Lectern

"Lamps fill the night with a slithering hiss and a ghostly green. The heart of the gas must never be seen, For those of Lectern hope you'll never hear, What thing it is they truly fear."- Fjord Riverbridge, The Streets of Lectern

Demographics

Species:

Human 70%

Half-Elf 15%

Halfling 8%

Other 7%

(Tieflings are prohibited) Classes

Upper Class/Gentry/Nobles 10%

Middle Class 60 %

Lower Class/Poor/Peasantry 30%

Professions

Clergy 35%

Engineers 30%

Artisans 15%

Traders 15%

Other 5%

Government

The Duchy of Lectern (referring to the town and surrounding territory - including the swamp) belongs to Duke Vance Scaligeri. The Duke rules the small town of Lectern, presiding over legal and business matters. Anything falling under the jurisdiction of the town's Church is handled by the Chorus.

Defences

The Voices of the Chorus (A.K.A. Chorus-men) keep the small town safe from crime or invasion. These elite guards wear black armor and cloaks of raven feathers. They have a low tolerance of blasphemy and the arcane (which they believe to be abhorrent).

Industry & Trade

Lectern is home to glassblowers, iron mongers, (non-magical) alchemists, physicians, and - predominantly - clergymen, priests, priestesses, monks, and almost every kind of divine.

Infrastructure

Unlike other Chardovian towns of similar size, Lectern has an advanced and robust infrastructure. This is - in part - due to it's bustling trade and innovation. The entire town is lit by gas lamps and several houses in the Matronscrest have gas heating.

Assets

Lectern sits on top of a vast natural gas deposit. This is the town's major export (canisters of Lectern Gas). This resource has been shipped all over Chardovia to bring street lighting to cities like Neverwinter, Waterdeep, Calagore, and towns like Sobek and Airdale. Lectern Gas has also been used in airships.

The value of this resource has enriched several citizens of Lectern - creating a new upper class.

The town is also known for it's religious institutions. Many novice holy men and women make the pilgrimage to Lectern to study under the Matrons of the Chorus.

The Lectern Morgue has also garnered the town some infamy. Here the dead (after being subjected to the ceremonies of the Chorus) are cleaned and prepared for preservation. Cadavers, skeletons, body parts, and other byproducts are shipped to alchemists, physikers, and medical practitioners all over Chardovia.