Seamantle

Under the waves of the Arin Sea lies the Sunken City of Seamantle. Constructed of stone and metal and fortified with magic and science, it is a hidden gem that shines like no other. Most people of Dayne have never heard of it or only know it as a myth or rumor. Those that do know of it, still find it hard to believe. A rare, priveledged few have seen it firsthand.

Society

Jular Al'nix, the ancient Sylvanborn founder and Prime Voldar of Seamantle leads the city alongside the Council of Voldars. The citizens of Seamantle tend to be wealthier than those in other cities for the city shares the wealth of it's bounty with all who live there. Each guild has it's own agendas and relationships with each other but they usually work for the betterment of all in the city. The residents of Seamantle understand how different their lives are compared to anywhere else on Dayne and they revel in it.They can regularly take strolls along the sea bottom or frolic amongst schools of fish because even the ones that don't have an endure elements placed upon themselves can have fairly easy access to items that do. A surprisingly large portion of the populace has developed a talent for channeling. Many believe it is because of the prevalence of the elementally charged Crawfordite that can be found in just about every home, for it is well suited for more than just sources, it also makes an excellent foundation for a bound shard. Bound shards are everywhere in Seamantle. They help keep sea water out and circulate the air. They provide safer forms of fire and heat and can harness electricity and steam. Life at the bottom of the sea is far from safe and idyllic though, there are many dangers lurking in the depths. Just the location and environment itself can kill without the proper caution. Much like can be found on land, there are necromantically corrupted areas under the waters that can spew forth undead nightmares. Have you ever seen an undead shark or whale? Then there are the strange monsters from the cold, lightless deep... The city runs smoothly and efficiently and none can really complain about the leadership except for minor grievances. Other than the Voldar of the Worker's Union, a Biata named Fran Fontai. He believes that Jular's rule isn't structured enough for a city that has grown to this size. His lax, freedom loving ways will bring the city to ruin and Fran is trying to convince others to make him Prime Voldar instead. At first, most just laughed him off but recently it would seem there are more voices joining his. Some whisper that Fontai is altering memories to bring others around to his way, though none can prove it yet.

Government

The Council of Voldar, Led by the Prime Voldar

Industry & Trade

IMPORTS

Lumber, Silk, Fruits/vegetables, Wheat, Pork, Beef, Chicken, spices, Ritual scrolls

EXPORTS

Seafood, Pearls, Coral, Jewelry, Ore, Minerals, Precious Metals, Magic Items, Channeling Sources

TRADE AND COMMERCE

The number one resource that is exported from Seamantle is Crawfordite followed closely by Jurala. After those we get into commodities that are found in abundance under the sea. Some exquisite jewelry made from pearls, coral and precious metals come out of the artisans here. Most of the trade that is done with others is conducted in the ports of other cities since Top Side can only berth so many ships at once. Those in the know realize that they can get very favorable pricing for ritual scrolls of endure elements, stable foundation, and bound shard since Seamantle depends on those for it's very existence. There is a small amount of tourism for those with the resources and desire to visit such a fantastical place.

Districts

• The Landing

• Seaview

• Seafoam Square

• The Drip

• Cliff Ward

• Undertow

• The Grotto

• The Hollows

Guilds and Factions

Guilds are the bedrock that Seamantle's society is built upon. Every citizen is a member of a guild and the guild leader, known as a Voldar, sits on a council that is directly involved with the governing of the city and it's holdings.

G.E.A.R

.- The Guild of Engineers, Artificers, and Researchers is responsible for the majority of the inventions, both magical and non-magical, that allow this city to exist. Only the most gifted are granted membership into this prestigious organization. There is animosity towards the Naval Engineers League of Hanover because when the NEL was first founded, they were invited to tour their workshops since Hanover had always been a good trading partner. Not long after the NEL representatives left, ships started emerging from Hanover that were utilizing the same techniques. This wouldn't have been an issue if the NEL hadn't claimed to pioneer the process themselves. They denied 'stealing' the techniques from GEAR and have ever since been rivals.

Azure Seekers

- This guild handles all of the transportation, exploration and salvage operations for Seamantle. It is their ships that bring trade to the city. They are also the ones that explore the depths for resources like shipwrecks or sunken ruins to salvage and new deposits of Crawfordite and Jurala to collect.

Guardians of the Deep

- The Guardians are the military of Seamantle, although they are referred to as security forces instead to make it sound less aggressive. They are highly skilled at dealing with the conditions and threats present in Seamantle and are the military with the most experience in underwater combat in all of Dayne.

Stone Masters

- The mining guild of Seamantle has also become the guild that oversees all construction dealing with stone, whether it's a new stone structure or a space carved into the seamount. The members of this guild are the only ones in all of Dayne with the knowledge of how to extract Crawfordite safely.

Worker's Union

- If a citizen doesn't make it into any other guild, they will end up in this one. With that said, it is a large and powerful guild since there are many citizens that are needed to maintain the smooth operation of the city while the other guilds fret over other concerns.

Keepers of the Deep

- This guild handles all of the food and water needs of the city. They maintain a few gardens of land-based crops but mostly they farm the seafloor for kelp and other sea based fare. They also work to ensure that the settlement isn't causing an imbalance to the natural order of the area.

Waters of Comfort

- This is the healer's guild of Seamantle. While they have many earth mages in their ranks they also accept other methods of healing, such as an alchemist or surgeon. They also work to heal more than just the body and employ mentalists as well. They are focused on healing and direct those earth mages that wish to combat undead to either the Guardians or the Seekers.

Cerulean Sorcerers

- This guild is focused on mastering celestial magic and delving into it's mysteries. They can often be found working closely with GEAR but they are less concerned with crafting items of power than they are with mastering the arcane within themselves.

League of Merchants

- Every merchant, from the biggest and wealthiest of trade houses to the simple seller of trinkets, constitutes this guild. They are often at odds over various policies and rarely agree unanimously but when they do align on something, they are a powerful force. The current Voldar of the League has lasted longer than any other in history and there are whispers that he must have some kind of leverage to have kept it this long.

History

Jular Al'nix was among the first Sylvanborn. He helped build Asta'lendi and called the Northern Wood home for a time. Once he had wandered the entirety of the wood, he set out to wander the rest of Alteria. Once he had seen all he could of Alteria and it's peoples, he set out for Utara. Once he was done there he continued on to Pallidon and the Frozen Sands. After exploring all of the lands of Dayne, he decided it was time to explore it's waters. Through the use of rituals he was able to survive the depths and begin exploring the mysterious oceans and seas of Dayne. He had an encounter with the Dragon Minimus and after that he made the decision to 'settle down'. He began designing an underwater city in the mountains beneath the Arin Sea. His many years of travel had left him with ample experience, resources, and contacts from which he could draw to see it through. It wasn't long before he had a small settlement thriving down there. The location he chose had been suggested by Minimus and was a place of abundance. Not only was there plentiful sea flora and fauna to live off of but the mountains were ripe with mining resources. There were two unique resources that they had access to that would make them a very wealthy city, Crawfordite and Jurala. Crawfordite is a type of crystal or gem that is infused with elemental energy, which makes it ideal for channeling sources. A large number of the sources in Dayne utilize Crawfordite. Jurala is an ore that, by itself, is unremarkable but when combined with other ores into an alloy, can have significant effects depending on what it's mixed with. The city of Seamantle was officially founded in the year 323AA and quickly became an important trading partner. The Kingdom of Khybur soon became their premier customer, gobbling up as much Crawfordite and Jurala as they could to build their Gau army. This caused a large number of Khybur dwarves to move to the city, who had to watch in horror when the Kingdom was destroyed in 333. The city has slowly expanded over the years and life in Seamantle has only gotten better as magic and technology have improved. Those outsiders that manage to visit the city are often left in awe of it's unique beauty but only the elite are invited to live there, since the available living space is limited.

Points of interest

Top Side- Top side isn't in Seamantle proper but rather it is more akin to an outpost. It is built upon a small island just NW of the city. This is the location where Seamantle's fleet of surface vessels docks and where visiting ships can also dock.
Fathoms Reach- This tower is the only part of Seamantle that pierces the surface. It is the only way to access the city from the surface. It is equipped with diving bells and cargo cranes that can raise/ lower people and cargo to and from the rest of the city. It is also a functioning lighthouse to help prevent ships from colliding with this stone spire in the middle of the sea.
Siren's Call- The most popular tavern in Seamantle. They even employ a mermaid as an entertainer.
Statue of Minimus- A large statue of the dragon Minimus, carved out of a spur of rock that juts away from the seamount not far from the city. It is said that Prime Voldar Jular Al'nix encountered the great dragon Minimus and that encounter is what led him to found Seamantle in this spot.
The Mines- Dug deep into the mountain range that Seamantle is built upon, these tunnels are quite extensive. Every precaution must be taken to ensure the caves will not lose their integrity and fill with water, so the mining process is a bit slower here then it would be on the surface. The old, played out caverns are converted into living space.
Little Sisters Sanctuary- About 3 years ago, the High Voldar built an orphange, which seemed strange since there were very few orphans in Seamantle. Soon after completing it, a ship carrying 14 little girls arrived, one child of each race. They were not alone however. Each girl had a construct protecting her. The girls called these protecters 'Great Elders' and no one had ever seen constructs like these before. The orphange has been the home of these 14 girls and their protecters for the last 3 years and people are starting to question who they are, where they came from, or if they are even children or perhaps something else. The High Voldar simply says that a friend asked him for a favor and that is why he welcomed them in. There are whispers that this friend may be the Dragon Minimus and that these 'girls' are something far more than mere children.

Geography

Nestled in the undersea mountain range that runs through the middle of the Arin Sea. There is a sizable kelp forest north of the settlement and the sea floor surrounding the city has been cultivated for underwater crops.

Important People of Seamantle

Prime Voldar Jular Al'nix Sylvanborn, Prime Voldar of Seamantle
Gil Xander- Gnome, Voldar of G.E.A.R
Fia'l Amb- Stone Elf, Loremaster of Seamantle Grace Holloweyes- Oathsworn, Voldar of the Azure Seekers
Sulli- High Ogre, Voldar and Commander of the Guardians of the Deep
Fran Fontai- Biata, Voldar of the Worker's Union
Rannos Creegan- Dwarf, Voldar of the Stone Masters
Koblan- Hobling, Voldar of the League of Merchants
Malia- Human, Voldar of the Cerulean Sorcerers
Errol Ashford- Human, Voldar of the Waters of Comfort
Moss- Dryad, Voldar of the Keepers of the Deep
Matthias- Human, leader of the Eyes of the Abyss, a secret cult dedicated to serving the creatures of the deep ocean. Recently made contact with an Aboleth and have begun to disrupt operations in the city at the urging of this monster.

Alternative Name(s)

The Sunken City

Type

Capital

Population

1138

Inhabitant Demonym

Mixed

Location under

Arin Sea

Owner/Ruler

Prime Voldar Jular Al'nix