Rhonewatch

“The stones crumble beneath my feet. These mountains would be the death of me, Eliza said, and now I'm thinking she's right. But Rhonewatch awaits, and I must know... Tales say they guard a great secret, and that is why they took such an inhospitable place for their home. Oh gods, the air is thin up here. Can't sleep, can't rest. I surely won't awake... There it is. The smoke of the roasted lamb carries all the way here on the breeze. I could certainly go for some lamb..." ~Roland Stier, Great Explorer and Scholar

Rhonewatch is a small city that sits in the high peaks of the Deadline Mountains. The city goes back ages and ages, established as an outpost dedicated to watching a great secret, named the Rhone. The families that occupy the city are descendants of the great clans that swore that oath, and the hearty people stil uphold that sacred duty. The city and surrounding area lack natural resources, with the cliffs being nearly bare and the peaks lacking precious metals found in the depths of the ground. The Rhonewatch people interact very rarely with the outside world, preferring to sustain themselves. They don't reject outsiders, but merely keep them at arm's length until they leave the area. Rhonewatch does not have much to trade, save sturdy and delicious livestock. The oxen and goats and sheep on the cliffs have all been domesticated by the clans, and appropriately marked. The farmers will always know when one is missing and will always track down the poacher. The Council of Elders occupy a central tent and take all foreign dignitaries there for visits.

Information

• **Population:** Roughly 2,460 people call Rhonewatch home, though hundreds more live in the mountains around the city and rely on the stability that Rhonewatch provides. Most families live in large compounds consisting of their nuclear and extended families. • Resident races: Dwarf (64%), Goliath (21%), Half-Orc (9%), Human (5%), Other races (< 1% each).

• **Government:** Rhonewatch is governed by a council formed from the elders of each clan that resides within the city. The Elders all share equal responisibility, ostensibly, though the more powerful fammilies hold more sway. The council has final say on all decisions within the city walls, from domestic disputes to punishments, but the hearty people of the city find it shameful to bring issues to their elders and prefer to settle disputes themselves.

• **Defense:** Rhonewatch is incredibly isolated by it's surroundings. Alongside its formidable terrain are the equally vicious locals. Each clan has sworn devotion to defending Rhonewatch, and every family puts forth groups of capable warriors. Rhonewatch is not oft attacked, but the few attackers never left the mountainside.

• **Commerce:** The city is poor when it comes to trade. The clans are mostly self sufficient, not having reliable trade with other cities. Bartering is key to life in Rhonewatch, and skilled barterers are well respected. They broker all the deals between the clans, doing so with efficiency to avoid bringing the case to the Elders. The people are honest and will trade fairly with outsiders, offering livestock, food, and meager weaponry.