Turlock

**Turlock** is a small town located on the eastern border of The Nornish Empire. It is about \_\_\_\_ days travel from Dawntide to the east, \_\_\_\_ days travel to Irode to the west, and \_\_\_ days travel to Direreach to the south.

The town primarily consists of working class farmers and tradespeople. In the past it was considered a backwater town with very little importance besides a relatively small amount of food production, but since the seperation of Dawntide from the empire, it now acts as a buffer town with more consistent military and NORM-bot presence (though the units are considerably outdated).

The current Lord of Turlock is Augustine Vincendius, though he has almost no physical presence in the town.

## Culture and People

The people of Turlock are considered hospitable to the extent one can be when under extreme surveillance. Due to their distance from the capital and the outdated NORM-bots, they are not as fearful of the nobility as the people of the other towns, though this may be due to their overall insignificance to the Empire at large. Turlock's population have a staunch indifference to the empire, many having never known a life without it and with very little exposure to life outside of it. The Nornish education system cements the belief that the empire saved Turlock from the neighboring factions and "civilized" the original inhabitants.

Most people who are born in Turlock will remain there for the rest of their lives. The families of the town are close knit and have been living alongside each other for generations. Turlock is not seen as a desirable place to move to from outside towns, however since the separation of Dawntide from the empire the population has seen growth in the form of military personnel sent to protect the town and quash any potential uprisings brought on by its neighbour.

Turlock's people are generally seen as kind, though often stereotyped as a bit simple minded and backwards in their ways. They're considered quite stuck in their traditions and hesitant to change. As is the nature of small towns and Norne in general, appearances are hugely important and having a bad reputation in Turlock can cost someone their whole social standing and livelihood.

### Customs

Embroidery is a unique part of Turlock's culture and art history. All children are taught basic embroidery and sewing at a young age and it is customary to stitch patterns and pictures onto otherwise plain clothing in order to make it unique to the wearer without having to buy an entirely new set of fine clothing for special occasions. It is one of the few remaining practices that date to pre-Nornish occupation. Embroidery is used to mark milestones in a person's life such as birthdays, the completion of a school year, the birth of a child etc. It can also be used to commemorate important people that have passed away. When someone outgrows their clothing, the fabric containing the embroidery is cut out and preserved. By the end of the person's life, the embroidery snippets form a tapestry that tells their whole life story. The art of turning simple clothing into something colourful and beautiful that all people can create no matter their social standing is a source of great pride for the people of Turlock who will wear their adorned clothing pieces to most important events like weddings, birthdays, funerals, and other monumental occasions.

Despite the workmanship involved with clothing embroidery, it is sadly not appreciated outside of Turlock and is associated with stupid country peasants who cannot afford nicer clothes.

### Language

The original language of Turlock is long lost, but remnants of it linger in the names of the people. Slavic sounding names are common as most people inherited their names from ancestors that spoke the original language and it is common to name children after an honourable member of the family or community.

Nicknames are more commonly used within families and friends. Normally the nickname only contains the starting letters or syllables followed by a -nya/-chka/-va/-ma/-sha etc. Even if the person's name is foreign they will usually be given a nickname if their relationship with the locals is close enough, particularly if they are a child. An example of this is Dimitri becoming Dimochka, or Verity becoming Vanya.

### Food

Turlock's food is simple and hardy. Often consisting of bread and vegetables, meat is usually saved for special occasions as livestock is not commonly found in Turlock and importing meat and fish is expensive. While others more used to a flavorsome pallet consider the food quite plain, it is incredibly filling as well as being fresh and sourced locally.

Mild sweet foods are the specialty of Turlock - particularly cooking that utilizes natural sweeteners like honey, syrups, and dates which are accessible for most people. Special occasions are usually marked with cakes and bread braids filled with jams and candied fruits. You would be hard pressed to find a dessert containing chocolate, fondant, marzipan, or icings.

## Economy and Industry

The average citizen of Turlock is poorer than the average citizen of Norne, but due to the self sufficiency of the town and their focus on food production, the people are generally well fed and have their basic needs met. The barter system is a widespread and respected practice as most people will either have food or a practical skill that can be traded. This, however, makes leaving Turlock difficult as most other towns have higher costs of living and primary industries other than farming.

Turlock's primary industries are \_\_\_\_\_\_, and the primary exports are \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.