abstract
| - Archangel existed even before the rise of the Holy Empire. Built in the same year that Christ died, the city was raised around the tomb of the Messiah, so as to honor his memory. After the War of God, Aeolus Hawke ordered the restoration of the ruined city and eventually, Archangel became the capital of the Empire. Archangel is, without a doubt, the biggest city in all of Gaia. Built on an immense plain, Archangel extends itself over several dozens of miles. Its streets have lampposts to illuminate the night, and it has a modern sewer systems. The Zafir River crosses through Archangel in two different places, providing the city with all the water it needs. In the center of the city sits an immense column crowned with an open-armed stone angel whose wings are extended. This structures, which gives the city its name, is almost 1,000 feet tall and can be seen from across the region. There are three enormous forts that exist within Archangel - the Imperial castle, home of the Empress Adelina Borges and her court, the Averus castle, reserved for the Lord of War, Thadeus Kisdain, and the currently uninhabited Holy Headquarters, the Alkavian Cathedral, traditional seat of the Supreme Archbishop. Also, there are hundreds of splendid palaces owned by nobles and the most important bourgeoisie. Since the dawn of the Empire, Archangel has sheltered all the cultures and ethnic groups of Gaia. Each group has done its part for the city, which is reflected in Archangel's festivities, traditions and organizations. Currently, the city has almost three million people, more than double of any other city in existence. Archangel consists of different municipalities, each of which has a civil governor that deals with security and answers in turn before the delegate of the Empress and the master of the guards. Archangel has no defensive walls and it does not need them. The city was not built with the intention of being a bastion, but rather a jewel that dazzles the whole world.
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