Rhold

## History

The first recordings of Rhold began in the late 1st era. The exact date of founding is unknown, but it was among the petty, walled civilizations competing for resources and continuously threatened by the armies which now make up the province of Taurum. Many scholars have studied Rhold's origins and many stories exist which describe the overcoming of impossible odds. However, Gallanon will always be known as the birthplace of Ulyssa's founder, Ulyss Vincerus, who founded the empire at the beginning of the second era.

Rhold has seen as much growth, promise, and happiness as it has seen betrayal, blood, and hardship. Rhold experienced the end of the Vincerus line, as the tales told, by hostile arcane forces. It has stood as the capital of Ulyssa for millennia, notwithstanding a lapse of 280 years when Perusius stood as the capital.

## Geography

Rhold is built upon a series of hills which stretch across the heartland of Gallanon. Rhold lacks a centralized or planned structure, resulting in a confusing maze of streets and plazas intersecting great temples with forlorn ruins of ancient theaters turned refugee housing.

Rhold is home to no less than five Imperial courtyards, constructed over Ulyssa's long history. However, three of these courtyards are ruined and permeate the squalor of beggars, petty home-based manufacturers, and black markets. Another has transformed one courtyard into academies, theaters, and halls. The last has been under construction for the past four decades, a lavish and expensive project which many criticize indirectly.

Surrounding these courtyards are the homes and businesses of citizens. Those with greater wealth or influence live closer to the newer courtyards, while those who are poorer live at the fringes or closer to the older courtyards. While the city places meticulous effort in the planning of its courtyards, little zoning or care is applied to properties outside of them.

Gallanon is a victim of overcrowding, which only grows as displaced citizens from lost territories flock to Rhold for protection. Many influential or wealthy families have since moved to the hills surrounding Gallanon, further increasing the city’s size, or to surrounding cities such as Ancona or Efriescia.

## Government

Rhold is the capital of not only the Gallonese province, but all of the Empire of Ulyssa. Decisions on all facets of life in Rhold are made by subforums of the Imperial Forum. For instance, the construction and maintenance of roads, sewage, and the like are handled by the Imperial Subforum of Infrastructure. While these subforums do seek qualified individuals to speak of relevant issues, many members of the subforums have little knowledge of the subject of discussion.

The government and people of Rhold tend to be conservative. Looking to the past, particularly the glory days of Ulyss's reign, the two major factions of political thought are Vinceran and Rholdean. Vinceran political thought seeks to "roll back the clock" and revert to changes seen in the days of Ulyss Vincerus. Rholdean political thought, conversely, involves maintaining the status quo and fulfilling the needs of the emperor. Due to Ulyssa's deterioration and the expensive construction of the newest courtyard, Vinceran political thought has become more popular in Rhold, but still holds a slight minority.

### Law

Rhold abides strictly by Gallonese Code, a complex and huge set of codes which outline laws, proper behavior, and punishments. Despite the great number of orators, there is little innovation or interpretation. Decisions and punishments are based upon past cases brought to the judiciary, some of which are over a thousand years old. This results in a lot of punishments which are seen as crude or archaic by outside observers.

## Economy

Rhold is home to a huge number of trades. As the center of the kingdom, trade and information flow through Rhold at dizzying paces. Politics, connections, and lectures are abundant, and slaves, agricultural goods, and illegal services flow in equal abundance.