Locations of Esshar

The following is not entirely approved canon, pending approval by Chance.

Nuburg

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 Republic 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.

Hessalia

Established 1237 AC, and thus one of the most recently built cities of Esshar, Hessalia is a city that stands several kilometres away from what was until 1653 AC the border between the Kingdom of Esshar and the Tribelands of Rhoynur. A relatively minor city built along a river that is largely autonomous, Hessalia's main importance in history is fairly more recent; in 1650 AC the city was sacked by Rhoynish invaders during the Conquest of Rhoynur, who burned much of the city and put many residents to the sword. A kilometre from the city lays the Field of the Red Sunrise, the location of the battle which shares the same name. The city was largely abandoned during the majority of the Conquest, until the period following the treaty that annexed the Tribelands of Rhoynur and ended the war was signed there in 1653 AC, appropriately known as the Treaty of Hessalia.

The city entered into a period of reconstruction following the Treaty, construction guilds being funded by several members of the Osronan nobility to speed the project, a good faith gesture that went a long way to removing any private beliefs the Capital would be content to leave the city to fend for itself. Additionally aiding the reconstruction effort was the use of several thousand indentured Rhoynish for hard labour, although frequent escape attempts caused delays relatively often. During this time, several newly ennobled families settled in the city; either due to pre-existing residence or seeking to serve as patrons of the city. The reconstruction ended in 1664 AC, a full eleven years after the end of the war.

Notable is the Hessalian stigma against the Rhoynish. Having suffered most greatly at the hands of the invading forces, the amount of racism a Rhoynish person faces within the city is intense. Many live within the city as indentured servants, but in Hessalia more than anywhere this distinction is misleading at best. Indentured Rhoynish in Hessalia are most certainly slaves, and it is an open secret that many are treated extremely harshly.

Rhoynur

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Prótiprosgeíosi

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