Alliance of Free Cities

The Alliance of Free Cities is a coalition between eight independent city states, formed due to a military threat from the Empire of Duvos with which it has fought multiple wars. Atara serves as the Alliance capital.

Lucien serves as the industrial and military hub of the Alliance and is the location of its main defensive force. Atara serves as capital and is the leading economic center. Vega 5 and Atara are both homes to universities and are the leading scientific centers of the Alliance. Portia is located in a fertile region and relies mostly on farming. Lead by Mayor, the city tries to become a commercial hub. Walnut Groove is the leading cultural center. Highwind is the leader in wind power and Tallsky has the largest supply of engines and weapons from the Old World. Tallsky is also the home to a large number of Builders. Sandrock is an oasis town in the Eufaula Desert established by Ruin Divers that extracted Relics from a buried metropolis. It is currently undergoing a crisis and must import drinking water after its oasis dried out.

History
The Alliance of Free Cities started to take form about 80 years ago (Year 18 after Peach), after settlers from what is current day Ethea moved south and settled around the area. At that time, ruin divers from Ethea were looking for more ruins to operate, opening up new mines everywhere across what would later be known as the Free Cities landscape. The pioneer groups were all acting independently and were unorganized; many were lost to disease, monsters, and starvation in these early days.

They discovered that the weather was much more stable in these parts; there were already forests, animals, and many sources of clean water. Word spread to their compatriots back home, triggering a large migration from Ethea and even some from Barnarock. Many towns formed, eventually growing into the modern Free Cities.

The alliance was formalized hastily 67 years ago (Peach Calendar Year 31), when the Duvos Empire first set its sights on the Free Cities’ resources. Employing its superior weapons technology, the Duvos forces destroyed the city-state of Baja overnight. Formerly loose allies, Ethea and Barnarock rushed to help defend the border, and together their armies pushed back the invading forces at the city-state of Lucien, but only after losing three city-states during this two-year war (Baja, Arcadia, Mobius). The Alliance of the Free Cities Treaty was then officially signed after the war in Year 34 with the capital seat in Atara. Ever since, the Alliance has been a coalition based on equal member rights and mutual defense, as well as an economic bloc.

The Alliance fought another war with the Duvos Empire in Year 76. Due to new advancements in technology from Vega 5, the Alliance fought Duvos to a draw in this engagement. Relations between the Alliance and the Empire have since been contentious with random skirmishes on the border breaking out until a year ago when the two signed a peace treaty.

The city-state of Doss was destroyed by an enormous creature from the Peripheries 30 years ago (Year 68).

Current members

 * Atara (capital)
 * Highwind
 * Lucien
 * Portia
 * Sandrock
 * Tallsky
 * Vega 5
 * Walnut Groove

Former members
Four additional cities were former members of the Alliance. Arcadia, Baja and Mobius were conquered by Duvos in a two-year war between Duvos and the Alliance.
 * Arcadia
 * Baja
 * Doss
 * Mobius

Doss was destroyed by a creature from The Peripheries 30 years ago.

Relation to other countries
The Alliance is on opposing terms with Duvos, due to the military threat brought by the empire. After waging wars with each other over resources, a peace treaty between the Alliance and Duvos was enacted and is currently in place.

In addition to Duvos, the Alliance borders the Principality of Ethea, the city state of Barnarock, and The Peripheries. The Alliance is on friendly terms with Ethea, Barnarock and the Kingdom of Seesai and is worried by Duvos's encroachment on Ethea territory. Alliance relations with Ethea and Barnarock are influenced by these states being the ancestral homes of most of the settlers that populated the future Alliance cities.

Its relations with Meidi, a theocracy ruled by the Church of the Light, is not known, but the church is the leading religion in the Alliance.