Qishi Prefecture
Geography
Qishi Prefecture is located at the heart of the fertile Pahua Basin in the northern Blessed Isle. The Pahua River itself runs through the center of the Prefecture, a source of water and transport for the agricultural assets which fill the prefecture. Numerous tributary rivers and streams also course down the sloping landscape from east and west, the largest of which is the Chaopraya River that marks part of the southern border of Qishi. The Boughflow River is also a large waterway, and marks part of the western border of the prefecture.
To the West, Qishi is bordered by Dongguan Prefecture, to the South by Kugashi Prefecture, to the East by Shengyuan Prefecture, and to the North by Verdant Rivers Prefecture.
Economy
Qishi is a land of vineyards… nearly the entirety of the prefecture is filled with rows of grapevines, dotted with wineries to process the fruits into all manner of grape wines. The bulk of the Blessed Isle’s wines come from Qishi, filling the flutes and goblets of Dynasts, patricians, with even poor vintages affordable by citizens. A few vineyards produce well-regarded luxury wines as well, which rarely reach any but Dynastic tables. This massive wine production means the prefecture is quite wealthy, with nearly the whole population involved in the wine industry in one way or another, but also that it must import all of its staple foodstuffs. Much of the local supply of agricultural labour consists of slave labour or seasonal workers, the latter of whom suffer from the region’s prosperity as they are paid only part of the year but must reside in their villages full time buying goods at hugely inflated prices, without even spare land to grow their own food.
Politics
Prefect: V’neef Rashon, a son of V’neef and one of a rare few Dragonblooded prefects.
Though they are too young to truly have a heartland, House V’neef considers Qishi to be its home domain, and its control of wine production renders it entirely dominant in political life here.
Law and Defence
Qishi is defended by elements of the 1st Marine Guard, which ensure the prefecture is not troubled by bandits and the rivers remain free of obstruction from peasant attempts to fish.
The expense of foodstuffs and comparatively low incomes amongst peasant vineyard workers has been a cause of some unrest in Qishi, and theft of grapes & wine was a growing problem until prefect Rashon increased Black Helms presence with orders to show no restraint in punishing thieves. Such harsh measures have cowed the locals significantly, though the expense has necessitated an increase in taxes and fees and a reduction in funds to other Thousand Scales divisions such as the Benevolent Stewards of Health and Utility.
Layout
Ravenglas – Prefectural capital, located at the center of Qishi on the western bank of the Pahua River. Home to the Thousand Scales administration for the prefecture, as well as most of the resident patrician families and the citizens providing goods and services for people living off wine-buoyed wealth. Here, a river port allows barges to dock and take on cargoes of wine for shipment downriver, and an ornate stone bridge arches across the Pahua, covered in panels of green and black marble and carved adamantine statues of perched ravens.
Ebony Hall of Verdance Resplendent – Massive manse-estate serving as residence for Princess V’neef, on the east bank of the Pahua River across from Ravenglas.
Academy of the Blossoming Panacea - Small academy located not far from Ravenglas, for training students in horticulture and alchemical taumaturgy.
Tanglevine – Vineyard village in southern Qishi, home to a House Cynis slave estate and the Heliotrope Hall vineyard (controlled by House Ledaal before the founding of House V’neef).
The Sable Loamfast – Vineyard & winery in northern Qishi, formerly a possession of House Ragara until transfer to House V’neef. The main buildings are built within the square walls of an old Imperial Legion fort. The rich black soils of the surrounding lands grow the most highly regarded pale grapes in Creation, used to produce the luxurious (and expensive) Summer Pale wine.
Abundant Yew – Village in northwest Qishi, formerly renowned for the skill of its bowyers. Some thirty years ago, House V’neef had all the local yew trees torn up and replaced with grape vines. The wine produced by Abundant Yew Winery is a yellowed white variety, which connoisseurs say has hints of bitterness and acid lurking at the edges of a silky and otherwise delicious wine.
Viridian Fields – Village and winery in central Qishi, known for blending white and red grapes to produce rich-flavoured rose wines.
Bacchanal Estate Winery – Perhaps Qishi’s most famed winery, constructed on a demesne which was never capped due to the desirable effects of its essence flows on the local grapes, which grow with a brilliant scarlet colour. These grapes are used to produce the Crimson Bacchanal, said to be the favorite table wine of the Scarlet Empress, a heady and potent wine laced with essence and capable of intoxicating even the Exalted with ease.
