Zbëk O̠k Med

Zbëk O̠k Med (/ke/ /o̠k/ [gray] [drama]) is a subtropical Large City located in I̽zli̽zdi̽k Zone, Do'urdis Province, within the Federation of Alveria.

The name Zbëk O̠k Med is derived from the Wood Elvish language, as Zbëk O̠k Med was founded by Graclin Tastri, who was culturaly Wood Elven.

Climate

Zbëk O̠k Med has a yearly average temperature of 17°C (62°F), with its average temperature during the summer being a warm 27°C (80°F) and its average temperature during the winter being a cold 8°C (46°F). Zbëk O̠k Med receives an average of 168 cm/y (66 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of rain during the fall. Zbëk O̠k Med covers an area of nearly 362 km² (144 mi²), and an average elevation of 3062 m (10045 ft) above sea level.

Overview

Zbëk O̠k Med was founded durring the early 11th century, by Graclin Tastri. The establishment of Zbëk O̠k Med was only bairly constructed. The sheer number of problems with its founding were enough to make several of the backers funding Zbëk O̠k Med's construction back out of the project. Graclin Tastri pushed on reguardles, and Zbëk O̠k Med was finished, but starts off as a terible place to live.

Zbëk O̠k Med was built using the conventions of Wood Elven durring the early 11th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Zbëk O̠k Med is no diffrent. The city's buildings feature waddle and daub construction with good timber frames and a stone foundation protected by thatched or shingled rooves. Most buildings with second floors are built in such a way as to overhang into the streets on the upper floors for more space, as building size seems to be the primary indicator of wealth within the community. Most buildings are not decorated with any integral features, but instead use ivy, flowers, and other natural elements in planters of on trellices to breathe life into the structure they grow upon.

Zbëk O̠k Med is buildings are arranged arround a network of spacious flagstone streets which form a diagonal shaped grid, where each square verries in size given the proximity of the paralell streets forming each section. The ocasional smaller square has been used to construct a park, plaza, and other communal structures. The city sits behind an impressive looking clay brick wall. The wall is notable for querried stone blocks being used to renforce the clay bricks in the expected manner and locations. While the wall was built to the exact specifications of modern fortifications, one has to wonder why the money invested into creating such a well fortified wall wasnt spent on a less impressive looking wall crated from sturdier materials. Zbëk O̠k Med's walls would endure a brief bombardment, but only from light siege weapons. It seems more likly the city's walls were not designed with defence in mind but rather lending the town a certain air with visitors. The boondoggle-of-a-fortified wall has suffered a visible ammount of structural damage, leaving them effectivly useless. One can't help but wonder why the has not yet effected repairs.

Zbëk O̠k Med has a very calm atmosphere. People can be seen relaxing, scocilizing, and going about all manner of business other than the daily grind. Men, women, children, all can be seen enjoying life in a laid-back way in the many parks which line Zbëk O̠k Med’s streets. A look around Zbëk O̠k Med has something terribly wrong with it. It’s impossible to put one’s finger on, but something is horribly wrong. Maybe it’s the way fog blankets the ground, but only in the connors of places. Maybe it’s the vermin scutteling 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 everything together. Regardless, you do not feel it would be wise to remain in Zbëk O̠k Med long.

Civic Infrastructure

Zbëk O̠k Med possesses a city-wide Aethary Link which provides Aethary access anywhere within its metropolitan. This allows citizens who can afford the relevant devices access in their places of work, and rarely homes.

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

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

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

Zbëk O̠k Med 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.

Zbëk O̠k Med 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.

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

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

Zbëk O̠k Med 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.

Zbëk O̠k Med 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.

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

Zbëk O̠k Med has an Millitary Academy which trains military officers and specilists.

Zbëk O̠k Med 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. Zbëk O̠k Med's grid is powered by a direct leyline tap.

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

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

Zbëk O̠k Med 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.

Zbëk O̠k Med 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 Zbëk O̠k Med's natural decorations nor waterways.

Zbëk O̠k Med 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.

Zbëk O̠k Med 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.

Zbëk O̠k Med 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.

Zbëk O̠k Med 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

Zbëk O̠k Med's town hall was built using a different architectural style from the rest of the town. The style used is known primarily for its use of abstraction and simplicity. Clean lines, right angles, and primary colors characterized this aesthetic and art movement expressed via architecture and paintings. Its design ethos allows only primary colors and non-colors, only squares and rectangles, only straight and horizontal or vertical lines. Vertical and horizontal lines are positioned in layers or planes that do not intersect, thereby allowing each element to exist independently and unobstructed by other elements. These seemingly impossible principals for an architectural style coalesces into structures which most experts find hard to put into words. It is not that their geometry is impossible, but rather the style's attempt at producing works only describable visually was most successful..

Due to the actions of local Kami, winter is skipped in Zbëk O̠k Med.

The Bonewrought Willow near Zbëk O̠k Med are known to be more aggressive than normal.

Zbëk O̠k Med's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in spring and involves drinking to channel Augury energies of tier 3 via oath swearing.

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.

Zbëk O̠k Med Census Data: Year 2000

32525 of Zbëk O̠k Med's population work within a Foundational Occupation.

• 1919 work in Agriculture
• 7291 work as Craftsmen
• 2646 work as Merchants
• 4887 work as Service Workers
• 3331 work as General Laborers
• 1313 work as Skilled Laborers
• 4764 work as Civil Servants
• 2899 work in Cottage Industries
• 1762 work as Artists
• 1713 work in Produce Industries

50597 of Zbëk O̠k Med's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 2570 (3%) are noncontributers.

Points of Interest

Zbëk O̠k Med is remarkably well-fortified for a site of its size and role. Tall, stout walls, strong points inside the community, concentric defenses, a strategic terrain location, or a large body of standing troops might be present. Some threat is thought to exist that makes maintaining this fortification worthwhile, though it may come at a dear cost to the locals. The community’s suzerain may be uncomfortable with these defenses, as they could just as easily be used to defy the ruler.

Zbëk O̠k Med is known for its well built pedestrian paths, which include foot bridges to cross the main street at several high-traffic areas.

POI

History

In time immemorial, reportedly some time during the late 2nd century Zbëk O̠k Med was struck by a devistating earthquake. The quake brought ruin to Zbëk O̠k Med, which lost 142 people, 201 livestock, and 22 buildings in the earthquake. The day of the quake is remembered by many as Hate's Day.

History