Rosebrook

Rosebrook[T]
Nationality	Mendarian
Region	Hartminster - Redford

Description

Rosebrook is named after the rust red water that pools in some of the rivers of the region, the sure sign that there is iron in the mountains.

The town itself is relatively small. The houses are placed along the river and roads spanning off from it. A handfull bridges of varying sizes connect the two sides.

The houses are made primarily of stone - the smelting industry having caused its share of fires in the early years of the town.

Farming in and around Rosebrook is in large part in the form of animal husbandry.

History

Founded to supply the many iron mines of the neighboring mountains. Rich ores made it a lucrative industry, and to this bell there are several mines that still yield good ore, making the town of Rosebrook an important point for import and export.

The divide between the Old Town and Freebank is one marked with blood. The Founding of the city was done by the Hartford Mining Company, which ran the settlement as a mining outpost with an iron fist.

• Old Town
  • penal company mining teams
  • exploitative employment contracts

• Freebank
  • After The Company let up some on their iron grip on the industry, and the company scrip was at least partly phased out, independent merchants and artisans settled as supportive industries.

Much like with Camor's rebellion, the workers of Rosebrook had their own rebellion at some point, and overthrew the management. Iron from the many Rosebrook mines were an important resource for Hartminster as a whole, and a campaign to retake the renegades was launched. When the army arrived the miners stood their ground at first, but realizing their battle was futile some of them surrendered, and some retreated to the mines.

Needless to say there was a hunt for those unwilling to stand trial for their crimes, however justified they might seem. They mostly fled or hid in their mines, and the army rounded up those it could. Rumor has it not all were accounted for, and the young of Rosebrook still scare each other with stories of ghouls and ghosts haunting certain abandoned mines

Town Districts

• City center, with a generic market.
  • "The Company Store" - Takes gp as well as company scrip
  • Longhouses for workers
  • The tavern The Hammer and Tongs is located here, along the edge of the river, just across the bridge leading to Freebank
• The old smeltery and the slag fields - A smeltery or two still operate, but the distance from the train tracks make it less convenient.
• New smeltery - Close to the tracks.
• Freebank
  • Less restricted by the city council, which has given rise to artist studios and other businesses.
• The train tracks
  • Where most of the towns fuel comes in, and where most of the processed iron goes out.

Geography

• Located in a wetland that is bordering on becoming a swamp. Towards the mountains the wetlands give way to sparse forests, the shadow of the Onyx Ridge make these few trees slow growing as their few leaves never see direct sunlight.
• These same mountains shade the city for some period of time each year.

Notable figures

• Morgan Potter was found here, wandering in an amnesiac daze near the local quartz mine.

Points of interest

Outskirts

• Several iron mines
  • Most still operational, but some closed for lack of yield, danger, or other reasons.

Notes

Despite being on the outskirts of society, there is less fey activity than expected for such a location. This is presumed to be due to the trace iron in the ground and water of the district.

Statistics

City ^[T]

LN Small Town
Corruption 1; Crime 2; Economy 3; Law 1; Lore 0; Society -1
Qualities: Restrictive, Artist’s Colony,
Danger: 0

Demographics

Government: Plutocracy
Population: 1 001 - 5 000

Marketplace

Base Value 1200; Purchase Limit 5000; Spellcasting 3rd
Minor Items 3d4; Medium Items 1d6; Major Items -

Qualities

Restrictive

Foreigners who settle in this settlement are prohibited from owning property in certain districts and sometimes pay a higher price for goods. This disdain rarely involves violence towards foreigners, though the city guard monitors strangers to ensure they don’t cross the boundaries of the city without appropriate paperwork.

Modifier(s): Corruption: -1; Lore: -1;

Artist’s Colony

The settlement is renowned for the excellence of its local artists, performers and craftsfolk. Add the settlement’s Economy modifier on all Craft checks, not just those made to earn a living.

Modifier(s): Economy: +1; Society: +1;

Government

Plutocracy

The wealthiest and most influential merchants rule this settlement. Wealth is seen as a sign of good character, ethics and even divine favor. The poor have few, if any rights that the wealthy are bound to respect.

Modifier(s): Corruption: +2; Crime: +2; Economy: +2; Society: -2; Base value: increase by 20%;