Tomar (Tow-mar)
This is a large seaport on the western shore of the Sea of Lamps. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the region, said to be almost 2000 years old. The city is a confusing maze of canals and basins including a number of islands connected by a network of bridges. Currently, the city's economy is oriented towards acting as the main seaport for the even larger trade center of Goutara. The city is known for its long, hot and humid summers. Over many centuries the city has developed a huge network of arcades and covered walkways to shelter it inhabitants from the oppressive summer sun. 60,000
Demographics
The majority of the city's inahbitants are Southron humans with signficant number of Southron Corgerians. Signicant minorities of Mountaineers, Danites and Eskill can also found here. Small numbers of Northrons and Dark Corgerian also have migrated to the city due to its role as an interregional trading center. The Danite population is concentrated around the night market while the Eskill are concentrated around the city's fishing harbor. Other minorities can be found around the port districts.
Government
Much of the city's day-to-day government is in the hands of a city Council dominated by the major merchant houses and guilds. The Military governor is effectively the highest ranking official with responsibility for both defence and maintain law and order. A dozen judges, one for each of the city's districts dispense both criminal and civil justice.
Defences
The city is walled on the landward side with five gates serving to provide access. The seaward side is protected by fortresses on either side of the entract to the outer harbor. Both fortresses are connected to the city by long causeways which double as breakwaters.
Industry & Trade
Shipbuildings, ship provisioning, cooperage, and ropemaking are all major industries within the city. Taverns and inn proliferate throughout the the port areas of the city.
Infrastructure
The port of facilities are sprawling and expansive featuring numerous stone quays, basins connects by a confusing network of canals, numerous warehouses and indoor market places.
Districts
Grand Harbor - This district faces onto the outer harbor and features numerous docks, warfhouses, boarding houses taverns and inns.
Estellen - This central city is where most of the city's Danite population is concentrated. It features the city's famous night market.
Grannos Inner Port - This neighborhood surrounds a series of basins and canals that connect to the outer harbor effectively extending the city's port deep inot the city.
Zarros - This district is built around a small fishing harbor to the south of the outer harbor. It is primarily inhabited Eskill and Southron fishing families.
Panderra Island - This is an artificial island that is home to the city's wealthiest inhabitants.
Blackpool - the city's worst slum surrounds a stagnant basin. This area is known for outbreaks of contagious disease and crime.
Callios Crossing - this artificial, rectangular island surrounded by canals is home of numerous large tradhouses that combine offices and warehouses in large buildings facing onto the surrounding canals. This district is considered very safe since it is patrolled by a private guard force raised by the merchant houses.
Gorrith - Home to the city's largest market and numerous small workshops where tradespeople toil to produce a variety of goods.
Salatay - This neighborhood surrounds a large basin and is the heart of city's shipbuilding industry. Numerous skilled and unskilled workers connects to shipbuilding live in this area.
Tupla - This district features the city;s most unpleasant industries such as dye works and tanneries. As a result the area reeks and the canals in this area particulalry foul.
Verenss -This district surrounds the inland facing Goutara Gate. It serves as teh start and end point for the overland trade between Tomar and Goutara. A canal lines with the warehouses of the overland merchants line the canal that connects this neighborhood with the Grannos Inner Port. This neighborhood includes many service and businesses support the overland trade like wagon makers, blacksmiths and stables.
Guilds and Factions
Five different merchant associations operate within the city where they struggle for economic and political advantage. Numerous noble and wealthy merchant houses struggle for influence with the wealthy merchants often marrying into the families of the poorer nobles in an exchange of status and wealth. Various religious factions including the Salyite Sisterhood, the Syrican Brotherhood and the Alyite Order often engage in covert, but often bloody conflict with each other.
History
The city's exact origins are hazy, the city was never formally founded, but rather developed. At some point a fishing village appeared along the small harbor and over hundred of years immigration expanded the city. Perhaps 1500 years ago the other harbor's breakwaters were built greatly expanding the port's capacity. After this the city saw it importance as trading center expand along with the construction of canals that pushed ever deeper inland. Goutara's rise a trading center greatly benefitted Tomar, which became the main port serving the inland trading center.
Points of interest
The Twin Beacons - These identical light houses were built in the fortresses that guard the mouth of the Outer Harbor. On a clear day these 200' tall towers are visible far out to sea.
Halls of Order - These are study stone buildings found in each of the city's twelve districts. The serve as a courthouse, guard station, and jail. Public records for the district are held in these buildings with a second copy of every document being sent to the Archive of the City Council.
Architecture
The city is known for it's red tiled roof tops, baloneys partially shielded by elaborately carved and painted wooden screens and collanded walkways meant to protect from both the sun and the rain.
Geography
The city is very flat most districts penetrated by numerous waterways, many of them manmade. Perhaps two-thirds of the city is easily accessed by boat through several waterways leading out to the inner harbor.
Climate
The city has a wet, subtropical climate and is prone to almost daily rainstorms, usually in the afternoon. The summer her is oppressive thanks to the combination of heat and humidity, but from late fall to early spring the weather tends to be very pleasant.
Type
Large city
Population
60,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Tomaks
Owning Organization
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