Settlements
Name: Arumach, City of the Gleaming Gates
Summary: Corrupt Plutocratic City-State
Location: On the eastern coast, where the northern grasslands and the desert meet.
Type: City
Description: With walls made of pearly-white limestone and golden words etched around its gates - "Open Are Our Arms," those words read - Arumach is a dazzling sight to see. It is a large port city whose docks are rich with the scent of fresh fish, the salty sea and foreign goods. Squarish, roofless buildings are the norm, often built from sandstone. Though there is little alcohol to be found in Aurmach, the smell of coffee can be found most everywhere. The city seems to breathe during the day. People are always rushing this way and that, and shouting is common in the market, getting dirt, grass and sand on the cobbled roads (which must be swept frequently to be kept clean). Jeweled temples stand proudly atop tall hills, and the city's Prince rules over his subjects from a lofty white tower in the center of the city.
History:
A truly ancient city, Arumach was constructed by a dynasty of desert warlords centuries ago. These warlords had pushed as far as the swamps to the north, and so they decided to build a new city which would be the capital of their own empire. Though this Aruban Empire was short-lived (and vastly less glorious than the Orvelli Empire), it nevertheless left Arumach in its aftermath: a beautiful city in which gold become the new weapon with which wars were waged.
Arumach was one of the last cities to become part of the Orvelli Empire, more because of its location than anything. Orvelli diplomats organized a peaceful (rather than violent) entry into the Empire, allowing Arumach to keep most of its old rights - including the powers of the Pluceptic priests - rather than become yet another conquered province.
When Orvell fell to corruption, barbarians and the wrath of Wizards, Arumach was relatively untouched. The shift back to independence allowed its Prince to dictate new laws that had been stymied by Orvelli politics. These new laws increased the power of the Plucept and the Prince in almost every respect, centralizing their power. It was also an opportunity to place Pluceptic chaplains in the new nation's small military.
While trade is not as vigorous as it was in the heyday of the Empire, Arumach still thrives in the present day and remains an important gateway between the north and the south.
Governance: Arumach is a plutocratic dictatorship heavily influenced by the Pluceptic Church. Its ruler is the Prince, a wealthy merchant lord whose position is inherited via appointment. Namely, the Prince chooses an Heir Designate from among the other wealthy merchants. While this is often a member of his own family, political struggles may force the Prince to designate an influential member of his court instead. In the rare event that the Prince dies before choosing an Heir Designate, city-wide war has broken out as different families vie for rule of the city. This has happened twice.
The position of Prince is a powerful one indeed, a lifelong position with many advantages, and it requires a lot of political savvy to hold. The Prince is expected to oversee all aspects of the city's growth and expansion as well as meet with foreign dignitaries and appease the merchant lords. The Prince often delegates power to appointees, some of whom are chosen for their merit and some whom are chosen as part of a deal or political move. They, in turn, may appoint different individuals to work under them, and they likewise habitually appoint people to curry favor with others, creating a political web of corruption that keeps those with power and wealth powerful and wealthy.
The Prince directly controls the military in times of war. Some Princes choose to command it in full capacity; others choose to delegate control of the military to more war-savvy family members and friends.
The Plucept wields considerable power in Arumach, so it is in the Prince's best interest to make fast allies of the religious leader. Historically, the two offices have worked together to grease their palms, but they've been in direct competition for power as well. As the Plucept commands certain parts of the military and has sway over most of the commoners, it is the rare Prince that challenges the Plucept's power.
Crime plays a rather big part in Arumach. Though some crime is conducted independently, there are crime families (some of which have merchant families as members) that control much of the business, and so it is an organized affair. Indeed, powerful crime lords have been known to host parties at the behest of powerful merchants and are very involved in politics. They, too, bribe members of the Pluceptic Church in order to have their favorite candidate voted in (or just to make certain particular candidates are NOT voted for). While they hold no official positions, these crime families have a firm enough grip on the economy that savvy merchants hire them to act against their opponents. Others pay protection rackets to avoid being harmed by prominent crime families.
Culture: The people of Arumach, known for their elaborate robes and for men who shave their heads, are fond of large celebrations. Though most days of the year are dedicated to work, their holidays are opulent affairs during which the wealthy make grand displays of being generous folk. Some of these celebrations last for weeks, and they are often steeped in Pluceptic dogma.
Though they do not drink wine or ale, Arumachians do drink coffee - lots of it - and meet in coffee houses as often as other nationalities meet in pubs. Other indulgences, such as those of weak hallucinogens, are also imbibed in such places. The wealthy meet in such places to discuss matters of business, trade, adventure, astronomy and religion, but the poor meet to swap tales of the day's work and how the politics of the wealthy may affect their lives.
The stars have always fascinated the people of Arumach, and so the discussion of the heavens is one means by which one may pass the time. While the poor are largely uneducated, the studies of astronomy and mathematics, being so vital to sailing and to trade, are things they understand well enough, so their games often involve these subjects. Both the rich and the poor of Arumach enjoy contests of wit, especially puzzles and riddles, and the wealthy are especially fond of playing certain board games that put an emphasis on planning and strategy.
The acquisition of wealth and the maintenance of a leisurely lifestyle is first and foremost in the minds of Arumach's people. Some try to earn their money in quick and easy ways, such as by becoming pirates, sailors, adventurers or by joining crime families. Others try to pursue the slower, more "honest" path. The wealthy, of course, engage in political games and accept bribes to do the same.
Populace: Arumach is largely populated by humans, though a minority of half-orcs (roughly 30% of the population) may also be found. Pure-blooded orcs are rarer and represent an even smaller minority (5%). Members of other races are quite the unlikely sight. Most people from Arumach have darker skin than others in Orvell, having either an olive or slightly brown complexion.
Religion:The most prominent religion in Arumach is that of Pluceptism. Its religious head is the Plucept himself, the chief adviser to the Prince and a highly influential individual wielding as much power as the Prince himself. The Plucept maintains this position until death. Upon death, the Plucept is replaced by a prestigious priest, chosen by an electoral vote among the Pluceptic priests. The Electors often accept large bribes disguised as donations to the Church to sway their vote toward certain individuals that favor certain policies.
Like a few other religions that have survived in the ashes of the Orvelli Empire, Pluceptism states there are only three true Gods: the Warrior, the Penitent, and the Sage, each representing vital and equal parts of the human spirit, together forming the Triumvirate. Its core tenets state that the strong are to protect the weak, and in turn the weak are to understand their faults and serve the strong; thus, in the plutocratic society of Arumach, this means the wealthy are kept in power so long as they provide for the poor, and the poor are to be grateful for this kindness.
In practice, Pluceptism is used as a mechanism to maintain the status quo. Pluceptism states that it would be unholy for the poor servant to rebel against a benevolent master, and as the Prince of Arumach is most certainly benevolent and divinely blessed, rebellion against him is punishable by death. As the people are largely uneducated, it is easy to maintain the illusion that this is what the holy texts say. They are mollified by holidays emphasizing charity, holidays in which the wealthy try to out-donate other nobles for prestige. These holidays do little to stymie corruption and poverty in the city.
Religion plays a powerful role in Arumach's courts. Every trial is overseen by three separate judges (each representing one of the three gods). The three parties in a given trial - the judges, the defendants and the plaintiffs - each have a symbol of one of the three deities behind them (the Sage for the judges, the Warrior for the plaintiffs, and the Penitent for the accused). This symbolism suggests the accused is inherently guilty, and thus the accused are more likely to be found guilty than not.
Pluceptism is but one of a few similar religions that espouse the firm belief in the Triumvirate, though each of these religions argues over what, exactly, the Triumvirate is. The inclusion of the Penitent in Pluceptism, for instance, is a quality no other religion like it shares. Thus, Pluceptism finds the other religions to be heresies, though it itself is a heresy of a more prominent religion.
Economy: Dyes, glass and coffee are the lifeblood of Arumach. These three goods represent the city's three major industries. Glass made from the golden sand of the desert and the white sand of the coast makes for beautiful works of art; the dyes are used in the production of expensive cloth and in certain paints; and coffee is well loved because it's coffee. Production from these goods and the sale of them raw are both very important sources of income for the city. Other important markets include fish, salt, pearls, and copper.
But none of that would make Arumach so wealthy if not for its merchant fleet. Trading vessels controlled by wealthy merchant lords, the Prince, the Pluceptic Church, and independent merchants all are vital to the delivery of Arumach's bounty to the rest of Orvell. Though there are dangers to be found at sea - pirates and sea monsters and the ferocious weather - Arumach ultimately profits from these ventures and grows stronger for the sake of it. Thus, trade is the most important business in this city.
Diplomacy: To Be Determined
Military: While Arumach's walls are not especially sturdy, it has a considerable navy. Consisting mostly of trade vessels that can quickly be converted into light war ships, Arumach's merchant fleet is one of the largest to roam the sea and is well equipped to deal with pirates and similar threats (though not to deal with creatures of the deep). Fiery pots, fiery arrows, and ballistae make for a deadly array of weaponry in naval battles; as they normally carry more valuable goods than their opponents, the merchant vessels are more concerned with destroying their enemies than capturing their ships.
That said, the land force of Arumach is comparatively weak and is largely a militia force. Bowmen and spearmen make up the mainstay of their army and are supported by javelin-throwing skirmishers. They wear relatively light armor, preferring to outfit themselves to be able to endure the heat of their homeland. Their professional troops are all cavalry, often jumped-up merchants' sons who personally outfit themselves with iron lamellar armor and swift steeds. With scimitars and battleaxes, these merchant cavalrymen are the "elite" of Arumach's land forces, which does not say very much.
As such, Arumach often hires mercenaries when faced with war. Orcish mercenaries from the east are favorites in particular; orcs are known for their ferocity in battle, and turning them Arumach's enemies is preferable to them turning on Arumach.
Plot Hooks:
- Arumach is a great port for adventurers to resupply at while on their way to other places.
- The desert to the east is home to plenty of orcs that might need to be dealt with.
- The wealth disparity in Arumach is even worse than in other places, so it may align with good characters' goals to try and fix that problem.
- Arumach is a great place for roleplay surrounding political intrigue.
- Arumachian merchant lords may be interested in procuring objects from abroad - perhaps objects kept in certain dungeons and ruins or in the hands of other wealthy people - to add to their collections.
- Lots of crimes may lead back to the crime families in Arumach...
