Faction: Apoikia

Apoikia


Apoikia is a settlement ruled by Ceres Mino, a Denyeni islander. Ceres is a just and formidable ruler. He works to keep his people safe from rajarasha slavers while expanding his city further into the jungles. He has kept trade with the Abhiran Sultanate however suffers constant raids from his Denyeni brethren who view him as weak for his family’s settled existence. 


It was originally a settlement owned by Lentasect, who were the first settlers from Latys. The people of Abhir generally stayed away from Rajana, not wanting to spend resources fighting the rajarasha in the dense jungles. In 427 CE pirates from Lentasect sailed south, past the Denyeni Isles and made landfall on the northern coasts of Rajana. They settled here, naming the area Apoikia, meaning ‘newly conquered’. 


In 578 CE a fleet of Freedlanders from the Maccan Clandom ranged south and joined the city, living amicably with the Imperrex inhabitants. Over time more Freedlanders and Imperrex would sail south to move to the city. However, the Denyeni took notice of this and in 590 CE, a warfleet led by Bansabira Minos found their way to the city and besieged it. Bansabira took the city however it was then besieged by Daraji almost immediately. The combined forces of Denyeni raiders, Freedlander Pikemen and Lentasect crossbowmen repelled the rajarasha. Following this, Bansabira made herself queen of the city, having the least depleted force. She pledged an oath between the three peoples to all call Apoikia home and defend it together. 


In modern day, the city is chaotically grand, with multiple layers of walls being constructed to encompass newly built houses. There are currently five districts. The architecture is a mix of the Denyeni, Imperrex and Freedlander cultures. Denyeni buildings are normally built out of light brown coloured stones and are rectangular in construction, with rooftop gardens and balconies. Imperrex styled buildings are made of white stone fashioned into pillars, with grand doorways and open windows. Freedlander buildings can be seen by their darker appearance, with pointed spires rising from many of their houses.


The mixing of cultures in Apoikia is a great boon for the city, especially for its defence. Freedlanders provide heavy soldiers, making use of plate armour and heavy weapons, the Denyeni fighters are lightly armoured yet wield double headed axes and javelins, while the Imperrex make use of their ancestral legion tactics as well as pirate styles, combining shield walls with shortswords, duelists and slingers.


Apoikia has no primary deity but it does have shrines dedicated to most deities dotted around the city.


Apoikia’s main industry is in food and exotic materials. Denyeni sailors now form large fishing fleets, while Imperrex Venatores travel out into the jungle to hunt and capture exotic beasts. A staple of the Apoikan culture is the minotaur. Different from minotaurs from the Panna Realm, the minotaurs of Rajana are said to be even more ferocious and tribal than their Latysian counterparts. Hunted almost to extinction by Daraji and his rajarashas, many minotaurs fled to Apoikia, being given refuge in return for military service. Now, minotaurs form the personal guard of the rulers of Apoikia, wielding large bronze axes and bronze panoply armour that covers their body almost completely. Many warriors now wear horned bronze helmets to honour the might of their minotaur soldiers. The districts include; Jewel, Bronze, Timber, Diamond and Stone.


Notable locations in Apoikia include:

Jewel District

  • Palati Minos. The palace of King Ceres Minos, located in the Jewel District. A thickset palatial fortress with compact towers and high walls. A grand structure, almost rivalling the grandeur of the rajarasha talavars. The palace contains a multitude of rooms all with different uses. Acting as a town forum, the lower level halls contain gardens, fountains, and a market. The second level of the palace houses Ceres’ guards, most notably his minotaur bodyguards. They patrol all three floors of the palace, ensuring everything is running smoothly. The third floor of the palace is reserved for Ceres himself, containing large feasting halls, bedrooms, a trophy room and armoury. The roof of the palace contains resplendent hanging gardens, allowing Ceres and Apoikian nobles a place of calm and rest.

Timber District

  • Aobhach Tavern. A large tavern in the Timber District. Owned and run by Ursa Gredathegn, a Freedlander. Her tavern was burned down by a rajarasha spy, killing many Apoikian patrons. In revenge Ursa and a number of volunteers stormed the outskirts of Darajana Vai at night, setting buildings ablaze while a number of captured jungle tigers were set on the rajarasha. Bringing back a considerable amount of treasure that she looted, she funded the reconstruction of her tavern, making it three stories tall, with motifs from all three cultures.

  • Venator Forum. A large square in the Timber District contains lodges and stalls for the city’s hunters, where they sell food and exotic resources and animals such as tiger hides, raptor skins and eagle claws.

Bronze DIstrict

  • Minos Polemistria. Located in the bronze district, which is the forge district of the city. The Polemistria is a large warrior lodge which houses the guards of the city, whether they are Denyeni, Freedlander, Imperrex or minotaur. It is a large and expansive structure with the city’s forges and armouries located around it. Wooden towers rise up to watch over the district.

  • Namal Harbour. An expansive harbour in the Bronze District, holding the Denyeni fishing ships and military fleet.

Diamond District

  • Foros Bazaar. In the centre of the Diamond District is Apoikia’s largest marketplace, where merchants sell their wares from dawn till dusk. It is possible to find almost anything here, as traders come from Abhir, Latys and Heping to trade for exotic Rajana resources. 

Stone District

  • The Stone District stretches around the city and is used primarily for defence and housing.