Eden City

Eden City
Geographical
Climate:	Temperate
Terrain:	Barren; urban
Points of Interest:	The Flailed Wookiee The BlasTech
Societal
Native species:	Human
Immigrated species:	Various
Official language:	Basic
Population:	19,016,456
Political
Exports:	Lommite
Affiliation:	Clan Tarentum
[ Source ]

Eden City is the capital city of Yridia IX, a sprawling metropolis housing over 19 million citizens. It is one of the most active trading centers in the Minos Cluster, serving economic as well as corporate interests to the Yridia system and to Clan Tarentum. Eden is divided into seven districts, all distinctly different, and subsequently is the home of immense criminal activity and corporate manipulation.

History

Establishment

Yridia IX, where Eden City is situated.

Eden started as a simple starport when miners colonized Yridia IX, meaning to find lommite in the asteroids proximal to the planet. As small corporations grew around the port, the costs for selling the lommite and transporting it began to cancel each other out, making it difficult to make a profit. This changed during an economic depression that occurred in the cluster, and the Minos-Mestra Corporation was eventually sold to regional holders. Soon, the many corporations set up around the port arranged for supporting residential and entertainment areas, and soon people from all over the galaxy began to travel to and settle around the starport.

For a long time, Eden was mainly the home of smugglers and served more as a fringe haven for them to continue their illegal business proceedings. However, with the growing economy and trade, the city swelled to an impressive population of 9 million people in the early years after the Battle of Yavin. Due to the growing need for an organized infrastructure and regulated city boundaries, Eden was divided into seven major buroughs but continued to sprawl as its numbers increased. At the same time, the formation of the districts began the ever growing rift between the rich and the poor that dwelled within Eden.

In 19 ABY, the Exodus took place, and in 24 ABY, the Yridian Revolt began only to be quashed by Tarentum. It was during those five years that Clan Tarentum seized full control of the Yridia system, adding their influence into the most major city that Yridia provided. Due to the effects of prosperity as well as the clan's massive military operations, the population nearly doubled over the next fifteen years. Marshal Maxamillian von Oberst saw to the inclusion of a compulsory military program, in which all Yridian citizens above the age of seventeen were obligated to serve Tarentum's forces for a minimum of four years. The clan also worked to include a Governor to head Eden and Yridia IX as a whole, as well as secretly collaborate with criminal families to make sure they could receive military supplies efficiently without having to travel too far. Since then, Eden City has been an incredibly lucrative metropolis, but not without its crises. Its crime levels still remain considerably high, and it is seen as a city with corrupt, sinful influences. Even so, its place in the system is a crucial one, as it provides a suitable place for major trade, importation, exportation, and commerce.

The Eden City Tragedy

As recently as 31 ABY, Eden City has faced massive recovery costs due to a PCL 27 freighter crashing on Yridia IX's surface, killing thousands and destroying large portions of the city districts. The crash took place on a day in which Eden's sovereign Tarentum came to discuss fiscal matters with the city's implemented government. Subsequently, twenty-five percent of District III was completely destroyed, while around five to ten percent of other districts bordering District III was also annihilated.

Most of the city damage was caused by the freighter's explosion, triggered from the impact. Ultimately, patches of Eden City have become dangerous radiation zones, due to the nuclear atmospheres created by the explosion. Already civilians have begun to suffer side effects of the radiation, if not already suffering the burns from the flames caused by the crash.

The day of the Eden City Tragedy also marked a change in government, with Governor Eduardo Griffin being overthrown amid the destruction and the chaos. The current governor has declared Eden City in a state of emergency, as well as placed the civilians on high surveillance due to the suspicion that the freighter crash was pre-meditated. All the while, memorials have been crudely constructed and erected to commemorate those who died from the attack, and the day has officially been made n a day of mourning.

Districts

A diagram of Eden City's districts.

Eden City is divided into seven districts, all with its different outlets and perks. They are also vastly different in terms of wealth distribution, which adds to the rifts between the rich and the poor.

District I

More commonly known by citizens of Eden as the "Uptown District," District I is the most lucrative and affluent in all of Eden. Many rich folk gather in this district, and it is considered to have the finest to offer in financial institutions, big companies, and lofty entertainment businesses and restaurants. District I also houses the main buildings of Eden's local government, and it is located closest to the starport, offering the wealthy and as well as government officials exclusive access to traveling and commerce. At the same time, one of the biggest criminal families lives in the Uptown District, mingling with the richer folk while maintaining strong economic ties with Tarentum.

District II

District II is relatively close to District I but does not house as much in terms of business or entertainment. District II is more of a headquarters for smaller and slightly less lucrative businesses, many of which pertain to local commerce, construction, information distribution, and other companies working mostly on local finance and insurance. It is also home of the main police force, mostly made up of citizens who are carrying out their requirement of eight years' service in the Yridian Civilian Defense Force.

District III

A strictly middle-class section of Eden, District III is mostly known as a residential area. It has earned the nickname, "The Working Man's District," as many employed civilians such as merchants, mechanics, shopkeepers, and local businessmen flock to the district in order to raise families. Many residents of District III can be seen as attempting to live good, honest lives, though the influences of both the wealthy side and the poorer side of Yridia permeate the borough's boundaries. It is not surprising, as District III is bordered by both the uptown districts as well as the slums and the "Alien District."

District IV

District IV is home to many underground fighting rings, where civilians even bet on death matches.

District IV, bordered by four of the other districts, is Eden's prime entertainment sector. Many of its safe, legal businesses include the main music industry, restaurants, clubs, dive bars, and casinos. Swoop racing is a common spectacle, and card games such as sabacc are overwhelmingly popular. At the same time, District IV is also the home of nearly all the illegal entertainments in the metropolis. It is notorious for its brothels as well as its underground fighting rings, in which several citizens will gamble, drink, and bet on death matches as many others become brawlers. District IV is a haven for several drug dealers, many of whom are connected to larger criminal organizations. Many people refer to the district as "District Sin," or "Sin" for short, when people travel there.

District V

District V is one of two districts that are directly affiliated with the slums. Right next to District IV, it houses several criminals as well as gangs that attempt to claim parts of the district as their own. There is not much else to say about it besides its criminal influence, and many times Yridian military forces are called there to stop occasional riots.

District VI

Proximal to District V, District VI is the primary place for criminal organizations to form and is on the opposite side of the city from the main port. While some of these organizations are shoddy renditions of groups desiring anarchy, some legitimate criminal families reside in the slums. Most of them are led by those wishing to grow in power and earn favor with Tarentum's leaders, but most of the time, they merely resort to underground rivalry with families close to them. Unlike District V, civilians of District VI tend to avoid the wrath of military forces, instead housing a majority of Yridia IX's recent immigrants.

District VII

Known as the "Alien District," District VII is home to many civilians who mean to maintain their cultures within a secluded, self-sufficient community. It is home of many different markets, some bordering on black market businesses, and remains separate from the rest of the city in terms of its economic functions. Few wander out of the Alien District into the other districts.

Government

Eden City is part of the Principality of Yridia, once working as a participatory democracy before Tarentum took control of the system. It is mainly led by a Governor who is democratically elected and approved by the Prince of Yridia. While the current Governor keeps close communications with clan leaders and consistently updates them on Eden's growth, little is really known about him in the clan. While not simply a puppet used by the clan, the Governor is usually influenced by Tarentum's desires and caters to the clan's wishes in order to earn more profit and recognition. This gives many the impression that the Governor is merely a well-paid figurehead, even though he does have some say in the city's operations and functions. Besides a governor, representatives are appointed to Parliament from each district, while some citizens are named ambassadors and frequently travel to Taras on Yridia II to discuss political matters. The current governor of Eden is Stanson Rend.

As almost a hidden part of the government, one criminal family highly influences the structure of politics and business in Eden. As Tarentum is attempting to be as inconspicuous about its military proceedings as possible, it will occasionally rely on members of the family to provide it with information as well as access to rare gasses, ammunitions, and other supplies that the clan needs. It is through these business proceedings that the main family is allowed to function as the biggest in Eden, earning its place in the higher district and being able to control some of the gambling and loan sharking due to Tarentum's turning a blind eye as a reward for the family's contributions. The criminal family more currently has assumed even more power due to its leader, Rend, becoming the city's governor.

Places of Interest

• One of Eden City's most popular bars is the Flailed Wookiee, which adds to the strong element of nightlife in District IV. It is said that a signed photo of Han Solo and Chewbacca from their earlier days hangs on one of the bar's walls.
• The BlasTech is another famous bar in Eden, known for its almost complete collection of replica BlasTech weapons adorned on its walls. Not only is it built right on the border of Districts I and IV - represented by one of the bar's walls - but it also is programmed with noise canceling devices above the booths so people cannot eavesdrop on patrons' conversations.