Although its history of this has gone back thousands of years, it came to full prominence when they adopted the premier city-state system devised by Victor Damius -- the only such city to adopt it other than Lavos, which created it -- and fully abolished any notion of mandatory religion, allowing complete, unhindered worship of one's beliefs; even one who was godless or did not follow a religion. Considered the sister city of Lavos, also a premier city-state and well-to-do free state, the two cities have gotten along together for years, and being the only two Premier-ruled city-states only brings their bond closer.