Oddford

Oddford (/oddford/ [Translation Unavailable]) is a subtropical Town located in Zashvād County, Ipoulan Kingdom, within the Sylvanian Empire.

The name Oddford is derived from the Sylvin language, as Oddford was founded by Neryl Berkeley, who was culturaly Sylvin.

Climate

Oddford has a yearly average temperature of 20°C (68°F), with its average temperature during the summer being a warm 28°C (82°F) and its average temperature during the winter being a cool 12°C (53°F). Oddford receives an average of 140 cm/y (55 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of rain during the spring. Oddford covers an area of nearly 5 km² (2 mi²), and an average elevation of 4394 m (14416 ft) above sea level.

Overview

Oddford was founded durring the early 12th century in fall of the year 1048, by Neryl Berkeley. The establishment of the new community went well, though many minor issues had to be solved as time went on. This was enough to delay construction and push back the formal opening ceramony, leading to some embarisment for Neryl Berkeley.

Oddford was built using the conventions of Sylvin durring the early 12th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Oddford is no diffrent. The town's buildings feature timber framed wooden shiethed or brick construction, which gives form to a very formalized, rational, expence effishent arcatectural style based on strictly symmetrical designs which universaly feature pitched roofs, shutters, and the occasional column or pilaster for a decorative touch.

Oddford is buildings are arranged arrounded a highly ordered system of crampt cobblestone streets which form triangular paterns, allowing the incides of the octagons to be common grounds for the buildings on the edges, be it for parkland, yardspace, plazas, or markets. The town emploies a series of defencive earthworks and fences to provide minimal protection against wild beasts and smaller groups of intelegent foes. Oddford's somewhat suffishent 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 town as needed.

A look around Oddford shows Oddford as a den of corruption. Birbes can be seen changing hands openly, such that it must be customary to do so and must have been for a long time. The locals have no fear, no annoyance at the state of things, it simply is. The town has another layer to it as well. Locals can be overheard having academic discussions, as well as talking about scholarly subjects in general. It’s quite clear Oddford places a lot of value on education and being a learned individual, or at least, faking it.

Civic Infrastructure

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

Oddford 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.

Oddford 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.

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

Oddford 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 Town. Oddford's grid is powered by a god's will and kindness.

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

Oddford has a Parks and Recreation Department, which is responsible for the construction, management, and usage rights for all of its parks and parklands.

Oddford 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.

Cultural Notes

Life is hard in Oddford. Its people are impoverished compared to their peers elsewhere. Something is making the locals stay, however, whether fear of the alternative, hope for a better future, or a stubborn attachment to their ancestral lands. Whatver the reason, living in this harsh area for generations has made the people of Oddford a notably resourceful and hearty people.

Oddford's mayor's house was built using a different architectural style from the rest of the town. The style used has a sleek, linear appearance with stylized, often geometric ornamentation. The primary facade of its buildings often featured a series of set backs that create a stepped outline. Low-relief decorative panels can be found at entrances, around windows, along roof edges or as string courses. It was best known for its use of smooth finish building materials such as stucco, concrete block, glazed brick or mosaic tile. Decorative details can incorporate various artistic or exotic motifs to suit the building's function or the architect's whim. Chevrons, zigzags, and other geometrical motifs are common forms of ornament.

In Oddford hail is always enormous, yet harmlessly plinks off people, creatures, and structures.

The Domovoi near Oddford are known to be almost tame, such that they can be put to domestic use.

Oddford's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in autumn and involves performance art to channel Abjuration energies of tier 2 via speaking in tongues.

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.

Oddford Census Data: Year 2000

385 of Oddford's population work within a Foundational Occupation.

• 25 work in Agriculture
• 86 work as Craftsmen
• 30 work as Merchants
• 61 work as Service Workers
• 37 work as General Laborers
• 12 work as Skilled Laborers
• 62 work as Civil Servants
• 36 work in Cottage Industries
• 16 work as Artists
• 20 work in Produce Industries

786 of Oddford's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 74 (6%) are noncontributers.

Points of Interest

Due to a magical anomaly, Oddford is directly accessible from a nearby river, despite the lack of a physical connection between the town's pond and the river.

POI

History

In time immemorial, reportedly some time during the late 2nd century several years of heavy rains culminated in a peculiar disaster. A great hole opened up beneath Oddford, swallowing large sections of the community. Oddford lost 155 people, 107 livestock, and 46 buildings in the disaster. This disaster is often refereed to as The Agony Swallowing.

History