Okeham

Okeham (/okeham / [Translation Unavailable]) is a subtropical Large Town located in Khōktoira Parish, Ubvia County, within the Kingdom of Helsteria.

The name Okeham is derived from the Sylvin language, as Okeham was founded by Brîbêj Fyêyèj Beer, who was culturaly Sylvin.

Climate

Okeham has a yearly average temperature of 26°C (78°F), with its average temperature during the summer being a warm 30°C (86°F) and its average temperature during the winter being a pleasant 22°C (71°F). Okeham receives an average of 201 cm/y (79 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of rain during the fall. Okeham covers an area of nearly 7 km² (2 mi²), and an average elevation of 6174 m (20255 ft) above sea level.

Overview

Okeham was founded durring the early 9th century, by Brîbêj Fyêyèj Beer. The establishment of Okeham was only bairly constructed. The sheer number of problems with its founding were enough to make several of the backers funding Okeham 's construction back out of the project. Brîbêj Fyêyèj Beer pushed on reguardles, and Okeham was finished, but starts off as a terible place to live.

Okeham was built using the conventions of Sylvin durring the early 9th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Okeham is no diffrent. The town's buildings feature masoned stone construction which prominantly features pointed arches, pointed ribbed vault cielings, flying buttress', and window tracery all of which share a simmilar gemoetetic patern halfway between organic and inorganic in design formaing a very distinct aesthetically integrated style. BUildings tend to reach for the havens, and more expencive homes are easily identified by their floor count as well as the addition of decorative features intigrated into the building's design such as statues, gargoyals, and embelished joinery.

Okeham is was constructed arround several narrow gravel mainstreets which cross one another at certain axies, with smaller streets branching off of them to premit acess to the many buildings deeper into the road network. The overall fashion is remenessent of a circulatory system, or other organic construct, and is quite effishent in its design. The town has a defencive wall made from querried stone. The wall is equipped with a full set of battlments but the nature of its construction methodology leaves it somewhat vulnerable to siege equipment. That said, the town is well defended against anything short of an army. The cost-cutting-focused defences have not been wellmaintained over the years, and while functional are in dire need of some loving care and perhapse light renovation.

A look around Okeham gives you an uneasy feeling. Everything is just a little too worn down, a little too dirty, or both. No one makes eye contact. Kids play quietly, but happily. Occasionally a passerby glances at you out of the corner of their eye, staring just long enough for it to be uncomfortable. A second look around Okeham makes it abundantly clear the town suffered something horrible some time ago. It's as if the town itself is depressed. Smiles are few, cheer is nowhere to be had.

Civic Infrastructure

Okeham 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 Okeham . They are also responsible for the maintenance of these features. Notably, the OCG is not responsible for Okeham 's parks.

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

Okeham 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.

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

Okeham 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.

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

Okeham 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 Town. Okeham 's grid is powered by a boiler and turbine based power plant.

Okeham 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 Okeham 's natural decorations nor waterways.

Okeham 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.

Okeham 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.

Okeham 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.

Cultural Notes

Okeham 's garrison was built using a different architectural style from the rest of the town. The style used is characterized by dynamic designs and complex architectural plan forms; intended to heighten feelings of motion and sensuality, and frequently based on the oval. It made extensive and extreme use of: Grandeur, Contrast, Curves and twists, Rich surface treatments, Gilded statuary, Bright colors, Vividly painted ceilings, Fragmented or deliberately incomplete elements, Large-scale frescoes, Dramatic central projections on an external facade, the use of plaster, stucco, or marble finishing, Illusory effects such as trompe l’oeil, and pear-shaped domes. While beloved by the nobility, the common folk tended to despise the style due to the massive consumption of resources required for even a small building constructed in this style.

Due to the actions of local Kami, summer is long in Okeham .

The Goldpebble near Okeham are known to be a mutant strain of the creature.

Okeham 's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in spring and involves sacrificing an animal to channel Mysticism energies of tier 1 via recitation of scripture.

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.

Okeham Census Data: Year 2000

585 of Okeham 's population work within a Foundational Occupation.

• 33 work in Agriculture
• 128 work as Craftsmen
• 46 work as Merchants
• 91 work as Service Workers
• 60 work as General Laborers
• 21 work as Skilled Laborers
• 97 work as Civil Servants
• 53 work in Cottage Industries
• 27 work as Artists
• 29 work in Produce Industries

1169 of Okeham 's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 35 (2%) are noncontributers.

Points of Interest

Okeham is cursed with recurrent spells of some troublesome disease. The affliction isn’t so fatal as to make living there impossible, but it adds suffering and expense to local lives. The plague might be the product of an ancient curse, the results of long lost toxic remains, or an unavoidable byproduct of whatever industry or purpose justifies the city. It’s probably not overly contagious, but visitors may be in some peril all the same.

Okeham is known for its odd use of round-a-bouts, small ring roads used in place of intersections.

POI

History

In time immemorial, reportedly some time during the late 2nd century the Kami granted the town a great harvest. One of Okeham 's local festivals commemorates this miracle.

History