Kanta
The town of Kanta is a mining community on the banks of Lake Jachon. The town itself is of mostly ancient buildings, some dating back hundreds of years in use, and carefully maintained by their wealthy residents. The town was known recently for the powerful Guild of Miners and Smelters, who dominate the trade of most resources in the town. They gather minerals and ores, including limited amounts of gold from the countryside, and bring them into town for processing. The guild was destroyed during the Sypi Civil War, due to their alliance with the Church of the One Sun. Kanta was one of the first cities reclaimed by the Bienombes, and its population and size swelled during the war as mining operations were dramatically expanded to fuel the war effort.
Demographics
The majority of the town consists of a wide variety of humans and other races from all of the tribes of the Sypi Confederacy. Orcs, goblins, and humans all work the town's mines, and most of them migrated into Kanta following the end of the war. They have mostly replaced the former residents, many of whom were loyal to the Church or the Sihka Tribe. Only a handful of the original families that inhabited the town remain, most having long since fled.
Government
The people of Kanta elect a mayor to represent them every six years, from among any townsfolk willing to put their names forward. The mayor then oversees the established bureaucracy that helps govern the affairs of the community. The government hires from among willing workers, but also relies heavily upon volunteers from the wealthier families of town. The militia runs on similarly democratic lines, and turns are taken by the militia members to serve as law enforcement and guards on a three month rotation. The magistrates and judges are typically appointed by the mayor upon election, and are either ejected or reconfirmed when the next mayor takes office.
Defences
Kanta's walls were left abandoned long before the Sypi Civil War broke out, and the town was easily captured by the Bienombes and their supporters. Those who had been there fled to Jachmead or to live among the Sihka Tribe upon the arrival of the vengeful army. No walls have been built since the war ended, and there is nothing in the way of defensive structures, with the sole exception of the barracks and a few fortified old dwellings. The primary defense is a voluntary militia that consists of roughly four hundred participants.
Industry & Trade
The mines of Kanta are the primary money making factor of the town. Although ample farmland exists around the town, it provides local needs only, and even then, much food has to be imported to meet the rising demand from the local populace. The wealth of the town comes from the sale of refined metals, predominantly iron and coal, which are dug out of the surrounding hills in great quantity. The local foundries are the only of their type in the Sypi Confederacy outside of Wofslar, and far outproduce the larger city's forges. Most of the metal is turned into nails, construction tools, and of course, weaponry. The finest blacksmiths outside of the Mineter Tribe reside here, plying their trades.
Infrastructure
The past decade has been one of unprecedented growth and development for Kanta. With so many new people, the old confines of the town have been far overgrown. New buildings and neighborhoods have appeared almost literally overnight, as the mines continue to grow in size and significance for the local economy. Some have also taken up fishing, but they continue a heated rivalry with Jachmead for success, which the Jachmeadans typically come out ahead. The roads are almost entirely dirt, with exception of a few cobblestone paths in the center of town, and lighting is unheard of except in the gardens of the wealthy.
Assets
There are two inns to accommodate travelers through Kanta, and most of them are typically on their way to Smitlaw or on their way back from the Conino Resort. The marketplaces of the town are well stocked for both travelers and locals, and the number of specialist stores frequently attract those in Jachmead or Oltrac hoping to obtain luxuries for their home. It is a popular stopping place for halfling trading caravans, and even possesses a branch of the Rachiden Banking House, the only banking establishment in the Sypi Confederacy outside of Wofslar.
Founding Date
15 AF
Type
Large town
Population
8,100
Related Ethnicities
Inhabitant Demonym
Kantan
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
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