Zerothlagen

Zerothlagen is a fictional city-state that appears in speculative fiction and in world-building exercises. It is depicted as a coastal metropolis with extensive canal networks, tiered districts, and a governance system that blends technocratic expertise with popular representation. The name is intentionally constructed, combining elements intended to evoke foundations and the early layers of civilization.

It sits on a sheltered harbor along the Verdant Archipelago. The city features limestone headlands, networks of canals, and tiered districts rising above the shoreline. The climate is temperate maritime, with moderate rainfall and steady sea breezes.

Zerothlagen originated as a trading outpost, growing into a city-state that maintained independence through pragmatic alliances and infrastructural innovations. A notable reform period introduced the layered district system and a public data commons that inform planning and governance.

Its government is described as a federated council with a rotating executive known as the Zeroth Council, responsible for drafting foundational policies before ordinary legislation. Local districts retain substantial autonomy over land use and education, while a central treasury coordinates defense and overarching infrastructure.

The economy centers on shipbuilding, metal workshops, canal transit services, and digital finance. The currency is the zeroth, issued by a transparent public treasury. The populace is multilingual, with Zerothlagenish as the historical language and Common as administrative lingua franca.

Civic life emphasizes engineering and public art. The city hosts Foundations Day every year to celebrate civic virtue and urban innovation. Notable landmarks include the Layered Arc bridge, Foundation Plaza, and the Tide Market, a floating bazaar that rises with the tides.

In fiction and games, Zerothlagen is often used as a setting for political drama and urban-planning narratives.