Omens In Ashes

Overview

As a free city, the inhabitants of Rathos are ever-changing. It is a seasonal stop-over for most, at best, and a poor, frightful place to live at worst. Rathos is a lawless land rife with civil unrest. All who have tried to rule this place have failed, for Rathos is home to the world’s worst criminals, gangs, pirates, and thieves. The only law is that there is no law. Only the strong survive here and only the wicked thrive.

History

None are sure who or when Rathos was first inhabited, the only thing that is certain is that it has and always will be a lawless sanctuary for all those trying to outrun the laws of the land they have come from. Ships are almost never followed to Rathos by law enforcement, as these are among the most dangerous waters in the world of Noar, second only perhaps to the City that Sailed (Blackbrine), who are much more disciplined, organised, and united in their attacks.

Most historians believe the island was discovered and settled during the Age of Man, given the types of wreckage that has been found on the edge of Skeleton Trench and the structure and design of most buildings. Though this is only speculation, long term locals that had lived on Rothos for many generations argue that the land was settled even earlier than that. As there are no public records or libraries on the island, none can be sure of what its true history is.

Timeline

To be added.

Legend

For most people, the existence of Rathos is only legend. Few dare to sail south of Nejem where the seas are known to be treacherous. As well as this, Rathos has little to inspire the average person to visit its shores as the locals are made up of society's worst criminals, crime lords, thieves and drug traffickers.

The Capital

The capital of Rathos is tucked into a deep-water bay, known as the Skeleton Trench, on the Westcoast. The trench is aptly named after its widespread reputation for taking many a vessel into its depths, only able to be crossed during high-sun and high-moon when the water is at its deepest. Any attempts to cross outside of these hours have proved fruitless. While the dangers of the surrounding rock pools and wild ocean have served to keep the inhabitants of the island safe, they also make it difficult to defend and escape.

The activity at the ports go unchecked, with no law enforcement daring to set foot on the island. Rathos is a beacon to all the wicked of the world, a dark underbelly swelling with the misfortune of many a traveler. The blackmarket of Noar is found here, drawing riff-raff from all across the world of Noar to its shores. The population is wildly diverse and always fluctuating, with all kinds of exotic races calling Rathos a home away from home. The docks span the length of the bay, housing up to forty galleons at capacity, or just shy of one hundred smaller ships in their place.

There are no walls around the city, the streets laid with crude, uneven cobblestones which make towing a cart uncomfortable at best. The hub of the city is made up of taverns, fish markets, gang hangouts, and rundown stalls. Very few invest any kind of wealth in the buildings here, for what is one day owned by one faction, might just as easily be overrun the next. Turf Wars are a daily occurrence and any who are not strong enough to protect their patch, usually find themselves left with little to nothing to show for their efforts.

There are, of course, those brave or stupid enough to make a long-term home of Rathos, though most have the sense to venture beyond the city limits to situate themselves, many fall prey to bandits and thieves. There is no code of honour, but every now and then, an uneasy peace is wagered amongst the gangs and, for a time, all is well.

Travel & Villages

Sadale

The capital of Rathos, Sadale, is located on the west side of the island, fringed by the Skeleton Trench. The docks stretch the length of the bay, its broken shoreline littered with volcanic rock. The buildings of stone and aged wood stand close together, thin, shaded alleyways threaded between them, their paths made of worn down cobblestones, dipped in their centres by hundreds of years of use. Most streets are not wide enough to get a horse and cart down, making it difficult to move goods around the island which has seen most locals favour the coast over the small settlement of Ghate.

Ghate

Ghate is a small settlement located a day’s ride from the main ports of Morgan, found on the northeast side of the island. It is a small farming community, known for growing exotic crops, medicines, and other illegal substances. There is little to see or do in Ghate, with most establishments treating newcomers with cold indifference.

Morgan

Morgan is a small, abandoned settlement in the North of Rathos. Often battered by harsh seas and unforgiving storms, Morgan has been abandoned by the locals and is now only frequented by those desperate to escape the tension of the capital. It is a known hotspot for gang activity, though for the majority of the year, especially in the season of Frost and Harvest, it is usually empty. A handful of desolate, rundown and roofless buildings make up the settlement of Morgan. It could very well be a nice place, fringed by a sub-tropical plufora of trees, but the sea wall is shallow here, making it impossible to dock close by.

Settlements & Titles

There are no player settlements or titles to date. To have one added, submit an application to the Help Desk.

Geography

Rathos’s history as a city is fairly young, with documents going back only a few hundred years, the local architecture and existing structures on the island supporting this. It is believed Rathos was once submerged under water, appearing seemingly overnight after earthquakes rocked the south-western quarter of Noar. The terrain is rough and rocky inland, surrounded by sandy hills dotted with palm-trees around the coast. Small valleys of volcanic earth, perfect for farming, are little more than wasted opportunities by the locals.

Climate

Rathos experiences strong wind storms making small, harmless rope-tornadoes a common sight. These twisters have been known to lift roofs and unsecured objects, but generally do little more than throw sand around. The weather is mild to hot in the seasons outside of Frost, but the island does get snow as the weather cools down during the cold season. Rain, even in Blaze, is commonplace.

Surroundings

Rathos’s closest neighbour is the city of Ryon to the west, and Nejem to the north. Neither pose any threat to the island nation, as the water’s between them are deemed too risky for common folk to sail.

Maps and Landmarks

To be added.

Coastline

To be added.

Culture

The culture of Rathos is the kind that is clear and easy to register the second one steps foot on the large island nation. A sense of unease and endangerment is commonplace, as crimes take place so frequently, with few captains choosing to keep their crew members in line. Any attempt to bring the populace under control has failed time and time again throughout the country's short history, as none are willing to pay the kind of tax that supports the sorts of rigid social norms practised everywhere else.

Demographics

A recent census of the city estimated that there are just over 700 people living in Rathos and the surrounding area.

Of these totals, Ecrede makes up 62%, followed by Mixed Bloods at 21% Humans at 13%, and N’jinn at 4%

Housing

Most if not all of the houses and buildings in Rathos are built using a mix of wood, stone and clay tiles. 90% of them are old and rundown.

Food

Coconuts, dates, bananas, root vegetables, wild game, and seafood make up the majority of an individual's diet in Rathos.

Music

To be added.

Language

Ethesion is the main language used in Rathos. A lot of the locals also speak common.

Folktales

To be added.

Economy & Employment

The residents of Rathos grow little to none of their own food, even though there are rich, viable plots of land boasting fertile, rich volcanic soils scattered across the rocky terrain. Most of the food found at the local markets are foraged goods, such as coconuts, dates, bananas, root vegetables, wild game, and seafood.

There is little to no economy, making employment, at least any legal form of employment, very rare. Certain gangs and pirate crews hire from time to time, but most businesses fail to thrive here unless they involve the trade and distribution of illegal goods.

Historical Epithets

Kyte, The Kind
Rufus, The Wicked

Law & Order

Rathos had no national or international army. It supports one simple law… survival of the fittest.

Crime & Punishment

There is no justice system in Rathos.

Factions

To be added.

Foreign Relations

Neutral
Blackbrine

Negative
Aramane
Clead
Crixus
Emanys
Nejem
Renmere
Ryon
Vayne

Magic

Blood Magic and Necromancy are frequently practiced in Rathos. Some of the world’s most famous shapeshifters also call Rathos home. Magic is not outlawed and commonly used in plain sight.

Slavery

Most pirate’s take slaves and those who choose to call Rathos home are no exception. Slaves unfortunate enough to find themselves in Rathos are at the mercy of their captors, for there is unlikely to be any rescue attempted here. Most are used, abused, and traded like cattle to the highest bidder. One can expect no mercy here.