Strati

Strati is one of seven Marcelli districts, bordered by Progni to the north and Occeli to the south. It is the country's breadbasket; the majority of the farmland in Marcellus is found here. Traditionally farmed by hand, cost effective machines are beginning to displace human workers. The district is currently seeing workers becoming one of their biggest exports as a result, with families forced to migrate to more industrialized areas to search for work.

This district is also known for its many monuments to the Age of Heroes.

History
Strati and its borders were established at the founding of Marcellus. This long lasting name is probably the only thing that saved it from being named Zwinglandia in the wake of the Great Demon War. For the better part of its history Strati had been governed by three members of Marcellus' Trade Council. In 2 A.D., when two of those three members passed on due to illness, and with the political pressures of the Demon War looming, it was decided that Ernest Zwingley (standing in for Maximillian) be named sole governor of Strati: a Trade Prince. His election was helped by the fact that he was now the second richest man in the country.

Strati and its people gave their fair share during the Demon War. Without the district's massive amounts of food, the Imperial Army never would have had the energy to combat the demons so effectively. Aside from that, many citizens left their homes to join the military, and anyone who stayed behind gave to the war effort anything that was not necessary to their own survival.

With the war over and Maximillian dead, all power truly shifted to Ernest. He respected his cousin greatly, and though he was no man of combat, he did what he could. He built a new city, a grand urban metropolis, naming it New Fidona in honor of the land that had been lost. He then had monuments erected all across the district's countryside, paying tribute to the greatest men and women of that era, now known as the Age of Heroes. When Percival, Maximillian's youngest son, returned home, Ernest tried to offer him the power that was rightfully his. Percival declined, so instead he set him up to become the second most well to do and connected man in the district, so that he and his family for many generations to come may live happily.

Not much changed in the following hundred and fifty years. The Rennaisance had little effect on the rural district. In 152 A.D., at the behest of Lord Frederick Zwingley, the district was first introduced to steam powered farming machines. These machines were able to work much faster and over a larger area of land than a human could, and it was cheaper to repair them than to pay workers. As a result, many farmers began to look elsewhere to provide for their families. In 177 A.D., working men and women have become one of Strati's main exports. Currently, Lord Richard Connor Zwingley is looking into a way to rectify this without the loss of the machines.

Geography & Climate
Strati consists of rolling hills and lush farmland. There aren't many fruits and vegetables that you cannot find in Strati. Strati also has many large grain silos and flour mills dotting the countryside. It is far enough to the south that it does not experience harsh winter snows. This means farmers can grow their crops all year round. With few exceptions (most notable being the wood around New Fidona) Strati is deviod of any heavily forested areas.

The east of Marcellus are the Great Bays, bodies of water between Azgarth and Marcellus that are sheltered by the giant crescent shape of the country, with all currents ending there. This brings a plentiful amount of fish to the area (as well as hurricanes and typhoons during that season). This makes it a treacherous yet profitable place to fish. The Bay of Nalasga is along the coast of Strati, being the greatest sheltered and therefore safest place to fish.

Economy and Industry
Strati is a very backwater district in comparison to other areas. Its economy mainly consists of farmers, whom are slowly losing jobs to steam powered machinery. Its ranchers are still in high demand and held in high regard, as many fine horses are needed to supply the Imperial Army with an easy way to patrol the now massive empire. With humans still being needed to operate even steam powered fishing vessels, the fishing industry has not suffered the same job losses that the farming industry has, making that industry very lucrative. 80% of the food in Marcellus is distributed from Strati. This has made landowners very rich. The wages of a field worker are determined by his or her landowner, leading to varying salaries across the district.

While there are some large urban cities, they are few and far between. Here you would be able to find the same merchants and smiths as you would in any other district. The smiths work more with horseshoes than with blades, however. Strati is no place to learn of the arts, with the exception of sculpting. Excellent sculptors from far and wide ply their trade in Strati, for its high demand for monuments and statues of the heroes of old.

Monuments
The district of Strati has many great monuments scattered throughout the countryside.

The Garden of Heroes
The largest and most grand tribute to the Age of Heroes is the Garden of Heroes. Situated in the center of New Fidona, it is five square miles of beautiful trees and flowers that thrive in the warm climate of Marcellus. Within it are large statues of varying heights to every great hero of old, including the likes of Ellis Nineveh and Kraid Kaflar. In the middle of the garden is the largest statue, standing thirty feet tall, of Maximillan Zwingley himself, holding his sword Durandal triumphantly in the air while wearing full battle armor.