Flumenton

Flumenton is the capital city of the Riverlands and the administrative center of the Flumenmark.

## Location Information

### Districts

* Upper Flumenton
* Lower Flumenton

### Points of Interest

* Ravengold Palace
* Old Iron Keep
* Temple Complex
* Great Market of Upper Flumenton
* River-Port of Lower Flumenton

## Description

### Location

Flumenton sits at the confluence of the Flumen and Isenflume rivers. Its surroundings consist of farmland and light, rolling hills. The city is split over the Isenflume, with Upper Flumenton controlling the fork and Lower Flumenton sitting further south.

### Society

Flumenton is an archetypal city in the formerly-Sangetellan Riverlands. The burgesses have a wealth of liberties, including the right to petition the local lord. In the cases of Upper Flumenton, they can petition the Grand Duke himself.

Flumenton is a divided city, both geographically and socially. One saying goes that "wealth flows through Upper Flumenton while people flow through Lower Flumenton." Wealthy burgesses rarely visit Lower Flumenton, and many invisible barriers prevent those without wealth from prospering in Upper Flumenton. As such, people who want to hide often hide in the slums of Lower Flumenton and those who amass wealth in the ports and markets of Lower Flumenton quickly migrate across the river.

### Districts

Flumenton is a fairly old city, and so its architecture varies depending on district. In Upper Flumenton, old districts tend to have more Gothic architecture, while the houses of the nouveau-riche and burgesses are mostly Baroque. Upper Flumenton is known for its Great Market, bordering the Arcane University of the Riverlands and along the path leading to the Ravengold Palace, seat of the Grand Dukes.

Many of the oldest parts of town in Lower Flumenton feature the same Gothic architecture as Upper Flumenton, but longstanding disrepair has given them a deeply unsettling appearance. The part of Lower Flumenton most feared is the so-called Iron Necropolis. The Old Iron Keep, formerly Castle Hautefer, had been left unmaintained since the court was moved to Upper Flumenton; in recent years, it has been believed to be haunted. The nearby mausoleum features many of the Hautefer lords, and grave robbers are a frequent occurrence.

Lower Flumenton is not all slums, nor is it even mostly slums. Most of the traffic along the River Flumen stops in Lower Flumenton, and thus great markets and bustling town squares are common. The bustling river ports are finely maintained and well-guarded, as well.

Bridging the two cities together is the Temple district, featuring a great complex with temples to Bahamut, Pelor, and Ioun, and shrines to countless other Prodeans. It is perhaps the least stratified part of down, as the wealthy will come down from the great Pontevar bridge and the poor sift through the river-port to worship.

### Economy

Flumenton is a center of commerce throughout the Riverlands, receiving trade from throughout Chronaetas. Traders from Nova Aurora, farmers looking to make it big, and iron barges from Isenmark or the Dwarvish realm of Babaragz are all commonplace. Multiple noteworthy banks operate branches here, and the Thornhill Bank is headquartered here.

## History

### Foundation and Fleuvemarche

Flumenton was founded in 716 when the lords of the Fleuvemarche established Castle Hautefer. The city rapidly grew over the next centuries, with Lower Flumenton serving as the Hautefer dynasty's seat of power. By the time of Charles Hautefer's reign, Lower Flumenton was at its apex of political power and Upper Flumenton was quickly growing as well.

### Capital of a Duchy

When Louis Granevar united the Riverlands in 806 PW, Flumenton briefly lost its status as the gem of the Fleuvemarche and entered a period of decline. In 825 PW, the dispossessed burgesses eventually riled up the commoners into a revolt; the ruling Dowager Duchess Josette and Marshal Philippe were unable to quell the revolt. The city was on the verge of secession when Duke Louis II entered talks with the burgomaster and offered the burgesses increased support if they could restore public order. Louis II moved the capital to Flumenton in 826 PW, building the Ravengold Palace as a new seat of power and shifting the center of authority to the less-populated Upper Flumenton.

Over the remainder of his reign, the city prospered and many of its most notable buildings were made then: the Arcane University of the Riverlands, the Great Market, and the City Hall of Upper Flumenton were all built under Louis II's reign.

### Capital of a Country

When Richard became Duke and began his campaigns in 872 PW, the absence of ducal guidance was quickly felt by the burgesses. Management was left to the burgomaster, who attained a large measure of autonomy. The city's stratification began to take shape in 875 PW when the corrupt burgomaster William Dunwich was elected by the burgesses. Without ducal oversight, Dunwich traded political favors for cash and rapidly expanded the Dunwich company. Many of the poorer merchants and craftsmen were unable to run their businesses independently, resulting in acquisitions by the wealthier burgesses. Those in Upper Flumenton became masters of commerce in both towns, while those in Lower Flumenton earned very little.

Eventually, organized crime gangs and cabals of sorcerers became widespread in Lower Flumenton. Particularly the slums around the Iron Necropolis provided gangs with an abundance of places to hide and experiment. By 904 PW, this has not changed.