Windsheim is a small town that has grown up in the northern Old United States Empire around a pre-rifts cathedral. Its population is just under 1000 (making it a significant town in those parts) and its industry includes ironworking, glassblowing, pottery, agriculture, and fishing. It rests upon the shore of Copper Lake. This vast post-rifts body of water is unusual for several reasons, it�s warm, with an average temperature of 70 degrees F, its perfectly clear, drinkable, and clean of any bacteria or sediment that would spoil it, and it rests upon a rich deposit of iron saturated clay. Biologists and naturalists have no explanation as to why the water is so pure in these conditions. It should be teeming with all manner of bacteria, spoiled by the heavy metal sediment of the clay, or at least made to taste poorly. In fact it�s not even understood what keeps the steaming water at the warm temperature it exists at. The Lizardmen who dwell in the lake confirm that there are no hot springs in its depths that heat the water. Magic is the only explanation, though the villagers view it as the will of God. Regardless of what (or who) is responsible for the lake�s temperature, it has a dramatic effect on the local ecosystem and weather patterns.

The Cathedral is a pre-Rifts building that survived the apocalypse that destroyed most of the world. In fact the building survived perfectly intact, in spite of the ruin of the town around it, and the many other population centers in the area that were completely obliterated in the holocaust. This alone has always been cited as an act of god, and the site is considered blessed by the people of Windsheim. It has been a focal point for the resurgence of civilization in the area, and in the centuries since the apocalypse there have been very few instances of any threats against the region from hostile D-bee�s. That in itself is another miracle.

People from all around pilgrimage to the Cathedral to view its tall spires and worship in its halls. Even so, Rifts USA is so depopulated that this means that a trickle of strangers can be found in the town at any given time, usually in mid fall before the first of the severe winter storms hit the region. Twenty years ago the organization known as the Cyberknights petitioned the town to allow them to setup an outpost of their order within the Cathedral. The town council headed by Father O�Reily quickly agreed, eager for the protection and added prestige such an event would bring to the town.

Since that time Sir Avery Reynolds has lead a cadre of knights that has slowly grown to a considerable force, taking up the entire west wing of the Cathedral. There are now nearly 30 knights stationed in Windsheim. Their duties are to more than just the Cathedral or town however. These men travel the lands of old Minnesota and Wisconsin seeking to right wrongs and meet out justice where it is needed. They often travel with priests from the Church of the Resurgent God helping to spread the word and lending further credibility to their teachings. At any one time 10 � 15 knights, including their Captain Sir Avery, can be found in the Cathedral or the town.

Another significant aspect of Windsheim that sets it apart from other northern towns is its large population of Lizardmen who live in the warm waters of Copper Lake. They have built a cluster of crude houses under the port of Windsheim and actively participate as full members of the community. They are led by the Lizardman Mage Grzz�at Murah, a wise and very old creature who sits on the town council. Grzz�at is well known to be very heavily versed in the arcane arts, and is a spell caster of significant power. The Lizardmen are excellent fishers and contribute huge quantities of freshwater fish to the town, as well as serve as a naval force patrolling the waters of the lake around the village.

The village�s primary crops are corn and soybeans, usually on a rotation cycle to keep the land fertile, and Bluegrass a medicinal herb. Bluegrass has the properties of Penicillin, capable of fighting infections and infectious diseases, and is only known to grow in the area around Lake Copper. Alfalfa is also grown to feed cattle and to enrich the soil. 3/4 of the towns cleared land is devoted to croplands. Produce is used to feed the villagers, very little trade is done with outlaying communities, other than the hamlet of Greenspan some forty miles southwest of town. The rich clay deposits of iron are smelted in the town foundry and the ore is used to produce steel, which is then used to create all manner of items from tools to weapons. The tech level of the town is 3, though the presence of the Cyberknights means that they have access to some limited higher tech weaponry for defense.

Thirty miles to the north along the edge of Copper Lake are the ruins of La Crosse Wisconsin. A small town by Pre-Rifts standards La Crosse is a valuable resource for easy metal (mined from the ruined buildings) and stone (concrete blocks). Expeditions sent to the ruins however are well armed as the town is populated by creatures from the wild, D-bees and the occasional Demon. As extraction techniques for pulling iron from clay improve in town these scavenging raids have become less and less necessary.

The town militia is armed with steel long swords, chain armor, and crossbows. Basic martial training is provided to all townsfolk by the Knights, part of their charter agreement with the town, and every able bodied town citizen serves on the militia. However at any one time there are only 20 � 25 active militia under arms. They are used to man the three guard towers that have been erected in the woods around the town on the only roads that enter the area. Each post has 7 soldiers that stop travelers and politely inquire as to their business. Outsiders are directed to the Windsheim Inn, and told how to find the Cathedral, as well as warned against causing trouble in town. The town council decided to erect these posts after a series of problems with visitors vandalizing town property. Each tower contains a warning bell, and each is rung differently so that it is known from which direction trouble is arriving.

Town Key:

1. Cathedral of the Resurgent God . See Cathedral Doc and Personalities Doc.
2. Eric Smith, Blacksmith - Eric and his three sons run this business and manufacture all manner of tools for farming and fishing. They leave specialty jobs to the Longbeard brothers, and focus on the items needed for day to day operation of the town. They are capable of producing weapons, or repairing such items, however their time is in much demand with the town and they tend to refer such requests to the dwarves. Eric is a huge man who is active in town politics. He also has two daughters, one whom is married to the mayors son.
3. Windsheim Foundary � The foundary is owned by the church, and is a fairly small operation. It uses a curious mix of tech level 4 and 6 technology, and so in spite of its small size is capable of producing nearly 200 lbs of average grade steel a day at full capacity. Brother Darren is the foreman and is known around town for his jolly laugh and pockmarked skin.
4. Longbeard Smithy � This weapon smithy is owned and operated by three Dwarven brothers, Golwin, Thronwin, and Hugbert. They produce arms and armor of fine quality from the steel manufactured in the town foundry, or scavenged from La Crosse. They have worked in town for over thirty years now and there is no conflict between them and Eric Smith as there is always enough work to go around, and the brothers take little joy in working on common iron tools.
5. Potter � Svetlana Borishnikov works here with her family making all kinds of pottery and tiles from the merely decorative to the large storage pots that the town commissions her to create for food storage. She is in her middle years and her husband Boris runs the business end of their shop. Their two oldest children work in the shop, and they have two other children.
6. Tanner/Bowyer � This building houses two businesses, Erold the Tanner, and Phillip the Boyer. Each lives in a separate house and use the building only for production.
7. Charcoaler/Lumberer � Andrey and Vanya Danks live here in this large log cabin. They work for the Windsheim Mill and have a charcoaling operation that they run from their house. Their six children live on the property with them.
8. Militia Hall � Here is where the town militia is based and trained. Capitan Frederick Shmiknikov heads the militia and works closely with the Order of the Resurgent God to train the townsfolk in the use of sword, spear, and crossbow, as well as how to maneuver in chain and leather armors. An armory is kept here composed of ancient style weapons, mostly produced by commission from the Longbeard Brothers.
9. Inn of Windsheim � This establishment is a large 3 story brick Inn complete with Gabling and tile roofing. It�s a clean well run place that operates as a gathering point for the townsfolk for non-religious gatherings. There are usually from 4-10 travelers staying here at any given time, come to visit the Cathedral. Thom Crumb the owner of the Inn is a jovial man, thin and wiry with shocking white hair and an easy manner. He and his son and daughter-in-law run a clean and pious operation.
10. Mayor Gershwin�s Manor
11. Port � Here the fishing boats are kept docked. This is also where most of the interaction between the Lizardman and Human population happens on a day to day basis. Vast quantities of fish finds its way through the ort and to the tables of the villagers. A thriving market is run here, amid the smell of gutted fish and the flocks of crows that perpetually circle the whole area.
12. Glassblower � The home and shop of Kline Glazer. H run�s his shop mostly for the church, but does expensive artwork for those with the means to commission it. He is an expert in stain glass artwork.
13. This is the homestead of the Rostov Family. Several generations of Rostov�s live here.
14. Home of Nickolai and Alina Rosotov . and their two children.
15. General Store/Home � This store is run by Katrina and Zoltan Stravinski, but is owned by the church. It is used to provide basic needs to the community such as cloth and small household items. The proprietors are known as excellent candle makers. When the needs list of the community grows great enough an expedition is formed by the church to travel to the communities around Tolkeen to fill the orders in addition to selling some of the items crafted in the town.
16. Home of Thorpe.
17. Warehouse � First erected fifteen years ago, this was the second building that replaced the older storage building that stood before it. Here the town keeps spare supplies of foods, materials, pure metal ingots, and other community valuables. One of the innovations in this building is a sprinkler system that is operated by a water pump. The previous storage building was damaged in a fire and most of the stored goods were destroyed, so it was a prime consideration when the new building was erected. There are always two militia on duty guarding the building.
18. The home of Grzz�at Murah. (See Personalities Doc.)
19. Home of Gavrie and Anya Rostov (7 children, 2 married off)
20. Farm of Sahsa and Fayina Rostov (7 children, 3 married off)
21. Mill � The mill, like all the heavy industry of Windsheim is owned and operated by the church for the benefit of the community. The mill is run by Andrey Dansk and employees 5 men from the village. It�s a small operation but can produce quality pine boards for use in construction in the village. It has limited ability to produce heavier wood boards used in the maintenance of the Cathedral and its grounds.

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