New Ticonderoga

A colorful early design of New Ticonderoga's exterior.

**New Ticonderoga** is a large and fortresslike Ticonderogan city, and the capital of the New Ticonderoga Region. It is surrounded by Ticonderoga, Stencil, Golf City, the Corrupted Forest, and the vast Draconian Sea.

### Naming

New Ticonderoga's Ticonderogan name also translates to 'new Ticonderoga,' and was named this because, well, the city was meant to be a newer and grander version of the City of Ticonderoga.

## History

### Early Years

New Ticonderoga began construction in 522, only two months after the end of the Climate War, and was complete by 526. Its initial purpose was to house soldiers stationed nearby at Golf City and guard the empire's eastern border to prepare for future conflict. But by 600, the stronghold had become a grand playground for powerful magnates, including Sir Ramsay The Great and Salmi II. Its success was largely due to its strategic coastal location, which allowed it to develop a large fishing industry.

One of the most significant events in New Ticonderoga's history was the completion of The Great Wall in 702. The massive undertaking fortified the city with a five-meter-tall stone brick wall and serves as a symbol of power and resilience.

### Great Fire

But despite its many successes, New Ticonderoga has faced its fair share of challenges throughout its history. One of the most significant was the Fire of 825, which destroyed much of the city's infrastructure and left thousands homeless. The city was rebuilt, however, and emerged stronger in the aftermath. The culture also changed. Previously, there was a focus on writing books and creating paintings, but the Ticonderogans turned to a form of art that wouldn't burn: sculptures. From 830 to 900, an estimated 7,400 sculptures were made, many by Maximus Veridorn, depicting everyday events or honoring prominent figures such as Bronco Lee.

### Battle of Golf City

Another difficulty took place in February of 869, after the Battle of Golf City. Golf City was a major supplier of grain for New Ticonderoga and could not operate during the battle, leaving citizens starving. Thousands were dying of hunger, but in act of quick-thinking, mayor Rujalfarka Putchelva told everyone to plant Southern Onions, which grew fast and could be harvested quickly. Under his inspiring leadership, the city managed to survive the ten day famine with minimal loss of life.

### Golden Era

Then, in 927, New Ticonderoga faced a devastating invasion from the No. 2s. The No. 2s, seeking to expand their territory, launched a surprise attack on the city, overwhelming its defenses. The ensuing battle was fierce and lasted for days, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. However, the resilience and determination of the Ticonderogan soldiers and their allies eventually turned the tide of the conflict.

The turning point came during the Battle of Shattered Bridge, a legendary confrontation that took place on the outskirts of the city. Ticonderogan reinforcements from Golf City, led by General Orion Brightblade, devised a brilliant strategy to lure the No. 2 army onto a weakened bridge. As the No. 2s advanced, the bridge collapsed beneath their weight, plunging hundreds of soldiers into the churning river below. The Ticonderogans capitalized on the chaos and launched a counteroffensive, driving the No. 2s back and ultimately forcing them to retreat.

Following their victory, New Ticonderoga entered a period of renewed prosperity and growth, also supported by the coinciding Golden Era. The city expanded its trade routes, establishing lucrative partnerships with Staedtler, Faber-Castell, and the recently established Mechanical Empire. The influx of wealth and resources allowed for the construction of magnificent palaces, temples, and public buildings that adorn the cityscape to this day.

However, the city's fortunes were tested once again during the Graphitan Drought of 969. A prolonged period of scarce rainfall and scorching temperatures devastated the farmland of all Graphitan nations, leading to widespread famine and social unrest. The city's leaders implemented strict rationing measures and organized relief efforts to support the affected population. Eventually, the drought subsided, and the city slowly recovered, adopting new agricultural practices and irrigation systems to prevent future catastrophes.

New Ticonderoga has also embraced technological advancements and emerged as a center of innovation. In 1178, engineer Thomas Tankgin invented the steam-powered printing press, allowing the creation of millions of paper copies each day. Using the breakthrough, a friend group founded Ticonderoga News, now the largest newspaper company on Graphitus. Over the following centuries, the city quickly grew into a bustling metropolis.

### Bombing of New Ticonderoga

   Early in the morning of June 29, 1735, at the climax of the Fourth Pencil War, the No. 2 Republic bombed New Ticonderoga. Shortly after 9 AM, a nuclear power plant caught on fire, activating an automatic shutdown. However, due to a design flaw, this resulted in localized increases in reactivity within the reactor, leading to steam explosions and the melting of the reactor core, which caused further death in addition to the already destructive bombs. A mass evacuation at the southern border occurred around 9:30. Despite this, some brave souls stayed and hid in the lower floors of buildings. So when enemy forces attempted to conquer the seemingly deserted settlement, they were met with heavy gunfire. General Comeesly told the No. 2s to keep fighting, but after a mortar pierced his heart with shrapnel, the soldiers ran for their lives.

At 10:24, Ticonderogan emperor Maximillian II gave authorization for the use of the WOODSPLINT, the first Wood Nuke ever developed, despite no prior testing of its functionality or potentially cataclysmic blast. Fortunately, by then, the No. 2s had surrendered, and there was no need for extra bloodshed, so Maximillian called the launch off.

The event was a testament of the sheer power of explosives, a concept that would later be used liberally throughout the Napolean War. Death estimates range from 4,000 to 6,000, but it could truly be higher, since most bodies were vaporized by either the initial bombing or nuclear disaster. In any case, it was a tragedy, but as philosopher Akelius Pontificus famously said, "It is through what is wrong that we learn what is right."

### Locations

* Double Cut Deli
* Eden Park
* New Ticonderoga University
* Ticonderoga News Headquarters

## Demographics

### Population

Estimated population according to censuses each century

### Language

As elsewhere in the empire, Ticonderogan is spoken in New Ticonderoga, but as typical for the east, its original language was Fraxanese. As such, many place and street names contain Fraxanese vocabulary or even employ its extended alphabet.

## Culture

### Architecture

New Ticonderoga was designed with being a military stronghold in mind, so few buildings are visible from the outside. In 744, renowned architect Ferdinand Hilmar described the city's architecture as 'A fusion of classical and minimalistic elements but lacking the splendor attributed to Stencil's golden halls.' Furthermore, unlike Dixon and the City of Ticonderoga, the city contains zero skyscrapers, and its tallest building, the Algro Concert Hall, named after mayor Herm Algro, reaches only 5 stories.

## Government

New Ticonderoga is situated near the Ticonderogan-No. 2 Border, and so plays a key role in diplomacy between the two nations. However, its location is also the reason for the many attacks on the city throughout the years, most recently the Bombing of New Ticonderoga (described in the above history section).

### Mayors

The Mayor of New Ticonderoga is also considered the governor of the New Ticonderoga Region. Below is a list of notable mayors. Mayors are elected to rule for 10 years and can serve up to three terms. In 811, a law was passed allowing non-Ticonderogas to run for office.

* Mehema Zemalitu (626 to 636)
* Wovin Vaquetu (636 to 646)
* Perovi Amaquetu (646 to 666)
* Dominica Mervals (666 to 670)
* ...
* Herm Algro (740 to 770)
* ...
* Rujalfarka Putchelva (855 to 875)
* ...
* Mike Platoon (1194 to 1214)
* Jacob Harptek (1214 to 1224)
* ...
* Albert Meguani (1630 to 1660)
* ...
* Merquman Elsibar (in office)