Araero

Araero (in Classical Arazi: Arairo [ara'irɔ], Bantazi Arazi: Hereiro [ə'rirə]) is a city located at the mouth of Eduin, where the river joins the Bay of Thrig. An important center of government, culture and economy throughout most of its history, Araero has been the capital city of the Asatic Empire, Asàel and the Kingdom of Aradór.

Geography
The city lies on a flat plain between the deltas of rivers Eduin and Holme. The landscape is dominated by the river Eduin and the Bay of Thrig; Araero is located at Eduin's delta and generally occupies the river's right bank, although the settlement on the left bank has been gradually increasing since the times of Asàel.

The right bank of Eduin rises above the river as a natural barrier, minimizing the possibility of widespread floods. However, the various settled islands in the river are frequently flooded, as well as the right bank. The most important Araero's island in Eduin is Pauru; other settled islands include (but are not limited to) Megmafna (South Isle), Tsarore (The Sleeping), Agergwampe (The Serpent's Tooth) and Lachutu (Bear's place).

Further from the river, there are three large hills - Ótsörne, Ruitsörne and Ranheśel; all three hills are central to the city's planning and history.

Climate
Araero enjoys a Mediterranean climate of hot summers and cool, wet winters. The average temperatures during summer frequently exceeds 30 °C during the days, falling a bit lower in the nights. The coldest period, between the Winter solstice and the next cross-quarter festival (see: Asatic calendar) can bring temperatures closer to zero, at about 3 - 5 °C in the coldest days and nights. Snowfall is very rare, though light snow and flurries may occur more frequently. However, a permanent cover of snow in the city is extremely rare.

The summers in Araero are typically sunny and somewhat dry, but not as dry as the summers further West in the Dry plain. In spring and autumn, thunderstorms are common.

History and etymology
The history of Araero stretches back to the migration of the Asatic people from the East. Year 0 of the Fourth Age is typically described as the founding year of the city; however, the actual founding may have been even earlier.

The earliest sources indicate that the first Asatic settlement in the area was named Thalduone (Thaldwon, Taldon, Thaldoen among other variations). The etymology of this name is uncertain; already by the 4th century 4A the town was called Arha(y)iro, the ancestor of the modern name.

Legends regarding the founding of Araero
This sections needs to be expanded

City-State of Araero
By the middle of the 5th century 4A, the city of Araero had become the political centre of the city state of Araero. Located only on the right bank of river Eduin, the city started as a small settlement primarily surviving on fishing and agriculture. As settlements further north along the river and else along the Bay of Thrig grew, so did the importance of Araero as a trading centre. By the seventh century, the population had reached approximately 15 000 inhabitants - a very large number for the time period.

During this era, the three hills were settled and the first major landmarks erected, of whom only a few survive. The architecture of the period involves low-rising buildings (1 - 2 stories) made of wood, sandstone and granite.

Kingdom of Araero and the Asatic Empire
See more on the Kingdom of Araero.

After the conquests of Bafera fan Arairí, Araero became the centre of a much larger kingdom. This brought up a large population increase, as the city was flooded first by people fleeing war and then by economic migrants. The city reached the size of 30 000 people by the beginning of 11th century, and the size was relatively stable for several hundred years.

The increased importance of trade brought about the construction of a large harbour - the White Harbour of Araero - and several large roads to connect the city with other major centres of the Kingdom. During this time, Megmafna and Tsarore became continuously inhabited, and a smaller town size settlement, called Medíra - gre on the left bank of the river.

When 1412, when the Asatic Empire was established, the city experienced another boom of population, reaching 50 000 and continuously growing for several centuries up until mid 22nd century, when a series of bad weather conditions, famine and outbreaks of disease devastated the city, the population dropping from approximately 600 000 people to a measly 250 000 people by 2170. Prior to that, the demographics of the city were altered by immigration from all around the Empire, resulting in a very varied ethnic and linguistic composition. The disease that wiped more than a half of the population seemed to affect some ethnicities more than others, leading to a proportionally higher number of people of Cāvarī descent after the outbreak than before.

Asàel
From the 22nd century onward, Araero's population slowly recovered from the disease and famine. By the late 24th century, it had reached 300 000 people, only a half of its previous peak. The natural population growth was comparatively weak, but is was assisted by immigration from other regions of Asàel; as the political focus shifted away from Araero towards other regions of the state where violent battles were often fought, people sought peace and relative safety in Araero.

During this time, Araero lost most of its political significance, but its trade power continued to increase. A surge of economic activity outlined the cities future as a mercantile and industrial centre. During the expansion of Magorion, war refugees flooded the city, but they were hosted in camps and settlements outside the city, as the leaders of Araero feared that the influx of people might bring about epidemics and poverty for the residents of Araero.

Kingdom of Aradór
Under the Kingdom of Aradór, Araero finally reached and surpassed its previous population peak, reaching 700 000 by 2735. The period is characterised by population growth and rapid economic development; the city vastly expanded, saw the construction of several massive landmarks, and the official borders of the city were enlarged several times to encompass settlements that had merged with the city over time.

The 28th and 29th centuries were marked by Araero's becoming a scientific and technological centre; in 2762, gas lighting was introduced. In 2833, a railroad connecting Araero with Coed was finished.

The population of Araero reached 1 million people in 2853.