Wetumpka
The city of Wetumpka is known to many as the Roaring City, due to the presence of the massive rapids on the Mobtens River where it passes by the Bamardi capital. It rests along river, just across the border from the Shin Empire and the massive fortress complex known as Testimonium Hold. The weapons of this fortress overlook everything that occurs in the capital of the Kingdom of Bamard, a constant reminder of the power of the Shin and the risk of any wars to the north. A series of canals in the city linking to a less wild part of the river for trade provides further character to the communities within, as it has become geographically divided by these constructs.
Government
The government of Wetumpka is managed by one of the members of the Council of Bamardi Generals. All city infrastructure and budget concerns are considered to be part of the Bamardi Home Army, and are managed with military precision. Technically everyone working for the city is a member of the armed forces, even if their tasks are far from military. They possess ranks that denote their status, and even those responsible for maintaining the lights and canals are considered soldiers. Promotion through these ranks is typically achieved through merit, but it is unlikely that someone in the more civilian elements of the city will elevate themselves to a higher rank.
Defences
The center of the defenses of Wetumpka is Fort Mironescu, which is a massive citadel constructed to protect the city from assault or bombardment from the Shin fortress of Testimonium Hold across the river. The castle has thick walls and also acts as the center of Bamardi government, where all administration and the life of the royal family takes place. A wall spans alongside the river, and along the exterior of the city itself, with the rapids acting as an additional defensive layer, making a water assault upon the city nigh impossible. The city walls are equally formidable, as raids from the Sypi Confederacy and various monstrous tribes in the mountains are not uncommon. The city itself is garrisoned full time by seven Bamardi Home Army regiments, providing both law enforcement and security. They could be supplemented by nearly five thousand militia should a direct attack occur.
Industry & Trade
The primary trade in Wetumpka is two-fold. Furs collected by hunters in the Bamardi Foothills are turned into stylish winter clothing in bulk for trade in southern ports. Also, iron ore is transformed into steel by the workshops of the city and into a myriad of products, mostly weapons for domestic and foreign use. A handful of people still attempt to pan for gold north of the Mobtens River rapids, but these efforts have been futile for decades, but hope is eternal. These goods are mostly traded downriver via barge towards Forard, where they are sold in Linkton.
Infrastructure
The raging rapids of the Mobtens River near Wetumpka have made it difficult for the city to participate in the lucrative trading that takes place along the river. In order to engage with this trade, a series of canals and locks were created within the city itself, to allow access to lower parts of the Mobtens River. These canals wind their way through the more productive and industrial districts of the city, allowing the easy trade of goods with communities further downriver by barge. These canals are connected to the center of Bamardi government, Fort Mironescu, the residence of the Royal Family and the main garrison and defense of the city against invasion from river or land. Most of the roads are paved, and the city possesses sewers allowing for the drainage of waste into the river.
Assets
The Wetumpka Canal market is the primary trading and commercial center of the city. Built upon an artificial island created by the canal network, this marketplace consists of shops and stalls alike, where any goods can be purchased or rights be sold to trade barges down the Mobtens River. Most goods are available to purchase, both for day to day living, or the life of an adventurer. Due to the wildness of the Bamardi Foothills to the north, many adventuring groups and explorers find the Canal Market to be their first stop before vanishing into the interiors of the Apps Mountains.
Guilds and Factions
The city of Wetumpka is the seat of the Bamardi Royal Family and possesses a heavy army presence. The people of the city are nearly unanimously loyal to the Bamardi state and military, but there are two factions that struggle for direct power over the community's fate. These include the Royalists, who would prefer to see a stronger monarchy in the management of Wetumpka, and the Militarists, who support the status quo and the overwhelming power of the army. In most terms of policy these factions are aligned, but the differences emerge as the king has become the center focus of the movement that would like to see a restoration of civilian power in Bamard as a whole, beginning with city management. Due to the king's position, the efforts cannot be declared illegal, and these reformers have been increasingly at odds with the army establishment.
History
Wetumpka was established centuries before both the beginning and the end of the Nameless Empire, in the days when Emicara was still wild and unsettled. Established by a fur trading company, Wetumpka is said to have languished as a small town for centuries, even after it was conquered by the Nameless Empire. There were good years and bad years, at one point it was considered to have been the capital of the entire Bamard province. When the final war came, Wetumpka had declined greatly, and was thus spared the purging fires of the conflict. The local town council managed to hold everything together and preserve some level of stability.
As the years carried on, the Chatta Kingdom emerged from the north and conquered Wetumpka, executing the town council and the former leaders of the community, taking half of the population as slaves. The town languished under Chatta rule until the mysterious arrival of the Shin, who slaughtered the Chatta armies and established their own governance over the region. Wetumpka was established as the capital of a tributary Bamardi kingdom underneath Shin guidance, while being denied most of their aid and technology. The Wetumpkans expanded under the Shin, but were still kept out of the loop, and therefore became the center of a rebellion against the empire in the 4th century while the Shin were engaged against the dwarves during the War of the Five Hammers.
Wetumpka's prominence as a capital was short-lived, the region being quickly conquered and annexed into the Jakonian Empire. As before, Wetumpka was a neglected frontier backwater, receiving very little from their imperial overlords. When Bamard became independent once again after the Great War, Wetumpka was not much more than a glorified town and trading post. It has since swelled as a capital, and grown greatly in size and prominence. Most of the local infrastructure work has taken place since the kingdom gained independence, and the population is steadily growing. The wealth of the city has grown proportionately with its security and it seems that Wetumpka is well suited to the stability and prosperity of the kingdom.
Founding Date
363 BF
Type
Capital
Population
32,000
Related Ethnicities
Inhabitant Demonym
Wetumpkan
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
~31,000 Bamardi Humans
~1,000 High Elves and Half-elves
Comments