Volovna

Panorama of Volovna, facing east.

**Volovna** (or **Volos**), formerly **West Port**, is a city located on the north-west coast of the Goruid peninsula. It is the third-largest settlement by developed area on the peninsula, and overall the fourth-largest settlement in the country (behind Petrodis). Since 16 May 2023 it has served as the capital of the Crown Lands of Thornia, within the Thornian Empire.

It primarily serves as a resupply point for naval and aerial expeditions heading northward towards the southern Aphthonic towns and cities from Elysia and Palus. The main industries of the port town are agriculture, timber, and sand mining.

## History

### Founding (February 2020 - April 2020)

The settlement was established on 21 February 2020 as West Port, during Great Thornia's second formal expedition to what is now Aphthonis. The Thornian fleet did not have any waystations or re-supply points between Sabara and Palus Urbem (Septium is nearby but belongs to the State of Septia), and so a small opening in the heavily forested west coast of North Goruid was chosen. The first structure in the settlement is what is now the provisional Town Hall.

Some time in March, West Port was renamed to Volovna. The settlement was visited several more times between its founding until April as Thornian authorities made more trips to Sabara to build up the infrastructure there.

### Socialist era (April 2020 - August 2020)

On 12 or 13 April, Great Thornia's monarchy was dissolved and a new socialist regime under the Northern Revolutionary Socialist Party took control of the Great Thornia and Aphthonis. The new regime chose to fast track development of Volovna ahead of Sabara's and thus began building stilted bungalows along the coast for use as residences and shop houses. Mining and timbering activity increased drastically as a result of the new wave of construction activity. On 14-15 April, the Thornian Army defeated an attack by a small pillager force in the central business district.

On 29 April, the Crown of Great Thornia was restored in an alliance with the NRSP. Volovna has increasingly become the centre of operations for the hybrid regime in the Sabaran Sea. A new provincial banner was adopted and the provincial government headquarters was completed on the same day.

Through late April and early May, Volovna served as the launching point of renewed national interest in the colonisation of Aphthonis (as was its original purpose before it was discovered that the North Coast of Galinisia was exceptionally rich in resources itself). The town had finally served its purpose as a refuelling station for the Thornian Army when travelling to the neighbouring province.

### Golden Trident era (August 2020 - 2021)

The Great Plague of 2020 had decimated a majority of governments around the world. Thornia was initially spared the worst effects of it, but the domino effect of its meddling in continental affairs saw its own monarchy overthrown by the Order of the Golden Trident (founded in Volovna, but now based in Petrodis). The order formed a transitional council to lead the nation whilst it negotiates with the leaders of the Chen dynasty and the League of Palus on what the future holds.

With the Order and the Transitional Council centering its activities in Volovna and Petrodis, the northern regions of Thornia have effectively placated the south as the centre of Thornian civilisation. Petrodis had effectively replaced Elysia as a political and agricultural capital, whilst Volovna had replaced Palus as the economic and mining capital. The Transitional Council accorded the status of city to Volovna in recognition of its new status.

### Thornian Civil War and post-war era (2021 - Present)

Although the Order gradually lost favour across the country, it remained active in Volovna. During the Thornian Civil War, the city was seized by Aphthonic nationalist rebels and faced minimal damage. The Order remained intact and sent a delegation to the Thornian constitutional convention. The Order then heavily funded the creation of the Reformist Party, which seized control of both Aphthonis and the Province of Elysia. It late March 2022 the newly formed Volovna Brigade made the city its home, raising suspicion that the Order is the main sponsor of the brigade.

Despite the political struggle between Thornian and Aphthonic nationalists in other parts of the country, Volovna remained the main bastion of moderate politics that has kept nationalists at bay, especially thanks to the city's significant economic and political influence.

Between April and November 2022, the fate of the city's political elite hanged in the balance as more extreme factions in the various political parties of the nation fought over nationalism and different forms of economic management. The Coup of the Moderates in late 2022 allowed the city to regain its prominence as the de facto imperial capital of the Thornian world.

In December 2022, the city became the official namesake capital of the Union of Volovna. Several plans had been drawn up to decide on further development to the city. It is likely that more government buildings would be built, though it is more likely that significant investment will be put into establishing new satellite settlements in the surrounding region.

## Economy

The city's main goods are agricultural products, coal, sand, and timber. Iron is prevalent in the area, but it is largely reserved for the state (though a significant portion is reserved for the public via the town treasury).

### Agriculture

The socialist era has also seen the town become the second major agricultural hub, after Elysia. Both settlements have significant agricultural output in standard crops (wheat, potatoes, carrots, and sugarcane) and pumpkins. The town also grows a significant amount of cocoa, bamboo, and beetroot, all of which were obtained from the neighbouring Aphthonis province.

Standard farm animals (cows, sheep, pigs, and chicken) are raised in pens, as well as rabbits (commonly found throughout the region), dogs/wolves, and llamas (all llamas in Volovna descend from llamas abandoned by or captured from wandering traders).

Unlike Elysia, a majority of agricultural activity takes place within the town's urban area. Multi-story buildings containing animal pens at the ground/basement level, well-lit indoor crop fields in between, and pumpkin/melon farms on the roof. This allows for a significantly higher crop yield for the area used up, compared to Elysia and even Palus Urbem. This style of vertical farming was largely inspired by those in Ume City and Shanjing, albeit with the additional innovation of animal pens below.

### Mining

Volovna sits above an extensive cave and abandoned mineshaft network. It has been found to be filled with coal and iron, providing the necessary resources for the town to rapidly industrialise and develop into what it is today. The mines were formerly open to residents of the country, but has since come under the auspices of the government of the Province of Elysia.

## Architecture

The architectural style of Volovna is considered to be a unique re-interpretation of the traditional Thornian construction style. Wooden bungalows (known as '*Volovnese cabins*') are a common type of residential unit, with a low-ceiling ground-level storage area (with cobblestone walls rather than wooden). Common features of Volovnese buildings are balconies, open roofs (for planting trees or berry bushes), and fence windows (rather than using glass, even though sand is prevelant in the area).

Like Elysia, Volovnese buildings tend to have extended over-hangs of dirt blocks growing sweet berries (a national symbol of Great Thornia). The coastline of the town is lined with sugarcane and recently acquired bamboo from the border region with Septia.

Unlike Elysia's heavy use of spruce and jungle wood, oak and birch are the preferred building materials (as these trees are the most common in the area). Volovna is currently the only one of two cities in Great Thornia to have paved roads, with the other being Palus (which uses cobblestone instead).

The Volovnese style has spread to Petrodis, which saw rapid development begin a few months after work on Volovna's main city centre was mostly completed.