Trigo (tree-goh)

The city of Trigo sits in the center of Oestbernia's heartland. It started out as a small crossroads inn for merchants heading between the capital of Castillon and lands to the south, such as the Toldrun See. Over time, the single inn and its supporting buildings grew into a city that is home to over 10,000 people, with most of the growth coming in the last few centuries as well and groundwater extraction technologies became more advanced (since there is no river or lake nearby). The original inn still exists in the center of the city, preserved by generations of the first settling family, and it is a favorite haunt of historians and travelers for its unique history.
The original settlers that set up the inn and a few other buildings to support merchant caravans came from Castillon and had been merchants for several decades leading up to that point. The central location of Trigo attracted dwarves from the See (formerly known as Forgsberg), elves from Crann Riocht, and all manner of other peoples from The Dale and Skerritt. All of these peoples and more are still present in the city, making it a diverse area and giving it a unique mixed culture.
The city itself is sprawling, dominating much of the horizon on the slightly hilly plains. The city proper is surrounded by a stone wall that can be seen from several miles away, with many spires and taller buildings peeking over the perimeter. Surrounding the city, radiating in all directions, are a number of neighborhoods that are either suburban or even rural. Some of these outlying neighborhoods have their own wooden palisades or walls, providing extra security since they are outside the central wall's protective area.

Demographics

Trigo is a very diverse city, with all manner of races and peoples represented. The largest groups are humans (about 35%), halflings (20%), and dwarves (15%). The rest of the city is a mixed pot of elves, tieflings, gnomes, huundari, and even some gnolls and goblins that are more known for attacking the plains towns than living in them. There area a variety of industries and professions available to the people of the city, and it has grown to the point that support and construction for the citizens are large industries in their own right.
Economically, the city is stratified into a few different classes, with a small portion of impoverished beggars that one would expect in any city, all the way up to entrenched wealthy elites that live on vast estates on the outskirts of the city. Between are the basic laborers and working class, the merchant and shop owner middle class, and the minor nobles that own several businesses in the city.

Government

Every five years, the people of Trigo elect their local government at the same time they elect their representatives for the National Council. This local government consists of a Mayor and his Council of five members representing different segments of Trigovian society. The council and mayor are responsible for debating new policies and laws for the city, then voting on which ones to pass. They also appoint the various judges that serve on the various courts throughout the city. These judges serve ten years at a time, unless there is public outcry to recall them, and can be re-elected as many times as people will allow, assuming they're doing a good job and deserve to stay in their positions.

Defences

The main part of the city proper is bounded by a thick stone wall, with watch towers every couple hundred yards. The city has grown to its limits, with buildings built resting against the outer walls between the watch towers. This perimeter also features four massive gate complexes, at each of the four cardinal directions, where the trade roads enter and exit the city for other settlements. In addition to the couple hundred Watch members, the city has a garrison of around 1,000 soldiers in its southeastern quadrant. These soldiers are often out on patrol through rural villages, hoping to spot gnolls or goblins before they are able to raid the small settlements. The gate houses above the four gates are each equipped with one arcane cannon, for enhanced protection from invasion or attack.

Infrastructure

Every street in the city proper is paved and well maintained. Some of these go up and down the hills of the city, though none are so steep as to impede roads or traffic working effectively. The four (or two, depending on how one interprets it) trade roads that enter the city meet in the central square near the original inn. The various outlying suburbs are mixed in their type of roads; some have paved roads while others maintain dirt roads between their area and the city's walls. The city's water supply comes from dozens of wells dug throughout the city, pulling from underground aquifers and lakes. Several of the outlying hamlets have windmills dotting their hills, powering all manner of milling and processing.

Architecture

There is a variety of architecture in the city of Trigo, though most of the housing is uniform. Since the population boom has happened in the last couple centuries, the city was able to plan for it and build blocks uniformly. Thus, the city resembles Barcelona when seen from a tower or the top of the wall: many blocks that look very similar and very tidy, organized in a grid pattern. These houses tend to be Georgian or Victorian style row homes, with a few larger corner units reserved for larger houses or businesses. The main government buildings and temples are a mix of styles, with some Neoclassical and some Baroque or even Rococo styles. The manors of the wealthy are typically built in a Georgian style of brick or stone, with numerous windows to let in plenty of natural light, though there are some that resemble Spanish or Italian villas.

Founding Date

502 2A

Type

City

Population

10,648

Inhabitant Demonym

Trigovians

Owning Organization

Oestbernia