Valastus

Valastus is a city-state located on the eastern coast of Malachar. The city was founded as a part of the Treaty of Light and serves as the capital of the Coalition of Light.

## History

### Founding

The city was founded as a part of the Treaty of Light. Meant to be shared and governed by each member of the Coalition, Valastus acts as the diplomatic and cultural hub of the continent. The city is home to all races and cultures and has the widest diversity of citizens in the world.

### The Council of Light

The Council of Light, the highest governmental body in Irolas, is headquartered in Valastus. This council governs trade and conflict between nations and generally upholds the Treaty of Light.

## Geography

### Neighborhoods

#### Palace District

The richest part of the city. Home to the Council Chambers, Governor's Manor, the Assembly House, and the residences of the richest citizens in the city. Many nobles and lords from Kentor, Malachar, and the other nations of Irolas keep homes here as status symbols.

#### The Duchy

Another wealthy neighborhood, the Duchy is much larger than the Palace Districts. Whereas the latter is generally the home of diplomats and nobles, the Duchy houses rich traders and wealthy merchants. As well as upscale businesses.

#### Embassy District

Each nation of Irolas keeps an embassy in this district, as well as one for the Kyrosi Empire (though it is barely used). The Embassy District is also home to many smaller, cultural neighborhoods, such as Little Armonia and the Orc Ghettos.

#### Industrial District

This part of the city is the home to various factories and warehouses. Most notably, the headquarters of the Trade Union and the Lightsteel Company's secondary facility. Many craft and merchant guilds keep warehouses in this district.

#### Market Circle

The Circle, as its often called, is located just off of the Docks and is where a majority of trade occurs in the city. Though smaller markets throughout the city provide the essentials for a majority of Valastus's citizens, the Circle is home to a larger scale and rarer trade, including jewelry, crafting materials, and large quantities of foodstuffs.

#### Commons

The largest section of the city, used to refer to many smaller neighborhoods. Primarily a residential area, but also home to supporting businesses such as markets, tailors, and blacksmiths.

#### Docks

Although Valastus, being one of the largest port cities in the world, has dozens of large docks, The Docks generally refers to the largest contiguous section of jetties. The Docks are generally used by low-scale traders, merchants, and transport ships, with higher-profile and richer captains electing to pay for the smaller, more secure wharves in the city.

#### Slums

The second-largest section of the city, the Slums is an umbrella term referring to many small neighborhoods in the poorer parts of the city. The Slums are marked by constant gang activity, including constant wars for territory, and the presence of illegal gambling halls, brothels, and drug dens.

### Blight Radomir

A small Blight that lies outside the city, near the border between Valastus and Malachar. The mining rights of the Blight are shared between Valastus and Malachar, with the Trade Union controlling the entirety of Valastus's portion. The mining operation at Radomir is a one of the largest sources of jobs for unskilled workers in Valastus. Many miners live at the Blight for weeks at a time, often sending their wages back to their families in the city. The Blight is connected to the city by Lightning Rail, and many common Rail paths leading into and out of Valastus make stops at the Radomir.

## Government

### The Assembly

The general legislative body of the city. Assemblymen are appointed by the member nations of the Coalition of Light. Generally disliked and mistrusted by the citizens of Valastus.

### The Governer

Elected democratically by the citizens of the city, the Governor is far better liked by the common people than the Assembly. His role is limited to maintaining law and order and managing the city's daily operations. The various Law Enforcement groups within the city (listed below) ultimately report to the Governor.

## Law Enforcement

### City Guard

The general, everyday policing force in the city. The City Guard's primary task is patrolling the streets of the city to prevent criminal activity. Membership in the Guard is fairly open, requiring only minimal training. Because of this, the Guard is a common refuge for citizens that find themselves without income or prospects.

#### Investigator's Corp

The elite counterpart to the common City Guard, the Corp is responsible for the investigation of serious crimes in the city. Murders, robberies, and high-level white-collar crime all full under the jurisdiction of the Corp. Entrance into the Corp is very difficult and most members start in the City Guard. The Corp is generally viewed as far more prestigious, dangerous, and ethical than the Guard.

### Plague Watch

Following the invasion of Vecna's forces and the growth of the Blights that came with them, various black diseases began to spread throughout Allaria. As a part of the effort to combat these diseases, most governments of the world founded groups to prevent the spread of these diseases. In Valastus, this group is known as the Plague Watch. The Watch has the authority to quarantine individuals and neighborhoods if there is an outbreak, and are rumored to perform dark experiments on the afflicted.

### Mage's Council

Formed decades after the city was founded, the Mage's Council enforces the various laws pertaining to magic within the city. Following a series of attacks by a group of terrorist mages, the Governor determined that the City Guard and Investigator's Corp was not sufficient to protect the citizens of Valastus against magical threats. The Council was formed as a result and is responsible for tracking down and apprehending criminal mages. In addition to their role as law enforcement, the Council also has the authority to govern citizen spellcasters in the city, including placing sanctions that prevent the use of magic for individuals. *Note: Many visitors of Valastus find the use of the term 'The Council' confusing due to it being used to refer to both the Mage's Council and Council of Light, however long time citizens of the city don't seem to have any problem with miscommunication, nor do they seem to understand outsider's bewilderment.*

## Factions

### Trade Guilds

#### The Lightsteel Company

The primary weapons manufacturer in the world, the Lightsteel Company produces the vast majority of firearms used by government and private soldiers alike. The Company is also known for its production of Warforged, originally used to help win the Shadow's War, Warforged are now purchased by governments around the world to use as elite shock troops in battle.

#### Irolasan Trade Union

The Lightsteel Company's chief competitor, the Trade Union began as a conglomerate of merchants. However, in the years that followed they eventually spread into manufacturing and transport. The Trade Union's Lightning Rail trains and passenger airships can be found in every major city in Irolas and have allowed for fast, convenient travel around the continent, albeit at a higher price than most can afford regularly.

### Warrior Guilds

#### Storm Striders

Mercenaries, often hired by ship captains to protect their vessels on especially important, and profitable, voyages. The Strider's are often known to work frequently with the Trade Union, providing security against airborne threats onboard Union Airships. Known for their use of storm and lightning magic, a vast majority of the Storm Striders have some level of magic ability.

#### Crimson Dragons

Another mercenary troop, typically hired by nobles and other wealthy clients. The Dragons were historically a group of mercenary mages, however over time, the number of mundane fighters in their ranks grew. By the Flintlock Era, the group actually had relatively few mages but had grown famous for their frequent purchase of the remaining magic weapons in the world, which they used to arm their members far better than competing groups could afford.

#### The Order of the Black Rose

An order dedicated to the destruction of necromancers and undead. Though they have existed since before the Shadow's War, the Black Rose saw a sharp increase in membership and influence during the war. In Valastus, they hold a considerable amount of authority, granted by the Governor, to hunt down and eliminate any mage in the city attempting to practice the dark arts.

#### Blood Hunters

A monster hunters guild, the Blood Hunters were nearly irradicated during the Shadow's War. Now headquartered in Valastus, members of the guild are spread throughout the world hunting monsters in exchange for coin. Within the city, they are occasionally called upon to aid the City Guard and Inspector's Corp when monsters are loose in the city. The Blood Hunters and Black Rose are vicious rivals and frequently at odds.

### Criminal Underworld

The criminal underworld of Valastus is made up of dozens of low-level gangs, violent groups of street thugs, high-profile thieves, and assassins. These groups vary in terms of size, organizational structure, levels of violence, and criminal activity.

#### Black Alchemists

An order of mages and alchemists that provide illegal, arcane services for the various criminal factions in Valastus. Their dealings most commonly include healing poultices, magic potions, and mind-altering hallucinogens. The Black Alchemists are also rumored to trade more exotic, and more expensive, products such as spellshot rounds and highly illegal enchanted firearms. Members include mages, spellsmiths, alchemists, herbalists, and mundane craftsmen alike. The Alchemists are not violent and rely on subtlety, and stealth to avoid potential enemies.

#### Emerald Vipers

A criminal syndicate primarily centered around providing pleasure services for the underworld and civilized society alike. The Emerald Vipers possess a near monopol on the city's gambling halls, brothels, and drug dens. Although the Black Alchemists grow and brew most recreational narcotics in the city, it's the Emerald Vipers that end up selling most of them to the more reputable citizens of Valastus. The Vipers are known to hire low-level street toughs from gangs like the Alley Rats to act as bouncers and enforcers at their establishments, and generally have a strong working relationship with the other gangs of the city.

#### Dock Hounds

As the name implies, the Hounds control a majority of the docks in the city. Their membership is tiered in nature, and the lowest tier of the group include a majority of the dockhands and low-level sailors that reside in the city. The Dock Hounds are known for their violent actions and frequent crimes against ship captains that refuse to pay their "contributions" to the gang. A captain that docks in the ports of Valastus and refuses to pay protection money to the Hounds may wake to find their crew members assaulted, sails torn, keels damaged, or, in extreme cases, ship ablaze.

#### Assassin's Guilds

Despite the best efforts of the governments of the world, the Assassin's Guilds of Irolas quickly made their way into Valastus. The history of these guilds dates back to before the Expansion. The rules and organization of each individual guild are unique, but they each follow an overarching code and are governed by a singular, secretive cabal. The Assassin's Guilds are purposefully difficult to locate and typically rely on regular, consistent jobs from a small group of clients.

#### Thieve's Guilds

In an attempt to follow the success and organization of the Assassin's Guilds, a cluster of Thieve's Guilds sprang up following the founding of Valastus. Though similarly governed by a singular body, the Thieve's Guilds aren't nearly as organized as the Assassin's Guilds. The guilds of Valastus are known for high profile thefts and heists, as opposed to low-level street thefts or pickpocketing, including from the rich citizens of the Palace District and the Duchy. Membership in the guilds is far more exclusive than the other criminal gangs in the city, and as a result, membership is far lower. Due to the limited membership, the guilds are able to survive on rare, high-level crimes, often financed by mysterious clients.

#### Alley Rats

The Rats are the largest of the dozens of low-level street gangs in the city. They constantly war with other gangs for small tracts of territory in the slums. These groups don't typically fill specific roles within the ecosystem of Valastus's underworld, but instead pursue the usual goals of petty gangs (protection rackets, thefts, assaults, illegal trade, etc). The Rats, and gangs like them, are known for their violence, and will often assault and rob anyone they see as a valid target in the rougher parts of the city.

#### Flint Traders

The Traders are a neutral syndicate that provides the various weaponry, particularly firearms, used by the gangs of Valastus. The Traders are not known for violence and instead remain in the shadows, avoiding detection by both law enforcement and rival factions. Despite frequently dealing to both sides in the various wars of the underworld, no criminal gang would dare cross the Flint Traders for fear of losing the products they provide. Traders are famous for operating multiple taverns around the city where their illicit goods can be purchased.

#### Light Fingers

Although led and controlled by adults, the vast majority of "members" of this gang are young children. The bosses of the Light Fingers frequent the orphanages of Valastus, recruiting children and training them in the art of pickpocketing. Due to the actions of the Light Fingers, the citizens of the Valastus slums have learned to be wary of their coin purses when in the presence of children. Rarely, fingers may travel to wealthier parts of the city for richer prey, but the heavier presence of the City Guard is usually enough to deter the practice.