Chronicles of Petra- WIP

[themadmonarchist]

The world of Ishgar is a diverse one. It is roughly divided into seven countries: Earen, Shishura, Karoyagi, Eoza, Lotria, Kilgera and Aistrone. Each continent is diverse and rich in terms of resources, magic, biodiversity, animals and culture . Each country is distinctly different from each other, shaped by its own unique historical and cultural trajectory. In Ishgar, civilization began in Shishura. Home to some of the oldest settlements, Shishura is often considered to be the cradle of human civilization itself, and was once the most powerful country of the seven. From Shishura, humans migrated to the other countries, and established new civilization with different magical affiliations. Today, the balance of power is very different from what it used to be in the ancient world. A decline in Shishura's power and authority allowed other continents to rise , filing the power vacuum. Earen and Karoyagi in particular rose to new heights on the basis of the trade from the Silk Road- network of trade routes dating back to the ancient and early medieval world, across which a wide variety of goods were transported across Karoyagi and Earen . And using the wealth from the trade, Earen developed rapidly. Ruled by the Rohan Dynasty, Earen expanded its influence far beyond its borders. Earen traders were infamous for arriving at Eoza and colonizing it for centuries- stealing their natural resources, selling Eozai citizens into slavery, and committing unspeakable atrocities on Eozai land. But that all would soon change when a young, Eozai solder employed in the Eareni military rebelled and killed his superior officer. The soldier's name was Gudit. This incident was considered to be the spark of the Great War, during which Gudit led the people of Eoza to a surprising victory against their Eareni overlords in a long, bloody war. Following her victory, Gudit established the Zagwe dynasty, which has maintained power over Eoza ever since.

Like Queen Gudit, the Zagwe dynasty are militaristic in nature and have imparted the same values upon the people of Eoza who are now strong, proud and fiercely anti-colonial. Because of Eozai history, Eoza and Earen enjoy a rather tense relationship- on numerous accounts, Earen has been accused of interfering in Eozai politics and administration. In fact, rich Eareni nobles often back grassroots terrorist campaigns and movements against the Zagwe authority, whom they condemn as being harsh and brutish, particularly towards the half-bloods (humans with parents/grandparents from two different countries). Of course, Earen is hardly one to speak about this topic at all. By far, the most violent of the countries, Eareni history is defined by war, conflict and of course, conquest. But not all countries have a history as bloody and complex as Earen or Eoza's. Lotria, Kilgera and Aistrone are all significantly more peaceful and inward looking- ruled by tribes, war and conflict does exist of course, but nothing compared to Earen.

***Modern Ishgar aka the Setting***

Modern day Ishgar is a tense world, on the brink of change and conflict. In order to create a more peaceful world, the seven countries decided to establish a High Council, with representatives and military resources from all 7 countries. This High Council would be the ultimate authority on international matters, and because of that, the Council would have to be inherently neutral. To ensure this, the High Council was housed in Petra- the oldest city of Ishgar. Though technically in Shishura, Petra was declared a "Free City"- one that did not belong to any country at all. Because of this, Petra is one of the busiest cities in all of Ishgar today. Constantly visited by people from across the seven countries, Petra is home to a unique and eclectic culture, reflective of its residents who come from every corner of Ishgar. But under the youthful vitality of Petra, is a dark reality. The city is notoriously unsafe for halfbloods. Slavery and human trafficking is rampant, right under the nose of the High Council. It is said that only the richest and the strongest survive in Petra, and its residents are willing to do anything to claw their way to the top. And if the hostile environment was not enough, it is blatantly becoming clear that Earni influence in Petra has been increasing slowly. Staring with the High Council itself, Earni nobles are suspected to have been increasing their influence over the Council and Petra gradually. The city's administration openly favors Earrni-run businesses and often lets Earni criminals off lightly. Naturally, this doesn't bode too well with the Eozai administration, who have made their reservations against expanding Earni influence quite clear and vocal in the coming years. But the worst has yet to come. The other countries are not too pleased with the situation either. Traders from Shishura and Karoyagi complain that the increasing Earni business interests in Petra could lead to a monopoly, harming their business interests.

But the worst is yet to come. Recently, there has been a surge of human trafficking and violence against halfbloods. There are rumors that there is a new criminal group that is dominating the underworld of Petra and is responsible for the increase in crime across the city. No longer are only the halfbloods being targeted. The group targets humans from various countries, Kilgera, Lotria, Eoza and Aistrone in particular. With no real leads, the Council aims to discover and shut down this group and its operations within Petra before its too late. After all, in a city like Petra, the smallest disagreement could lead to violent conflict, and this has the potential of engulfing all seven countries in war. And the Council aims to prevent this reality at all costs. But the question is, can they succeed?

Welcome to Petra. The oldest city of Ishgar. A land of radiance and beauty. A land of war and strife. A land of magic.

Everything is possible in Petra.... at a cost of course. The question is, are you ready to pay it? It's a great city for those who can- a playground for the rich and wealthy, who have every one of their fantasies and desires come true at the snap of their fingers. But for the poor, for those poor souls- Petra is a living hell that one can never escape from. Half-bloods trafficked and hunted like animals, the poor overworked to death, the police extorting all those who they can and turning a blind eye to crime selectively- and of course, the mafia essentially running the city. And things are not any better at the High Council either. Once an institution for the keeping the peace of Ishgar, the High Council is no more than a puppet of Earen today.

Welcome to Petra, Ishgar's first and only "Free City".