Termo

**Termo** is the capital city of the Gladian Empire. With an estimated 3,500,000 residents, Termo is the worlds most populous city. Termo is located at the mouth of the Termo River a branch of the Mother River, built atop a swamp. Across the Termo Strait the city of Nobi exists, to the west lays the Vemeran Sea, and to the east the Maleran Ocean. The city is flanked by the Lager Mountain. Termo is often referred to as the City of mountains due to its geographic location overlooking the only mountain in the region, and also as the "Eternal City". Termo is generally considered to be the "cradle of Gladian Civilization", and the centre of the Red and Blue Churches. All Reformation churches style themselves as being the church of the city.

Termo's history dates back to 1200 BC when it was founded by the Daron Empire, which established the city besides a small stream from the Mother River (Velkarichka) further south. The river shifted in the following centuries, which flooded the city, and turned the area into a swamp, prompting the city to be abandoned. Dorman Amanora founded the modern city of Termo atop the ruins of the previous settlement which remained in an island above the water in 1 AC. The city grew through the centuries, as a center of trade allowing Gladian goods to travel easily into the Vemeran, as it reduced travel time in the Velkarichka delta further west. It quickly gained notoriety for being a metropolitan city, housing the largest population of non-Gladians in the continent. By 600 AC it was noted as being the most economically powerful city in the Velkarichka, although it depended entirely upon taxation of goods entering and leaving the Velkarichka.

In 800 AC, the city experienced a period of renewal and growth under strong leadership, leading House Amanora to enter a position to enact tribute from neighboring powers. It was in that year that the Gladian Empire was founded. The city boomed as did the Empire, and 900 AC it had become the most populous city in the continent, and by 1100 AC the world. The city was known as the center of the world, and all major trade in the Vemeran. The city suffered from the Reformation in 1400 AC, along with the Crisis of the 15th Century which culminated in the sacking of the city by the Pentarchy of Nona in 1478 AC. The city entered a period of decline until the reign of Taman III Amanora, which revitalized the city, along with Industrialization, the population of the city had returned to pre-reformation numbers in 1550. The city was the sight of major bloodshed during the War of the Colors.

## Etymology

The name Termo comes from the name to the narrow strait between the continent, and northern continent, called the Termo Strait. The name does not naturally appear in the Gladian language, and was taken from an earlier name of unknown origin, although its claimed that the name is inherited from the ancient Daron language.

Others believe that the river provided the strait and latter the city name, and that the origin of the name comes from a legendary hero, now lost to time, that lived in the region. Although others believe that the Daron's obtained the name from said hero which they lended to the river, and strait.

## History

The city is said to have been founded in 1200 BC by the Daron Empire, which established the city as a trading and fishing post to control access through the Termo strait. The city featured several buildings, the most outstanding being the central spire. Which is believed to have been used by the Daron to interact with the gods. The city was lightly populated, and of little importance as shown by the lack of interest to prevent or contain the growing Termo river, which grew as the Velkarichka shifted its course. The result was that the city became prone to flooding, and through the centuries most of it was permanently covered underwater. Investigations in Termos canals have brought up pottery, and artifacts, however its debated whether they belonged to the Daron or latter Gladian settlement. Some of the Daron ruins remained atop now islands in the swamp, while solely the spire was said to remain perfectly intact.

The city was officially founded in 1 AC by Dorman Amanora, who is said to have been driven into a state of obsessiveness over nightly dreams of a great city at the mouth of the Termo river. House Amanora had nearly been driven to extinction in a conflict that decimated their ancestral lands, with little opportunity they settled in the islands in the swamp, which were plentiful with fish. The strategic position of the city quickly became apparent as Amanoran cities could control the entry and exit of goods into the Termo river and thus the greater Velkarichka. Construction of floating gardens to allow the growing of food were ordered and subsequently became the basis of agriculture in the area, they are called Farats. Due to the inability of wood and Logum to drain the swamp, it was thus necessary to take advantage of the Lager Mountain to provide stone for construction projects. At the time the mountain was considered the home of the gods and should not be touched.