Political Geography of Tosgiv

The Tosgiv Empire has a complex web of political and economic relations between its many cities, towns, and villages. While the Emperor and Imperial Council stand above all and rule the Empire as a whole from their position in the Capital, administration of increasingly smaller districts falls to increasingly less important nobility. Major cities are lorded over by higher nobility, assisted by vassal houses which run individual aspects of governance, industry, and trade. Towns and villages are administered by lesser nobles who live in the cities, requiring the peasantry to trek to the cities every time they wish to speak to their lord or lady.

There are nine noble houses that are regarded as the most powerful and influential families in the Empire. Everyone else ultimately either serves them or is smart enough to stay out of their way. Five of these noble houses correspond to the five Abfallan city-states that together founded the Empire, supplemented by the ruling class of three key Belarian trade hubs and Aznac, the crown jewel of Imperial Feroz. Oftentimes, a newly crowned Emperor will appoint members of the big nine to his Imperial Council in order to placate their families. Good Emperors pick well and create a situation where the other eight families are bickering amongst themselves rather than working together against Imperial authority. During the Succession Trials, only these nine families will typically enter a champion. Any lesser house that does so draws the ire of the big nine, which usually has unpleasant consequences for the family in question.

Sigil: Eagle
The largest city in all of Tosgiv is far from its oldest. Construction of the Capital only began after the founding of the first Tosgivite Empire because the coalition of five cities could not agree on which one of them should become the new Empire’s capital. It is located in the Abfallan heartlands, occupying a mountain that slopes down into the Valle de Emperadores, the province’s largest valley and an artery for trade. Being the center of political and religious power in Tosgiv, the city attracts a lot of trade and has the highest concentration of artisans producing luxury goods anywhere within the Empire. The Capital is not ruled by any noble house, instead finding itself under the direct administration of the Imperial Council. However, most noble houses of importance have an emissary in the Capital in order to attend forums, conduct business, and catch juicy gossip about their rivals.

Sigil: Castle tower with crossed pickaxes below
The city of Orvos ranks among the earliest settlements in Tosgiv thanks to its prime location in the forested foothills of the Abfallan mountains. Gold ore is abundant in this region even after years of exploitation, making Orvos a thriving hub for mining operations. What’s more, the city is also located on a mountain overlooking the main thoroughfare into Abfall. This makes it an important center of trade that sees plenty of Abfallan goods exchanged for Belarian products. House Callisto has ruled the city for generations thanks to their ownership of most of the gold mines in the region. The city also occupies a key strategic position and is heavily fortified, being the first line of defense for the province of Abfall should Belar fall. Much of the city’s walls and higher-class buildings feature intricate designs and frivolous use of gold.

Sigil: Two fish forming a circle
One of the five cities that founded the Empire of Tosgiv, Elyrios has since lost much of its prestige. Its location among the dry, rocky coasts of southwestern Abfall has not done the city any favors over the years, stunting its growth compared to rival cities. As such, Elyrios is easily the smallest of Tosgiv’s historical cities. Under the guidance of House Episcopo, Elyrios has made strides to specialize in areas where it does not have as much competition from others. As such, art and architecture thrive in the city, which is expressed by its cityscape of stark white buildings. Extensive dockworks frequently harbor slave ships looking to sell or venture into Feroz, which is not far away from the tip of the Tosgivite peninsula on which Elyrios is located. Fisheries and sheep herding are the primary sources of food for the city, which otherwise has to import much of the food its Imperial citizens demand.

Sigil: A ship’s wheel with two snakes
Perhaps the second most powerful city in all of Tosgiv, Carrizal is one of the Empire’s founding cities that benefited enormously from the union. It is located in northwestern Abfall, perched on a mountain overlooking the sea below and forests surrounding it. It boasts the largest harbor in all of Tosgiv and claims the title of lynchpin in the Empire’s maritime trade. The majority of trade between Feroz and mainland Tosgiv happens through this city, which also serves as a secondary connection between Belar and Abfall that is accessible by ship. Lumber is the city’s main industry, fueling the shipbuilding facilities located in the city’s expansive harbor district. Most of these are owned by House Scordato, which has provided many an Emperor and founded the Imperial Navy that is still headquartered in Carrizal to this day.

Sigil: The head of a ram with a sword behind it
Like the Capital, Vaccaro is a city located in the Abfallan heartlands. It sits further to the south and is one of the five cities that founded the Empire. The city is ruled by House Valescius, controlling a sprawling region of sparsely vegetated mountains and valleys among the highest peaks of Abfall. Iron and coal are mined in large amounts, fueling the legendary forges of Vaccaro to produce fine steel for Tosgiv’s legions. While the region is not well-suited to farming, it is famous for its herds of sheep, cows, and goats from which dairy is produced. Wool and leather are also important exports of the region, taken down into the Valle de Emperadores to be distributed to the rest of the Empire.

Sigil: Two ferns flanking a mushroom
Also known as the City of Princesses, Coyas is a city in the densely forested north of Abfall. Before the days of the Empire, Coyas was the largest settlement in all of Tosgiv and the center of civilization for the woodland tribes calling Abfall home. Intermarriage with explorers from the coastal settlements of Carrizal and Elyrios turned the town into a center of political power for much of Tosgiv’s early days, before the founding of the Empire heralded the construction of the Capital. Since then, Coyas has lost much of its geopolitical importance, though it remains a city of rich culture and history. It is ruled by House Morchella, who trace their lineage back to various tribal leaders that once controlled the region. Its primary exports are lumber and game.

Sigil: A hydra
Verulis is a sprawling city located in northern Belar, near the mouth of a river that can be followed upstream to Orvos and the Capital. Because the land is mostly flat, only the ruling district of the city actually sits on anything resembling a hill while the rest is on a shallow slope. The lower districts near the river are subject to frequent floods, somewhat mitigated by the array of canals that separate colorful buildings. The lands around Verulis are extremely fertile and home to many of Belar’s famous farms and orchards that feed the Empire. Export of agricultural goods is the city’s main source of wealth, though the muddy coasts and wetlands just north of the city also bring in a plethora of shellfish and crustaceans to be exported along with the bountiful harvests. The city is overseen by House Tychon, who only recently came to power but have proven to be crafty traders more than capable of playing in the big leagues.

Sigil: A rose in a web of thorny vines
Located in the center of Belar, Arcelis is an impressive fortress perched on a high hill overlooking the golden fields of wheat and the province’s famed vineyards that produce Sangria desired by everyone considered important in Tosgivite society. The city is ruled by House Rosálius, which obtained and enjoys great prestige thanks to owning many of the finest wineries in the Empire. The family despises Artesians even more than other Tosgivites because the existence of Capital Rose Wine prevents them from naming any Sangria after their family. Arcelis is also home to many lesser nobles in charge of a town or village somewhere within the sprawling landscape of rivers and plains that dominate this area of Belar. Due to the climate in the region, the clay here is extremely suitable for pottery which has led Arcelis to become the Empire’s leading city for this form of art.

Sigil: A crab
A coastal city located in the arid southeast of Belar, Hifra and its rulers of House Leyre are influential in both Tosgivite politics and military operations. The bastion is the closest major city to the Border Zone, resulting in a large presence of legionnaires within its walls and a high concentration of brothels. A lot of traffic occurs between the city and the various military forts in the Border Zone, in addition to merchants conducting trade with the trading posts lining the Zattarian border. On top of that, Hifra is also the port of call to many of the slaving ships looking for easy pickings along the Zattarian coastline. While mostly a trade hub and strategic fortress, the city also serves as the collection point for salt mining and cultivation of citrus fruits common in the region of Belar it administers.

Sigil: An emperor cobra
Often regarded as the crown jewel of Feroz, another common name for Aznac is El Zafiro de Feroz. The choice of gemstone refers to its sparkling blue waters home to many kinds of fish and coral reefs. The city occupies an unimpressive natural hill, but was built tiered in order to emphasize the class system to the newly integrated Ferozi people who had their jungle town transformed into the most powerful city in the archipelago through Imperial might. House Vestri rules the city, a lineage originally from Abfall but with a lot of Ferozi blood in it. They administer the fishing industry prevalent in the area and have the difficult task of keeping order in the Feroz archipelago. Aznac is also a major trade hub, collecting goods from all over Feroz to be exported to cities in Abfall and Belar and distributing imports from there. Contrary to smaller cities in Feroz, Aznac is not a popular port for pirates because of the large Imperial presence, including military.

Pacari
A city located deep within the Feroz archipelago, nestled within the jungle overlooking a cove where its port is located. It serves as the de-facto capital of the Ferozi Free State, being the headquarters of the Ferozi Resistance and a major pirate haven. As such, it is not ruled by a noble house like the rest of Tosgiv’s major cities, but rather by a council composed of Resistance leadership and some of the most feared pirate lords and ladies in the Empire. It does not trade with the Empire because of an Imperial embargo, though smugglers still manage to exchange goods between the city and Aznac, from where they can enter the Empire unchallenged. The main industries in Pacari are fishing and production of local goods such as traditional Ferozi clothing, death whistles, and coconuts.