Taphrem

The city of Taphrem (also known as the "Tower of Fang city")is effectively the main hub for sorcerers, home to the World Map Tower (also known as the Tower of Fang.) Many of the most noteworthy sorcerers throughout history have either taught or trained here, and it's said to be the only place on the continent where sorcerers can live comfortably. While it is not technically one of the four major cities on the continent, it has been mentioned that if there was a fifth, it'd probably be Taphrem.

Overview

Basic Layout

Taphrem is said to be orderly in some ways, and chaotic in others. The city itself is surrounded by a white wall, with mountains to the west and a manmade lake fed from Fenrir Forest in the east. The World Map Tower stands at the center of the city, a chalky white tower shaped like a fang. When entering the city, you pass through a guard checkpoint, then through the gate, and finally end up at the entryway where major roads radiate outwards. The buildings are primarily brick-based structures, with few tall buildings. It contains a sewage system, and most of the private homes are apartment blocks. The main road doubles as the city square.

Trade

Taphrem is said to have little to no industry, however, people still travel from all over the continent to visit the city. This may be in part due to the World Map Tower, but the city itself also invites a variety of people, including members of the Dragon Faith. The city seems to have enough foot traffic to remain relatively well off, in spite of having little product to export.

Religion

Sorcerers, by nature, have a wide tolerance of different faiths, and as such, the city laws of Taphrem allow for various religious practices in the city. This includes but is not limited to the worship of dragons, the Demon King Sweden Boli, or even the Wyrd Sisters. They tolerate churches within the cities and even ritualistic processions that move through the city streets.

Mentioned Locations

Flip's Cafe:

A student café-bar, with white tables and chairs. A theater is also mentioned. The space next to Leticia's property is said to be a community vegetable garden owned by a sorcerer of the Tower.

Labyrinth Street:

When the city was being rebuilt, temporary housing was set up. The original plan was for this district to be away from the highways and accessed through separated alleyways instead. However, the Tower hadn't anticipated so many people to seek urban dwellings, and while Labyrinth Street hadn't originally been included in the city planning, they built this location up even higher than the surrounding areas following the resulting population boom. Many four-story buildings occupy the area. This halphazard construction resulted in a convoluted network of narrow alleys that are hard to navigate, as the paths don't stay straight for even a single city block.

Library:

The library is located next to the Tower of Fang, and is said to have more overall mass than the Tower itself.

Parks:

Taphrem has a relatively low population. The fall of the city on multiple occasions drove many people from town, making the city feel fairly spacious. This allows for plenty of parks to be placed throughout the city. Some are noted to include cherry blossoms.

Tower Annex:

High-ranking sorcerers of the Tower eventually gain mansions, living within the city for convenience. Many of these mansions, including Childman Powderfield's, is located in a district called the Tower Annex.

History

Conflict With Wyrd Dragons:

The first recorded destruction of the city occurred 200 years ago, during the sorcerers' conflict with the Nornir, which became known later as the Sorcerer Hunts. While the city was evacuated, the Nornir continued to destroy everything in site, until the entirety of the city had been leveled. Oddly, this did not include the Tower.

The Sand War:

During a period known as the Sand War, which occurred 40~50 years ago, the sorcerers had a falling out with the Kimrak Church after they entered the World Map Tower, which was under Kimrak jurisdiction. This led to a vicious battle between the two that resulted in the second collapse of the city. This was theorized to have resulted from the security measures in place that would evacuate all citizens of Taphrem to the Tower of Fang, a which more defensible location. However, it is unclear why Kimrak chose to move forward with destroying the then-uninhabited city. This bold move resulted in them losing the war, as once they had entered the city, they were out flanked by sorcerers who had been storing up their power. The resulting destruction multiplied the already substantial power gap between the two armies by ten fold, resulting in a decisive defeat of Kimrak. Though the sorcerers didn't know it at the time, Kimrak had gotten what they came for, the World Map Book.

Assassinations:

In roughly Imperial Redlight 48, Taphrem was besieged by a series of assassinations, with the prime targets being Elders of the Tower of Fang. This was found to be the work of a Killing Doll, though few know the true happenings of that event.

Assorted Facts

Details

• Aside from the destructions, Taphrem has had many rebuilding projects for the purpose of convenience.
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Legal Matters

• Like other major cities, only those of high status are permitted to bring carriages into the city.
• Taphrem doesn't have any form of marriage system, and thereby, no marriage roles in domestic life.
• In Taphrem, fighting is prohibited. Even if defending yourself, both people will be arrested.