Capital of the , Mohacs is the largest metropolis on the continent. Built on the ruins of Old Geneva, the City of Mohacs is both seat to Emperor Iyx I and home to the High Patriarch of the Holy Thonian Church. Located in the Imperial Province, in the shadow of Mount Mohacs, the city is home to a wide range of peoples from all over the Empire. Walking through the city, you will meet Cirkhosian Merchants, dark skinned Bolger warriors, Synobian Monks, Mirakosian mercenaries, Salikar Nomads, Savages from the Jungle Realm, Skandaharian explorers and Thonian bureaucrats.

Once the shining center of a rising empire, the decline and corruption of Emperor Iyx' reign can be felt through the city. Arrogant officials, corrupt city guards, dogmatic scholars and dark alley muggings can easily leave a visitor disappointed at best. The River Thonia running through the city has become dirty with sewage, its smell can be noticed even in the better parts of town.

Emperor Iyx is a true tyrant who ascended to the Throne when he was but a child, about 30 years ago. While he is the undisputed ruler of both the City and the Empire, Thonian society is always home to intrigue and scheming. Duke Taha Marcovic has married into one of the most powerful families of the empire and some say he has his eyes on the throne himself. Perhaps this is why the Emperor has sent Marcovic to the North far away from the capital. With him, the Iron Duke has brought his spymaster, Skandros. Even if Skandros and Marcovic are no longer in Mohacs, both men have the ability to pull strings back home.

Some famous locations in the Imperial Capital are the Imperial Palace, Imperial Square, the University of Mohacs and the High Cathedral.


The Imperial Palace
This is the Palace of Emperor Iyx I, who ascended the throne in the year 1000 NC. The vast and lavish architecture shows the expansions made by countless emperors over the 1000 year history of the Empire. The foundations of the original Royal Castle of King Robert I are hard to spot. The various styles of the different parts of the Palace illustrate well the dynasties of the realm, including the periods of decline of which the current era marks the third such period. In the great hall is filled with tapestries and the smell of old perfume. Here sits the silk lined Imperial Throne upon which many an emperor have sat, determining the fates of countless citizens of the Empire.


Imperial Square
In front of the Palace is the Imperial Square. A colossal statue in the shape of the current emperor looms over the square. This large area is also the place where enemies of the Empire are excecuted. It was here that the two sons of Baron Wolper Gannet of Archlis met their fate at the hands of the Emperor.

University of Mohacs
The once great University of Mohacs is the model for most places of learning in the Empire. Even King Uther of Blackmoor spent time studying here in his youth. Sadly the academics employed here have become dogmatic and arrogant and lost all appetite for true science. (DA1 p 4). The University of Blackmoor, while a much younger institution, was created as a response to the University of Mohacs having become a shadow of its former self.


High Cathedral
The Cathedral is the center of the . A site where citizens from all over the empire come to worship, this magnificent building is dedicated to Odir, Baldin, Pacuun and the other deities. Every so often, the Patriarchs of the Provinces of Thonia are summoned here by the High Patriarch. Sadly however, the Holy Thonian Church has fallen under the dominance of the Emperor and has failed to speak out against the atrocities done by the Empire's worldly rulers.

The following religious orders are represented in the High Cathedral:
Order of Odir
Order of Baldin
Order of Fronaus
Order of Henrin
Order of Hersh
Order of Kadis
Order of Khoronus
Order of Mwajin
Order of Pacuun
Order of Phellia
Order of Sacwhynne
Order of Sollus


The Underworld
On the east side of the River Thonia lies the poor quarters. City Guards ignore this part of town. This is the realm of the Crime Syndicates. Skandros the Strangler was a leader of one such criminal organization, the Assassins Guild, though since he has recently left for the North, his rivals now fight for dominance. Secretly, Skandros still has agents controlling a large part of the crime in the city.



-Havard

Behind the Scenes:
Most of the information is taken from DA1, more specifically the background section as well as the NPC section (Skandros, Taha Marcovic, Wolper Gannet).

The parts on the Thonian Church are based on early fan written material (mainly by James Mishler) with later adaptations to the deities from the ZGG Books.

My additions so far have been adding some color to the existing details. Also, the idea of the Imperial Square is mine. DA1 sometimes comes across as presenting the Thonian Empire like an analogy to the Soviet Union, so I figured they needed a Red Square of sorts.

-Havard

added to the first post:

Emperor Iyx is a true tyrant who ascended to the Throne when he was but a child, about 30 years ago. While he is the undisputed ruler of both the City and the Empire, Thonian society is always home to intrigue and scheming. Duke Taha Marcovic has married into one of the most powerful families of the empire and some say he has his eyes on the throne himself. Perhaps this is why the Emperor has sent Marcovic to the North far away from the capital. With him, the Iron Duke has brought his spymaster, Skandros. Even if Skandros and Marcovic are no longer in Mohacs, both men have the ability to pull strings back home.

-Havard

Revised and illustrated version of the introduction to Mohacs .

-Havard

How about making a city map? 8)

Out of curiosity, what would you like to see developed? More NPC's? More specific buildings within the city?

I have always wondered, is the Geneva mentioned in Mohacs's backstory related to real world Geneva?