Norne

**Norne** is the capital town of the Republic of Myr and is a major trading hub for the nation. Many flock here for their industrialized agriculture and the ability to easily trade and work without too much worry from raiding parties.

## History

Founded in the early 1000s BS, the settlers originally chose this location to its defenses being on a hill and cleared land for farming.

In 821 BS, Norne was destroyed by marauders that were sweeping the nation, sacking and pillaging all that they found. The survivors built it back up and put up some wooden walls to help provide a strong defense.

In 661 BS, Miradin Brondas created a standing guild hall in for Brondas and Son's Agriculture Co. They demanded that all farmers had to pay them a tax in order to trade and farm near Norne. This lead to the Farmer's Revolt causing Norne to destabilize for several years. Eventually, things settled down and farmers moved back in and accepted the taxes.

In 5 BS, Aedari Sicarus landed north west of Norne. Myrians of Norne tried to hide elves in their homes and under the floorboards, but the undead horde still found and murdered them and those that hid them. Nornians to this day despise the undead and fear them coming back.

In 597 AS, the Seven Burghers disappeared over a single night. When they returned after a month's time, they seemed distant and uninterested in political matters anymore. A few years later, a swarm of intellect devourers came forth from the town hall and murdered half the populace. They could not push back the tide and reclaim their town and called upon the help of the Dawn Order, a paladin order geared towards protecting against exotic monsters. With their help, they slaughtered the intellect devourers and five of the Burghers that let it happen. One, Urian Routhgar, was never found and presumed devoured. They rebuilt the town again from the ground up, and things went back to normal.

Between 800 and 1100 AS, Norne had been razed to the ground and rebuilt several times, and the people still persisted to remain here.

## Government

The Seven Burghers, a council of elected members that are typically from old blood rule over Norne. They keep their position here until they die or willingly step down from it. They are able to enact laws, however the likelyhood of it happening is very minimal due to their adoration for Jorvin the Dark and his way of ruling.

## Description

The town of Norne is fairly large with a population of 50,000. Norne would normally be called a city at this point but the citizens stubborn pride refuse to accept that they have modernized like the cityfolk of Acryos. There are large wooden walls standing up to 20 feet in height and 8 feet thick. At the center of the town in the Oaken Market, a large elder oak stands tall shading the merchant stalls and all that are shopping here. The streets of Norne are entirely cobblestone due to Jorvin's the Dark infrastructure push and the taxes of the Burghers letting them fund more cobbled roads. The buildings have a stone foundation with a rural wooden structure much like farmhouses. The exception is the Seven Burgher's Mansion that is located at the top of the hill. It is a massive sprawling three storied mansion with exquisite carved Kormyrian timber and stone cut from Klungaraz. The main streets are busy with traders and caravans coming and going and laborers hauling their goods to guild halls and warehouses.

The town is entirely surrounded by sprawling farmland. They have industrialized by building animal housing for faster breeding, steam powered harvesters and warforged bought from Acryos that work the fields.

The populace is a mix of humans, goliaths, half-orcs, tritons, genasi, and other races that boast a naturally strong body.

## Society

A merchant once said that traders in Norne "always wear furs, haughty expressions, and ready swords." Norne traders are always alert and well-armed. The people of Norne always tended to be tense and paranoid -- rightly so, because of the dangers of the city and possible raid around the hill -- and they are extremely wary of Azurians. Commoners keep their head down and avoid trouble at all costs. They work hard in the day, drink hard at night, and sleep hard throughout. They are known for being a bit dull in conversations and rarely will converse with someone they don't know.

People here often find entertainment through drinking and roughhousing in the fights. There is an arena in the southern part of the town where many flock to watch boxers and wrestlers prove their strength in matches. Betting and illegal trading is common here, and often accepted as the norm. Recently, the Burghers bought something called a Moving Picture, which allows commoners to watch pictures of landscapes and animals from far off lands, all in black and white images.

Crime here is easy to come by, especially if the Burghers are allowing it to happen when they are targeting a rival house. However, if caught a criminal is punished harshly and often will have fingers or hands cut off.

Myrains view the outside world as dangerous. Acryosian's are viewed as know-it-alls that never know when to stop talking. People from the Coin are seen as snooty children that wont lift a finger if it means it will dirty their precious hands. The island raiders of Azure are often seen with fear and will avoid them at all costs so they don't anger them in any way.

## Mercenaries

Often used to protect traders, mercenaries are common in Norne due to the need to protection not only from highway robbers but also raiders. There is much to do here for mercenaries and it is common to find companies drinking at taverns and training in their company halls reading for their next contract. Contracts here include escorting merchants to their next destination, hunting down criminals, guarding warehouse, secretly sabotaging rival Burgher houses, search and rescue, protection against raids, and sometimes even hired to work the fields if a machine breaks down.

Notable Mercenary Companies:

* The Drowned Rats, an ex-criminal gang that realized they could make a better profit by working with the Burghers.
* Reavers' Runners, a company that is known for its ability to get contract done within the next day or two.
* The Bronze Eagles, a group of feathered robed fighters that accept every contract with an eagles scream.