Hampburg
Hampburg is a town of contrasts and trade. Centered upon the two largest land based trading routes in the Kingdom of Columba, it has enormous strategic and economic importance. At the same time, despite being a trading center, its port is plagued by shifting sandbars and shallow waters, making it unideal for any merchant vessels. The people of the town are occasionally outnumbered by the amounts of merchants and travelers who camp in designated grounds outside of the town wall. Dwarven mercenary regiments from Valtkos Kiralyno often stop in Hampburg on their way to wherever they are bound, and Hampburg has become famous for the size of its dwarven population. The people of the town are best known for being friendly and welcoming to any travelers, mostly to obtain their gold, but rarely make any true friends from outside the community's walls.
Demographics
The majority of the town's population consists of Columban humans, but significant minorities of other humans exist. The most significant minority present in the town is that of the hill dwarves, many of whom have settled here to make money off of the frequent passage of dwarven mercenary regiments to the west. These dwarves have remained separate of the human population, digging out a holding underneath the main town, and opening up a quarry from the local hills.
Government
Unusually in Columba, while the local lord technically owns the majority of land in and around Hampburg, traditionally, the town's leadership has always been up for a vote among the eligible members of the population. They tend to elect a mayor, who is designated to lead the community for life. Traditionally, the local aristocracy always elect the lord of the land, and only a handful of times in the town's history has there been an exception. The town itself is managed by delegates and appointees from among the local nobility, to manage the land on behalf of House Denzinger.
Due to the large population of dwarves, a new policy was enacted after riots in 988 AF. Spurred by the callous mistreatment of the local dwarven population, several mercenary dwarven clans encamped at the same time rioted, and much of the town was badly burned or destroyed in the chaos. Since then, the dwarven portion of the town underground has been allowed to maintain its own laws and bureaucracy, even having its own courts and magistrates. Although they are technically subservient to Hampburg's mayor, in practice they tend to view the lord's decrees as more suggestions than actual laws.
Defences
Hampburg is two towns in one, human and dwarven. The upper town, where the humans live possesses a strong stone wall, and two full time regiments on deployment by the local lord. Although the lord possesses other holdings and forces, these two units retain constant protection of the town. A barracks has also been established to help house these warriors, and due to the town's strategic position, the barracks are capable of housing nearly ten regiments should war break out with the Kingdom of Forard.
The dwarven part of town lays underneath the larger town and has an entrance outside of the human walls, allowing interaction without ever challenging the human guards or defenses. While this has proven useful for smuggling, the defenses of the dwarves have been occasionally tested, and proven successful. A single door and guardhouse protect the entry into the dwarven town, and it has never been breached, acting as a nearly invulnerable bulwark. The dwarves muster three militia regiments to assist in the defense of both the lower and upper town.
Industry & Trade
The majority of Hampburg's economy relies heavily upon the passage of caravans and mercenary regiments. These traders and wanderers provide much needed gold and commerce to the people of the town, fueling the growing prosperity of the community. There has been some development in other fields, thanks to the dwarves, who have begun digging out ample amounts of stone from underneath the town's foundations. The growing quarry has produced heavily in demand stone blocks for construction elsewhere in Columba, as it has proven a cheaper and more local source for building materials, as the nation had been previously reliant from imports of stone from Kiralyno or the Mersan Union.
Infrastructure
Hampburg is a highly prosperous community, thanks to taxes and efforts taken from those passing through. The roads are well paved and lit, frequently patrolled by guards. The underground part of Hampburg is just as impressive, as the dwarves have received much support from Kiralyno and the mercenary regiments that come through. Although a young excavation by dwarven standards, it has all of the amenities expected by fine dwarven engineering, including running water. These luxuries have been shared with the town above, helping to maintain good relations, and cultivate the impression of a wealthy trade community.
Assets
Hampburg has two inns, the Upper Inn and the Lower Inn, the former being in the human town and the latter being in the dwarven town. They are both partnerships, owned by a human and dwarf partner, and serve drinks from both sides, integrating the best of both types of inns and taverns, being highly popular among visitors. There is similarly duplicated marketplaces, shops, smiths, and all of the other accoutrements of a thriving market town. Similarly, a large part of the economy is focused on providing food and services for caravans and mercenary regiments that camp outside of the walls, and all of the crafts and materials you expect that those types would need are readily available for sale by merchants who will approach any encampment that forms.
Founding Date
207 AF
Type
Town
Population
3,200
Related Ethnicities
Inhabitant Demonym
Hampburger
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Comments