Chapter 1: The town of Rovos and the Auberon Institute of Magic
In the dim mists of the past millennium, nestled amid the verdant hills and sprawling farmlands of Nevayen Peninsula, the village of Rovos slumbered, content in its simplicity. Farmers and shepherds went about their lives, untroubled by the grand machinations of civilization or the quixotic yearnings of prophecy. The land held no strategic purpose, no glittering troves of natural resources, and lay far beyond the bustling trade routes that wove the continent together. Yet, fate and fortune would conspire to elevate this humble hamlet to a city of legend.
In those days, the peninsula fell under the dominion of the Kingdom of Tvier. King Tvier, a mage of prodigious power and boundless ambition, had united the fractious lands through a combination of guile, charisma, and no small measure of magical might. As his star ascended, so too did the fortunes of his fellow mages and loyal companions. Yet, for all their power, they lacked the same means as a king. Unable to repair their meridians and change their paths to pursue cultivation. They remained mortal, the specter of death an ever-present shadow at their backs.
Among these companions was Phenios Lo, a mage and stalwart friend who had followed Tvier from their days in a secretive magical sect through the crucible of war, and into the halls of the newly-formed kingdom as a trusted general. As the years wore on and the twilight of his life approached, Phenios beseeched his old friend for a boon: to establish an official institution for the study and teaching of magic within Tvier's realm.
Phenios dreamed of a place where mages could delve into the mysteries of their art unfettered by the constraints of tradition and the jealous hoarding of knowledge that plagued their secretive sects. Seeing the wisdom in his friend's vision and wishing to honor their bond, King Tvier agreed to create a state-sponsored academy dedicated to the pursuit of magical knowledge.
Thus, the search began for a suitable location, and fate led them to the heart of the kingdom, where the sleepy village of Rovos lay nestled in the crook of the Nevayan Peninsula. Within a few short years, the Auberon Institute of Magic rose from the verdant hills, a beacon of knowledge and power that would transform the region forever.
Flush with royal patronage, the Institute grew rapidly, and with it, the village of Rovos. The once-quiet farming community soon burgeoned into a thriving port town, fueled by the constant influx of students, scholars, and traders. The Institute itself evolved into a bastion of magical prowess, training both the scholars who would further unlock the secrets of the arcane and the skilled mage officers who would bolster Tvier's growing military might.
Auberon's status rose when the Great Dragon Zarytvi settled in nearby mountains, wanting to work with the Institute's researchers on understanding prana and mana. Zarytvi's involvement with the scholars greatly enhanced the Institute's reputation and solidified its position as a leading magical research center. The town and the dragon's stories became closely connected, contributing to each other's growth and fame.
In this upcoming section we will further explore this early period of Rovos’ and Auberon’s history. How the events that occurred during this time shaped the culture and people in ways that would reverberate throughout the city’s history.
Chapter 20: Establishing the City of Rovos
In those days, Auberon, while a thriving hub of magical learning within the Kingdom of Tvier, was but a modest player on the grand stage of the continent. Its prominence was limited by its remote location and the fact that it served a provincial realm on the periphery of the known world. Nevertheless, the institution's fortunes were about to change under the reign of King Tvier's descendant, King Arvickt the Builder.
King Arvickt inherited a prosperous and stable kingdom, forged by the conquests and wise leadership of his ancestor. Recognizing that his realm required a builder and organizer rather than a warrior, King Tvier had chosen Arvickt as his successor. This proved to be a prescient decision, as King Arvickt dedicated his reign to establishing institutions and constructing systems that would ensure the efficient governance of his kingdom.
Under King Arvickt's rule, the legal code was expanded and clarified, the bureaucracy reformed, the tax system simplified, and substantial investments were made in infrastructure. It was during his reign that the decision was made to establish a new capital for the kingdom.
The city of Ghruda, once the capital of a conquered petty kingdom, had served as the heart of King Tvier's realm. Its central location on the banks of the Elya River had made it the ideal base for King Tvier's military campaigns and allowed him to quell rebellions with remarkable speed. However, as the centuries passed, Ghruda's population swelled from a modest 200,000 to an overwhelming one million. The city was ill-equipped to handle such explosive growth, and myriad problems ensued.
King Arvickt, seeking to ease the burden on Ghruda and leave a lasting legacy, chose to establish a new capital. In order to avoid the pitfalls that had plagued Ghruda and ensure a blank canvas upon which to build, he elected to eschew existing cities in favor of the small port town of Rovos. Nestled on the Naveyan Peninsula, Rovos boasted a safe location, a temperate climate, a strategic port, and the fact that the crown owned the vast majority of the surrounding land. The final factor was particularly enticing to the king.
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At the time, Rovos was a modest community of just 50,000 residents. However, King Arvickt envisioned a grand capital that could, if necessary, comfortably accommodate up to five million inhabitants. With this ambitious goal in mind, he set about transforming the once-sleepy town into a gleaming metropolis.
With unwavering determination and a keen eye for innovation, King Arvickt set about transforming the humble town of Rovos into a gleaming capital that would not only befit his prosperous kingdom but also serve as a shining example of urban planning and progress for the entire continent. To realize this ambitious vision, he sought the expertise of renowned architects, engineers, and city planners from far and wide. There are seven monumental aspects of city design that had huge ramifications we can see affecting Rovos til the modern day. I have isolated these seven because of their overall impact and importance. Over the next ten chapters we will look at these in more detail and discuss their success and failures.
1. City Layout: Embracing a radial design, King Arvickt envisioned concentric rings of streets and districts emanating from a central palace complex. This elegant layout would not only ease navigation and transportation but also allow for the city's seamless expansion as its population burgeoned over time.
2. Public Spaces: Attuned to the vital role of nature in the well-being of his subjects, King Arvickt interwove the urban landscape with verdant parks and gardens. These lush havens offered residents spaces for recreation, relaxation, and communion with nature while fostering a healthier environment.
3. Aqueducts and Sewer Systems: Acknowledging the importance of clean water and sanitation to the city's health and prosperity, King Arvickt commissioned a large network of aqueducts and sewer systems. This fundamental infrastructure ensured a continuous supply of fresh water for the populace while efficiently disposing of waste and curbing the spread of disease.
4. Education and Cultural Institutions: Believing that a well-educated and cultured citizenry was essential to his kingdom's continued success, King Arvickt established numerous institutions dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and the arts. Libraries, museums, and galleries filled the city, while schools and universities opened their doors to people from all walks of life.
5. Architectural Innovations: Fostering a spirit of experimentation and ingenuity in architecture, King Arvickt encouraged the creation of a cityscape that was both visually captivating and structurally sound. Buildings were thoughtfully designed to maximize natural light, promote air circulation, and withstand seismic activity, ensuring a city that was as safe and comfortable as it was beautiful.
6. Public Amenities: To further elevate the quality of life for his subjects, King Arvickt commissioned a plethora of public amenities, such as bathhouses, markets, and recreational facilities. These establishments cultivated a vibrant and bustling city teeming with opportunities for leisure and commerce.
7. City Defenses: To safeguard his new capital from external threats, King Arvickt oversaw the construction of formidable city walls and defensive fortifications. These robust structures, bolstered by a well-trained and well-equipped city guard, ensured that the city remained secure and its denizens sheltered from harm.
Through these innovative and forward-thinking initiatives, King Arvickt transformed the once-quiet town of Rovos into a thriving and prosperous metropolis, a beacon of knowledge and power that would serve as to illuminate Kingdom of Tvier's progress and stand as a shining example for the entire continent.
Chapter 50: The new Auberon Institute
As the new capital took shape, the Auberon Institute of Magic found itself at the heart of a burgeoning city, its influence and prestige growing in tandem with the kingdom's fortunes.
Recognizing the pivotal role played by the Auberon Institute in the kingdom's advancement, King Arvickt sought to elevate it further, transforming it into the shining jewel of his new capital. With grand ambitions and an unwavering commitment to excellence, he reimagined the institution as a center of learning that would encompass not only the study of magic, but also the art of cultivation. To mark this new chapter in its history, the institution was renamed The Auberon Institute.
The Auberon Institute, now destined to be the intellectual and cultural hub of King Arvickt's capital, was granted additional land and resources to fuel its growth and development. The king envisioned a campus that would be a striking declaration of the kingdom's commitment to the pursuit of knowledge, with state-of-the-art facilities and ample space for scholars, students, and practitioners to delve into the mysteries of magic and cultivation alike.
To accommodate this expansion, the decision was made to relocate the Institute to a new site on the outskirts of the city. This move not only provided the Institute with the space it needed to grow, but also allowed the original grounds of the Auberon Institute of Magic to be repurposed as part of the royal palace complex, further cementing the institution's close ties to the crown.
As the construction of the new Auberon Institute commenced, several key changes were implemented. The curriculum was broadened to encompass a diverse range of subjects, from just the arcane arts to now include the study of cultivation and the more mundane subjects of history, philosophy, and the natural sciences. This comprehensive approach to education was designed to foster well-rounded scholars and practitioners who would contribute to the kingdom's progress in myriad ways.
The Institute was given the funding to expand their scope greatly. They forged partnerships with other centers of learning and research across the continent, facilitating the exchange of ideas and fostering collaborations that would propel the kingdom to the forefront of intellectual and magical discovery. Scholars and experts from distant realms were remunerated greatly to teach their knowledge and expertise, enriching the educational experience for all who studied at the Auberon Institute.