Arterialis

*Pronunciation: AR-tir-ree-AL-is*

**Arterialis**, known as the **City of Alchemy**, is a city state in the Arterialis Region of the Free States and is part of the Confederation of Free States. It also controls a chain of four villages in the surrounding area: Belsk, Kuttar, Shalim, Gutrina, known collectively as Greater Arterialis. It is the southernmost city state, tucked away below the High Peaks and just above the Al'Kanif Desert. It was once a stable and well respected republic, but is now on bad terms with most other city states due to its aggressive policies and its questionable moral practices and maintains closer relations with the Vakaipian Empire.

## Leadership

The city is led by two factions in the republic senate: the Arterialis Restoration Party led by Eric Guttenscharn and the Progress Party led by Sarah Kazoor.

## History

### Era of prosperity

For centuries, Arterialis was a prosperous and peaceful republic, guarding the Free States flank from the occasional threat from desert raiders. It was renowned for it’s progress in science, with many of the free states acclaimed scientists originating from Arterialis. Great statesman Balthazar the Diplomatic served as elected president for 57 years from 3091 to 3148, ushering in an era of prosperity that would see Arterialis’ population swell in size to 30,000 and it’s influence grow within the free states.

### Scientific advancements

The era of prosperity was not to last. In 3182, a great dust storm overcame the city, wiping out crops and burying many buildings in sand and destroying entire villages surrounding Arterialis. This saw a mass exodus of people, with the population shrinking and the economy in tatters. Requests for aid and food to neighbouring city states were denied. This was something that the Arterialis people weren’t quick to forget. A small faction in the senate named the Arterialis Restoration Party swelled in size as the people sought an alternative from the governance of the progress party, who’s actions during the sandstorm and resulting sandstorm were heavily criticised. The Arterialis restoration party sought new fertile lands for the Arterialian people to cultivate and aim to increase Arterialis’ power and influence so that next time Arterialis was in trouble, the state would be strong enough to respond. Several scientific projects were authorised to commence, the first was a weather altering substance, scattered amongst the clouds by air balloons to make the weather more suitable for fertile agriculture, reversing rising temperatures that had threatened Arterialis’ remaining food production entirely. The second project commenced was something far more secretive and destructive. It was a project to create classes of super soldiers using genetic modification. The classes were labelled Valkrie, Montague and Oddvar.

### Invasion from Yerganheim

Over time, rumours of the nefarious project spread amongst neighbouring free states and they met in Wellspring to devise a plan of attacked aimed at nipping the threat in the bud. Intel collected by spies revealed a hidden compound in the woods next to the village of Shalim where Arterialis scientists were busy working on the project. The compound was lightly guarded by 50 troops and thus a small skirmish was fought between the Arterialian defenders and the neighbouring City state attackers. The defenders were defeated and elite troops from Yerganheim managed to force their way into the compound, cutting down every scientist, civilian and soldier in their path. When they got their they discovered blueprints for the Oddvar project along with 5 captured Oddvars. To their dismay they found the scientists with the help of Arcane magic had managed to open a portal where they managed to let the remaining Oddvars escape into. Roughly 8 to 12 Oddvars escaped to random places in the material plane where their origins are unknown. Project Valkrie and Montague prototype troops were also nowhere to be seen. From the blueprints the city states discovered that the Arterialians had found a way to imbue fragments of lost angelic power into the genetic code of humans, giving them natural powers of sorcery, strength, longevity and intellect over average humans. The city states' priority is to track these rogue Oddvars down so they cause no further harm to people in Erobia or find their way back to Arterialis. Their priority is also to find the as yet unknown locations of the Valkrie and Montague projects so Arterialis can’t wield this power against them.

### Recent history

Meanwhile Eric Guttenscharn, current president of Arterialis has sent an diplomatic mission to lands to the south, hoping to gain an alliance that would allow them to defeat the city states that seek its downfall. Progress Party sympathisers seek to regain power in the senate under the leadership of the young Sarah Kazoor, so they can avert Arterialis’ war path before it’s too late.

## Demographics

Arterialis has a population of around 23,500. Most of the population are human and the main language spoken is Common.

## Behind the scenes

Arterialis was created by ChildofSteel as part of Free States lore.