Rostonst

As with the rest of the island, a vast majority of the population is human, including almost all of the city's permanent citizens. Those who are not are primarily half-elven, the result of visiting elven sailors. Even these are rare, however, as few Arithasian women are interested in foreign men.   Due to its role as a port city and trading hub of the island, Rostonst is by far the most diverse place on the island, even if most non-humans are just visiting. Most of these non-human sailors are elves, half-elves, or halflings. Some few are goblinoids, but goblinoid sailors usually have to be quite far from home to make their way here.

The whole of Arithasia is ruled by the High One and those families that she has given her blessing to. However, by tradition they are all in the capital city of Ellentev, making ruling directly something of a challenge.    This is not to say that the city is without government entirely. In fact, the Rostonst is officially governed by the admiral of the Arithasian navy. It could be said that the city is under military rule in theory, but in practice, this is not the case. Instead, most of the day-to-day governing is done by appointed bureaucrats.   Even though the military has a strong presence in the city, it doesn't handle law enforcement, either. Instead, it has a city watch of highly trained women. The guard has a stronger presence at the docks due to the belief that most trouble would be caused by foreigners. This has led to a stronger criminal element further inland.

Even though Ellentev is the spiritual heart of Arithasia, and is home to the nation's most powerful people, many consider Rostonst to be the most important city on the island. This is due, in part, to the fact that most trade flows through here, and the city is the best way to reach the capital.   For these reasons, a vast majority of the Arithasian navy can be found in the waters outside the bay most of the time. This is one of the most powerful navies in all of Amaun, perhaps all the Twin Worlds as a whole, and they would not let this city fall easily.   From the land, this place is not nearly so well defended as it lacks fortifications. In addition, most of Arithasia's army can be found at the capital. This is not to imply that taking Rostonst by land would be easy, however. The city watch is extremely well-trained and the martial traditions of Arithasia would make conquest quite challenging.

Various towns exist along the Arithasian coasts, but most of these aren't much more than fishing villages. As such, the city of Rostonst gets the lion's share of the trade that comes to the island. This is what keeps the city prosperous, although they also earn a great deal from fishing.   The people here don't only trade with sailors. There is also steady trade occurring with aquatic peoples. This trade tends to be far more small-scale for luxuries and curiosities. They often trade things like silk, spices, and alcohol in exchange for things like pearls and the chitin of giant crustaceans.   Arithasia, by and large, is not known for its industry. While a great many things of all kinds are made here, almost everything can be obtained better and more conveniently elsewhere. The only exception to this are ships. Arithasian shipwrights produce some of the finest sailing vessels to sail the seas of Amaun, and they are willing to trade smaller ships to outsiders.

As one would expect of a port city, much of Rostonst is dominated by the waterfront. The city is built around a narrow bay, into which a vast series of docks poke out. A large number of boathouse of all sizes and a few massive drydocks are built nearby.   The next districts away from the docks are much more prosperous than the rest of the city, on account of the wealth coming in from other places. The best businesses and the most luxurious residences can be found here. Generally, the quality of these places goes down the further inland they are.

As a whole, the history of Arithasia is a mystery, and the history of Rostonst is no exception. It is believed that the original Arithasians fled to the floating island from a war, most likely the Second Imperial War or the Second Rising, although scholars are unsure of this.   Due to its ideal location on the coast, it is also believed that this is the place that the initial refugees landed before spreading across the island. Then, as Arithasian civilization started to grow, Rostonst grew into a thriving city alongside it.   From there, Arithasia kept to itself, meaning that the history of Rostonst was kept very simple. They have experienced raids from the Taradori or sahuagin, but no conflict more serious. As the island isn't connected to The Warrens, they were even spared the Third Rising.

At first glance, the architecture of the Arithasians, on full display in the city of Rostonst, is very simple. Every building, from the smallest shed to the most opulent mansion is a simple square structure, perhaps with a curved roof and one too many chimneys. There is far more to it than that, however.   Much of the design of the buildings have to do with the fact that they have to deal with a wide variety of climates depending on where the island is located. The buildings can be cooled by vents near the roof, which can be closed by shutters from the inside. The ubiquitous fireplaces can heat these structures in even the coldest weather.   In addition to being serviceable, these buildings are also very beautiful. They are made of a bright white stucco, whose composition is unknown outside of Arithasia. They are frequently decorated with bright frescoes depicting scenes of the sorts of rituals, battles, and revels that define Arithasian life.