Approved Location Yastoida

[Anya Venari]

Yastioda

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To create a city for the Vash to live and reside in and show their evolution to the modern era.
• Image Credit: Here.
• Canon: N/A
• Permissions: N/A
• Links: Tygara, Vashyada, Firemane, Xioquo, Qadiri,

SETTING INFORMATION

• City Name: Yastoida – the Silver Lake
• Classification: City/Tradeport
• Location: Tygara , specifically in the centre of the southern continent of Yarkul.
• Affiliation: The Vash, Firemane.
• Population: Moderate . The city is relatively small in size but careful attention has been paid to not allowing crowding to occur. The total population of the city varies depending on the season and visitors but is generally around 25,000 people. A tiny city in galactic terms, but the second largest Vash city after their capital of Vastryo.
• Demographics: Unlike most settlements on Tygara, there are a lot of off-worlders in Yastoida. However, at least 80% of the population are Vashyada. Firemane holds an embassy here and there are traders and experts from many races present. Among the races represented here are humans of course, but also Eldorai, Ithorians and Wookiees. The latter two provided expertise for the creation of the city.
• Wealth: High. Yastoida is a new city and a commercial hub for Vashyada and off-worlders alike. It is not a conventional city where people might migrate or move to at the spur of the moment as space is limited and expensive. Therefore the people who live here are the Vash who are most interested in assimilating with the culture of the stars and have the wealth and influence to do so. The off-worlders who live here likewise are those who have the money, connections and desire to live in this new realm and so tend to be well established. There is a network of less wealthy Vash who operate hospitality, retail and other jobs around the city, but they are paid in Firemane's credits which have a strong value and so even they are relatively wealthy compared to their arboreal kin.
• Stability: High. As the city is new and designed as an outward facing entrepot for the Vash people it is both well policed and quite exclusive. Those who travel there from offworld are carefully monitored and arrivals are by invitation only. Whilst there is resentment among some Vash for this change in their ways and the approachment to the off-worlders, it does not translate into violence or rebellion.
• Freedom & Oppression: Yastoida is ruled by a city council of 10 beings, 7 of them Vash. Three off-worlder delegates are selected from amongst the relatives, whilst the Vash are chosen from amongst the residents. Outright democracy with political parties is relatively new for the Vash but they have a long tradition of collaboration despite their monarchical leaders. Many of the groups and settlements practice tribal democracy so the change to parties is a little different in concept but not so much in execution.
  The councillors are selected by vote once every 3 years and can serve only 2 terms maximum. By limiting the franchise only to those living in the city the more progressive, trade orientated parties control 5 of the 7 Vash seats.

For residents and visitors, the city of Yastoida is something of a paradox. On the one hand it is a city for the Vashyada, a culture which has no history or desire for strong rulers. Organisation had been based on clan, and due to the rough terrain incredibly decentralised. However, this city has restrictions and laws to govern behaviour, travel and interactions between locals and visitors. This can make it seem like a radical departure from the rest of Vash society – something critics and traditionalists have pointed out often!
Overall though the city is quite moderate in its actions. Those off-worlders arrested for minor crimes are simply fined. Repeat offenders are deported and not allowed to return. Those guilty of more serious crimes are either extradited to their home planet/faction if possible, or put to work in some of the maintenance roles. The Vash by and large do not believe in capital punishment. For Vash who are prosecuted for crimes, they are punished in accordance with the traditional laws which usually involve fines, forced labour or exiling.

• Description: Yastoida rises like a silver wall above the clear waters of Lake Eventide. The city is circular in shape, though it very strongly has curves and shapes resembling nature throughout. It stretches several kilometres in diameter and from water to tip of the spire is nearly 300 metres, though the top 'deck' is only a hundred or so metres above the water.

From above, and even from the water, one might be forgiven for thinking it was a large cruise ship, floating on the lake, though this is not true. Lake Eventide is quite deep, and so the pylons have been sunk deep into the rock below the lake bottom to anchor the city in place. Even were for some reason these removed the city would not sink as it is buoyant on its own.
In addition to the usual components of a city, Yastoida also features an unusual amount of nature and plants. The Vash are a race which tends to the land and through it nurture life, reflected in their ability to maintain all these plants on the modern city.
To the west side of the city a causeway connects the lake to the mainland. Meanwhile on the eastern side the twenty-four landing pads for space craft and berths for water vessels can be found. Turbolifts make ascending and descending easy and a small monorail runs around the top level's rim.
Visitors of all types can be found in Yastoida. Many of them are from Tygara but a sizeable number come from offworld, as this city offers an easy spot to visit the planet. It is common to see a large number of species interacting with each other. Matters are quite peaceful in the city, but the occasional disturbance is handled by the local police force.

POINTS OF INTEREST

• The Skyward Swords. The main offensive power of the city are the four batteries set in the cardinal points of the city. Usually these appear as mere white domes, but these can be withdrawn quickly to expose an absolutely devastating amount of firepower. Each of the Skyward Sword batteries mounts a quad turbolaser cannon which can face in any direction and elevator or descend to cover any threat. The Swords also contain Keraunos missile emplacements.
• The Heavenly Spirit Cantina. A large cantina set on multiple levels with excellent views. This establishment caters for individuals and groups to mingle and also serves food. The cost and tone of this place is quite high, but it is sought out for business deals and high profile networking.
• The Tipsy Spider Cantina. In contrast to the Heavenly Spirit, this is a drinking den near the docks. It lacks the views, class and clientele of the richer place but makes up for it with cheap and strong drinks. As this is part of the docks spacers can come and go from here without passing through Vash customs and registration which makes it good for those not wanting to stay long. It gets its name from a particularly foolish traveller who fed a Partuz strong liquor. Their fate was a saliant example, and urban myth, about the dangers of Yarkul.
• The Golden Nymph. This select establishment is a location for individuals to find 'companions' of all types to help them relax and enjoy their stay. The Vashyada lack many of the hang ups some in the galaxy have with such professions so it is not a shunned career path, and penalties are severe for any abuses. The Nymph also contains a bar, viewing deck and book club for guests.
• Tranquillity Gardens. The Vash are children of nature and so gardens are freely scattered around the city. There is an arboretum featuring plants from across all Tygara, along with a small zoo. In keeping with their philosophy, the animals and plants are not constrained and have much space to move around in. The animals tend to be older or rescued specimens or rare ones being bred for release to the wild.
• Sunset Boardwalk. A slightly misleading name as it actually is a series of areas on all edges of the city. Regardless, it includes a large collection of shops, restaurants and entertainment for all price ranges. Most of the shops – a mandated minimum of 50% - are run by Vash. Here products of the forest and sea are sold. These items are of great value for their skill and value, even if they sometimes fall into the 'tourist souvenir' category.
• The Docks. A fairly basic name for something which is actually rather more complex than first meets the eye. First of all there are both water and space berths. Since Lake Eventide connects both to Vastyro and the sea, water traffic is common. For space craft there are 24 landing pads in a segregated section. This is to force all visitors to pass through security and customs, as the Vash are very strict about letting outside plants and animals into their habitats.
• Housing. As a city and not just a tourist attraction Yastoida features a lot of housing. Generally one's wealth can be shown by their progress up the city and closer to the edge. Apartments and short stay housing on the interior are available but for almost all Vash the claustrophobia would be too much. Still, most of the apartments are nice, though they are usually leased rather than owned as many Vash prefer to return hope intermittently in order for new people to come.
• Palladium Star Hotel. An off-world luxury hotel chain, the Palladium Star offers all the usual conveniences of such places including pools, restaurants, bars and stunning views. Accommodation is strictly limited and very pricy so there are other more affordable hotels scattered around.
• Silver Scale Trading House. Doubling as a warehouse, it is here that commodities from Tygara and the galaxy come together. Connecting directly to the landing pads, items are bought and sold in large numbers, then cleared by the House before departure is permitted.
• The Spire. The tallest structure is the Spire in the centre of the city. Here the governing council meets, the administration is run from and the garrison and police are quartered. Critically, the Spire is also the location of the Aspis defence shield which protects the city. Though it is rarely active, it is tested every month as much to reassure residents as ensure it's in working order. The Spire also houses the monitoring hub for the city and the small array of prisons.
• Causeway. The single 'land' route to Yastoida is via a 2km long artificial causeway. This road is wide enough for two heavy vehicles to pass at the same time. Importantly, near the city end is a ten-metre section of road which can be slid back like a drawbridge to prevent easy access. A checkpoint can be found on the landward side to monitor all craft entering and leaving to ensure nothing is being smuggled in or out.
• Wisdom of the Land Museum. This large museum contains exhibits on history, culture and people from across Tygara but is naturally focused on the Vash. The museum offers the usual types of pieces but also interactive and holographic displays. Admittance is free, but a 'suggested' donation is strongly recommended by staff, who treat refusal as the start of the world's slide into barbarism.
• Spirithome Shrine. A large multidenominational shrine near the Spire. Though it primary caters to the spiritual needs of the Vash there are chapels to Kashara, Ashira and the Xio spirits. There is also a chamber for those outside those faiths to worship as they see fit. A group of Vash priestesses tend to the shrine along with visiting clerics from other faiths.

SECURITY
Medium. The city of Yastoida is a commercial city, not a fortress. Despite this, it is protected from harm from internal and external threats.
Firstly, the city is protected by four 'batteries' of quad turbolaser cannons. These provide 360 degree protection and good firepower against attack craft and transports but naturally struggles against heavier ships and cannot target orbiting vessels. It can also target the water approaches. Built into these batteries is a Keraunos missile launcher for added punch.
Next, an Aspis Defence Shield 'City' variant protects the city from aerial and orbital bombardment. This will not protect from the fire of multiple star destroyers, but it is hoped this situation never comes about!
On the ground the Vash lack a standing, professional army in the modern sense, but Firemane has stationed a contingent of 100 marines in the city. These soldiers are cycled through to recover from forest and wilderness training in the surrounding lands.
Despite not having a standing army the Vash have been compelled to create a police force to patrol the city and surrounds, deal with minor disturbances and so on. However, these 'police' are drawn from the ranks of experienced clan warriors and are often armed more heavily than traditional police with blaster carbines, combat suits and stun batons. They tend also to carry knives or tomahawks as their more traditional weapons. There are around 300 of these officers in the city. At the arsenal heavier weapons like bowcasters and energy bows are stored for emergencies.
All access to the city for off-worlders is strictly monitored. Ships have to set themselves down where directed as an unauthorised landing can result in impoundment.
Access to Yastoida by land is limited to a single causeway which can be withdrawn to leave a ten-metre-wide gap over deep water. Combined with the potential gunnery from the two batteries, this makes a land incursion extremely unlikely.
For water patrols a trio of Wayfarer class and a Triton corvette are docked at the city.
Finally, an extensive use of cameras and sensors has been made to monitor for disturbances and incursions.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION

Yastoida is a new city, and a new concept to the Vashyada. Traditionally the Vash people lived in the vast wilderness of the southern continent of Yarkul in small groups and with clan structures. Settlements were scattered as they were limited to how much farming, foraging and hunting could be achieved in that area. The largest city, Vastyro, was built not unlike a Wookiee tree city, but scattered over a large area. The Vash were certainly not primitive, despite the ill-informed assertions of certain Qadiri and Xio, but they were decentralised. Outsiders knew little of how the Vash lived and incursions such as the ill-fated Brahdok invariably failed with great loss of life.

With the arrival of the Sky People, the situation started to change. Outsiders came to trade, visit and learn…but also to enslave, cheat and exploit. In this at least the decentralised nature of the Vash and their rugged homeland came to their aid as harmful outsiders usually went elsewhere in search of plunder.

This state of affairs could not continue though, and once Firemane moved in to become effective protector of the planet the Vash were invited to join and learn. As always in these situations there was a range of reactions. Many Vash were curious about the sky people and were eager to learn. Others were recruited to fight or serve as scouts for the megacorp, whilst still more sought to leave their troubles behind. There was an opposition though; many conservative and traditional voices disapproved of the rapid changes and encroachments onto their old ways.

Whatever their views, it was clear to the progressive sector of the Vash that something needed to be done to facilitate contact. Access through the forests was hard by ship and Vastyro was by no means prepared for space ships to land. Therefore, a new city was proposed which could serve as a junction between Tygara and the galaxy. This actually had widespread support even amongst the traditionalists as it would keep the foreign influences confined and away from their homes. Off-worlders had been trying to trade and even squatting in areas of Yarkul, and this would allow them to be quarantined where they couldn't cause any harm.

Proposals were put forward to clear a large area of forest near the coast, but this was strongly rejected by almost all Vash. They were proud of their heritage and of their connection to nature, and clear-felling a swathe of old-growth forest would be an insult.

Therefore, a novel solution was proposed; a city on Lake Eventide. This lake, connected to Vastyro by river and thence on to the sea, was a perfect location. For centuries the lake had been fished and served as a trade conduit, but had otherwise avoided major usage. Firemane brought in Selkath, Wookiee and Ithorian experts to help design a city on the water which could combine nature and modernity.

The cost of the city was high, but among many other supporters was Vessa of Siobhan Kerrigan's harem. She argued for the project, bringing in several clan leaders who supported the move. This, combined with those in Firemane and outside who wanted a way to access the riches of this 'new' planet, was enough to convince Siobhan of its merits. This caused a minor rupture amongst the gems because it meant projects near and dear to the hearts of others were overlooked. It is no surprise therefore that Vessa was given the cold shoulder by several for a while until Siobhan told them to kiss and make up. Literally. After that, things settled down.

Construction of the city took nearly seven years from start to finish, with much of that being preparing the location for the construction and then building the superstructure. Whilst this occurred experts were brought in to prepare plans. From there the construction came in stages and eventually was complete enough for trees to be planted and shops to be filled out.

Opposition to the 'blighted sore' as one clan chief called it was strong but promises were made that this would be the only place off-worlders could land in Yarkul without permission from the chiefs. This done, mostly the opposition became more muted. However, many Vash were eager to check out this new place, and especially amongst the young it became a place where they could go, earn some real money and see what the galaxy was like. This irritated some traditionalists, calling the city a 'corruptive influence on the youth'. The youth were not especially bothered by this grumbling and found the profitable jobs and exotic contacts a benefit.

At a grand ceremony the city was opened by the High King and High Queen of the Vashyada, with Tylania in attendance. Since Lady Protector Siobhan Kerrigan could not attend as she was in a coma Firemane was represented was Shazora Jai Vahal, a Qadiri on Firemane's board. After the glittering party the residents moved in and the off-worlders started landing. Quickly the city became a bustling hub with not just traders but tourists and sightseers coming to the beautiful location.

One interesting feature about Yastoida is that it has become a hub for groups of 'half-breeds', or those from Tygara who have produced children with another of the species there. The most common are the half and half Vashyada and Qadiri from Khajwar and the Xioquo/Qadiri from the far north of Tygara. These groups, often discriminated against among the 'pure-bloods' have found Yastoida a sanctuary.

In a similar vein, the city has become a haven for groups fleeing persecution or disaster across the galaxy. A small but influential group of Mon Calamari and Chiss have settled on the planet after catastrophes engulfed their home planets. These and other groups have found their special skills valued…even if they are both considered very strange by the Vashyada who have had little experience with alien cultures!

As with every new location there were initial problems. The insidious lure of spice and other drugs arrived covertly with the off-worlders. Strong inspections and harsh crackdowns have alleviated the problem but not banished it entirely. For a while there was also an issue with unscrupulous people trying to lure Vash into offworld 'contracts'. However, after an undercover sting operation caught several of these people new restrictions were put into place for any Vash leaving the planet ensuring their reasons were legal. Those captured were lucky the Vash do not believe in capital punishment, but unlucky enough that the nearby swamps needed draining….

Another somewhat sticky issue tied into security and culture came around weaponry in the city. Firemane restricts weapon usage to licensed or serving individuals, but Yastoida was not strictly solely run or owned by them. Further, the Vash system of clans meant that everyone who was an adult had to learn to hunt, use a bow, knife or axe for their defence and that of the group. Therefore, concessions were made that adult Vash not working in the city could carry a single small melee weapon as a show of their status and for protection. Misuse of these weapons was a grave offence and would often lead to banishment or revocation of their warrior status.

For outsiders however weapon restrictions prevented the carrying of blasters or any modern weapon. This hit some serious complaints from traders who objected to being disarmed when many others in the city were armed. In the end a compromise was struck; registered and trusted individuals were allowed to carry a single weapon, whilst everyone else could only carry a stun prod or stun blaster. All other weapons would have to be kept on board their ships. Modern weapons can be sold in the city, and Vash can purchase them so long as they are adults of good criminal record. Foreigners may purchase weapons but they must be delivered to their ships and must be re-approved to be brought back into the city.

Overall, despite some bumps on the road, Yastoida is on its way to being a thriving settlement and a gateway for more opportunities.

 

[The Mongrel]

Anya Venari

Looks good to me! Approved.