The City State of Vrosa

City state, controlled by several powerful old families with access and control of leftover powerful magic items. Center of Trade and Guild Halls, Gambling, Mercenary Center, and vice.

Population: 1 Million. Around 600,000 Truefolk citizens, with 400,000 fluctuating visitors and mercenaries from around the world.

Heraldry: A pair of gauntleted hands overflowing with coins.

Racial Breakdown: 58% Truefolk, 25% Human, 10% Wracked Elves, 5% Dwarven peoples, 2% Other.

Government type: Oligarchy of powerful merchant houses primarily made up of Truefolk. Only Truefolk Houses are allowed to vote in matters of state.

Current ruler: Executor Supreme Magnus Profundnus of House Gilded.

Current known alliances: Vrosa loudly claims its neutrality but has had a functional positive relationship with the Empire for nearly 300 years.

### Location

Near the center of the world. North of the Empire.

### Culture

Corrupt mercantile city state, Machiavellian Politics and conflicts between the guilds. Dueling Culture. Combat for entertainment by volunteers, not slaves. Gladiators, even small scale unit combats, fight below, on, and above the ground in organized leagues in arenas that use magic to create amazingly dangerous environments. Rough brutal sports that mix elements of games and combat exist as well. The place to be for the light armored, acrobatic duelist/fencer.  As the city is tall, with many towers, bridges, crowded alleys where heavy armor may be a liability. Thieves and acrobats abound. A cosmopolitan city that doesn't care about the conflicts of the world, so long as they hire Vrosian mercenaries.

### History

One of the oldest, if not the oldest inhabited cities of the world. Descending from a long forgotten empire, of which it was a minor outpost.

Conflicts are usually handled behind the scenes, but often personal rivalries are settled by duels; champion fighters coming from the Gladiatorial Arenas or Mercenary Units are hired: These Bravos are not held responsible for their deeds, but the person who hired them. Bravos develop followings, and become almost celebrity-like in their stature. Assassinations do happen but those are, technically, forbidden. An Assassin and their employer, if discovered, are executed. Exile from the city is a common punishment for Bravos who fail an employer too often, or break the many unwritten rules of the city.

### Technology

Almost Steampunkish/Magic for the very rich. Amazing Wonders/Artifacts make life in the city unique. Alchemy powered rail cars rumble above the street.

### Economics

The City is home to many powerful trading guilds and banking houses whose reach goes far beyond the city’s towers. Nearly all Truefolk guilds have offices here. Money changes hands; opportunities abound, fortunes can be made and lost overnight. The money lenders and banks enact debt management magic, Bravos, and legions of mercenaries if need be. Vast amounts of money changes hands in bets made on dueling and small unit combat arenas. Several Truefolk Fortuneless Cohorts are located here. Off world Magical secrets and items of ancient power are hoarded here, and used sparingly. The city draws those with power and those seeking it. Anything can be bought for the right price.

### Influence

The influence of the Truefolk is in blood and coin. The headquarters of all the largest banks and most successful mercenary guilds are all located here. Business deals happen near the middle of the Bil’Hanna’s shell. Many guilds, merchant houses, and banks are located here, as well as the Halls of all Fortuneless Cohorts.

By having so many Mercenaries located here, the city obtains a de facto free supplement to its elite units, primarily heavy armored infantry/pike units that defend the fortifications around the city.

### Factions

Numerous rival merchant houses. Lots of struggling poor, a moderate middle merchant class. Oligarchs of the ultra wealthy.

### Diversity

Urban environs, one city, filled with tall magically supported towers, narrow streets, secret passages, forgotten underground citadels.

### Taboos

Considered ill fated to take in those down on their luck; ill fortune spreads, best not to take it in.

### Truefolk of Vrosa’s stereotypical views

#### Truefolk

“A rational and straight forward and respectable peoples. The core of Vrosa’s success.”

#### Fortune Less Cohorts

“An elegant way of managing the poor, everyone should do this.”

#### Dwarven Peoples

“Antiquated and primitive lifestyle. A valueless culture for a valueless people. So they found some glass in the ground again.”

#### First Elves

“Their doppelganger-like culture allows them to fit in perfectly with Vrosa’s high society. Sometimes it seems to focus more on the superficial aspects instead of the deeper creeds of the city.”

#### Wracked Elves

“Mayflies. But, often talented Gladiators.”

#### Slegorians

“There is little that will bring in a crowd as big as a Slegorian Gladiator. Though as mercenaries they seem to yearn for the battle more than the payout which can be sometimes problematic.”

#### Draconic Theocracies

“Worshiping Power? We understand that. You have to admire the Slaves of the Dragon Kings. But there are some deep rooted flaws in a being's Godhood if they fall in battle. It was only a matter of time after the first fell that others would follow.”

#### Tarabuthians

“We nearly went to war with these people, years ago. They don’t seem to take kindly to capturing their kin and force feeding them meat. Still, once they turn they are grand entertainment in the Arena.”

#### The Eternal Empire

“With the Rise of the Iron Bull, we find ourselves with a consistent client again. These last few years of consolidation have brought great profits. It is good to get back to business as usual.”

#### The Necropolis of Myr

“Annoyingly neutral in a turmoil filled world. There are so many opportunities that a culture so unique could take advantage of. It is hard to deal with a nation so alien in its thinking that it finds democracy a viable concept.”

#### Kingdoms of Anwyn

“Thieves. To turn on an investor and not let him get his due reward for the time, effort, and coin he has spent is not only repugnant but morally inconceivable. The Empire should reconquer the county, then pull down everything until not two bricks stand atop one another. Then they can go back to living in their earthen hovels. We don’t normally approve of vengeance for vengeance sake, but it is cheaper to tear down one kingdom than fight ten rebellions.”

#### City State of Winegorge

“Oh, they think their little economy actually matters. How quaint.”