Boldragoth
Location: South of Baranar's Waste (Since the woods were demolished) on Deisach.
Description: Boldragoth is an ancient city wih a history reaching back more than 700 years. Originally founded on religious freedom, Boldragoth has become a center of magical study and trade in the Dilosian Empire.
History: Some years after the Battle of the Apocalypse there was a time of religious persecution by the Red Empire. In 38 A.R. Dermot Raner, charismatic cleric of Dio, led a congregation out of a Red Empire city on Deisach, the name of which has been lost ot time. This congregation wandered south, past Dio's Tower and even through the Matune Desert. By the time they made it to the edge of what was then Baranar's Woods Raner's congregation had more than doubled. When these men and women, devote Dians looking for a place to worship, reached a small bay Raner told them that their journey was over. It was here that the wanderers began to build their town, centered around a simple temple. By the year 50 A.R. the town of Boldragoth had only about 800 residents.
Boldragoth quickly grew as they sent out messengers to bring the loyal worshippers of Dio to this place. As his city grew Dermot Raner knew that the power of leadership could corrupt the weak, and in his memoirs he says he was tempted to abuse his power several times but Dio stayed his actions. So it was that Raner set up a religious Senate to rule Boldragoth, so that the right and just could divide the burden and temptation of power. Boldragoth grew quietly and steadily, as did the temple that was the focal point of the city. Magical runes were inscribed over many structures, including the protecting city walls. This was the defense of Boldragoth, not an army.
After many years of peace the Seeker Wars brought chaos to Boldragoth. Much of the Elven population was slain, and what remained fled. Several prominent Senate members were also murdered, and the citizens of Boldragoth took this as a sign: Their leaders must have been corrupt if Dio would allow this to happen. So, as the power of the Seekers waned Boldragoth's citizens reclaimed their city. The rest of the Senate members were hunted down and executed, along with what Seekers didn't flee the city. So it was that the power of ruling came to rest once more upon the shoulders of one man, Archbishop Clarence Torval. Torval's power was finally cemented in 262 A.R. when he signed the Diamond Accord, which ended the fighting between the Archbishop's followers and those who were loyal to Gar Corbert - a wealthy merchant and cleric of Dio - and Velin Bo - a powerful Earth mage.
Much of Boldragoth had been burned and blown to rubble in the battle with the Seekers and the fighting that continued afterwards. The grand temple still stood, along with a few older buildings, but the walls had been demolished along with many homes. The citizens of Boldragoth, their population much smaller than it had been, began to rebuild their tattered city. From the east the Dilosian Empire watched closely. The Dilosians opened up trade channels with Boldragoth and helped in the reconstruction efforts. Then, after more than a year of peace, the Archbishop executed a crew of Goblin surveyors for "disrespectful conduct". Very few people were surprised when a few weeks later, in the middle of the night, five airships bearing the seal of Dilosia snuck over the city. The next day the Archbishop was publicly executed for religious persecution, a charge the people of Boldragoth took very seriously.
The Dilosian Empire put Gar Corbert, Torval's rival, in power. After a few months, when things had settled down, Corbert announced that he was in political talks with the leaders of Dilosia. In 265 A.R. Colbert signed the Pact of Union and Boldragoth officially became part of the Dilosian Empire. Gar Corbert's title became Governor and he was in charge of the local Office of the Emperor. By 320 A.R. life finally returned to normal, though no one was alive to remember that things used to be so peaceful. As Dilosia grew so did Boldragoth. In 412 A.R. the Academy of Magic was opened in an ancient manor that was one of the few remaining structures from before the Seeker Wars, still covered in intricate patterns of protective runes.
The Academy had excellent relations with the Temple of Dio that is still the focus of Boldragoth. Many books on magic, as well as exploratory works on Earth magic written by students and professors, were collected in a library. Over the years the Academy attracted many talented mages to review the texts they had and seek out training. The Academy expanded its facilities below the ground, since there was no room for expansion elsewhere in the so-called Historic District.
In 670 A.R. Boldragoth was connected to the rest of the Dilosian Empire when the Boldragoth-Lucant Railroad was finished. Trade saw a sharp increase as products and people were able to move more quickly through the train depot. The small depot soon became a train yard that grew out from the east of Boldragoth's defensive wall. Boldragoth and the Academy of Magic flourished. It was in 683 A.R., in this environment of growth and prosperity, that a young apprentice at the Acadmey named Glenn Morland wrote his first paper on Elemental Resonance. This was just the beginning of Morland's long career in magical research at the Academy, and he taught there until the day of his death.
Population: About 150,000 permanent residents, predominantly human. In the spring and summer Boldragoth usually has about 5,000 temporary residents, mostly merchants and pilgrims to the Academy of Magic and the Temple of Dio.
Current Leader: Governor Arman Elzar
Government: Governor Elzar controls the Boldragoth Militia, which also doubles as a police force. Boldragoth has ten judges, appointed by the governor, who enforce the laws of New Dilosia over criminals. The other officials at the Office of the Emperor handle many of the day-to-day details of the city.
Empire: Boldragoth is a part of New Dilosia.
Army: Boldragoth has a Militia, not a real standing army. All men of at least 16 years must join, though many students and clerics recieve special dispensation. Whenever someone is enrolled in the Boldragoth Militia they undergo a four-month training program. There are only 5,000 regular Militiamen, who act as a police force. Another 30,000 men, from ages 16 to 46, can be called to duty when needed.
