Tororae, Seat of the Sun
As one of Orzaal’s oldest nations, Tororae has stood for eons against the tides of time and the winds of change. Spanning a large swath of the Zetrean grasslands, Tororea is the largest nation on Ediacara by both area and by population. Favoured by the sun god Atu-Zos, the Seat of the Sun has flourished and expanded year after year, seemingly without end. Ruling over the empire is the Xoco royal family from the Palace of the Sun, with a parliament of elected representatives running the day-to-day operations of the nation from the Gold Halls. The Golden Fire Church also plays a major role in the administration of the empire, with its priests, bishops, and cardinals holding large amounts of power and say over the direction Tororea takes, all in the name of their god.
As the nations of Orzaal have become more interconnected due to industrialization sweeping across the globe, Tororea has embraced ideas and emissaries from the world over. The royal family sees value in expanding the horizons of the nation, and in forming alliances that will help to concentrate their power over Ediacara and her rival nations of Zaranta, The Free Cities, and to a lesser extent, the fae of Falnora. Only time will tell how successful these overtures are, and what The Seat of the Sun gains from these relationships.
History
According to history as written by the Golden Church, the capital of Tororae, Holtika, is where Atu-Zos ascended to the heavens at the end of the age of myth. Build upon the site of his ascension is the Golden Fire Cathedral, and it is from this grand edifice that the will of Atu-Zos and his nation has spread across Ediacara. With the sun god blessing the nation with his gaze, Tororae has grown wealthy and powerful, which according to the royal family and the clergy, is the divine right of the nation.
With the rise of Zaranta to the north and its expansionist mindset threatening the status que of the continent, Tororae has found itself allied with the young confederacy of The Free Cities of Ulmera. Together the two nations they are hoping to keep The Silver Empire in check and prevent it from spreading its influence beyond its borders. Only time will tell how long this alliance will last, and how effective it is in preventing the spread of Zaranta.
Cities and Settlements
Holtika
Population: ~1,500,000
From the massive metropolis of Holtika the Xoco royal family and the parliament of the Sun rule over Tororae, guided by the golden rays of Atu-Zos, the sun god and Tororae’s de facto head of state. From within the Golden Fire Cathedral an army of holy men and women carry out the bidding of their god, disseminating their patron’s will across the land, as well as the will of the royal family.
The city is built around the three lakes known as the “Daughters of the Sun,” with each lake named after the mortal daughters of the sun god: Myra, Mina, and Zoe. Rising from the centre of the city, in between the “Daughters” is the Palace of the Sun, and it is here within the palace’s golden halls that the Xoco royal family and the parliament of the Sun governing the nation.
Sarath
Population: ~60,000
Sitting along the western coast of the great plains of Zetrea is the port city of Sarath. It is from here that the Seat of the Sun musters her navy from the impressive Naval Base Gold Rise. Life in the city completely revolves around the military, with most of Sarath’s population working either directly or indirectly with the navy and the cities numerous shipyards.
Sarath’s shipyards and factories build the nation’s warships. Even though it has been generations since the Empire has lost a ship to war, with neither Zaranta nor Falnora having the capabilities to meet Tororea on the waves, there is always a need for more ships; more often than not, these large warships are not lost in battle but lost to the bottomless and crushing depths of the ocean.
Tali
Population: ~1,200,000
Standing proud in the centre of the Zetrean plains is the metropolis of Tali. As the geographic centre of Tororae, Tali sees peoples and goods from all over the Empire, and the rest continent, passing through daily. This steady stream of people from all over Ediacara has turned the city into a melting pot of many cultures, beliefs, and practices, which is very different than the rest of Tororae’s heavy Sun worship. This coming together and mixing of ideas is what fuels the city’s many industries and is why Tali is growing year after year without an end in sight.
The city is home to the Tali Metropolitan University. This massive school is also an elaborate temple to the god of stories and education, Lao’Sia. It is within the university’s central library that the accumulated knowledge of Ediacara is said to be kept and is protected by the priests and priestesses of the Order of Zal.
Weika
Population: ~550,000
At the foot of the Walwin Mountains is the industrial city of Weika. The many factories here process the raw ore that is shipped down from the mines that dot the dry and parched mountains, creating the materials needed to run the amazing and modern world industrialization has brought about. All this industry has coated the city in a fine layer of grime and muck, but this is a minor thing the citizens are willing to endure as they embrace progress and look towards the future.
The countryside around the city is dotted with countless farms, orchards, and ranches that provide the food needed for Weika’s ever growing population. Though it needs to be said that in recent years yields from the land have been lower than expected. What the cause of this stagnation is unknown, but it poses an ever-present problem for the growing city.
Weyatle
Population: ~450,000
Nestled in the large and calm Melicola bay along the seastern coast of Zetrea is the port city of Weyatle. As the shipbuilding mecca of the continent, many of the world’s greatest and largest ships have been built here by the hands of the city’s countless craftsmen and shipwrights. Weyatle is the gate way to Ediacara from those coming from the lands of Torrdonia and Rodina. This intermixing of so many cultures and practices has given the city a very unique look and feel unlike anywhere else on the continent.
Weyatle is also home to a grand temple to Ezilia, the Mistress of Water. Before any ship is sent out of the dry docks, priestesses of Ezilia bless the vessels and ask their goddess to keep the ship and her crew safe before they venture out into the vast oceans of Orzaal.