Pembleton

Pembleton is the largest and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Pem. Located on the river Zenn, the city is the cultural, industrial and economic hub of the Commonwealth, being home to a wealth of important institutions, such as the The University of Pembleton, Lloads Bank, and assorted guilds and companies.

Once also the administrative and political capital of Pem, this honour has since been transferred to Ridgeley when the Undercourt moved there in the aftermath of the Civil War. Despite this, the city is a major centre of influence due to both its geographic position and its political and cultural status.

## Districts

### Gildenhall

Formerly the location of all of Pembleton's many guilds and livery companies' halls, this district was almost totally destroyed in the Great Fire of 84 BGE. Only the Hall of the Worshipful Company of Railway Workers survived the blaze, with the rest of the area being heavily rebuilt in the New Proportionalist style. As a result, most other guilds chose to move to new, more modern residences across parts of Pem.

Gildenhall features Newmark Square at it's western end, which itself boasts a market, the Railway Worker's Guild Hall and Lloads of Pembleton bank. The New Proportionalist housing development leading off to the east of the square is home to some of Pembleton's wealthiest homeowners and also features the Pembleton Town Council's Council Hall and the council offices.

In the Great Era, following the Great Exposition, a Pembleton Museum was constructed on the Northern edge of Gildenhall.

The Gildenhall Public Gardens are situated in front of the museum. They were constructed in **?** by Sir Alain Paridae-fen **[explain more about him]**.

The district is served by Museum Gardens **[confirm/confusing? Mercer's Street? Gildenhall?]** Underground Station, located next to the Gildenhall Public Gardens.

**[needs expansion]**

### Coolgate and Castle

The district of Coolgate and Castle is a historic area of Pembleton, home to ancient landmarks and notable institutions. Home to the oldest two colleges of the city's famous University, Pembleton Castle, the Potters' Hall and the Pembleton Pleasure Gardens, as well as some of the best-preserved remnants of Pembleton's old city wall, the area has been designated "a place of historical and cultural significance" by Pemblish Heritage.

Recent excavations suggest that the oldest known settlement in Pembleton was originally located within the area now occupied by the castle and pleasure gardens. This area remained densely populated until the reign of King Sicillius, when it was cleared on the orders of the king for the planting of orchards. The city was re-settled further to the east, with the castle subsequently considered to be "without Schoole Gait". according to the mediaeval scholar Veritus Bode.

Nevertheless, even in its depopulated form, the space outside the west-facing Coolgate continued to attract new visitors to the city until the abolition of Burgher Law in 521 BGE.

Pembleton Castle and Potters' Hall Square is served by Castle Gardens Underground Station, situated at the entrance to the castle. Oldhouse Coolgate Underground Station, situated to the north of the district, serves Woleseat College.

### Spirefields

The Spirefields district is home to Cathedral of Our Lady of the Infinite Cheddar. A school and hospital operate on the cathedral's lands. Although originally founded as ecclesiastical institutions by the monks of the cathedral, both institutions now operate as secular institutions semi-independently of the Church.

A number of other prominent and historic landmarks can be found in this district, most notably Tunnelbridge Market, which is situated along the western flank of the cathedral. The market further features the New Tunnel Bridge at its southern end and Pembleton Cross War Memorial at its northern end. The entrance to Codtwaddle Underlane are also found here.

A variety of established businesses operate in the locale of the cathedral, including Swinging Jimmy's Malt and Milk, and the well-established Wise Old Alan's Forge, which has operated on the site for over four-hundred years. Other prominent businesses include the recently-built flagship store of the East Avenue Trading Company, that sits opposite the cathedral.

The western half of the quarter was formerly agricultural land, although this is now long gone. Despite this, clues remain in road names such as Field Road. The offices of Pembleton Illustrated News now sit atop the old farmland.

The district's underground station, Wheal Cross, can be found opposite the war memorial. This station was formerly known as Mercer's Cross, but was changed following confusion over Mercer's Street in Gildenhall. Intentions to build a second underground station next to the East Avenue Trading Company store have been proposed but continue to flounder, owing to cost, practicability and safety concerns.

### The Kerbals

The Kerbals is a working class and industrial district at the eastern end of Pembleton, located between the Docklands and Cathedral districts. In recent years, it has declined immensely to become something of a notorious slum, particularly after the clearance of the city's mediaeval Understreets- a far cry from the humble yet respectable reputation it held earlier years.

The district is notorious for its winding streets and alleyways (not at all helped by the endless rows of near-identical terraced houses) as well as being a safe haven for pickpockets. Due to this, Pembleton's Mayoral Council advise visitors not to wander the area at night.

The area was formerly the seat of the aristocratic Kerbal family. However, with the city's rapid expansion during latter part of the Innovation Era, the ancestral seat was transformed into its current state by Samuel Kerbal, 7th Earl Kerbal. The southern end of the Kerbals was leased to various industrialists for the purposes of industry, and today the area is the home of several mills and factories which use the nearby docks to transport the goods they produce. Whilst much of the residential area was later sold off to private landlords-with rumours that Undercourt coercion was a major factor in the breakup of the estate- the lease of the industrial area remains a major source of income for the Kerbal family to this day.

Pemblecross Station, the city's major rail hub, is located on the northern side of the district. The district's factories are served by Wooldock Underground Station, which was the first station constructed as part of Pembleton's underground railway system.

### Pembleton Pleasure Gardens

Originally the king's private gardens, the site was ravaged by the Civil War and served as a simple, grassy park for most of the Commonwealth's history prior to 0GE. After being selected as the site of the Great Exposition of the Works of the World, a number of permanent, semi-permanent and temporary structures were constructed, with the eventual extent of the development far exceeding original expectations. Following the conclusion of the highly successful exposition, profits from ticket sales were used to transform the area into the luxurious Pleasure Gardens that exist today.

Numerous attractions of the Exposition were preserved as part of the new Gardens. The Raqqosian and Aleurian pavilions, built to showcase their respective nations at the exposition, were renovated and became a permanent feature of the gardens, along with the bandstand and the Lover's Garden. The sculpture "Unity In Celebration of the World Exposition" was moved and became the centrepiece of a newly constructed maze, complete with viewing tower. The main avenue was lined with birch trees and additional trees were planted, including an acacia from the Raqqosian colonies. The popular boating lake attraction was retained and is now run free-of-charge by an affiliate branch of the Shanty Pirates. The gift shop was also retained and continues to sell Pleasure Garden memorabilia, along with surplus exposition memorabilia.

The Pembleton Pleasure Gardens are consistently rated as one of the top tourist attractions to visit in Pembleton and in the Centrelands as a whole due to the impressive pavilions, lush greenery and leisure attractions. Along with the boating lake and maze, the forms of entertainment available include semi-regular performances at the band stand, often by widely renowned musicians, as well as a variety of "street performers" who frequent the area in hope of monetary donations for their performances. The site is also particularly well known due its association with the world famous first Great Exposition, the legacy of which is still clearly visible in the garden's features.

The Pleasure Gardens are served by Castle Gardens Underground Station.

### Docklands

The Pembleton Docklands lie to the southeast of the city, and are a centre of shipping along the Zenn river. Dozens of steam-barges dock **[needs expanding]**

Whilst not directly served by any rail network, Wooldock Underground Station closely borders the docklands.

### Underlanes and Sewers

What was originally an ancient mine entrance, said to have been originally dug by John Kerball, Pembleton's first Mayor, the Underlanes later became a notorious slum during the time of the Old Kingdom, when space within the city's former walls was limited. Despite being incorporated by later city engineers into Pembleton's extensive sewer system, 'Codtwaddle Underlane' remained the home of the desperately poor, the disregarded, and the criminal until the early Great Era. Slum clearances between 1-6 G.E. displaced most of the Underlanes' former residents, who largely relocated to the Kerbals district. Those that chose to remain eventually left over the subsequent decade.

Despite being largely abandoned as a residential area, the Underlanes retain a notorious reputation. It is said that even the notorious Guild of Assassins may have residence within the dark tunnels, in some dark, forgotten cistern. Because of this, the Understreets have become a popular tourist destination, becoming the home of the Pembleton Dungeons- an attraction which transforms Pembleton's dark history into thrilling experiences for visitors of all ages.

### Suburbs and Surrounding Areas

The areas surrounding Pembleton are populated with multiple farms and mines, with fields of swaying wheat being a common sight along the roads to and from the city. In particular, to the south-west of the city down the Minelake Road which exits the city via Coolgate, lies the small Minelake community, many of whose residents work as miners in the Field Shaft mine operated by the Wheal Leisure Mining Company.

Minelake road is served, at its northern end, by Collegefields Underground Station, which features the only remaining unaltered **[insert dome style/architect name]**dome underground entrance.

In addition, to the north-east lies the farming hamlet of Hal's Farm, an otherwise unremarkable settlement which is nevertheless home to a large field of ancient Prydowan barrows. The hamlet was however the former home of the the dragoon Richard Hills, who became famous during the First Tall Kingdom War, where he famously led his outnumbered, singular regiment to victory at the Battle of Lüdebrok. To this day, there exists in the hamlet a tavern named in his honour.

## History

As the former capital and the enduring hub of trade and learning in Pem, much of Pem's and the region's history has revolved around Pembleton.

### Antiquity

Archaeological discoveries found at the site of Pembleton castle suggest that a small hilltop settlement once stood there as early as 4000 BGE, however no written records survive from the time, and little is known about the occupants of this first Pembleton. Discoveries of deer bones and examples of elaborate gold jewellery however suggest that these settlers were both able hunters and excellent craftsmen.

The first definitive records of the existence of a settlement at the location of modern-day Pembleton can be found in the histories of the Empire of Argaiv. Whilst the Pembleton Basin was further south than any major Argaivan colonisation efforts, Pembleton nevertheless felt the influence of Argaivian culture. Evidence of trade between Argaiv and early Pembleton has been discovered, with Argaivian pottery and glass often being buried in the barrows to the northeast. A brief passage in the Ankhosian epic Raz'ka'Nul makes mention of a settlement believed to be Pembleton, where it is described as a *"Pettye villaege of only a fewe smole huts and a large grafeyarde- that playce called Pem-bar by the Niqqoshi hwich is Southe of theiyre Holy Islannad".*

### The Kingdom of Okar

Under the Okari empire, Pembleton served as a major strategic garrison town, due to its position in the middle Centrelands. The city was fortified in a curtain wall - the remains of which have been unearthed by modern archaeologists.

### After the fall of Okar

Following the destruction of Okar in 1135 BGE, the city is believed to have survived relatively well despite the destruction of the empire's heartlands. While information is scarce on the matter, the few surviving records from that time suggest that the Pem-Bar benefitted from strong fortifications due to its position on Okar's frontier with the Prydow, good harvests, and a population bolstered by refugees from the south. Consequently, the city grew rapidly to become a significant city state capable of resisting Prydowan attempts to reclaim the territory it had lost to Okari conquest.

Additionally, the town of Pem-bar's position in the heart of the Centrelands allowed it to benefit substantially from trade among the cities of the north - with the fall of Okar, the empire's secondary cities and former satellite states such as Rubellium, Paramacca, and Coltar were able to assert their own independence - a trade which would eventually evolve into a new defensive pact.

### Lesser Kingdom

The city-state of Pembleton was a founding signatory of the Lesser Kingdom and a total of five mayors of Pembleton were elected monarch across the period. At the founding of the Lesser Kingdom, Pem was a major farming hub and played an important role facilitating trade and settlement efforts in the less established southern regions of the Centrelands.

Following the destruction of Rubellium in 757BGE and the capitulation of the Lesser Kingdom to Paramacca in the Northern War, Pembleton established itself as an economic hub, particularly for agricultural and industrial goods. It was also permitted a sizeable military garrison and fortifications by Paramacca owing to its economic importance and need to defend against Prydowan incursions.

### War of the Banners

Following the destruction of Paramacca in 720BGE, Mayor Tentavius of Pembleton utilised the city's military and economic power to attempt a revival of a unified kingdom. However, he faced opposition from Coltar and other minor settlements, who viewed Pembleton as a collaborator with Paramacca in the Northern War, in contrast to their own espoused moderate resistance (however, historians have later thrown the assertion of their 'resistance' into question).

The war was protracted and highly destructive, as the two relatively distant and heavily fortified cities of Pembleton and Coltar waged a proxy war across the countryside and vied for control of the land and settlements between them, with both sides proving to be more resilient than the other expected. Pembleton itself suffered greatly, particularly on its outskirts, with its agriculture and mining operations being a target of sustained raids. The city became increasingly exposed to incursions from smaller opposition settlements as the city's military pushed up towards Coltar itself towards the end of the war.

Mayor Tentavius ended the conflict through his marriage to the daughter of the mayor of Coltar, Gavenia Margaret of Coltar, paving the way for the Greater Kingdom.

### Greater Kingdom

Following the War of the Banners, Tentavius I founded the Greater Kingdom and designated Pembleton to be his capital. Tentavius I selected Pembleton as the new capital not only owing to his ancestral ties to the city, but also for the well-fortified Pembleton Castle, the central geographical location and the established economy and rich farmlands of the region.

### Great Exposition

Main Article: Great Exposition of the Works of the World

The Great Exposition of the Works of the World (also known as the Great Exposition, Grand Exposition or the World's Fair) was an international exposition in Pembleton held in Pembleton Park (now the Pembleton Pleasure Gardens) in the year 0 BGE. It occurred at the height of Pem's international power and the attention it garnered from participant nations served to demonstrate the importance of Pem in world affairs. The event brought attention to a number of technological marvels, not least the advent of the airship, as well as wider cultural interest in other nations and their histories.