Aurus

**Aurus**, is a city state locked between three large empires. Despite being a small nation in the middle of giants, it has leveraged its geopolitical importance and mercantile wealth to an extreme. Aurus, in a sense, bought its way to sovereignty.

Aurus is also known as "The City of Gold."

## Geography

Aurus is landlocked and bordered by three nations: Palladion, Cadmia, and Mercuria. It is also bordered by Argos Major, a massive lake, to the North. Aurus lies at the end of a valley known as the Road of Silk, through where nearly all of Mercuria, Cadmia, and Palladion's trade passes on land between one another.

The City of Aurus is built next to a large oasis at the very edge of the Palladion Desert.

## Government and Politics

Aurus is a *de jure* Hereditary Absolute Monarchy, with preference to males. However, the Shahanshah's power is partially balanced by an inner court of "Merchant Kings." Thus, Aurus is a *de facto* Plutocracy. There is no set limit to the number of Merchant Kings that may comprise the Shahanshah's inner circle, but it will always contain those wealthy enough to singlehandedly shape the fate of the small city state.

## Economy

Aurus’ economy predominantly focuses on tariffs made from merchants travelling in and out of the city.  Because Aurus is found right at the center of the Road of Silk, between the three Great Empires, it serves as an easy half-way point to which merchants can travel and immediately sell their wares to ambassadors of other empires.  Since merchants save time going to Aurus rather than going straight into the other Empires, the small skimming of profits by Aurus is more than compensated by the convenience.  The high volume of trading allows Aurus to prosper into its own prominent city-state, one that is valued by all Three Empires.

## Demographics

Aurus is perhaps the most diverse of any nation in Hermetica. Even the aristocracy of Aurus is comprised of humans, Elves of various ethnicities, Goblins, Genasi, and a smattering of other races.

Aurus has no official language, but documentation is usually first introduced in Common.

## Culture

### **Social Climate**

Aurus has its own monarchy, but social structures are rather fluid.  Much like a meritocracy, those who prove themselves capable in their work are regarded with prestige.  So while the Monarch sits at the top and the nobles just beneath, it is not uncommon for successful alchemic scholars to be treated on par with nobility.  Alchemists in particular can vary from as low as craftsmen or soldiers to as high as a noble if their skills and accomplishments are worthy.

Typically, the hierarchy goes: Monarch -> Nobles -> Alchemists/Magi & Soldiers -> Merchants & Craftsmen -> Pariahs & Slaves  As stated before, the class structure is fluid and those with significant accomplishment can easily raise in rank. A merchant successful enough can marry into a noble family. On the other hand, a noble family in decline can very easily fall into ruin.

Most noble families that reside in Aurus are not actually Aurean in origin, but are mainly Palladian. The majority of Noble family possess slaves.

### **Religion**

Religion holds little reign over the social structure of Aurus, with the majority of the population influenced by the pursuit of wealth or alchemic advancement. There are several churches and sects nonetheless, and much of the nobility retains ties to some church in Aurus. But unlike Palladion or Mercuria, there is little influence from any monastic order in public life.

### **Magic**

The University of Aurus is the most prestigious academy of alchemy and the arcane in the civilized world. Scholars from all across the Great Empires and beyond will visit Aurus at least once to share knowledge and meet other eminent contemporaries. Aurus is heavily influenced by magic, and one of the pioneers of alchemic civil engineering.