Biloxan

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The Elgan capital of Biloxan

Biloxan is the capital city of the Elgan, located on the planet Krell within the Tethan System. It is home to a population of 2.7 million souls, 90% of those being Elgan. It is a city full of interesting cultural locations, historic sites, and other Elgan eccentricities.

Culture and History

Biloxan is an affluent place filled with luxurious things. It is constructed high above the Kashitir Jungle, the entire infrastructure raised atop a strong steel skeleton that keeps the city safe from floods and the predators of the wilderness. It is divided into districts that are connected to each other through suspended walkways. Most individuals on Krell are generally well off, as there is a culture of generosity among the Elgan, and the wealthy tend to be generous and helpful to those less fortunate than themselves. Biloxan has one of the lowest poverty rates in the galaxy, but it is not altogether free from vice - the Elgan Underground, a criminal enterprise originally founded to counter, weaken, and hopefully destroy the Nabian monopoly on drugs, maintains a significant chapter in that urban jungle.

Known for a notoriously rainy climate (which is the reason the Elgan enjoy many indoor activities such as gambling and dancing within their Toh), most Elgan homes are built with flooding in mind and tend to be tall, with tall furniture and many steps around the place, so despite its elevation above the swamp and rainforest, the architecture in Biloxan still follows this aesthetic trend. Elgan residences and workplaces are invariably large, communal, and crowded buildings, which have a circular shape.

Due to its temperate climate, the planet is comprised primarily of jungles and swamps. Of these, the closest in proximity to the capital of Biloxan are the Kashitir Jungle and the Locorin Swamp.

Government

Current leaders: Poji Gawin (m), Trinoa Banmyn (f), Nici Triceli (f)

The Elgan Collective is a representative democracy that forms the government of Krell, with a trio of leaders elected by the Collective, called the Trinity. In practice, they're actually highly socialist, however, and nobody on Krell goes to bed hungry. The Seat of the Collective is a building which houses the major administrative institutions of Krell and The Seat of the Trinity. Within the building are offices for the four major ministries: Gambling, Trade, Culture and Internal Affairs. There are equally important departments such as Health, Transport, Defense and so on housed in this district, but they are not housed in the Seat itself. The Seat is more of a symbol to Elgan culture and history.

The Ministry of Trade oversees all trade activity on Krell, including everything from prices, trade monopolies, trade agreements and disputes and galactic partnerships. They also provide trade insurance and offer dispute resolution and consumer protection. Basically, if it exchanges hands and involves money, the Trade Ministry has something to do or regulate about it.

The Ministry of Gambling regulates gambling, obviously, which is big business on Krell. They do a lot of data collection - compiling statistics on the different games in the city, making sure the house isn't winning too much, and keeping everyone honest.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs is Krell's police and intelligence force.

The Milistry of Culture promotes and preserves the customs and traditions of the Elgan people. They have dozens of initiatives in progress at any given time, from funding oral histories with Elgan elders and creating documentaries of the performing arts, to analyzing current trends and the way they have impacted Elgan ways of life.

Districts

The Techdustry District

Home to the Heldissa Vinci Starport and the planet landing pads, the Techdustry district is the industrial sector of Biloxan and home to the main three corporations of Biloxan - Pryfix Armaments, Wrocyn Weaponry and Tanmop Technologies. The first two are expert weapon manufacturers while Tanmop specializes in high-precision instruments: sensors, radars, sightings, visors, etc. (most of what they produce has military applications). All three corps are ancient and get along rather well with each-other, although there are occasional disputes and trade conflicts but this is seen as a virtue of business rather than a problem. There is no industrial espionage in Biloxan as the Elgan culture is one of sharing and communal work.

The name of the district comes from an old prank where, hundreds of years ago when the infrastructure of the district was built and the district had to be formally open, the aides in charge of writing the opening speech decided they didn't like the name proposed for the district (nobody knows anymore what that was). They wrote down Techdustry in the speech's notes as short for Technological-Industrial district, with the intention of changing it later before the final draft. One of the aides found the name terribly funny though and decided that they should play a prank on the minister reading the speech and left the name as Techdustry, hoping it would cause some chuckles when read aloud in front of all the city officials and investors. Somehow, the name stuck.

Corwin's Flood District

The residential district where most of the wealthier people in Biloxan live. That is to say, almost all the families with a few exceptions. The district is rather opulent and has its own open-air fruit market and some cafés. The district is built around a monument to Corwin's Flood, an event long ago before the city was built on the elevated structure it is now. A great flood swept away Corwin Meron's farm and lands, he was one of the last Elgan who refused to build a raised platform structure and paid the price. After this event, he was the very last to do so.

The Market District

As the name implies, it is the market district, built on Market Rise, a great, towering, arching bridge that connects Corwin's Flood to the sweeping heights of the Collective's Expanse. Along the bridge are a plethora of rare goods, antiques and trinket shops. To the North, in the area between Market Rise and the Collective's Expanse is the "fun and entertainment district" of the city - clubs, casinos, loaners, the works. Notable places include: Haxley's Casino and the Blaster Light nightclub. Haxley's Casino is a hub for gamblers and night club enthusiasts, as well as some more nefarious transactions, while The Blaster Light is your standard dancing club, home to corporate parties, dancing, music and alcohol.

The Collective's Expanse

This is the home of the administrative institutions in Biloxan, containing all the city's ministries, the large laboratories and facilities of Triceli Lifesciences, Krell's leading medical and scientific institution, the Biloxan division of Fantom Laboratories, a controversial research organization with sector-wide reach and of course the Seat of the Collective - where The Elgan Collective and the Trinity are housed. It is where enterprising Krellians may go to obtain a trader's license.

Historical Sites

Corwin's Flood monument
A unique monument constructed of a metal alloy to mark the site of Corwin's Flood. It is one of the oldest places not only in Biloxan, but all of Krell.

The Trinity Monument
This large monument is in the center of the concourse before the Elgan Collective's central offices. Surrounded by holographic projectors that depict various random scenes from Elgan history, the monument in its midst is a highly detailed steel-wrought depiction of the current Trinity.