Ramanthas

Description

The city of Ramanthas [rə'mɑnθɑs] sits within a shallow bay near the Dohirin Coast. The city is far cleaner than most, with wide paved streets and newly-masoned white stone buildings suggesting a more recent origin. The smell of brine blows in from the bay and you can hear seagull calls overhead. Travelers to the city see mostly humans and gnomes, but most ancestries are represented in the crowd. Visitors often visit the city's Great Bazaar, where the sounds of haggling merchants and the smells of a hundred simmering pots overwhelm the senses.

History

Ramanthas is part of the Laivran Gnome homeland along with its neighbor Senlimas. It was last ruled by its indigenous population in the 2600s when the Dwarves of Dohir conquered it. After the The Great Dwarven Wars (2897-2963 AK) ended, Ramanthas became a duchy within the Kingdom of Cirithas. In 3154, Cirithasi High King Pindral Asperiath was forced to grant it independence to avoid war with Ramanthas, which had the backing of the trade cities of the Dohirin Coast. In 3173, Ramanthas declared war with Cirithas after the Phoenix Incident.

Geography

Ramanthas is the capital city of its eponymous city-state, which has been historically considered part of the Dohirin Coast. It is located a day’s travel from the mouth of the Carime Rush, a small river flowing from the Chilika Lake to the northeast. The northern half of the territory is covered by the Ramanthi Woodland from which the territory gets its Elvish name. The indigenous Gnomes instead call this region—along with the areas of Cirithas and Senlimas above it—Zhicham.

Social Life

The city’s population is diverse, with the most populous races being humans, gnomes, and half-orcs. Wealthy urbanites in Ramanthas are known for their elaborate parties and dionysian disposition. Gnomes are the majority ancestral group and wield increasing political and cultural influence due to their role in gaining the land its independence from Cirithas influence here. That said, the city takes as many cues from the indigenous population as it does from the Elvish kingdoms and the city-states to its east, leading to a cultural melting pot of sorts.

Politics

The territory of Ramanthas is ruled by the Rani Yishara Lothamian, a Cirithasi-born Elf who resides in a castle outside Orstail. The city of Ramanthas is ruled by a council of merchants overseen by Jada Fowler, a Human woman and the Rani's minister of trade. The Messenger's Guild is known to have an outsized influence on this council.

Economics

One of the largest ports on the Dohirin Coast, Ramanthas is the most economically powerful of the Triplets, a name given to the Elf-ruled cities of Ramanthas, Locë, and Athrada that sit to the west of the Dohirin Coast and connect the sea trade to the overland trade in Northern Laivra. Ramanthas exports finished goods from the Elvish kingdoms imports a wide variety of things, notably luxury goods and magic items. Unlike much of the Dohirin Coast, Ramanthas' countryside grows enough food that the city does not need to import grain, but the city imports many foreign spices and animal products for its wealthier inhabitants.

Religion

Ramanthas has no official religion. The Church of Corellon was never powerful in the region, and what little power they had ended after independence. Many religions have a presence here, including various Cults of Mithras, a growing religious movement based on a sun deity from the Southeast Laivran coast. During the Phoenix War, these cults were the target of significant repression and violence after The Burning Path, a particularly violent sect, was framed by the government for the Phoenix Incident.

Military

Though too small to field much of a standing army, Ramanthas used the vast fortune it accumulated in trade to hire numerous mercenary companies for its invasion of Cirithas during the Phoenix War. Most of these mercenaries came from the Satyr kingdoms of Masyros and Mikolosi.

Population: Gnome, Elf, Human, Dwarf, Half-Orc

Languages: Common, Gnomish, and Elvish

Religions: Numerous, including The Inland Gods, Hierophy, and worshippers of Mithras

Government: Elected Monarchy

Ruler: Yishara Lothamian (royal), Jada Fowler (city).

Demonym: Ramanthi

Colors: Navy Blue and Turmeric

Allies: Athrada & Dohirin Coast

Enemies: Cirithas & Senlimas

Related Reports (Primary)