Burnside

Burnside is a large Northern Road industrial center that takes its name from the townsfolk's primary method for combating the aggressive regrowth of the encroaching Dreadwood Forest. Indeed, Burnsiders' embrace of all things fiery and combustible in the name of survival has made pyromania the defining characteristic of the town's society, culture, and economy.
Most notably, decades of exploring different ways to start fires have focused Burnside's trade economy around a unique offering - the science of pyrotechniks. Streams of sulfurous smoke issue forth day and night from stone-built workshops that harness the energies of pacted flame elementals to produce a range of fancifully named explosive devices. Whether they be called "Black Cats," Shooting Candles," or "Exploding Butterflies," the so-called "fyreworks" all share a few key characteristics - the ability to produce a concentrated amount of incandescent heat, often at a distance, and occasionally in different colors. Members of the fyreworks guilds are easily identified while walking through the streets of Burnside by their different colored guild hats, as well as the numerous burn scars and missing digits they display with pride.
The unceasing nature of Burnside's battle against the ever-evolving Dreadwood has also taught the townsfolks to appreciate the weaknesses of both mundane and magical fire and how to best employ the resources at their disposal. This means that a slow but steady stream of magical practitioners travel to Burnside, eager to employ their pyrokinetic powers to the fullest degree without censure or punishment. Cinderseers, embermages, reformed arsonists, firefists, lavamancers, elemental adepts, the odd Vardeyalean engineering student, pyrographers, and more have all spent stints working in the town's fire crews, sharing knowledge and honing their skills. While most view their time in town as a temporary pilgrimage-turned-finishing school, some end up settling in Burnside for good.
The Burnside Fire Department
The actual burning of the Dreadwood's tendrils is managed by the Burnside Fire Department, whose Fire Chief and Fire Marshalls directs the dispatch of traveling fire crews to combat the forest at various points along the Northern Road. The standard fire crew usually comprises six non-magical technicians schooled in multiple ways of lighting fires (they're handy with an axe as well), plus two magical practitioners; however, the Dreadwood's own tricks mean that the makeup of a fire crew can vary considerably. Post-burning clean-up is carried out by the guilds, who collect wood, charcoal, and other forest resources from the cleared areas. While the majority is used to fuel the fyreworks industry, a respectable amount is sold on to traders heading north to Chinle , the Blue Mines, and Mogwok.

Government

The town is controlled by a Mayor who is elected from a pool of candidates put forward by Burnside's four main neighborhoods. Candidates usually come from the guilds or are leaders of respected fire crews.

Defences

Although it is a larger town in the western interior reaches of the Azure Coast, Burnside does not technically have a dedicated town guard. In a pinch, however, the Fire Department can transform into a terrifyingly effective fighting force, turning skills usually reserved for clearing timber and fending off forest beasts towards the heating of metal and scorching of flesh.

Industry & Trade

"Business is burning!" This affirmative response and unofficial town slogan is frequently heard on the streets of Burnside, and concisely sums up the lifeblood of the town. Burnside exists to keep the Northern Road clear and fire is the best way to fight the everchanging nature of the Dreadwood Forest. Good and innovations that further this goal are always of interest, and the pyrotechnikal guilds turn out massive amounts of fyreworks, some of which are sold further afield as novelties. The guilds also conduct a lucrative trade in fuels, sending wood and charcoal off to the larger settlements in the north.

Tourism

At the height of summer, Burnside hosts the Fyre Festival, a four-day celebration of pyromania at its finest. Food and drink flow freely, traders from the Northern Road display their wares, and the guilds of Burnside show off their mastery of pyrotechniks.

Architecture

Unlike its sister settlement of Burle. located a few days south along the Northern Road, Burnside is decidedly not made of wood despite being located on the edge of the Dreadwood Forest. By a joint order of the Fire Chief and Mayor, flammable materials are kept to a minimum in Burnside's buildings, with stone walls and clay roof tiles helping to create the "smoky" aesthetic for which the town is famed.

Type

Large town

Population

8,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Burnsiders (respectful), Pyro (internal), Waxmen, Matchheads, Sideburns (Derogatory)

Related Tradition (Primary)

• The Fyre Festival