Bezélan Minor ([bez'eɪ'læn maInɔː])
When the population of the Capital burgeoned, forcing many citizens to sleep and live on its once-pristine streets, Bezélan Minor was constructed. A bridge was built to the East, over the water where the Aszilousii River met the Blànousii River and flows into Lake Paxeux. This connected it - physically at least - to Bezélan itself, which would end up being referred to as Major by residents of Minor.
Sadly, for its people - dubbed the "Minoritans", it was those forced onto the streets that were annexed in Bezélan Minor. With its detachment from the main Capital, Bezélan Minor became the poor person’s district.
It This Not "Part" of Bezélan?
This information has been purposefully kept separate to Bezélan as it had been hoped by the ruler of the time that it would become a separate town, allowing them to be disassociated from the "types" that frequented Minor. As the district only shares the wall design and the only central funds spent being paying the governor and the guards, it was never really considered "part" of the Capital, despite its name.Demographics
While it was true that the poor and marginalised wound up being resident in Bezélan Minor, it was not simply one type of person that found themselves annexed from Bezélan "Major". As many had originally journeyed to the Capital with dreams, only to find themselves in Uranbé-Kur or Ragged Row, their reward was nightmares. Thus Bezélan Minor was, in large part, people from the surrounding regions, including Kyadii from the North and South who had either been exiled or chosen to walk their own path, not a few Elelupii who had hoped to start businesses but did not wish to return to The Verdant Hills - Bevérohii in shame, and various races and ages from some of the remote camps within Qal'ath's territory.
Who Was Not in Minor?
Aside from the wealthy, other people you would be hard-pressed to find would be:- Woodsmen
- Immigrants from the Queendom of Shevezz or
- People from from the Byanté Alliance across the Grànousii-an-Ormàszil Ocean.
Government
Bezélan Minor was ruled by a Governor, appointed by the King or Queen of the time, but was rarely overseen or assessed by the ruler. This led to rules and unofficial laws being policed in the district and encouraged a string of self-serving Governors who ruled by an iron fist on the one hand or complete indifference on the other, rather than in the interests of its people.
Defences
Although Minor was an off-shoot of Bezélan, it was not built as securely as the Capital itself. That said, there were some similarities.
Walls
The walls were built with the same solid, white stone that the original city had been constructed with. This stone came from Crescent Cliffs - at least the portion attributable to the Realm of Qal'ath. As despite it being neglected pretty much since its construction, its foundations were strong.Guard Towers
While the guard towers in the Capital were usually built into the walls, those found in Bezélan Minor were usually thrown together with scraps of wood. However, as the guards were in the employ of the Governor or directly a Warden from Bezélan, they were always strong enough to ensure it did not collapse. Regardless, their function as an eastern shield to the Capital, the towers were essential for scouting and scouring the surrounding lands for anything unusual. They were also used to make sure no buildings were destroyed when fighting broke out between its inhabitants.Infrastructure
Unlike Ragged Row, Bezélan Minor was, physically speaking, almost as well-built as Bezélan itself. The fact that any invasion could be made on the Capital proper by way of the link between Major and Minor ensured that it provided a shield, or early-warning system to the main city.
Roads
While many of the side roads and residential streets were a combination of mud and stones (as found in Ragged Row) the main throughfares, ways to the guard towers and the Governer's home were made of white stone to enable swift and easy travel through Minor.Assets
By design, Bezélan Minor did not have many assets.
Comments