Rethmar

The city of Rethmar is located on the island of Maleth.

This city is also the namesake for the kingdom. It was established as a colony in 628 AF. It was an expansion of exploration for Tower Rock similar to the way Sterling was established to the north on the mainland. While there have been people living here for centuries the island was over farmed and the soil became to poor to support crops any longer. Populations came and went. What made this successful were small farming towns on the mainland that supported this city. The world changed in 691 AF when a large iron deposit was discovered on the island. Simon D’Altax became the first king in 720 AF when he rallied more knights under his banner to dominate and control the iron mine. He married a noble from the Empire of Epirus named Malva Aurora Concordia and she became the first queen. This is the year Rethmar became its own independent kingdom. It was a peaceful power transition as Rethmar was so far away and had strong ties to the Empire or Epirus. At the discovery of the iron deposit gnomes and a few dwarves flocked to the kingdom. Rethmar the city grew quickly and the mainland town became cities nearly over night.   Technology has developed in this city and the rest of the kingdom rapidly. The gnomes tinker away with the traditional bronze, copper and tin as well as the newly acquired iron. Steel followed shortly after Tower Rock techniques of its production made its way here. Generations later we have a smaller blast furnace similar to Tower Rocks and alchemists here were the first to develop gunpowder, cannons and firearms. The real major production was what this city was originally intended for from Tower Rock, the manufacture of naval ships. The largest ship yard on the continent is here at Rethmar.   This shipyard started with wooden ships and even fitted them with cannons. Many fell into the hands of pirates. It was the dwarves living here who developed the iron dreadnought. With a hull made of steel and even a few of them steam powered by gnomish engines. The city made so many they have a surplus to sell to the rest of the world. Shipwrights thought Tower Rock would purchase them quickly. Yet it never happened due to the lack of a large protected harbor.   Today Rethmar is a thriving city with a massive port safe from pirates. Shipyards repair and build many ships. Taverns line the docks and even the strada dei parchi (Street of parks). This is a most beautiful street with a center line along a very wide avenue with well tended parks. It is full of trees, bushes, shrubberies and colorful flowers. Lemon and olive trees are common in the parks as are oak, walnut and pistachio. Near the beginning of this avenue is a massive rose trellis that stretches all the way across both sides of the road with a central trunk of the oldest known rose bush with a 15 foot wide trunk consisting of at least 11 vines.   POP approx. 20000   • Stump – POP approx. 4000   • Billingsly – POP approx. 2500   • Firebluff – POP approx. 7000