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Antoma

Introduction

The city of Antoma sits to the north and west of the river Nemus which begins up in the mountains to the east and flows through Icallany nestled in the mountains to the west. The river is deep and narrow where is passes to the south-east of the city, and it is crossed by a broad, ornate stone bridge just before the city gate on the road from ["Purnastus"] along the coast to the south.

To the north roads lead out over the border in ["Cerlain"] and the city of ["Obsecum"], and to the west into the mountains and to the city of ["Gollotta"]. Mid-way along the Gollotta road is the town of Ferrenus, which fronts the logging and charcoal activities of the Berrecha Forest to the south of the town. Antoma provides the main export point for this logging, the city's port was once well suited for these exports, although now most freight is carried by road.

The city also supports a strong farming community across the rolling hills to the north, and wine-making from the vineyards of the rolling slopes to the south. Towards the sea to the east, wetlands provide peat marshes which have traditionally provided fuel supplies for the local inhabitants. These peat marshes still provide the farms to the north, but these are being overtaken by the charcoal supplies from the west in modern times. These natural resources make the city a strong manufacturing base, particularly for farm implements and tools, which it also exports by road and sea.

Demographics

The city population is around 75,000, which is smaller than many cities of ["Arthea"]. The main population is human, but there are around about 5000 elves living among the humans. Halflings also make up around 2000 of the inhabitants, but this is always changing as there is a large halfling community that has become a suburb in recent times as both the city and the halfling lands have grown and expanded. There is no gnomish population of note, and only around 150 dwarves live in the city.

Halflings tend to be farmers or work in the farming support industries. Elves seem to gather to the south-west and are often employed as craftsmen and as providers of magical services to the nobility. Dwarfs in the city are mostly brought in on contract to work as architectural consultants (a role they've played since the earliest days of Empire), miners or guards.

History

The city was settled during the earliest times of the expansion of humans through this region circa 300-400, but there are no remaining records of these earliest years. The human records of Antoma date from around 650 where ["Amastia"] was formed into a single kingdom. At this time the first census and taxation logs of the kingdom were prepared, and Antoma was listed as little more than a large village with a simple port. These records show that taxation money was brought into the district to allow the expansion of the town's port; there was a demand for charcoal and the ores and other resources of the mountains, and using boats helped moved these supplies around much more easily than relying on road transport.

The roads network took a while to catch up with the port. The road from the village of Ferrenus was well made, but it was not until the empire was formed that the old wooden bridge was replaced by the magnificent stone structure that still stands four hundred years later. The bridge was built as part of a set of civic construction across the empire that was intended to demonstrate it's magnificence while improving transport and communication links. It's style is very much in line with the early imperial construction; it carries the same pillared style that is reflected in the early civic buildings of some of the largest cities across the south of ["Arthea"].

The town of Antoma became a city after the fall of ["The Amastus Empire"]. Amastia prepared for trouble from her neighbours; there were concerns at the time that ["Cerlain"] would attempt an invasion to re-form the empire. Amastia had always been at the centre of imperial power and saw itself as both a vulnerable target and precious prize for any of the neighbouring kingdoms. As a result the rulers took steps to fortify all the towns along the northern borders of the kingdom. Antoma's simple earth bank was replaced by a solid wall, which provided a strong defences and signalled the towns new status as a city. The wall was stone to the north and the east, but the southern stretch which overlooked the river, and the western part of the wall which faced away from Cerlain was made from wood.

These city defences were useful in their time, but as time passed the growth of the city was hampered by the defences. As manufacturing industry and commerce grew, the city became overcrowded. More recently the city has expanded beyond the defensive walls. New districts and new inhabitants are now filling a growing suburban band around the historic city itself.

City Layout

Districts

The city is divided into five districts; there are three districts making up the old city, which are as old as the city itself. The two newer ones were established shortly after the second empire was founded, and grew out of part of the industrial growth of the old town.

The three core districts are the city, and two more which lie outside the wall and were once little more than affluent suburbs. The districts are:

Suburbs and Outlying Areas

There are several settlements nearby, there are farming communities and the rolling hills to the south are home to a thriving halfling community.

Political

Antoma is a part of the shire of Berrecha, which is currently ruled by Count Felix Ettemus. Berrecha also includes the cities of Icallany, Gollotta, Purnastus, Tuellestus and Hammarnus. Ettemus holds his court at the city of Icallany in the mountains.

Each of the cities in Berrecha is governed by a viscount, and Antoma's feudal lord is Viscount Hirrus Corus. The baronies of Truevale, Waldrath, Ferrenus and Northwald are all a part of Covus' Viscountcy. Further up the feudal chain, the Count of Berrecha is part of the court of the Prince of Amastia.

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