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{{Feature|July, 2007}}
{{Shirerothfactbox}}


'''Shirekeep''' is the capital and chief city of [[Shireroth]], with a history going back over 2500 years.
{{Infobox City State
|fullname = Shirekeep<br><small> ''Sxirosikx'' / ''Imperial County of Shirekeep''</small>
|commonname = Shirekeep
|photo =File:Shirekeep pictures.png
|phototext =Top to bottom: [[Palace of Zirandorthel]], view on [[Fort Tempus]] (left), [[Raynor Mausoleum]] (right), [[Wall of Reynardine]], [[Kaiser's Boulevard]].
|flag = File:flag_Shirekeep.png
|coa = File:coa_Shirekeep.png
|motto =
|anthem =
|map = File:Shirekeep map 2.svg
|mapversions =
|capital = Shirekeep
|largecity =
|lang = [[Præta]] (official)<br/> <small>[[Babkhi]], [[Elw language|Elw]], [[Istvanistani]], Jingdaoese (tolerated)</small>
|religion = Cedrism (''endorsed'')
|demnoun = Shirekeeper
|demadj = Shirekeepian
|govtype = Capital City
|headofstatetitle = [[Prefect of Shirekeep]]
|headofstate = [[Octavius|Mira III Octavius-Aryani]]
|legislature = [[Council of Provosts]]
|headoflegislaturetitle =
|headoflegislature =
|estdate = Around 100 AN
|agerank =
|area = ''Bailiwicks'': [[Cabbagefall]], [[Foley]], [[Inner City]], [[Lichkeep]], [[Greenwood]], [[Saint Zor]], [[Valley of Mors (bailiwick)|Valley of Mors]] <br/>''Inner City'': 16 Districts
|arearank =
|pop = 40,082,533 (1674)
|activepop =
|poprank =
|currency = [[Shirerithian erb|Erb]]
|abbrev =
|timezone =
|site =
|forum =
|patron = [[Kaiser Raynor I|Raynor]]-who-slaughtered-[[Rrakanychan]]
|animal =
|drink =
}}


==Understand==
[[File:Shirekeep interpretation 429 AN.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Artist interpretation of the early Keep, before the large scale renovations by [[Kaiser Leto I]].]]
[[File:Malaborty Park.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Malaborty Park, with a statue of [[Kaiser Raynor I]] defeating the evil tree god [[Malarbor]]. It replaced the destroyed [[Statue of Malarborty]], which towered above the Keep and which at intervals shouted at passing boats '''"TRADE WITH SHIREKEEP! MALARBOR DEMANDS IT!"''']]
'''Shirekeep''' is the capital and chief city of [[Shireroth]]. It's metropolis is officially known as the Imperial County of '''Shirekeep'''. When people - especially tourists - refer to Shirekeep, they generally refer to the most ancient and central parts of the city: the [[Inner City]], due to the presence of several of its most important and famous monuments. However, the Inner City is merely a small fraction of the City (which is often referred to as ''Imperial Country'', or ''Greater Shirekeep''). The population of the Imperial County (1674) is 40,082,533 persons, making Shirekeep one of the world's most populous cities. The city has a high population density. It has had a reputation of being crowded, dirty, and polluted.


Although the origins of Shirekeep are shrouded in legend, most people believe that the city was founded by Kaiser Raynor I after his conquest of [[Brookshire]]. [[Raynor]] built the part of the city now known as "[[Raynor's Keep]]" as a fortress guarding the [[Elwynn River]] and as a palace for himself and his successors; commoners and artisans settled to the east of the keep, on the Elwynn's west bank. During the reign of his successor, Raynor II, the city expanded northward as Shirerithian forces fought off the Elw barbarians in the region surrounding the city. During Shirerithian expansion, many of the conquered peoples of the Shirerithian Empire immigrated to the city, creating the sprawling foreign quarters of the south.
It is the political, economic, cultural, and religious center of Shireroth. It holds the seat of the Imperial Government, and its historic [[Raynor's Keep]] serves as the official residence of the Kaiser. The city is also home to the [[Legislature of Shireroth|Legislature]] and the [[Imperial Judex]]. It is the site of the [[Temple of Mors]], one of the most important religious shrine in the nation.  


Shirekeep has been burnt down several times, usually as a result of experiments or military drills gone awry, but occasionally during wars. The city suffered severe damage during the Mog Rebellion, and much of it was also burned down during the War of the Wylthean Succession. Most recently, parts of it have fallen into decay as the Kaiser's government lacks the funds needed to properly fully maintain the city.
Shirekeep is home to numerous museums, art galleries, theaters, and libraries. It is known for its vibrant nightlife - as long as one does not leave the Inner City-, world-class shopping - the [[Imeritus Pleasure District]] -, and numerous festivals. The city is also home to some of Shireroth's most famous landmarks, such as the [[Esagila of Raynor]], the [[Shirewikian Imperial Library]], and [[Malarborty Park]].  


==Get In==
Several voices call for the [[Raynor's Keep]] of Shirekeep to become a [[Shirerithian Heritage Site]] as a whole. It is also home to numerous historical and cultural sites, including the Golden, Silver and Iron Gates, the [[Inner Keep]], the [[Great Armory]], and the [[Astronomy Tower]]. The city is also home to several universities, including the prestigious [[Metzler University]].


The easiest way to get to Shirekeep is to fly. The [[Mattlore Devious International Airport]] receives flights from all over [[Micras]]. No visa is required for most nationalities, although Babkhans, Treesians, and Aerligians need a special "Certificate of Non-Evilness" from the Ministry of Immigration, which the Ministry stubbornly refuses to provide. Although there were previously some issues with nearby Shirerithian airbases using planes for target practice, especially those coming from or heading to [[Babkha]], [[Aerlig]], or [[Treesia]], this issue has been mostly settled.
Shirekeep is connected to the rest of Shireroth by a network of roads, railways, and an international airport. It is also served by a number of ferry services and a tram and bus system.


Travellers already in Shireroth may wish to take a Shirerithian railroad or superhighway from elsewhere in the country. A train ticket from the Brookshire or [[Goldshire]] capitals costs about 40 [[erb]]; one from Eliria costs 20. The line from Musica costs 25, but has a bad tendency to fall into the river around the area of the Isa Bridge; make sure to check on the bridge maintanence status before you go and to bring a life jacket.


For those with more money to burn, the classiest way to enter Shirekeep is by boat. Several companies run pleasure cruises along the Elwynn River; fly or sail into Musica and then take a three or four day leisurely boat ride across the Lunarian and Monty Criscan countryside. Expect to pay about 1000 erb for lodging, transportation, food, and entertainment. Probably the best known of these cruises is the Salamandro, a restored Mog-era frigate whose twenty cabins feature period decorations. Occasionally it will be assaulted by a restored Mog-era pirate ship, whose crew, dressed in traditional Mog-era pirate costumes, will kill some of the travellers with authentic Mog-era weapons. A cruise on the Salamandro costs at least 2000 erb, and should be booked at least six months in advance.
=History=
According to the oldest records available, Shirekeep was founded when Raynor I established his stronghold between the fork of the Blue Elwynn and the White Elwynn in the mid-1st century. The city's mythological foundation went hand in hand with the proclamation of the Duchy of Brookshire and the areas of [[Goldshire]] recently conquered by the young Duke as an empire. He himself ascended the throne as the first Kaiser of Shireroth. His most loyal vassals and generals received some say in a Landsraad, which led Raynor's successors to refer to the realm as an ''Imperial Republic'', despite the lack of any real semblance to a ''res publica''.  


Once in Shireroth, you'll want to make your way to the St. Zor Railway Station, hub of both the city bus system and the SARTRE (Shirekeep Area Rapid Transit Railway Express). Shuttles run from St. Zor Station to Mattlore Devious Airport and back every prime numbered minute after the hour.
[[File:Early Old City.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Old City]] of Shirekeep in its early days (1st century AN). The community and its fertile farmland not only provided the Keep with the necessary goods to get through the winter but also the necessary foodstuffs and provisions for the Kaiser to launch a campaign against the tribes to the north.]]
With the conquest and pacification of the area between the [[Blue Elwynn|Blue]] and [[White Elwynn]], several farming communities emerged. Thus, the wards of [[Northshire]], [[Old City]], [[Ancient City]] (originally Raynor's Village) and [[Raynor's Keep]] saw the light of day as separate villages and hamlets.  


==Orientation==
The town of Northshire would play a vital role as a springboard for the conquests of the tribes in the north. So important itself that it grew into a central trading place. Its prosperity increased to such an extent that wooden defenses appeared around the village. For a time it itself acted as the capital of the newly conquered territories. This role eventually gradually lost as a series of Kaisers successfully dealt with the rebelliousness of the [[Elfinshi]] and [[Elw|Elws]]. At about the same time, a group of monks founded a [[Temple of Mors|temple]] to the south-west of Northshire in honor of the god [[Mors]]. Raynor's Village grew around the temple, which became a place of pilgrimage for the many fallen in the wars. As Northshire grew into a commercial trading town, Raynor's Village and its temple grew richer thanks to the many pilgrimages made from Goldshire and Brookshire.


[[image:Shirekeep2.GIF|thumb|500px|left|A map of the districts of Shirekeep]]
However, the military campaigns were not always decisive in ensuring peace in the areas that now comprise the Inner City. It happened that both Northshire and Raynor's Village were raided several times. Nevertheless, the two communities managed to serve as a defensive wall and to protect the agricultural lands behind against the danger. By the reign of [[Kaiser Leto I]] (during the 5th century) had grown to such an extent that they were all absorbed into the conurbation of the fledgling Shirekeep.


===Raynor's Keep===
The city continued to grow over the centuries. It is generally accepted that the Inner City reached its current size during the reign of [[Kaiser Los II]] (late 15th century). The city walls built by Los II following the [[War of the Wylthean Succession]] formed the foundations of [[Kaiser Reynardine I]]'s fortified city walls, the famed [[Walls of Reynardine]], which still stand today and are the City's most visible division between the city center and the rest of the metropolis.
Raynor's Keep stands in the center of the city, surrounded by a stone wall. Most of the city's historical attractions are here, as well as the center of the Shirerithian government. There are only three gates into the Keep (one to the east, one to the west, and one to the south); these close at 11 PM and open each morning at 10 AM or when the guards wake up, whichever is later. Foreigners who have a Certificate of Non-Evilness will need to show it to the guards before entering the Keep.


===The Commercial District and Docklands===
The city would weather the storm of the [[Kalirion Fracture]] with minimal destruction, as the separatist "[[Vulture States]]" were mostly content to secure their breakaway provinces rather than honour tradition by laying siege to the capital. The long peace which followed, between {{AN|1672}} and {{AN|1724}}, drew to a close after [[Operation Jagdbeute]], an unsuccessful attempt by the [[Raspur Pact]] to recover military articles, stores, and personnel from [[Shirerithian]] territory ahead of the Imperial Republic's widely anticipated withdrawal from the Pact. This conflict led to a rupture in the, by then mostly nominal, alliance between Shireroth and the [[Benacian Union]]. The ensuing [[Shiro-Benacian Cold War]] would see the frontier between the Imperial County and [[Alalehzamin]] and the [[Sovereign Confederation]] sealed by order of the [[Steward]]. The response of the [[High Presidium of the Benacian Union]] and [[Benacia Command]] would see Shirekeep's riverine trade and air traffic strangled by a [[Shirekeep blockade|counter-blockade]] begun in {{AN|1730}}.


The Commercial District and Docklands sit on the Keep's east flank. The Commercial District was originally Shirekeep's main trading port, full of shipyards, docks, and the businesses that sustained them. Cheap dockworkers, usually emigrants from Babkha and Mondesia, were the lifeblood of the industry, and when these were banished from the city by Kaiser Brrapa V, the docks moved east of the river to Goldshire, where they became the Docklands. The Commercial District stayed almost uninhabited for a few decades until some of Shireroth's more enterprising businesses learned they could get land there cheap. It then became a labyrinth of glass and steel office towers, home to Shirekeep's tallest buildings.
As such, Shirekeep would enter the fourth decade of the eighteenth century ''[[after Norton]]'' in a strange limbo, trapped in a false peace that would forever be threatening to tip over into overt total war at the slightest provocation.


Just to the east of the Commercial District lies TIMOTHY'S CLIFF, a precipice where a small hill makes a sheer drop into the waters of the Elwynn below. Back in the days of Kaiser Timothy II, when a thief was caught he would be brought to the top of the cliff and then, with great pomp and ceremony, thrown pushed off the edge into the river beneath. As the cliff was only about ten feet tall, the thief would inevitably plop safely into the river and swim to freedom on the other side - which suited Timothy II just fine, as he was a big softy at heart.
=Administration=
==Bailiwicks and City Districts==
[[File:Shirekeepmap.png|thumb|left|The Imperial County of Shirekeep and its bailiwicks.]]
[[File:Shirekeep inner city districts.png|thumb|left|The Inner City itself is divided in smaller city districts, each with their own identity which can often be traced back to centuries ago.]]
The city is divided into seven bailiwicks. These all belong to the metropolis of Shirekeep. A majority of the population does not live in the famous Inner City, but in the suburbs of the city. A series of forts have been placed in the bailiwicks around the Inner City for protection. The area that is part of Shirekeep today is (much) more extensive than the historic city center within the [[Walls of Reynardine]]. The so-called Inner City may be home to most of the city's most famous monuments and most important institutions, but a majority of the inhabitants live in the Bailiwicks outside the walls.


===The Foreign Quarter===
Because of its special character, the Inner City is divided into City Districts whose boundaries are roughly based on community or village boundaries dating back as far as the time of Kaiser Raynor I.  
The Foreign Quarter is the collection of ethnic communities on the Elwynn's south bank. One day, in a particularly xenophobic mood, [[Kaiser Brrapa V]] banned a long list of foreigners, especially Babkhans and Atterans, from Shirekeep. The banished foreigners crossed to the south bank of the [[Elwynn]], setting up what began as a shantytown and later became its own town, outside the capital's special administrative region but linked socially and culturally to Shirekeep both by its proximity and a series of bridges. Although Brrapa's prohibition has long been lifted, most non-Apollonian foreigners choose to live in the Foreign Quarter anyway to take advantage of the communities there that bind them to their homeland. Many signs in the Quarter are bilingual, featuring both Shirerithian and the language of some foreign country, and even the most patriotic Shirerithians cross the bridges some nights for Shirekeep's most exotic cuisine.


===The Audente and Soloralist Quarters===
The bailiwicks are as follows:
The Audente and Soloralist Quarters are to the Keep's south. When Shireroth was a province of Audentior, the Audente governor, his staff, and the various office he ran were placed in the far south of the city, which quickly became, in these days before the Foreign Quarter, the international hotspot. The Jasonians congregated in the westernmost part of the area. During the secession from Audentior, much of the Audente Quarter was burned in riots, and the Jasonians, Shireroth's new masters, chose to relocate their capital a few hundred meters west into the territory which officially became the Jasonian (later the Soloralist) Quarter. The Audente Quarter now has very few real Audentes, and is inhabited mainly by native Shirerithians and by increasing numbers of Anticans, who find the old Audente architecture someone similar to their own culture.
*[[Cabbagefall]]
*[[Foley]]
*[[Greenwood]]
*[[Inner City]]
*[[Lichkeep]]
*[[Saint Zor]]
*[[Valley of Mors (bailiwick)|Valley of Mors]]


===Northshire===
Northshire is the name given to the area to the north of the Keep, and was a separate village for some time until it merged with the capital around the Alexandrian Age. Legend says that the village was founded by Raynor II as a work camp for laborers constructing his greatest project, the gigantic catapult that would fling him into Heaven and make him a god. Northshire was once the capital of the region currently known as Elwynn, but was replaced by Eliria once the Kaiser's forces pushed beyond the Elwynn's North Fork.


The Inner City forms one bailiwick, which in turn is divided into 16 different districts. These all received numbers to which are referred in official documents:
I. [[Raynor's Keep]]<br>
II. [[Treesian Quarter]]<br>
III. [[Audente Quarter]]<br>
IV. [[Spiritual Observatory District]]<br>
V. [[Soloralist Quarter]]<br>
VI. [[Boreal Quarter]]<br>
VII. [[The Old City]]<br>
VIII. [[Zirandorthel District]]<br>
IX. [[Esagila District]]<br>
X. [[Yardistani Quarter]]<br>
XI. [[Diplomatic District]]<br>
XII. [[The Hub]]<br>
XIII. [[The Rim]]<br>
XIV. The [[Ancient City]] <br>
XV. [[The Docklands]] (West)<br>
XVI. [[Northshire]]


==See==
==Council of Provosts==
Shirekeep is politically divided into Quarters, who each elect a Quarter Council to manage that particular area. This body elects one Provost to chair the Council for a 3 year period. The Provosts sit in the Council of Provosts, which constitutes Shirekeep's central elected body. However, the power of the city remains in the hands of the Prefect, who is appointed directly by the Kaiser.


1) The '''Lukedu Center for the Exploding Arts''' lies in the basin of the giant crater formed by the spectacular destruction of the previous Lukedu Center for the Exploding Arts. It hosts Shireroth's weapons laboratory, armory, and, once a year on the last day in Agnifiero, its most popular fireworks show. Excited citizens start grabbing seats on the crater rim up to a week in advance, and the Kaiser himself traditionally watches. Since the unfortunate incident cutting short the reign of Kaiser Leto II, he has watched by video link from his palace; since the unfortunate incident cutting short the reign of Kaiser Santiago II, from his winter palace in Brookshire. Visitors are invited explore the Center between 10 and 5 weekdays; guided tours are free, but renting a hazardous material protection suit, highly recommended, is twelve erb extra.
==Prefect==
The '''Prefect of [[Shirekeep]]''' (before 1577 AN called the '''Lord Mayor''') is the, by the [[Kaiser]] appointed, ruler of the Imperial Capital and County of the same name.


2) The '''St. Zor Railway Station''' is the portal to and from Shirekeep, linking the Elwynnese Railway to the Shirelands Line. It also is the hub of the bus system, receiving all buses from out of city and connecting their passengers to the intra-city bus lines. The station opened a hundred twenty-seven years ago, and has never had a bus be more than a hundred twenty-seven years late.
The [[Prefectoral Palace]] was located the [[Boreal Quarter]] of [[Shirekeep]] and served as the administrative centre of the Prefect and his administration before it was burnt down during the [[Year of the Four Kaisers]].  


3) The '''Mattlore Devious International Airport / Hospital / Stadium / Aquarium / Zoo / Mini-Golf Course / Cemetery / Ashram / Fire Station / Racetrack / Copper Mine''' is the first glimpse most international visitors see of the capital and, thanks to draconian zoning laws starting in the time of Kaiser Meskan I, home to 64% of Shireroth's public services at last count. The Mattlore Devious Shuttle System conveys visitors from the parking lot (the third largest on Micras) to the various substructures in the complex.
During the administration of Titus Morvayne the Prefect was advised and assisted by a Council of Provosts, an elected council divided along party political lines. The Council was however suppressed with the downfall of Titus.


4) The '''Triple Towers''' stand within the Ancient City, the part of Shirekeep within Kaiser Raynor I's old city walls. The first houses the Imperial Advisory Council, where the Kaiser meets his most trusted friends. The second is the barrack of the Kampeions, the Kaiser's private bodyguards. The third is the home of the Imperial Arbiter, who dispenses justice on the realm's most sinister criminals.
====List of Prefects====
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" border="1"
|-
! scope="col" | Portrait
! scope="col" | Name
! scope="col" | Reign
! scope="col" | Comment
|-
| [[File:Senechal_Jon%27Kur_I_portrait.png|75px]]|| [[Jonas]] Win'Eth || 1577&ndash;1591 || First to hold the title of Prefect instead of Lord Mayor
|-
| [[File:Kai_Jackson.jpg|75px]] || [[Kai Jackson]] || 1591&ndash;1594, 1594&ndash;1610 || Hottest Prefect in recorded history, served two non-consecutive terms 
|-
| [[File:CrestOfMortis.png|75px]] || [[Shyriath|Shyriath Letifer Farstrider of Mortis]] || 1610&ndash;1622 ||
|-
| [[File:1651 Audun Joel.jpg|75px]] || [[Audun Joel Ayreon-Kalirion]] || 1642&ndash;1644 || Marquess of Shirekeep
|-
| [[File:MiraOA.png|75px]] || [[Octavius|Mira II Octavius-Aryani]] || 1645&ndash;1663 || Also Steward (1657&ndash;1663) and Countess of Shirekeep, 1661-1663. Assassinated in the Steward's Tower of [[Raynor's Keep]]
|-
| [[File:Titus_Morvayne.png|75px]]|| [[Titus Morvayne]] || 1664&ndash;1672|| First Prefect taken from within Shirekeep's government
|-
| [[File:MiraOA.png|75px]] || [[Octavius|Mira III Octavius-Aryani]] || 1672&ndash;1737 || Countess of Shirekeep 1663 &ndash;. "De facto" Prefect since the deposition of Titus Morvayne in 1672.
|-
|
|[[Erasmo Laegel]]
|1737-
|Elected by popular (mob) demand during the Mango Anarchy. Established the [[Revolutionary Committee of Shirekeep]].
|}


5) Also within the Ancient City is the '''Temple of Mors''', possibly the oldest building in Shirekeep after Raynor's Keep itself. The Temple houses the remains of all the dead Kaisers of the past, and living Kaisers enter it only once, on their coronation day. The Temple is the most isolated building in the Ancient City, it being considered horribly bad luck to be close to a Temple of Mors for too long.
=Demographics =
Data from the [[1674 Shireroth census]].


6/7) The '''[[Museum of the Fine Arts]]''' houses Shireroth's best paintings and sculptures. Its sister structure, the Museum of the Mediocre Arts, houses all the paintings and sculptures not good enough to be showcased in its neighbor, and is one of the least visited museums in the city.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Division !!  Total population !! Citizens !! Denizens !! Loyal subjects !! Community servants !! Protected persons
|-
! [[The Inner City]] || 576,109 || 36,710 || 345,990 || 110,884 || 72,037 || 10,488
|-
! [[Cabbagefall]] || 14,620,574 || 310,884 || 11,458,830 || 2,037,992 || 805,964 || 6,904
|-
! [[Lichkeep]] || 13,412,846 || 359,093 || 10,108,262 || 2,037,927 || 903,882 || 3,682
|-
! [[Northshire South]] || 11,473,004 || 190,884 || 7,955,030 || 2,088,933 || 1,234,048 || 4,109
|}


8) '''Raynor's Keep''' is the oldest and largest building in Shirekeep and occupies the center of the city. Built by Kaiser Raynor I as his capital and fortress, it now serves as the Kaiser's palace, administrative center, and reception hall. It connects to the Triple Towers by a series of battlements, which are currently used as government offices and storerooms.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Division !! Citizens !! Denizens !! Loyal subjects !! Community servants !! Protected persons
|-
|-
! The Inner City || 6% || 60% || 19% || 13% || 2%
|-
! Cabbagefall || 2% || 78% || 14% || 6% || 0%
|-
! Lichkeep || 3% || 75% || 15% || 7% || 0%
|-
! Northshire South || 2% || 69% || 18% || 11% || 0%
|}


9) '''The [[Landsraad]]''' stands near but outside the Old City, in the center of a district called Ministry Row for the seven Government Ministry Buildings located side by side there. Before it is the famous equestrian statue of Praetor Nicholas Raglan, and its legendary cast-iron Front Gate both keeps out commoners and serves as a meeting-point where they can protest the body's actions. The Landsraad also has a much less conspicuous Back Gate, built by Nicholas Raglan as a secret escape route during a period of tensions between the Kaiser and the nobility. The period ended amicably when Kaiser Trantor III signed the famous Mango Carta. Tourists are welcome unless there is a meeting going on; while adults view the majestic meeting hall, children can try their hands at the fun Landsraad Water Bottle Toss game outside.


[[image:malarborty.gif|thumb|500px|right|The Statue of Malarborty in Shirekeep (artist's depiction)]]
=Public Health=
[[File:Shirekeep Dunporter.jpeg|350px|right|thumb|A noisome but indispensable denizen of the city, the dunporter is a man responsible for manually unclogging the groaning sewer network of the Imperial capital whenever, inevitably, the sewers built underneath the city by the [[Kaiser Dominus]] and his successors failed in the face of the sheer volume of human and industrial waste being forced through narrow confined spaces. So long as sewer eruptions are wished to be avoided, then dunporter will continue to remain integral to the operation of the city, no matter how badly he smells. A position of improbable privilege that the Dunporter's Guild continually strives to uphold.]]
The insanitary conditions of Shirekeep and its environs, including the [[Underkeep]], long submerged in backed up effluent, have become infamous the world over and gave rise to a myriad of disease. The suspicion has been for many years that a great mortality has been kept at bay in the city only by the continual warring of the bacterial microbes as to which should give rise to the next exterminating pestilence.


10) '''Raynor Village''' is a portion of the Ancient City restored to how it might have looked when Kaiser Raynor I ruled the Keep. It contains the Shirekeep Visitors' Center. Watch as women in authentic Raynorian dress demonstrate how the first Shirerithians used to mix gunpowder (please, no smoking in Raynor Village)
A Shirekeeper may be readily identified by the discovery of the so-called "keep-blister", a putrid green bubo or blister, which may be found about the underside of the armpit, in the groin or on the neck of the sufferer. In a Shirekeeper it is the sign that the bacteriological warfare raging in his body has reached a stalemate and that the patient may expect to reach about the average age of someone resident in the city who does not die as a consequence of direct human intervention, which is to say forty-two years. For a person who has come from the countryside or less malignant or indeed more sanitary climes the discovery is usually swiftly fatal.


11) The '''Cedrist Temple''', also called the BOOMist Temple, is along with the Temple of Mors the holiest spot in the BOOMist faith. Built by Raynor I to honor his gods, it holds service every Vivantiaday, Semisaday, and Hasanday, as well as on special occasions. All BOOMists are welcome to attend freely, although be warned that the temple fills quickly, especially on Vivantiaday.
=Economy=
==Industry==


12) SARTRE, the '''Shirekeep Area Rapid Transit Railway Express''', is the best way to travel Shirekeep quickly for tourists and citizens alike. Travelling alternately above and below ground its four lines (the Station line to the north, the Brookshire Line to the west, the Landsraad Line to the east, and the Malarbor Line to the south) include stations only minutes away from all of Shirekeep's major attractions. Every third car is kept empty, to symbolize the crushing emptiness of modern life.
=Culture=
==Landmarks==


13) '''John Metzler III University''', or JM3U as it's known by the locals, is Shireroth's most prestigious institute of higher education, available only to students who have done phenomenally well on their Shireroth Test Of Order and Development, or STOOD tests. Come watch a game by JM3U's sports team, the Fighting Meese, or hear a lecture by some of their world-renowned professors.
==Museums==


14. The '''Temple of the Quintessences''', designed as a smaller copy of its original parent temple in Menelmacar, is one of the largest surviving Soloralist temples and a center of the faith in Shireroth. It is located by the Hyperborean Temple and the Multi-Temple on a street that has now become known to locals as Heretics' Way.
==Religious structures==


15. A short walk from the Temple of the Quintessences are the '''Hyperborean Temples of Truth and Beauty'''. While these pale in comparison to their parent temples in Thule, the former provides a voluminous library open to the public (albeit mostly in Hyperborean), while the latter holds the Benacian continent's most prestigious collection of Hyperborean art off the island itself.
=Education=
==Primary and secondary schools==


16. The '''Multi-Temple''' was built by Kaiser Matthew "the Mad", who hoped to lure all the heretics in Shirekeep to one place and then light it on fire. Before it was completed, Matthew was replaced by his nephew, Kaiser Edwin "the Seems Sane Enough, At Least For A Kaiser" who allowed it to be used for actual worship. Visitors can attend simultaneous ceremonies by, among others, the Priests of Eru, the Aralanic faith, the Zoroastrians, the Christians, the Ultimate Comment, and the Path of Yellow. Those sensitive to loud noises should be warned that the Multi-Temple can provide quite a cacophony, as each priest does his best to outyell the others.
==Colleges and universities==
*[[Metzler University]]


17. At the very point where the Elwynn splits in two stands the pride of Shirekeep, the '''Statue of Malarborty'''. This ninety-four foot bronze image of Shireroth's most recognizable god is located on the very spot where, according to legend, Kaiser Francis I fought the evil Malarbor and made him swear to serve as Shireroth's protector. The statue is the first sight visible to boats sailing up the Elwynn, and was built partly to awe any emissaries viewing Shirekeep for the first time. In this goal it is certainly aided by the primitive but effective sound system installed by Kaiser Nicholas III, which at intervals shouts at passing boats "TRADE WITH SHIREKEEP! MALARBOR DEMANDS IT!"
=Infrastructure=
 
==Public transport==
==Buy==
==Roads==
 
==Air traffic==
Most souveniers in Shirekeep are sold either in the Docklands (if they're cheap) or in Raynor's Keep (if they're expensive). The Raynor Keep souveniers include replica swords, axes, maces, bludgeons, spiky helmets, spiky shoes, armor, and other Raynor-era weapons. Kevin Darjainen runs a heraldry shop near the main tower, and will make your family a personalized coat of arms for a fee. Although traditional Shirerithian arms use goat blood for the red paint, if you bring the blood of your enemies he can substitute that instead.
 
Docklands souveniers tend to be more modern, and range from bobblehead dolls of Raynor I to Malarbor t-shirts to "Restore the Shirerithian Empire" bumper stickers. The prices tend to get cheaper the further you go from the waterfront.
 
All across the city you can buy de-activated nuclear bombs from the Lukedu Center for the Exploding Arts. MAKE SURE THESE ARE DEACTIVATED BEFORE YOU PURCHASE THEM! Generally, bombs that have been safely deactivated will have the name of the inspector on them and an LCEA stamp. Bombs sold in the Foreign Quarter are often not Lukedu items at all, and are more likely to come from the stockpiles of Attera or Col, which may not have deactivated them properly. Needless to say, the best place to buy flammable or radioactive items of all sorts is the Lukedu Center gift shop, but this is somewhat more expensive than elsewhere in the city and if you want to stay in it for more than eighteen minutes (twelve minutes for young children), you have to rent a special suit from the staff.
 
For the man who's got everything, why not buy a noble title? With the collapse of the Empire and the dissolution of the New Feudal system, for a few thousand erb you could make your loved one Count of Wintergleam or Countess of Shimmerspring. Although official titles with Landsraad speaking rights are far beyond the means of most travellers, unofficial counties, which can be created and destroyed at will by higher nobles, are generally easier to pick up. An office for such transactions sits just to the right of the Landsraad Front Gate on Raglan Street.
 
==Stay Safe==
 
Although the Shirerithians are known for their friendliness, they can become angry if you fail to properly respect their culture. Any criticism of the Kaiser is taken very seriously and should be avoided. Although Shireroth is tolerant of other religions, or, as they commonly call them, "accursed heretics", you should avoid mocking the Shirerithian faith, and if you want to preach a rival creed, go to an approved venue such as the Multi-Temple.
 
If you are a Babkhan, Treesian, or Aerligian, you may encounter hostility or discrimination in some areas. In particular, if the guards in Raynor Keep ask if you want to see an authentic example of the ancient Shirerithian method of execution, you should not under any circumstances say yes. If stopped by the police, be as helpful as possible and immediately present your Certificate of Non-Evilness. There are many Babkhans in the Foreign Quarter and you may find yourself more warmly received there.
 
It's best not to say anything along the lines of "Wow, sucks that you lost that whole big empire, huh? Guess that was pretty stupid of you."
 
The Docklands can be a fascinating place to shop or people-watch, but be aware that over the past few years, many con-men have started to prey on the tourists there. One popular con is the "Jaihan Snake Con", where a man will claim to be an explorer returning from the jungles of Jaiha and ask you to hold his giant tropical snake, "just for a second", while he "goes to the bathroom." He'll then throw a giant tropical snake at you, which you will feel obligated to hold for him. However, another explorer (unbeknownst to you, a confederate of the first explorer) will then come by, claiming to have a space mongoose from Jupiter, and ask you to hold that for a second, in the same manner as the first. The "space mongoose" is actually just an ordinary mongoose with antennae glued to its head, and will immediately eat the giant tropical snake, which is in fact only a regular giant snake from the marshes of Wintergleam painted in tropical-looking colors. The first explorer will then come out, act horrified that his giant tropical snake is gone, kill the mongoose in his rage, and demand up to a thousand erb in compensation. Then, just as you're ready to leave, the second explorer will come by, act horrified that his space mongoose is dead, and demand all the erb you have left. Thousands of tourists have fallen victim to the Jaihan Snake Con. Remember - if anyone comes up to you with a giant snake, tell him firmly but politely that you refuse to take it from him.


[[Category:Shirekeep]]
[[Category:Shireroth]]
[[Category:Cities]]
[[Category:Cities]]
[[Category:Diocese of the Church of Elwynn]]
[[Category:Diocese subordinate to the Archdiocese of Yaanek]]

Latest revision as of 22:21, 11 November 2024

Shirekeep
Sxirosikx / Imperial County of Shirekeep
Shirekeep photomontage
Top to bottom: Palace of Zirandorthel, view on Fort Tempus (left), Raynor Mausoleum (right), Wall of Reynardine, Kaiser's Boulevard.
Flag of Shirekeep
Flag 		Coat of Arms of Shirekeep
Coat of Arms
Motto:
Anthem:
Location of Shirekeep
Map versions
Official language(s) Præta (official)
Babkhi, Elw, Istvanistani, Jingdaoese (tolerated)
Demonym Shirekeeper
 - Adjective Shirekeepian
Government Capital City
  Prefect of Shirekeep Mira III Octavius-Aryani
Legislature Council of Provosts
 
Establishment Around 100 AN
Area Bailiwicks: Cabbagefall, Foley, Inner City, Lichkeep, Greenwood, Saint Zor, Valley of Mors
Inner City: 16 Districts
Population 40,082,533 (1674)
Currency Erb
Abbreviation
Time zone(s)
Patron Raynor-who-slaughtered-Rrakanychan
Animal
Drink
Artist interpretation of the early Keep, before the large scale renovations by Kaiser Leto I.
Malaborty Park, with a statue of Kaiser Raynor I defeating the evil tree god Malarbor. It replaced the destroyed Statue of Malarborty, which towered above the Keep and which at intervals shouted at passing boats "TRADE WITH SHIREKEEP! MALARBOR DEMANDS IT!"

Shirekeep is the capital and chief city of Shireroth. It's metropolis is officially known as the Imperial County of Shirekeep. When people - especially tourists - refer to Shirekeep, they generally refer to the most ancient and central parts of the city: the Inner City, due to the presence of several of its most important and famous monuments. However, the Inner City is merely a small fraction of the City (which is often referred to as Imperial Country, or Greater Shirekeep). The population of the Imperial County (1674) is 40,082,533 persons, making Shirekeep one of the world's most populous cities. The city has a high population density. It has had a reputation of being crowded, dirty, and polluted.

It is the political, economic, cultural, and religious center of Shireroth. It holds the seat of the Imperial Government, and its historic Raynor's Keep serves as the official residence of the Kaiser. The city is also home to the Legislature and the Imperial Judex. It is the site of the Temple of Mors, one of the most important religious shrine in the nation.

Shirekeep is home to numerous museums, art galleries, theaters, and libraries. It is known for its vibrant nightlife - as long as one does not leave the Inner City-, world-class shopping - the Imeritus Pleasure District -, and numerous festivals. The city is also home to some of Shireroth's most famous landmarks, such as the Esagila of Raynor, the Shirewikian Imperial Library, and Malarborty Park.

Several voices call for the Raynor's Keep of Shirekeep to become a Shirerithian Heritage Site as a whole. It is also home to numerous historical and cultural sites, including the Golden, Silver and Iron Gates, the Inner Keep, the Great Armory, and the Astronomy Tower. The city is also home to several universities, including the prestigious Metzler University.

Shirekeep is connected to the rest of Shireroth by a network of roads, railways, and an international airport. It is also served by a number of ferry services and a tram and bus system.


History

According to the oldest records available, Shirekeep was founded when Raynor I established his stronghold between the fork of the Blue Elwynn and the White Elwynn in the mid-1st century. The city's mythological foundation went hand in hand with the proclamation of the Duchy of Brookshire and the areas of Goldshire recently conquered by the young Duke as an empire. He himself ascended the throne as the first Kaiser of Shireroth. His most loyal vassals and generals received some say in a Landsraad, which led Raynor's successors to refer to the realm as an Imperial Republic, despite the lack of any real semblance to a res publica.

The Old City of Shirekeep in its early days (1st century AN). The community and its fertile farmland not only provided the Keep with the necessary goods to get through the winter but also the necessary foodstuffs and provisions for the Kaiser to launch a campaign against the tribes to the north.

With the conquest and pacification of the area between the Blue and White Elwynn, several farming communities emerged. Thus, the wards of Northshire, Old City, Ancient City (originally Raynor's Village) and Raynor's Keep saw the light of day as separate villages and hamlets.

The town of Northshire would play a vital role as a springboard for the conquests of the tribes in the north. So important itself that it grew into a central trading place. Its prosperity increased to such an extent that wooden defenses appeared around the village. For a time it itself acted as the capital of the newly conquered territories. This role eventually gradually lost as a series of Kaisers successfully dealt with the rebelliousness of the Elfinshi and Elws. At about the same time, a group of monks founded a temple to the south-west of Northshire in honor of the god Mors. Raynor's Village grew around the temple, which became a place of pilgrimage for the many fallen in the wars. As Northshire grew into a commercial trading town, Raynor's Village and its temple grew richer thanks to the many pilgrimages made from Goldshire and Brookshire.

However, the military campaigns were not always decisive in ensuring peace in the areas that now comprise the Inner City. It happened that both Northshire and Raynor's Village were raided several times. Nevertheless, the two communities managed to serve as a defensive wall and to protect the agricultural lands behind against the danger. By the reign of Kaiser Leto I (during the 5th century) had grown to such an extent that they were all absorbed into the conurbation of the fledgling Shirekeep.

The city continued to grow over the centuries. It is generally accepted that the Inner City reached its current size during the reign of Kaiser Los II (late 15th century). The city walls built by Los II following the War of the Wylthean Succession formed the foundations of Kaiser Reynardine I's fortified city walls, the famed Walls of Reynardine, which still stand today and are the City's most visible division between the city center and the rest of the metropolis.

The city would weather the storm of the Kalirion Fracture with minimal destruction, as the separatist "Vulture States" were mostly content to secure their breakaway provinces rather than honour tradition by laying siege to the capital. The long peace which followed, between 1672 AN and 1724 AN, drew to a close after Operation Jagdbeute, an unsuccessful attempt by the Raspur Pact to recover military articles, stores, and personnel from Shirerithian territory ahead of the Imperial Republic's widely anticipated withdrawal from the Pact. This conflict led to a rupture in the, by then mostly nominal, alliance between Shireroth and the Benacian Union. The ensuing Shiro-Benacian Cold War would see the frontier between the Imperial County and Alalehzamin and the Sovereign Confederation sealed by order of the Steward. The response of the High Presidium of the Benacian Union and Benacia Command would see Shirekeep's riverine trade and air traffic strangled by a counter-blockade begun in 1730 AN.

As such, Shirekeep would enter the fourth decade of the eighteenth century after Norton in a strange limbo, trapped in a false peace that would forever be threatening to tip over into overt total war at the slightest provocation.

Administration

Bailiwicks and City Districts

The Imperial County of Shirekeep and its bailiwicks.
The Inner City itself is divided in smaller city districts, each with their own identity which can often be traced back to centuries ago.

The city is divided into seven bailiwicks. These all belong to the metropolis of Shirekeep. A majority of the population does not live in the famous Inner City, but in the suburbs of the city. A series of forts have been placed in the bailiwicks around the Inner City for protection. The area that is part of Shirekeep today is (much) more extensive than the historic city center within the Walls of Reynardine. The so-called Inner City may be home to most of the city's most famous monuments and most important institutions, but a majority of the inhabitants live in the Bailiwicks outside the walls.

Because of its special character, the Inner City is divided into City Districts whose boundaries are roughly based on community or village boundaries dating back as far as the time of Kaiser Raynor I.

The bailiwicks are as follows:


The Inner City forms one bailiwick, which in turn is divided into 16 different districts. These all received numbers to which are referred in official documents: I. Raynor's Keep
II. Treesian Quarter
III. Audente Quarter
IV. Spiritual Observatory District
V. Soloralist Quarter
VI. Boreal Quarter
VII. The Old City
VIII. Zirandorthel District
IX. Esagila District
X. Yardistani Quarter
XI. Diplomatic District
XII. The Hub
XIII. The Rim
XIV. The Ancient City
XV. The Docklands (West)
XVI. Northshire

Council of Provosts

Shirekeep is politically divided into Quarters, who each elect a Quarter Council to manage that particular area. This body elects one Provost to chair the Council for a 3 year period. The Provosts sit in the Council of Provosts, which constitutes Shirekeep's central elected body. However, the power of the city remains in the hands of the Prefect, who is appointed directly by the Kaiser.

Prefect

The Prefect of Shirekeep (before 1577 AN called the Lord Mayor) is the, by the Kaiser appointed, ruler of the Imperial Capital and County of the same name.

The Prefectoral Palace was located the Boreal Quarter of Shirekeep and served as the administrative centre of the Prefect and his administration before it was burnt down during the Year of the Four Kaisers.

During the administration of Titus Morvayne the Prefect was advised and assisted by a Council of Provosts, an elected council divided along party political lines. The Council was however suppressed with the downfall of Titus.

List of Prefects

Portrait Name Reign Comment
File:Senechal Jon'Kur I portrait.png Jonas Win'Eth 1577–1591 First to hold the title of Prefect instead of Lord Mayor
File:Kai Jackson.jpg Kai Jackson 1591–1594, 1594–1610 Hottest Prefect in recorded history, served two non-consecutive terms
Shyriath Letifer Farstrider of Mortis 1610–1622
Audun Joel Ayreon-Kalirion 1642–1644 Marquess of Shirekeep
Mira II Octavius-Aryani 1645–1663 Also Steward (1657–1663) and Countess of Shirekeep, 1661-1663. Assassinated in the Steward's Tower of Raynor's Keep
File:Titus Morvayne.png Titus Morvayne 1664–1672 First Prefect taken from within Shirekeep's government
Mira III Octavius-Aryani 1672–1737 Countess of Shirekeep 1663 –. "De facto" Prefect since the deposition of Titus Morvayne in 1672.
Erasmo Laegel 1737- Elected by popular (mob) demand during the Mango Anarchy. Established the Revolutionary Committee of Shirekeep.

Demographics

Data from the 1674 Shireroth census.

Division Total population Citizens Denizens Loyal subjects Community servants Protected persons
The Inner City 576,109 36,710 345,990 110,884 72,037 10,488
Cabbagefall 14,620,574 310,884 11,458,830 2,037,992 805,964 6,904
Lichkeep 13,412,846 359,093 10,108,262 2,037,927 903,882 3,682
Northshire South 11,473,004 190,884 7,955,030 2,088,933 1,234,048 4,109
Division Citizens Denizens Loyal subjects Community servants Protected persons
The Inner City 6% 60% 19% 13% 2%
Cabbagefall 2% 78% 14% 6% 0%
Lichkeep 3% 75% 15% 7% 0%
Northshire South 2% 69% 18% 11% 0%


Public Health

A noisome but indispensable denizen of the city, the dunporter is a man responsible for manually unclogging the groaning sewer network of the Imperial capital whenever, inevitably, the sewers built underneath the city by the Kaiser Dominus and his successors failed in the face of the sheer volume of human and industrial waste being forced through narrow confined spaces. So long as sewer eruptions are wished to be avoided, then dunporter will continue to remain integral to the operation of the city, no matter how badly he smells. A position of improbable privilege that the Dunporter's Guild continually strives to uphold.

The insanitary conditions of Shirekeep and its environs, including the Underkeep, long submerged in backed up effluent, have become infamous the world over and gave rise to a myriad of disease. The suspicion has been for many years that a great mortality has been kept at bay in the city only by the continual warring of the bacterial microbes as to which should give rise to the next exterminating pestilence.

A Shirekeeper may be readily identified by the discovery of the so-called "keep-blister", a putrid green bubo or blister, which may be found about the underside of the armpit, in the groin or on the neck of the sufferer. In a Shirekeeper it is the sign that the bacteriological warfare raging in his body has reached a stalemate and that the patient may expect to reach about the average age of someone resident in the city who does not die as a consequence of direct human intervention, which is to say forty-two years. For a person who has come from the countryside or less malignant or indeed more sanitary climes the discovery is usually swiftly fatal.

Economy

Industry

Culture

Landmarks

Museums

Religious structures

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Colleges and universities

Infrastructure

Public transport

Roads

Air traffic

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