Bridgington (brij-ing-ton)
The city of Bridgington lies downriver from the capital of Riverford, Forx. It was founded in the sixth century as a forward outpost to provide advanced warning of any invasion or threat that would try to sail up the Mercer River. Bridgington fulfilled this role several times over history, alerting Forx of invasion on several occasions.
The beneficial location of the city has allowed it to flourish in its almost-millennium of existence. The earliest settling group found an arable, suitable stretch of land among the harsh highlands of the area. Between the abundant farming that was found all around and the various trades on the river, settlers from all over eastern Ayndrinor flocked to this area to claim their land and help the town grow. Once the city proper began to grow and sprawl, it attracted more people who admired the climate and relative quiet of Bridgington. As Forx also continued to grow, Bridgington became an important stopover town for boats traveling up and down the Mercer River to trade with other merchants at the large port in Everyn.
While the gnomish culture of bizarre-sounding place names is present in Bridgington, the city's name is not part of it. The original founding group could not decide on a name at first and punted the responsibility to the next generation. By that time, the town had grown toward the Mercer River, and several bridges had been built across it to connect the town with the main east-west trade route. Wanting to finally put the issue of the town's name to rest, the council at the time decided to just play it safe and go with a literal name. The town's location has it "bridging" the river in several places, and so Bridgington was chosen as the moniker.
Demographics
While the original settlers were mostly gnomish, more recent centuries have seen people from all over the world and different races and cultures settle in Bridgington. The city still has a good portion of gnomes - about 40% of the population - but humans from all over have resettled here to take advantage of the quiet region and fertile farmland. Goliaths and firbolgs from Dalkaria have also settled here, eager to move to a slightly warmer climate but still have a 'rugged' experience living in the highlands.
A good portion of the city is involved with the agricultural trade, with farmland and grazing fields stretching for several days' travel around the city proper. Trade and river travel is another major component of Bridgington's economy, with several shipyards and cartwrights to repair merchants' vehicles on their journeys. The volume of merchants - as well as the needs of a growing urban population - has also seen an uptick in hospitality, with inns and taverns sprouting up all over the city to cater to all different tastes. Another recently evolved and ever-increasing industry is brewing and distilling - particularly whiskey made from the unique barley that grows in the nearby highlands.
Government
The administration of Bridgington is handled largely by the Marka and the council in Forx, but there is a small local council to do a lot of the legwork and day-to-day tasks. The city holds elections every two years, sending three representatives to the Forx council and another seven that monitor Bridgington's various industries and areas. Each of these councilors represents a specific area such as city upkeep, ports, and agriculture - with candidates running based on experience and good reputation having worked in those areas most of their lives. Like Forx, Bridgington has a culture of appreciating work ethic and experience and tends to elect technocrats who are very knowledgeable about their specific aspect of the city's governance.
Defences
Because Bridgington's initial purpose was to stop or slow invasions coming from the east, it is a well-defended city to this day. The main parts of the city on either side of the river are walled, though in the last few decades of relative peace the city itself has expanded beyond these borders. The city maintains two fortifications slightly downriver - the furthest about a mile out - that can deploy chains to block ship traffic, though these have not been used in quite a while. Long-range ballista and arcane cannons adorn the city's walls nearest these two river forts, ready to back them up and take out ships that make it past.
Though the city has come under attack a few times throughout history, its impressive set of fortifications has helped it evade capture every time. Most recently, the city saw light fighting in the early days of the Everyn War before the nation of Riverford worked out a formal surrender agreement with the attackers. The walls stood strong against the siege weapons, and the city's defenders were able to take out several enemy units before they came near the walls. The exterior portions of the city were devastated, and Bridgington is still working to rebuild parts of that area, as well as repair the walls that sustained some damage.
Infrastructure
Bridgington has the appropriate level of advancement one might expect of a somewhat large trading hub. The streets are paved and well maintained in the city proper, but those in the outskirts leading to the various farms rely on those citizens paving and maintaining roads themselves. While the city does not have a full port, it does have extensive docks that run parallel to the riverbank, allowing dozens of ships to dock at once and enjoy the taverns and inns of the city for a night.
The city relies on the river for a good portion of its fresh water, but there are also several wells dug throughout the city that all more widespread access. Several businesses employ water mills to assist with their operations - mostly various grain millers, though some carpenters have used them to power saws for making wood planks, and one popular riverside tavern has created a rudimentary conveyor belt oven to assist with cooking dozens of pies and sandwiches more quickly.
History
The city of Bridgington was founded in 531 2A, as the people of Forx realized they needed to be better protected against the wars that constantly ravaged the rest of the region. To that end, they sent groups of settlers and builders to found a city downriver, on a narrow plain nestled in a gap between the highlands. The walls and fortifications were built up quickly, and Bridgington set out to protect the river and the trade road from any and all attacks.
For many years, the city operated essentially as a colony of Forx, with an executive magistrate appointed by the Marka. In 565, the city had grown and was becoming an important player in the regional trade. Among popular uprisings, the magistrate petitioned the Marka and Forx's council to grant some autonomy to Bridgington. From that time onward, the citizens of Bridgington have been able to elect their own council that handles the minutiae of running a city but answers to the authorities in Forx for matters of law and policy.
The city's original purpose of defending against invasion was not tested until the tenth century, despite the constant wars that raged throughout the region between the handful of other nations and city-states. As the Dumein Dominion began their massive attempt to conquer and reclaim land, they began to look up the Mercer River to the fertile plains nestled near the mountains. A combined infantry and small river navy was sent to harass Riverford and try to take over Bridgington if they were able. Bridgington was able to deploy its river chains, blocking the ships from advancing, and they used their system of smoke signals and arcane messaging to alert Forx to the invasion.
Forx was quick to assemble their own small river navy, which was sent down the Mercer to combat the Dominion forces. Between the river fortifications and the arrival of the navy, the Dominion maritime force was quickly routed, and the remaining ships fled back downriver. Without naval support, the encroaching army no longer felt confident in taking Bridgington, and they also sounded the retreat back to their homeland.
Bridgington served as advanced warning and invasion slower several other times over the next few centuries, though the regional wars died down about a century ago. In that time, Bridgington continued to grow and flourish - even expanding past the much-expanded perimeter walls that were thought to be generous enough for all future growth. The arable land surrounding the city, extending into the highlands, was too irresistible for people looking to resettle, and the population soon passed 15,000.
The city was still growing when the Everyn War began and threatened to really test the city's capability. The council in Forx had seen the war coming and was still deciding how they would respond when it came to their doorstep. Unfortunately, a siege force showed up at Bridgington before they were able to come to a decision. The fighting lasted around two weeks, with the city's walls being pelted almost daily and the defenders giving as good as they got. The fighting forced the council to speed up their deliberations, and their final conclusion was to seek peace with the Dominion and try to bargain for some amount of autonomy after being annexed.
The people of Bridgington were understandably upset by this sudden desire to roll over for the attackers, who had devastated parts of the city and caused a great deal of suffering. This resentment was somewhat lessened when the new Federation brought wagons of gold to Bridgington to help rebuild and atone for the damage caused by the short siege. There is still a small portion of Bridgington's populace that harbors hatred for the Federation and vows to find a way to take them down, but it is a very small group that mostly meets in secret and has yet to act on their animosity.
Architecture
The original style of most buildings in Bridgington - which has mostly disappeared except in some neighborhoods outside the city walls - could be described as rustic and somewhat basic. This style features predominately wood construction with thatch roofing and minimal to no adornments. Over time, as the city grew and became more prosperous, more and more houses began to use stone in their construction or renovation, and wooden roofs were introduced as well. Houses began to be painted and feature more windows or decorative elements. This is still the style today in most of the city.
The more elaborate buildings in town have a different style from that described above. The houses of the nobility or wealthy families tend to be similar to Tudor style, with a combination of brick/stone and wood construction. The timber portion is latticed or laid in other intricate patterns, indicating the level of craftsmanship the family were able to hire to build the house. The temples and larger government buildings tend to be similar to Neoclassical in their style, though perhaps not as large as many buildings of that style tend to be.
Geography
The city of Bridgington is situated in a unique geographic location where several different biomes or areas meet. Its immediate surroundings are on a plain flanking the Mercer River, making for incredibly fertile and arable land. A score or two miles on either side of the river, the terrain begins to rise and transform into a highlands, which is less suited to general farming and more suited to pasture grazing or growing specific crops. These highlands are known for their specific type of barley, which is primarily used to create unique whiskeys in the region, as well as unique types of trees that are only native to the highlands.
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