Carth

Carth is the the most South Western country of Sonmar. Its capital is Volos. Carth is known for being a politically, socially, economically, and technologically advanced country compared to many of its neighbors, with social structures and architectural style reminiscent of real world Ancient Greece. Being a central crossroads for many countries of Sonmar and the Southern Seas, Carth is a bastion of culture and commands a thriving economy. The country is composed of many mountainous regions with plains, valleys, forests, and wetlands in between. Most of its residents and major cities are settled along the coastlines or islands in the South. The need for protection on land and sea trading routes, local threats from monsters in smaller cities and towns, and the abundance of sites of archaeological importance attracts a large number of adventurers from nearby regions seeking fame and glory, which is another contributing factor to its economic power.

Geography and Climate
Carth consists of mostly of mountainous terrain or hills. Northern Carth is dominated by ancient forests. Eastern Carth consists of wetlands and lake country, and is separated from Aras Dor by a large mountain range which makes travel between the two countries difficult by land. The South Western region features extensive plains which constitute key economic regions being some of the few arable lands in the country. Carth contains a number of island chains in the Southern sea as well as many submerged rocky peaks which were once part of the mainland.

The climate of Carth is mainly Mediterranean, with mildly wet, winters, and hot, dry summers along the coastal regions. The mountainous regions are generally alpine with heavy snowfall. Carth also features temperate climates inland with frequent thunder storms.

Fauna
Many of the mountainous regions and islands in Carth are untamed wilds populated by many dangerous creatures.

Politics
Due to the many regions sub-divided by mountains, hills and rivers, Carth consists of a few hundred relatively independent city-states. The people of Carth consider themselves as one people, with all the city-states having the same language and religious and cultural ideas. Although there is infighting from time to time, the various city-states will sometimes unite to aid each other against universal threats.

Economy
Carth is home to one of the most advanced economies in the world, defined by it's dependence on imported goods, due to it's poor availability of farm land as well as being a central trading hub for many seafaring nations.

Demographics
Carth is mostly made up of Humans. There are also large populations of Gnomes in cities and Halflings in the countryside. There are few Dwarves, although there are some small clans in the Northern mountain ranges that mostly keep to themselves. There are also few elves, except for Sun Elves, which are plentiful in many of the coastal and trading cities. There are also many Dragonborn and Tieflings in the coastal cities.

Cities
The capital city of Carth is the coastal port city of Volos.

The city of Patros is a small city in the central region of Carth which has a large Gnomish enclave called Copper Town.

Culture
The predominate culture in Carth most closely resembles real life Ancient Greece.

Arak
Arak is the most popular alcoholic drink in Carth. It is made from fermented fruit. It is served unfiltered and has a milky white appearance.