The twin cities of Tomak’nax lie on the shores of Lake Astacol, one bordering the northern shore of the Long River and the other on the southern shore of the Pearl River. Before the Goblin War, Tomak’nax was a single city straddling the Long Pearl River. During a fierce battle between Poseidon and Crayfish the earth and the river were split in two. The Long Pearl River fractured into the Long River in the north and the Pearl River in the south. As the rivers became divided, so too did the city of Tomak’nax. Now two rivers and an eight mile stretch of soggy land separates the two halves of the city.
The two cities of Tomak’nax still consider themselves to be one and have a strong faith in the continuation of ancient traditions and connections. The soggy land between the two cities make land travel, trade, and communication between the two cities inconvenient compared to travel across the lake. To help maintain the tenuous connection between North Tomak’nax and South Tomak’nax the cities constructed an enormous cable ferry. The Cableway spans seven miles of water as the gull flies between North and South. Giant donkeys are kept on both ends of the cable to turn the cable winch. These donkeys are bred and magically enhanced specifically for the purpose of turning the cable winch. The donkeys operate the Cableway all day and year-round, with several teams that are swapped out to maintain fresh muscle on the winch. The ferry ride takes three hours with a new barge arriving at each dock once an hour. The mechanics of the winch allow each barge to hold still at the dock for fifteen minutes before departing. Through this marvelous piece of engineering and husbandry the two halves of Tomak’nax preserve an effortless connection.
The 46,000 goblinoids of Tomak’nax are split roughly evenly between the North and South halves of town. The townspeople support themselves with the plentiful crayfish caught from Lake Astacol and a variety of staple crops and vegetables grown locally. Sheep are a popular livestock animal, being used to produce dairy as well as wool and leather. The armor work of Tomak’nax is also of reliable high quality. The crayfish, sheep, and armor provide the bulk of Tomak’nax’s natural exports.
While the native industry of Tomak’nax is important for the town’s survival, the majority of the twin cities incomes come from trade duties on goods flowing between the Hobgoblin Lands, the Orc Lands, and the rest of Cimmeria. Tomak’nax may not be the first settlement on the northwestern edge of the Hobgoblin Lands, but it is certainly the largest. Almost all trade between the Hobgoblin Lands and Cimmeria passes through the cities. Due to this, the import-export business is the largest industry in Tomak’nax.
The culture of Tomak’nax is well-known for valuing connection between family and others above all else. The strong bond between the two city halves is perpetuated through weekly market days that alternate between taking place primarily in the North half or the South half. This yearning for strong connections extends to the art and family relationships of the citizens. Local art pieces feature connected loops, strings, and ropes mirroring how the Cableway connects the town halves together. Many of the goblinoids live in large family dwellings. These domiciles grew over time to become almost like feudal estates. Additionally the emphasis on family means that the native hobgoblin and bugbear populations still live with their ancestral goblin relatives. These family connections have all but eliminated the racial class stratification that exists throughout the rest of Cimmeria and the Hobgoblin Lands. Social clout in Tomak’nax is tied to one’s family, not to which goblinoid race one was born as.
Tomak’nax was ruled by a queen prior to the earthquake. After the split, the queen’s two daughters split the crown in two, one half of the golden band for each of them. The crowns are now worn as tiaras by the half-queens of Tomak’nax. The North is ruled by a hobgoblin, Shtokfall, and the South is ruled by a goblin, Krousdigin. Each queen rules over their half of the city, but maintains a veto power over the decisions of the other queen. Theoretically no policy can be made or enacted without the consent of both queens. In reality, each queen leaves the other to her business in her city and they only meet to discuss issues that affect the whole of Tomak’nax.
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