Ermäßigr

Ermäßigr is a fictional municipality created for use in German-language fantasy and role-playing media. It is described as a small town in the northern region of the imagined country of Nordmark, notable for its historic marketplace and a long tradition of trade.

Name and etymology: The toponym Ermäßigr is a constructed word designed to evoke historic Central European towns; it is not derived from a real place. In the fiction, the name signals a community with a heritage of guilds and tariffs.

Geography: Ermäßigr is set in a lowland valley with the Lieth River flowing nearby. The terrain features timber-framed houses, a market square, and surrounding farmland. The fictional climate is temperate with cold winters and mild summers. The town covers about 24 square kilometers and hosts a population published in fictional census figures around 7,000–9,000 residents.

History: According to its lore, Ermäßigr emerged in the 13th century as a trading settlement, grew under a medieval guild system, and built defensive walls that were later removed. It joined the Nordmark Confederation and developed crafts such as cloth, timber, and metalwork. The town experienced periodic fires and plague, then recovered through a tradition of municipal self-government.

Governance and economy: The town is governed by a mayor and an elected council seated in a central town hall. The economy centers on markets, small manufacturing, and tourism tied to the historic architecture. Local producers are described as specializing in textiles, timber goods, and regional food products.

Culture and transportation: Ermäßigr hosts weekly markets, a midsummer festival, and a guild fair that features music and street food. It is connected by a regional road network; in the fiction, a small river port provides occasional trade. Rail connections are described as limited to nearby towns.

In fiction: Ermäßigr appears in several novels and tabletop campaigns set in Nordmark and surrounding regions. Writers use it as a backdrop for political plots, economic policy debates, and cultural exchanges.

See also: List of fictional places, Nordmark (fictional country).