Caltris

Caltris
File:Caltrispic.png From upper left: Theater District, the Arboretum, The business district, The Causeway in the Academic District The High Council Building and City Skyline.
File:Caltrissealandflaggy.png
City flag	City coat of arms
City population	Metro population
13,450,842	15,772,189
Motto	"Reborn from the ashes, we arise steadfast as solid stone. " (D'rɑgoleth: θhɛnɑk iile uir uθolir d’salvɛ flɑi vɛh'hɛɛrɛn θɑɑd vɛn."")
Founded  — in Antiquity relic traced to  — Established as Capital	10,000 GLA (Golden Leaf Age) Estimated 14 April 1092 CA (Common Age)
Government  — Type  — Governing body  — Councillor	Local–Council Luminas Council Maven Auryn (Council Communist Party)
Chancellorial Protectorate' Districts	Luminas The Governmental District The Theater District The Industrial District The Residential District The Ambassadorial District The Arboretum The Grand Collegium The Academic District West Narai District East Narai District Temple District The Docks and Harbor District
Land area  — City  — Metro area	1,587km^2 3,500 km^2
Population density  — City  — Metro area	8,500 people per km^2 4,506 people per km^2
Sister cities	Trottersburg, Greater Pony Herd Little Muffington, Muffinvania Epping, Malgrave

Caltris( /ˈKæltris/ or /ˈKæɑltris/) is the capital city of the Beastling States of Crystal Spires. The city is a major political, economic, cultural and scientific center in D'hɑlbrisir and on the continent. Caltris is one of the southern cities in Mystria, the second most populous city in Crystal Spires, after Merlon. Its population, according to the 2012 Census, is 13,450,842. By its territorial expansion on July 3, 1872 southwest into the Luminas Valley, the capital increased its area 2 times; from about 793.5 square kilometers up to 1,587 square kilometers, and in the full metropolitan area it comprises of 15,772,189 people.

Caltris is situated on the Narai River in the North Eastern Chancellery of Luminas, and in the course of its history the city has served as the capital of a progression of states, from the medieval Imperial Capital of the Sky Lords and the subsequent Kingdom of D'hɑlbrisir to the Beastling States of Crystal Spires. Caltris is the site of the High Council Building, an ancient fortress that was once a Library to the Service of Kings and is today the seat of the High Council, the Forntian Clerics of the New Idealists, the Decorated Grand Collegium's Arcane University, and the Hall of Federal Archivists. The Palace of Kings is also one of several World Heritage Sites in the city. The chambers of the Spirean High Council and the Uncorruptible Tribunal also are in Caltris.

The city is served by an extensive transit network, which includes four international airports, five railway terminals, and an extensive tram and busing system. Over time, Caltris has acquired a number of epithets, most referring to its brilliant beauty and preeminent status within the nation: The Shining City (kæltris), The Whitestone City(aʊvɛntris), The Sky Touched (kuutouk), The Unsieged(aldɑrzɑ). In medieval times in the Fell Crusade, the Capital was moved from Mephiste to Caltris, as it had not once succumbed to the Unbidden Horde, leading many to believe the land itself is holy. Since 2011 the High Council and NGOs have been trying to promote a new city image for tourists aimed at demonstrating its openness and friendliness. The demonym for a resident of Caltris is Caltrean.

Geography

Caltris is situated on the banks of the Narai River, which flows for through the Luminas Plain in North East Crystal Spires. 34 bridges span the river and its canals within the city's limits. The elevation of Caltris is fairly even because the Luminas valley and the Narai Riverbank are fairly flat lands compared to the Fornt's Crown Mountains to the North of the City. The Center of the Metropolis is in the Industrial, Market, and Government Districts which makes up 1,587 square kilometers. The South West sectors of the city are less densely populated and in the center of the southwest sector is the Arboretum which contains the Luminan forest preserve of the Tralisian Glen where the terrain still has its wild and forested, yet mild composition which contrasts strongly with the Caldurim forest to the west of the city. The terrain was once forested, but had been cleared out for habitation, however plants and trees are common and in Caltris. The Rosewood, Ceiba, and Balsa trees grow along with the Shaei fruit tree, D'aal fruit tree, Regne nut tree, and the Cherry Blossom Trees. Bamboo are also creeping in from the southern areas. The soil is fertile, but is prone to erosion in the rainy season when flooding becomes common.

Climate

Under the Köppen climate classification, Caltris experiences a humid subtropical climate (Cwa)much of Luminas has a humid subtropical (Cfa) climate and it has hot humid summers and relatively mild winters. The city also sees on average about 1600 mm of precipitation per year, with a stretch of more intense precipitation between the months of June and September. Along with much of the Chancellery, Caltris has a moderate climate with an annual average temperature of 16.3 °C (61 °F), average humidity of 70% and 1,811 annual daylight hours. Roughly 40% of the year is cloudy. Winter temperatures rarely drop below 0 °C (32 °F) and it rarely snows, though light rain does fall on most days if not as consistently as on the riverside of the Narai. Spring is warm and sunnier, with Catralia lilies blooming in March and cherry blossoms appearing in late March or early April. The rainy season lasts for approximately six weeks through June and July, during which time the humidity is very high and temperatures hover between 25 °C (77 °F) and 30 °C (86 °F). Summers are humid and hot, with temperatures peaking around 37 °C (99 °F). Autumn, often considered to be Caltris's best season, is mild and dry, though the typhoon season runs between August and September.

History

It is unclear when the Shining City of Caltris was founded, but archaeologists have detected relic tracing back as far as 10,000 GLA (Golden Leaf Age) and it is estimated that it was perhaps the second settlement in D'hɑlbrisir. The first established settlement in D'hɑlbrisir was in the city of Merlon in the seat of the Old Royal Kingdom which was moved to Caltris in interest of the land having reputed to be holy. The Establishment of Caltris as the Capital of the Republic was on 14 April 1092 CA (Common Age)

Demographics

Caltris's population grew by 4% between 2012 and 2007. Persons aged 14 years and under made up 17.5% of the population, and those aged 65 years and over made up 13.6%. The median age was 36.9 years. The city's gender population is 48% male and 52% female. However, women outnumber men in all age groups over 20. As of 20012, 46.9% of the residents of the city proper belong to a visible minority group. In 1986, Caltris's visible minority population was 13.6%. No single nationality or culture dominates Caltris's immigrant population, making it a very diverse city.

In 2012, Beastlings formed the largest cluster of racial groups in Caltris, 53.1%, mostly of demihuman division. The five largest visible minority groups in Caltris are Dwarves (12.1%), Elves (11.4%), Humans, (10.9%), Changelings(8.4%), and Treefolk(4.1%). This diversity is reflected in Caltris's ethnic neighborhoods, which include The Dwarven Quarter in the Industrial District, The Elven Quarter in the Theater District, The Treefolk Quarter in the Academic District, and the Human Quarter in the Market District.

Forntian Idealism is the largest religious group in Caltris, with the Largest Holdings of Land in the Temple District, while Harmonists and Severans make a significant amount. There is 3 different Christian churches, a Muslim Mosque, a Hindu Temple, A Hebrew temple, A Buddhist Temple, A Sikh temple, a Taoist Temple, and a few other reserved religious buildings. Less than 5.4% of the population professes no religion.

While D'rɑgolɛth is the predominant language spoken by Caltreans, many Caltreans are bilingual and there are several other languages which have considerable numbers of local speakers. There are a few varieties of Elvish, Dwarven, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, and Italian. As a result, the city's emergency telephone services are equipped to respond in over 157 languages.

Visible minorities and Indigenous population (City of Caltris)
Caltrean 2012 Census		Population	% of Total Population
Visible minority group	Dwarf	1,908,434	12.1
	Elf	1,798,030	11.4
	Changeling	1,324,864	8.4
	Treefolk	646,660	4.1
	Human Race	Tor	410,077	2.6
		Nebbarath	299,672	1.9
		Varnal	268,127	1.7
		Aurothi	236,583	1.5
		Nayali	220,811	1.4
		Meilian	205,038	1.3
		Qaglenek	78,861	0.5
	Total Human population		1,719,169	10.9
Total visible minority population		1,162,630	46.9
Beastling		8,375,032	53.1
Total population		15,772,189	100

Cityscape

File:Caltris 1.jpg

Caltrean skyline from the Eastern Pier on the Narai looking west.

Architectural Styles

Main article: Forntian Architectural Styles

The City of Caltris as one of the oldest untouched cities displays a fusion of classical Forntian Architectural styles with the former Palace of Kings, now known as the High Council Building being one of the Oldest Spirean Structures in recognized existence. The Palace itself and the Government District are the oldest sections of the city and have the most Classical Forntian Architectural styles with much focus placed in the High Council Building in the central square with the rest of the City Radiating outward following the geometrical planning of the City including ostentatiously the electrical power grids and plumbing systems. The other districts radiate outward from the center of the city creating a strange octagonal shape which spreads continuously outward. The Narai River cuts through the Center of the City, with truss bridges following the design of Forntian Architectural repeating geometric designs. It has the Piers and Harbor, with an airdock built close enough to allow the octagonal pattern to continue. The High Tribunal Building also has its location in the Oldest side of the Government District and the different ceramic styles are easily visible in the building.

National Parks

The Greatest national park in the City of Caltris is the Arboretum, considered to have been built as an internal preserve to allow Caltris to survive a long-term siege in case of emergency. The Arboretum contains the Luminan forest preserve of the Tralisian Glen where the terrain still has its wild and forested, yet mild composition which contrasts strongly with the Caldurim forest to the west of the city had been cleared out for habitation and was used for mild farming, and as a result plants and trees are common in Caltris. The Rosewood, Ceiba, and Balsa trees grow along with the Shaei fruit tree, D'aal fruit tree, Regne nut tree, and the Cherry Blossom Trees in the city limits. Bamboo are also creeping in from the southern areas. The Arboretum has, along with the many different species of trees, shrubs, flowers, and roots, a slightly thriving population of wild game which are tame enough to not warrant their eradication unlike Spirean Megafauna. There are also beaches, trails and a marina on the Narai river basin. The Temple and the Ambassadorial Districts also have with them large parks and botanical gardens for recreation including the Fenerian Public Water Gardens which feature a carefully tended wetland reserve. There is also the Caltrean Central Zoo and wildlife park in the Western Arboretum.

Quarters and Districts

Caltris is composed of Ten Districts. Throughout the Districts there are many distinct neighborhoods and quarters, many with a definable history, ethnic groups and character to call their own. The Governmental District is the oldest district and has most of the historical artifices in Caltris. Most of the religious and older families of the area, mostly Beastling live in the Government district. The Theater District is a stranger district known for its less strict sense of architectural design which exercises less Forntian designs. Rumors have said this creates a less safe structure of lesser integrity, so much of the less prosperous Spireans in the City often live in the Caltrean Theater Districts as well as being one of the more racially mixed areas which have unfortunate implications for the new Republican Government. The Communist Government has worked on resettling people into the newer and more traditional Industrial District which is where more Jobs and the so called Market District is said to be close to. The Residential District is older than the Industrial District and is where many monarchists and nobles were said to possess many of their Spring homes which throughout the year remained empty. The Spirean Communist Government has resettled many workers and poor in these buildings and have restructured many infrastructural failures in the area. The Ambassadorial District has the most eclectic styles in all of Caltris and possesses much of its Ambassadors and locals with a more tolerant and less xenophobic stance. They are still rather paranoid about such matters. The Academic District is where the Grand Collegium and the University of Caltris and the Great Bardic College resides. It is often a transitionary location where people go in and out of the homes there and then eventually return to their hometowns. The Narai River District is an area still away from the docks with riverside and is often a lucrative location for local businesses and dealers. The Temple District is nearby the Government District and is also very old reflecting much of the Forntian Architectural forms regardless of religious buildings. They often have marbled and white stoned streets and also house much of the clergy and the devout. The Docks and Harbor District are considered areas of trade and the easiest accessible ways to the airdocks.

Culture and Contemporary life

Caltris has historically always been known as a cultural center of Crystal spires. It is something noticeable even today with the numerous modern government programs that try to educate Spireans in music and make them more conscious of it, especially northern musical traditions. The city has been the home of quite a few musical institutions and has enjoyed several visits from well known foreign classical musicians. Even if Caltris's cultural history had its birth in Mephiste in the early thirties or the late twenties so was it not until the eighties and nineties that Caltris managed to claim its place as a cultural city that did not just live off Mephiste's old fame from days long gone.

To celebrate their cultural rebirth in the eighties the national wide famous Caltrean art festival is held in the city to promote art from Crystal Spires and the world around it. Thanks to the success of the festival, the city council planned to also host both the International Caltrean Film Festival and the Caltrean International Jazz Festival which are plans in progress for the Upcoming Year 2013, when it will be renamed to the Caltrean international music festival to show the city's continued support for music.

The Archaeology Museum in Caltris that was founded as early as in 1891 by the Grand Templar Marisa Van Hofen is one, if not the, oldest museum built in modern Spires. When Caltris once again re-emerged as a international cultural capital in the late 20th century, even if some nationalist groups claims that it did so in the late 19th century, it became a great meld of culture in southern Mystria. It attracted artists of all trades from Spires, Ealdurim, and even Treefolk.

However a short rivalry with Merlon evolved during the early eighties before a final end to the rivalry was noticed as more and more artists moved, even from Merlon herself, to Caltris. To further press the point of Merlon's humiliation, numerous of universities dedicated entirely to art were founded in Caltris and the formerly run down theater district was remade into a modern gem in Spirean theater.

In recent years the city has also grown to be a home of museums, as in the 2000's countless museums dedicated to modern art as the Caltris Modern, the Vise Museum, and Central Caltris, opened. Sadly, those modern museums have yet to be able to compare to the older museums in sheer popularity and even today the Archaeology Museum and the Forntian arts museum are very popular both by natives to the city and tourists.

Caltris is also the home of the Spirean movie industry and the first film was screened there as early as in 1896. Quickly did a new motion picture industry grow in the city amongst the already established theater district. This period of early black and white films were categorized with a very high co-operation between musicians which helped to define the classical motion picture era that lasted until the fifties when a new revolution of motion picture spread over Caltris and started what is known as "the modern movie era". Just as in the classical era so did it have is basis in Caltris and a lot of movies are yearly made there. Comedy and drama being the more common types of movies.

However in recent years so have Caltris also suffered drawback and stagnation in their movies, a trend that for a while seemed to be the end of the modern era. However with movies as True Hero (2002) and Phoenix Tears(2005), both filmed in Caltris, so have the local movie scene taken a new rise. This have even influenced a few foreign movies that have been filmed entirely in Caltris.

Media

While most state-run radio and television stations are based in Merlon, Caltris is the primary hub of Spirean media. The industry has its roots in the former Imperial capital, where the first Spirean newspaper, Social Affairs, was published in 1831. The street on which the newspaper was printed, The Golden Horn Street, rapidly became the center of Spirean print media, alongside The Theater District across the Narai River.

Today, Caltris hosts a wide variety of periodicals. Most nationwide newspapers are based in Caltris, with simultaneous Merlon and Irianulite editions. Caltrean-based Town Crier, although only founded in 1986, is Crystal Spires's most widely circulated paper, with a weekly distribution of more than one million. The Weekly Times, Shohuyo, Auventrisyo,and D'ragoyo, which round out the country's top five papers, are all headquartered in Caltris, boasting more than 200,000 weekly sales each. The Shohuyo English-language edition, The Spirean Daily News, has been printed since 1961, but the English-language Today's Town Crier, first published by the Spirean Writer's Guild in 2007, has overtaken it in circulation. Several smaller newspapers, including popular publications like The Current and Somuyubet, are also based in Caltris.

Headquarters of the state-run CSC's Caltris radio operations Radio broadcasts in Caltris date back to 1927, when Crystal Spires's first radio transmission came from atop the Central Post Office in the Market District. Control of this transmission, and other radio stations established in the following decades, ultimately came under the state-run Spirean Radio and Television Corporation (CSC), which held a monopoly on radio and television broadcasts between its founding in 1964 and 1990. Today, CSC runs four national radio stations; while these stations have transmitters across the country so each can reach over 90 percent of the country's population, only one—Radio 2—is based in Caltris. Offering a range of content from educational programming to coverage of sporting events, Radio 2 is the most popular radio station in Crystal Spires.Caltris's airwaves are the busiest in Crystal Spires, primarily featuring either D'ragoleth-language or English-language content. One of the rare exceptions, offering both, is Simvurʃɛj Radio (95.9 FM). Among Crystal Spires's first private stations, and the first featuring foreign popular music, was Caltris's Metro FM (93.2 FM). The state-run Radio 3, although based in Merlon, also features English-language popular music, while English-language news programming is provided on CTV Radio (104.8 FM).

Caltris is home to the headquarters of a number of Spirean stations and offers itself as regional headquarters of international media outlets. Caltrean-based Star TV was the first private television network to be established following the end of the CSC monopoly; Star TV and Show TV (also based in Caltris) remain highly popular throughout the country, airing Spirean and Herdite series. Simaldron TV, Channel F, and CTV are other stations in Caltris that offer a mix of news and series, while CTV and Sky Spires—both based in the city—are mainly just known for their news coverage in D'ragoleth.

Cuisine

Caltrean people are proud of their cuisine, known as one of the "Great Traditions" of Spirean cuisines. The cuisine here is much more diverse than the northern cuisine, the southwest coastal, the southeast coastal, the Merlonian and Lotharian cuisine styles. The most prominent traits of Caltrean cuisine are described by the classical Principles of Spirean cuisine which is "Balanced Flavor" in principle which combines the several local ingredients. Common use of Citrus for "Bitterness"; Onions, Garlic, and oregano for "Aromatic" flavors, and Olive oil, salt, and pepper are predominant in the local area. The Caltrean cooking traditions commonly include Sautéing, Braising, Pan-frying, and steaming when cooking. A famous uniquely Caltrean dish is "kɑlɔmiris", and is commonly served year-round.

Tourism

Major attractions

The Great Temples
A celebrated tourist attraction of Caltris are the millennia-old monuments for which the Narai River Valley is famous for. Principal among them are the Basilica of Fornt, the Temple of Law, The Goddess Stones, and the Temple Complex north of the Government District. Caltris also boasts the Municipal Museum of Art and the Temple of Honor and Loyalty, The Garden of Mysidia and the coastal areas of the Narai delta are very popular with visitors as well.

Incomplete Archeological Wonders
Some 15 km south of Caltris is a vast, ancient burial ground which served as the necropolis for the abandoned civilization of Lothar. It features numerous ruins, and old Forts. There are also archaeological sites comprising two massive rock temples originally carved out of a karst during the reign of Farion Regarberl II. The complex was relocated in its entirety in the 1960s to avoid being submerged during the creation of a canal. They are now situated on an artificial hill made from a domed structure high above the reservoir.

Natural Beauty
There are beaches on the Narai River Bank, and to the west is the Forests of Caldurim, in the Central City there is the Zoo and also the Arboretum and several gardens. To the north are the Caves of Fidemar.

Museums
There are numerous History and Art Museums, especially the Grand Archives, a modern project based on reviving the ancient Library of Ordek. The Palace of Kings in the Central Government district is another draw to central Caltris. Then the Towers of Aenar, the largest Forntian monastery in the world, possesses several opened cloisters for the public.

The Theater District
The Theater district is known for its amphitheaters, open air performances, the mage and troubadour shows, concert and music halls and there are regular performances by various guilds.

The University District
Has several museums dedicated to scholarly pursuits, and several open labs for practice, and Southwards is the Grand Collegium. Is well known for a place where prototypes are first released for public use.

Sports and Sports Teams

The Caltrean Crows are the best airsoft team in the league, and regularly are cheered on by the locals. The Krakan Team is also very widely supported. The Football team is worst in the league however. Mochalet teams are also strongly supported, but Caltrean teams are considered to be worse than Irianulite ones.

Transportation

Roads

Although Caltrean public transport is rather common with the tram which goes throughout the city hovercraft traffic is common in the city and outlying suburbs. 

Sister cities

Caltris is twinned with

• File:Flagver1.png Trottersburg, Greater Pony Herd
• File:Muffinvania flag.jpg Little Muffington, Muffinvania
• Edinderp, Cevalo Nacio