History
Nerosyan is an old city put to a new use. Before the Worldwound erupted, the Diamond of the North was very much a diamond in the rough, a wild river town with twisting, narrow streets and ramshackle buildings. With the First Crusade came an influx of law and a grander purpose as the city expanded its walls to accommodate the rush of armed immigrants. Now the city has been rebuilt for war and defense, with broad avenues punched through the old blocks to enable the movement of troops. Any parts of the old city that were outside the new walls have long since been razed by demons, and the unsettled land that fell within the walls has been built up to house the swollen population of crusaders as well as the large population of merchants, artisans, and camp followers who support their efforts.
Districts
Each of the four crusader-ordained districts that make up Nerosyan is itself composed of three or four smaller neighborhoods that function as the social and economic building blocks of the city.
The Battle District to the northeast is the only district made up entirely of construction dating back to the First Crusade. Battle Row is a neighborhood largely occupied by the city's defenders, while Crusader Row is the domain of many of the chapter houses for the various knightly orders that take the fight to the demons. Low Row is known as a refuge for fighters who're more down-at-heels, not to mention more suspect in their religious zeal.
The Egelsee District to the southeast contains the First Crusade-era neighborhood of Egelsee, home to many of the city's cavalry and to the engineers who maintain and expand the city's fortifications. It also encompasses Pilgrim's Rest, a district of inns and temporary lodgings for the steady flow of Iomedaean devotees visiting the Cathedral, and Rustwell, a shabby industrial district full of loud noises, strong smells, and necessary but distasteful industries.
The Confluence district to the southwest is entirely old city. The Windings neighborhood is full of streets that are confusing even by the standards of old cities. Two Cs is named after Cayden Cailean, the patron deity of this raucous neighborhood. Coopertown is home to mostly staid and respectable businesses as well as the famous Starrise Spire, and Riverside is halfway between slum and supply depot, having transformed over time from a thriving hub of river trade to a military port that services few boats except those needed to ferry crusaders across the rivers.
The Woundward District to the northwest contains Bitterwind, a middle class district of artisans and professionals. Highside is the haunt of the city's old money and boasts the best pre-crusade architecture. Tumbletown is a sprawling den of iniquity catering to those crusaders and low templars who want to get further away from their barracks before indulging their vices. Bannerbright is the home of the most well-respected knightly orders and clerics who serve Iomedae and her allies. Unlike the crusader neighborhoods of the Battle District, Bannerbright is policed and occupied solely by military forces, and civilians are only tolerated when on some official business.
Sites of Interest
The following are important sites for Nerosyan's defense.
Battle Tower: The northernmost point of the city is the most likely to weather an assault by land. Earthen revetments surround three layers of nested towers, making the tower the most heavily fortified site in Mendev.
Confluence Tower: Confluence Tower is geared towards defending Nerosyan from attacks across the two rivers that meet at its base. The tower has held its own through several riparian attacks from Dread Barges and other Abyssal craft that periodically swarm up from the Sarkora River. At its base is the Crusader's Quay, a set of military wharves that offer shelter for the small crusader navy in ingenious covered slips.
Cruciform Cathedral: The Cruciform Cathedral is both the bright heart of Iomedaean worship in Nerosyan as well as an integral part of its defensive systems. The entire city is laid out to allow crusaders from the Cathedral to access any part of the city without obstruction, and a sizeable portion of the gargantuan construction is given over to barracks, training yards, stables and other military installations. Much of the remaining area is given over to the offices of the church, but there are still many parts of the Cathedral dedicated to worship and the devotions of the pilgrims who pour into Nerosyan specifically to visit the site.
Egelsee Tower: Located at the eastern point of the Nerosyan diamond, Egelsee tower serves a second purpose as a rapid-response staging area for Nerosyan's cavalry, which can ride out at a moment's notice through special large-scale sally ports built into its outer walls.
Sellen Docks: While constant demonic incursions make structures outside the walls extremely difficult to maintain, the city still needs access to the river for trade. The city's answer is the Sellen Docks, stone quays carved right into the bedrock along the riverside. Everything necessary to load and unload ships, from steps to moorings, is carved into the stone and is thus resistant to all but the most determined demonic depredations. When crusaders spot demons, they close the gates, and any docked ships cast off and flee downriver or up the Egelsee to avoid attack.
Starrise Spire: Constructed just before the outbreak of the Second Crusade, Starrise Spire is built into Nerosyan's curtain wall near the Woundward Tower. A large sphere of light floats just about the tower, acting as a beacon of hope to crusaders and a final warning to any demons foolish enough to assault the city. Common legend states that so long as the fortress houses at least one defender, the beacon will never fade. Crusaders once kept vigil here, but when the Pathfinder Society requested permission to operate out of Nerosyan, Queen Galfrey offered them Starrise Spire so long as they never allow its light to fade.
Woundward Tower: Almost completely surrounded by the West Sellen river, the Woundward Tower defends the city against aerial assaults. The tower bristles with spyglasses that scan the skies, as well as the most advanced siege engines and the best archers in Nerosyan. The city's wardstone is housed in this tower, as close to the border as possible.
