Terni
Terni is a Mediterranean-themed settlement that was founded on July 22nd 2019 by Soplight and Merv. Its winding streets are lined with colorful buildings and bustling markets, while the shimmering sea stretches out beyond the mountains. From the elegant villas of the wealthy to the cozy cottages of the working class, Terni is a city full of life and vitality. Whether exploring the ancient ruins of the city's past or simply enjoying a leisurely stroll along the waterfront, there is always something new and exciting to discover in Terni.
History
Before founding the city
We are back in the summer of 2019. Before there was anything named “Terni”, the city was intentionally thought of as a project after the recent “Koldskål”-city griefing at Sop and Merv’s first multiplayer server together. After the devastating event, they found Ultravanilla on Reddit and instantly felt welcomed by the server’s good vibes and community.
Whereas the old server city of “Koldskål” (Also the name of a delicious dessert in Denmark), was meant to be a Viking-themed city in a cold biome, Sop and Merv decided to do something completely new to wash of the old experience – a warm city in a savannah biome.
Especially the ever-popular and unique Mediterranean architecture of Southern Europe came as a big source of inspiration – and such a city would only fit in an area with mountainlike structures. The original idea was to only build structures on the hills in the and leave the valley barren. The desert east of the hills was meant as a source of sandstone since the style required a lot of that. It was a year later turned into the “Terni Fields” and terraformed into the landmark it is today.
The effort to get citizens
The two hills build one first were to be “Old Terni” and “New Terni” (named after which were built first) and were to be connected through a big bridge – a bridge which still stands to this day named “Bridge of Will” since it took a lot of “will” to build it.
However, since the city-style and vibes of Terni became popular there was a sudden need for expansion which meant that Terni quickly went from a town to a city. The Terni building style is categorized by sandstone, bricks, and leaves. This style were developed by Sop after a vacation in the middle regions of Italy and other variations were help developed by the Terni gang.
Sop and Merv had two goals for the city’s early years: First, easy access from the nether with the Terni railway iceboat, which was necessary to get traffic to see the city.
Second: It needed to have something people would travel to and for, which then led to the “villager market”, with an emerald ATM so business with the villagers was easy and convenient. Today on the server, many systems and villager halls like this exists, but back in 2019 less than half a year after the server went public, it was a luxury and reason for people to go and see the city. And sometimes even stay.
Early Terni settlers and contributors
Like Rome, Terni was not built in a day it took years to become as large as today, and it is important to note, that it would never have been possible singlehandedly.
Terni has greatly benefited from its community. Some of the first to notice Terni were TheShyPig, who encouraged the server to go see the small town and its different style. Later, the players of Onennon, Epiksk8terduck, SebastienSaborio (today known as S.E.B), Akoot, and Kekhon were the first to settle or build houses and structures in Terni besides Merv and Sop. Suddenly, more and more people either wanted a vacation home in the warm biome or an actual base. All this new traffic of residents required more than just a place to build and see – it required culture, democracy, councils and insider jokes.
Districts
In the late year of 2019 the Ternians decided it was time to global and the long terms plans of a large harbour were realised. Boats, shops, restaurants, and much more were built to welcome the world to Terni shores. The harbour was to be built in a new style – a more colourful one as opposed to the large amount of sandstone previously used in the Terni buildings. It was a way of making contrast and to mimic the colour corals that surrounds the waters at the Terni Bay.
The new area was named “Naval Terni” and are not to be confused with the great city of Naval Detroit. There have been plans to make a sea-battle in the bay area as a counterpart to the ever-popular Terni tournament, which would include fights in boats. The idea is still in motion.
Caves
Deep beneath the city lies the ever-expanding caves. S.E.B has together with a lot of players spend uncountable hours making a city beneath the city. Some say that the depths contain hidden structures and even a path to an end portal.
Old Terni
The oldest part of the city is also where the current Nether portal leads visitors. The first structure to be build were Sop and Merv's house. The city part is characterized by a simpler use of blocks, since not that many blocks were available in 2019 as of today.
Administration
The Terni Council
S.E.B were one of the first people to build a structure in Terni and very quickly his house turned into a structure so large, that he later changed his mind on what it was to become; a town hall. The Ternians agreed that every town for itself needed a town hall, and so the project was put into motion. However, it was never intended that the town hall was going to have any actual use, which it out of the blue got one day, when a table in the town hall was built… Residents like Stahou, TomatomanSs, Seb, Merv, Sop, Akoot, Kekhon, Frozil, Di-infiri, Impavidarcher, Mahoose, Karlkek, and much, much more got together and started to just… discuss.
Actual live town meetings were not seen often on the server at that time, so it quickly became a thing, and the whole gathering was named “The Council” and decided that frequent meetings about the town’s development was of priority. Special uniforms made from coloured leather in Terni colours were mandatory at the council meetings, and Terni thereby became the first socialistic democratic society on the server.
The council decided on a rule book for the town, which till this day can still be read. It among other things includes the right to bear arms, but not the right to literally “bear arms” – at least not without a “license”. Other things discussed were usually around buildings, events, and often to vote new people into the council.
To be voted a seat in the council were the criteria of having a finished structure in Terni, and to be a contributor to the society.
Law and Order
Police
Since there were now laws in Terni some sort of organ to keep everything at peace, which developed into the “Terni Police Force”. A special uniform, and the infamous Terni Police Dog, were set in the world to help keep the peace and to make sure people have their licenses in check. Licenses quickly became popular for residents in Terni and were all issued at the Terni police station. With a licenses one can do “explicit things” in Terni.
Even though many people respected the laws, some chose a different path. Therefore, a prison was built by Sop. If you look on the walls you can see some of the reviews of people who were stuck in those. A model of the prison located in new Terni, can also be seen at this exhibition. If you dare you can try it out yourself.
Terni court
No democracy is fulfilled without a reliable court system. Justice needs to be served to the ones disobeying the proud laws of Terni. The Terni court is located next to the Arena and just beneath the hill of Old Terni. It is built inside the hill itself and have had many cases on trial. If the suspect of the crime is deemed ‘guilty’ Terni has its own ‘fondue’ that serves as penalty. One can online imagine being boiled alive in the lava pit next to the court. A representation of the exact fondue pot can be seen in this exhibit.
On the plus side the fondue is now a part of a very popular restaurant made by S.E.B, so if you survive the ‘fonduing’ you can enjoy a tasty meal afterwards.
Demographics and society
The Terni Tourney
Arena
With close ties to the Mediterranean culture, it would only be logical to have a sort of entertainment that mimics the great Roman empire. In 2019 there were not many PvP tournaments around and therefore Merv saw an opportunity to create such an establishment. Together with the resident Stahouo Merv started to make an outline of the largest arenas on the server in the style of a modern stadium combined with the great real-life wonder of the world, colosseum.
It took a month to finish the basic structure of the arena itself and making the arena oval was the biggest challenge of the build. Even today the arena is not finished and keeps being modified. It is one of those Minecraft projects that keep on going on forever. When the tournament expanded and became more known it was decided to make two new smaller outdoor arenas outside the stadium, so only the semi-finals and final would be held in the big arena.
The tournament itself
The Terni tournament is a knockout-style structure with prizes for the top three fighters. The rules of the many tournaments can be found at the Library of Terni, but the general rules focus on the skill of hand-to-hand combat with weapons. That means no TNT, explosives or enchants – even though bows and crossbows are allowed.
At it’s peak the tournament had over 30 participants and had to be held over two days to finish all matches. It is one of the biggest server events ever held and it still running. Another aspect of the tournament are the prices. Lore weapons, title, stacks of diamonds and much more are contributed from the fans of the tournament making it a very lucrative event to participate in.
It is a tradition that the winner of the tournament gets their name written down in the pompous temple of champions located across from the arena.
The Contestants
The grand champion of the tournament is Frozil – and that title comes with a grand reputation of ruthless victories. Frozil has won the tourney no less than three out of four times. The last winner to outmanoeuvre Frozil were Fred. If you want to take your shot at getting the title one must study the techniques of Frozil.
Ternian nightlife
Terni alcohol
Wine, beer, absinth, rum, and other beverages are a substantial need at the shelfs, bars, and kitchens of Terni. It is no coincidence since Terni provides its citizens with loads of alcohol from the brewery at the main square build in 2021. By many redstone mechanics the brewery can produce huge amounts of Terni wine in bulk for the thirsty citizens – a wine that makes you fly and delightfully tipsy. If you are curious to have a taste or see the Willy-Wonka like factory you are welcome to see it yourself. It is located just across from this museum.
UNO:
A functioning UNO-game is placed close to the Terni fields and has been hosting many casual games. Who knows if there might be UNO-tournament in the future?
Religion of Fish
The religion of Terni, known as "Fish" is a unique and fascinating belief system that centers around the phenomenon of fish falling from the sky. According to the Fishers, these miraculous events are a sign of divine intervention and a gift from the gods.
The religion is centered in the city of Terni, where believers gather to pray and perform rituals to honor the sky fish. The Fishers believe that the fish are a symbol of abundance and prosperity, and they see the act of catching them as a sacred duty.
The most important aspect of the Fishers' religion is the ritual of calling the fish. Only when the people of Terni shout the word "FISH" with sufficient conviction and belief will the sky fish fall from the heavens. The faithful believe that their devotion and energy can influence the gods to send this bounty.
The Fishers have a complex system of beliefs and practices that revolve around the fish. They believe that each type of fish has its own spiritual qualities and must be treated with respect and care. They also have strict rules about how to prepare and consume the fish, as they see them as a gift from the gods that must be honored and respected.
The Fishers hold many spontaneous celebrations throughout the year, where they gather to catch and feast on the sky fish. These events are filled with music, dance, and joyous celebration, as the faithful give thanks for the bounty that has been bestowed upon them.
Despite its unusual focus, the Fishers' religion is deeply meaningful to its followers. They see the fish as a connection to the divine, and they believe that their faith and devotion can influence the world around them. The city of Terni is a unique and special place, where the sky fish are not just a phenomenon, but a source of inspiration and wonder.