Newbridge

Town in Ione

As the name suggests, Newbridge is the newest town in Ione that was created when Alarch Ceredig Snyder deemed Anderselt an improper location for the creation of a bridge across the Jhio River. Newbridge’s recent creation has also resulted in it having the lowest population of the major settlements within Ione, though the newer buildings and a riverside location has resulted in the town’s population growing quicker than most towns. Despite the bridge construction, another towering gatehouse was not constructed to control access and thus many people including the current Eparch see it as a potential weakness that must be resolved soon.

Demographics

Newbridge has a recorded population of 806 individuals all of which are human and most of whom originated in Arnsrath. Following the direction of the Alarch, only the human population of the city is recorded so it is likely that the population may be slightly higher than reported.

Government

Newbridge is governed by theocratic rule similar to all settlements within Ione and the municipal government is controlled by an Eparch who is appointed through Cionecic's Divine Selection. The Eparch reports to the provincial representative, the Exarch, who resides in Ornamen as it is the provincial capital of Wol.

Industry & Trade

Newbridge was primarily built as the location for a structure that the settlement would manage, similar to Ardarre, and though a gatehouse exists, it is far from towering gatehouse that Ardarre manages. Other smaller industry exists such as some minor fishing and farming, but it allows the town to mostly sustain itself. Artists looking to make use of the drift glass the arrives in the Jhio River from Jewel Lake frequently come to Newbridge as their is some remaining marble that can be used in their artistic creations.

History

As the name suggests, Newbridge is one of the news large settlements to be founded in Ione, being only 123 years old in a nation that has existed for almost 2,000. It was the resolution to a concern that was originially brought up very early in the Time of Trials. Anderselt has a well defended position but is locked in a place that prevents movement both north due to Sanctum Forest and west due to the Jhio River and thus the early leadership of the town desired a bridge to be built across. Alarch Ceredig Snyder prevented the creation of the bridge in Anderselt in 610 during the stone reconstruction of the Sanctum Forest palisade and suggested that the bridge be constructed further down the river to prevent potential interference in the trials, though due to the Clandestine Growth Directive preventing new settlements from forming this was put on hold. Alarch Baldethiva Carver made the decision to extend the border wall and while she did state that a bridge acorss the Jhio River was planned it never came under construction during her rule as she was focused on protecting land access before opening a new entryway into Ione. Anderselt continued to push to be the location for the bridge but Alarch Peohthelm Palmer mirrored the decision made by Alarch Ceredig Snyder suggested a new location. The location of the bridge was selected to be at the halfway point between the town of Anderselt and the city of Ornamen. The construction of the bridge brought a large number of stonemasons and labourers with their families from Arnsrath, a quarry town in Meidem, that formed the base of the population of the town, which then attracted additional families. Despite the trade increase, the creation of the the bridge also allowed another opening into Ione, though another towering gatehouse was never created with the bridge during its initial creation and is the focus of the current Eparch, Delwyn Cynred, as many of the citizen are concerned that a weakness has been created through the introduction of the bridge without the security brought by including a Towering Gatehouse.

Points of interest

[Jhio Bridge Crossing] - A large bridge that connects Ione to the region on the other side of the Jhio river. Primarily used for traders that do no have access to boats to traverse the river.

Architecture

Aside from Arnsrath, Newbridge is the only city whose first construction was made from marble, and the only city who incorporated the gothic Ionean style into their buildings from the start. As a result most of the city centre buildings, feature pointed arches, rib vaults, detailed columns, flying butresses, and noteworthy towers and spires, especially on the bridge itself. Moving further from the city centre and public spaces into residential areas results in much simpler architecture, though still finely crafted from marble.