The Archadian Empire
From Dynasts End
The mightiest sovereign state in Valendia. Originally a republic governed by an active senate, the rise of the military brought about the shift to an imperial system 250 years ago. With the change in governance, Archadia began invading its neighboring lands, quickly becoming the largest realm in Ivalice. While in the past the emperor was traditionally of military extraction, a purge of key figures in the military by the politically powerful House Solidor led to the installation of a line of Solidor emperors which continue to this day.
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[edit] Imperial City of Archades
The capital of the Archadian Empire. Still small when it first formed as a city-state, it grew tremendously during the long peace fostered by the Galtean Alliance. When the Empire was formed, the city center was re-located, forming the Archades we know today. Though poor in both natural resources and land, Archades came to prominence as a city of innovation and learning. All information and technology gathers here, and the famed mages and artificers born within her walls are legion. Knowledge, then, is the true strength of the Archadian Empire. The city of Archades forms an octagon with the Imperial Palace at its center. Around the Palace sit the Senate Chambers and other administrative quarters, beyond which lies a booming mercantile district. The buildings in the city center are quite tall, with the lower floors being used mainly as residences. The difference in heights between the various buildings makes this a city of small airships, that being the most efficient means of accessing all levels of the metropolis. More than three-quarters the population of Archades is hume, and while at one time all lived near the ground, of late, those of power or particular wealth have taken to living in the higher apartments and traveling exclusively by private airship.
[edit] Districts
The Imperial City is divided into five districts: Trant, Nilbasse, Rienna, Molberry, and Tsenoble. Only the wealthiest of the city can enter its upper district, Tsenoble, and even then, certain areas in Tsenoble are open only to an elite few. Trant is the gateway between the Imperial City and the slums of Old Archades, and as such, is considered the least favorable to make residence.
[edit] Old Archades
District on the outskirts of Archades. With the transfer of governance to the Imperial system, a new city was created, the existing city blocks now belonging to the old quarter. At the time, the under-privileged lived here along with nobles who had lost power with the rise of the Empire, while those with power lived in the new city. Now, several centuries later, little has changed. The residents of the old quarter are largely itinerants and those others outside the protection of Imperial law. Unlike the new city where buildings tower towards the sky, the old city remains brick and stone. Everything feels neglected, abandoned to fate of slow decay. With officials less than inclined to worry about the old quarter's governance, little or no effort has ever been made to revitalize the area.
[edit] Draklor Laboratory
Weapons research laboratory located a short distance from the administrative district in the northeast of Archades, sponsored by the Archadian Imperial Army. Research is divided among airship design projects, sundry weapons projects, and magickal endeavors. In recent years, particular attention has been paid to magicite research, with great strides being made in the manufacting of magicite and improved methods of drawing energy from the stones. A strict security system is in place to ensure that none of the knowledge in Draklor Laboratory leaves its doors without authorization.
[edit] The Akademy
World-renowned center of learning in Tsenoble. One must be either extremely gifted or exceedingly wealthy to be admitted into the Akademy, and those who bear the Akademy on their records find open doors wherever they go. The Akademy is divided into two branches, the Martial and the Scholastic. Military training, among basic weapon skill and knowledge, are taught in the Martial School, while the intricacies of Magicks and Science are the specialty of the Scholastic.
It's quite common for graduates of the Akademy to pursue further education at Draklor.
[edit] Port City of Balfonheim
Prosperous port on the Naldoan Sea renowned for its rich fishing grounds. In addition to fishing, the port is known for its shipwrights and their numerous contributions to the advancement of seacraft. Though demand has dropped with the spread of airships, the wrights are still able to turn a profit on their craft. The power in Balfonheim rests with the sea captains and pirates of wealth. Though belonging in name to the Archadian Empire, well-placed regular bribes have ensured the city autonomous governance. The city itself is small, being a classic port town, with many stone-cobbled alleyways winding between buildings which hug the curve of the hills. Fresh seafood can be found in the market stalls daily, along with many other items brought by traders and pirates. Several waterways run through the city, some carrying drinking water, others used as canals for the transport of goods. The manse of the Pirate King stands in the western quarter of Balfonheim.
[edit] The Whitecap
Run by a trio of elderly sisters, The Whitecap is Balfonheim's liveliest tavern, sitting astride the very edge of the city in Quayside Court. Its open air windows give a clear view of the sea, but a word of warning - those who sit beneath them are likely to be dumping grounds for any pirate who can't hold his brew.
The Whitecap Sisters, though on in years, have still been known to get the better of any unruly patrons.
[edit] Gallerina Marketplace
Narrow streets lined with stalls selling wares of every stripe, often loudly. It's said that one can buy anything in the Gallerina, and with a healthy black market supported by the local piracy, it's exceedingly likely.
[edit] The Cape Town of Lavinium
Being a small town on the Eastern sprawl of the Archadian Empire, directly to the east of the Imperial City. Lavinium is home to the largest congregation of clansmen and bounty hunters in the Archadian Empire. The largest of these, Clan Ursus, has a famed rivalry with its sister clan in Dalmasca, the Clan Centurio.
Most of Lavinium's residents are hunters by profession, but it's not uncommon to see the wealthy elite strolling through its streets. Many find entertainment in the fighting pits that crowd the basements of Lavinium's great halls. Hunters and beastmasters alike bring fearsome creatures to the pits to fight, and gambling on the winner is common.
[edit] Dawn's Point
The central hub of Lavinium, and also its largest tavern. High windows give the Dawn more light than most, and her brews are noted to be particularly quenching. The notice boards of Dawn's Point are said to be the first in all of Ivalice, and bills posted there are accepted within minutes by clansmen eager to prove their merit.
[edit] Ursus Clan Hall
Being more of an inn than a Hall, Ursus Clansmen, when not on the hunt, spend their time in its main chamber. Mounted on the walls of the Hall are trophies from the most notorious marks, ranging from skins and claws to heads.
[edit] Cerobi Steppe
Hilly highlands area in the east of Archadia, through which the highroad to Balfonheim Port passes. Air currents are notoriously unstable between Cerobi and Balfonheim, making land routes here as popular as those of the air. In the past, villagers in the region erected windmills to catch the winds from the Naldoan Sea, and used them to mill grain from the harvest. With advancements in the use of magicks and machineries, however, the windmills fell into disuse and now stand merely as a reminder of the past.
[edit] Phon Coast
Coastal region lying along the Phon Straits which divide Archadia from Nabradia. Praised for its beautiful beaches of white sand, and lush greenery. A hunter's camp along the coast attracts adventurers and headhunters, forming a community where they might exchange information and rest between expeditions.
[edit] Sochen Cave Palace
A giant underground complex in Archadia, consisting of natural caverns and the abandoned ruins of an ancient palace. Many of its ways and passages remain uncharted on current maps. From the style of the carvings adorning some of the walls, it is thought that the complex was built at some point during the Galtean Alliance, though no records of its construction remain. A survey mission was initiated to chart the many corridors here, but a particularly nasty infestation of creatures has significantly hampered progress.
[edit] Tchita Uplands
A hilly region reaching to the south of Archadia. Before the widespread adoption of airships as the primary means of conveyance, this region was the highway to the Imperial City, and filled with travelers. Ruins can be spotted here and there amongst the tall grasses, and researchers from Archades often come here to delve into the mysteries left by whatever ancient civilization built them.
