Welcome to Jongatown!

Deep in the heart of Polaris County lurks Jongatown, a rough and tumble frontier settlement catering to those who prefer a more rustic life on the edge of society. Originally founded as a trading post for prospectors seeking riches in the nearby mountains and for hunters stalking the abundant woodlands, Jongatown has since grown into an almost respectable hodgepodge of families who have banded together for safety, profit, and common purpose.

Connected by an overland route to more civilized areas, a great deal of trade flows through Jongatown, the settlement a source of lumber, pelts, salted meat, honey, raw wool, and minerals. But Jongatown is not only a refuge for grizzled mountain men and dour hunters – with trade comes the need of craftsmen. Carpenters and blacksmiths make tools, carts, and casks for merchant wagons. Butchers, bakers, brewers, and farmers supply food to the laborers, shepherds, and horsemen. Tailors and shoemakers produce clothing. Fishermen and boatwrights work together to reap the bounty of the nearby lake and rivers. Even gamblers, snake oil alchemists, and outright charlatans call Jongatown their home.

While there are those who consider Jongatown's rugged folk a blight, there are few who can deny the town's stance on tolerance, for even the most intolerable are tolerated within the wooden palisade. Outcasts and ruffians intermix with gamblers and miners. Clergymen work valiantly to wash the stains off men’s souls. And even a wanted highwayman can often go unnoticed with a few coins pressed in the right palm. Indeed, miscreants of any real renown are often seen as minor celebrities in Jongatown, quick to be offered a drink in exchange for tales of their deviant exploits.

Law and order in Jongatown is maintained in part by a garrison of the Polaris County Guard. These watchful sentries ensure the melting pot of Jongatown never quite boils over. Largely, however, the town permits the settling of minor disputes in an age-old frontier town fashion; the two disputing parties pummeling each other in the street until one is down, submits, or admits he was wrong. Serious crime in Jongatown tends to be rare. While the laws of the Kingdom of Vornair are generally observed, the punishments for even minor crimes are often more severe than seen in a more respectable settlement. The town employs a Chief Brute for dragging criminals before the Freyr for judgment, and a rather busy Hangman for carrying out the typical sentence imposed on those who would murder, rob, or cheat their own.

Plans for Jongatown

During the land selection phase, Jongatown will preferably be established in wooded wilderness with a suitable lakeside and descending rivers. Our ideal foundation will begin with direct access to water. The overall goal for the settlement is to grow Jongatown into a prominent county trade town by drawing together craftsmen of all kinds, farmers to produce food for Jongatown's population and export, and a population of hunters, trappers, lumberjacks, explorers, and minstrels. Gambling will be embraced in the town and non-lethal pugilism the standard means for settling minor disputes between the locals.

Whatever funds are derived from taxation and the support of Jongatown's benefactors (donated villager tokens or resources) will be reinvested into the community for the purpose of building roads to connect the settlement to other notable trade centers, as well as the expansion of the town’s structures to draw in new settlers and boost the economy as a whole. While Jongatown may begin its life as a small and ramshackle collection of frontier homes and businesses, it truly has the potential to grow into something larger and more noteworthy. People choosing to call Jongatown their home who buy significant parcels of land nearby and actively work to grow the settlement will likely be invited to join the Freyr’s inner circle of advisors at the Town Moot and help to shape the future of Jongatown for themselves, their children, and their family line.

Jongatown is also open to members of all faiths and churches. Ideally, religious organizations in direct public opposition to each other will find Jongatown an ideal place for theological debate, drunk or sober, with members of faiths that may not be so neighborly in other settlements where a clergyman would be shunned for sharing a scratched and sticky table with a doubter.

The town supports the Erzhalden Crafting Guilds and will pride itself on the excellence of local artisans. In addition to whatever trade skills and notoriety Jongatown will gain from each new family to make a home here, the Freyr (Mayor) of Jongatown will be engaged as an animal breeder with the intent of supplying mounts both for domestic use as well as wagon horses and military-grade war horses for the various baronies. With a little luck, ursaphants will be bred for the future development of an "Ursaphant Express" courier service to securely transport letters and parcels throughout the entire Grand Duchy of Erzhalden. With this in mind, if you intend to be a breeder, you should choose Jongatown as your home to help establish the settlement as 'the place to go’ when you are in the market for a new, high-quality mount of any kind.

The Town Moot

The Jongatown Town Moot will be a regularly recurring gathering of town officials, significant land owners, and local representatives of the Erzhalden Crafting Guilds. The public shall be permitted to attend and witness all discussions, however only those recognized as having a voice at the moot are permitted to partake in the scheduled discussions. Following these, an open forum will be held where citizens of Jongatown are permitted to present issues for discussion.

The Town Moot is a platform for those with significant interest in the operation, local happenings, and growth of Jongatown to present their arguments to the Freyr to better help him or her make decisions that affect the town. What is decided at the Town Moot is considered to be binding throughout Jongatown and all surrounding Jonga lands. Issues that require additional research or discussion may be held over to subsequent Town Moots.

Important Town Roles

While there are countless opportunities to create your own role within the palisade of Jongatown, the following roles are people who are wanted to commit early to a life in Jongatown to perform a chief duty within the settlement. Once the financial ability of Jongatown is established, the people in these roles will earn a regular wage for their service. They will be included among the people who make up the Town Moot in which major town decision are made.

Freyr – (Position Currently Filled by Freyr Lars Jonga) The Freyr is the mayor of Jongatown and is in charge of the town and surrounding land. In all things, the Freyr’s judgment is considered final. The Freyr shall meet regularly with the Town Moot, an inner circle of key individuals who are significant land owners and/or people in positions of importance who deal daily with various aspects of Jongatown management to ensure the future growth and development of the settlement.

Finaer – (Position Currently Available) This person is to be an explorer at heart who will likely spend long stretches of time scouring the wild around Jongatown in an ever-growing circle in search of resources that can be capitalized upon by the town. The Finaer (Finder), must be willing to live an adventurous and dangerous life where the fight for survival will be constant. This role is well-suited for a person who wants to focus on exploration, wilderness survival, and combat against natural predators and bandits alike. As a Finaer, you will be living life on the edge, you may die from exposure, or something may eat you. Be prepared for that before applying for the position. You will have a voice at the Town Moot.

Chief Brute - (Position Currently Available) This person will fill the role of official rabble rouser of Jongatown and bodyguard of the Freyr. You will mingle with the populace, finagle where and when needed, and keep an ear out for conspiracies against the Freyr and the Count. On occasion, when a particularly vile criminal manages to elude the County Guard, the Chief Brute must be willing to act as bounty hunter, leading a ‘Brute Squad’ of local ruffians for the purpose of fetching the villain and either bringing them back to face Jongatown justice, or quietly making sure that they cannot ever return (without disturbing the peace of other settlements). This role is well-suited for a person who likes to 'not quite' be the good guy, but wants a position of authority within a settlement. You'll need fighting skills, intelligence, and the ability to track and dispose of fugitives. Within Jongatown you will have immunity for actions carried out on behalf of the Freyr. Outside of Jongatown, your actions may well cause you to be viewed as a criminal and face more traditional justice for your actions. You will have a voice at the Town Moot.

Chronicler – (Position Currently Available) The Chronicler is a person who can read, write, and craft creative narrative of happenings in Jongatown and the surrounding county. This person can be viewed as newspaper reporter, scribe, and town secretary all in one. It will be the Chronicler’s job to document discussion at the Town Moot and present this along with other interesting or relevant articles to the public by way of written in-game periodicals. The Chronicler will be provided with materials for the creation of the newspaper. Funds generated from the sale of the newspaper will be added to town funds to assist in the payment of wages for the Chronicler and other official positions. This position is ideal for someone who fancies him or herself a writer or journalist and wants to be able to create real in-game periodicals. You will have a voice at the Town Moot.

Leech - (Position Currently Available) This person may be a learned man of medicine, an herbalist specializing in healing tinctures, or possibly an outright quack whose odd methods of healing work more often than not. The primary role of the Leech is to doctor the injured, sooth the sick, and properly dispose of the dead so that they do not spread disease or get up one day and return to the tavern for a drink or hand of cards. This role is well-suited for any medical practitioner whether you are an independent or a guild member from one of the medically-minded guilds elsewhere in the kingdom. You will need healing skills for this position and yours will be a highly-respected role in the community. You will have a voice at the Town Moot.

Hangman - (Position Currently Available) This person will be responsible for lynching, as well as for tending the collection of bodies sure to build up in the woods outside of Jongatown as the game unfolds and criminals face Jongatown justice. In the case of the latter, it will be the hangman's duty to periodically check on corpses to make sure they haven't woken up as something unnatural, and to burn those that do. The hangman will also be, in part, a local forester, making sure that the Hangman's Garden does not attract dangerous animals. There are no particular skills needed for this role, but you must be the sort that is comfortable with the taboo that will accompany a life as the town executioner. You will have a voice at the Town Moot.

Trademaster - (Position Currently Available) This person will have hands in the day to day operation of Jongatown and will keep tabs on the needs of the town to ensure that supplies are kept up and that the various craftsmen are informed and retained to produce what might be needed. He or she will be a supervisor of sorts, not interfering with guilds, artisans and laborers, but ever watchful for ways that the idle craftsman can be made more productive and profitable. At times, the Trademaster will need to meet with guildsmen and may need to visit nearby settlements to determine goods in scarce supply so that the producers of Jongatown may profit more from export and trading. This role is well-suited for those who like to dabble in a great variety of life skills and professions, but do not want to be a dedicated crafter or active caravaner. You will have a voice at the Town Moot.

Town Learner - (Position Currently Available) This person is to be a lifetime student, lore master, and educator who sees to the ever-expanding skillsets of those who call Jongatown their home. Teaching the children to read, bestowing etiquette upon heathens, and spreading the discoveries researched in other lands to the people of Jongatown will be your primary daily duties. This position is well-suited for the 'Brainy Smurf' type of personality and will likely lead to numerous role-playing opportunities with your fellow citizens. You will, (finances permitting), have your continuing education funded by the town, providing that new knowledge learned abroad be passed on to Jongatown citizens willing to learn what you have to teach. You will be provided with a school building or lecture hall. You will have a voice at the Town Moot.

Laws of Jongatown

Local laws of Jongatown are applicable within the confines of Jongatown upon Jonga land and will be enforced by the County Guard of Jongatown. Except where noted within the specified local laws of Jongatown, citizens of Jongatown and visitors alike are expected to adhere to the greater laws of Polaris County, the Grand Duchy of Erzhalden, and the Kingdom of Vornair. In the event of dispute between the interpretation of local Jongatown law and Greater Law, the presiding Freyr of Jongatown shall be free to amend Jongatown law at his or her discretion. With the exception of the officially appointed Chief Brute, members of the County Guard actively carrying out their duty, and the presiding Freyr of Jongatown, local Jongatown law applies to, and is to be adhered to, by all persons residing within or visiting Jongatown. Ignorance of local Jongatown law provides no protection for failure to comply with the laws of Jongatown. It is up to the individual to know and understand the intention of laws herein.

Note: The following laws, crimes, and punishments will probably be revised to some degree to work with whatever the final game mechanics are for law enforcement, apprehension, jail time, and execution.

Hue and Cry – As with many small settlements that possess only a small police force, Jongatown observes the common practice of Hue and Cry. Hue and Cry is a process by which bystanders are summoned to assist in the apprehension of a criminal who has been witnessed in the act of committing a crime. All able-bodied men, upon hearing the shouts of such a witness, are obliged to assist in the County Guard in the pursuit of the criminal whilst he or she remains within the palisade of Jongatown. A criminal, apprehended in this way, is to be detained until custody is turned over to the County Guard. Those who falsely raise a Hue and Cry, are themselves guilty of a crime and will be imprisoned for a short duration yet to be determined. Failure to act upon a lawfully called Hue and Cry is not itself a crime, rather it is an expectation and permissive element allowing civilians present to help identify and apprehend criminals. The crime of Unlawful Fighting shall not be deemed valid when a person involved is acting in accordance to Hue and Cry and seeking the apprehension or detainment of a criminal.

Respect for Human Life – There shall be no murder within Jongatown. Should one person willfully and knowingly take the life of another, outside of the law of Duels to the Death, the killer shall be hanged.

Respect for the Property of Others – There shall be no theft or destruction of property within Jongatown. Should one person willfully and knowingly steal or destroy the property of another, the thief or vandal shall be hanged. Trespassing is considered to be an initial phase of theft, and thus a person found uninvited within the home or establishment of another is considered to be in violation of the law of Respect for the Property of Others and shall be hanged.

Dispute of Individuals – Should two individuals enter into minor dispute, both parties shall exit all premises and duel honorably and without outside interference, and without weapons, until such time as one party submits, is unable to continue fighting, or admits that he or she was wrong. The victor of such disputes, will immediately cease hostility upon the submission of the other or be guilty of Unlawful Dispute and imprisoned for a short duration yet to be determined. Upon conclusion of a Dispute of Individuals by one of the three methods listed above, both parties accept the judgment of the victor with regard to the disputed matter. Dispute of Individuals is not a legal means of dispute resolution in matters where a contract or land ownership are involved.

Unlawful Dispute – The law of Unlawful Dispute comes into play during a legally conducted Dispute of Individuals. Should one disputing party not accept to the submission, inability to continue fighting, or admission of wrongful doing, and continue harming the submitting party, then that individual is guilty of Unlawful Dispute. The dispute is kicked up to the Freyr for judgment and the person guilty of Unlawful Dispute shall be imprisoned for a short duration yet to be determined. Should the Unlawful Dispute result in the willful death of an individual then the party guilty of Unlawful Dispute shall be hanged. Should the Unlawful Dispute result in the accidental death of an individual then the party guilty of Unlawful Dispute shall be imprisoned for a long duration yet to be determined, or banished at the Freyr’s judgment.

Interference of Dispute – The law of Dispute of Individuals is intended to allow minor grievances to be settled between two individuals. Should any person other than the Chief Brute, the Freyr, the Leech (when medical condition bears interest), the Count or Countess, or a member of the County Guard interfere with a Dispute of Individuals being lawfully conducted or render aid, in any way, to the two parties of the dispute, they shall be guilty of Interference of Dispute and imprisoned for a short duration yet to be determined. Interference of Dispute is not in effect in the case of a Dispute of Individuals being conducted unlawfully. It is thereby, perfectly legal for outside parties to throw disputing individuals out into the street or otherwise drive them out of interior spaces so that a legal Dispute of Individuals can be conducted out of doors.

Duels to the Death – Should two individuals in dispute, without coercion, agree to a Duel to the Death as means to mutually acceptable resolution of said dispute, identical weapons may be used to settle the Dispute of Individuals. The victor of a Duel to the Death may legally coup de grace the other without legal consequence in Jongatown. In addition, said victor is considered to have honorably settled a Dispute of Individuals and is protected from retaliation by Jongatown law. Any other individual seeking vengeance against the winner of an honorable Duel to the Death, and challenging or acting against said person within the confines of Jongatown or upon Jonga land as retaliation for a lawfully conducted Duel to the Death is guilty of Illegal Retribution. Duels to the death are subject to the law of Interference of Dispute. Lastly, for a Duel to the Death to be deemed a legally acceptable means of dispute resolution, it must be directly observed by a gathering of at least six Jongatown citizens (online players), the Chief Brute, the Freyr, the Count, or a member of the County Guard. A duel to the death being conducted without appropriate witness(es) will be deemed Unlawful Dispute against both parties. Should such an illegal duel result in the death of an individual, the killer shall be deemed guilty of a violation of the law of Respect for Human Life.

Unwarranted Coup de Grace – It is illegal, at any time, for any reason, for any person other than a member of the County Guard, the Chief Brute, the Freyr, the Count or Countess of Polaris County, or two individuals lawfully conducting a Duel to the Death, to perform coup de grace upon any person within the boundaries of Jongatown or upon Jonga land. Any person committing the crime of Unwarranted Coup de Grace shall be hanged.

Unwarranted Dispute – The laws of Dispute of Individuals and Duels to the Death are intended to allow two individuals to settle disputes honorably and without interference or property damage. Should an individual be viewed by the Town Moot to be abusing these laws by way of physical dominance or skill at arms, this individual shall be guilty of Unwarranted Dispute and shall be hanged, banished from Jongatown, or relieved of all land and property deemed by the Town Moot to have been gained through the practice of Unwarranted Dispute. Property shall be returned when possible or liquidated with profit paid as restitution to the violated parties. Land shall be divided equally between the injured parties, the Freyr of Jongatown, and the Count of Polaris County.

Illegal Retribution – The law of Illegal Retribution exists to protect the winner of a lawfully conducted Duel to the Death from retribution on the part of friends, allies, or the family of a person lawfully killed during the duel. Should any party, within a period of (28 real time days), from the pertinent Duel to the Death, seek retribution against the lawful winner of said duel through an act of violence, vandalism, or murder – within Jongatown or upon Jonga land – that party shall be deemed guilty of Illegal Retribution and in addition to the sentence of any violations of other laws, shall be relieved immediately and permanently, of all land and property considered to be a part of, or at the time located within the boundaries, of Jongatown. Property shall be liquidated with profit paid to the surviving heir(s). Land shall then be divided equally between the surviving heir(s), the Freyr of Jongatown, and the Count of Polaris County.

Unlawful Fighting – Any individuals within the boundaries of Jongatown or Jonga land, engaging in the act of fighting outside of the law of Dispute of Individuals shall be imprisoned for a short period yet to be determined. Exception to the law of Unlawful Fighting shall be made when a fight ensues and is, within a reasonable amount of time, moved out of doors and conducted within the law of Dispute of Individuals. In addition, those persons who, in an effort to transition an unlawful fight out of doors, becomes involved in the fight in so doing, shall not be considered guilty of Unlawful Fighting provided that their actions are within interpretation of being conducted in an effort to uphold the law of Dispute of Individuals.

Blind Eye Tolerance – Any individual known to be a wanted criminal beyond the confines of Jongatown who has not committed a crime within the boundaries of Jongatown or Polaris County is to be tolerated and not harassed or otherwise accosted within the confines of Jongatown except by members of the County Guard who have been authorized to act against said individual in accordance with County Law. A person attempting to apprehend, kill, or claim bounty on such a wanted individual within the confines of Jongatown or upon Jonga land, is guilty of violation of the law of Blind Eye Tolerance and shall be hanged.

Fraud or Cheating – There shall be no deception of another with regard to commerce, trade, sale of property, or gambling within Jongatown. Should an individual believe that another has committed an illegal act of fraud or cheating, the slighted individual may claim Dispute of Individuals against the accused party.

Payment of Taxes – All individuals residing in Jongatown or upon Jonga land as renting tenants must pay taxes in accordance with the tax structure of a given time. Failure to pay taxes shall result in forfeiture of property and Banishment from Jongatown and Jonga land. Property siezed due to failure to pay taxes shall be dispersed in accordance to County Law.

Banishment – An individual banished from Jongatown and Jonga land by order of the presiding Freyr is forbidden from returning for the remainder of said individual’s life. An individual who fails to abide Banishment shall be hanged. In the event of the death of the Freyr who imposes Banishment upon another, the banishment of all individuals so banished during the time he or she presided as Freyr shall be left to the discretion of the Town Moot to be upheld or overturned.

Defilement of the Hangman’s Garden – Any individual found to be defiling, desecrating, stealing, or looting the dead hanging in the Hangman’s Garden is guilty of the crime of Defilement of the Hangman’s Garden and shall be hanged there.

Declaration of Potentially Dangerous Talents – Any individual who knowingly conceals a talent which may be dangerous to person or property is required by law to speak directly to the Freyr of Jongatown and declare such talent. Should said talent be determined to be a danger to the community of Jongatown, the individual shall be subject to Banishment at the Freyr’s discretion. Should an individual with a potentially dangerous talent be permitted to remain within Jongatown he or she is subject to the protection of all Jongatown laws, particularly that of Blind Eye Tolerance. A person failing to declare a potentially dangerous talent is guilty of a crime and shall be hanged. The privilege of concealment of a potentially dangerous talent shall be retained by an individual upon the Freyr’s acceptance. In short, if a person who privately declares a potentially dangerous talent to the Freyr is permitted to stay, the Freyr will likely make every effort to respect the individual’s right of privacy to conceal said talent and not make such information public knowledge.

Adherence to County, Duchy, and Kingdom Law – Except where noted within the specified local laws of Jongatown, citizens of Jongatown and visitors alike are expected to adhere to the greater laws of Polaris County, the Grand Duchy of Erzhalden, and the Kingdom of Vornair. In the event of dispute between the interpretation of local Jongatown law and Greater Law, the presiding Freyr of Jongatown shall be free to amend Jongatown law at his or her discretion.

Failure to Remain Dead – Any individual who was once dead and fails to remain that way is guilty of a crime within Jongatown and shall be burned until destroyed. The dead are not protected in any way by Jongatown law and not subject to Blind Eye Tolerance. Furthermore, any individual may freely do harm unto, or destroy a person guilty of Failure to Remain Dead without consequence or retaliation provided that no property belonging to another person or place of business is damaged or destroyed in the so doing. Failure to Remain Dead applies to the unnatural return of the dead (zombies, vampires, liches, etc), not to any respawn mechanics of the game.

Interested in Settling in Jongatown?

Whether you are a no-good gambler, an upstanding trader, or a bold adventurer, Jongatown wants you! To make the vision of Jongatown come to life in Chronicles of Elyria we will need fishermen, hunters, craftsmen, farmers, and profiteers of all kinds. While the image of Jongatown may be rough and seedy, that element of the settlement merely sets the stage for the overall mood of the town. What will truly make Jongatown a successful center for trade and commerce are the normal, hard working men and women who call the place home. Every effort will be made to keep the citizens of Jongatown safe from crime, war, and natural predators. Every effort will be made to make our citizens profit with the continued growth of the town. Every effort will be made to make your experiences within Jongatown unique and exciting.

If you are interested in making Jongatown your home, please either leave a post here telling your future neighbors a little bit about yourself and what you hope to bring to the settlement, or message me directly. Positions listed under the Important Town Roles heading shall be noted as filled once someone has been chosen to fill that role. Therefore, if it says it is currently open, it really is and you are encouraged to step up and fill the vacancy.

While what is outlined above is just the initial concept of the town. Some things may change as feedback is received from members of the kingdom, the duchy, the county, and our future citizens. I am very open to hearing your own ideas about how you can shape the vision to help produce something even greater, so please do not hesitate to leave your comments and ideas.

As a final reminder, if you wish to reside in Jongatown you will need to select the NA-E server and the Kingdom of Vornair, Grand Duchy of Erzhalden, Polaris County, as your starting location. Discord servers for the kingdom, the grand duchy, and the county are available for you to get to know your fellow players.