Mantlemine (Mantle-mine)

The second most populated city in the Ruthorian Empire, Mantlemine is the city for which the first Emperor of Ruthoria, Stendar Ruthen died trying to create. Unfortunately, before Stendar's death, he swore that the city would be given to his close friend and ally Maltrani Bretscotch. Not wanting to disrespect the now-dead emperor, the Church of Erathis reluctantly agreed to this arrangement, making Mantlemine the only city in the Ruthorian Empire free from the rules set by the church. This made the city a beacon of religious toleration and freedom within the Empire but also made an excellent base of operations for some of the Empire's most notorious criminal gangs.

Demographics

Mantlemine, like most cities of the Ruthorian Empire, has a majority human population. These humans occupy all social classes within the city, unlike most other races. The city has a larger than usual population of half-elves due to its proximity to Lyrinia, and also has the usual amount of halflings.
Mantlemine has the highest concentration of monstrous races compared to the rest of the Empire. Races such as tieflings, half-orcs, goblins, wererats and kobolds flock to the disgraced city to avoid persecution elsewhere.
The Wererat and Kobold populations are prominent examples as they both have strong roots in the criminal activity of Mantlemine. The Wererat population is led by the mightiest among them, Writney the Ripper, and are loyal to The Crimson Knives. They fully infest the sewers built within the Foundation, making it their home. The Kobolds used to be native to the Meltharri Peaks, and instead of fighting for their home decided to integrate. They are led by a powerful scale sorcerer named Ezzellebub Porkeichu and are loyal to The Emerald Claws. When they moved into Mantlemine, they carved out the tunnels that wind through the Foundation, and even though they have been widened, still call them home.

Government

Mantlemine has been ruled by the Bretscotch family since its founding. The Bretscotches are known for their lavish lifestyles, which none dare to threaten. If the Bretschotch family was eliminated, the contract between the city and the Empire would be broken, subjecting Mantlemine to the laws of the Church of Erathis. This predicament protects the Bretscotch family, though they are usually at the whim of the multiple crime gangs vying for control of the city.

Defences

Mantlemine has a force of city guards called the thr Duskwatch that sport no emblem but instead only wear the colors of the Ruthorian Empire (red and gold). This guard force is known among the people to be incredibly corrupt, most often working in the interests of whatever gang controls the area they are set to patrol.

Industry & Trade

Mantlemine has a large trading economy, exporting raw materials across the empire to be processed into tools, weapons, and jewelry.

Infrastructure

• The mines: The mines of Mantlemine go deep into the Meltharri Peaks and are public workspaces. Citizens of Mantlemine are allowed to clock in to work in the mines to receive meager pay for all the ores, gemstones, and minerals of value they deposit at the end of their shift. There is a section of the mines called "The Grey Wall" which is blocked off from the rest, where prisoners of the city are sent to work.
• The Foundation: The area around the foot of the Meltharri Peaks and Annam's Jaw is very hilly and steep, so most of Mantlemine is built on a stone brick foundation that evens out the landscape. The foundation is built in layers that separate the cities' districts, acting like social class dividers. These layers ascend in an oblique pyramid shape, with the apex being the furthest pressed into the mountainside (the Lock District). Various sewer and tunnel networks wind through the Foundation, which are largely used by less savory people who wish to be out of the public eye. The entrances to the tunnels and sewers are usually hidden, and not easily accessed. The tunnels were originally created by kobolds, though were widened by the Mantlemine Miner's Guild later on. The kobold population of the city still calls these tunnels their home, and those traveling through them are warned to watch for traps set by the mischievous creatures.
• The walls: Around the Banka District is a large stone wall meant to prevent unrestricted entrance and exit to the city. There is a shorter wall between the Key District and the Lock District.
• Street lamps: Both the Lock and Key Districts have oil lamps that are lit at night by Mantlemine People's Guild lamp lighters.

Districts

• Banka District: The slums of Mantlemine, the Banka district is where most of the meagrely paid people who work in the Mines live. The various criminal organizations of the city have a complete stranglehold on the district, and city guards try not to set foot in it. It is located against the main wall of the city and is on the lowest layer of the Foundation. It is said that the smell of eurganan smoke permeates the air of the Banka District all hours of the day. The north portion of the district is controlled and fined by The Crimson Knives and the same is true with the southern portion but with The Emerald Claws.
• Key District: The home of Mantlemine's middle class, the Key District is located on the second layer of the Foundation and is filled with mostly businesses and homes. The Key District is the prime tourist location of the city, as the other two districts are either highly undesirable or off-limits to outsiders. Few residents of this district swear alligence to one of the cities gangs, though citizens in the northern portion are forced to pay a fine to The Crimson Knives, and the same is true in the southern portion but to The Emerald Claws.
• Lock District: The home of Mantlemine's upper-crust nobility and guild masters, the Lock District is located on the third, highest layer of the Foundation and is surrounded by an 8-foot tall stone wall restricting entrance and exit to the District. It is filled with mostly homes of the wealthy class of Mantlemine, including the Bretscotch family estate. It also includes the guildhalls of the cities' guilds,
• The Tunnels: The tunnels in the Foundation are a twisting network of passages and sewers and are the home of most of the city's criminal activities. The entrances to the Tunnels are almost all hidden among the geometric arches and carvings on the side of the Foundation. The tunnel portion is usually overtaken by kobolds loyal to The Emerald Claws, while the sewer portion is filled with wererats loyal to The Crimson Knives.

Assets

• Soldiers: Middle to upper-class children raised in Mantlemine are usually sent to a Ruthorian school outside the city, usually in Gratlet's Grave or previously Plitvale. These children tend to shy away from the extreme worship of Erathis present in the rest of the Empire, leading them to return to Mantlemine. A majority of upper to middle-class Mantins are trained with weapons, making supplying a guard force rather easy.
• The mines: The mines of Mantlemine in the Meltharri Peaks are famous among the Empire for being rich with metals and gemstones, richer than any other mining city in Ruthoria.

Guilds and Factions

• Mantlemine People's Guild: The Mantlemine People's Guild is an organization sponsored by the Bretscotch family that works to upkeep the city. Lighting the cities oil lamps, cleaning the tunnels under the Foundation, and re-paving the roads; the Mantlemine People's Guild does most of the work that keeps the city spic and span.
• The Crimson Knives: One of the influential crime gangs of the city, The Crimson Knives are rivals to The Emerald Claws and work in a majority smuggling both in Mantlemine and in Gratlet's Grave. They control their parts of the city through fear, brutality, assassination, and addiction.
• The Emerald Claws: One of the influential crime gangs of the city, The Emerald Claws are rivals to The Crimson Knives. They control their parts of the city through trickery, corruption, deceit, and fear.
• The Silver Hammer: The Silver Hammer doesn't have much influence within the city, though they are present. They are based out of Citadel Fornyr and have failed to establish a foothold in Mantlemine multiple times.
• Mantlemine Miner's Guild: The Mantlemine Miner's guild manages the open mines of the city. They are responsible for the collection of mined materials to be exported across the Empire and beyond.
• Mantlemine Merchant's Guild: The Mantlemine Merchant's Guild manages all exports and imports within the city, which is a huge part of Mantlemine's economy.

History

Mantlemine is a historic city within the Ruthorian Empire. It all started with the imperialistic desire for expansion among the Empire after they finished conquering or converting the Prairie tribes. Stendar Ruthen looked to the Montane Flat for expansion, so started the War of Mantlemine. During this war, Stendar Ruthen would be killed fighting foolishly on the front lines by a huge boulder thrown by a hill giant. The entire empire would be enraged at the fall of their beloved Emperor, and the next Emperor Erart Ruthen would avenge his father swiftly in one battle, wiping out the rest of the hill giants. The city would then be founded and fall under the control of the Bretscotch family who was promised control of the city by the late Stendar, which was reluctantly given by the Church of Erathis.

Points of interest

• Banka market: The Banka market is an open market in the northern Banka district that the city guards dare not set foot in. It acts as an above ground black market, where illicit goods arent to hard to come by despite the market's open nature.

Tourism

Mantlemine would be one of the largest tourist destinations in the Ruthorian Empire to visit the spot of Stendar Ruthen's death, though the city has a reputation for its criminal activities and seeming disrespect to Erathis which scares away a lot of common Ruthorians. 
The only tourist destination that people go to Mantlemine to visit is The Inkwell, as it is said that the owner Urab-Gun-Durr practices inkomancy, the art of magical tattoos.

Architecture

The architecture in each of Mantlemine's districts varies.

• Banka District: The Banka District's architecture is functional and cheaply made, with houses built with spare stone from the mines making the entire Banka District a sea of dull dark colors lit with spots of warm reds where there is fire.
• Key District: The Key District's architecture is better constructed than the cheap stone homes of the Banka District, though are still rather drab compared to other cities in the Empire. Most of the homes are made of limestone or wood, with roofs ranging in colors from dark red to black.
• Lock District: The rich Lock District has luxurious architecture, with the stone wall around the district blocking the view of the rest of the city. Large estates and guild halls line the white stone streets, with marble statues peeking over walls of shrubbery, seemingly judging those walking by with their stone-cod stares.

Geography

The once hilly and steep region surrounding the base of the Meltharri Peaks and Annam's Jaw has been flattened by the addition of the Foundaion, allowing the construction of a city on level ground.

Climate

The Montane Flat is cold and the winters are harsh, though the warmer months are quite temperate and nice.

Natural Resources

• Minerals and gemstones: Minerals and gemstones are easily accessed from Mantlemine's mines, heavily fueling the city's economy.

Founders

• Maltrani Bretscotch

Alternative Name(s)

Stendar's Grave, The Empire's Backside, The Disgraced City

Type

Large city

Population

23,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Mantin

Location under

Meltharri Peaks

Included Locations

• Ashen Despot
• Betrod's Fresh Fruit
• Bitz n' Botsz
• Bretscotch family estate
• Light Leathers
• Lucky Break
• Pale Stone Inn
• Red Jewel's Bounty
• The Bloody Griffon
• The Inkwell
• The Mysteritorium
• The Purrfect Menagerie

Owner/Ruler

Brickell Bretscotch

Ruling/Owning Rank

Governor of Mantlemine

Owning Organization

Ruthorian Empire

Characters in Location

• Ari Slackstock
• Batrie Siltdrinker
• Brickell Bretscotch
• Broniono "Bearbrawler" Kathavi
• Cara Shadowpaw
• Donna Drakeswing
• Ezzellebub Porkeichu
• Gregory Mastique
• Grinkle Stinkle
• Henry Betrod
• Ley'o Brandür
• Malachi Soragano
• Moriee Vanderbush
• Oliver Trickfoot
• Paruva Kell
• Ratlin Coy
• Reen Bean
• Rollic Wend-jury
• Rupee Teardronsh
• Steintler
• Suskut Ravasvu
• Tip, Skip, and Froid
• Urab-Gun-Durr
• Writney the Ripper