Small City, Primarily human
Loosely based on LaPampa
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/mar/25/la-pampa-the-illegal-mining-city-peru-wants-wiped-out
Recently had settlers come from the south; mostly merchants, priests, criminals, and the odd adventurer.
Has a trade route already with the rest of it's civilization and there is a rough road south primarily utilized by bandits and smugglers as they struggle to put an armed presence on it. That road takes a south westerly tack through the mountains into Xalliman, but smugglers use a bypass route through ancient drow tunnels to end up in Ossia or Grandia.
Is part of a northern human city state, Golt, being the largest city with only a few small supporting farming, logging, and stoneworking/mining outposts in the area around it.
City was built into the side of a mountain, funded by the gold mined from within, which was discovered by prospectors panning the river running past it years ago.
The mining settlement exploded bolstered by the huge output of gold it produced, attracting all kinds of settlers looking to make a fortune for themselves. The massive riches and quick rise to fortune meant that less savoury criminal elements also rose in prosperity as well, siphoning gold from the mines illicitly through planted agents in the mining guilds, and bringing in all manner of contraband drugs, and entertainment for the miners. Among the lower levels drugs, alcohol, fight pits, and prostitution are common. The higher levels still have the same vices but tend to have more refined tastes and looser coin purses to pay for them.
In recent years the gold has slowed from its initial massive boom but still turns profits for the nobility.
The city is divided into 3 strata, typically following the structure of the mining companies, with workers living on the ground levels near the mines themselves, managers living up above them on the mountainside with security, and the seat of government, guild leaders, luxury entertainment, and nobility up on the mountain peak itself. There is a fourth tier of citizen, the lowest, who live in the outskirts of town and work either in amongst the broken rock, known as the Scree Slums, looking for whatever bits of gold may have been missed (a common night activity for lone goblins trying to get a start) or using toxic mercury to extract gold flakes from water run off. Frequently the mercury poisoning causes mental deterioration or dementia, and unable to work legitimately the victims of the poisoning often turn to criminal activity to put food on their table. One such gang, the Golten Mad Lads, practically runs the Scree Slums, and are known for being violent psychotics.
Power Groups
The Golthaven Mining Consortium - Representatives of the largest mining companies in business on the mountain.
Businesses in Golthaven
High Wealth
Name - Top Tier Jeweller
Name - Alchemist providing mining charges and mercury
Medium wealth
Name -
A Hole in the Wall - Mountainside tavern and Inn frequented by adventurer's who don't trust the slums.
The Golten Mint - Produces currency which is slowly becoming the more common standard for the region.
Low Level
Bonnie's - A brothel catering to the slummers, with girls you'll almost certainly catch a disease from.