Nerosyan

Nerosyan

(City)

Titles

Diamond of the North

Nation

Mendev

Size

Metropolis

Population

64,700

Demographics

62,000 humans, 1,000 aiuvarins, 500 dwarves, 500 halflings, 700 other

Alignment

Lawful good

Adjective

Nerosyan

Ruler

Chancellor Irahai

Images of Nerosyan

Source: Siege of the Diamond City, pg(s). 47 (1E)
Rival Academies, pg(s). 12–13 (2E)

The capital of the former crusader state of Mendev, Nerosyan was designed first and foremost as a defensive fortification to support the Mendevian Crusades and hold back the endless demonic hordes that once emerged from the since-closed Worldwound.

Geography

Nerosyan is located at a valuable strategic location, guarding the junction where the Egelsee River flows into the northernmost branch of the West Sellen River. The Egelsee is additionally important in that it provides the city with its only reliably source of pure drinking water; the West Sellen's flow comes too close to the corruptive influence of the Worldwound. The buildings outside the city wall have all been burned down by demonic forces.

Districts

The city is divided into four distinct districts:

• Battle District
• Egelsee District
• Confluence District
• Woundward District

Defensive fortifications

The city is laid out in a diamond pattern between the two rivers in order to maximize their defensive potential. The 20-foot-thick outer walls are topped with crenelations and dozens of towers, ensuring that the defenders can pour fire into any attacking force. The top of the walls are covered in sloped roofs cut with arrow slits, which allow the defenders to ward off flying horrors.

The Cruciform Cathedral is located at the city's center, and the wide, straight avenues and inner walls allow defenders to easily sally out to any part of the city.

Sites of interest

The Academy of the Reclamation in Nerosyan.

See also: Category:Nerosyan/Locations

• Academy of the Reclamation: Sarkorian Reclaimers transformed the vacated facilities once used by Mendevian Crusaders in western Nerosyan into an institution of collecting, learning, and preserving Sarkorian knowledge.
• Ancuin's Brewery: This brewery's beverages were a favorite of Mendevian Crusaders for more than a century.
• Battle Tower: The northernmost point of the city and the most heavily-fortified structure.
• Confluence Tower: Designed to protect the city from attacks from the rivers. It also shelters Crusader's Quay where several military craft are docked.
• Cruciform Cathedral: A grand cathedral of Iomedae and a site of pilgrimage for her worshipers. Roads in the city are designed to allow those leaving the cathedral to quickly reach any part of the rest of the city.
• Egelsee Tower: A staging area for crusader cavalry.
• Fire Circle District: This neighborhood of refugees from Sarkoris along the city's western wall hosts shops, restaurants, and lodging in traditional Sarkorian cultural styles.
• Hank the Alerunner's Hideout: This east-side tavern contains many relics of the city's former past as a haven of river piracy.
• Mendevian Delegation Forum: A compound of buildings in the city's northern end serves as the capitol of Chancellor Irahai's government and hosts the nation's Hall of History.
• Queen Galfrey's Palace: The home of Galfrey, former queen of Mendev, has since become a shrine to her since Iomedae named her as the deity's new herald.
• Sellen Docks: Stone quays carved into the bedrock of the Sellen River designed to resist all but the most determined attacks.
• Starrise Spire: Nerosyan's tallest structure is older than its walls and has burned with a celestial light for centuries.
• Woundward Tower: This is where the city's wardstone is located. It is also the first line of defense against attacks from the air, housing the city's best archers and siege engines.

Pathfinder lodges

The Pathfinder Society also has a once-hidden lodge here named Starrise Spire. Venture-Captain Jorsal of Lauterbury sent Pathfinders into the Worldwound on dangerous expeditions prior to its closure, always in the guise of mercenaries to hide their allegiance. Although the Society's presence in Nerosyan during the Mendevian Crusades was not known to the general public, they were well known to Queen Galfrey and her government; it was the Queen herself who bequeathed Starrise Spire to the Pathfinders in 4707 AR.

The Spire was a symbol of hope to the crusaders and a warning to attacking demons—a ball of light perpetually floats above the tower, and the resident Pathfinders are charged with the duty of maintaining it. After the Worldwound was closed in 4718 AR, Queen Galfrey abdicated the throne and became the herald of Iomedae, and the Pathfinder Society continued to occupy the spire. Queen Galfrey's successor, Chancellor Irahai, bears a more critical view of the Society's continued use of the spire.

Prior to the Starrise Spire's occupation by the Society, Nerosyan once also hosted a smaller lodge led by Venture-Captain Thurl in the Egelsee District, at which Jorsal served when he first petitioned for a separate lodge of his own in 4705 AR. Jorsal's petition was inspired by Thurl's lack of compassion toward the Sarkorian peoples. However, Thurl was corrupted by demonic influences and subsequently engaged in several actions against the city and the Pathfinder Society, including a demonic siege of Nerosyan in 4713 AR for which Jorsal led the Society's efforts to defend the city.

Government

Chancellor Irahai of Mendev.

As the capital, Nerosyan is ruled by Chancellor Irahai, who uses her considerable authority to maintain the peace. The government meets in the Mendevian Delegation Forum on Nerosyan's northern end.

History

Before the opening of the Worldwound, Nerosyan was a wilderness town consisting of run-down buildings and dominated by river pirates. The First Mendevian Crusade changed it drastically. It expanded rapidly to accommodate the massive influx of warriors, its streets were widened, and fortifications were built to protect it.

Despite its role as the head of the crusader effort in Mendev, subtle reminders of the original piratical origins of the city remain. The city is generally law-abiding and beautiful in design, however, and clear in its sacred purpose.

Demonic attacks

The powerful demon Lalizarzadeh, who resided in the nearby city of Storasta when the Worldwound was open, sent his minions on occasional raids to undermine Nerosyan's defenses. These were generally carried out by aquatic creatures such as merrow, scrags, and grindylows.

The city was also besieged in 4713 AR by demonic forces led by the corrupted Pathfinder Thurl, which were defeated by the city's defenders and Pathfinders led by Jorsal of Lauterbury.

Six Schools' Convocation

Students socialize at the Six Schools' Convocation in Nerosyan.

In 4725 AR, the Academy of the Reclamation hosted the Six Schools' Convocation, a meeting of academics from prestigious institutions across the Inner Sea region (and some from further beyond, such as the Traveling Academy of Cobyslarni). The six namesake schools also included the Kitharodian Academy, Magaambya, Monastery of Unbreaking Waves, and University of Lepidstadt.

Religion

Nerosyan is a holy city of Iomedae. Its urban design is literally centered around the Cruciform Cathedral; its Pilgrim's Rest district contains much of the city's lodging for the constant visits of Iomedaean pilgrims, and its Bannerbright district houses its many Iomedaean knightly and clerical orders. Many of Nerosyan's notable residents are devout worshipers of Iomedae, including Lord Inquisitor Casori, Captain Jaspar of the Crusader Heralds, and Venture-Captain Jorsal of Lauterbury.

The city also houses a neighborhood of devotees to Cayden Cailean, known as the Two Cs.

References

Paizo published a gazetteer of Nerosyan, including a map of the city, as of 4713 AR in Siege of the Diamond City, and a gazetteer of the city as of 4725 AR in Rival Academies.

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.