Blacktor

Blacktor (/blacktor/ [Translation Unavailable]) is a subtropical Town located in the Izclea Region of the Tetbur Commune.

The name Blacktor is derived from the Sylvin language, as Blacktor was founded by Cacatulus Dyer, who was culturaly Sylvin.

Climate

Blacktor has a yearly average temperature of 25°C (77°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 21°C (69°F). Blacktor receives an average of 277 cm/y (109 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of rain during the summer. Blacktor covers an area of nearly 5 km² (2 mi²), and an average elevation of 3696 m (12125 ft) above sea level.

Overview

Blacktor was founded durring the late 13th century in winter of the year 1190, by Cacatulus Dyer. The establishment of Blacktor was somewhat plagued by a lack of willing colonists, leading to Cacatulus Dyer electing to pay people to resettle in Blacktor.

Blacktor was built using the conventions of Sylvin durring the late 13th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Blacktor is no diffrent. The town'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.

Blacktor is buildings are grouped arround an odd layout of spacious carved bedrock streets, which seems to be based on an overlapping squair patern such that there are small squares at the cornor of every bigger square. Sometimes buildings exist in the smaller squaires, other times they are open spaces, or occupied by temporary structures. The town is the proud owner of a properly designed set of renforced walls made from mighty querried stone blocks. Their construction and material choices would make a dwarf weap with joy, for each and every part of the elaborate fortifications are purly functional and robust well byond reason. Even nonexperts can tell the walls are an excelent defencive structure. The exceptionaly well made fortifications have not been wellmaintained over the years, and while functional are in dire need of some loving care and perhapse light renovation.

Blacktor is not quite well. Something happened here, perhapse recently, perhapse long ago. Whatever it was, it settled into the very soul of the town like a festering wound. The people go about their day well enough, but there’s a tention in the air you can cut with a knife. There’s a patern to the panic. It’s not easy to see, and no one quite agrees on what it is, but the locals know and operate under this pattern. It shapes everything they do, and you feel as if you’ve almost worked it out only for some small detail to devastate your theory every time you try and comprehend it.

Civic Infrastructure

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

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

Blacktor 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.

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

Blacktor 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.

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

Blacktor 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. Blacktor's grid is powered by hydrogalvanic generators.

Blacktor possesses an older civil lighting system consisting of street lamps. In spite of the Galvanic Grid, these lights continue to use their old fule sources to provide nighttime illumination to all city streets.

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

Blacktor 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 Blacktor's natural decorations nor waterways.

Blacktor 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.

Blacktor 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

The law within Blacktor is highly corrupt, or does not apply to certain favored groups or castes. Strangers might be fleeced by local lawmen, evildoers can be absolved by a payment, and powerful gentry do as they please.

Blacktor's chapel was built using a different architectural style from the rest of the town. The style used is famous for its stately symmetry, classical elements, and grand appearance. Columns and pillars, such as Corinthian columns, are often seen supporting open structures or porticos. Symmetry is an important feature of this style, with each half of a building mirroring the other. Domed ceilings and windows grace these buildings, with everything placed in a mathematical arrangement.

The Spider, Assassin (Giant) near Blacktor are known to be a mutant strain of the creature.

Blacktor's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in autumn and involves bloodletting to channel Augury energies of tier 2 via chanting.

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.

Blacktor Census Data: Year 2000

432 of Blacktor's population work within a Foundational Occupation.

• 26 work in Agriculture
• 92 work as Craftsmen
• 34 work as Merchants
• 73 work as Service Workers
• 41 work as General Laborers
• 16 work as Skilled Laborers
• 66 work as Civil Servants
• 42 work in Cottage Industries
• 20 work as Artists
• 22 work in Produce Industries

866 of Blacktor's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 97 (7%) are noncontributers.

Points of Interest

Blacktor has a substantial mill pond located a short distance from town.

POI

History

In time immemorial, reportedly some time during the late 2nd century, Blacktor was attacked by soldiers from another nation, waging a greater campaign. The details of the conflict are hazy at best due to many conflicting accounts. What is known is Blacktor lost 244 people, 191 livestock, and 51 buildings. The conflict ended after roughly 140, when members of Blacktor's militia enacted an operation to patrol a specific area to dissuade the enemy from their current activities. The operation was complicated by a key segment of the operation that deepened entirely on a stealth mission going perfectly. The conflict ended with pitched battle between both forces, which ended in defeat for Blacktor's forces. The war is remembered in legend by Blacktor's bards, historians, and legend keepers.

History