Capital: Xhaarata
Total Population: 154,000 (83% Eloysian, 10% Verassi, 7% Hakeen, 10% other)
City Population: 137,000 (living within the walls)
Government: Monarchy
Current Leader: Shah Khomir Ghal-Eiago
Coat of Arms: stone-grey tower on deep purple field
Exports: spices, gems, gold, iron, metal goods
Located along the Bronze Coast of Azoria, south of Al'Nhoor and north of Al’Than E’Thai, the City-State of Xhaarata is one of the legendary Seven Cities of Bronze.
Xhaarata is situated along the banks of the Majadra River. The city was once part of the great Eloysian Empire, but is now an independent city-state. Xhaarata is the third-largest of the Seven City-States and competes with its neighbors on the Bronze Coast for market share in trade. For defense, the city-state has a strong navy of 16 warships and standing army of 3,000 soldiers, but can call up as many as 12,000 in time of war. Xhaarata's wealth derives largely from its spice trade, which is the largest along the Bronze Coast.
Local History
Xhaarata has a long and storied past. The city was once the capitol of a powerful and independent nation known as the Kingdom of Xhaarata.
In a ten year period between 359 and 369/4 (AR -64 to AR -54), King Axilar Sanborn of Ralas sailed all the way around the continent of Azoria, stopping at all of the Seven Cities located along the Bronze Coast and befriending the Eloysians who dwelt there.
The seven visits were recorded in his journal, and tell of the wonders of Eloysian culture and magic Axilar encountered on his journey,and the deep friendships he made with the various rulers of the seven city-states. His fifth visit was with Queen Fazelle of Xhaarata; who was then the ruler of the kingdom. The two rulers became great friends (some say lovers!) and a treaty was signed with mutually beneficial terms for trade between the two nations.
Only a few decades later, the city was ruled by the powerful Queen Majadra. Majadra had signed a treaty with Queen Lorica of Eloysia to pay tribute, but soon reneged on the agreement. When Lorica's son Al'Dur assumed the Jade Throne and established the Eloysian Empire, he soon led his armies against Xhaarata in the third and hardest fought of his Seven Glorious Conquests.
To defeat the Eloysians, Queen Majadra hired 10,000 Golden Falcons, an elite Daroon mercenary unit to defeat the Eloysian Myrmidons. The war waged between the years AR 16 and AR 21. The battle ultimately went against Xhaarata, and in the year AR 21, the Queen saw her beloved city's walls breached. She then took poison to avoid the humiliation of Capture. The city of Xhaarata was then burned by the Eloysians and took years to re-build.
For nearly two millennia afterward, the city was harshly ruled by Hamanids sent from Sanjakar, and only became fully independent again when the empire collapsed in AR 2079.
