Southgate

Southgate 826wk

History

Southgate has existed in various forms since 1000AP and has long been a key town on the major inland trade route between Ranke and Carzala. The town grew from a village to small town and into what is now a medium sized inland town.

Current view Winter 826wk

Currently as of 826wk there is a substantial army of church knights around Southgate and there are established military camps for the 4 main Church of the Western Kingdom miliary orders – the Michaelines (some 5000 troops), the Raphaelites (some 3000 troops), the Urielites (some 2000 troops) and the Gabrielites (some 1000 troops). There was originally around 20,000 troops but a number have 'been called home' or simply deserted over the years. These troops were called up during the war against the Dark Circle in 805wk and haven’t disbanded as there is nowhere to go and the men are slowly deserting. The Urielite Suffragan Bishop, the Right Reverend Sainte-Marie de Chignac is nominally in charge of these troops.

The local situation is worsening and food becoming scarce as the troops take all available food and sometimes more – Southgate is a powder keg closer to exploding unless something can be done about the army of church knights here.

Population

The Town has a population of around 5,000

Geography

Southgate is a medium size town situated on the northern bank on the Rapalyt River where it flows down from the 3 great lakes in the east of Ranke and wends its way northwards to town of Labruguierre and from there to Fort Flowing on the Bay of Rankene.
The town is a major trading hub for the inland flow of goods from Duchy of Ranke and Archbishopric of Mordeaux, down towards the very prosperous Duchy of Carzala to the south along the inland roads.
The town has grown around the river on the northern side and there is a substantial fortified stone bridge (with customs station) across the wide (some 500ft across) Rapalyt River where the roads wend south towards Carzala.
The town is heavily fortified due to its prominence as a border town as well as a hub of trade.

Features

There is a large Urielite abbey, in the Eastern end of the town on a small hill, run by Abbess Jules Debois who is known for her stern judgement as well as a pragmatic nature when concerning politics.

Substantial peat marshes in and around Southgate (to the south and east) yield up the city’s dominant fuel and Southgate’s peat fires are also used to distill a malted grain alcoholic beverage known as Grotyr (an acquired taste). Local customs mostly involve the river but the most notable is an autumn festival, now tied to Sabellina, when the faithful make harvest offerings to the river.

Inhabitants

• Prior Jules Debois - the Urielite Abbess of Southgate.
• The Urielite Suffragan Bishop, the Right Reverend Sainte-Marie de Chignac (or, informally, Lady Grace), currently based in Southgate

The city itself

Southgate town as of 826wk

More to follow ...