Sharruma

Sharruma
Capital	Sharruma (city)
Ruler	Iasthum Starseeker
Government	Hereditary monarchy, Starseeker dynasty
Demonym	Sharrumite
Adjective	Sharrumite
Languages	Aserdian, Elven, Common
Religions	Redemptionist cult; elven pantheon; other deities

Sharruma
Nation	Sharruma
Demonym	Sharrumite
Adjective	Sharrumite
Population	~8,000
Demographics	Various ancestries

Sharruma (pronounced shar-OO-mah) is a city-states in southern Brightmarch whose mines produce much of the platinum now in circulation around the world. The rulers of this highly authoritarian city-state have used the vast wealth produced in the mines to fund the restoration of a crashed aerolith and the study of the lost art of aerotheurgy, in hopes of one day returning to the skies.

Geography, flora, and fauna

Sharruma lies amongst the rolling grasslands of southern Brightmarch. Aside from the nearby Platinum River and the aerolith, there are few natural landmarks around. Seemingly endless skies blanket the smooth curves of the hills, broken only by the occasional corpse of trees. The region is warm year-round and receives a large amount of annual rainfall.

The extensive mining operations of Sharruma have left their mark on the landscape. Entire hillsides lie barren, stripped of their foliage and with the soil and rock beneath excavated. While some older, now abandoned mines have begun to resemble their natural appearances once more, the signs of Sharruma's search for wealth are unmistakable.

History

When Eitan influence in Brightmarch came to an end, many ruins were left behind. Outposts, estates, and entire cities were abandoned, and multiple aeroliths came back to earth nearby as their former inhabitants sought to join the exodus to Hinthial. Though across Brightmarch these relics of a past age are broadly left alone, this is not the case in Sharruma.

The grounded aerolith near Sharruma had long been known to the peoples that live nearby. Known as Malena to those that previously called it home, the aerolith was damaged but less so than many others. A great mass of metal and stone rising from the grasslands, Malena eventually attracted the attention of those that wished to return to the air once more.

In Y8668^*, a particularly zealous group of Redemptionist elves arrived in the region from Hinthial in search of an aerolith to eventually restore. After finding Malena, they quickly determined they had located exactly what they desired. Sharruma already existed by this point, but only as a small town. Under the leadership of Opara Starseeker, the elves assumed control of the settlement. Many of Sharruma's former inhabitants quickly departed, unwilling to allow themselves to live under rule of the newly arrived outsiders, but plenty more were taken in by the Redemptionists' mission and remained.

In the almost millennia and a half since, Sharruma has grown markedly, especially after the discovery of significant amounts of platinum amongst the gold in the hills surrounding the city. The Redemptionists quickly saw their unexpected wealth as a great opportunity, and rapidly set about expanding mining efforts, establishing trade arrangements, and calling for more to join their city, promising a place on the aerolith once it is returned to flight.

Demographics

Sharruma is inhabited largely by half-elves, with significant populations of humans and elves as well. Other ancestries account for much smaller proportions of the city's residents.

Unlike effectively everywhere else in Brightmarch, Sharruma maintains a census, and with it confers citizenship to its inhabitants. Though considered unusual amongst those that live near the city but outside its immediate sphere of influence, under Sharruma's laws only those that have been officially registered are considered Sharrumites.

Culture

Languages

Aserdian and Elven are spoken equally widely in Sharruma. Common is understood by many of the city's residents as well, but by and large is only used when conversing with non-Sharrumites.

Economy

Sharruma's economy is almost entirely dependent on its platinum mines. Resources from these mines are processed, refined, then shipped down the Platinum River to Ammuken, where the valuable metal is then sold to merchants from abroad. These mines are critical to Sharruma and are therefore very tightly guarded. Significant amounts of gold are also found in Sharruma's mines, though it is comparatively less valued by the city.