has a long and proud tradition of being the oldest true city on the continent of Divia, even preceding the foundation of Zeth by over a century. Despite its sometimes war-torn history, Neptaris is one of the few states that has actually succeeded in maintaining a democratic government for much of the Third Age of Man. They were able to avoid domination by the slave armies of Lun Dorak during the Mage War, but the population was decimated when the Crimson Plague struck in the final years of the Third Age and trade ground to a standstill. When the Old Gods receded, the city finally fell to chaos as the civil government fell apart. Many of its prominent citizens who survived these dark times fled for Marosh, leaving the city a nearly empty ruin controlled by various gangs squabbling for survival. Only the efforts of a handful of scholars and druids trickling in from Malvetia provided any sense of order and kept the city from being abandoned altogether.

When the Old Gods returned and the few remaining priests in Neptaris again began to receive answers to their prayers, the Supreme Assembly was re-established and trade routes were reopened. Though Neptaris still struggles with the power of its various guilds and gangs still roam certain parts of the city, the people of Neptaris are slowly rebuilding to their former glory.

Neptaris

The Freecity of Neptaris

Geographic Info

Continent: Duria

Map

Neptaris

Geography

Neptaris is located on the eastern shores of the Maroshian Sea, situated between the frontiers of the See of Cambrecia and Danas. The city itself rests on six hills, the crests of which are roughly located at Zepharos Keep, the Estate of House Markos in the Noble District, the Temple of Cthos in the Temple District, Liberty Square in the Merchant’s District, the Mayor’s Residence on Pelligrin Hill, and the middle of Castaway Hill. Gryphon Hill, around which Castle Zepharos was built, is the tallest, topping out at about 120 feet above sea level. The bedrock of these hills is composed primarily of a blue granite (soft for its type), pocketed with limestone. The limestone deposits are constantly being eroded by the water table, and sinkholes are not an uncommon problem in the city. Of course, rumors of large caves and chasms deep beneath the city’s sewers are abound, but as yet are unfounded.

Local flora and fauna are typical for a warm temperate region. The soil in the Territories is generally fertile, though some regions do have problems with infertile ground and low topsoil. The natural forests that exist in the region, particularly in the eastern Territories, are composed primarily of deciduous trees, with confers being common only in regions where clearing and subsequent abandonment has permitted forest regrowth. Trees are of the typical sort found in warm, temperate environments, with oak, maple, cypress, and elm being the most common. Animal life in the region is dominated by a few large predators, including brown bears, lynx, wolves and, along the Krios River, alligators. There are also several species of large herbivores, including whitetail deer and wild boar, but most herbivores are relatively small and harmless.

Neptaris surrounds the Bay of Krios, which is a major source of trade and comestibles for the city. Despite common misconception by foreigners, the Bay of Krios is not fed by the Krios River, the mouth of which is actually about five miles south east of the city. It is a natural, deep-water bay that does not accumulate appreciable amounts of silt from year to year, so maintenance of the waters by the city is relatively easy. It is well protected from the ocean by a short penninsula upon which the Neptars have constructed their lighthouse. That region of the Maroshian sea which is nearest to Neptaris is dominated by a southerly stream which is not so fast that northern trade is made more difficult. The stream does whip around the southern tip of Danas and joins a larger stream there heading eastward and most ships who become lost in this stream do not return.

History

The Adventures of Zarakos

Original article: The Adventures of Zarakos

The history of the Freecity of Neptaris begins in the city-state of Taranio in old Aebasa on Gallorea a hundred and fifty years before the founding of Zeth on Aurea and the dawn of the Third Age of Man. In that city, known more for its adventurers than its philosophers, Zarakos, future founder of Neptaris, was born to a moderately wealthy merchant family. At a young age, he left his family home to become an adventurer. Unfortunately, ill luck constantly dogged the young adventurer and he found himself to be the only surviving member of two consecutive groups. After being kicked out of his third group for theft, he joined one of the many mercenary companies of the region and finally met with some success. During the Battle of the Gareon Dales, he was promoted to the rank of captain at the age of twenty-six and charged with the plunder of Cheros, a city-state that had supported the defeated city of Myra. Unfortunately, Zarakos' legion was caught unawares by an army from the neighboring state of Zamarda, which had come to reinforce the Myran defense, and the mercenary captain found himself besieged in a foreign city. After nearly a month under siege, Zarakos was able to sneak past the Zamardan army with a small group of loyal men. When the rest of his army realized that their captain had deserted them, they surrendered, but the Zamardan army refused their surrender and chose instead to sack the city themselves, killing most of the mercenaries in the process.

Zarakos, claiming that his men had deserted him and attempted to surrender without his permission, founded a mercenary company of his own called the White Gryphon Company after his chosen insignia. The White Gryphon fought in several major battles, eventually coming under the patronage of the Tyrant of Thene (whom he had fought for in the Battle of the Gareon Dales a few years earlier). He met with much success defending Thene from foreign invasion and was rewarded heavily by the Tyrant. Eventually, Cheros and her allies were quelled (though not defeated, the wars between Thene and Cheros would continue for centuries) and the Tyrant found himself with a mercenary company on his permanent payroll and no enemies to fight. Zarakos, realizing that his life might be at risk, made a rather rash suggestion to his sponsor. He would go into retirement and found a colony in the name of Thene on the shores of present-day Feldosha. The Tyrant quickly agreed and supplied him with a fleet of five vessels. Unfortunately, the Tyrant did not supply Zarakos with able navigators or captains for these vessels, and the adventurer turned mercenary turned explorer quickly became lost in the turbulent Aebasan Ocean. After roaming for a month on the open sea, he and his soldiers finally came ashore near the ancient city of Kamartha in present-day Eeridia.

Zarakos ordered his men ashore and began to plunder the nearby townships for food and supplies. The armies of Kamartha quickly responded to what was believed to be an invasion and captured Zarakos. The explorer turned raider was brought to the Queen of Kamartha, Aemara, with the dignity and pomp of a captured foreign king. Believing him to be a powerful ruler, Aemara quickly became enraptured of her prisoner and soon Zarakos had the run of the royal palace. Through the magical assistance of the Royal Scribe, Anesthos the Younger (the two lovers did not speak the same language), Zarakos and Aemara began a brief but torrid affair that shocked the citizens of Kamartha. After Aemara gave birth to a son, named Zamari, the priesthood of Kamartha fomented a rebellion against the monarchy. The Queen was given an ultimatum: exile Zarakos or be removed from her blood-right. Zarakos volunteered to depart, despite her pleas to retire into obscurity. He gathered his remaining soldiers as well as Anesthos the Younger and again set sail on the open sea. As his ships departed, Kamartha took her son to the Temple of Aridnus, whose priests had led the rebellion against her crown, and set fire to herself and her child, killing both. It is said that Zarakos commented upon looking back to the city on how great a fire they had built to honor him.

For the next four months, Zarakos and his men roamed the Betshaban Ocean, searching for a home. Each time they found land, Zarakos found some reason to continue, most often suggesting that the place simply didn't "feel" right. Then, one night, as his men planned a mutiny in the hold below his quarters, he suddenly woke and began screaming orders to head northward. He told Anesthos that he had dreamed of a great gryphon sleeping on a hillock and that this was the sign he had been waiting for. The ships did, indeed, find a coast to the north heretofore unknown by his navigator. After following the coast for a week, they came upon a bay near the mouth of a great river. Zarakos set ashore and led a group of his men inland toward six hills. Upon the highest hill, the men found a sleeping gryphon, just as Zarakos had seen in his dream. The gryphon woke and departed his roost, but Zarakos ordered his men to begin the construction of a hall and homes; their journey was over. Many of the men resisted Zarakos' claim, but he burned his ships in the harbor to prevent any hope of returning to their homes. Zarakos named his settlement Neptag, after the Kamarthan word for "freedom." Zarakos was thirty-nine when the settlement was founded.

This is a thumbnail description and is scheduled for expansion at a later date.