Eletrenai

The city of Eletrinai is Liotain's fourth-largest city, located on the extreme western portion of the country, just across the border from Celtica. It is one of Liotain's most wealthy cities.

### History

Eletrinai was probably founded in the 2nd century BCE as the Reman colony city of Colonia Iulia Eletria. The colonia was built for retiring Reman legionnaires and centurions, many of whom had acquired significant plunder and slaves from their campaigns in what is now Celtica and Antargentina.

According to legends popularized early in the town's history, the site of the city was inhabited by four strong giants who lived in a walled house on the main hill. The giants possessed the ability to throw bolts of lightning. The Reman general Decimus Titus Emilius reportedly led a picked band of legionnaires and a company of female archers from Insula Borea to fight the giants, defeating them. The Reman XX Legion, which was garrisoned in Colonia Iulia Eletria between the 1st and 5th centuries, used a lightning bolt on its standard.

During the Reman era, Colonia Iulia Eletria became relatively famous for its Oracle, administered by the priestesses of the Temple of Breksta (the goddess of twilight).

The city's name slowly morphed from Eletria into Eletrinai during the 5th and 6th centuries.

After the departure of the Remans, Eletrinai served as a major city in the First Kingdom of Liotain, and resisted Canstori takeover of the First Kingdom. Early during the Revolt of Rekyva, Eletrinai rose in revolt against the Canstori, but poor local leadership resulted in Prince Titas Saulius, a prince from the province of Liotania Minor, achieve mastery over the entire country.

During the City-States era, Eletrinai was ruled by an aristocratic family descended from the House of Saulius. The city developed an intense commercial rivalry with the much newer city of Sventoji, further up the Gulf of Argent, which led to several conflicts between the two city-states. Sventoji took the nickname "Queen of the Gulf" while derogatorilay referring to Eletrinai as "the Handmaiden of the Gulf."

The University of Eletrinai was founded in 1240 as the second university in Liotain (after the older University of Neris).

In 1479, the city-states era came to an end when Prince Viltautas of Neris married Agne of Eletrinai, uniting their thrones in a single entity. The two united city-states declared the Third Kingdom of Liotain, although it took several decades for Viltautas to achieve this, due to a mix of force and excellent diplomacy. Despite the longstanding Eletrinai-Sventoji rivalry, Sventoji joined the Third Kingdom willingly in 1521.

Eletrinai was beseiged on two occasions by the Celtican Army during the 1620s. During this period, Liotain lost much of its western-most territory, including the city of Mena, to Celtica. Much of this territory traditionally fell under direct or indirect control of Eletrinai between the 9th and 17th Centuries.

During the early 1800s, Eletrinai was once again on the frontlines of conflict during the Bonaventurian Wars. The city resisted assault on three occasions, and the Liotainian Army constructed several major star-forts that proved crucial in repelling Antargenine assaults.

Once the wars ended, Eletrinai took on the important role of the main border-crossing between Liotain and Celtica, mirroring Mena just slightly down the coast.

In 1834, the two countries collaborated to build the first canal along the Eletrinai River (which served as the official border) up to Lake Tripartite. This canal, expanded in 1856 and again in 1874, became part of the extremely important Tripartite Canal. This canal route resulted in major commercial wealth flowing through the region, significantly enriching Eletrinai and its neighboring suburbs. Along with Mena on the Celtican side, Eletrinai became a major location for transshipment of goods from oceanic steamers on the Encircled Sea to river and canal boats that used the canal systems, as well as railways. The opening of the larger Great Rift Canal diminished its importance somewhat.

### Education

Eletrinai's reputation as a center for education is among the highest not only in Liotain, but most of Velravin.

The Eletrinai University, founded in 1240, is one of the oldest universities in existence. Built on the site of the former Temple of Breksta, the University has a very high reputation for medical and business education.

### Economy

Eletrinai has a well-developed modern economy, and has the highest per-capita wages of any city in Liotain.

Shipbuilding, primarily for the civilian market, is a major industry.

Transshipment of goods from ships on the Encircled Sea to canal ships or trains brings significant wealth to the city. Some aspects of Eletrinai's business suffered as a result of the Antargentine Civil War, but other sectors of the economy thrived as a result.

### Notes

* Nearly one-fifth of the population of Eletrinai speaks Celtican to at least a basic level.