Cormael

## Overview

Cormael is the capital city of Inhal Org - one of the many counties of the kingdom of Akron.

## Geography

Cormael sits in open plains: there is literally nothing but level ground no matter the direction on is watching. The plains are dominated by various species of tall grass. The ground is moist due to a massive underground water reservoir of interconnecting caves that seeps moisture to ground level forming natural springs, ponds and even small marshes here and there. The lands around the city are ideal and easy for farming and growing livestock. Thus all the 3 big roadways to and from the city are surrounded by farmland making it increasingly difficult to determine exactly where one can estimate "urban" area begins and "rural" area ends. The area has a steady light rainfall cycling in around one rainy day each week and going like this for the entire year. On occasion the city is bombarded by heavy winds, cyclones and even hurricanes coming from the northwest. The storms happen most commonly in February of each year but on occasion there has been years without these storms. Around one year in ten sees rather bad storms which do not severely affect the city but do wreak havoc in the country side around the proper.

Fresh drinking water in the city is ample and provided through a hundred wells built over natural springs. The water reservoir is accessible through a dozen or so caves and the city administration allow access to some of these for recreational purposes. The water is extremely cold - however - due to the depth and size of the reservoir.

Caves and tunnels are largely not mapped and while some may theoretically be used to access the city, most are extremely difficult to navigate due to them being slippery, uneven and on occasion quite narrow and can also be entirely flooded on the whim of nature.

## Stone quarries

The city is mainly surrounded by farmlands but all the stone required for building the structures of the city are from local quarries. There are five bigger open quarries within 15 kilometers of the city proper. One of them is now a lake since the quarry was flooded in an accident 20 years ago drowning dozens of workers. The lake is mostly just a recreational site for the locals and a natural fresh water source for livestock. Stone from the quarries is mostly delivered to the city by ox-driven specialty wagons after being pre-cut to exact measurements on the quarry proper. The quarries are officially owned and protected by the city of Cormael but the the city allows it's citizens free access to the stone supply upon official request to city authorities. The city authorities then appoint a *Quarry Master* to each building project paying his salary in full and it is the Quarry Master's job to ensure that stone is excavated from safe locations to prevent another quarry from flooding. The costs of excavation, cutting and transportation are still the sole responsibility of the applicant. The open quarries are not big enough to allow exporting stone and thus excavation permits are granted to local projects only.

## Landmarks

The city is renowned for it's stone statues that guard the three main entrances. Each entrance is guarded by two stone statues around five meters tall and weighing several tons. The statues are located 10 meters before the gates on massive stone pedestals. They are made to look like guardian soldiers on guard duty. The statues are solid local stone and were erected when the Castle Cormael was finished to celebrate the founding of the city some 250 years ago. Since then the city was grown three layers of stone walls so originally the statues much farther off the city centre than they are now. The statues are each exactly the same distance away from the castle's geometrical middle point which is a stone slab right in the middle of the courtyard.

The Castle Cormael is not very grandeur as far as castles go but quite spacey and functional serving as the domicile for the count and his family. Key players of the city politics and administration also have offices within the castle walls so the castle is in actuality a key focal point of the city's inner workings and the day to day life of the entire county. Approximately 120 officials work in the buildings of the castle during any given day.

## Population

Roughly 12000 consisting of 80% humans, 10% dwarves, 5% elves and 5% others. Last census was 5 years ago and was done by going through all the citizenship documents and updating missing information on people who have moved away, died, missing etc. The census was a big task for city officials but the updated records offered and continue to offer valuable data to guide the city's administration. Not many cities in the entire continent can boast to know how many people work as *coopers* or *iron smiths* or what is the number of widowed vegetable sellers aged 20-30.

## Laws and customs

### Entrance fees, sales taxes and customs duties

Cormael does not impose import taxes on any goods that enter the city. The city also does not impose a sales tax on goods sold within the city. However, the city does have an entrance fee which applies to all non-residents and their pets and draft animals. This means that permanent residents need a way to exempt themselves on the entrance fee and that is arranged by a written notification of citizenship. This notification is not free but all siblings of current residents are granted this free automatically on childbirth. Some travelling merchants have acquired themselves citizenship through bribery and can enter the city without paying the entrance fee, but city guard can still force the fee to be payed in full if they suspect such fraudulence. In actual practise, the city guard does not ask notifications or demand entrance fees from common travellers but focus their energy on the bigger merchant convoys and caravans with dozens of individuals and pack animals.

### Death notification of citizens (the so called "Death notice")

The city official are to be notified when a citizen die within 90 days of the death. In the past there have been some abuses of this system (persons were noted as dead when they in fact were quite alive) but the administration consider that having records of citizens is far more important than the adverse effects of abuse and mischief.

## History

The city was founded 250 years ago from scratch by a pioneering knight by the name of Sir Angus Raemyl and his retinue.

## Famous inhabitants

Count Cory Cormagh.Leader of the county.

Miriam Ronvar. The leader of the Clan Ronvar members in the city and a *Quarry Master* in charge of one the city's stone quarries.