Tatrak

Tatrak is a port town on the western coastline of the Aurian Empire.

Tatrak is an old town and when it was made it rose to be the greatest port city on the coast. Once it became part of the Empire it swiftly rose to be the centre of the Blue Protectoran force. However over time Gan Tarak and Cthol Tarak were brought into the Empire and Kolaran was transformed leaving Tatrak as much less important.

Tatrak fell into decay, but still had quite a large population that was more than ready to turn on itself. Some amazing architecture was to be seen in Tatrak, including a very extensive library and selection of temples still there from when it carried the title Capital of the West.

## History

PRE 2000BE: Elven city existed on this location.

900BE: A town, now controlled by humans and called Tatrak, was confirmed to exist at this point on the coast.

450BE: The nation of Tatrak expanded and became the dominant nation on the western coast.

304BE: Tatrak won a bloody land war with the councilreign of Coralt.

260-200BE: Several conflicts especially with the kingdoms to the south that would later become Gan Tarak and Cthol Tarak.

5BE: The powerful seaborne nation of Tatrak formed alliances through marriage with its previous rival kingdoms and they are renamed Gan Tatrak (Later Gan Tarak) and Cthol Tatrak (Later Cthol Tarak)

0BE: Aurian Empire announced by Jomark.

43-48PE: The Second Commerce Wars alarmed Tatrak as now the Imperial juggernaut was getting geographically closer to them. They tightened controls on Gan Tatrak and Cthol Tatrak. This bred resentment in the cities.

64PE: Kolaran created a formal trade alliance with Auria. This was noted in Tatrak and they formally banned their vassal states from copying. This built increased resentment.

81PE: The Reprimand in response to belligerent leaders in Cthol Tatrak, Tatrak itself launches a naval attack on Cthol Tatrak and Gan Tatrak was forced at sword point to assist. Cthol is brought to heel but the resultant war costs and bad blood created polarised factions in the vassal states that eventually led to a pro-Aurian movement.

123PE: The Princess Fiasco. Tatrak attempted to completely take over its vassal states by marrying its princesses into the royal families by force. In Gan Tarak the eldest Prince Derek was the intended as a duty borne and powerful warrior. However through a series of 'unfortunate' events it transpired that the younger prince, Sean, married the Tatrak princess. They had a famously hostile marriage and Tatrak failed to garner any influence in Gan Tatrak and instead lost prestige. Importantly however the union produced several children who were all placed in positions of authority within the city state and Tatrak now found it difficult to cull the nobility of Gan Tatrak as a result.

364PE: Kolaran signed the military trade-routes mutual defence treaty with Auria. Gan Tatrak was forbidden from signing through manipulation and threats from Tatrak.

370-430PE: Kazier, Prince of Gan Tatrak, (they are not allowed Kings under Tatrak's oversight) organised a powerful military build up in the city. This is when the first sections of the true military ports were laid down. This was justified as helping support Gan Tatrak's role as Tatrak's greatest ally. Yet it led to them being able to field a fleet on a par with Tatrak or Yewdon or even Auria (Who was a weak sea-going power at that point.)

439PE: Gan Tatrak reasserted its independence from Tatrak by agreeing to trade deals with Gilgan and Auria. When the Tatrak chief envoy objected (believing himself the ruler of the city) he, his bodyguards, entourage and family were famously thrown onto ships and expelled from the city like slaves. Tatrak objected, but was fazed by the sudden military might and open belligerence of Gan Tatrak. They keep their responses to threats and trade penalties.

445-449PE: The Third Commerce Wars or the Tatrak Conquest. The Kingdom of Tatrak embarked in aggressive raiding against Kolaran and all sea borne trade in the Shining Sea. It was a direct effort to break the Traderoutes Alliance Auria had established and for Tatrak to regain its previous dominance. The Empire however directly moved on this and in the name of supporting Kolaran waged a three year war resulting in the conquest of Tatrak by storm. Gan Tatrak does not support Tatrak in the war.

460PE: Tatrak is made the centre of the naval arm of the Aurian Military. It is designated as the key military port of the west while Kolaran was expanded to become the primary trading and commercial port the Empire needed.

505-507PE: Wargak Invasion was turned back by Aurian Forces. Tatrak was never directly attacked, but was the centre of military command in the west. The forces of the Empire that fought in the war were marshaled in Tatrak and Rak Danning and then sent to the Saracan border. The Grand Admiral of the time was a major leader along with the Marshal of the Empire. For the first time since being conquered many in Tatrak start properly considering themselves Aurians rather than seeing themselves as conquered Tatrakans.

510PE: Gan Tatrak, Tatrak's long time vassal (Before its fall to Auria) and rival officially joined the Empire.

520PE: Due to the increased effectiveness of the reorganised area-legions, the Organiser's son Peter I created the Five Protectorans of the Empire. Tatrak was the natural location for the centre of command for the Blue Protectoran - the Naval Legions. The Seafarer's Folly was completed as an extension of the command complex.

650PE: The First Protectoran Mutiny.

1050-1102PE: The reign of Peter IV the Seafarer. Gan Tatrak was massively expended rather than further investment in the older port of Tatrak. Military forces from Gan Tatrak ware as large if not a larger part of the Fourth Commerce Wars than those of Tatrak.

1188PE: Blue Protectoran Mutiny in **Tatrak**. It began with an internal coup focused in the Blue Protectoran high command. Several admirals and fleet admirals moved to take control of the city, They murdered and imprisoned loyalist forces which may or may not have included the Grand Admiral himself. They also kidnapped the heir to the throne, crown prince Marcus. The rebels threaten to murder the prince if the Empire do not leave them in control. The city briefly seceded from the Empire. When the city rebelled, loyalist Blue units gather to Gan Tatrak in opposition. Where Fleet Admiral Soran Doyle organised the Empire's bid to retake Tatrak with a pincer attack. A group known to history as the Nightstriders were involved in the fall of Tatrak but despite the forces brought Marcus was killed by the rebels.

Attacked from the sea and land simultaneously Tatrak fell. When Tatrak was taken Emperor Carlson allowed the city to be sacked in retribution. This was notable in comparison with his very lenient approach later with Tor Zeric. The loyalist Soran Doyle was appointed as the new Grand Admiral in recognition of his efforts.

This spelled the end of Tatrak as the Empire's primary military port in the west in favour of Gan Tarak. Gan Tatrak was renamed Gan Tarak and Cthol Tatrak followed suit as Gan Tarak took preeminence over historic Tatrak. Blue Protectoran headquarters was officially moved from Tatrak to Gan Tarak after this event.

1190-1199PE: Auria funneled huge amounts of money into road building and trade build up. In the aftermath of the mutiny though this immense funding was used in Gan Tarak and Kolaran, niot Tatrak, which suffered greatly and struggled to recover. Many of its citizens simply left going north or south or migrating to the islands. Meanwhile Tatrak was left to fall into stagnation. Many of its greatest buildings and wonders had been damaged in the sacking and were not restored.

1240-1250PE: During the reign of the Warmaker, Anarik, there was a decade of invasion including the Northport War, 1241-1243PE and the Sandwall War, 1247-1250PE. Significant land gains are made to the south of the Empire. Tatrak was still populous enough to be a significant recruitment centre and many of those who fought in these wars were Tatrakans. Importantly the famous Blademark Ivor Kanon, or old Greenhand as he became known, was from Tatrak and gained his reputation in these wars.

1376PE: The Archmage Enigma founded the Frail Tower as a Sapphire Wizards' Guild endorsed Guild Tower.

1512-1514PE: First Dragon Army Invasion affected Tatrak little. They send levies to the assistance of the Aurian Protectorans that are engaged in the fighting and sendships to the fleet organised in Gan Tarak, to go around the continent and intercept Dragon Army reinforcements.

1643-1677PE: New roads are built enhancing Tatrak's landward links. Also the renewed meteoric growth of their coastal trade partner Kolaran helps with economic growth in Tatrak.

1898PE: Second Dragon Army Invasion

## Geography

Gan Tarak benefits a lot from its position as a natural sheltered harbour. The lands breaks inward forming a large pocket of deep calm water between two peninsulas. The land rises quickly to the east behind the city sheltering it from that direction. The waves are broken by the peninsulas and so the harbour though very deep is a safe harbour year round. There is also a small island three miles out from the mainland that has been developed as part of the city.

The Taran river empties here into the sea.

## Economy

Gan Tarak's economy is very healthy and is driven by a bustling sea and land trade. Importantly there is constant work available in Gan Tarak driven by the engine of the Blue Protectoran who spend inordinate amounts of money on the naval needs of the Empire.

### Taxation

Taxation is fairly light in Gan Tarak but smuggling and evasion is stifled with an iron fist. This is a deliberate policy of moderation to encourage trade and determination to discourage a black market element.

## Demographics

Gan Tarak is a huge city with a resident population of well over 50000 this can grow prodigiously in times of war when recruitment is high or it is filled with refugees from the surrounding towns and villages.

The population has a racial split but is far more human heavy than Kolaran to the north.

 Halfling
 Visk
 Half-Elf

### Religion

The worship of the Celer aspect of Knowledge is dominant here as in other areas of the Empire though Wild as god of the sea and Death as god of war are also worshiped heavily. As in all imperial cities of this size and age, temples are found to all six Avatars. The ancient temples of the 'Soaring Waves' and 'Majesty Undefined' were essentially add-ons to original elven constructions and incorporate an architectural beauty and power that defied human workmanship.

## Politics and Government

Tatrak was run by a governor almost always chosen from its old blood nobility. Though the influence of the Archmage of the Frail Tower and the resident Fleet Admiral of the harbour legions were always influential in the running of the city.

Tatrak was also large enough to have its own Senate representative. This individual only speaks for the city at a law making level and doesn't have any direct influence on the running of the city itself.

The city was consistently conservative in nature.

## Military

Tatrak was the headquarters of the Blue Protectoran from the Protectoran's founding in 520PE through to the Blue Protectoran Mutiny in 1188PE. The mutiny resulted in Tatrak being changed from controller of the military to being controlled by it. Even so there was always training facilities and extensive docks at Tatrak though after 1188PE they became underused and left to fall into disrepair.

Three legions are officially stationed on a permanent basis at Tatrak. One, the 24th Legion, was officially assigned to the Seafarer's Folly which was still used as a training establishment and command post for the Blue Protectoran.

## Culture

Tatrak's culture was based on based on a great old city now left to decay and empty.