Bornheim

This large natural port on the western shore of the Isaurus Ocean has over its life been home to many different settlements - currently it is a Free City within the Kingdom of Dakar. Lord Donat Lange, Baron of Pollhof was selected by Queen Aurora in 442 AH as her Lord Marshall.

Bornheim is the most western city under Dakarian rule. It is geographically isolated from the rest of the country by the Elfenwald and Fuldelf Ridge forming the Rakarian Valley. Because of this, Bornhiem is often on its own in many ways. The city is home to many people from distant lands, and it is one of the larger cities in the Northern Realms.

• Name: Free City of Bornheim
• Location: Kingdom of Dakar, Duchy of Haibach

  • Founded: dakarians 213 AH
• Holder: xxx
• Liege: Queen Aurora I of the Kingdom of Dakar
• Etymology: Bornheimer
• Land Area: 1,300 km² (320,000 acres)

  • Woods: xxx acres (xx km²)
  • Cleared: xxx acres (xx km²), xxx acres cultivated
  • Tenant:
  • Demesne:
• Population: 26,000

  • Ethnicity: Human (18,000), Dwarf (3,000), Hashan (2,500), Elf (2,000), Other (500)
• Military:

  • 12 Queen's Guard, Baron Lange
  • 6, Captain of the Tower
  • 13, Old Town, Constable xxx
  • 12, Market District, Constable xxx
  • 10, North Town, Constable xxx
  • 12, Warehouse, Constable xxx
  • 10, Six Glories, Constable xxx
  • 14, Low Mount, Constable xxx
  • 15, High Mount, Constable xxx
  • 6, Elven Quarter, Constable xxx
  • 20 Light Foot (3 companies of 10 men)
  • 10 Heavy Foot (3 companies of 10 men)
  • 20 Archers (1 company)
  • 10 Calvary (1 company)
  • 10 Knights (1 company)
  • 30 Marines/Sailors
  • 10 Skirmishers/Huntsmen

The name Bornheim, Home on the Borulli, comes from the Hashan name of the bay (Borulli Bay) where the town was originally settled. The city has several nicknames, like “The Storm Shield” or “Feuerwasser”. The second name owes to the fact that so much of the city is stone and the wood timbers use are so wet that the water of the bay would burn before the city.

The people that live within are known as Bornheimers; although this name can also be extended to any Dakarian who lives within the Chartered Lands of Bornheim.

Bornheim's natural port has long attracted settlements. Before the humans came to the land, the Hashan had a small fort on the southern area of the port.

The first major human settlement at this natural harbor were the ruenlak_people who controlled this land from 823-1092 AE, before they were conquered by various human tribes coming south through the Iron Mountains. The area changed hands several times as one tribe or another conquered the land, until the Kingdom of Mladovo secured its control over the harbor in 1603 AE. The Mladovians built a large stone fort on the nearby bluff and extended a wall down to the waterfront. They named the city Heimmelstang and held unto the city until a civil war in 1955 ae destroyed the kingdom. Heimmelstang was sacked and burned by orcs in 91 AH.

In 143 AH, the Hashan of Jugalii landed at the harbor and established a trading post on the southern shore of the harbor called Borulli. They quickly established trading agreements with the elves of Ellendar, the dwarves of the Iron Mountains, and several of the human settlements in the area. Over the next decades the trading post grew quickly as many nearby human communities abandoned their villages and moved into the remains of Heimmelstang.

By 213 AH, the dakarians greatly outnumbered the Hashan and renamed the port town as the city of Bornheim. Born is the name of the prominent rock spur that marks the southern edge of the bay. Human settlers started to move into the northern area of the port, and over the years, the Hashan found themselves surrounded by human buildings.

The city is founded on an unusual deep water bay. The north edge of the bay is protected by a large spur of land that extends southwest along the bay, while the south is protected by the large bluffs. This makes the bay protected from both natural disasters and invasion.

The high bluffs along the southern shore are shielded by a mountainous ridge that extends from the western shore almost 2 miles to the east. Bornheim has constructed a heavily reinforced wall supported by towers along the peak of the ridge. This gives the city the ability to command the plains to the south.

Two rivers empty into the bay. The Zaber River is the larger of the two and runs outside the northern wall. This river is not navigable near the city due to the constant rapids caused by the elevation drop as it runs to the bay.

The Doursse River is smaller and shallower than the Zaber and is navigable along its length east of the town by shallow draft craft. The river flows through the city itself under a fortified gatehouse (see River Gate). Inside the town are covered bridges five covered stone bridges dedicated to Karash, which creates five small waterfalls. Where the river falls into the bay is the Grand Temple of Karash. The temple sits on the very western edge of the bluff which the river cascades down 30 feet into the bay.

Bornheim, and the surrounding lands, was granted the title “Royal Free City” under a treaty with Ellendar and the Jugalii in 83 AH. The charter claims the cliff that juts out from the southern shore of the bay as Royal Lands, but the rest of the lands were granted to city.

Each ward within the city elects 1 alderman to the city council. The only people that can vote for an alderman are councilmen that serve within that ward. The alderman will select one of their own to serve as Lord Mayor of Bornheim.

To serve as either an alderman or councilman a man must be a human that owns land within the city and has sworn an oath of fealty to the Crown of Dakar. This is distinct from other oaths of fealty within the Kingdom of Dakar that is sworn upon the liege.

Main Article: Districts of Bornheim

The city is divided into 7 Wards, which are further divided into 23 districts. In addition there are three independent districts that have a local council, but can not select an alderman.

To be declared a citizen of the town a person must be human and own land within the boundaries of the city's charter. All citizens are levied a tax upon their lands as well as provide for the defense of the land. Rather than serve in the militia many citizens either have a physically fit male human (often a relative) serve in their stead or pay a fee in goods or coin.

The benefit of citizenship is that a citizen may stand before the judiciary as an equal with any other citizen regardless of their class or rank. A male citizen must vote when the called upon if they are within the boundaries of the charter and less than an “hour's walk” from their land.

The majority of the population within the charter are not citizens. These people are include non-humans, travelling merchants, vagabonds, serfs, villeins, or those who chose not to swear fealty to the crown. While they cannot hold land or vote in elections, there are plenty of citizens who serve as little more than pro tempore for these non-citizens.

A citizen is not a subject of the crown. Within the boundaries of the charter they have the rights afforded to them by the laws of Bornheim. Outside of the border they are not subjects of the Kingdom of Dakar and thus cannot call upon its justice. Instead they are afforded the same rights and responsibilities given to foreign freemen.

The Lord Mayor of Bornheim is selected by the aldermen of the city council on a yearly basis. The qualifications for selection is that he is a citizen of Bornheim and cannot be currently serving as either an alderman or owe oaths of fealty to foreigners.

The Lord Marshall is the Crown's representative within the city and is a full member of the city council. He oversees the lands held by Crown and leads the soldiers of the Crown that are within the city's borders. By tradition the Order of the Orkan are stationed at the Sturmwall (Palace of Bornheim).

Main Article: Karash, temple_of_light

Karash is the patron god of this city since its founding. He was worshiped by the Mladovoians as the Storm King whose hands cupped the endless seas. When the Dakarians and the Temple of Light settled in this area the Mladovoians Storm King became Karash.

The Temple of Light is the accepted religion with the worship of Karash particularly strong among the local populace. Given its transient population the worship of other gods is tolerated, just not open worship. It is generally allowable to display a holy symbol or celebrate different holy days, but any attempt to construct a temple or public shrine has been stopped.

Bornheim is one of the largest cities on the western shores of Miran. Large amounts of foreign goods are not only imported, but several goods and materials are exported as well. The Kup River, which flows through this area, deposits small amounts of these minerals upon its banks giving rise to pottery exports.

The lands surrounding Bornheim is rich in timber, fish, and nuts. In addition there are large lead, zinc, silver, gold, and copper deposits north of the city.

South of the city is a large estuary formed by two rivers that join near the coastline. The lands along the estuary and rivers comprise some of the richest farmland near Bornheim. These lands account for nearly 90% of the grain and vegetables that is sold in the city. This dependence moved the aldermen in 289 AH to build a strong keep (see Warnack Keep below) and several watchtowers to protect the area.

One of the largest trading ports in the Western Realms, Bornheim's navy works closely with the elves to ensure that Xian can not interfere in the trading vessels that move along the coast. This makes Bornheim one of the safest ports for merchant vessels north of the Serpente Sea. The large port and protected coastline has drawn merchants over the decades since the town was founded.

The city of Bornheim is so important to trade in Western Dakar than the main trade route is named after the city (Bornheim Trade Route). While the route is dangerous as it passes through the Elfenwald and uninhabited areas of the Great Grenrikken Forest large caravans gather several times a year to travel between Bornheim and Ulrichstein.

Pottery, silk, furs, spices, cloth, and various goods all flow through Bornehim into Dakar and the other nations of the Realms. The dangerously unpredictable nature of the Black River makes it profitable for merchants to ship goods through Bornheim on their way to Republic of Irill. Tariffs and taxes upon these goods has made the coffers of the city bulge with wealth.

Main Article: Borulli

The Jugalii of the Hashan had a trading settlement on this land years before the humans once again reclaimed the territory. This settlement still stands and after years of negotiations a treaty between the Jugalii and the men of Bornheim resulted in the settlement standing as an independent town, but paying a tribute to Bornheim for protection.

The trade agreements the Hashan have with Ellendar, Stoneheart Hold, and many of the smaller human settlements allow them to transship goods without paying taxes to the coffers of Bornheim. The Jalli family, which runs the settlement, keeps the number of goods that move tax-free to a minimum so as not to give the men of Bornheim a reason to denounce the treaty. They also ensure that many of the most prominent men of Bornheim receive “gifts of appreciation” during hashan “holidays” during the year.

• List of Cities in Dakar