Vorwelp and Vorthelp

Vorwelp and Vorthelp are neighbouring villages in choreman Anticalum, that have a long history of rivalry. They are both small villages, with populations of 200-300 people each. The villages are the cause of much confusion as Vorwelp was initially known as Vorthelp and Vorthelp as Vorwelp. In the year 2176 due to certain circumstances the villages exchanged their names to the ones they now bear.

Rivalry
The villages have a somewhat friendly rivalry between them that is famous throughout Anticalum. However the rivalry is treated differently in each village. For example, while it is a humourous insult to call a Vorwelpian a Vorthelpian, it is a most serious criminal offence to call a Vorthelpian a Vorwelpian.

Every a year is held in one of the villages (the host village alternates), that is mainly composed of sporting competitions such as goat-throwing, wrestling and long-distance rolling. There are also non-sporting competitions, the most popular of these being eating contests. The event was created with the intention to improve social relations between the villages. This purpose has hardly been met; the event has an atmosphere of the utmost competitiveness and often ends with riots and mob fighting. An unusual tradition that exists in both villages, is that of sending a villager – the urinator, to the rival village to urinate there. At the beginning of every month, a rota is organised, so that every day a villager is picked as the urinator and is sent at night, arriving early the next morning to urinate at the gates of the rival village. Due to sporting fairness, the guards at the gates of both villages refrain from preventing a rival urinator from doing his/her business. The urinator then travels back to his/her village for the majority of the day. A tradition is also held, that if at any point in their travels the urinators from opposing villages meet on their travels, they must fight to death. This has only occurred thrice in the history of the two villages. The first two occasions were in favour of Vorthelp (the first was when it was called Vorwelp). Marhihij Hancelt and Friholn Jamsadh, the two victorious Vorthelpians spent the rest of their lives in luxury, left behind a legacy and never had to go on urinating duty again. On the third meeting between Vorwelpian and Vorthelpian urinators, Bomwern Fartholnd from Vorwelp beat Kareml Hancelt (from the same family as Marhihij) from Vorthelp almost to death. Bomwern spared Kareml’s life after he begged him for mercy. Kareml returned to Vorthelp in shame, but didn’t remain there for long. He was banished from the village and disowned from the Hancelt family.

Vorwelp
Vorwelp has the structure of a typical Anticalum village. There is a central circle around which there is an inn and several shops. Around these lie the houses of most villagers. Small farms along with the houses of their owners surround the rest of the buildings. A short, wooden and basically useless wall runs around the entire village. Sometimes confused goats belonging to the villagers run into it, causing damage. Also often it rains heavily, which also causes damage. And in the winter, during blizzards, the whole thing collapses. Those in charge of maintaining the wall are kept busy throughout the year. The villagers refuse to rid themselves of it but freely admit that the wall is quite pointless. However, it is quite a pretty wall. There is one gate, and one gate alone, allowing people to enter Vorwelp. It is rather inconveniently placed; facing away from all roads, with a tree growing right in front of it. There have been attempts to cut the tree down. These attempts have failed. It is the single most thoughtfully built construction in Vorwelp. It has a 10 metre high and 4 metre wide frame of stone. The doors of the gate are made of hardened steel, and could withstand the force of a charging elephant. There is a little window in the gate that can be opened to allow a guard to look outside. Unfortunately, over time the guards of Vorwelp have forgotten how to use it. The strength of the gate is rendered useless by the weakness of the wall beside it. It is not uncommon for people entering the village to simply climb over the wall rather than going around to the gate. Occasionally there are some who even jump over. Those who fail to clear the height of the wall simply break a hole in it and enter anyway (though they are charged a small fine). All the buildings are made of either wood or stone, in comparison to the wall they are wonders of architecture. Though, on occasion, they too are damaged by rain, hail, snow and goats.

Vorthelp
Some ambitious genius suggested at the initial building of Vorthelp (then known as Vorwelp), that the village should be shaped as a letter V – as it was the starting letter of the village’s name. Some other ambitious genii thought this was a good idea. And though the idea itself was not a bad one, the manner in it which it was carried out was nothing short of appalling. After the limited planning, Vorwelp was built, starting from the two points of the proposed V-shape. The construction was met with several problems including large boulders on site, religious beliefs and the inability of the masons to build in straight lines. At the end of the village construction, its shape did not resemble a V or any other letter of the alphabet, or anything at all. Vorthelp does not have a wall. This, in regard to Vorwelp’s wall and Vorthelp’s shape, can only be considered a good thing. It does have a gate. For the sole purpose of giving Vorwelpian urinators a place to fulfill their duty. It was built in a day, and is quite plain. It lies in the middle of the two points of the ‘V’. Like Vorwelp and most other towns in Anticalum, the buildings are made of wood or stone, and are surprisingly quite strong.