Overview

The Isle of Barulis is located in the southern portion of the North Sea, just off the coast of the Midlands. The Isle is a sprawling metropolis, densely populated toward the northern end of the Isle and becoming sparser the further you travel south and west. The Isle is divided into three large districts; the Western District of Suffolk, the Eastern District of Nordham, and the Central District of Shielding, though usually these are just referred to as the Western, Eastern, and Central Districts. Thick walls surround most of the city and separate the City into its three Districts. These walls, and the gates that allow passage between the Districts, are regularly guarded and patrolled by the Water Guard.

The existence of the Emperor’s Council and the House of Lords are old Barulian traditions, dating back to the founding of the original state of Barul, though the governing bodies have varied in size and function throughout history.

Today, each of the three Districts has a Lord Councilor, who sits on the Emperor's Council. The title of Lord Councilor is usually hereditary, or bequeathed by the Lord Councilor before their passing. The "Emperor's Council" is a title; there isn't really an emperor, as Barulis itself is considered the Emperor who rules all.

Each District has several Lords and Ladies. They are usually granted some estate or property, and have a responsibility to help maintain peace and order within the city whilst attending to the needs of the people. These Lords and Ladies all comprise the House of Lords. There is historically much conflict between the House of Lords and the Emperor's Council. In recent times, many of the nobles of the Eastern Districts have been lobbying for change in order to improve the conditions in their District, but they have been met with significant resistance from the other Districts.

Barulis maintains good relations with the other nations and city-states nearby. Merchants from Barulis do a significant amount of trade with Caldan and Burcima, bringing in wares from the more distant lands of eastern and western Ashriya. As such, Barulis is known for being a place where you can find wares from all over the world, though depending on what you’re looking for, Barulis might not be the cheapest place to find it. While Barulis frequently sees various goods and wares being imported from all over the world to be traded elsewhere, their primary import is foodgrains, which they acquire in bulk locally from the Greenwood Republic.

Culture

In essence, each District of Barulis is functionally its own city, with its own governance, tax collectors, guards, and laws, though any law imposed by the Emperor’s Council and House of Lords will supersede any local laws. The Eastern District seems to be the most lax with respect to oversight and enforcement of laws, while the Western District tends to be far more traditional, having hundreds of volumes of law, with rulings as petty and meager as how much water may be fed to horses based upon the size of said horse. There is a notable disparity of wealth between the three districts of Barulis.

Lord Councilor Francis Calwort, a Ritika, leads the Eastern District of Nordham. The Eastern District is a dense, primarily residential portion of the city. The narrow streets and alleyways that wind through the District lend to its overall cramped feeling. Houses and apartments built several stories high line the streets, many of which were obviously made for cheap during the Reconstruction based on their shabby appearances alone. While it is primarily a residential district, small shops can be found throughout the District. Dozens of shrines to Kimara can be found strewn throughout the Eastern District, though nobody is sure who has been maintaining them.

Lord Councilor Lazlow Jossil is an Elf who leads the Central District of Shielding. The Central District serves as the primary business district of the city; many Barulan merchants and crafters have their shops setup in the Central District (for those that can afford the luxury of such a popular locale, anyways), and as one might expect, the district is often bustling with people throughout the day. The main port of the Isle and primary wharfs are also in the Central District, as well as the only bridge passing over the Barulan Sound. As such, essentially all trade and goods going into or out of Barulis passes through the Central District.

The Bank of Barulis was established by a group of wealthy merchants following the Third Surge, gaining prominence by granting a significant number of loans to those displaced by the flooding of the North Sea. Today, the Bank, located in the Central District, is most well known for granting loans to prospective business owners hoping to move up in the world, and simply need starting funds to make headway with their lucrative endeavors. Some people caution against being too eager to take loans from them, especially for risky endeavors where you may not be able to pay them back; “the Bank will always find a way to get what is owed to them.” However, few are able, or willing, to elaborate on this sentiment.

Lord Councilor Toris Halister, a Human, leads the Western District of Suffolk. The Western District is often considered to be the “wealthier” side of the city. Many of the merchants and traders work in the Central District. There are large, sprawling estates with decadent gardens and statues spread over the grounds. At the western-most part of the Isle is the University of Barulis. Considered to be a prestigious institution for higher learning, the University of Barulis offers a variety of subjects for study. They offer general classes to allow students to sample a variety of subjects, as well as tracks for more focused learning. The Codex’s primary establishment is also based in the Western District. The Codex seeks to compile knowledge from across all of Ashriya. Various chapters of the Codex can be found in towns and cities across Ashriya, each with its own particular niches of interest, but the organization is primarily based out of Barulis. They are led by the Grand Scholar Galdinius Forsythe. There is also a small Temple to Zinaar located within the Western District, which seems to be honorific of the Path of Glory, and is maintained by Lord Eureon Borin.

The Water Guard are the protectors and watchers of Barulis, serving as the first line of defense for the City. They are responsible for guarding the Bridge of Barul, the only bridge to span the Barulan Sound. Large, fortified portcullis protected by Water Guard stand at either end of the bridge. They also patrol the city walls, are stationed at the gates that separate the Districts, and have a number of ships that are used to patrol the coastline, circling around the Isle and maintaining a presence within Purity Bay.

History

The history of Barulis is vast, to say the least. Barulis is one of the oldest nations still in existence in Ashriya, with it originally being founded as the state of Barul in 500 BED. Since its inception, Barulis has undergone significant changes, ranging from isolationist policies, to imperialistic tendencies. Despite how their political bodies and ideals have shifted over the centuries, Barulis has always maintained a position of prominence and importance among the nations of central Ashriya.

Following the Civil War that followed the Breaking of 65 AR, the Allied Districts of Barulis were able to oust the self-declared Empress Kyra Crixus II. The former Empress and her allies were exiled from the nation. Most of the Red Quarter departed from Barulis and headed east, settling upon unoccupied territory that had been covered by the Mists of Durasis, and they established the nation of Dunvaig, named after the most prominent Estate from the Red Quarter.

During the Third Surge, the oceans swelled, and over the course of a day, most of the land north of the Barul River and Purity Lake flooded. While there were miraculously few reported fatalities, the City of Barulis and the nearby territory of Tamecht were completely destroyed, swallowed up by the sea. The city of Singo also suffered extensive damage, but fared far better than its Mother City.

The majority of the inhabitants of the city moved southwest, settling upon the last remaining bits of land north of the Barul River (now referred to as the Barulan Sound) on the land that is now known as the Isle of Barulis. Over the next decade, while the city was being reconstructed on new land, there was a large amount of political turmoil in the nation, as the people of Barulis looked to the nobility for help, and found most of them unable to appease their frustrations and concerns. This would culminate into a violent show of force against the Lords and Councilors, many of which were forced to flee for their lives.

Around this time, the territory of Singo declared their independence. Not in any condition to try and resolidify their claim, Barulis was forced to accept that its Empire was no more.

In the aftermath, only three Councilors remained that people genuinely believed to be able and willing to look out for their best interests; Councilor Alanis Halister of Suffolk, Councilor Marcus Kurzen of Shielding, and a new Councilor chosen by the people, Councilor Lycirus Calwort of Nordham. The Isle was divided into three large districts. Each District would have its own Lord Councilor to serve on the Emperor’s Council, as well as a number of Lords and Ladies who would handle more day-to-day affairs with ruling the city.