THE GRAND CITY OF BALOC Sometimes known as the River City or City of Bridges because of all the rivers and canals that run through it, Baloc is the oldest and best defended city of the western world. Smaller than the surviving Hushon, it is a beautiful and picturesque city with many grand archways, cathedrals and ancient parks. The capitol city of Dophir might have been a marvel of the modern world, but Baloc is a wonder of the ages.
Many of the smaller rivers are actually well maintained canals The entire city is surrounded by a massive wall, the length of five men thick and no less than forty feet in height, the tallest point measuring one hundred and twenty feet where it backs the great fortress of Thelias, on the river that separates the East side from the South end. The wall had always been, and over the centuries became more of a support for structures and buildings rather than a defensive wall. Peace had reigned for so long that people paid little attention to the great wall that surrounded their fair city, until that ill fated day when the Dragons attacked.
The day that the capitol city fell, was the only time that the Dragons had attempted a full out assault on the city of Baloc. Since then people have speculated why they leave them alone. Some believe they fear their defenses, but those who know better realize that if the Dragon wanted they could lay waste to their city. Their victory, however, would not come without a price and it was the fear of many of them falling in battle that was the commonly accepted theory.
Though the people of Baloc have yet been spared by any direct Dragon attacks the population is not ignorant to believe that they are safe; that they will never come. On the contrary, because of this, they are all the more wary and spend a great deal of taxes on defenses for that ill fated day.
At the north and south ends of the city are the majestic gates of the River Rathilim. These enormous doors offer boats and ships access to the city and are flanked by great towers armed with canons, swivel canons and now a new invention sit atop them. A canon able to shoot a giant metal missile has been developed by a survivor of Fort Glory and is now being incorporated into the arsenal of the Baloc army.
The city is ruled by Magistrate and a council that are re-elected every five years. The current Magistrate is a man by the name of Connel Granet, a fair and benevolent man who is in his second term.
Baloc has a railyard on the cities West side. The trains are defended by a security force and headed by a warden not unlike Fort Glory, but more freight flows down the river as the steam ships are far easier to defend against rogue Dragons.
The River City Press, the cities dominant newspaper now has some competition. The Capitol Tribune, the surviving publication from Dophir, has relocated from Fort Glory. Many other business as well have set up shop in the old city, bringing with the the ideas of the new world.