Norwold

Norwold (/nɔː/ /wəʊld/ [Translation Unavailable]) is a subtropical Large City located in Whitewall Dutchy, Leholescast Earldom, within the Kingdom of Helsteria.

The name Norwold is derived from the Sylvin language, as Norwold was founded by Tsmtconm Giles, who was culturaly Sylvin.

Climate

Norwold has a yearly average temperature of 26°C (78°F), with its average temperature during the summer being a hot 31°C (87°F) and its average temperature during the winter being a pleasant 22°C (71°F). Norwold receives an average of 144 cm/y (56 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of rain during the spring. Norwold covers an area of nearly 270 km² (108 mi²), and an average elevation of 2502 m (8208 ft) above sea level.

Overview

Norwold was founded durring the late 12th century in summer of the year 1099, by Tsmtconm Giles. The establishment of Norwold was plagued by a lack of willing colonists. After attempts to pay people to resettle failed Tsmtconm Giles struck deals with nearby nations and communities to establish Norwold as a prison colony.

Norwold was built using the conventions of Sylvin durring the late 12th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Norwold is no diffrent. The city's buildings feature plaster covered brickwork used to form structures with an emphasis on symmetry, proportion, geometry and the regularity of parts. Orderly arrangements of columns, pilasters and lintels, as well as the use of semicircular arches, hemispherical domes, niches and aediculae can be found everywhere such that only size of building and yard can be used to measure the general prosparity of a given building's owners due to a general wealthy feeling the style gives off.

Norwold is buildings are located arround a single broad cobblestone mainstreet which forms a clockwise spiral to give the city a over all circular shape. The city is defended by arcane means. It's hard to spot at first, but there's a tell tell shimmer in the air arround Norwold, and you can spot the ocasional warding glyph carved into a rock or tree all arround town. These mystical defences are ancient, unknowable, and unassailable by current means... Assuming everything is in working order. Otherwise, the wards are little more than a deathtrap. Norwold's Relic of the World That Was are in an unremarkable state. To some, this is the ideal sate for defences to be in. In need of absoutly nothing, and ready to serve the city as needed.

Norwold has the unmistakable air of a city on its last legs. Everything is a bit slipshod and ramshackle. Everyone is at work, or drinking. No one has anything in their eyes other than fear and despair. Whatever industry once fueled Norwold ’s existence has dried up and the city is drifting down the stream of history as it dries up. On top of this is an unmistakable feeling that Norwold is in this condition because there is something terribly wrong with the city. Maybe it’s the way fog blankets the ground, but only in the connors of places. Maybe it’s the vermin scuttling between shadows in the corner of your eyes. Perhaps it’s the overcast sky which seemed to creep out of nowhere, or the distant howling of wolves. Maybe it’s all of those things together, or perhaps it's the way these elements combine which makes you worry someone might stab you in a dark ally for your boots. It’s not filthy, or dark, but the smiles seem strained, the locals seem to glare daggers in eachothers backs a little too much, and everyone is armed at all times. You may want to keep an eye on your valuables, and make sure you don’t wind up in any position of power. Regardless, you do not feel it would be wise to remain in Norwold long.

Civic Infrastructure

Norwold possesses a Aethary Link for its accademic, government, and financial institutions. Public Aethary access is available through one or more of these intitutions.

Norwold has an animal control department which works to enforce local ordinances relating to the control, impoundment, and disposition of animals.

Norwold has an Office of Civil Groundskeeping, which works to enforce local ordinances relating to the construction and upkeep up of all plant life, water features, and other natural decorations within Norwold. They are also responsible for the maintenance of these features. Notably, the OCG is not responsible for Norwold's parks.

Norwold has an Office of Civil Vicary, which is responsible for providing a livelyhood for all officialy recognised religious figures within Norwold.

Norwold has a government-funded child care program, overseen by the local Department of Nursemaids, which is responsible for providing childcare to working-class citizens according to local ordinances.

Norwold has a Gravedigger's Guild, which is responsible for collecting the dead and laying them to rest according to all applicable laws and religious customs.

Norwold has a Guild of Nurses, which is tasked with caring for the elderly and infirm in accordance with local ordinances, religious values, and customs.

Norwold has a Department of Firefighters, which is responsible for organizing fire fighting efforts during a fire and enforcing local ordinances relating to fire safety.

Norwold has a Highwayman's Guild, which is tasked with maintaining the roads and highways leading into town as well as keeping them safe for travelers.

Norwold has a Hall of Slayers, which is tasked with maintaining the roads and highways leading into town as well as keeping them safe for travelers.

Norwold has a monistary of an order of Civil Monks, who provide divine-related services to the general public and maintain Norwold's public wards, blessings, and other arcane systems.

Norwold has an Scientific Academy which provides higher education in the natural sciences.

Norwold possesses a Galvanic Power Grid, which brings galvanic current to most if not all buildings in town, and permits a great many consumer goods to function within the Large City. Norwold's grid is powered by a direct leyline tap.

Norwold's old civil lighting system was converted to Galvanic Lamps recently, and expanded to provide nighttime illumination to all city streets.

Norwold has a first rate hospital which caters to anyone in need of long term medical care.

Norwold has a library, which keeps a large collection of books, scrolls, and archives all manner of physical items. While not open to the public, the librarians and scholars employed by the library will assist anyone with their research needs, and wealthy individuals can purchase membership to access the library's materials themselves. In spite of being generally closed to the public, the library has a room with several Aether Linked devices available to the public during business hours.

Norwold has a Parks and Recreation Department, which is responsible for the construction, management, and usage rights for all of its parks and parklands. They are not to be confused with the Office of Civil Groundskeeping as they do not hold authority over nor responsibility for Norwold's natural decorations nor waterways.

Norwold has a Guild of Roadworkers, who are responsible for maintaining the roadways and public paths within town. They also have the duty of enforcing all civil laws relating to the roadways.

Norwold has a public schooling program overseen by the Hall of Sages who has the responsibility of ensuring access to affordable high-quality education in all basic classes (Reading, Writing, Mathmatics, General Sciences, General Arcana, and Social Education) is made available to all citizens.

Norwold has a public septic system, which allows its citizens to have indoor bathrooms. The septic system is overseen by the League of Sewerkeepers, who posses the legal authority to enforce all laws relating to the septic system, and are also tasked with its maintenance and upkeep.

Norwold is home to a University which provides higher education in a variety of fields, and also serves as a research institute for those same fields.

Cultural Notes

Norwold's town hall was built using a different architectural style from the rest of the town. The style used makes use of a large oblong hall or building with double colonnades and a semicircular apse and symmetrical central-plan, resulting in buildings with a square central mass and four arms of equal length. Decorative features included domed rooves, arches, soaring spaces, and sumptuous decoration: marble columns and inlay, mosaics on the vaults, inlaid-stone pavements, and sometimes gold coffered ceilings.

Due to the actions of local Kami, winter is short in Norwold.

The Chitikin near Norwold are known to be more aggressive than normal.

Norwold's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in autumn and involves drinking to channel Elven High Magic energies of tier 3 via recitation of poetic epics.

Economy

The following information was obtained via the Imperial Census Bureau as part of the Eyom Economic Outreach Program. It differs from Standard Imperial censuses in that many of Tom's citizens, regardless of culture, work in more than one occupation or hold more than a single job. The Imperial Census Bureau has ruled that a job is a job, hence, the intigers within the data presented here can count an individual more than once.

Norwold Census Data: Year 2000

23924 of Norwold's population work within a Foundational Occupation.

• 1388 work in Agriculture
• 5418 work as Craftsmen
• 1910 work as Merchants
• 3614 work as Service Workers
• 2438 work as General Laborers
• 963 work as Skilled Laborers
• 3456 work as Civil Servants
• 2089 work in Cottage Industries
• 1327 work as Artists
• 1321 work in Produce Industries

38094 of Norwold's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 1265 (2%) are noncontributers.

Points of Interest

Norwold is centered around a major pilgrimage site. This may be a religious location of importance to a major faith, or it may be a more secular institution that draws the traffic, like a famous academy or the remains of some wondrous ancient work. Considerable local tension likely exists over controlling the access to the site and maximizing the profits from foreign visitors.

The center of Norwold's town square was built around an ancient standing stone.

POI

History

In time immemorial, reportedly some time during the late 2nd century was ravaged by a deadly sickness. was the epicenter of the disaster, but Norwold suffered the most. Norwold lost 166 people, 128 livestock, and 83 buildings in the disaster.. The disaster is spoken of in hushed whispers as the Wrath of Doom.

History