Kuduri

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Kuduri

Aliases	The Liberated City, The Greatest City That Ever Was
Type	City-State
Location	Rekusia
Population	8,500

Society

Demonym	Kuduri
Races	60% Human, 28% Dwarf, 7% Elf, 5% Half-Elf
Languages	Rekusian, Enlese, Dwarvish

Politics

Government	Oligarchy
Ruler Type	Council
Rulers	Council of Sixteen

Commerce

Imports	Livestock, wood
Exports	Crafts and metalwork, grain, textiles, tin
Currency	Enlese coins

History

Founded	4356 ZR

Kuduri, also called the Liberated City, is a city-state located west of Enli, along the Warumai River.

History

Kud-Ur was founded in the aftermath of the Great War. In the wake of the devastation, Kud-Ur was established as a sanctuary in the war-torn borderlands of Enli, a place for the survivors of the war to rebuild. The city was founded by the Arch-Priestess Elu-Isharra, a philosopher queen revered for her wisdom and connection to the divine. Elu-Isharra is said to have chosen the site of Kud-Ur after it was revealed to her in a vision by the goddess Gashan herself.

The Early Days

Under Elu-Isharra’s guidance, Kud-Ur became a city of faith, and the Temple of Gashan rose as its central symbol. Pilgrims from across the lands came to offer tribute to Gashan, the goddess of survival and fate, and sought the blessings of the Arch-Priestess. As the population grew, so too did Kud-Ur's importance as a center of trade. The Warumai river brought wealth to the city through irrigation and agriculture, allowing it to thrive despite the surrounding desert. Trade routes connecting western Rekusia with the distant eastern nation of Enli passed through Kud-Ur, making it a vital hub for the exchange of grain, metals, and crafted goods.

Kuduri under Zadahn's Rule

Kud-Ur's early prosperity would not last without trials. As the Rakushan Republic expanded, its slaver kings sought to consolidate power over the fertile lands surrounding the Warumai. By the time King Zadahn came to power, Kud-Ur, renamed Kuduri by the Rekusians, had been absorbed into the Rekusian domain. Zadahn, a shrewd and merciless ruler, transformed Kuduri into a bastion of Rekusian authority. He expanded the city’s industries, primarily through the labor of tens of thousands of slaves captured in his conquest of Rekusia and neighboring regions.

Plantations sprung up along the riverbanks, while mines were dug deep into the desert, exploiting the natural resources of the land. The profits from these enterprises flowed into the coffers of the Rekusian and Enlese lords, making Kuduri the jewel of the empire’s economic power by the third century BFY. Though rich in wealth, the city's undercurrent was full of suffering and oppression. The Council of Lords, made up of Rekusian nobles, oversaw the vast labor operations, indifferent to the plight of the slaves who toiled and died in service to their wealth.

Kuduri at the Heart of Uprising

The history of Kuduri is inseparable from the great uprisings that marked the fall of the Rakushan Republic. The first Rekusian Slave War, led by Raqad, Chosen of Gashan, erupted in 167 BFY. Raqad was a former slave who found refuge in the desert and, inspired by his visions of the goddess Gashan, rallied the runaway slaves to his cause. Under his leadership, these runaways grew into an army that challenged Rekusian authority. For years, they raided plantations, fought off Rekusian forces, and swelled their ranks until Raqad himself declared himself the ruler of the town of Mennankazennon.

The rebellion was eventually crushed, and Raqad died in captivity, but his memory lingered, inspiring future generations of slaves. A few decades later, the names Kadaman and Zamana echoed across the deserts as they led a second wave of rebellions. Though also defeated, the memory of their uprisings continued to fester within Kuduri, as a new generation of slaves and free laborers grew resentful of their Rekusian oppressors.

Emancipation and the Fall of Rekusia

Nearly two centuries after Raqad's rebellion, Kuduri once again became the center of a monumental revolt during the last Rekusian Slave War. This final uprising was spearheaded by Rakal, a former slave who had been deeply inspired by the legacy of Raqad and the brutal efforts of Kadaman and Zamana. Rakal’s rebellion, however, was not just a fight for freedom—it was a campaign for the total dismantling of the Rekusian Empire.

At its height, tens of thousands of slaves rose against their masters across Rekusia, and the revolt culminated in the death of King Zadahn. With Zadahn’s demise, the empire began to fracture. Kuduri and other regions declared their independence, and the remaining Rekusian forces were unable to hold their dominion together. The slaves of Kuduri were freed, and a new era was born.

Kuduri as a Free City-State

Following the fall of Rekusia, Kuduri spun off from the crumbling empire to become an independent city-state once more. No longer bound by the shackles of Rekusian oppression, the people of Kuduri established a new government, one that rejected the autocratic rule of kings. The Council of Sixteen, elected from the city’s population, now governs Kuduri. In their duties, the council tries to ensure that all voices are heard and that no single faction dominates the city’s politics.

While the city still bears the scars of its past, it has transformed from a place built on the suffering of others.

Government

Kuduri is ruled by the Council of Sixteen, a group of 16 senior officials with significant military and civil experience. Each is elected upon a vacancy coming open by vote of the full citizenry (i.e., all free citizens in good standing), and serve for life, until they willingly step down, or until they are impeached. Together, they form a balanced and cooperative system that ensures no single individual or faction holds absolute power.

Creation

The creation of the Council of Sixteen was a deliberate break from the hierarchical systems that once ruled Kuduri. The council chambers themselves are located in what was once the palace of Zadahn. Where once a single ruler dictated the fates of thousands, now a group of elected representatives gathers to chart the city’s future.

The Council has provided stability for decades while facing challenges from both within and outside the city. Rival city-states and remnants of the old Rekusian nobility seek to undermine Kuduri’s independence. Internally, balancing the needs of the city’s population requires constant negotiation and compromise.

Inner Council

All sixteen members have an equal voice in decision-making, but certain roles have been instituted to oversee specific aspects of Kuduri's governance:

• The Speaker of the Council: This official acts as the primary representative of the Council in diplomatic relations with other city-states and foreign powers.
• The Steward of Trade and Economy: Responsible for overseeing Kuduri’s trade agreements, ensuring the city’s thriving merchant networks are maintained, and managing the allocation of resources, especially from the agricultural lands and mines.
• The Guardian of the People: This member works on laws and initiatives related to housing, healthcare, and the protection of workers’ rights, especially to safeguard the freedoms won after the fall of slavery and the welfare of Kuduri's citizens.
• The Defender of the City: A military strategist and often a former or current soldier, this council member oversees the city’s defense, including the training and readiness of Kuduri’s militia, and coordinates with other council members on matters of external threats and security.
• The Keeper of Culture and Faith: This member works with religious leaders and cultural institutions to promote the arts and uphold spiritual practices.

The Council operates on a majority consensus-based system, where major decisions require the support of a majority of the sixteen members. In cases of deadlock, the Speaker of the Council casts the tie-breaking vote. This system is designed to ensure that no single group or faction dominates the city’s politics.