A Brief History of Ursalia

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by Kilo60

Scraps

Over the Hills and Far Away

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A brief history of Ursalia.

         I realize this drawing is awful but I’m just not up for drawing a detailed city again… sorry.

    So, anyway, I like to think that Hadrian’s army built Ursalia during the conquest of the western world around 130 AD. It was started as an army outpost/ stronghold deep in the barbarian territory of Northern Britannia, just south of the wall. It was such a secure and remote location that the troops were able to move their families in with them. Improvements kept being made upon it over several decades. The post was expanded into a small town, which had quite a good-sized population.  The mountain itself had high volcanic soil content, making it perfect to grow crops in the solariums.

    With a higher population the town had to expand physically so mining operations began around 191 where an enormous silver vein was discovered. Along with this, several large hot springs were found. Wells were dug and aqueducts were constructed. Bathhouses were soon built using the spring water and feeding the greenhouses. The Romans soon found that the crops grew faster and with better yields, and everyone rapidly became healthier and longer lived.

    The unique combination of silver, rare and deep earth minerals, Iodated salt crystals, and hot spring magma created Colloidal Silver and Nascent Iodine. Which seeped into the hot spring wells and, from there, into the bathing and drinking water, giving it incredible healing properties. Ursalia became the ‘go to’ destination for ill, infirm, elderly and anyone who wanted to make a good living or go on a nice vacation.

    From there, the population exploded, with word traveling fast to the rest Europe and Rome. The town soon became a large city on top of an enormous mine. Cutting stone for walls, making clay for tiles and flattening the top of the mountain to make more room, the city steadily grew larger and larger. The then Emperor Septimus took notice and sent his engineers and masons to build what Septimus would refer to as: Ursalia Urbis Curationus, the City of Healing.

    Mining and flattening continued for centuries, while several thousand Romans flocked to the new Capitol city. Health, wealth, and knowledge poured from the mountain like water as new and amazing inventions were researched and discovered. Schools and temples were built; scholars and wizards alike came to teach in the magnificent halls. The great library was dug under the city to protect it and books, scrolls, and texts from Alexandria were brought to be kept safe.

    It was around 550 Ursalia finally felt the crush of over- taxation, slave labor, and xenophobia.

    Unlike Rome, which fell into ruin due to politics and economic disparity, Ursalia had a civil uprising between the races, which inhabited it. While Rome blamed the Gummi’s, Elves, Dwarves, and other races for the collapse and began a full-scale genocide, Ursalia had a small civil war, which nearly destroyed half the city. The Gummi’s won the uprising and took control of the city, making it they’re own. They were able to live quite peacefully for a very long time.

    However, being completely cut off from the rest of the Gummi population, as well as, every other population, their numbers steadily dwindled. Around 1350 the last half of the population determined it was time to leave Ursalia and find the rest of the Gummies. To join them across the sea. The other half wanted to stay and wait for the day that the Gummies came back and they could live in peace with the other races. It was then the Thornberry family took over rule of the city and were the stewards ever since. Until the day when two members of Gummi Glen stumbled upon it…

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