Koscheigrad

**Koscheigrad** (Кощеіград) is the capital city of the Kingdom of Bujan.

Its native name in the local Koedaker language is **Vaikoro** (Ваікоро), the City of the Whirlpool. In Eosome, the older major language of Bujan, it is also known there as **Vaikoro**.

## Terminology

### Negative

* Khuilograd - "Moronopolis"
* Khuilogradišta - "Metropolis of Snobs", especially among Makkadalish and Arienavian speakers.

## History

### Ancient history

In ancient Ersoviant, Koscheigrad was known as Vaikoro, after the whirlpools that raged to the northwest at the Second Age. Spirals became a symbol of the local Koedaker natives, representing harmony and the Gods.

The Kingdom of Vaikoro was one of nine independent monarchies in ancient Resovjant, known for its vast stores of geothermal-heated farms under the mountains. This ensured its people had plenty of food in spite of the great blizzard, but left gatherers vulnerable to cannibal raids. To stop the cannibals from destroying Vaikoro's capital within and outside, King Mudarivo became an ally of Motakol in his crusade to unify the island.

### Founding of Bujan

Vaikoro became a bustling, modernised metropolis, but it was destroyed during the Sarmelonid conquest of Ersoviant during Maudolinnir's conquest of the Western Hemisphere.

Koscheigrad, by its new name, was rebuilt by Koschei the Red, a warlord during the later Sarmelonid era who revolted against the Vozonid Empire. After liberating Vilon from Vozonid rule, his armies resupplied in Freyrgard, and sailed westward to establish his own kingdom by seizing control of a Vozonid chemical plant on the island of Ersoviant. The chemical plant became a palace where the royal houses of Bujan met to vote new kings every one hundred years, to continue an ancient Wonao tradition after Koschei's house finished their term in the government and reverted to civilian life.

### Wannaenid rule

Koscheigrad was the capital of the Kingdom of Zvesta, and was mostly bombed to rubble when the Wannaenids and Tyrskans took over the island. The destruction of Koscheigrad was a three-day holiday to Kovastoi and its Tyrskan colonists, who celebrated it with scathing, bitter online comments calling for the extermination of the Bujanski people. Many of these online users were immortals who lived for centuries, but some of them were cursed with insanity over the comments they posted years ago. Eventually, these cowards were murdered by local guerillas and in the ensuing Terran gang wars that tore the city apart.

As a major city of the Tyrskan authority, Koscheigrad was renamed as Zmetragrad, "death by Z (Tyrskan supremacism)". At the latter part of Wannaenid rule, it was renamed again to Zametrograd.

During the Wannaenid blackout, Koscheigrad became a stronghold for the Bujanski resistance, where swift attacks against the overconfident Tyrskans eliminated their presence from the capital. It was also one of several lengthy battles between the resistance and more Wannaenid superhuman legions, and Bujan's allies aided the locals in defeating the Tyrskan-Wannaenid armies.

### Modern history

In Black July, because Koscheigrad was the seat of the newly-established kingdom, the entire city became a sanctuary for repentant Terrans and loyalists. Any attempts by the Anti-Terran Action militants to kill any Terrans were repelled, and many members were arrested by the citizens, to prevent the militants from killing off the government and plunging Bujan back to chaos. It was one of the few parts of Bujan that did not fly black flags, but instead flew orange and green flags out of sympathy for the Terrans who sought mercy.

The first two days of July were notorious for a series of terrorist attacks. Armed gangs broke into shops, murdering hundreds of people over various grudges and grievances. Among the victims of the mass killings were corporate officials and businesspeople who were accused of firing and terminating workers, or even trivial offenses such as banning phones from work. The massacres, along with the possibility of terrorism against the Bujanski government, led to Koscheigrad deciding to protect Terrans, to avoid similar outbreaks from happening again.

Throughout the month, many Terrans made dangerous journeys to the safety of Koscheigrad's defenders. New armies were raised to purge Bujan from the ATA, joining forces with other groups that protected Terrans who underwent penance and deradicalisation. This was also when the city became a hub for healthcare and counselling, in seeking to save the kingdom from grief, radicalism, and extremism.

During that time, nearly all the Terrans who did not renounce their religious beliefs became members of the Free North Association, the only legal Terran faith in Bujan. As a result, many FNA temples were built to accommodate the Terrans' monotheism and help them learn to live under Bujanski norms.

## Wards

Koscheigrad is divided into thirty-nine wards, known as Okoliščje (singular, okolišče).

* Svereima Ward - at the north
* Kaerantja Ward - at the north
	+ inhabited by Ontemazei and un-Terrans, who have become more Bujanski. Many of them work in academies, libraries and schools.
* Raonderetsk Ward - at the east
* Vaikorinsk Ward - at the southwest
* Bajannansk Ward - at the centre, a major port.
* Velkodvoretskij Ward, Veldvoreskij Ward - at the centre-south, the location of the Royal Palace.

## Culture

Koscheigrad has three official languages: Koedaker, Eosome, and Bujanski. Because many Koedakers, like most residents in the city, are expected to behave like aristocrats, their native language is considered prestigious, associated with aristocracy and politeness.

### Correct grammar

Koscheigrad is known for its obsession with politeness. The Koedaker language has two genitive suffixes. One, "-ira", for people and everything else, and the other, "-ne", is for places. For example, a merchant is referred to by the "-ira" suffix, while the road next to the station where he works in is referred to by the "-ne" suffix.

Using the wrong suffix is forgivable if the speaker makes a mistake, but willingly doing so is considered very rude. In the example of that merchant in the train station, he would angrily scold the speaker for comparing him to dirt and ask what is wrong with him to be so brazenly rude. Even a Bujanski Slav may also take offense in being called with a "-ne" genitive, because he knows that language and its norms.

## Attractions

* Roveniets Spaceport - located at the south, is also used as an airport.
* Pamjatelskij Bridge - a large bridge at southern Koscheigrad
* Royal Palace
* Royal Temple to Svetovid
	+ The Alatyr Stone, or a replica of it, is kept in its most hallowed sanctum with other holy relics. It is considered holy to both Bujanski and Wonao, who also call it the Moonstone.
* Northern Marina
	+ Splendid marble buildings that greet ships that rest in the capital.
	+ Also infamous for banning various Terran songs, including and especially "Kalinka", associated with Wannaenid rule.
* National Stadium
* Karagrats Exhibition Hall
* Kaeratin Station
	+ Notable for its dark colours, neon lighting, and futuristic architecture. Unfortunately derided by the nearby Ontemazei for its ugly design and dimness, causing them to call it "the cafe" or "Kaeratin Coffeeplex", even as there are already six cafes at the train platforms!
	+ A bunch of pink-haired Ontemazei men who were not happy with the dim lights drank coffee in the train, complaining that "the architects are stupid": "Zod-čes-tvo-te-li, 'ta dol-bo-jo-by!"
	+ Listed as the fourth of the Seven Architectural Blunders of Bujan.
* Royal Library
	+ During Koschei's time, it was a former chemical plant that made elixirs to prolong the Vozonid emperor's life. The scientists and workers who defected to Koschei's takeover were granted citizenship, but the rest who refused were exiled to Irajon.
	+ It was rebuilt as a meeting hall for the royal families to elect the new Kings of Bujan, and later Emperors. The remaining elixirs were reproduced and distributed to every citizen in Bujan and the neighbouring nations, extending their adulthood and lifespans up to 200 years. This led to a golden age that not even the Darroskei invasion stopped.
* Royal Institute of Ancient Technology
* Temple of the Drowned Kings - a temple to heroes and kings, whose bodies were placed in boats or coffins sent to be drowned into whirlpools. In later times, a syncretic temple was rebuilt from the ruins, where the kings are worshipped as holy servants of Morskoi, the sea god.
* The Stupid Circle - A roundabout fountain located at the southwest, just near the Vaikoro Station. Known for being the haven of amateur musicians and street buskers, if not thousands of bored artists who come out any time to unleash a cacophony of poor music, giving the roundabout its name.
	+ Sometimes known as the Well of Song or the Well of Brain-dead Noise.
* Vaikoro Gate Station - A train station at the southwestern part of the city, the former main gate of Koscheigrad since Resovjantian times in the Sixteenth Age.
	+ It is one of five great railway stations in Koscheigrad.
* Raonderetsk - a district at eastern Koscheigrad. Further east are suburbs and rice paddies.
	+ It and the station were rebuilt from the ruins of a Wannaenid fortress.
* Raonderetsk Station - A huge train station at the eastern part of the city, with five gates for lines heading to the eastern provinces. Gate 4 leads to Djaripol.
	+ It is one of five great railway stations in Koscheigrad.
	+ This station has hover-circles, where passengers sit around bags at the centre. One pilot flies the hover circle and may wait for trains to cross before passing over a monorail.
	+ It is just southeast of Unity Tower.
* Raondara River - the namesake of Raonderetsk.
* Unity Tower (Træmo Vjōdjennijov) - The twenty-fourth of several great clock towers built during the Kingdom of Zvesta. Rebuilt on the third year of independence, it boasts a splendid roof of green and red, in a mixture of Slavic and Wonao styles. It is seen as one of the most beautiful buildings in the capital.

## Notable Koscheigradians

* Rovinno Kuznetsov - a man who sells cakes and snacks at a bus station near Radumo's old home.

## Gallery

The names of Koscheigrad, from up to down, in its three official languages: Koedaker ("Vaikoro"), Bujanski ("Koscheigrad"), and Eosome ("Vaikoro").
## Trivia

* A person from the city, or anything to do with it, is known as "Koscheigradian".
* Koscheigrad is north of the Snow Line, a climate boundary that marks the southernmost limit of winter snowfall.
* Roosters are a common sight in some streets, and they often like to approach humans to be petted, or to be fed with treats and snacks. Koscheigradians are also not disturbed by their crowing.
* Radumo's neighbourhood is east of the Northern Marina and north of Raonderetsk Station.
* Some Terrans who defected to the Bujanski revolutionaries called Koscheigrad "Vodovorotsk", referring to the translation of its indigenous name, "Whirlpool".
* Koscheigrad's flag before Wannaenid conquest was dark green with a whirlpool.
	+ The current flag of Koscheigrad originally had a kolovrat instead of a korurai whirlpool, as its creator was a devout Rodnover. It later received several complaints over the kolovrat being desecrated as the flag would be placed in dirty surfaces, so the kolovrat was changed to a korurai.
	+ The original kolovrat version is nowadays only used in religious ceremonies and greater prayers. The sight of this sacred flag indicates that major prayers are taking place.

## See also

* Provinces of Bujan
* Azdortil timeline
* Djaripol