Overview

Promise, the capital and only settlement of any significance on the island nation of Hermea in the Steaming Sea, is located in the island's southern corner.

History

In 4521 AR, Mengkare began to travel across Golarion under various guises to recruit workers to build his dream city of Promise. When the city was founded in 4552 AR, Mengkare spent some time meeting various humans to identify those whom he wished to invite to Promise, then reached out to them separately via letters.

In his letters, Mengkare wrote that he intended to build a perfectly controlled utopia, and all invited people were chosen for their expertise, representing the best of humanity. He promised all of them unlimited resources and time, and to take care of all their needs and encourage them toward self-fulfilment as long as they let Mengkare decide on any major life decisions. Most chose to remain, inspired by his charisma and wisdom, and agreed to name the city Promise; the few who refused were allowed to go back home.

Over the years, Promise's citizens worked with Mengkare to improve the city. Mengkare's willingness to cooperate earned him great rapport, and he was pleased by how easily people accepted his rule. Fewer and fewer guests declined his proposal, and the number of dissidents constantly diminished.

Geography and layout

Promise is well-designed and extremely clean. Most buildings are built from white granite and marble, and sport domes and spires that are among the best that modern architecture has to offer. Promise is surrounded by red sandstone walls that rise to 30 feet tall where they face the land and 100 feet tall where they face the coast, to prevent outsiders from viewing the city from the sea.

Promise is divided into twelve districts, each of which is dedicated to a particular vocation. People are free to live where they want to, but most live in the district corresponding to their job. Over the years, the people have named the districts after the twelve guises of Aroden. Promise's districts are connected by sky bridges that magically boost the speed of those walking on them, and were made wide enough for Mengkare to walk upon them. Stairs connect them to the streets below.

The large docks are the only way to enter or leave Promise by water. Ships arrive regularly, but all are overseen by the Council of Enlightenment, and privateers were employed to get rid of uninvited guests.

Government

A dozen individuals initially committed their lives to Promise during the first wave of Mengkare’s invitations. The gold dragon worked with these individuals to establish the first guidelines and laws for Promise, trusting them with a large portion of his plans. When the second wave of citizens arrived, the initial 12 became Mengkare’s most trusted advisors. This group, plus Mengkare, became the first Council of Enlightenment.

A council of 13 still serves today as the main ruling body of Promise, with Mengkare leading it. Council members serve staggered 3-year terms and must
step down for at least one term before running for reelection. This allows the council to benefit from the perspective of differing individuals on a constantly
rotating basis. Elections are held yearly with minimal fanfare. Mengkare preselects those he deems the best candidates for the open positions, and citizens vote from these available candidates. A second term on the council is common enough, but any further terms are quite rare.

The Council of Enlightenment handles the everyday affairs of Promise and Hermea as a whole. They are in charge of allocating resources to city maintenance, maintaining trade, accommodating ambassadors, and helping pass on Mengkare’s wishes to individuals or the entire city, as he deems necessary. Most of this work
is delegated to the individual citizens best suited to a particular task, though members of the council are not afraid to take on tasks themselves if they or the rest of
the council determines it to be the best course of action.

Life in Promise

A citizen of Promise sheds all former allegiances, nationalities, religion, and any other such ties to their previous life. In return, they are granted full citizenship in Promise, which provides for all basic needs, plus giving them access to their fellow citizens and their contributions to the city. Citizens have no need for money and instead give and take as necessary. In Promise, a bard’s tale has just as much value as a scholar’s theorem or a fisher’s catch, and all are encouraged to share freely.

The majority of Promise’s citizens are human, though Mengkare has occasionally introduced other peoples into the city. He believes dwarves’ hardier natures make
them prime subjects for research projects, while he values elves for their ability to create longer‑lived half-elf offspring, who he personally finds more attractive
than humans without elven blood. Mengkare has often recruited gnomes as prime teachers of magic, though many who move to Promise succumb to the Bleaching in a short time frame. He dismisses halflings as amusements and novelties, inviting them only as visiting entertainers. Mengkare forbids goblins and others he considers disruptive influences from entering the city. Many citizens’ views are tinged with Mengkare’s racial prejudices, particularly in the higher echelons of society.

Children born in Promise receive exceptional care and attention. They learn from the finest tutors and enjoy the richness of life in the city. At the age of 10, children are required to dedicate themselves to a vocation and take on an apprenticeship with a local expert. They are free to change vocations as they wish until the age of 14, at which point they must commit to a skill or study. At the age of 16, every child undergoes a rigorous test, both academic and physical in nature. Those who pass can choose to either sign the Contract of Citizenship or leave Promise forever. Those who fail must undergo rigorous retraining for 1 year and then take a more difficult test. Those who fail again are removed from Promise and sent to a port city in Golarion with enough funds to start a new life.