Biddleham

Biddleham (/biddleham / [Translation Unavailable]) is a subtropical Town located in the Dogia Region of the Tetbur Commune.

The name Biddleham is derived from the Sylvin language, as Biddleham was founded by Zlkêthënm Benge, who was culturaly Sylvin.

Climate

Biddleham has a yearly average temperature of 15°C (59°F), with its average temperature during the summer being a cool 18°C (64°F) and its average temperature during the winter being a cool 12°C (53°F). Biddleham receives an average of 240 cm/y (94 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of snow during the pleasantly short winter months. Biddleham covers an area of nearly 5 km² (2 mi²), and an average elevation of 850 m (2788 ft) above sea level.

Overview

Biddleham was founded durring the late 11th century, by Zlkêthënm Benge. The establishment of Biddleham was somewhat plagued by a lack of willing colonists, leading to Zlkêthënm Benge electing to pay people to resettle in Biddleham .

Biddleham was built using the conventions of Sylvin durring the late 11th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Biddleham is no diffrent. The town's buildings feature plaster covered brick construction taking the shape of large simple gemometric shapes which ate then embelished with decorative features, but retain their simple shapes in spite of the added features such as pillars, faccaddes, and covered walkways. The blocky nature gives a general impression of extreem age, as if each structure has existed since time immemorial.

Biddleham is buildings are arranged arround a network of spacious baked earthen 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 town lacks any defencive features, though certainly constructing even a simple fence or digging a ditch is at the forefront of the 's mind. At least, one would hope so.

A look around Biddleham shows Biddleham is little more than a wretched hive of scum and villainy. 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.

Civic Infrastructure

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

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

Biddleham 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.

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

Biddleham 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.

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

Biddleham 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 Biddleham 's natural decorations nor waterways.

Biddleham 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.

Biddleham 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.

Biddleham 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

A substantial minority of the locals are descended from foreigners alien to their local neighbors. They may have been religious exiles, economic migrants, indigenous locals surrounded by the existing polity, or a foreign settlement conquered within the relatively recent past. The locals may not be enthusiastic about being ruled by others not of their kind, and their neighbors may look askance at the way foreign customs or even laws may be maintained.

Biddleham 's mayor's house was built using a different architectural style from the rest of the town. The style used is best known for its striking sculptural forms and often dazzling ornamental detail that characterizes the buildings general shape. The radiant colors, rich patterns, and symmetrical silhouettes employed by this style were backed up by rich decorative features including gardens, courtyards, extruded arches, domes, pointed domes, vaulted ceilings, elaborate painted and inlaid designs, and decorative sculptures.

In Biddleham all of the cats speak the local language with prefect diction.

The Giant Ground Cricket near Biddleham are known to be more aggressive than normal.

Biddleham 's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in autumn and involves line dance to channel Invocation energies of tier 1 via guttural bellowing.

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.

Biddleham Census Data: Year 2000

417 of Biddleham 's population work within a Foundational Occupation.

• 26 work in Agriculture
• 91 work as Craftsmen
• 32 work as Merchants
• 66 work as Service Workers
• 42 work as General Laborers
• 14 work as Skilled Laborers
• 63 work as Civil Servants
• 41 work in Cottage Industries
• 21 work as Artists
• 21 work in Produce Industries

889 of Biddleham 's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 40 (3%) are noncontributers.

Points of Interest

Due to a magical anomaly, Biddleham 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 early 2nd century the Kami ended a famine plaguing Biddleham . One of Biddleham 's local festivals commemorates this miracle.

History