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Caffa is the second-largest city in the [[New Sammichian Empire]], after the capital city of [[Fulfwotz]]. It serves as a major shipping hub, having the largest port in the northwestern Shire. Despite being under the jurisdiction of the Empire and overseen by a Chancellor, the city is notorious for its well-established system of intimidating aristocratic families who are frequently accused of bullying, harassing, or threatening the Chancellor in order to maintain thinly-veiled control over the city's government. Its aristocracy, which is used in a much more literal sense than the informal [[Fulfwotz Aristocracy]], is made up of numerous wealthy and influential families within the city. Caffa covers Isola di Caffay, a large island with its entire eastern shore carved out into a harbor. [[File:torre1.png|400px|thumb|right|Torre di Bellaluce, one of Caffa's most recognizable landmarks. ]]
[[File:Caffacityscape.jpeg|400px|thumb|right|The cityscape of Caffa's main island; major landmarks include (from left to right): the Abbey of Saint Salvatore, the city's harbor, the Belltower of Saint Roxana, the Basilica of Saint Madonna, the Colossus, and Castello Barsi.]]
'''Caffa''' is a major city in the northwestern Shire, and the second-most populated urban center of the [[New Sammichian Empire]]. Situated around the Caffan Lagoon, the city is split between its dense historic core on the main island and the more provincial countryside across the lagoon on the mainland. The city and the surrounding region forms the eponymous Imperial province of Caffa, the city and province being one and the same.


The city was originally settled by escaped Venezian slaves from the [[Old Sammichian Empire]]. During the period known as the Mandatux Imperatia (Thrennexian for Imperial Mandate), which lasted from roughly 210-70 PRY, the Empire began hording vast areas of land and territories. When indigenous people were discovered living in those regions, it was common for them to be brought back to Ceriumuse and forced into slavery. This is exactly what happened when the Empire encountered the ancestors of the Venezians in the south-central Shire in 187 PRY; they were brought back to the then-capital and forced to work on construction projects or mine beneath the city. Finally, in revolt, the Venezian slaves organized themselves and fled the city to the north, where they established Caffa. With the Empire unaware of the slaves' location, Caffa built itself up in solitude and isolation, careful to not alert Ceriumuse to its existence. The city only exposed itself after the dissolution of the Empire in 58 PRY; within a century, Caffa became a wonder of the Old Shire, and trade increased to unseen amounts. The massive harbor was constructed, along with the Colossus di Caffa (known as Magnus Phallus by locals). With so much revenue being generated, Caffa reorganized its bank system and is credited with developing modern banking. Today, Caffa is still an important trading center.
Much of the Caffan Lagoon is built up into one of the Shire’s largest and busiest harbors, and with [[Rigel]] and [[Laurelian]] is one of the northern Shire’s three main trading centers. Caffa is well-known for its beauty, artistic history, and architecture. It is one of the most religious cities in the world, with much of its population members of the Caffan Catholic Church, as well as being considered the center of Catholicism in the Shire; the Basilica di San Madonna is the seat of Pope Florian XI. The city has a population of 1.3 million.


Unlike Fulfwotz, Caffa is not divided into any identifying neighborhoods or districts, but rather territories belonging to the various nobles within the city. While the areas are not actually property of the families, it is similar to gang territory in Fulfwotz. It is an unwritten code to not interfere in the business of a district of another family, and they typically employ private paramilitary forces to guard and maintain order in their respective areas.  
Caffa’s name is derived from the ancient Thrennexian word capha, which refers to a specific type of merchant vessel in ancient Xamichia which was used by the fleeing slaves who would eventually form the foundations of the city.


With most of the Empire's sea cargo entering Caffa, and many cities eager to trade with it, Caffa brings in a vast amount of income, however, most of this is squandered on construction projects or exuberant festivals which can last for weeks. Caffa has (quite ironically) declared bankruptcy twice since 1900, relying on the decreasing fiscal generosity of their parent Empire. Most of the city's wealth lies in the citizens themselves, and not the government, which is another way the aristocratic families control the city. Caffa's economy is focused on luxuries, such as perfume, clothing, jewelry, spices, tea, along with more infrastructure-oriented industries, such as shipbuilding and banking. The city includes many cultural institutions, such as the [[Basilica di San Madonna]], Castello Alto, and the Colossus di Caffa.
Caffa’s history extends back to the height of Xamichia; after the historic empire imported and subsequently abused slaves from the Italic tribes of the central Shire, an unnamed woman posthumously called Eroina led a slave revolt against their Sammichian masters in 172 PRY, dying in the process. The rebelling slaves boarded six stolen ships and sailed them far north until one of them ran aground on the shores of what would become Caffa’s main island. For many years, Caffa was an unremarkable pastoral village until travelling missionaries brought Christianity to the Caffan Lagoon around 300 CE. In a bout of “divine inspiration”, Caffa began building itself up, forming the oligarchic Council of Kings in order to help facilitate its development and impose rule of law. In 410, the Caffan Catholic Church was established, and the first Pope Clementius I was elected by his peers.  


== History ==
The Council of Kings was eventually overthrown, ushering in the despotic House of Aducci which ruled with an iron fist for three centuries until one of its progenitors, Valentino Aducci, ended the line of dictators and appointed himself the first Doge of Caffa in 838 CE, holding power with the Council of Princes. Under the successive Dogic rule, Caffa’s massive harbor was constructed and it became the preeminent trading center of the northern Shire, gaining immeasurable wealth and eventually inventing modern banking and finance. The vibrant city would end up producing some of the Shire’s foremost artists and musicians, such as Zarro, Agape Vecchiarelli, Bacco Robello, and Levere. In the late 1700’s, Caffa’s prestige waned as its monopoly on the exportation of northern goods was threatened by the emergence of other ports and new trade routes, and entered a decades-long rivalry with the city of [[Paarsdam]]. It would be further put upon by the Great War as well as its decades-long war with the Nave Corsara, a large piracy clan that would frequently plunder ships in Caffan waters, thus discouraging trade with the city.  
=== Formation ===
Caffa owes its creation to a group of escaped Venezian slaves from the Old Sammichian Empire. During the Mandatux Imperatia, Sammichian legions occupying and mapping the central Shire encountered the Venezians in 187 PRY. At first, they attempted to lure the Venezians back to Ceriumuse with gold and jewels, but when that failed, the Sammichians kidnapped an estimated 3,500 and forced them onto ships bound for the capital. The journey lasted for months, and many Venezians died during the trip. When they finally arrived in Ceriumuse, they were promptly enslaved and sent to work around Thrennex by decree of Emperor Lascivix XXX. A slave named Laurentis recounted the conditions of the mines in a journal discovered in the ruins of Ceriumuse: "...the mines stretched beneath the city in every direction. The air was thick and hot as we dreamed of the wintry city above. When we were caught resting, the Xamichine [sic] Overseer would send us to visit someone named the Grief. No one knew who or what the Grief was because no one ever returned."


The oppression of the Venezians continued until about 98 PRY, when a teenager named Bianca di Guerra watched her parents get sent to the Grief for badmouthing the Empress. In her own grief, she rallied the Venezian slaves and revolted. After attacking guards and killing the Overseer, they made their way up into the city and fled through the sewers. They knew of an exit from the city through a collapsed watchtower at the city's perimeter; Bianca was captured by a group of guards, yet the forces of Ceriumuse were unable to capture the rest, as the city was weakened during the mass exodus to Fulfwotz. Far from home, they stole a ship, sailed north, and shipwrecked on an island during a storm. With little other choice, they repurposed the materials from their ship into shelters until limestone and clay deposits were discovered on the nearby coast. While Bianca's fate remains unknown, Caffans maintain the belief that she was tortured for information, but would not divulge their escape route and died a martyr.  
In 1939, the Doge Alessandro Barsi VI controversially ceded Caffa to the New Sammichian Empire in exchange for financial and military support. Since then, Caffa has attempted to secede on three separate occasions, two of which being successful and leading to various regimes, particularly that of the fascist Alfonso Vacarelli. In 2017, Caffa was granted autonomy by the Empire after an attempted secession. Today, Caffa struggles financially on account of internal corruption and fiscal mismanagement, but still profits greatly from its continued trading prowess and lucrative tourism industry, being one of the most visited cities in the world. It is well-known for its picturesque scenery, preeminent architecture, and quaint countryside which produces some of the Shire’s most sought-after wines and olives. There has been a significant backlash against tourists among Caffans, who cite rising living costs, pollution, and the impeding of daily life as being problems arising from the millions of tourists who visit the city annually.


=== Exposure ===
Being an intensely-religious city, Caffa has a strong fixation on Christian beliefs and morality. Many, including government officials, will defer to the Church’s judgment on certain matters. For example, in 1993, when a controversial law raising dues on olive harvests was introduced, it was immediately repealed when Pope Scipinus III spoke out against it. Irreligious Caffans may find themselves isolated and the subject of scrutiny, although this is admittedly changing with the younger, increasingly-nonreligious generations. The Caffan province is decidedly less liberal than the rest of the New Sammichian Empire, with casual homophobia and sexism still being commonplace particularly among older Caffans. It frequently chafes under morally-inconsistent legislation from the Imperial Chancellery, although with its newly-attained autonomous status, it has largely been freed from Imperial Standard Law and its provincial chancellery has taken measures to introduce more conservative legislation in what has largely been seen as a step backwards for Caffa.  
For about 50 years, Caffa built itself up quietly, careful to not alert the nearby capital of its existence. It wasn't until 58 PRY that this changed; after the dissolution of the Old Sammichian Empire by Empress Flux, word had reached Caffa. Knowing that fear of retaliation and annexation by the Empire was no longer required, Caffa began
 
Caffa's official language is Italian, being the first language of over 87% of its inhabitants and used in all administrative and legal matters. English is spoken by approximately 63% of Caffans, and participating in government does require English fluency.
 
''For more information on Caffa, please refer to the [[New Sammichian Empire]].''

Latest revision as of 13:08, 15 November 2019

The cityscape of Caffa's main island; major landmarks include (from left to right): the Abbey of Saint Salvatore, the city's harbor, the Belltower of Saint Roxana, the Basilica of Saint Madonna, the Colossus, and Castello Barsi.

Caffa is a major city in the northwestern Shire, and the second-most populated urban center of the New Sammichian Empire. Situated around the Caffan Lagoon, the city is split between its dense historic core on the main island and the more provincial countryside across the lagoon on the mainland. The city and the surrounding region forms the eponymous Imperial province of Caffa, the city and province being one and the same.

Much of the Caffan Lagoon is built up into one of the Shire’s largest and busiest harbors, and with Rigel and Laurelian is one of the northern Shire’s three main trading centers. Caffa is well-known for its beauty, artistic history, and architecture. It is one of the most religious cities in the world, with much of its population members of the Caffan Catholic Church, as well as being considered the center of Catholicism in the Shire; the Basilica di San Madonna is the seat of Pope Florian XI. The city has a population of 1.3 million.

Caffa’s name is derived from the ancient Thrennexian word capha, which refers to a specific type of merchant vessel in ancient Xamichia which was used by the fleeing slaves who would eventually form the foundations of the city.

Caffa’s history extends back to the height of Xamichia; after the historic empire imported and subsequently abused slaves from the Italic tribes of the central Shire, an unnamed woman posthumously called Eroina led a slave revolt against their Sammichian masters in 172 PRY, dying in the process. The rebelling slaves boarded six stolen ships and sailed them far north until one of them ran aground on the shores of what would become Caffa’s main island. For many years, Caffa was an unremarkable pastoral village until travelling missionaries brought Christianity to the Caffan Lagoon around 300 CE. In a bout of “divine inspiration”, Caffa began building itself up, forming the oligarchic Council of Kings in order to help facilitate its development and impose rule of law. In 410, the Caffan Catholic Church was established, and the first Pope Clementius I was elected by his peers.

The Council of Kings was eventually overthrown, ushering in the despotic House of Aducci which ruled with an iron fist for three centuries until one of its progenitors, Valentino Aducci, ended the line of dictators and appointed himself the first Doge of Caffa in 838 CE, holding power with the Council of Princes. Under the successive Dogic rule, Caffa’s massive harbor was constructed and it became the preeminent trading center of the northern Shire, gaining immeasurable wealth and eventually inventing modern banking and finance. The vibrant city would end up producing some of the Shire’s foremost artists and musicians, such as Zarro, Agape Vecchiarelli, Bacco Robello, and Levere. In the late 1700’s, Caffa’s prestige waned as its monopoly on the exportation of northern goods was threatened by the emergence of other ports and new trade routes, and entered a decades-long rivalry with the city of Paarsdam. It would be further put upon by the Great War as well as its decades-long war with the Nave Corsara, a large piracy clan that would frequently plunder ships in Caffan waters, thus discouraging trade with the city.

In 1939, the Doge Alessandro Barsi VI controversially ceded Caffa to the New Sammichian Empire in exchange for financial and military support. Since then, Caffa has attempted to secede on three separate occasions, two of which being successful and leading to various regimes, particularly that of the fascist Alfonso Vacarelli. In 2017, Caffa was granted autonomy by the Empire after an attempted secession. Today, Caffa struggles financially on account of internal corruption and fiscal mismanagement, but still profits greatly from its continued trading prowess and lucrative tourism industry, being one of the most visited cities in the world. It is well-known for its picturesque scenery, preeminent architecture, and quaint countryside which produces some of the Shire’s most sought-after wines and olives. There has been a significant backlash against tourists among Caffans, who cite rising living costs, pollution, and the impeding of daily life as being problems arising from the millions of tourists who visit the city annually.

Being an intensely-religious city, Caffa has a strong fixation on Christian beliefs and morality. Many, including government officials, will defer to the Church’s judgment on certain matters. For example, in 1993, when a controversial law raising dues on olive harvests was introduced, it was immediately repealed when Pope Scipinus III spoke out against it. Irreligious Caffans may find themselves isolated and the subject of scrutiny, although this is admittedly changing with the younger, increasingly-nonreligious generations. The Caffan province is decidedly less liberal than the rest of the New Sammichian Empire, with casual homophobia and sexism still being commonplace particularly among older Caffans. It frequently chafes under morally-inconsistent legislation from the Imperial Chancellery, although with its newly-attained autonomous status, it has largely been freed from Imperial Standard Law and its provincial chancellery has taken measures to introduce more conservative legislation in what has largely been seen as a step backwards for Caffa.

Caffa's official language is Italian, being the first language of over 87% of its inhabitants and used in all administrative and legal matters. English is spoken by approximately 63% of Caffans, and participating in government does require English fluency.

For more information on Caffa, please refer to the New Sammichian Empire.