Cetingrad is the administrative capital and largest city of District VIII (Zahodecelska). Located on the northern shore of Lake Vokavovic, it is a heavy industrial hub defined by its massive steelworks and port facilities.
The city is widely considered the personal fiefdom of the Maj Holdings conglomerate. The skyline is dominated by the blast furnaces of Maj Steel, which employ nearly 40% of the city’s workforce. Cetingrad is characterized by a stark geographic and class divide: the grim, smog-choked industrial zones along the lakefront contrast sharply with the affluent, gated boroughs located on the hills above the pollution line.
Politically, the city is the stronghold of Misko Maretic and the Vjetrusa party, though it faces increasing pressure from the environmentalist messaging of Northern Power.
Geography and Cityscape
Cetingrad is built on a slope rising from the lake. The city’s geography serves as a physical map of its social hierarchy.
The Iron Shore (Lower City)
The waterfront is entirely industrialized. Access to the lake is blocked by miles of concrete embankments, rail yards, and the sprawling Maj Steel Cetingrad Complex. The air quality in this zone is consistently poor, often exceeding federal hazard limits due to particulate matter.
- The Foundry District: Densely packed, brutalist worker tenements built by GradnjaMC in the 1970s. This area was the epicenter of the 1998 Steelworks Incident.
Voka Heights (Upper City)
Located on the ridges overlooking the industrial basin, the “Heights” are above the smog layer. This area features leafy boulevards, Neoclassical villas, and modern glass apartments.
- Residents: This area is inhabited by Maj Holdings executives, senior engineers, and the political elite of District VIII.
- The “Golden Gate”: The main road connecting the Heights to the Lower City is heavily policed, effectively segregating the two populations.
History
The Fishing Port (Pre-1950)
Until the mid-20th century, Cetingrad was a mid-sized market town known for its freshwater fishing fleet and boat-building. It was a minor stop on the trade route to the Republic of Kaskiv.
The Industrial Transformation (1950–1986)
Under the centralist planning of the Council for Development, Cetingrad was designated a “Strategic Industrial Node.” The state dredged the harbor to accommodate deep-draft barges carrying coal from Severnivaraje. By the 1970s, the fishing industry had largely collapsed due to early industrial runoff, forcing the population into the factories.
The Maj Era (1986–Present)
In 1986, the rising businessman Bran Maj acquired the state-run foundries in the city. Under private ownership, production tripled, but safety standards deteriorated.
The city’s darkest moment occurred in November 1998, when the Cetingrad Steelworks Incident killed seven workers and injured dozens. The resulting protests paralyzed the city for weeks and led to the formation of a radical local chapter of Northern Power, which began campaigning on an anti-pollution platform.
Economy
Cetingrad’s economy is a “company town” model.
- Maj Steel: The primary employer. The foundries produce the high-grade steel used by Otonik Ordnance and GradnjaMC.
- Logistics: The city is the western terminus for the heavy freight lines of Republic Rail. It is also the headquarters of the Maj Logistics trucking fleet for the western districts.
- The Service Sector: A service economy exists in Voka Heights to cater to the wealthy, including private schools and clinics that are superior to the underfunded state facilities in the Lower City.
Politics
Cetingrad is a battleground of ideologies.
- Vjetrusa Dominance: The city is the home base of Senator Misko Maretic. He maintains support among the steelworkers through a platform of “Industrial Protectionism,” arguing that environmental regulations proposed by Northern Power would close the factories and destroy the city.
- The Northern Power Challenge: In recent elections, Syv Iric’s party has gained ground in the Foundry District by highlighting the health impacts of the “Red Water” pollution in the lake.
- The Establishment: Blue Dawn maintains a steady voting bloc in the Upper City, supported by the business management class.
Environment
Cetingrad is one of the most polluted cities in Kresimiria.
- “Red Water”: The shoreline near the steelworks is often discolored by iron oxide and chemical runoff. Swimming is banned along the entire city front.
- The Smog: During winter temperature inversions, a thick layer of industrial smog traps the Lower City, leading to high rates of respiratory illness similar to the “Black Dust” of Bistrica.