Romar
Nestled between the Sonril Mountains mountains to the east and the Flensewood to the West, Romar lies at the heart of Odasvale . Rolling plains stretch out on all sides, eventually vanishing into forests. And at the center of the Heartflow river rise the spires and districts of Romar, an ancient city whose fate hangs in the balance. Torn between the kingdoms of Galadron, Vercinget and Lyteri, pressure is on the people of Romar to choose a side, before the tides of war sweep them up.
Demographics
Split between humans, halflings, and a few Tabaxi clans. A sizable enclave of hill & mountain dwarves from Qexel dwells in town, and the occasional high elf of Nenrie passes through. There are Isurtzen gnomes plying trades and living in stacked-up town houses, and many other folk coming and going through town.
Most of the inhabitants are farmers. Many are peasants, but there is pressure on the Duchal household to free the serfs and grant land rights.
Romar has a burgeoning middle class of craftspeople and merchants, the most powerful of which have organized into formal guilds and hold seats on the town council.
Finally, a noble caste of landed knights, barons, and attaches represents the old Galadronian order, and they are desperate to maintain their status.
Government
The Duchal Household holds final authority in Romar, but much of the governance of the city is left to the Romari Council. Thanks to laws and compacts that have heaped up over time, many council positions are elected by members of the Guilds or even the citizenry.
One of the most significant laws of Romar is a complete ban on Enchantment spells that affect the mind. Fearful of the elves of Nenrie to the south, any spellcaster convicted of bewitching the mind of another has their hands chopped off.
Taxes are paid by all residents of the city, all traders entering or leaving the city, by merchants plying their trades, and by the owners of grand estates. Taxes are frequently adjusted to encourage traffic from one area or another and keep trade flowing.
Defences
There are two major centers of Romar: The Duchal Palace, which is built on a natural rock formation in the middle of the Heartflow, and the High Hill. The Duchal Palace uses the river as a natural moat, with two large drawbridges providing or denying access. The High Hill has its own minor fortifications.
The city as a whole is surrounded by a stone wall, though there are districts that fall outside this protective barrier. Watchtowers line the wall and choke points have gate houses to ensure protection.
Industry & Trade
While primarily an agricultural center, Romar is an important trade hub for the various settlements throughout the valley, occupying a key point upriver. The nearby land is fertile and farmers from far and wide bring their goods to Romar as a market town and as a convenient, centralized mill.
Romar also boasts excellent stables--there is a breed of wild horses in the valley said to be descended from Sudurvind, Stallion of the South Wind, himself. At the very least they are descended from Emankor stock. Horse trade flourishes at the market and the stablemaster is a very wealthy individual.
A number of trade shops also flourish in Romar, including a rather famous haberdasher that makes fine, ornate hats, a smithy that primarily serves the town watch but also sells to outsiders & locals, an alchemist shop owned by a prominent local citizen, and other wares of various types.
Infrastructure
Much of Romar's assets are built up around the river Heartflow, which runs straight through the middle of the town. Multiple mills dip into the river, slowing its flow somewhat but powering an array of industries. including some more complex and outlandish contraptions built by the Isurtzen Gnomes.
Multiple bridges cross the Heartflow to grant access to the people of the city. A rudimentary sewer system, left over from the ruins upon which the city was built, has been expanded bit by bit though without the full knowledge and art of the original architects.
Many structures hang over the side of the river, served by docks below, and in places barriers have been erected to create semi-stable pools where boats can gather together.
Guilds and Factions
The prominent citizens of Romar are divided by national and religious loyalty. The Owlbears, headed by Lord Mayor Berenga Longrass, are hesitant to declare fealty to any of the Northern Kingdoms, holding Romar's best interests above all else.
The Herons want to induct Romar into the Lyteri League of Chieftains, breaking ties with Galadron. They are led by Theudis Foamsong, a popular local figure who citizens approach with their troubles and complaints.
The Pegasi hate Galadron and want Romar to join the Vercinget rebellion, expanding the old Kingdom of Stone and resisting the imperial expansionism of Galadron. They are led by Adel the Younger, now captain of the Town Watch.
The Griffons remain loyal to Galadron and believe in keeping the old ties and traditions alive. Their leader is Orla Isurtzen Lakeslosh, an old gnome alchemist who's dwelled here since Magnen's grandchildren ruled.
History
Romar has been inhabited since the early days of humanity, though early settlements barely left any artifacts behind. It lies perilously close to Fomhor, the forest of the Autumn Huldra, and the vigilance of the wood elves historically prevented it from growing particularly large.
During the Demonic Imperium, this region was heavily farmed and inhabited. There are remnants of old Imperial roads scattered around the valley, and the great bridge at Romar's heart was constructed by an Infernal Empire long ago. It still stands to this day, though the baleful runes and unholy symbols emblazoned upon it have been worn away by time and the followers of Ramius.
After the ascension of Ramius, there was an Imperial holdout in this valley. As Magnen began his conquest in the east, Imperial generals sought to consolidate the ruins of their power here. Wildlings and the vengeance of the Huldra slowly eroded their might, until all that remained of the remnant was an isolated, superstitious culture. Magnen's descendants eventually swept down the river, claiming Romar in the name of Galadron.
Since then, the settlement has been of minor importance. Armies moved through here during the war of Conquest on their way to Lyteri, and afterwards it became an important trade route, connecting the mysterious elven settlement of Nenrie to the rest of Galadron.
When the line of Magnen failed, Romar was cut off and isolated by war. Its status has waned, but its freedom has grown since then.
Architecture
Most structures are made of wood, with important defenses and the oldest Infernal Remnants built of good stone. More stone has to be brought in from distant quarries, which makes construction quite expensive.
Geography
The city straddles the Heartflow river, which divides in two around a massive rock formation. Here the castle of Hildsfast watches over the town. There is also a large hill in the North-West of the city simply called Heights, where the town's watch maintains a barracks. The Old Market, a massive series of ruins built over with wood and tarp, is home to Town Hall, the headquarters of the various guilds, and many of the town's foremost crafts folk.
Type
Large city
Population
43,581
Inhabitant Demonym
Romari
Included Locations
Characters in Location
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