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CITY OF CORIANTH
Capital city of the Corianth Empire, situated at the mouth of the River Induin where it flows into the Sea of Iscal, the city of Corianth was originally founded as a trading colony named Eiom in 601 BLC by the great Eptemian city of Delophis. Beginning 269 BLC Eiom served as a place of refuge from religious persecutions under the Ossienic Empire, many of the refugees remaining or spreading out to found new colonies under the authority of Eiom. Not least among the newer arrivals was Vaul of Assus, who then founded the Church of Omicron just outside of the city walls.
In 3 BLC, King Minan of Ithraya turned his attention to the colonies of Eiom, seeking to enrich himself with their resources and growing trade networks to help fund a new campaign against the Eptemians. A young Sephas Corianthos marched out with an army of Eiomites and Thos, defeating him, before turning upon their own King Emeris of Eiom, who had disowned Sephas as a traitor and offered reward for his death. Sephas then marched his army against the city of Eiom itself, laying siege and then quick assaulting it. Sephas triumphed, and now held the reigns of government in Eiom. However, Sephas did not attempt to give his name to the city of Eiom until after he had defeated King Minan at his fortress at Irrax. With the vast landscape of Ithraya promised to his authority, Sephas then convened all of his troops and ephors and had himself proclaimed as Emperor Sephis and disseminated the Constitution of Sephis, while simultaneously replacing the old Eptemian lunar calender used by the Eiomites for a new one, his Lionine Calendar, based on the solar year, declaring his declaration of empire to have occurred in year zero.
After then, Sephis I took on expansion over Thos lands, but took care to expand on the original city of Eiom, building a circumference of intimidating walls about his new named city.
Since those early days, the city of Corianth has continued to grow, nowadays cramped within the original boundaries, the walls since strengthened by successive Emperors.
As the capital city and administrative centre for the Corianth Empire, it serves as a highly important market, holding a number of commercial events throughout the year, not least the Spring Markets.
The skyline of the city of Corianth is dominated by the Emperors Rock, a huge hill and cliff face that faces the river on one side and the sea on the other. It was originally the stronghold of the Kings of Eiom and the richer subjects, and has since become the main seat for the Emperors of the Corianth Empire, who are housed in a great sprawling complex known as the Imperial Palace. It is also home for the Emperors Guard, whose duty it is to protect the Emperor and his city, based only at the Citadel of the Guard, part of the Imperial Palace.
The Order of Omicron also has its main institutions in the city, not least its religious centre, being the Garden of the Prophets in the centre of the city, where the Great Temple of Omicron resides, as well as the main college buildings for the College of Armaments, College of Ministers, and College of Administrators. There is also the now unused Bishops Palace, as well as the Temple of Light, and the buildings for the now defunct College of Cardinals.
One of the more recent and notable sights of the city is the Euphemenon Tower, built near the East Gate, which sports a technical marvel upon its higher reaches: a new invention called a mechanical clock. Situated nearby stands the Atonement Bridge, being another tower, whose purpose is to symbolise the unity of the Corianth Empire after the period known as the Broken Empire.
Statues are very common about the city, notably of past Emperors and Holy Fathers, some carved in marble, some cast in bronze, and a magnificent line of all past Emperors of white marble gilded with gold that processes along the Avenue of the Emperors, starting at the East Gate and continuing on until all 36 universally accepted Emperors before Sephis VI are properly and resplendently represented.
More information on the features and people of the city of Corianth can be found under their own relevant headings. |
