Tajiri

Tajiri is a city in north-central Silva, in the governance of Makhlar Alra'as, where governor Marzooq rules.

Geography and layout
Tajiri is located at the coast on the densely populated cape, jutting out into the Ocean to the South. The Claw of Carlysle lies not very far away, and Tajiri's famous connections by galley often leave for Tyranfort. The Cotton Road ends at Tajiri and runs from the Jungle Road, which connects Wad'h and Al-Rah. The port of Tajiri is one of the largest in the world, after Vesper Aestas and Geoffport, among others. It is the largest port in Silva, though.

Tajiri has not one established religion, but many of Silva's faiths can be worshipped along the streets and by the sea in temples and at shrines. Even the Five Gods from the other side of the world were granted a small temple on a peaceful island close to the coast.

The streets in Tajiri are more organised than in the capital of Al-Rah, but it could still seem very busy and chaotic to foreigners. The city lies in a large cove, and the harbour strethces around it. In the cove lie many small islands, including the one with the temple for the Five Gods. Governor Marzooq lives inside his palace just outside the city, where heavily armed soldiers and towers protect him and his golden villa. Tajiri is surrounded by a faint red-orange brick wall.

People and economy
Some scholars believe Tajiriï are descendants of the purest of nobles from Silva, others say Tajiri was founded by some slaves, who needed a new home. Whichever one is correct, the men and women from the city grew into strong people, great warriors and traders, and some became the richest in the realm. These wealthy noblemen or tradesmen made their coin on the seas and in ports all over the world. They tradedwith foreigners and built their palaces and villas just outside the villa in the hills overlooking the ocean.

The people in Tajiri are dark-skinned, often stout, and thick-lipped. Their skin is fairer than the Silvae who live in the countryside, though. Their eyes are regularly brown or black and they are either bald or have frizzy hair, the men and women both. The men's voices are deep and on their Scaepta lies a thick accent, if they can speak the tongue.

The common folk of Tajiri are not necessarily rich, but not too poor like in Al-Rah. They too take advantage of Tajiri's ideal position in the mapped world and set up small businesses or simply sell their goods in the streets or by the docks. The middle class in the city commonly earn their coin from a brilliant and modern invention: the public boat transport of Tajiri. Because of the city's overflow of galleys, one especially smart governor started the public boat transport. For a small fee, commoners can take boats to many parts in the world. Sails set out for Tyranfort, the Capital, Satama, and even Iuvalem and Vesper Aestas every single day. Other, smaller journeys are available as well.

The money in Tajiri is just like in all the rest of Silva:

-1 Golden Star is worth 10 Golden Octagons

-1 Golden Octagon is worth 10 Silver Ovals

-1 Silver Oval is worth 10 Bronze Leaves

History
The dense jungles of southern and eastern Silva were very sparsely populated in the first days of the written history, for the climate was harsh and the land harsher. Diseases and deathly animals did not ecourage anyone to settle there, either. Most of the Silvae lived on the plains in the west of the continent, or in the central part and the cape, where Tajiri was built. Nobody really knows how the city grew or who raised a village on the spot, but we do know Tajiri was the largest city in Silva for hundreds of years, before Al-Rah rose from the ground out of nowhere and defeated Tajiri in the War for Silva. This granted Al-Rah the title of capital and lowered Tajiri to 'just another city in Silva'. Scholars estimate this to have happened around 650 years before the Age of Emperors.

In 99 A.E., the young Emperor Aeneas Augustus sailed his fleet south in what was the most ambitious conquest attempt in centuries. He longed to unite three of the four continents in the Empire of the Gryphon and conquer the entirety of Silva. His first goal was conquering Tajiri. He reached and landed by the city unchallenged, and broke down the walls. The governor of the city was held as captive for almost a year, until the sultan's army arrived from Al-Rah and Wad'h, breaking the opposer's army. Aeneas fleed with a large part of his fleet, but he was truly defeated on the ocean, when the sultan himself overwhelmed him with all the strength of Silva's islands.

In 222 A.K., a young and secret daughter of the governor of Tajiri enters the city with her child, the Prince of Scaeptre and son of Julian Carlysle. She is received by her father, who is overjoyed. She accomplished her 'mission' and Silva holds the rightful heir to the throne of Scaeptre. The governor sails his entire strength north in order to conquer the continent, but Alexander Augustus lurks on the other side as well...