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| Baime
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Solyiat
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180km
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Tropical
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Coastal
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Tourism, fishing, gambling, entertainment
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Sephi, various local Quorahi species
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Basic, Sephi
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250,000 Appx.
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Foods, stonework, technology, industrial construction
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Luxury goods, fish, tourism, entertainment
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Vatali Empire
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The City of Baime, also known as Baime, Little Naboo or, more disparagingly, Theed’s Ugly Daughter, is the primary metropolis on Krea, Solyiat. Operating as both the only viable major port on the continent and the planet’s foremost source of tourism besides Is Brea, it is the single most vital settlement on that corner of the world. Constructed about a sheltered coastal region that bordered the teeming rainforests dominating the continent, Baime was constructed primarily with tourism in mind almost a full century after colonisation had begun on Solyiat. Attracting almost twice its population in tourism per year, it has become known for its wealth of casinos, museums, entertainment facilities, resorts, and beaches.
History
For all of its later significance, Baime was established toward the tail end of the Vatali’s colonisation era. Although Krea-Pokora’s position toward the equator was desirable for the positions of spaceports, the tangled masses of jungle that dominated Krea and Pokora’s dotted islands made each expensive to build upon. Compared with the wealth of profitable mining operations across other continents and even the frigid regions of Trepus offering a booming deep-sea fishing industry, there was nothing of benefit there.
As the Vatali coffers filled with increasing wealth, Emperor Ranorm Anasaye’s attention turned elsewhere. Toward the end of his life he wished to establish a wider cultural legacy for his people. The towering structures of durasteel of Kiast’s floating cities or the modern colonies across their worlds granted this, but they lacked the innate beauty of stonework and history. Although it is not known if he or a subject ordered it, Baime’s location was picked as one of several spots to fill this void, emulating the style of Theed as a guideline while incorporating elements of Alderaanian and Sephi aesthetics.
Laying the very groundwork of the city took a full two decades, and importing stonework desired for the task exaggerated the work by decades. Several billion credits were sunk into the endeavour, and it would stretch past Ranorm Anasaye’s rule into Tanisad Anasaye’s reign. Even so, few changes were made save for a length of catacombs established beneath the city. It was finally established about 520 BBY, as the last stones about the centre were laid.
Initially treated as a costly playground and entertainment city for the nobles, as Kiast opened up more to the galaxy Baime would prosper substantially. Taking up the majority of the seafront in the surrounding area and expanding deeper into the continent, its original populace of 50,000 would balloon five times over by the time of Clan Odan-Urr’s arrival. Drawing in a constant stream of crowds for its facilities and natural beauty, it would end up benefiting two seemingly contradictory goals - Enforcing a multitude of wildlife and scenic laws to preserve the environment while also funding further smaller settlements deeper inland.
Save for the odd assassination attempt and political scandal, Baime’s remote location left it outside of the various civil wars and invasions the Vatali would face. Considered unofficial neutral ground during the first war with the Vauzem Dominion it became a hotbed for espionage activities, and a target for multiple abduction attempts during the staged coup against Empress Kaltani. Although managing to turn this somewhat to its advantage thanks to careful advertising, these events gave Baim a reputation for danger that the city never fully managed to escape.
Cultural Relevance
With an emphasis upon drawing in crowds thanks to its facilities and natural beauty, Baime is well-known and recognized as an oversized entertainment complex. In contrast to Is Brea’s somewhat seedier reputation, this is more varied thanks to its wider range of facilities. Museums, local tours, art galleries, and locations of arguable historical importance all served to draw in the nobility and give it the impression of being a centre of cultural importance. The later expansion to entertainment piers extending out to the waves and larger elaborate casinos was tempered by this, but these were left to outlying areas. As a result, its core appeal was seen to be elements of high culture, even as crowds of invested gamblers bolstered the city’s economy.
For all its initial efforts to draw in and appease the nobility, Baime is remarkable in that it has no actual ties to the Vatali old families. The royal family never placed a single bloodline in a position of power in favour of figures best connected with the running of the city. In its place, a ruling council and elected mayor picked from the local business operators is picked on a bi-yearly basis. This has led to the city being cited among critics of the royal family as an example of operating without the problems of the old bloodlines. This has resulted in a reputation for the city as having all of the benefits of civilization and modernity, but it takes little effort to recognise that the council is just as prone to infighting and politics as the nobility themselves.
Even as a city that has pushed to claim much of Krea and establish further settlements across the continent, one universally positive praise is left for how the city has anchored and preserved much of the local environment. Relying heavily upon the natural beauty of its beaches and local environment for the more casual crowds of visitors, stringent laws and extremely hefty fines have existed since its founding to protect its surroundings. Able to fight off multiple efforts to overcome these thanks to the city’s wealth, areas covering several hundred kilometres about the city have been picked out and preserved as ecological habitats. Although to their benefit, this point has been used as a cudgel by Baime’s leaders to blunt criticisms of the city when it comes to far more lax laws; particularly those in relation to gambling or how it attained certain culturally important items for its museums.
The ultimate foe to Baime’s success is time itself, as the city’s builders have been left to constantly fight both the ravages of the monsoon seasons and the rapid growth of the jungle. Snarling roots have continually undermined key foundations, leading to entire outer districts being abandoned for seasons while engineers reclaim and secure the territory. Equally, the painstaking and careful rebuilding of its original structures has left much of the city’s artisans working to maintain what already exists rather than building upon it. This has led to hushed disparaging remarks about the city’s inability to grow, and superstitions of ill fortune.
The so-called ‘Curse of Sailors’ to Baime was established following ill remarks by Admiral Ilisard Nawade, who compared the city to “an ageing dowager, long past her prime and caking her pock-marked features in rouge” after witnessing ongoing rebuilding attempts. Although considered ill-chosen words, the loss of Nawade’s ship and full escort while trying to traverse a safe route amid the Palioxis Cloud led to rumours of the curse among sailors. Baime’s ruling council seized upon these tales to craft a new chapter in its city’s culture, fanning word of the so-called curse as it drew in new interest, and shut down similar sentiments among its critics.
Layout
Curiously for a city that supports a major harbour, a significant part of Baime’s structure is focused far inland. The Winter Palace, a tall domed structure that extends high above much of the city, serves as a central point to the inland streets and districts. Roads circle its base, before reaching outward to join another larger circle network, with buildings fitted between them. Although chosen primarily for style over efficiency, and requiring most residents to move on foot thanks to the difficulties speeders have outside of major lanes, it has become an iconic quality of the city. This structure is only broken as it reaches the fringes of the seafront, and parts into a morass of smaller lanes leading to beaches, or broader highways linking to oceanic platforms.
Landmarks and Locations
The Imperial Vatali Museum
One of a multitude of museums focusing on various subjects, the Imperial Vatali Museum primarily concentrates on the history of the Kiast system and the Vatali Empire as a whole. Situated in the former council chambers along the city’s central ring, the baroque interior still displays the finery of those days, with relatively few changes to its decorations. Divided up into three levels covering various eras up to the modern day, the rooms sport both display pieces and holographic guides to greet visitors.
The majority of the pieces on site consist of either archaeological finds or records donated by major families. Paintings, items valued by previous leaders, holographic images of past battles and historical sites, or even occasional direct voice recordings are all present. These have each served as a major draw to visitors, and the museum has recently expanded out into a new gallery covering the second war seemingly ending the threat of the Vauzem Dominion.
The museum has financially backed several expeditions to worlds to further recover other findings and not rely wholly upon donations. This has met with mixed successes and has further increased criticisms of certain practices. The museum has been drawn into various legal suits over the years, due to taking wreckage of battle sites and the source of certain donations being questioned by the families involved.
The Winter Palace
The Winter Palace was originally made for the use of the royal family, with the expectation that either the Emperor or associated figures from the bloodline might visit. This was changed partway through construction by decree of an unknown party, and proved to be ill-chosen when Tanisad Anasaye showed no interest in residing there. The building was kept pristine but went unused for almost thirty years, before Tanisad learned of this and demanded it not go to waste. After this, it was hastily - with little hesitation by those involved - converted into the new chambers for the city council.
The majority of the palace’s lower levels are entirely open to the public, and sections of its vast interior have been given over to other establishments. A large open library, visitor centre, and public gallery are among recent additions. At the same time, everything beyond the ground level is reserved for governmental operations and is blocked off from all but a few select visitors. Benefitting from private power generators, its own communications system, and a series of military-grade security measures, the building is far better protected against threats than it might first appear. Should the city fall under direct attack, it would be able to withstand assaults by a sizable enemy invasion force.
Rowton Port
The largest of three oceanic ports maintained and owned by the city, Rowton is the primary transportation and trade hub for the city’s supplies. With the ability to support and refuel up to eighty major cargo hauliers and four hundred smaller vessels at any one time, it is a constant hive of activity. Much of the loading and storage mechanisms are handled either by droids or automated mechanisms, reducing a portion of the area needed for holding and moving essential supplies. This is further reduced thanks to the vast warehouses reaching several levels underground, permitting long-storage containers to be stored away without disrupting fast-moving crates.
The bulk of Baime’s fishing fleets operates from this location, along with a mix of independent trawlers, salvage operators, and other such groups. While most professions are accepted, tourist and pleasure launches are limited to the smaller ports.
Highgarden Star Port
Just as Rowton Port links to the sea and local atmospheric vessels, Highgarden Star Port was built to give easy access to off-world travellers. A modest size for most such facilities and stretching only ten kilometres in length, it nevertheless benefits from a full sixteen hangars. Situated on an artificial platform extending out onto the ocean, its construction was built for support of repulsorlift equipped and vertical takeoff capable ships. The landing strip was built more for visual aesthetic than true use, and was found to be ill-suited to anything more than a corvette scale vessel.
The Baime Vault
Both thanks to its isolated location and steady flow of money, Baime supports its own privately supported bank - the Baime Vault. Operated alongside more commonly recognised banks, it serves as a means to better control the wealth flowing through the city.
Situated close to the upper part of the city and on the opposite side of both the harbours and spaceport, it occupies a former mansion that was brought up to good standing after fires gutted it. However, this is only visible to the outside. The majority of the building serves as a smokescreen to deflect and divert possible bank robberies. Although fully manned and seemingly operated, the majority of the bank’s actual offices and facilities are held in an armoured underground bunker surrounding the main vault. The three-story building above it is fully armed, guarded and protected, but that is simply to give time so the vital facilities can be locked off.
The Outer Ring
Among the final areas constructed in its originally planned layout, the outer ring is a general catch-all term for the majority of the city’s casinos. Given several key districts in close relation to one another, this quickly led to heavy competition between the major owners. A multitude of owners have come and gone during this time, and dominance over these territories remains constantly in flux. This was, although unproven, the ultimate point of their position by the council, as it prevents them from further expanding their influence deeper into the city while Baime also benefits from their presence.
The unofficial dividing line between gambling establishments and more widely accepted areas is further enforced by higher costs in certain locations and a number of key laws limiting the use of buildings. By forming this limitation without outright acknowledging it, the council has managed to maintain the best of both worlds, despite some severe clashes with owners in past decades.
Spire’s Reach
The Spire’s reach is one of a series of offshore platforms linked to the mainland by a reinforced connecting bridge. The pier is established as a means to rapidly set up and then remove various stalls and shopfronts, giving access to owners who cannot afford the higher costs of the stone buildings within the city itself.
The pier has seen multiple festivals held at it along with major events, and as a square platform two hundred metres in length on each side, it has enough room to support a sizable populace.