Norey
From Himitsu no Sensou
Norey is the largest and wealthiest city in Kanemoria, as well as its capital. The Royal Palace is here, as well as the Forums, a collection of public auditoriums from which politicians and political hopefuls address the commons and upper class alike. There is a thriving business culture in Norey, as well as an equally successful underground culture, from which thieves, assassins, smugglers and worse operate in secret.
The city is carved into the northern facing slope in Kanemoria's Alterac Mountain Range, the shortest range lengthwise, though it consists of Kanemoria's tallest mountains. The city is accessible through a good number of wide, winding roads that spiral around the mountainside, with inlets from all directions, though the roads -- as with most roads in the country -- become more treacherous during the spring rains.
The Palace sits at the city's highest point, with the rest of the city progressing in wide terraces down the mountain slope before it.
The High Seat in Norey is currently held by King Reuben, supplemented by the Council of Twelve.
[edit] History
Following the conclusion of the Kanemorian War of Independence, ex-Dentorian Noble (once High Lord of the Riverlands, the fifth division of the Dentorian regions) Lord Norey declared himself King of Kanemoria, making his castle and estates the country's new capital. Extensive construction (that has never truly halted) began, expanding his castle into what has become the current Royal Palace and the city and lands surrounding it into the Norey of today.
During late July and early August of (earth year) 2006, Norey experienced a large scale disaster in the form of a supernatural storm system that wiped out the north half of the city and left the rest in ruins. As a result, Norey faced months of class conflict, death, illness, and outright revolt. In the years since, the city has made a slow but steady recovery, and while it has not yet fully recovered the progress is measurable and impressive. The northern side of the city -- previously the "slums" of the city -- is still largely in disrepair, but recovery efforts have finally recently turned to here and reconstruction has begun.
[edit] Details
Norey is fairly well organized city, divided into four seperate, official districts.
The Royal District, located at the city's highest point, includes the Royal Palace and the Forums, where political events and speeches are held. Aesthetics are held in high regard here; pine and juniper trees are plentiful, the streets are well paved, and the best gardeners the country has are set to the task of making greenery grow, to which they are surprisingly successful. The Palace itself is carved out of stone -- some of it melds into the mountain itself -- with high walls and higher towers. An iron gate surrounds the Palace proper and divides it from the Noble's District immediately surrounding it.
The Upper Class District, sometimes referred to as the Noble's District, surrounds the Royal District and contains the Manses of nobles residing in the city, Royal Library and Academy, and two well sponsored Temples -- one to the worship of the Dragons Light and Dark and another, smaller, specifically for the worship of the Dragons of Darkness. Aesthetics are similar to those of the Royal District, and in some cases, perhaps even more carefully tended to; Nobles often amuse themselves with outdoing one another on the subject of gardens and decoration, each vying for bragging rights in this regard. The roads are again well paved, and lined to either side with luxurious manses that the Councilors, their families, and nobles of both old and new blood call home. This area was hit hard by the supernatural storm of 2006, razed by lightning-caused fires and tornadoes, but has since mostly recovered as the nobility applied personal funding to their own homes.
The Lower Class District, usually referred to as the Slums, occupies much of the northern end of the city, characterized by crowded quarters, poor residents, and an apparent lack of law enforcement, giving the area a sometimes chaotic and dangerous tilt. Poor merchants might try their luck here, though rarely succeed, and the most successful business endeavors in this area tend to be taverns and brothels, of which there are many. These areas are the most prone to flooding in the spring; they are dug deeply into the mountain, and tend to accumulate runoff from the districts at higher elevations in the bargain, as well.
The Middle Class District, usually referred to as the Trade District, broadly covers the rest of the city. Tradesmen tend to settle in close proximity to those who share their trade, resulting in streets of armor and weaponsmiths, streets of tailors, dressmakers and the like, etc. There are several prominent theater houses and progressive art museums, as well as guilds devoted to the arts. Marketplaces tend to be loud, rowdy, and are centered in relatively close proximity to the city gates. Temples are few and generally underfunded; orphanages and middle class schoolhouses are more numerous and generally given better funding. Taverns and inns are numerous and of varying quality. Those of the middle class who make their homes in Norey tend to settle in the south on the higher slopes of the mountain (if they do not live in their place of business) where reasonable living quarters can be secured, though many settle in the roomier suburbs of the city, scattered over the base of the mountains (though rarely in the valleys, as they are prone to disastrous flooding.)
A fifth district, sometimes referred to as the Shadow District, exists, though is not officially recognized, interspersed and disguised within the lower and middle class areas of the city. This includes the Assassin and Thieves' Guilds, as well as many shadier businesses and criminal organizations.
