[Theori]

Nuburg, the Summer Capital

Part of the early Astyan push to cement their hold on the Esshar peninsula, Nuburg originated as a single fortress. Built remarkably quickly for a fortification at the time, the New Burgas Fortress -as it was originally known- was named after an Astyan city that was one of the first destroyed by Mordred as it devastated Astya. Nestled on a mountain on the leftmost side of the entrance to the Valley of Malztiel, the New Burgas Fortress was designed to protect the pass which led into neutral land bordering Sluthian territory, a foreign power considered a significant danger at the time. However, as the years after the Fortress' construction passed it began to be used as a centre of trade with Esshar by the other powers of Aegis, especially the Magnolians. Eventually a small settlement sprung up in the valley, and by 340 AC it was the second largest city in Esshar, considered a jewel of civilisation as well as the Essharan summer capital. Common slang soon became accepted as official, and New Burgas became New Burg, and then later Nuburg.

Due to its importance to foreign trade and its role as a second capital of Esshar, Nuburg was governed far more directly than most Essharan cities. Given its military origins, the city was traditionally ruled by one of the three Lightbringers of the First Light, who served as both general and administrator and served at the direct edict of the Essharan Monarch.

The city's forces proudly held the line against the Sluthian invaders during the War of the Dragon, but the Bastard Rebellion spelled its end. After an coup that resulted in the assassination of Lightbringer Kallon Apotychía, the city was taken as Eros Petaris' capital after he declared himself a legitimate Petrakis, a staggering early blow for the Loyalists due to Nuburg holding a significant portion of the royal coffers at the time. The city became the staging point for the forces of the rebellion, both those raised from sympathetic Essharans and mercenaries hired from Rhoynur using the stolen royal gold, and was largely impenetrable for the next several year. However, as the rebellion steadily began to face defeat after defeat, Nuburg fell in the Red Spring to the joint attack of the Essharan Loyalists, Sluthian mercenaries, the Kingdom of Magnolia and Empire of Barsburg -the latter of whom were drawn into the civil war as an excuse to fight the Rhoynish. The siege caused such devastation to the city that by the mid-16th AC it had still not been rebuilt, only a small garrison left behind in the now largely abandoned fort to guard the entrance to the valley.


The fate of the city has been the subject of several works of Essharan song and poetry, and an exaggerated tale of its fall is told in 'The Tragedy of the Summer City', a play by famed historical playwright Cleon of Damopolis.