Surveyor of the Pavement, a smelly affair Organization in Adhonaglamar | World Anvil
BUILD YOUR OWN WORLD Like what you see? Become the Master of your own Universe!

Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild

Surveyor of the Pavement, a smelly affair

"Madam, that is the law."

----

Reply from a Surveyor of the Pavement, when asked by a citizen why on earth she couldn't empty her chamber pot onto the street anymore.
Records show she then decided to empty it on his head instead.


In 1083, the Grand Duke of Rohsk had had enough. For the fifth time that week he had stepped into a smelly pile of human waste on the streets of Risha (the capital of Rohsk, one of the Four Regions of Adhonaglamar). While it certainly wasn't the general habit to empty out chamber pots and the like onto the street, some citizens seemed too lazy to take it out to the public latrines.
After the last incident, he ordered his council to write up a law to ban the foul practice and to set up the necessary law enforcement to make sure the new law was applied. Anyone caught breaking it would be severely fined.

And so, the agency of the Surveyors of the Pavement came into existence. They were hired not only to make sure no one emptied their chamber pots onto the streets, but also to survey the general state of the streets (other waste, damages, and the like).
If they found 'a pile', they'd make inquiries with the local inhabitants to find out who was responsible. Neighbours were all too happy to point out who they suspected, as they generally didn't like stepping in such waste themselves. Not to mention living in a waste filled street during a hot summer...

The poor Surveyors didn't always have it easy. In certain neighbourhoods they were nicknamed 'the Sewer Rats'. More than one Surveyor, upon passing through a street in such a neighbourhood, received a coordinated chamber pot shower out of multiple windows.

Sometimes though, they'd get their revenge. If one of them managed to catch someone in the act, they'd round up a few more Surveyors and forcefully remove the perpetrator from their house. They'd be taken to the latrines and forced to help the muckrakers clean them out all day long. Needless to say, such examples were a strong enough motivator for most to change their ways.
Type
Government, Law Enforcement

Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild

Comments

Author's Notes

This article was created during Summer Camp 2020 - as such it is a beginning rather than an end; the article will most likely be edited/changed in the future when the world of Adhonaglamar grows. This may explain any lack of visuals or a proper lay-out.


Cover image: from Pixabay. Edited by Errandir, Summer Camp 2020 logo by World Anvil.


Please Login in order to comment!
Jul 27, 2020 08:33 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

This is such a unique response to the prompt, I love it. Poor surveyors - I love that they can sometimes get revenge, though!

Emy x   Etrea | Vazdimet