Hapatmitas

Hapatmitas is a city in Kingdom of Aragotha, which is a part of Crownlands of Ashai. Historically it served as the capital city of the First Empire of Uldarash, the de jure capital city of the Second Empire of Uldarash, and the capital city of the Imperial Federation of Uldarash, in which it nominally belonged to the Hearthstone Yuldai. Hapatmitas is of great cultural and historical importance to the continent of Haven, and having it within one's borders is a symbol of prestige.

Hapatmitas is located on the Hatanimitas Peninsula, in the north Haven, west of the Island of Canine. The city is completely situated on a large desert, with only little greenery found in the gardens of the northern district. Sophisticated aqueduct and irrigation systems keep the sparse plants alive, and allow for small scale agriculture, while also helping the citizens to cool off next to multiple fountains found in the city.

Early history
The original inhabitants of the land where Hapatmitas resides are quite the mystery to modern-day scholars. Despite signs that they did in fact possess written language, extremely little is known about them. They are nameless, cultureless, and identity-less. What is known about them however is that they were firm worshippers of water; a belief perhaps derived out of the scarcity of water in the deserts of the Hatanimitas Peninsula, or perhaps to their reliance and on the Red River, their cities being entirely situated along this peninsula-spanning river. Interestingly however, it has been rumored, from stories told through oral tradition, that these unknown peoples were actually close relatives of the succubi found in the Eastern Ummarnu Mesa, although scholars have deemed evidence on this matter inconclusive at best.

Aruna the conqueror
About 2,000 years ago these peoples, no matter their cultures, nor names, nor even identities would matter. For this was when Aruna, daughter of the King of Old Talawa, disinherited from the throne and the seat of Lukka by the laws of Old Talawa, turned her eyes, as well as her armies, eastwards towards Hatanimitas. In the past, many Talawan Kings had attempted to subjugate the peninsula, sending vast armies down the coast, only to be beaten back every time by the native kingdoms.

Aruna however, decided to build a fleet, buying vast sums of lumber from the Ardatian Empire. Once this fleet was built, she sailed across the Gulf of Talawa, choosing to not even arrive on the shores Hatani, but rather straight up the Red River, flinging vast amounts of arrows and sulfur-bombs into the surrounding city. Many thought this would be a foolish move, as it would trap the ships between the sides of the river, however it proved to be quite the opposite. By the end of the day the fleet arrived, the Red River was filled with hundreds of bodies, blown up bridges, shipwrecks, and poisonous sulfur, stewing together into a red liquid, gaining the river's its present day name. It is said that for the following decade the water remained undrinkable, and even to this present day it is said that it retains the faintest hint of iron to its taste. With Aruna conquering the peninsula, era of Talawan rule began.

Pre-Golden War era
The modern city of Hapatmitas was founded by WhiskeyKnight, with the help of Wurmbo, Rexstop15, and Cantheallmighty on 30 September 2020. It's original purpouse was to be a forward trade outpost for Kingdom of Talawa, when they began to move south in order to consolidate with Haven nations into Uldarash. The city was governed by its founder, who served as the Duke of Hapatmitas following his involvement in bringing down the notorious bandit group known as the Coeur-d'akene. The city was brought under the control of the Uldarash Empire following King WilusaWarrior's decision to join the Empire. Under the rule of WhiskeyKnight, the town prospered, becoming one of the largest cities within Rathnir, and the largest city within Haven, becoming more populous than even the capital of the Uldarash Empire - Sanctuary.

Minedodge Raid
The Minedodge Raid was an attack on Hapatmitas on 10 October 2020, perpetrated by a player named Minedodge who entered the city and killed several residents in an attempt to steal their items, including an artifact called Boots of Hapatmitas, later destroying them on 31 October making them the first lost artifact. WhiskeyKnight, the Duke of Hapatmitas and then-Minister of War, mobilized the Uldarash Imperial Army to track down and arrest the bandit, with addition of a bounty being placed on him. The fugitive fled to the Sewer Mafia for asylum, but was denied entry and fled from Uldarash authorities on a boat, returning to Sewer Mafia soon after, where he was arrested by WhiskeyKnight and members of the Uldarash Imperial Army.

Jay Massacre
On 24 October 2020, Yimmu-Audal resident TheRealJay entered Hapatmitas and killed one of its old residents Cantheallmighty multiple times, along with killing another of the old residents, Wurmbo. The massacre led to increased tension between Yimmu-Audal and the Empire of Uldarash, however the incident was resolved and no war was declared in the end. Both parties involved faced no repercussions and no lasting damage was done to Hapatmitas.

Post-Golden War era
Following the Great Golden War in November 2020, WhiskeyKnight took control of the Empire of Uldarash as Regent Emperor, and established Hapatmitas as the new political and military capital, as he was the Duke of Hapatmitas, with Splitland being the commercial and religious capital of the empire. Being the new seat of the Uldarashi Federal Government, Hapatmitas grew exponentially in both population and development, with expansions of old buildings and many new ones cropping up. Eventually the activity growth died down, however the city was still highly populated and highly active.

On 11 February 2021, Hejam, the ancestor of all Villagers, died in a stampede near the Red River. The next day, while stumbling next to the very same river, while drowning his sorrows in booze, WhiskeyKnight was suddenly stabbed by an unknown assailant. In an attempt to escape the assassin, the Emperor jumped into the Red River, followed by a volley of arrows. WhiskeyKnight drowned at approximately 7:57 pm Haven, leaving the seat of the emperor to RumKnight. RumKnight kept Hapatmitas as the capital city of the Uldarash Empire, which it would serve as until the dissolution of Uldarash following Loic’s War.

During this time the city suffered from frequent bandit raids, from which citizens couldn't defend themselves as they lacked the proper equipment, only having iron armor and weapons. One recorded raid took place on 13 February 2021, where bandits seeked entry into the city while citizens waited in their houses helplessly. On that day, during one of the skirmishes, the dog of resident bobotron27 died as it provided backup. A day later, Soleannan Spirits invaded the city, however the Uldarash Imperial Military, along with BackToTheHub and men from Kush pushed the spirits back and protected the city.

Loic's war and Viodoxan occupation
Following the defeat of the Viodoxan army at the Battle of Sanctuary, the Viodoxans turned their eyes to Hapatmitas, and on 2 March 2021, the Viodoxan army invaded the city in the Siege of Hapatmitas. Viodoxa's superior army quickly overtook the city, and with the last remnants of the imperial army and royal guards slowly whittling away under crossbow fire, the Viodoxans were victorious. The fate of RumKnight who was present at the battle is unknown, but it is assumed he either fallen during the battle, or was captured and put to death by Archon Loic. Afterwards, they placed the city under military occupation, which caused the collapsed of the First Empire of Uldarash. During this time, the city was governed by Whiskey III Knight, a grandson of Emperor Whiskey II Knight. The governor was made Synkletos in the Viodoxa, to rule a collaboration government of the province, however Whiskey III Knight with his shrewd thinking managed to lure the Viodoxan army out of the city, and under a pretext of a plague, refused to open the gates to let them in. This allowed for an easy retaking of the city, in case such opportunity arose.

Hapatmitas Crisis
The Hapatmitas Crisis was a diplomatic crisis that occurred from 5 March 2021 to 11 March 2021, shortly after the end of Loic's War, as the Second Empire of Uldarash, which reformed after the war, combined the remnants of the First Empire of Uldarash with the rest of the Golden Ring of Haven, including the Kingdom of Aurora, the Holy Chevkri Empire, Paloro, the Kingdom of Trafalgar, and Kush. The newly formed Second Empire of Uldarash began a crusade to reclaim their former land claims, including Hapatmitas. Following a tense situation between the Second Empire of Uldarash and its allies and Viodoxa and its allies, the crisis was settled with the Second Empire of Uldarash agreeing to purchase its lost territories, including Hapatmitas, back from Viodoxa. The occupation was brief, only lasting nine days before the Viodoxans ceded the city.

Stagnation and decay
After the Hapatmitas Crisis, the Second Empire of Uldarash declared that Hapatmitas would serve as the new empire's capital city, as it had in the old empire. Although Hapatmitas served as the de jure capital of the Empire, most of the power was concentrated in the de facto capital city of Fornorst, the capital city of the Kingdom of Aurora, given that King Aerulian of Aurora was made the Second Empire of Uldarash's new emperor. Due to this, along with the collapse of the Kingdom of Tiatua, one of the only Uldarashi nations on the Hapatmitas Highway, the city slowly stagnated and decayed, falling into complete disrepair. By May 2021 the city had only five residents, none of which were active.

Reconstruction effort
A campaign to reconstruct Hapatmitas and restore its position as the true capital city of the Second Empire of Uldarash began in late September 2021, being spearheaded by Empress Nikephoros and Empress Caterina. Communication between Hapatmitas residents was improved, and a new building approval system was implemented to ensure the quality of the city. Following this decision, several new buildings were created in the city, including a large market and the courthouse, notable for being the location where the trial of Miningboy_12 was held during the Kennedy Conspiracy. When the Uldarashi Schism began on 18 October 2021 and the Uldarash Civil War on 5 November 2021, reconstruction efforts essentially ended.

Uldarash Civil War and Battle of Hapatmitas
Hapatmitas was the site of one of the battles of the Uldarash Civil War and Hapatmitas-Chevkri Campaign. On November 21st, Loyalist Forces invaded the city in an attempt to take it over, being the historic capital of Uldarash, and the only settlement in the area, allowing the Loyalist Forces to take the entire region upon victory. The Imperialist Forces managed to push back the Loyalist forces to Tiatua, and ultimately ended up winning the battle with 56 losses on the Loyalist side, and only 2 on the Imperialist side. Little damage was done to the city, with most being done to the exterior walls. The city was repaired in the following months.

Following the events of Hapatmitas-Chevkri Campaign, Bardonia, the Confederation of Ummarnu, and the Grand Sørligste Federation declared neutrality in the conflict, with the Eldham Entente temporarily withdrawing until the Battle of Fornost.

Post-Civil War era
Following the Uldarash Civil War, Hapatmitas was yet again forgotten by the Empire of Uldarash, with the Civil War killing any reconstruction efforts. Empress ScotchKnight attempted to garner support to rebuild the city, and restore it as the capital city of Uldarash, however nothing came of it. One of the deciding factors that kept Hapatmitas from becoming an active city was its lack of state affiliation, instead being in the imperial land. This meant that they had no easy way of getting population, nor did they have much representation in the High Council. A few of the High Councillors supported the idea of it becoming its own state, but there was an equal opposition, which resulted in nothing being done to improve the standing of the city.

After the civil war ended, it was decided that the empire has gone for too long without a proper imperial palace, where important events such as coronations could be held. On 19 September 2021, the project started. The construction efforts were led by Ted Hastings and the Imperial Guild, using Don_Frondsman's designs. Unfortunately, due to unsafe conditions, many workers lost their lives by falling to their death, even after issuing Boulderovi Standard Safety Helmets. The lead workers, MalibuKnight and Ted Hastings, along with multiple workers, were Boulderovi, which resulted in spread of their culture on the Hatanimitas Peninsula. In early March 2022, the construction was finaly over, and on 5 March 2022, the one year Uldarash anniversary took place, and unfortunately it was the last event held by the Second Empire of Uldarash in the Imperial Palace, as just two weeks later, it dissolved.

Kingdom of Talawa
After the dissolution of Second Empire of Uldarash on 22 March 2022, Hapatmitas, Kaahiru, and parts of imperial land became independent under the Archduchy of Talawa, with ScotchKnight as its Duchess. Since ScotchKnight was the Duchess of Talawa, and an one of two Ashannus of Hearthstone Yuldai, on 9 May 2022, The Kingdom of Talawa joined the Yuldai as an autonomous dutchy. To show respects to the talawan culture, traditional symbols were included in the Hearthstone's flag.

Hearthstone Yuldai
Hapatmitas despite not being the capital of Hearthstone, became a popular city for Ashannus and Ashans to stay at, officially becoming the Royal Capital on 27 May 2022, from now on hosting the royal family. During this time, multiple building projects were started by MalibuKnight]], bringing a more modern look to the city, introducing bath houses, larger residential houses, redesigned walls, towers, and new statues. Despite the effort being put into Hapatmitas, it never gained any population, mirroring its state to that of The Second Empire of Uldarash. Instead, it was used as a hub for events, including sanctifying monuments, story nights, and ceremonies.

On 15 October 2022, ScotchKnight was found dead in her chambers in Sanctuary, and as per her wishes, the funeral was held in Hapatmitas, with a statue and a pond being constructed on a previously undeveloped island to commemorate her legacy. On 6 November 2022, a blade of Aruna The Conqueror was discovered and promptly excavated from the bed of the Red River, by Hapatmitas residents. The blade was locked in a lead box, with ancient flags being wrapped around it, placed alongside a decaying scroll. Joan, who led the excavation efforts, did not reveal what were the contents of the scroll. Reclamation of the blade was celebrated by the Talawan people, for its importance in their heritage. It is now kept in a vault of an undisclosed location.

Shifting ownership and Ekes-Irna
On 25 September 2022, Hearthstone became a part of the Phoenixian Imperium. Without anyone to look after Hapatmitas, and to ensure safety of the city, on 16 January 2023 Imperium gave the city to Kingdom of Aurora, who after acquiring it, exiled residents they were not fond of. Ultimately, this plan of protecting the city did not work, as a week later Aurora transferred the city to The Inhuman Horde under a threat.

On 21 March 2023, VermouthKnight along with Yazov bought Hapatmitas' independence from The Horde for six million, which became the City State of Ekes-Irna, which 8 days later purchased State of Typhaon that occupied the south of the Hatanimitas Peninsula. The City State did not last long as on 2 May 2023 it was wilfully annexed by the Kingdom of Aragotha, becoming the Archduchy of Talawa. Aragotha itself would be annexed by their overlord, Crownlands of Ashai on 26 May 2023.

Districts
Hapatmitas' district layout changed overtime as the city evolved, but the south always stayed as the Lower Class District, while the north and west was more prestigious. The north wall is called The Wall of Malibu, after MalibuKnight, who contributed a lot in renovation of the city.

Palace and Gardens
Palace itself is a giant building, rivaling smaller districts in size by itself. Rare and beautiful plants grow inside and around the palace, with a large amount of clean water being used to keep them alive. The palace had been used for ceremonies during the second Empire of Uldarash era, among with other events and celebrations.

High Class District
The theatre and noble houses can be found here. The western part of this district is the newest addition to the city, featuring the largest and most luxurious housing, although as of July 2023, it is still under construction. The theatre, originally being constructed in the early days of Hapatmitas, has been completely redesigned and finished on 1 September 2022.

Middle Class District
This district has the most of public buildings, such as the courthouse, bath houses, and the Asharu Temple. Most of the housing was constructed during the Hearthstone Yuldai era of the city. A large chunk of the lower district was demolished to make way for the middle class district, with there being no trace left of the former.

Market District
A giant glass dome adorns the middle of the district. As the name suggest, multiple market stalls are scattered everywhere. Talawan Finance Ministry is in the south part of the city, having minor renovations in June 2023. On the shoreline a long dock is built

Lower Class District
Lower Class District has a large Villager minority, which provides most of the food to the city. In fact, all of the city's Villagers live in the district, rarely showing up even to the Middle Class District.

The housing there is very cramped, the alleyway narrow, and since its construction little to no projects were held there. It is said that in one of the small houses is a quartz room, in the middle of which lays a locked chest, with souls of Villagers trapped in it. Appearance of the chest coincides with the sudden disappearance of most of the Villager population in late 2020. The authorities prohibit entry to the building, or any attempts to unlock the chest.

Demographics
Earliest Talawans were nomadic tribes, valuing familial traditions, and clear hierarchies of authority. This is reflected by Hapatmitas history, where it always was a part of nations with clear hierarchies, such as Uldarash or Hearthstone. After the city was established, most Talawans abandoned their nomaid lifestyles, and decided to settle and enjoy the urban life. There are multiple minority groups coexisting in the city, including humans and near-extinct race of Villagers. Due to the nature of villager reproduction, which isn't natural and involves idols, effigies, and full stomachs, professions that offer a large amount of nutrition are greatly valued and held in high regard, holding higher social positions because of it. Villagers are much more culturally distinct from the other humanoid races, and all can trace their lineage back to a single villager named Hejam, who migrated to the city from an area that is now Terroja around the time Hapatmitas was founded, and who ultimately died on 11 Febuary 2021 in a stampede incident.

Food
Shaped by the Red River and the Rough Sea, the diet of Hapatmitas revolves largely around fish, sugarcane, potato-like tuber, and wheat. Fish in the surrounding waters are known to be very large, such as the Red Eel, that grows to sizes of up to 5 meters, and the Mitasaruna Paiche, both of which are worshiped by the Villagers. Common talawan cuisine include salt-crust baked fish, grilled sugarcane, flatbread, red wine, and paku, which is pork mixed with herbs, grapes, olive oil, and red wine, formed into balls and roasted on a skewer.

Faith
Asharu is the most popular religion in the city, although in a unique to the city form, as over time the religion mixed with local beliefs. The local asharu spirit is a chicken with a head of a dog and a fan-like tail, while Villagers venerate Hejam, as their mutual ancestor saint. After boulderovi workers migrated to the city to help with the construction of the imperial palace, and with Hearthstone Yuldai's royal family all being Boulderists, the city has a medium sized boulderist minority.

Clothes
Due to Hapatmitas' arid climate, clothing is typically large and flowing. A typical Hapatmitas adornment is the ashkhan, a tall hat with a square at the top. Other ornaments popular are long and round golden earrings usually only worn in adulthood.

Mitasaruna and religious debate
Scholars and Clergymen have long since debated on the matter of Aruna the Conqueror and Mitasaruna, some of the clergy believing her to have been the physical manifestation of Mitasaruna, and other having believed her to have, upon her death, become the goddess Mitasaruna. Controversially, scholars have argued that the very idea of Mitasaruna came from the sea beliefs of the local inhabitants combined with the fame and infamy created by Aruna's conquests, this idea given weight by there being very few reliable sources pointing to the existence of the goddess prior to the conquest, although there have been some admittedly few.