Bartertown
A vast, bewildering maze of a city that 50,000 people call home, Bartertown lies just outside the gates to Throal. Sprawling in front of the three giant arches leading into the mountain kingdom, Bartertown grew out of a bazaar the dwarfs established years ago at the entrance to Throal. Merchants, traders, and visitors gathered there over the years, and the town became a favorite destination for those who wished to take advantage of the dwarf kingdom’s trade policies without feeling obligated to pledge loyalty to the Throal Kingdom. Huts and other permanent structures eventually replaced the open market bazaars and tents and were in turn replaced by larger, more comfortable buildings. As of this writing, it seems nothing can stop Bartertown’s growth. During a busy trading season, the city’s already large population can double in size.
The closer one approaches to Bartertown, the clearer its ramshackle nature and origins become.
Traveling up the Royal Road to Throal, a visitor can see the massive Throal Mountain Range, at the base of which the three towering arches leading into the kingdom catch the sun’s light and glimmer bright gold. These arches seem to stand guard over Bartertown, which tumbles away from the mountains like sharp, angular foothills.
Government
A magistrate chosen each year by the Council of Merchants rules Bartertown.
Defences
Bartertown owns no airships and maintains a minimal city guard.
History
How did such an unplanned and sometimes ugly city come to lie at the gates of the magnificent kingdom of Throal, itself a testament to planning and order? This question plagues the dwarfs, for it suggests that chaos can triumph despite their best efforts and that all their grandest plans may yet come to nothing.
The nature of the dwarfs themselves, so well-suited to planning and organizing, gave Bartertown its beginnings. Many traders and visitors simply wanted a place where they could trade and otherwise deal with the dwarfs without being subject to the laws of Throal. To fulfill this desire, King Varulus III granted a charter of land to a few merchants in order to create a community of merchants and traders outside of Throal. He wanted to encourage the presence of traders, but recognized that Throal’s might could well frighten away the timid or those suspicious of any great power.
The other force behind Bartertown’s swift growth came out of the physical nature of the dwarf kingdom. Many visitors to Throal, especially those of younger generations, simply disliked the idea of sleeping under a mountain. Though hundreds of thousands of people came—and still come—to populate the cities the dwarfs built within Throal, many others wished to be near the kingdom, but not of it. For these people, Bartertown provides the perfect home.
King Varulus gave the city only its charter, nothing more; he pledged it no support or defense. Nonetheless, it continued to grow unchecked. Even the merchants who received the original charter intended to establish only a few trading houses, never envisioning the development of such a vast city. Because half of Bartertown’s population at any given time is transient, the city still lacks a true sense of community, and permanent residents are in the awkward position of serving as an adjunct to Throal. Bartertown is neither a truly separate power, nor fully a part of the dwarf kingdom.
Architecture
Bartertown boasts no buildings higher than three stories; most stand only two stories tall. Lying as it does next to Throal and the mountains, the city’s lack of stonework is immediately noticeable. The buildings of Bartertown are constructed of wood, covered with white plaster, and lack the sense of security that stone shelters provide.
Type
City
Population
50000
Location under
Included Locations
Related Reports (Secondary)
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