Our beautiful city

Sacrosanct City

Sacrosanct (sa-krow-sangkt) is a seaport on the West coast of the United States of America at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers. With an estimated population of 671,187 residents as of 2018, Sacrosanct is the third most populous city in the Pacific Northwest. It's Combined Statistical Area (CSA) ranks 22nd-largest with a population of around 2 million. Approximately 60% of Sacrosanct's population resides within the Sacrosanct metropolitan area.

Sacrosanct is a charter city, with a mayor-council form of government. The city's government is notable for its land-use planning and investment in public transportation. Sacrosanct has frequently been recognized as one of the United States most environmentally conscious cities due to its high walkability, farm-to-table dining, a network of public transportation options, and over 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares) of public parks. Its climate is marked by cool, wet winters and mild, relatively dry summers.

Contents

  1. History
  2. Geography
    1. Typography
    2. Ley Lines
    3. Cityscape
    4. Neighborhoods
    5. Climate
  3. Economy
  4. Infrastructure
    1. Transportation
    2. Utilities
  5. Parks & Recreation
  6. Culture
  7. Noteable People

History

Archaeological excavations and what remains of early, historical texts, suggests that the Sacrosanct area was originally settled in 1830 by a small human population that lived peacefully and undisturbed for a number of years. However, the strong supernatural force projected by the ley lines that rested beneath the early settlement steadily begun to draw native groups of Were, Fae, Vampires and Witches to the area with each species attempting to lay claim to the sacred ground. Initially, the human population was receptive and welcoming toward the supernatural groups. With the increase in supernatural numbers came an increase in wealth, resources and knowledge and the small settlement quickly began to expand. This growth was further fuelled by the varying affinities and magical gifts naturally endowed upon many of the supernatural races that allowed for significant advancements previously unattainable by the human population. This period of rapid social expansion and change between 1835-1840 also saw a dramatic increase in tensions between the supernatural races as they began to campaign more fiercely for control of the increasingly valuable territory. In many cases, the human population were the unfortunate casualties of these supernatural battles. After a series of violent clashes in the summer of 1840 between opposing supernatural races and the mysterious deaths of several prominent human leaders, the human community reached out to the Hunter Council, an organisation still within its infancy in the area. The initial arrival in 1841 of several Hunters to the growing settlement quelled unrest amongst the species for several months, however, tensions continued to flare and relations with the human community continued to worsen.

The supernatural races became increasingly distrustful of one another over the coming years. Vampires were blamed for predation upon humans and an increasing number of human deaths. The Vampires, in turn, sought to blame the Fae, claiming they had been framed and that the Fae were the greatest tricksters and most untrustworthy of the races. The Fae, in defense of their species, sought to blame the Witches and their use of magic and elemental forces while the Witches turned blame upon the Were Pack, part animal, part man and surely unable to control themselves. A rapid need to expand their respective forces to defend against one another saw a number of humans forcibly turned and conscripted to the varying supernatural ranks. The small Hunter force was quickly overwhelmed by increasingly powerful supernatural armies. Amongst this hostility however remained a small, select group of beings from each of the races. Fae, Were, Warlock, Vampire and Witch alike who sympathized with the human cause and instead chose to abandon their respective groups and attempt to integrate into human society. These beings, largely viewed as human sympathizes or deserters, were cast out or disowned by their respective groups and attempted to make a life for themselves amongst the human population, using their various skills for the benefit of all around them.

The Night of Fires

The Night of Fires on December 10th, 1845 is regarded as the most significant battle in the history of Sacrosanct. Believed to have begun with breakdown of a tenuous allyship between the Fae Monarchy and Vampire Coven, the fighting quickly encompassed the Were Pack and Witch Coven alike. The battle rapidly became intense with each of the races fighting one another for definitive control of the settlement. Several fires started in what is now the North and South sides of the city quickly blazed out of control and began to consume the settlement. Casualties on all sides were significant with loses so devastating that neither the Vampire Coven, Were Pack, Fae Monarchy or Witch Coven retained numbers enough to hold their forces together. Too consumed with the bloodied fighting, many of the races remained unaware that the very thing they fought for was rapidly being destroyed around them. The fire continued to rage out of control until much of the settlement was ablaze. A small section of the settlement, the docks within West Sacrosanct today, were saved through the combined efforts of Human and Hunter co-operation with those Vampire, Were, Fae and Witch individuals whom had chosen to integrate into human society and in turn, been outcast by their own species. This small, united group became the only survivors of the Night of Fires.

With the Covens, Pack, Monarchy and a large portion of the human population devastated by war, rebuilding the settlement was left to this small, remaining group of survivors. It was agreed upon within the group that no one amongst them desired to see this level of devastation again. That prejudice, greed, hate and mistrust had led them to ruin once before and would not do so a second time. It was decided upon that the Hunter Council, as both supernaturals and defenders of Human interests alike, would take on a leadership role in the new settlement, a system of government that still exists with Sacrosanct today. The settlement was slowly rebuilt through cooperation by all races and, in time, began to prosper once more to become the thriving multi-species metropolis it is today. The settlement was renamed ‘Sacrosanct’ in January of 1846 by popular vote amongst the survivors and as suggested by the leading Hunter. The name Sacrosanct was chosen to serve as both tribute to those whom had perished on the Night of Fires and as a warning to remind the cities inhabitants that some things are to valuable or important to be interfered with.

Geography

Typography

Downtown Sacrosanct sits at the banks of the Willamette River, which flows around the city and separates the East from the rest of the state at large. Though much of downtown Sacrosanct is relatively flat, the foothills of the Cascade mountains pierce through the northeast and eastern reaches of the city. Riverview Park, commonly thought of as the highest point within the city limits, is located within the North and rises to an elevation of 1,073 feet (327 m). East of the river, and most notably within the Cascade Mountain Range, is the Devil's Peak, a mountain which rises to 636 feet (194 m). On clear days, Mt. Jezebel and Mt. Challenger can be seen in the distance. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 145.09 square miles (375.78 km2), of which 133.43 square miles (345.58 km2) is land and 11.66 square miles (30.20 km2) is water.

Sacrosanct falls within a major earthquake zone due to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire. On October 31, 2007, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake did significant architectural damage to the downtown portion of Sacrosanct though it only caused three fatalities. Other significant earthquakes occurred on June 18, 1678 (6.4), January 22, 1821 (9), April 12, 1972 (7.3), and March 24, 2002 (6.2). Although the Sacrosanct Fault passes through the Southern part of the city, neither it nor the Cascadia subduction zone has had an earthquake since the city's founding. There are, however, fears that the Cascadia subduction zone will cause serious damage to the city should a magnitude 9.0 or greater occur.

Mt. Jezebel
Ley Lines

Sacrosanct is also an important point within the supernatural world due to its position at the convergence of no less than twelve ley lines - the only city in North America to sit at the epicenter of so many. These ley lines are believed to resonate a special psychic energy. The points at which these lines cross cause pockets of concentrated energy that can be harnessed by the supernatural. The crossing of so many ley lines beneath Sacrosanct has been claimed to contribute to the city's unusually high number of supernatural residents.

Cityscape

Sacrosanct's cityscape derives much of its character from the numerous bridges that span the Willamette River. Four of the town's heaviest used bridges are more than 100 years old and are classified as historic landmarks: Eckree Bridge (1901), Portbel Bridge (1908), Millennium Crossing (1912), Repenchill Bridge (1920).

Eckree Bridge with Portbell Bridge in the background.
Repenchill Bridge.
Millennium Bridge.
Neighborhoods

The Willamette River, which flows north through downtown, serves as the natural boundary the East of Sacrosanct and the rest of the state. The city is split up into four distinct quadrants - North, South, East, and West. Each of these quadrants have each developed their own unique personality, culture, and friendly rivalries between their residents. The Northern district has been renovated to include art galleries, high-end restaurants, clothing boutiques and other upscale retail, and is the wealthiest neighborhood in the city. Further east include Downtown which is made up of commercial businesses, skyscrapers, and the City Creek Center - a major mall mixed with cafes and chain dining options. The southernmost part of the city is largely residential and contains the Sacrosanct University. The West is bordered by the Pacific ocean and has been called Sacrosanct's skid row with a crime rate several times above the city's average. The West is largely occupied by warehouses, light industry and the docks.

Climate

Due to its proximity to the ocean, Sacrosanct has a temperate oceanic climate with cool, cloudy winters and warm, dry summers. During the summer, the city experiences mild and dry summers. The sunny weather, however, is short-lived, lasting only from mid-June to early September. During the warmest month, August, Sacrosanct has an average high temperature of 81.1 °F (27.3 °C). On average, temperatures reach or exceed 80 °F (27 °C) on only 56 days per year, of which 12 days will reach 90 °F (32 °C) and only 2 days will reach 100 °F (38 °C). The most 90-degree days ever recorded in one year is 41, which happened recently in 2016.

During the autumn, winter, and spring, Sacrosanct experiences overcast, wet, and rapidly changing weather conditions. During the coldest month, December, Sacrosanct experiences an average daily high of 45.6 °F (7.6 °C), although overnight lows usually dip below freezing. There are only 2.1 days per year where the daytime high temperature fails to rise above freezing. The lowest daytime high temperature ever recorded was 14 °F (−10 °C). Freezing temperatures typically occur between mid-November and mid-March.

Snowfall in Sacrosanct typically occurs during the December to March time frame. The city has experienced several major snow and ice storms in the past with extreme totals reaching 60.9 in (155 cm) in downtown. Severe weather such as thunder and lightning are uncommon and tornados are exceptionally rare though Sacrosanct is prone to wind storms and has experienced hurricane-force winds in the past.

Sacrosanct in Winter

Economy

Sacrosanct Port

With relatively low energy cost, accessible resources, international air terminals, and large marine shipping facilities, Sacrosanct is fairly welcoming to many different industries. The city's marine terminals alone handle over 16 million tons of cargo per year. The Port of Sacrosanct is one the third largest commercial dry dock in the country. The city is the largest shipper of soybeans in the United States. Technology is another major component of the city's economy with more than 1,000 technology companies existing within the city limits. The city hosts facilities for software companies, online startups, and hosts a major manufacturer for computer components. Sacrosanct is also home to nearly 82 breweries and microbreweries, the 12th most in the nation. Finally, the city also showcases a robust coffee culture with over 23 unique coffee roasters.

Infrastructure

Transportation

According to a 2017 American Community Survey, 22% of Sacrosanct residents use one of the public transit systems that service the city, giving it the highest transit ridership of all major cities in the Pacific Northwest. SacroMetro operates most of the city's buses and the Central Link light rail system which connects the downtown to the city's suburbs. The city-owned Sacrosanct Streetcar serves routes primarily in the heart of Sacrosanct's downtown. It has been expanded to include a line from the city center to the Sacrosanct University in the South and a second line to the shopping areas in the North. SacroMetro provides real-time tracking of all buses and trains with it's App, TransitTracker.

I-410 forms a loop around the central downtown area of Sacrosanct and meets up with I-5 just east of town, connecting Sacrosanct to the rest of the state. South of the city, I-205 connects the suburbs to the Sacrosanct International Airport. The U.S. 22 supports commuting within the metropolitan area. Finally, S.R. 20 runs Northward and through the Cascade Mountain range via Deception Pass.

Central Link light rail
Sacrosanct International Airport

Sacrosanct's primary airport is the Sacrosanct International Airport (SIA) located 20 minutes South of downtown by car (or 30 minutes by Central Link). Sacrosanct's airport has been in the list of the top ten U.S. airports for eight consecutive years (2011-2019). SIA has three runways and two helicopter pads and is the state's only public use heliport. Sacrosanct is also serviced by Amtrak, the national passenger rail system. Long-haul train routes include the Coast Starlight (with service from Los Angeles to Seattle) and the Empire Builder (with service to Chicago). During December, Sacrosanct also operates the "Holiday Express", a steam locomotive donated to the city which has become a tradition since 2003. The Holiday Express is a one-hour train trip around the city's metropolitan area where children are allowed to meet Santa Claus for a small fee.

Utilities

Water and electricity are municipal services provided by Sacrosanct Public Utility District and Sacrosanct City Light. Other utility services available within Sacrosanct include Willamette Energy (natural gas and electricity, Sacrosanct Steam Company (steam), and Waste Management Inc (curbside recycling and solid waste removal). Roughly 90% of Sacrosanct's electricity is produced using hydropower. Less than 2% of electricity is produced using fossil fuels.

Parks & Recreation

In 1923, voters in Sacrosanct's metropolitan region passed an agreement to acquire natural areas for fish, wildlife, and parks. In the following six years, Sacrosanct acquired more than 8,100 acres (33km2) of natural areas to permanently protect from development. The largest of these is Highland Park, a 5,000-acre wilderness park at the Southern edge of the Sacrosanct city limits. Hyde Park, also located in the South, is home to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. The Northside also has several public gardens including the Sacrosanct Japanese Garden, the Sacrosanct Classical Chinese Garden, and the Crystal Springs Botanical Garden. In 1983, the 37-acre Creekside Waterfront Park was built along the length of the Downtown waterfront in the East.

Sacrosanct Classical Chinese Garden.
Highland Parke.
Sacrosanct Japanese Garden.
Botanical Garden.

Culture

Sacrosanct is known for having the most microbreweries and breweries than any other city. Some of the more notable brewing companies are, but not limited to, Hopwork Orange, Journey, and, proudly, Summit Brewery. Sacrosanct is a prominent player in the microbrewery revolution, along with distilleries and wineries and is constantly ranked in the top five alcoholic destinations in the world. With 23 roasteries, Sacrosanct is also known for being a leader in specialty coffee. One of its most notable roasteries is the Sanctum Roastery Co which is used exclusively by it's flagship Cafe, the Inner Sanctum. With over 700 licensed food carts, Sacrosanct is acclaimed as one of the best cities for food in the country with food options from around the world. In 2012, Sacrosanct was listed six as the best city for food within the United States.

In honor to its music scene, every year, the summer is filled with music festivals of all varieties hosted by the various breweries, wineries, and several of the parks. The most notable festival has run for over 45 consecutive years and counting, called Sacro-fest, the biggest outdoor festival in the city with multiple stages and vendors. In 1990, one of the stages collapsed, crushing part of the audience and killing the front man singer of the Pineapples. Since then, Sacro-fest has insured top notch safety measures and employs only the most qualified staff. To this day, there is a plaque in the shape of a pineapple in honor of the victims lost to this terrible tragedy.

Sanctum Roastery
Swan Hall

Notably, Sacrosanct has a strong foothold in the performing arts, most notable of which is the internationally renowned Pacific Northwest Ballet. The PNB School (founded in 1960) ranks as one of the top three ballet training institutions in the United States. The Sacrosanct Opera and the Pacific Northwest Ballet currently perform at the well-known White Swan hall that opened in 2001. Sacrosanct Symphony Orchestra is performs at the newly renovated National Arts Hall.

The city is also known for its Broadway-style shows, featuring prominent stars along with talented locals. Several of the more popular venues include the Summit Amphitheater and the Cosmos Arena. The Cosmos Arena is a multi-purpose 10,000 seat venue that opened in 2007. Formally known as the Mountain Dome Arena, the name was changed in 2018 when it changed hands.

Noteable People

As a major supernatural city with an ever-growing population, the City of Sacrosanct has become home to a number of notable individuals of both mortal and immortal being. Notable people who were born, died, studied, lived or saw their success in Sacrosanct have been listed below.

His Royal Majesty Dorian Valerio Ellington-Aragona, The King of Italy & His Royal Highness Sebastian Felix Ellington-Aragona, The Prince of Italy

After reportedly having met within Sacrosanct, the pair were not confirmed to be dating until several months later in a bid by the Palace to protect His Majesties privacy after his return to public appearance resulted in a heavy media presence and renewed interest in the Italian Royal Family by the world at large. Dorian and Sebastian became engaged after dating for a year with the couple traveling frequently between Italy and Sacrosanct during this time. After a lavish wedding in Naples, Italy, in which Sebastian was coronated and afforded the title of Prince, the couple returned to Sacrosanct where they now maintain a permanent residence when not in Italy. Located in Anacosta Heights, the exact address of the home has never been released, however, it is understood that admittance to the home is strictly invitational only. The home is consistently guarded by both local and Italian authority and Royal Guard. While notably private, Sebastian and Dorian are frequently photographed at several of the cities upper-class restaurants, the Inner Sanctum Cafe and a number of the cities museums, reported being a favorite of HM The King. The couple's marriage made headlines around the world not only for its significance as a royal marriage but notably as an inter-species marriage between a Vampire and a Fae and as the first same-sex marriage within any Royal family.

Yumi Chizue

Former KPOP sensation and Girls Generation member, Yumi Chizue has reportedly lived within the City of Sacrosanct for a number of years. Debuting in 2007, Girls Generation took Asia by storm with the KPOP band fast becoming one of the most successful groups of its time within the Asian music market. Chart-topping singles ‘Mabinogi’ and ‘Love Hate’ skyrocketed the group's popularity and established a dedicated fanbase with concert performances selling out within minutes and establishing the group as a music force. Several months after the release of ‘Love Hate’ Chizue again made headlines after becoming the victim of a kidnapping by what authorities described as a ‘dangerously obsessed fan’. Despite the best efforts of authorities, Chizue was unable to be recovered in time, her kidnapper having forced her to undergo the transformation process, leaving Chizue a vampire. Struggling to come to terms with her vampirism, Chizue actively shied away from the limelight and rejected all public engagements before ultimately dropping out of the group. Several years later Chizue took up residence within Sacrosanct where she continues to live a private life out of the public eye. Chizue stepped out of retirement briefly to perform with famed guitarist Arlo James at the wedding of HM Dorian The King of Italy to HRH Sebastian, Prince of Italy.

Arlo James

Former lead guitarist, back up vocalist and songwriter for American rock band Three Second Sunset, Arlo James has recently made a return to the music scene within Sacrosanct. An original, founding member of the wildly popular Three Second Sunset, the band quickly shot to fame within the rock and pop scene with singles ‘Animal’ and ‘Darkside Dynamite’, both of which were written by James and released through independent music labels. The band's first album was released with Music Raid Records which would later go on to sign them permanently. A breakaway success, the band’s first album ‘Hardwired’ would go on to sell over ten million copies within the US. A feud with bandmate Kit Saunders said to involve James’ long-time girlfriend and a history of alcohol and drug abuse ultimately resulted in James’ vampirism, an event that would lead to his breaking from the band permanently. The band released its second album without James however, the guitarist claims he is the sole writer of the majority of the songs and a recent legal battle has been undertaken to establish royalties. Famed as one of the most talented guitarists of the modern century James has recently signed as a solo artist with Crash Choir Records after a breakout performance with KPOP star Yumi Chizue at the wedding of HM Dorian The King of Italy to HRH Sebastian, Prince of Italy.

Dareios Auerbach

The Mayor of Sacrosanct. A surprise candidate in the 2017 elections, Auerbach made history as the first vampire candidate to run for office. Initially treated with scorn by his opposition, Auerbach was not favored by local media and given a poor chance of success. Auerbach proved critics wrong by leading a highly successful campaign that aimed to unite both supernatural and human members of society, a move that would see him quickly gain popularity among the people. A talented public speaker with a keen political mind and heavy interest in antiques, Auerbach has long campaigned for equality among species. A landslide victory during the election swept Auerbach into office, the vampire having held the position of Mayor for several years.