Strichten

Approximately nine days travel north of the Capitol City of Ardenholt is the town of Strichten. Often seen as the first major settlement one would come across when venturing in to the province of Nelheim, Strichten has been a staple in the regions development and interactions with the rest of the Kingdom. Trade is the cornerstone of everything in Strichten, and the resources found in the Copperpine Forest nearby have resulted in many centuries of prosperity for the town.

History of Strichten

In the year 303 AF, a period known as The Conflict of the North began, with the northern provinces disagreeing on whom the rightful heir to the throne was. At this time, Strichten was little more than a small village set upon a major route northwards, accommodating for travellers but not much else. One of the major families of the time was the Koskol family. With the conflict raging, Strichten was set to be directly in the middle of the fighting.
Despite being in the Province of Nelheim, Strichten has little ties to the old ways of the north. Thusly, it decided to take a more neutral stance in the war. Greatly influenced by the Koskol family, it became a middle-ground for the nobility of both Nelheim and the Valgard Highlands. The Conflict lasted around 50 years. Towards the end of the conflict, the Koskol family took a major role in seeking out peace between the warring nobility.
With boosted importance and recognition, Stichten began to blossom. The demands for lumber across the Kingdom after the northern war grew greatly, and Strichten was ripe to benefit. With the Copperpine Forest not far, lumber mills and smaller settlements quickly sprouted up around Strichten, which was fast growing in to a bustling town.
The official founding date is listed as 389 AF, coinciding with the Koskol family being formally recognised by the current monarch, King Lundis. The lands around Strichten were granted to the family, who have owned and ruled there to the modern day.

Local Government

Despite Strichten being the at the centre of the Koskol family estate, the family has very little to do with the everyday running of the town. This has been a trend for several generations, with the nobles instead spending their time away from Strichten in one of their country manors.
Instead, Strichten is run by a Town Council, made up of wealthy traders and guild leaders. These officials are elected from current Council members, although a degree of wealth and donations ae typical for securing votes. From amongst the Council, different positions will be handed out, such as Chancellor, Chief Justice and Treasurer. Where the Town Council is responsible for the running of Strichten, public services and the collection of taxes, it is done so with a preference for boosting the economy of the town, especially if it aids in the Councils own personal wealth or influence. Locals will often whisper in hushed tones about the corrupt deals made by members on the Council, but there is very little they can do to prevent it.

Law and Order

Like many settlements across Arden, Strichten maintains a small force of Town Guard. Reporting directly to the Town Council, the guard is responsible for keeping the peace, protection of the citizens and any arrests towards lawbreakers. They operate out of Koskol Manor, which has a small barracks meant for the nobility's personal guard. The Mansion itself has not been used by the Koskol family for centuries, and is mainly use for any travelling Nobles or influential members of the Kingdom.
With little say from the Lord of the town, laws and regulations are set by the Town Council. A large degree of influence for these comes from the Capitol City of Ardenholt, with its presence to the south keeping the law of the land fairly stable. Taxation can often be high, especially for travellers coming through Strichten. A number of local gangs are said to be employed by particular members of the Council, acting as street toughs where the Town Guard are either unavailable or unwilling to get their hands dirty.

Commerce

With its location found on a major trade route to the north of the Kingdom, Strichten enjoys a fair amount of wealth coming in to the town. Main exports include both lumber and leather, both readily available from the vast Copperpine Forest to the west. The forest is less than a days travel from the town, and a number of villages and communities exist on the borders to better harvest the resources for the town. Several guilds exist that bring structure and order to these operations, and have kept Strichten supplying a great amount of lumber and pelts to the rest of the Kingdom.
The Timberwright's Lodge is amongst the largest of these, specialising in harvesting lumber and carpentry. For leather and pelts that the many creatures of Copperpine provide, it is The Tannery Collective that have made a name for themselves, said to provide some of the best across Arden. A particularly famous Guild found within Strichten is The Spokesmen's Guild, who host some of the best wheelwrights of the land.
Other small guilds and merchants also exist within Strichten, specialising in goods such as fowl and venison and other natural resources that the surrounding landscape provides.

Religion

Perhaps not the most religious of places, Strichten still has a small community of worshippers of the Holy Light. Unlike most of Nelheim, it was quick to fall in to this new religion and shun hose that still followed the Old Ways. A single church is found within Strichten that regularly hosts religious practices. Known as the Hall of Divine Tithes, it is dedicated to the Guardian of the Light known as Delkata.
Alongside this, a small shrine exists near the market square. The Shrine of Twin Lanterns has been a tradition in Strichten for centuries, where two lanterns are kept alight around a small dish of water. The more superstitious peoples of the town believe that if these lanterns are ever extinguished at the same time, it is surely a bad omen.

Demographics

Human ~58%
Dwarf ~20%
Halfling ~15%
Elf ~5%
Other ~2%

Founding Date

389 AF

Type

Town

Population

~2,800

Owning Organization

The Kingdom of Arden

Locations

1. Koskol Manor
2. Strichten Town Hall
3. Tradebinder's Hall
4. Highroad Stables
5. Copperhoof Stables
6. Hall of Divine Tithes
7. Shrine of the Twin Lanterns
8. The Lumberjack's Respite - Inn
9. The Gilded Stag - Inn
10. The Dusty Boot - Inn
11. The Merchant's Pack
12. The Iron Anvil

Points of Interest‌

a. Strichten Market
b. Hollowstone Cemetary