Noulian (City)

Noulian (NOUL-YAN) is a city in Malaena that served as the capital of both the first and second Noulaenic empires. It is located on the Sarabal river in the Bindaelic valley. During the imperial periods, Noulian was frequently the most populous city in the world, with a peak population of over 1.5 million in the year 1814 NE. The city rose to prominence in the second century NE after completing the conquest of Malaena. The city was spared during the collapse of the first empire and eventually regained hegemony over most of the lost territory during the second empire. The city was sacked and partially destroyed during a civil war in 2012 NE, after which the imperial capital was moved to Carasilaen. Damage to the city's water and sewage systems rendered Noulian incapable of sustaining its former population and the loss of the imperial treasury and government left the city destitute with little economy. The population collapsed to less than 40,000 by the end of the 21st century NE and never recovered.

## Etymology

Noulian derives from proto-Noulaenic noual (eternal) and aiaen (city).

## History

### Early History

Noulian was founded in the spring of 1 NE by King Dramthios (later known as Daramsis) of Narmein following the Battle of Falinmal Hill, the decisive battle of the Four Kingdom's War. During the battle, Dramthios's forces defeated the combined forces of the Four Kingdom alliance, slaying all four rival kings in battle. Dramthios took this good fortune as a sign of favor from the gods and declared that the site of the battle would be the seat of his new capital. A pike was placed at the site where each rival king fell and these pikes defined the corners of the sacred boundary of the new city.

The original city initially consisted primarily of wooden and thatch structures. The walls were sharpened pikes surrounded by a ditch and the majority of the buildings within were made of straw, wood, and mud. The palace was built on a packed earth platform on the top of Falinmal Hill near the city center.

The city was nearly abandoned on two occasions early in its history. In 5 NE, a large raiding force traveled up the Sarabal from Calbaena. Preparations were made to retreat to the more secure fortifications of Narmein, but a flood in the river valley below diverted the raiders. A second raiding party from Calbaena arrived in 25 NE, this time sacking, looting, and burning the city. Tharmathios, the third emperor, fled to Narmein along with most of the city's nobles before the raiders arrived. Many of the nobles wished to abandon Noulian and remain in Narmein, but Tharmathios was concerned that it would be inauspicious to abandon his father's city , especially considering how much of his legitimacy for rule over Bindaela drew on Dramthios's supposedly miraculous victory there. He returned to rebuild the city, this time constructing higher walls of packed earth and stone fortification. He also ordered construction of defensive walls and fortresses along the eastern frontier of Bindaela, in the hope of deterring further incursions.

### Growth and Construction

As the empire expanded its control over Malaena and Carasala, the city itself grew considerably. The sacred boundary of the city only contained 25 square kilometers of space, much of which was low marshland and ill suited for construction. Settlements were built on Sarabalfiar Hill across the river from the city to the south and on the slope extending away from the flood plain to the north. Ostensibly, these were separate settlements but a larger defensive wall was constructed to incorporate them beginning in 253 NE.

An engineering project was started in 352 NE to reclaim the low lands around the city. The project included three major portions. First, a large channel was dug to shorten the path of the main flow of the Sarabal River so that it no longer flowed through the bend that passed between Falinmal and Sarabalfiar hills. Second, the original path of the river was drained and significantly deepened and fortified. Third, a sewer system was built throughout the lowland of the city to drain the marshes into the now deepened channel, which was allowed to carry a lower flow diverted from the main channel upstream. This project successfully drained the marshlands and prevented the city from being inundated by frequent flooding along the river. A large bulge in the original river course to the east of the bend was converted to open green space, known as the city green, and used for festivals and other public purposes. Such greens became a common feature of later Noulaenic cities.

As the city continued to grow onto the reclaimed land, access to fresh water became a limiting factor on growth. The city built several large aqueducts to carry water from the hills to the north and west during the fourth and fifth centuries NE. These provided enough water for the city to grow to a population of over 800,000 in the early 8th century.

Other large construction projects came to dominate the city during this period. The palace complex on Falinmal Hill expanded to cover most of the area of hill and reached a maximum height of 50 meters. Large temples were built near each of the corners of the city's original boundaries and an additional temple complex was built on Calemal Hill in the west. The markets along the long east-west thoroughfare Fulthurec Road also grew to considerable size and grandeur.

### Decline After Crisis of 8th Century

Although the city was spared the worst as the first empire collapsed, the loss of imperial power significantly weakened the city's economy. Trade across the peninsula was significantly reduced due to warfare during this period as well. Construction projects stopped during this period and poor maintenance of the sewer and water systems led to failures. Much of the city's common population left to countryside in search of work, and the city had fewer than 200,000 residents by the end of the 10th century NE. The only significant projects undertaken was the further fortification of the city walls, which continued to prove an effective deterrent against attack.

### Revitalization During Second Imperial Period

In 1006, King Sarsis of Calbaena marched to Noulian with a large army and demanded that the emperor abdicate in his favor. The emperor, Falersis III, resisted but was betrayed by some of his nobles who let the attacker through the gates. Falersis was captured and the city was taken without bloodshed. Sarsis declared himself emperor and moved his court to the palace in Noulian. Calbaena had already conquered Sobaena and most of Bindaela by this time but the proclamation that the empire had been restored helped lend legitimacy to this rule.

The restoration of imperial power brought wealth back to the city and Sarsis and his sons led an ambitious project to restore and improve the city. Sewers and aqueducts were brought back to full capacity, temples were restored, and several other large construction projects undertaken. Notable among these, a large race track, the Faer Calaful, and a Noulaenic Sport Fighting arena, the Soulsisir Carisalfal was built on the City Green.

The city continued to expand through the construction of large apartment complexes and markets, though space constraints prevented many new large scale projects. The walls were expanded to the east and south to accommodate growth during the 12th and 14th centuries, respectively. During a period of civil unrest in the 15th century, walls were expanded to the north and significant sections of the northern aqueducts were moved underground to help secure the water supply.

### Decline and Collapse

The city began to enter a long, slow economic decline from the 15th century onward. Improvements in sailing technology reduced the need for over land trade across the peninsula and a gradual decline in central authority reduced tax revenues. The city continued to grow, reaching a maximum population of 1.5 million in the 1814 NE census, but the vast majority of this population lived in near total poverty and was dependent on food distributions from wealthy nobles who essentially ruled over these impoverished citizens as feudal lords.

The crisis of the 20th century further weakened imperial control and wealth and left the city nearly bankrupt by the end of the century. In 1999 NE, Emperor Faerbisis II moved his court to the affluent port city Carasilaen in Dersialdara. His brother Saenbisis declared that the abandonment of the sacred city (specifically the removal of the ceremonial Opal Scepter from the city walls) was an act of sacrilege that invalidated Faerbisis's reign. This led to a civil war between the brothers, with Faerbisis leading an army of mostly Carasalic troops against Saenbisis leading an army of Malaenic troops. Faerbisis forces successfully invaded Malaena and surrounded the capital in 2010 NE.

After two years of siege and failed negotiations, Faerbisis attacked the city, breaching its walls and sacking it. Saenbisis was captured and executed and the remaining wealth of the city and its nobles was confiscated and removed to Carasilaen. Significant damage was done to the city water and sewer systems before and during the final assault. Lacking wealth and income, the city was unable to undertake repairs or even continue maintenance. By 2100, the aqueducts had all either been destroyed or become blocked and the sewers and river diversion systems had failed, leaving the area even more poorly drained than it had originally been. Much of the city's low ground filled with silt and the majority of the buildings were abandoned. The population collapsed rapidly and the flood of poor refugees from Noulian significantly strained the already weakened Malaenic regional economy.

### Modern History

Noulian maintains a population of roughly 40,000 inhabitants who mostly dwell in surviving buildings from the imperial era. The primary local economy is goat herding but the city also enjoys some income from tourism and various religious rites that are still performed at imperial era religious sites. Carasilaenic emperors still travel to the city for ceremonial coronation and other important religious rites, bringing favors for the people and local government in the process.

The empire abandoned Malaena in the mid 21st century and Noulian has changed hands between various Malaenic feudal kingdoms several times since. It is currently controlled by a kingdom based in Sarenmen that calls itself the Western Noulaenic Empire, though the court remains in Sarenmen and the kingdom only controls the central Bindaela region.

## Geography

Noulian is situated on the northern edge of the Sarabal River's historical floodplain. The original course of the river followed a large bend from the south, curving to the east between two hills near the northern edge of the plain (Falinmal and Sarabalfiar), and then curving back away to the south. The original settlement of Noulian was constructed on the hill to the north of the bend, Falinmal Hill. The city grew to incorporate Sarabalfiar hill to the south of the original river channel, the larger, lower Farunnam hill to the west of the bend, the steep foothills to the north, and the plains in between and around the hill.

A major change to the area's geography occurred with the excavation of the Sarabal diversion canal south of Sarabalfiar hill. The canal diverted the flow of the river outside the city center. The walls of the canal were steep and further dikes were constructed along the river course above and below the city to prevent flooding. Ironically, these dikes functioned to trap water flowing from the foothills inside the city after the city's drainage system failed. These foothills, which had been largely cleared of trees, eroded into the city basin significantly after the collapse of the city's infrastructure, filling the city with silt to the height of the dikes. This resulted in much of the historical city being buried, generally under at least 10 m of silt. Because of this, several historical hills, including Farunnam, are no longer visible above the plain.