Halle
Although the town of Halle is the largest settlement in Jorduashur and the main centre of Allnemark travelers from the civilized south would not be impressed. In the centre of the Halle is the Jarls longhouse, the largest woodenhall known to man. It is gilded and in the sunlight it shine bright and impressive. It is surrounded by a moat and woodenwall and the courtyard contains several minor halls for the Jarls warriors and wealth. Along the moat the severed heads of enemies and brigands are displayed, showing that they still follow the old traditions.
Defences
Surrounding Halle is a deep ditch also used as trash disposal. On the bottom of the dich is sharpened wooden sticks, large enough to impale anyone falling into the pit. A wooden wall at least 4 m high surrounds the settlement, with watchtowers distributed alongst it. There is a walkway on the inside where the defender can stand and fire a bow over the wall, while still being defended from the chest down.
The great hall is protected by a similar defensive ditch and wall and serves as the last protection of Halle and the rulers of Allnemark.
Industry & Trade
Halle is not a production centre, but should rather be seen as a combination of administrative, cultural and military centre of Allnemark. The people living inside Halle are representatives of different clans and families and they get deliveries from them of what they need to survive. And then they trade amongst the inhabitants with and for the goods.
But it is also a centre for the international trade for all of Jorduashur, even if it is far from as common as it is in the south. When a ship arrives it docks at a pier and the inhabitants go there to do their trade. Some have been pre decided and it is more or less a transfere of goods and gold, while other trade on the spot based on what goods the ship are loaded with.
Infrastructure
All roads are made of packed dirt and kept clean by the slaves. The houses are elongated roundhouses and often their small lot of land is walled. Either by a small pin fence or a stone and clay wall.
Districts
Great Hall: The great hall and its outhouses is a walled off district in Halle. It has gates and a defensive ditch just as the Town has. In the centre of the compound is the great hall in all its splendor. The buildig is made of timber and clay wall as all other houses, but they are gilded with a thin layer of gold. The stone roof is gilded as well and when the sun hits the hall it shines like a beacon. All major logs are ornatly crafted and painted to make them stand out.
Within the compound there are outhouses to contain resources needed to live a good life. There are many wariors on the walls and in the towers.
Harbour: Halle is built by the shores and had a very good natural harbour to begin with. Although it is a sand shore it gets deep very quickly. Today there is a wooden dock with outgoing piers for larger ships to dock at along all of the harbour inside the walls. It is well built as the Jori is very good at woodcraft, but when the winter storms hit they always have to repair it. Spread out along the dock there are large wooden statues of Elokhir were the Jori can leave a sacrifice.
Assets
The mead hall: Outside of the great hall compound there is a large mead hall where the prominent, but not prominent enough for the great hall, go to feast. There are a few sober warriors standing outside who are to keep order if it gets to rowdy. They also discourage weak southerners to go inside as the nights have a tendency to end in fights, and the rulers do not want a foreigner to die in the meadhall. The food and drink are free, but all attendants are expected to leave gifts for the meadhalls owner, the higher your honour the more you are expected to give. People who are cheap in their gifts and known for it are heckled by the bards until they loose their temper and leave, or fight.
The Storms shore: A recently built and opened tavern by the harbour. Although most foreigner sleep and stay on their ships during their stay a few want some entertainment. Bannoc Thierholm from Klomelien (the Jordi state) opened a southern tavern to accomadate them. He give gifts to the ruler to keep it opened and the ruler honour him by having two of his warriors keep the peace. On a normal evening there are a few sailors enjoying a very well brewed ale or wine. And they can pay with coins in a manner they recognise. Now and then there are curious Jordi who visit, and they get a stern talking to by the warriors by the door before allowed inside. Bannoc and his family runs the place with help from two slaves. Bannoc trades with both the ships and the Jordi for supplies, making the cuisine quite interesting.
Guilds and Factions
The church of the shining light: A small and political weak organisation which isn´t even inside the walls protection. But as long as they give gifts to the local Hiarl they will have his or her protection.
Architecture
The houses inside of Halle are of the same type. They are elongated longhouses and only have one floor. The hearth of the house are in the centre of the house and the wealth of the inhabitants decides how well made it is. The roofs are either thatched if the inhabitants are poor or wooden shingles if they ae rich. Only the real halls have stone shingles. The houses have their core made of wood and the walls are made of hayfilled clay. Each house have a small garden where they cultivate spices or some beets.
The halls are larger than ordinary houses and are more "ship"like in the form. Just as the houses they are made of wood with clay walls. The halls have small slits along the sides where defenders can poke spear and shoot arrows through.
Outhouses for food and storage often stand on stilts to make it harder for rodents and thieves to access them. They are made of wood and often a stair or ladder are the only way to access them.
Characters in Location