History of Rak'Than
Contents
Founding
Rak'Than was established in the year 200 by the Archmagus Rak'Than, who ordered the citizens of Riverhelm to relocate to the nearby caldera in order to provide a "defence from the loss of tranquility in the world" three years before.<ref>Archmagus Rak'Than (199), Danger is Coming</ref>
The Archmagus drew up a city plan spanning the entire caldera. The first formal plans were that of an oddly efficient city laid out in a grid over a tiered circle. Streets that ran northwest to southeast were given the names of locally grown alchemical ingredients, and the streets that ran northeast to southwest were numbered beginning with northernmost.
While some of the villagers had begun living in the caldera, construction on the city began properly in the summer of 498, starting with center, establishing a mine and a nearby residential era. A quarter of the residents of Riverhelm had moved by the official announcement.<ref>Paragon Prevari, Collected Memoirs and Letters of Archmagus Rak'Than</ref>
Within the span of a year, the surge of beast attacks the Archmagus Rak'Than had predicted began to occur. The smaller events culminated in a worg attack that claimed the lives of three families with small children. The Archmagus, along with his personal guard, dispatched the menace and implored those still residing there to leave with him.
According to his memoirs, the speech endeared the Archmagus to the populous and cemented his position as the leader of the newly founded Rak'Than. The office created to head the government of the new city was called the Paragon and as appointed state duties along with a personal guard called the Guardians. Upon the Archmagus's death, the office of the Paragon was made an elected office, in accordance with his last wishes.
Rak'Than Dynasty
Paragons elected to the position were elected for life, as per the charter. Within six generations, the Paragon had become an officially hereditary position.
The majority of the city's tiers had been leveled appropriately, but construction stopped there. Developing in accordance with the standards and materials the initial plan dictated was time consuming and costly.
The fifth Paragon lessened the restrictions on housing development, leaving the Archmagus's plans as a grand ideal of the past. The sixth Paragon permitted the construction of buildings by any individual, doing away with the Mason's Guild entirely.
Initially, the economy boomed. With work available anywhere by anyone, risk was high, but labor was cheap. The available land inside of the caldera was quickly utilized. Immigration continued, and soon unemployment became a risk for not only the recently arrived, but the educated and established craftsman, as well.
Pitfire Revolution
The Rak'Than Dynasty was overthrown and the family destroyed during the Pitfire Revolution, which was the result of mounting tensions from two separate catastrophes. In five months, 60% of the housing was destroyed and the remaining 20% damaged significantly by either the rampaging fire or the collapsed mine. The population saw 75% casualties.
Reorganization
With half of the city's land now redistributed to a new government, and a rift separating the two cities, those who remained picked up the pieces. They began by separating the tiers into districts and electing a separate Paragon for each of the six tiers that remained. A new position, known as the Grand Paragon was created, and declared to represent the city as a whole.
Collapse of the Ra'drani Territories
When the Ra'drani Territories fell at the beginning of the Second Cycle, the city of Rak'Than did not fare well. The trade routes dried up as the piracy and monsters became common.
The city and her sister city fell into disrepair. In Rak'Than, four out of ever seven houses were boarded up and abandoned. The inhabitants maintained trade with the suburbs.
Prevari Era
When the Grand Wizard Prevari was elected to the position of Paragon, life improved drastically for those in his tier. The Grand Paragon of the time grew old and ill, and, as had become custom, a new Grand Paragon was chosen from among those reporting to him. Thus began the Prevari Era.
Industry boomed. The plans for the city as it is known today were drawn up, and considered ambitious if not impossible at the time. They included a dam, a harbor, channel locks, gates, modified aqueducts, and a bell sluice. As awe-inspiring as this list was, it did not compare to the task of redirecting the river through the city.
The aqueducts, as inspired by the Archmagus Rak'Than, were completed before the Grand Paragon's death.
