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amaiguri · 8 months

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Zavlakya

Alright, today, you're getting THE MOST incoherent city-dump. Sorry. I could try to format this but like... energy. So this is just what I actually just wrote in my notes for New City November a few years back.

Here are the prompts:

Day #3: Resources in this city?

-Lots of water-based plants and woods like Salt Palms, Mallow, Sacred Feathers, Cherimanus, Witch's Hours, Olives, Seaweed

-Sulfur & Hot Springs

-Salt from the ocean

-Peat moss & coal

-Seahens/seacocks, Solbirds, Monk seals, sardines, frogs, solbirds, deer, goats, squat lobster

-Gold, minor amounts of silver and copper, nickel, aluminum

-Somenium is a type of silk that flows down through waterfalls and rivers nearly year round--but most prominently during the warming of spring. Somenium is extremely durable, holds and protects dyes from the sun, and is also very lightweight. Due the structure of the fibers, catches and holds Ysse--the extremely cold particles that makes up my magic. Somenium is produced by a specific kind of caddisfly on the Upper Contient. But the Aftokratorian scientists have not confirmed this specifically. Seeresses and illuminators have woven somenium into as many things as possible for forever in this town...

Day #5 Architecture:

The traditional Svanihk styles are not generally as advanced as those in Telethens--the architectural height of the world--but since the growth of this city was largely guided by Yeulia, they stand out sharply from other structures built at the same time period (I imagine this city was founded... oh... 200ish years ago?). The rooftops are typically mildly conical--inspired by their yurt-based roots. Blue-toned glass windows are a newer addition--but due to the humidity, they are typically left open anyway except in the winter. While moss definitely overgrows the buildings and trees, the people make a point of cleaning it off at least once a year to maintain the stonework set by their precious Seeress.

Day #6 --Governance Historically

In Svanihk culture, Tsars and their Tsarinas have ruled the land. (Tsars and tsarinas are essential landed nobility but without the gender roles found in the traditional meaning--Tsars are the rulers, tsarinas are the relatives) However, under the new-ish laws of the Aftokratoria over the last 70-odd years, the Tsars have progressively lost power in favor of elected officials.

Today, the Tsars and Tsarinas in this city have say in government through monetary means and land-ownership. While some senators, particularly those in Telethens such as Senator Diacaius and ex-Senator Tarchus, are very pro-wealth redistribution, traditionalists and the Senate at large oppose the motion to simply "steal" wealth from the rich and give it to "random people for no reason".

The Seeresses of Telethens also have quite a bit of say over laws as well--seeing as they control large swaths of the airship supply in this city. If Yeulia ever arrives in town, her word becomes law unofficially.

And lastly, the head elected official is the Governor. The Governor is supposed to be in charge of enacting the people's will, and then will appoint everyone else they want in the government. They are reelected every year at the end of Spring--at the beginning of the safest travel season. There are no term limits. Their power is quite broad, as they can set taxes, laws, and such as they please within the city HOWEVER anything they do can be vetoed by the Senate or the Philosopher King or angry mobs. The Governor of this city in particular is known for being pretty in-line with the desires of the Senate and the local Tsar and Tsarina

Day #7--Most Famous Person

I already told you about the Seeress and the Stonemason (whom I'm officially naming Somenia and now the city's silk is named after Yeulia's lover). I have decided to name the city Zavlakya and the reigning Tsar family, Ivodra. But today, let me tell you about a more modern famous person: The elected Senate representative of Zavlakya is a Telethenian (pale skinned, pale haired) girl named Pythas.

Senator Pythas has basically formalized the theory of modern mathematics. Born to a rich shipwright family, Pythas was tutored alongside an Ivodra family Tsarina. Pythas was always very shy but very intelligent. Her tutor always encouraged her to speak up, and thus the Tsarina got very jealous of her. As such, she decided not-to go into Philosophy at first--despite that being her passion. While working a terrible gig with long hours as a secretary at the Tsarina's shipmaking company, she discovered the Pythasian Theorem at age 17. She told the Tsarina who published the work and claimed the discovery as her own.

Pythas allowed it but secretly published her own, superior book titled the Symphony of the Planets--in which she not only demonstrated the Pythasian Theorem more clearly but used it to explain the movement of the stars at age 19. The Tsarina was furious and bitter and fired her, so Pythas had no choice but to pursue her dream as a Philosopher--standing on streetcorners and tutoring those who would listen. She was wildly courted by every shipwright company in town, thirsty to sponsor her, and even the Seeresses were impressed.

Gaining confidence and with the help of the Tsar himself, she ran for Senate which she won at age 24--5 years junior to Senator Imedea, the second Senator of Zavlakya

Day #8: What do people value?

In the Svanihk culture generally, people value humanity, life, and education. Telethenians (those from the Isle of Telethens and generally the group with more representation in the government) tend to value rationality, truth, and the acquisition and application of knowledge. Both cultures work well together in the Aftokratoria.

In Zavlakya specifically, they value truth and creation. The value of these things is largely due to their reliance on and prosperity from ships and their sails. However, more than anywhere else in the Svanihk cities, this leads to an emphasis on acquisition of wealth and prosperity.

Like everywhere in the Aftokratoria, it's a meritocracy of sorts but there is definitely more "merit" to being a shipwright or someone who makes physical things and less value on more abstract arts. Even Philosophers have less social clout here than elsewhere because their work is more abstract--with the exception of Senators Pythas and Imedea.

Day #10 - Transportation

While airships exist, they are basically all used by the military and the government with almost none available to the general public. Normal ships and fishing boats, on the otherhand, are far more commonly available to civilians--though the military is also responsible for building roads and running the mail and other major engineering feats and don't necessarily just fight things. Roads are, of course, the necessary precursor to easy carriage transportation. They use horses to pull their carriages.

The Aftokratoria is a largely Communist nation with universal basic income determined by one's job sector and government coordinated transportation. So most of this stuff is free. It's not like civilians can never ride on or fly airships--sometimes they do but it's usually through luck or circumstance.

DAY #11 Imports & Exports

Primary Imports:

Grains

Lumber

Dyes

Medicinal things

Ores & Metal

Golems Primary

Exports:

Sails

Ships (Air and Sea)

Sailors

Day #12: Art

Known primarily for weaving Somenium silk, different weaves and patterns have different meanings based in Svanihk fortune telling tradition. Often, the seeresses weave their memories and visions of the future into the fabric--and help sailors who visit the city to do the same.

Also, they also sing a lot of sea shanties, have an opera based on organs, singing, and street organs, and are the first city to paint primarily on canvas instead of wood. The Aftokratoria invented realism as a painting method and they primarily use turpentine and safflower oil

Day #14--Professions

People in Zavlakya are known for being sailors and shipwrights and then all the sub-categories of things that go into that--particularly engineers, carpenters, and sailweavers. Zavlakya is also known for having an especially safe place for women--especially women who have been hurt by sailors or have lost husbands--amongst the Seeresses at their city Shrine.

Day #15 -- Wealth Distribution

There is not that great of a wealth gap between the rich and the poor--though it still exists. 70-odd years or so ago, the first Telethenian-style elections were held in Zavlakya and at this time, Communism/government-imposed minimum wage took hold. However, part of getting the Tsars to cooperate was allowing them to keep all their wealth. That being said, there are very few who are overlooked by the system--the government accounts for all citizens except in case of clerical errors or other extreme circumstances. Crime is incredibly low because why would you steal if you can more or less have whatever you need at any time? That being said, not every citizen has the opportunity to make lavish donations to the government or the Ecclesia or own several acres of orchards or convince artists to make art specifically for them... Only the rich do.

Senator Diacaius Praefori and many citizens in Telethens are pro-wealth redistribution for the Tsars but the Tsars are not so inclined

Day 16--Current Affairs

The biggest current issue in the Public Discourse in Zavlakya is the kind of power we want our leaders--elected and not--to hold. Should our Senators really dictate the transition of conquered peoples into our rule? Should our Seeresses and Illuminators dictate our values or should our Philosophers and forward thinkers? Should the Philosopher King be able to blow up entire cities with her ring finger? These are all questions being discussed with poor Svanihk and Telethenian people being pro-Philosophers and pro-not-blowing up things while rich Svanihk people tend to be pro-Seeresses and pro-Conqueroring people. That being said, they really love the Philosopher King here, just think maybe she shouldn't have nuked an island out of existence...

Day 17 Zavlakya's Outsiders

Due to the production-focus of the culture, they often are competitive with outsiders and proud when they outdo the other cities who aren't competing with them. They're kinda like New Yorkers who are like "Oh, you haven't seen NEW YORK busy". The kind of people who have side hustles to their side hustles. The government might dictate what kind of raise they get, but it's also a moral obligation to work hard.

Also, Zavlakihks aren't a fan of sporty, countryside towns with lots of horses--they consider horse racing to be the biggest waste of time. You know, unlike boat races. Those are great and perfect and useful

Day 18: Outsiders' Opinions of the City

(Idk if these aspects are cohesive cuz I just made em up but I like it so far) Most outsiders of the city see Zavlakyihks (as I realized it would be because they're NOT A ROMANCE LANGUAGE) as overly obsessed with their work and, in plays and such, those with Zavlakyihk accents frequently take on the "neglectful parent/spouse" stereotype. They being said, Zavlakyihk Seeresses are also fetished in the whole western half of the Aftokratoria for being beautiful ladies high in the mountains and who weave silks. Due to their history as a women's shelter, these women are known for being especially chaste and uninterested in men. To win one's trust is a sign of incredible nobility. That being said, a majority of the Seeresses in Zavlakya are VERY VERY gay just because of the legends in the city. There's a general expectation in the city that young people will meet their SO and then do incredibly productive things together as a power couple. This Zavlakyihk Romance has also become a trope in Western art.

Day 19: What's currently threatening the city?

There's also an election in Spring in which the Tsar is running against both Imedea and Pythas. They are expected to win, but it would be a hit against the democracy of the Aftokratoria to have the Svanihk elite win instead...

Day 20: Languages

In Zavlakya, they speak Svanihk and Telethenian.

Davyevi, minihk ken Belle ziri. Svan kevos'hi ziri.

Day 21: A Shop

Filia and Syeva's workshop is higher on the mountain, at the edge of the lake. The vaulted space is filled with elegant looms and more elegant voices. Filia sings and you can hear her high, sweet voice even down at the waterway below. Her singing is timed to the churning of machines and to the boiling pots of safflower, pomegranate, and mallowblooms. Syeva weaves and grinds. Filia pans for somenium and spins. Together, the Seeresses turn their creations into great sails and wings stretched across those thin, strong frames.

Belle's Note: I don't remember this at all lololol

Day 24: The City's Heart

Zavlakya is a city for the beautiful and the practical. The fast paced bustle is the Gem of the West, a haven of religion and industry. From the shipwrights and the trade port in the harbor to the weavers and spinners at the mountain lakes, water flows through the heart of Zavlakya. And the rising middle class here make the most of every drop. That is the essence of what Zavlakya is about

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