Suszeng
Suszeng is the capital and might of the Tajj Netan Empire. Situated along the River Su, with Kastatsz Tuszimos to the South and the Gonnak Mountains to the West, the city is an important strategic location for the empire, as well as its largest city. For fifteen creation-cycles, the seat of the Tajj Netan government has been in Suszeng, and it continues to rule with an iron fist as its lands expand yet further across the continent of Natua.
Government
As Suszeng is the capital of Tajj Neta, it houses the palace of the royal family of Tajj Neta, along with a host of other important government buildings. The city is directly ruled by the royal family and its hired protectorate, which enforces the laws of the city and protects her citizens. Those living beyond the city walls tend to pay tribute to a local duke or duchess, who then passes on a portion of the taxes they collect directly to the Crown. Those living in the city pay taxes directly to a tax collector hired by the Crown. Anyone may seek an audience with the king or queen, although this is usually quite difficult and involves a great deal of bureaucracy. Most issues are dealt with by local protectorate officers and precinct judges.
Defences
Suszeng is defended by several sets of walls - one which extends far out from the city center and protects much of the adjacent farmland, one which protects only the inner precincts of the city, and one which surrounds the palace of the Crown. The first two walls are each 22m in height, and the palace wall reaches an astounding 30m towards the sky. Truly, it is a sight to behold. In the unlikely event that an invading force breaches the outermost walls, the city is equipped with a robust underground tunnel network which allows its military forces to quickly and safely mobilize across the city. Furthermore, the walls are lined with trebuchets and ballistae which are always loaded. Some ballistae are also stationed in the central portions of the city, to protect against any potential aerial attacks.
Industry & Trade
Suszeng is a major exporter of lumber, as it is in the center of a particularly dense forest. Lumber is shipped down the River Su on a barge, and then transferred onto a cargo ship at the mouth of the river in the Bay of Kotok Nas. There is also a profitable panning industry in Suszeng, as lots of silver, zinc, and lead from the Gonnak Mountains ends up downriver from the rich ore deposits in the mountains.
Infrastructure
Suszeng is far more developed than most of the other settlements in Tajj Neta, having a robust cobblestone road network and even a sewage system which extends all the way to the city's walls. Public transit by carriage is also accessible, and not prohibitively expensive either. Watchtowers are stationed along the city's walls as well as throughout its inner precincts to watch for crime and protect the city from invaders. Suszeng has not been successfully invaded in nearly 600 years, since the eponymic Emperor Szeng conquered it in his historic Unification Crusade.
Guilds and Factions
History
Nobody truly knows when the city of Suszeng was founded, but it is surely ancient - inhabited for at least 20 creation-cycles, but potentially as many as 35. Suszeng was originally known as Alasu, but after the Unification Crusade, it was renamed. Historians do not agree on the specifics of its founding. For a long time, Alasu was but a small and peaceful river settlement, but its full value was realized when traders from faraway lands began arriving from the Bay of Kotok Nas. It was found to be a useful place from which to export goods as it lays along the fast-flowing River Su, and it has been warred over numerous times since. The current government of Tajj Neta has controlled the area for just over fourteen creation-cycles now, having taken dominion of it in the year T.S.I.1.
Tourism
Suszeng is seen as a minor holy city for the religion of Postheism, and as such many make their way there on a religious pilgrimage, to see its temples and seek out advice from clerics and oracles. Aside from that, there are not any particularly noteworthy landmarks in the city, aside from the Crown's palace which is closed to any foreign visitors (aside from emissaries and diplomats). The truth is that, while Suszeng is an incredibly useful and powerful city, most would rather travel either further inland to the gorgeous and staggeringly large mountains of the Gonnak Range or to the beautiful ocean scenes of Monyas and Katsz-Nim.
Architecture
Suszeng's architecture does not differ much from the norm of Tajj Netan cities. Peasant's homes tend to be small and made of thatch or stone, with few interesting details, while the upper classes tend to have two or three-story homes carved from fine but sturdy wood, and painted with vibrant colors. Most homes - even those of peasants - do have an attached garden, primarily for religious rites and ceremonies.
Geography
Suszeng is surrounded by dense hardwood forest, and is at the fork of the River Su and the River Aszoktatsz. The terrain around it is generally flat, with more hills lying to the west of its borders. While the trees around it are indeed large, it is far from any world-trees, with the closest being Kastatsz Tuszimos, nearly six hundred kilometers away.
Founding Date
K.S.III.16
Alternative Name(s)
Alasu
Type
Capital
Population
25,876
Inhabitant Demonym
Tajj Netan
Location under
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
Related Reports (Primary)
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