Districts of Bornheim

The city of Bornheim is divided into 7 Wards, which are further divided into 23 districts. Each Ward has its own council to handle small local issues. In addition, each ward may elect a single Alderman to serve on the City Council.

There are three independent districts that have a local council, but can not select an alderman.

This ward is located just inside of the southern wall that runs along the top of the Fuldelf Ridge. The only way to reach the Palace District is via the main thoroughfare that runs through this ward. The ward contains only a single district; although its Alderman wields significant power in the council.

This district encompasses the entirety of its ward. It extends north nearly halfway to the cliff. This district is the only one that can claim it sits on equal footing as the Palace District. While this is a Free City there are many royalists that own land in this town. These are the most expensive houses that for rent, or if they are very wealthy buy, within Bornheim.

This ward is built along the northern escarpment of the Fuldelf Ridge. Located below High Mount, it is considered a wealthy district of merchants and master craftsmen as most of the land is ill-suited for gardens except in raised boxes. Most of the houses are built along terraces that were carved out of the stone and leveled, which did not start until 398 AH.

On the lands bordering both the Palace and High Mount sits Baymont; although due to the cliffs people cannot enter either district from this area. The only way to enter this district is across the Glorreich Bridge or through Kreideschloss. The rocky and steep terrain of this district leave little room for a garden or chickens, so those living here have land elsewhere or are wealthy foreigners. The cliff face along the bay rises from 20 meters at the north to over 35 meters in the south.

Centrally located in the ward, this district is named not only for the chalky stone of the ridge, but the white plaster that covers the brick buildings found here. This district serves as a crossroads between the wealthy and the rest of the city the two large central bridges of the glories. The nature and location of this district brings a large number of people through it, so it is not surprising that most of the buildings in the area are shop fronts catering to the wealthy and powerful of the city. Master Dressmakers, glazers, purse makers, perfumers, gold and silver smiths, jewelers, artists, and many others have their shops and homes in this district.

While it is easier for large wagons to go up the ridge roads in Tiefberg, there is a large labor house located at the top of Kreideschloss with several large blocks and tackle. These ropes allow the men to pull up even the heaviest wagon far quicker than using the narrow roads of Tiefberg.

The oldest district of the ward it sits on the most suitable land for housing. Unlike the brick and plaster houses of the other districts, most of the houses in this area fashioned from timber and stone. The stone used was quarried as the masons leveled the terraces to the west. These larger multi-family plots have been subdivided over the years until the neighborhoods more resemble a maze of blind alleys and narrow thoroughfares.

Before the completion of labor house in Kreideschloss, the only way to reach the palace was through the rising roads in Tiefberg. This is an easy route for horses, but as the houses increasingly encroached on the roads it became more difficult for larger wagons and carriages to use these roads. Currently the roads are only used by foot traffic, which allowed merchants to set-up carts and small shops along the roads.

This ward runs along the shoreline of the bay and contains all of the piers except for the single pier that the Elven District is allowed to maintain. This position gives the Alderman significant influence not for the wealth of the district, but due to his control over the dockworkers and ship hands that work (and occasionally) live here.

This district runs south to north along the shore of the bay. Large piers extend into the bay allowing merchant ships to dock or at least offload goods. Warehouses, Taverns, and Dockworking guilds are all built up along the most western edge of this district - as near to the bay as they can get. The Harbormaster has several houses in the northeast of the district where the bay and its watchtowers can easily be located.

There are goods sold in nearly every inch of this ward, but only the small market district on the most western stretch of the ward is actually allowed to have permanent merchants. This does not stop merchants elsewhere, but that matters little to the people that work here. It is well known in the city that most of what is sold in these shops is simply a front for illegal goods. Any ward constable not on the take will not survive a week in the job as “accidents” have been known to happen. This is not a district for the good people of Bornheim, but it is a necessary one.

The most northern stretch of the ward is the Fishtown district. The land and bay are not suitable for larger ships, so instead a few small anchored piers serve the fishermen who have not purchased the right to pull their boats to shore. The district does not have a charter from the city to operate a market, but instead each of the fishermen use two-wheeled carts to hawk their catch.

==== Ward

The poorest of the poor eventually find there way here. The worst areas of this district are the roads nearest the warehouse district where sailors are often “impressed” by captains and bodies are dumped. The areas to the north and east are generally kept clean and the houses maintained. Still, it is not a place that proper people go unless they wish to engage in improper behavior.

When the snows melt and the spring rain comes the north wall would weaken from the Zaber River overflowings its banks. To fix this problem a series of sluice gates were cut in north wall that allow the water to flow through channels cut into North Town and into the storm sewers. After the spring floods recede the fetid water, muck and carcasses left behind begin to rot lending this district a distinct smell.

=== Greenacre

Bornheim not only has a permanent market, but in fact several streets of people hawking goods. There are streets dedicated to fabrics, gemstones, gold and silver smiths, tanners, dyers, coopers, leatherworkers, purse makers, clothiers, and several others. Just about anything sold anywhere in Dakar can also be bought in this market. The main market is so crowded that two other markets have been constructed just to allow foreign merchants to seal their goods.

The largest district has been destroyed and rebuilt hundreds of time in its past. This is the site of the original settlement by the first humans to settle here. It was the town of the Mladovians; although few signs of it remain. A warren of twisting roads that are just barely large enough for a hand cart it can feel oppressive walking between the large houses that have been built straight up to the edge.

These land within this district is owned by the Crown. The alderman of this district, by tradition, is the Lord Marshall who was selected by the Crown to administrator their lands within Bornheim. The palace that is built in this district sits on the site of the original fortress built by the Mldavoians. There are thick stone walls surrounding this district and the only way in is through a fortified gatehouse that sits between the Palace District and High Mount.

Only subjects of the Kingdom of Dakar are allowed to rent the few houses and apartments that have been built in this district. Foreign Dignitaries can spend several weeks as a guest but they cannot control property.

Although this district is the smallest of the nine it does have its own dock jutting into the bay. A strong, but very decorative, stone wall marks the border. Inside this border is an enclave of elves. The elves have been given special rights to maintain their own laws within their district as long as none of them run counter to the laws of Bornheim. Even though that is true this district still has a Citizen Constable as elves cannot purchase land within the charter.

Truly a wonder for both the eyes and ears. Built with the expertise of both human and dwarf, this strip of land extends from the River Gate to the east to the Temple of Illuminous Kaskade. Along this route runs the Doursse River until it becomes a waterfall that empties into the bay. The district is named for the six bridges that sit astride the river, providing not only a bridge to cross, but a place to glorify Karash. The river itself runs in a stone-lined canal its full length inside the city.

Each of the bridges as a controlled gate that allows the city to keep the canal full during dry seasons and stops the rainy season from over-flowing its banks. These gates were fashioned by some of the finest dwarven masons and pilgrims come from across the realms to walk the steps, listen to the morning bells, and wash themselves in the cleansing pools. The last temple is dedicated the the city's patron god, Karash and where the water falls into the bay is a 50 foot statue of Karash carved into the cliff with his chest and head rising above the town.