Nakrama

Nakrama is the capital city of Okrit and is the nation's largest city by population.

History

Evidence of a walled settlement on Iga Hill dates as far back as Pre-Ukubian times, however most accounts cite the city as being built in the late Ukubian period shortly prior to the empire's collapse. Local lore attributes it's foundation to the legendary figure of Prince Onklobe Iga, whom is the namesake of the hill. Most accounts state that Prince Iga founded Nakrama as a personal estate before opening it to settlers fleeing from the civil war. Accounts differ on his allegiances, but they all state that his fortress continued on after the empire's collapse and that it was the last bastion of civilized Ukubian society. Remaining historical documents and archeological finds suggest that Nakrama was actually established as a prison and that 'Prince' Iga was either the local governor, an influential guard or a prominent faction leader among the inmates, however locals dispute this.

Archaeological finds confirm there was a steep rise in population and establishment of nearby settlements during the Ukubian collapse. This influx is the most likely origin of Nakrama's commercial ties throughout Okrit and maintained the cities growth dominance as an independent city-state.

Geography & Urban Structure

Nakrama is a coastal city of Onomat, located on the central banks of the Omolai north of the Olowai River. The area around the Olowai river consists primarily of flat wetlands with very soft ground and dense forest vegetation, unfit for high-density urban living. Therefore, the majority of Nakrama's urban devolvement is based on a set of small, dry granite hills on the east-most branch of the Olowai river, referred to as the Iga hills. As Nakrama was developed, channels and canals were dug to accommodate boats, excess earth being used to construct mounds and weirs, spreading into the surrounding swamp and into the Omolai itself. Nakrama thus has a characteristic cityscape of dense urban islands among an interwoven web of canals.

Market District

Nakrama's market district serves as the centre for domestic trade within the city, becoming an iconic area of the city as trade power of the Omolai. The market district consists of three densely built islands connected to each others by bridges. The largest of the islands, colloquially known as 'spice island' for it's abundance of spice merchant stalls is a walled sector of two to three-story compounds connected with alleys and bridge-like archways serving both as market stalls and as housing. gates within the walls give way to bridges connecting to the other islands of the Market district as well as the other sectors. The majority of goods traded are locally obtained produce alongside a variety of trades. It is here that some of Nakrama's oldest family trades have been continued, in tanneries, carpenters, haberdashers and others.

The second island, 'the plaza' is a much more open space that serves primarily as the centre for outlets of larger merchants and companies. The Plaza houses the fronts of import businesses as well as those ran by the nobility, most notably those owned and operated by the Aakar Family. The Plaza is mostly paved with some small gardens amongst the various businesses, however gives way to a large, paved open area along it's southern bank, after which the island is named. As the plaza is large enough to accommodate thousands of people, it is often home to temporary stalls as well as performers and military drills. The most prominent landmark of the plaza island is the 'Obelisk of Punishment', a 30 metre tall, carved pillar of Highland Basalt that is often used to publicly humiliate wrong doers. A vast array of features are carved into the pillar to accommodate a variety of different punishment methods, as well as to allow for easy usage by authorities. The age of Obelisk is unknown, as no records of it's erection have survived to the modern era. Mentions of an obelisk date back to Nakrama's time as an Ukubian outpost, however it being the same pillar is a matter of argument. Local lore asserts that the pillar was raised directly from the ground by Amadakle, as a demonstration of his great Ojo.

The third island of the market district serves as the distribution centre, whereby goods are received from the docks and distributed to the other islands. It is here where you will also find the Merchants' Court Building as well as the old accommodations of the AOIC, consisting of offices, a living quarters and a small military training yard. These buildings have since been occupied by branches of the Okriti Government, alongside the construction of buildings for other government branches

Noble Quarter

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Old Nakrama Prison

One of Nakrama's largest landmarks is the Old Prison Complex situated on the westmost island within the Omolai. The large fortified compound has been used as a prison since the Ukubian period, and whose oversight was the priority of the original Ukubian outpost that served as Nakrama's genesis. Access to the island is entirely by boat and is heavily guarded and restricted at all times, only allowig for the transport of prisoners and authorised officials. Since the Okriti unification, the prison has been fitted with machinery to serve as a manufactory. Initially, it served as a manufactory of domestic goods, however shifted to constructing arms after the acquisition of firearm plans from Akaria. The prison has since shifted to only manufacturing parts for firearms due to risks posed by possible prisoner outbreaks. The parts manufactured are shipped to a factory north of Nakrama for assemblage.

Culture

Nakrama is considered the epicenter of Oye culture and accounts for a large amount of Oye literature and a heavy influence of Oye law and beliefs. The Nakrama dialect served as the basis of Standard Omolain, which now serves as the working language of the Okriti government. Nakrama's culture is heavily influenced by it's history as an independent merchant state and its old feuds with the other cities along the Omolai.

Amadakle

Amadakle, also known as the 'big river man' is the patron spirit of Nakrama, one of few traditional spirits within Okriti Religion to be considered a 'god'. Amadakle's realm encompassese fertility, prosperity and rain, and he is traditionally held to have control of the Omolai and and its tributary all wetlands and waterways. He is heavily associated with hippos and the melon tree, all of which occur in considerable frequency around Nakrama and the Olowai River. He is often depicted as an overweight, naked man with the head of a hippopotamus. Alongside his dominion over rain, flooding and crop harvests, he also is associated with financial prosperity and mercantile success alongside general good luck.

It is commonly believed that one gains his favor through wise financial decisions, showing respect towards the waterways and hippopotami, as well as the general accumulation of wealth. This association with wealth leads to him to be heavily venerated by Nakrama's noble families, as a sort of spiritual justification of their higher class, making it disrespectful to be of low wealth and poor social standing. The veneration of Amadakle coinsides with heavy social standards around the treatment of hippos. Harming or "being rude" to a hippopotamus is a great taboo and is met with great social isolation and can serve as the basis for the legal prosecution within Nakrama. Violating this taboo can result in a variety of punishments varying in severity depending on the actions taken

Law & Government

The governance of Nakrama was formally directed by the Merchant Court