PmWiki | AntaeusRising / Kert

Kert

 by Spiritplumber

(Territory of the Grand Duchy of Karameikos)

Kert can refer either to the town of Kert, recently destroyed by a zombie attack and subsequently rebuilt, or the entire territory comprising the town and a number of small villages and farmsteads around it which used to be claimed or contested by the Black Eagle Barony. The town has grown chaotically over the last year, and has acquired the air of grim determination that distinguished Luln and other towns bordering the Black Eagle Barony. While a good chunk of Kert town looks ramshackle, stomachs are as full as work-order schedules and it's likely only a matter of time before the place blossoms. The town constantly hums with a vibration of activity that is only superficially similar to the desperate soldiering on of the former Fort doom -- most citizens of Kert came from a hard life and they are determined to work to better it. Aristotele Skotos, the Merchant Prince of Tavaro, was heard commenting that if any Karameikan town showed such tenacity he'd have to recommend an invasion -- of either country by the other, whichever gets the job done first. By concentrating most of the manufacturing in town, the territory of Kert managed to keep excellent farmland pristine while affording the farm workers superior equipment and trade opportunities.

Who Rules: Baronet William e Mandalina (LN hm Ftr5 Msh2). Duke Stefan did not grant Will a full title to avoid offending more estabilished nobles, but may do so when he gets older. Will is advised by Lady Amy (NG hf Ftr3) and the two are widely considered to be a couple. Aldermen for the outlying villages are generally chosen by the residents; the only one with a title is ser Verina, landed knight (by inheritance) and mayor of Tabur, but she insists it's because she hasnt't figured out how to abdicate.

Who Really Rules: Duke Stefan Karameikos, to whom William has feudal duties. For a time, Will seemed poised to slip into the Black Eagle's shoes, but to everyone's relief it has not happened.

Population: Roughly 2000 permanent residents in the town, with another 2000 spread out in villages and farmsteads. A good two thirds of Kert town's population are Black Eagle emigrees who quickly found work at what appeared to them to be luxirious conditions, even those who ended up at the glassworks or the forges. Most of the population is human; while merchant traffic is intense, it is year-round and there are no major seasonal fairs, so the population does not fluctuate.

Major Products: Glassware, Tools, Weapons, Carpentry items, Cloth.

Major Imports: Raw materials of any sort.

Armed Forces: Despite transitioning from an agricultural to an industrial economy, Kert keeps a militia system. The cadre of the armed forces consists of 150 professional soldiers (F2), mostly recruited from the Black Eagle army after a vetting process. While technically every able hand is in the militia, active reserves come up to around 250 warriors, some from the town and some from the outlying farms and villages; patrols are rotated to give the men a chance to alternate between town and country life. The force also doubles as a city watch, which has caused some fear in a part of the residents.

Local Laws: None in addition to The Duke's Law. Visitors who have a problem with goblins and other unusual moving freely within the town tend to find that unlike most of central Karameikos, the town watch does NOT look the other way if they decide to take matters into their own hands. Every citizen has equal rights in Kert.

Notable Mages: Sinclair Danes (NG hm A7), an artificer known for his pioneering work on harmonite; he supervises the harmonite fields (a rarity outside the Blight Swamp) on Will's behalf and coordinates harvesting operations. In addition, the glassworks attracts research-minded wizards who want custom work done; finding casters is as easy as it would be in a much larger settlement. However, Will is known for disliking magic and is on record as saying he would like to get rid of it; wizards and sorcerers are as welcome as their money is, but no prominent arcanists save for Sinclair have set up shop permanently.

Notable Churches: The Chorus of Wheels, temple to Petra; Primita Zyndar Stargard (NG hf C4), 3 priests, 800 followers.

Shrines to: Zirchev, Odin, Valerias.

Notable Rogues' and Thieves Guilds: There are none known, but the Smoking Gnu -- a group of clack interferers who claim the Grand Trunk made their signal company go bankrupt through unfair practices -- is suspected to operate out of Kert. Due to the Watch's insistence on discipline, crime is low -- people are rather cowed by the fact that some of the Black Eagle's guards made their way into Kert's militia.

Equipment Shops: Well stocked. Kert is a workshop town -- possibly the only one in Karameikos as of now -- and has the trade volume of a larger city.

Adventurers' Quarters and Notable Taverns:

A number of flophouses exist, and poorer residents generally see it safe to share a bed or even vacate theirs if it brings some gold. The Hunters' Guild also offers accommodation and first aid, usually in exchange for information.

The Fighting Rooster (fair/moderate); This was Kert's old inn, and it remained on the outskirts of town as it grew southwards. Soldiers of both divisions frequent this place. Here they engage in contests of all kinds, from drinking to arm wrestling to brawling, although the latter happens only infrequently; such activity is frowned upon by the commanders. Every month, chipped or damaged plates are used for target practice in the Flying Saucer contest pitting earthenware-throwers against each archers.

The Silver Hammer (good/expensive); Most business travelers and caravanmasters stay here; although the prices are high for the quality of service, the place serves as an unoffcial trading floor, and anybody out for a deal would do well to visit. Known for serving all drinks in glass mugs.

Other Important Characters:

Radu: The man who killed Ludwig von Hendricks had to deal wth a bout of alcoholism, but has since recovered and now runs one of the few farms left adjacent Kert. Not the adventuring type, he has finally stopped receiving so many invitation to join soldiers of fortune and adventurers, but occasionally volunteers in the Watch and can sometimes be found at the Rooster as the man to beat.

Yonk: Rumor has it that a goblin assassin always shadows Will -- a bodyguard or a sword of Damocles? "Yonk" is a nickname attributed by the population when, in a rare sighting, the small orkoid was seen garroting of an Iron Ring taskmaster posing as a tailor -- the nickname coming from the sound heard before the wanted fugitive was pantsed and strangled in one fluid motion.

Midas Pulcinov: The sole proprietor of Kert's bank. Unusual for a gnome, he has no interest in displays of wealth and runs a tight ship for himself as much as he does for his employees. With Kert's banking restrictions he was the only one in that trade to stick it out, and while it doesn't seem to have paid off, he's obviously comfortable enough to stay put and keep working with good if muted cheer.

Syrsa: A halfling bard only recently arrived from the Shires, Syrsa is doing her best to popularize a style of music that relies on syncopation and intentionally chipped crystals for resonance. Her concerts have already attracted the ire of Zyndar several times, something which she regards as a mark of success despite her appeal so far being limited to part the younger crowd that can keep up with her seemingly boundless energy, even by halfling standards. Love or hate her style, the whole "this is a new kind of town and it needs a new kind of music" deal has made sure her name is known.

Tamela: Originally hired by Will as a herald and chronicler, she is a dwarven bard of some repute in Karameikos. Will originally came across her playing for Baron Kelvin, and immediately took appreciation of her "heavy" style of music. As skilled in battle as in music with her "axe", her rousing battle songs carry Will's militia into battle, when her presence can be secured.

Important Features in Town:

As was said before, Kert is built around workshops, largely the glassworks and various forges and foundries. An attempt to start a clacks company was aborted after a buyout by the Grand Trunk, but the Kert area is still extremely well served by the semaphore and in fact the Grand Trunk has become the glassworks' primary customer. Of note is the harmonite-powered smithy district; a number of local forges and smithies have pooled their resources to safely use the material, and set up a joint apprenticeship program. Apparently, due to this Kert's incidence of Solanum disease is higher than the surrounding areas', but this has never been confirmed by actual math. For historical reasons that started of simple but grew from simple inertia, Kert shows an east-west divide between the workshop district and the rest of the town -- while the former is by no means a slum and the town government is known for its disapproval of any extravagance, the difference is visible to the casual travelers. The keep however has remained in the middle of town as it grew. Kert has an arena; prizefighting is permitted and duels are encouraged to be conducted there rather than out of town, largely to cut down on the number of deaths. The arena doubles as a theater and a place for notables to address the population, and indeed can hold most of the territory's population in the seats (if they squeeze). It is also designed to be easily defensible. Kert also has an old-style Hunters' Guild, sponsored by the government: the recent resurgence in magical beast sighting has allowed it to prove its usefulness quickly, and the custom is being reinstated in other towns, notably Halag and Sulescu. Of course, Will's foresight on this matter has been maligned by a few indicating that he is to blame for the new sightings.

Local Lore:

Stories about Sir William range from painting him as a mad warlord who obliterated Radlebb Keep from the sky to cherishing him as the reason behind the Black Eagle's death -- he is seen as a larger-than-life figure, whether loved or feared or both. The various crafting and trading associations worry about what will happen to the town's rising but still fragile economy should Will decide to take to the road again. Most rumors are about the town's ruler: Does he have a hoard of harmonite that he wants to unleash on the archmagus Bargle? Is he human at all? Does he wield the secret power to destroy a city with a thought, as Kert's ever present hint of after-the-storm smell suggests? Stories of the brief but intense power struggle over semaphore standards also abound: how the Grand Trunk supposedly bought the Kert Signalmen's creditor bank and forced them to shut down, how the clacksmen allowed it to happen and in fact run a sort of panopticon cabal through the shutters. A common saying in Kert is "When the lights go off" to indicate indefinite postponement: between the foundries and the clacks hub, Kert is lit enough at night that travelers in a wide radius can orient by it. The Blue Lance, a group of pranksters and vandals with no clear agenda that has shown its presence in all major Karameikan cities, shares the motto of Tabur's miltia "One citizen, one lance". Finally, a small dwarf fortress is rumored to exist somewhere below one of the villages.