Baptiase

## Vital Statistics

**Location**: The Northern Gap.

**Size**: 50 miles by 10 miles.

**Official Language**: Bapti

**Currency**: Baptiase Crowns

**Airship Tower**: 2

**Majority race**: Humans, Dwarves, and Mountain Elves

**Imports**: All

**Exports**: All

**Guilds allowed**: All

**Allies**: N/A

**Enemies**: N/A

**Stance on magic**: Restricted to the Mages Tower.

**Theory on reason for the Collapse**: A sudden slew of natural disasters and the Old Three were unable to recover.

**Current leader**: Lord Nathanial Dearbon/Undetermined

## Information

### Physical Description

The entire City-State resides on a giant stone bridge that stretches across the Northern Gap, connecting the Western Continent of Raoa and the Eastern Continent of al-Bukhari. Imposing walls sit on either side, controlling access. and providing land defense. The stone foundation of the bridge is one solid stone and has been reinforced by magic to prevent erosion. Two Airship towers are the tallest buildings in the city, each one 12 miles from a wall. While an Airship tower usually handles a handful of airships, or has a specialized tower for passengers and another for cargo, the Baptiase Airship towers are more akin to large docks, each capable of handling dozens of airships. The Aerosteamer Guild has their headquarters in Baptiase because of the amount of airship traffic the city receives. The Order's Shrine is entirely for show, as they've never had the need for a presence in Baptiase. As such, the Shrine is mostly for those wishing to be initiated, for those seeking Order assistance, or for Knights that are getting up in age and/or need to be on light duty.

### History

Three weeks after the Collapse, a few refugees stayed on the dwarven built Great Stone Bridge, setting up camp to wait for family passing by. More people, with things to trade or in need of companionship or aid, joined them. It didn’t take long for hard-standing structures to go up and some adventurous Dwarves and Mountain Elves to start carving into the bridge itself. Realizing the perfect conditions around the bridge, as many people passed across the Bridge, as well as the currents and jet streams kept the area nice and warm during winter and cool during summer, the Bridge Dwellers, as they were called, decided to claim the entire Bridge as their territory, slowly building a great city upon it. All manner of goods move through Baptiase and the only walls are on either shore, where massive stone fortifications were built. Staircases, ramps, and elevators bring both people and goods to and from the water, though some buildings do go down to the water, so elevators aren’t needed. Even the poorest of Baptiase’s people live comfortably.

### Politics

Baptiase is led by a Lord or Lady of the City, a lifetime, non-hereditary position that can be held by any individual, regardless of social status, so long as they've resided within the City for 10 years. The successor is usually appointed by the current ruler, either through verbal decree or official letter, and is normally confirmed by the common people upon ascension. In the event the Ruler has not appointed an heir, a number of candidates is chosen by a council consisting of the City Watch, the merchants, and the nobility, and then one must be confirmed by the common people. During a leaderless state the rule of the city falls to the council.

The aristocracy of Baptiase is less wealthy than other nations, as well as holding no land but their manor, but tend to hold greater influence and social status than aristocrats of other nations and city-states, and have their own internal hierarchy. Currently, Lord Mikael Prozen sits at the top of that hierarchy and is considered a friend to Nathanial Dearbon.

### Defense

Defense of the city rests in two separate branches: the City Watch for internal policing, and the Skirmishers, for external security.

#### City Watch

The City Watch, headquartered in the Granite Complex next to the Keep, is the primary law enforcement arm of the city. Matthew Reiner, is the current Guard Captain, who started off as a basic Guardsman in his teenage years. Under the sharp eye of Reiner, the City Watch has cracked down on smuggling and put a dent in the pockets of all three of the major criminal organizations in the city.

#### Skirmishers

The Skirmishers are the professional soldiers of the city, sworn to the city herself. While the ruler of the city can command the Skirmishers, their duties include deposing of tyrannical rulers, which they've done twice. This includes any Council that drags their feet selecting a new ruler. The Steelclad Tower is the home of the Skirmishers and is currently led by Knight-Commander Corrin Bronzefist.

### Mages Tower

One of the tiny number of official, centralized magical insitutions in the world, the Baptiase Mages Tower is second only to the Royal Academy of Albion in prestige. The Mages Tower is a networking and archive site for magic users, were one can study, gain information, or find a teacher if they desire to learn. The Tower rarely teaches magic in their own halls, preferring to recommend them elsewhere, either to an institution or an individual. The current Archmage is Lady Neryssa Rottiger.

## Trivia

* Baptiase is the primary focal point of the Civil War Campaign.
* While Anax argues this, Baptiase is considered the first city built after The Collapse.

## References

1. ↑ The leadership of Baptiase can change due to the events of the Civil War Campaign
2. ↑ During the events of the Civil War campaign, Matthew Reiner has retired, due to his candidacy for Lord of the City.