Apros (city)

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## Apros (city)

### Status

Open

The city that stands today was built upon the grave of a small fishing village, which Vox, *the Ever-burning,* and his devout followers laid claim to in the beginning of the first era, *YR 19, ERA 1*. The pitiful shacks that were made from earth, and wood eventually fell victim to a tropical storm in *YR 21, ERA 1.* By *YR 22. ERA 1,* the construction of what would become Apros, and the earliest parts of the School of Pyromancy began.

Through centuries of hard work, and intense attention to detail, the once pitiful village now sprawls across the hills, and bluffs that rise up around the oldest districts, before spanning out until it fades into the countryside, having earned the title of *Old Apros* in the vernacular. Within the past century, the amount of activity in the streets has skyrocketed, partially due to new merchants attempting to set up shop in the most frequented areas, art decorating the streets, and homes as artists look for new ways to advertise their abilities, and a general increase in street wanderers, thanks to the open immigration policy. It is easy to get yourself lost in the hustle, and bustle, if you're not careful.

With these circumstances comes a plethora of opportunity. Apros is a society built with layers: peel one back that you haven't before, and you'll be surprised at what you'll find underneath. For immigrants, this city is the first long, hard look into the culture of a long isolated civilization; for natives, Old Apros is the epitome of their beliefs. It signifies, and embodies all that Vox has led them to carry on, and with that, newcomers are warned to expected a culture shock upon arrival.

## Architecture

*Inspiration:* Click here for Pinterest board

Carved from the earth that it stands upon, Old Apros holds its gratitude for its structural longevity to the School of Masonry, founded in *YR 173, ERA 1*. The oldest districts are the most basic of them all, having to focus on the long-term stability of the buildings, versus extravagance. You can follow the aging of the city through the gradual changes in architecture, starting with the areas nearest the port, and Temple, then filling the Aprosian port basin, until the newest districts were constructed along the hillsides. Archways, streets, and buildings nearest the Temple, regardless of age, have been reworked to hold intricate carvings to signify the *[awaiting name] district*.

Old Apros is shaped in the architectural style known as *Spanish Colonial,* both in the exteriors, and interiors. Red clay is extracted locally, and baked to create barrel roof tiles, accenting pale adobe, or limestone walls, depending on the age, and district that the building is in. Exposed wood support beams can be found inside of homes, with larger homes having central courtyards that contain pools, bathing areas, gardens, entertaining areas, and whatever else homeowners may choose to place there. Courtyard doors are commonly french doors, while the rest of the doors inside of homes, and businesses will be wooden. Most restaurants within the city hold their seating areas in their courtyards if the weather is nice enough, and are gated from the streets with Mediterranean iron wrought styling.

In recent years, especially under the light of Ain *(Eowyn)*, fruits, and local flora have been encouraged to grow throughout the city. Vines weave, and creep between the banisters of wrought iron. Fruit trees are plentiful in public parks, and common areas. Superstition states that orange trees planted near home entryways, and in courtyards brings the residents good fortune, while grapes, and pears are sure to bring wealth when tended to with devotion. Forewarning though, it can be a miserable place to be during springtime, due to presence of excessive pollen, but by late spring, or early summer, the city is alive with the fresh scents of fruits, and flowers. Pollinators, such as bees, and bats are relatively commonplace.

### Construction and Maintenance

Following fears of a mason shortage in *YR 173, ERA 1,* Ain *(Eulysia, the --)* established the School of Masonry, and placed trusted Temple head mason *Orna, the --* as headmaster of the school. Since then, general construction, and maintenance has been overseen by the school, and the current headmaster.

For those looking for construction of private homes, businesses, or even styling your home further through carvings, and statues, private masons are always available for hire.

## Important Locations

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### The Temple

The most noteworthy structure in all of Apros, the Temple greets all who arrive in Old Apros, even from a distance. Years of dedicated labor, courtesy of a specialized team of masons, has shaped the sanctum, and its surrounding deemed the *[awaiting name] district,* into the most lavish part of the city. Originating out of a series of sea-carved caves, the current building stands against the rim of the city basin, and has acquired large spires that extend into the sky in the past century.

While out of place compared to the typical architectural style of Old Apros, the Temple's gothic cathedral appearance is nonetheless a sight to see. Constructed from the same adobe, and red clay as her counterparts, the windows are adorned with beautiful works of stained glass, featuring some divines, with an interior that features a large room for worship with rib bones across the ceiling, once you pass through a large garden courtyard. Half of the building stands outside of the walls of the earth, while the rest is buried within.

## Geography

Nestled into a coastal basin, the oldest areas of the city have been built atop a shore platform, before following the city growth as it rises along the now-managed bluffs, and hillsides. A headland extends a short way into the sea, creating a barrier that halts any expansion northward from the east. The space hasn't gone to waste, though, as the earliest Aprosians found the limestone formation to be filled with sea-carved caves, and established the Temple within. Construction of the current cathedral, living quarters, and gardens began in YR 231, ERA 1, and has carried on since, leading to the abandonment of the original underground cathedral due to tidal complications.

Rocky ground, and bluffs shape the hillsides as they leave behind the shore platform that contains the Aprosian port, and *[oldest district name placeholder]*. Lengthy dedication from the School of Masonry has carved homes, and businesses into them in an attempt to tame the natural barriers, as well as staircases, slopes, and roads. Only 15% of the homes, and businesses within Old Apros are carved into bluffs, but do come in higher demand due to their natural climate control. Leveling work has reduced the steepness of the hills, which now contain the majority of the metropolitan and living districts. Fruit, and nut trees, along with berry bushes are abundant throughout the city, growing in abundance as they come in closer proximity to the *[temple district name placeholder].*

Once having crested the basin, the landscape opens up into rolling hills, and ridges with sparse natural vegetation. Despite this ground's aversion to produce, and sway to manipulation, the wealthiest areas of Old Apros reside above the commotion of the lower elevation districts. Lavish estates with manicured gardens, and statues pepper the immediate countryside, while determined farmers are welcome to attempt to harvest crops from the alkaline soil, if they can afford the land prices.

The Aprosian bay etches its way into the city's southeastern border, before being cut off by the before-mentioned headland. Giant Kelp crowds the cold, and dim waters, offering refuge to numerous different species of fish, otters, seals, sea lions, and more. Should any Hippocampus citizen wish to reside in the comforts of the ocean, local Hippocampi masons have taken the time to shape the underwater caves, and rock formations at the base of the Kelp forest to make suitable homes.

## Climate

Constantly at the mercy of the ocean that the city dwells by, Aprosians are lucky to live in a pleasant Mediterranean climate, with the average yearly temperature range going from 30°F/-1°C to 93°F/34°C. The rainy season typically begins in winter, and carries on into mid-spring, with the winter thunderstorms kicking off the growing, and earliest harvesting seasons that carry on through late winter to fall. Winter temperatures rarely stray to extremes near 15°F/-9°C, saving these instances for days when snow blankets the ground. Instead, average winter temperatures go from 50°F - 65°F/10°C - 15°C (daytime highs) to 30°F - 47°F/-1°C - 8°C (nighttime lows), with the humidity causing these temperatures to feel colder than they are.

No one is hesitant to welcome the return of warmer days as the onset of spring raises daytime temperatures towards 60°F - 78°F/15°C - 25°C, and nighttime lows to 50°F - 63°F/10°C - 17°C. The presence of thunderstorms significantly increases through springtime, along with the occasional tropical storm that churns the surface waters throughout the bay. Due to this, the difficulty of getting a ship safely into port increases; some imported items may be of less abundance through spring due to weather.

By summertime, the majority of the rain has ceased, and worries of tropical storms are a distant worry in the minds of sailors, and residents alike. What plagues citizens is now the heat, reaching yearly extremes of 98°F/36°C during heat waves, but consistently lingering around 73°F - 92°F/22°C - 33°C through the day, and cooling down to 60°F - 75°F/15°C - 23°C in the night. Fall remains considerably dry until winter as the harvesting season comes to an end, backing off from the heat to reach averages of 58°F - 80°F/14°C - 26°C (daytime), and 47°F - 66°F/8°C - 18°C (nighttime).

## Culture

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## Judicial System

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### Laws

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