New Marine

Pictured: Wellington Tower Bridges (left), City Proper (right)

**New Marine** is the largest city of Aurellea and the capital city of the United Federation, built on the ruins of Old Marine. In modern times, New Marine has also encompassed the surrounding county's, now all amalgamated into the Greater Metropolitan Area of New Marine, an administrative region within Aurellea and governed by the Metropolitan Council. It is one of the largest cities in the world with a population of 8 000 000 making up 18% of the Federations population. The main terras of the city contain most of the skyscrapers. Most of these buildings were constructed between Y9985 and Y10 000. New Marine, as one of the world's major global cities, exerts strong influence on the world's arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, health care, media, tourism and transportation. With a GDP of €40 billion, it's the biggest urban economy in the world and the continent's leading financial center with the New Marine Stock Exchange (NMSE, also called the Continental Exchange) being by far the worlds largest stock exchange built on 40 Market Street (nicknamed Traders Alley) in Continental Tower. New Marine's diverse people and cultures mean that more than 300 languages are spoken. The twenty-two boroughs of New Marine are: Whitecliff, Bulwark, Ward’s End, The Bends, Cathedral Square, Upperton, City of New Marine (City Proper), The Highstreet, Middenhall, Crossing upon Isle, The Wharflands, Strandon Yards, Blackfire Smiths, Gallery Row, Oldcastle, Bakers Alley, Barrowton, Kingsbury Forest, The Narrows, Abbey Village, The Seastones, and Riverwash.

## History

### Prehistory

Remnants of Clay Age settlement has been found along the Isle River in the wards of Billingsgate and White Priory. It's theorized that these settlments are from the first Sea Peoples to come to Aurellea. The Seastone and Rushingrun Rivers were still above ground at this time, feeding into the central, larger Isle River, making it a prime place for agriculture.

### Gilded Age

The area around the City Proper was built up during the Gilded occupation of the Far Isles. The city was meticulously planned and well fortified, becoming the capital of the region in Y6980.

### Contemporary Modern History

In Y9980, over 200 buildings in downtown New Marine were demolished and replaced with the more modern skyscrapers seen in the city today. This act was done at the behest of General Secretary Lester King, predececor to the current GS Oscar Cabot. This development was met with mixed reactions. Many business leaders and developers as well as the city mayor at the time, Kenneth Lee, promised that such action was needed to make New Marine a capital worthy of the worlds leading nation. Detractors say that the wanton destruction of many historical properties was not justified and that this renovation was being done peurly out of political greed. Buildings that were destroys were (but not limited to): Sir Chamberlin's House, the home of Arthur Chamberlin a forerunner in modern democratic thought during the late empire, the Cenotaph, home to the Guardians of Aurellea statues of the kingdom and empires greatest leaders, and Castle Theater, the original theater of legendary playwright Oliver Gaytes.

## Administration

The region of New Marine encompasses the city proper itself (the twenty-two boroughs) and the five administrative boroughs surrounding the city (called districts). The twenty-two boroughs of New Marine are: Whitecliff, Bulwark, Ward’s End, The Bends, Cathedral Square, Upperton, City of New Marine (City Proper), The Highstreet, Middenhall, Crossing upon Eire, The Wharflands, Strandon Yards, Blackfire Smiths, Gallery Row, Oldcastle, Bakers Alley, Barrowton, Kingsbury Forest, The Narrows, Abbey Village, The Seastones, and Riverwash. The five districts are called: Greenfields, Town Hamlets, Richmond's Rest, Edgewood, and the Daybreak Cliffs.

Their governed by elected representatives like those in the inner city and administered by the Metropolitan Council. Smaller wards exist in each borough to manage individual neighborhoods while boroughs themselves have elected MP's directly to the parliament. The administration of New Marine is formed of two tiers: a citywide, strategic tier and a local tier. Citywide administration is coordinated by the Metropolitan Council, while local administration is carried out by local authorities of boroughs or regions. The Council consists of two elected components: the mayor of New Marine, who has executive powers, and the Civil Assembly, which scrutinizes the mayor's decisions and can accept or reject the mayor's budget proposals each year. The headquarters of the Council is New City Hall in the borough of City Proper. Policing in New Marine is carried out by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), overseen by the mayor through the Crime Office.

## Education

New Marine has Limeria's largest concentration of higher education institutions, including Republic Collage in natural and applied sciences, the Richmond School of Economics in social sciences, and the comprehensive Lorwynne University is a very prestigious academic institution for the elites of Aurellea. The Academy of Excellence is an alumni club full of graduates consisting of some of the most powerful people in the country. Erythford College is also built in  but is geared towards a broader audience. The Argyre and Felwyth Academy's, prodigious secondary schools, are both associated with Lorwynne.

## Economy

New Marine's finance industry is based in the City Proper and the Highstreet, the city's two major business districts. New is the pre-eminent financial centres of the world as the most important location for international finance. Media companies are concentrated in New Marine, and the media distribution industry is New Marine's second most competitive sector. The National Report and the Bulletin are the two largest news companies in the Federation and are significant employers in the city while other broadcasters also have headquarters around the city. New Marine is one of the leading tourist destinations in the world and in Y9995 was ranked as the most visited city in the world with over 40 million visits.

## Transport

The Metropolitan Subtrain, commonly referred to as the Underground, is the oldest and longest metro system in the world. The system serves 68 stations and was formed from several private companies, including the world's first underground electric line, the South Strandon Railway. It dates from Y9963. Over two million journeys are made every day on the Underground network, adding up to almost one billion each year. In Y9979 the Highcity Railway, commonly referred to as the Hightrain, opened. An elevated railway that services the main downtown buildings of the city, the train caters to quick access between each of New Marine's 240 skyscrapers.