Ousurferia

**Ousurferia** is a large port city and the largest settlement of the Free Trade Cities, a cluster of settlements on the Golden Peninsula, off the coast of the Aurem Sea. It is the third largest city in Venthalia and is home to over 100,000 people, of mostly Human, Elven, and Dwarven populations. The city is known for its ornate golden architecture, boasting several castle spires, garrison walls, and ancient structures over a thousand years old. Today, Ousurferia is also the headquarters of the Tramontano&Kotts Company (T&K Co), the largest private corporation in the world.

## History

The Golden Peninsula was originally named by Ventus’ men, due to the massive surface level gold ore deposits in the hills off the coast. Ousurferia started out as a grand castle built by Alcabantus, the third son of Ventus, as the seat of House Aurem. The castle was built with ornate golden accenting, adorning the castle spires. The harbor constructed to support the castle's construction evolved into a place of trade due to its ideal shipping location, and the city of Ousurferia grew naturally as a result.

The city had been traditionally governed by the “Lords of Ousurferia”, a name given to an unofficial group of noble families, with vast wealth from the nearby gold mines. These families over history, include names such as House Esbrandt, House Henigburd, House Ghem, House Kirt, House Hawkins, and House Giralt. In 525 AV, with the death of Queen Livia III and no suitable heir, Lord Ardem Kirt of Ousurferia claimed the throne, facing little resistance from the disoriented kingdom and its people. This event signaled the end of the Sentus Dynasty and the beginning of the Kirt Dynasty, turning House Kirt into the new royal family.

The Free Trade Secession in 626 AV led to numerous south coast and Golden Peninsula settlements around the Aurem Sea breaking away from the empire. The Lords of Ousurferia argued that their existing economic self-sufficiency no longer warranted paying taxes to Althea Prone or the crown. Monkton and many other southern settlements joined in leaving, so long as they pledged allegiance to Ousurferia in times of conflict, as what would become known as the "Free Trade Cities" exited the Kingdom entirely, with Ousurferia being the unofficial capital.

In 629 AV, Lord Ulysses Henigburd was named the official first singular "Lord of Ousurferia", after internal turmoil with the city’s rapidly expanding population created a demand for some form of centralized leadership above the other lords. The title of Lord of Ousurferia would be passed down through the lineage of House Henigburd, until 770 AV when Lord Raejoas Novack Esbrandt was named as the new Lord, after the other Ousurferian noble families grew disillusioned with House Henigburd. The current lord of Ousurferia is his great-grandson, Lord Josor Rolf Esbrandt.

## Economy

Ousurferia's economy is largely driven by the Tramontano&Kotts Company (T&K Co), the largest private corporation in the world. The company was founded in 1042 AV by Rolf Isch Esbrandt, the then Lord of Ousurferia. The company conducts maritime business across all corners of Daunt, and has its own armed forces in the form of the Company Army and the Company Fleet, rivaling the size of the Althean royal Army and Navy. The operations of the company had a profound effect on the continental balance of trade, almost single-handedly pushing the wealth of House Esbrandt near the levels of the current Althean royal family, House Sylis. The company's primary plantation exports include sugarcane, tobacco, fairy stool, citrus, cocoa, red amanita mushroom, tea, coffee, rum, and spices. The company is also involved in the import and export of goods such as textiles, spices, metals, and other valuable commodities, efficiently selling imports to buyers from all across the Kingdom of Althea and Venthalia at large.

## Governance

The city is currently governed by Lord Josor Rolf Esbrandt, who is also the CEO of the T&K Co. He inherited his titles following the mysterious death of his father Rolf Isch Esbrandt and the disappearance of his younger brother, Novack Raejoas Esbrandt, in 1087 AV. Under Josor's leadership, the T&K Co experienced significant growth and expansion, establishing new trade routes and partnerships, and investing in cutting-edge technology and innovations. Security in Ousurferia is maintained by the Company Guards, who have replaced the traditional City Guards. The Company Guards are part of the armed forces of the T&K Co, which also includes the Company Army and the Company Fleet. These forces rival the size and capabilities of the Althean royal army and navy, providing Ousurferia with a formidable defense against potential threats.