Luthe Ada

## History

Luthe Ada was founded by three settlers in the early days of Egron's Exporation of Moran. These explorers were Bine, Lewsi, and Munder.

Legend has it that all three were travelling in different parties, going in different directions. Bine, the dwarf, had travel south from the Hylandahl Mountains, surveying Moran's greatest mountain ranges. Lewsi, a young elf of noble blood, had come west from the Egronian Peshtaed, planning to see the Avalon port colony--a rarity even in those days. Munder, however, was a simple human trader traveling with a group of Moranian natives on the great road, trying to establish a business for himself in the fledging territory.

All accounts agree that Bine, while traveling through the Broken Hills, had surveyed many grand mineral streams, marking these on his map (Curiously, it is also noted from Bine's personal accounts that there was, "A great ashen tree on a wide plateau" which would later become the Aftton mining town). Bine, a scrupulous man, began planning the Aftton mines even before he left the Broken Hills.

Around the same time, Munder, who had travelled for many years with the local [xxx] tribes, came to the Luthe Adan plane from the east. The nomadic band had recently met with some trouble in Haywic, though accounts differ as to what the nature of this trouble was. All accounts agree, however, that Munder arrived on the Luthe Adan plane with many a pelt and skin to trade, but with no town nearby to trade with.

Lewsi, it is said, was travelling alone from the west, intent on seeing Avalon, when he saw a great assemblage of men on the side of the road, cheering and merry making while a man and a dwarf wrestled in the mud. He stepped down from his horse, attempting to see the fight. He soon found himself in the front row, watching and laughing while Munder delivered a particularly humiliating blow to Bine, holding the small dwarf face down in the mud. From his place among the filth, the dwarf looked up and saw the smiling visage of a well dressed elf in pure white linen clothing, clapping and smiling at his defeat. Angered by this sight, the dwarf stood, the man still on his back. With a mighty roar, Bine lifted Munder into the air, and hurled him at Lewsi, who was a few paces off, covering the elf in Moranian mud while the crowd laughed.

Accounts very as to how the fight ended, but most agree that by the end of the day the three were fast friends. Some even suggest that Luthe Ada was born that night as the three drank and discussed their plans. Lewsi would sell the pelts amassed by Munder and his nomadic friends to raise capitol for a new trading company on the Luthe Adan plane. Munder would continue hunting and trapping in the surrounding region, while Bine began constructing a small settlement. Once the pelts were sold, Lewsi began planning the City of Luthe Ada, while Munder and Bine surveyed and planned the Aftton mining colony. Lewsi also brought in investors, forming the three large mining communities.

### The Collapse of Aftton

Aftton was a sprawling mining town in it’s own right some 200
odd years ago. The crown jewel of the Aftton community was the large ash tree
at the center of the town, which had been discovered at the top of the mountain
in the mid 800s. After 100 years of prosperity, the tree began moving of its
own accord, even attacking some of the townspeople. Within a week there were
vicious creatures made of vine and stick leaping from the ground. Another week
saw the entire community driven into the mines bellow. By the end of the month,
the village had been completely abandoned.

Though many of the townspeople were killed by the beasts,
many more made it out of the mountain and marched on to Aftton. Some of these
people sought an explanation—why hadn’t the mining companies sent security
forces when news of the communities plight reached their ears? Others sought recompence—what
would become of them, now that their livelihood was compromised? Others simply
left Aftton, trying to forget what they had lived through.

### Luthe Ada's Response and the False Reckoning

At the time of the collapse there were three major mining companies in Luthe Ada, being Bine, Lewsi, and Munder; The Jamath Mining Company; The Consortium. Their responses influenced the lives of Luthe Adan's citizens for centuries afterward.

Bine, Lewsi, and Munder (BLM) honored their employees
contracts by buying out all shares. This led to their bankruptcy, but provided
the means for the miners to find other work. Many of the residences of Luthe
Ada remember Bine, Lewis and Munder for their fare dealings. It was revealed
that BLM had indeed attempted to create a joint coalition between the mining
companies to go and protect Aftton, but worked to slow to ultimate save the
community. Today, many of the families that had worked for BLM still live in
Luthe Ada, making up much of the cities sprawling merchants. In fact, the Bine,
Lewis and Munder families still live in Luthe Ada, though they live primarily
as common folk. Those names still carry a lot of weight in this community.

The Jamath Mining company (Jamath Mining) had
given no such stipulations in their contracts with the employees. They
stubbornly refused to send any help, saying that it was in employees contracts
to defend and support the community itself. When the Aftton survivors came to
Luthe Ada, Jamath Mining informed them all that they had been fired for failing
protect company property, and they would receive no compensation. The workers
rioted, storming Jamath headquarters. However, the heads of the company had
left many months ago. The workers put the unaware clerical staff to death in a
bloody display referred to by Luthe Adans as “The False Reckoning”.  Some members of that mob vowed to find the
owners of the Jamath Mining Company, but none are reported to have succeeded. Many
of the Jamath Mining company employees moved away, still able to afford travel
and reestablishing their lives. Some stayed, setting up hop or becoming servants
of the wealthier denizens of Luthe Ada. If any members of the Jamath family
remain or travel through Luthe Ada, they probably keep their identities hidden
to keep from being publicly destroyed by an angry crowd.

The Consortium guaranteed some of the employees
recompence, but took many months to follow through on their obligation. During
this time, many of the families of the disaster dipped into to personal savings,
which quickly ran dry. When recompense did come, it was very small—barely
enough to cover living expenses. During this time, the company quietly closed
shop and left Luthe Ada. One day the offices and store fronts owned by this
company were simply empty. Meanwhile, the people that had worked in Aftton were
starving on the streets or fighting over what little money had been given by
the company. Many of todays poorest Luthe Adans descend from families that had
worked for the Consortium. Every now and then, someone attempts to track down
what happened to this organization, but very rarely are they able to make heads
or tails of the complex legal documentation, or the winding paper trail left in
the wake of it’s disappearance. Some have suggested that the Consortium had
nefarious roots in organized crime, while others believed that even neighboring
countries were involved. Regardless, the mystery of who the Consortium was
still remains. Most Luthe Adan's refer to this event as "The False Reckoning".

## City

Living District: All but the poorest and the
richest Luthe Adans live in this district. You can periodically find rooms for
rent here, but no business is allowed in this district. People to meet:

Outside the walls live the poorest people.
Though some make a decent living as inn caretakers and stable masters, many
more live in hovels. However, some of the Luthe Adan peasantry have taken to
farm life, raising primarily sheep.

Office District: Much of this district was
burned with Aftton fell, but there are still some small offices here. Primarily
this part of the city is reseved for monuments to the survivors and victims of
the Aftton crisis and the individual companies and their responses. BLM is
honored, Jamath is cursed, and consortium is not mentioned.

Market District: Inns can be found here, as well
as some small shops. There is one dedicated to adventuring, housing the best
smiths and leather workers in the region. The rest sell primarily mundane
goods. See Luthe Adan Businesses for a list of the most well known businesses in Luthe Ada's Market district.

Perhaps nowhere else in the city is
it’s history and economic strife more apparent. There are shops opening almost
every month… only to close down less than a year later. Many sell trinkets, or
useless oddities… some are restaurants in an over saturated market, and others
are too confused to really be understood. Some of the store fronts look newly
remodeled, with fading “NOW LEASING!” signs buried under only slightly newer
stickers reading “REDUCED RENT!” and “FURTHER REDUCED!”

### Citizenry

Luthe Ada is predominantly human,
with a significant number of halflings and even a community of dwarfs. There
used to be a much stronger dwarf presence (as evienced by the angular,
geometric architecture intermingled with delicate stone work), though most left
after the False Reckoning and the downfall of the major mining companies. The
few that remain are descendants of the Bline family, and have intermingled with
the human and Halfling population.

Nearly all of the Halfling families descend from Aftton
refugees, but are equally dispersed among the poor and the wealthy. Many have
adopted sheep farming in the hills surrounding Luthe Ada. Humans are equally dispersed, though many are new residents looking for a fresh start in a city that many say
is on the rebound (though most Luthe Adan’s would disagree with this
sentiment).