Novy Novgorod

Novy Novgorod, or Новый Новгород (New Novgorod, literally New New City), is a city located on Level 2, established by the Brotherhood of Us who Await Judgement. It has a population estimated between 8,000 and 10,000 residents and is governed by the monastic Brotherhood, a religious order of Eastern Orthodox monks. These people are mostly of Greek or Russian descent.   The city is built around the base of a massive geological formation known locally as the Pillar. This formation is a hollow rock pillar of unknown height, with steep, uneven surfaces that rise indefinitely into the sky. The bottom of the pillar widens into a broad, conical shape, forming a terraced landscape upon which the city is constructed. Due to the terrain, Novy Novgorod is arranged in spiral rings that ascend incrementally toward the monastery at the summit.   The monastery complex is located at the highest point of the city. The cloister encircles an entrance leading into the hollow pillar itself, providing passage to Level 3. Given that 3 is a warm level, rising heat from the pillar is what makes the city habitable. Underground pipes sticking into the hollows makes for a unique form of geothermal heating for houses and greenhouses. This has allowed humans to thrive in the harsh climate, making it one of very few locations on Level 2 where people actually want to visit or live. The relatively friendly conditions has made Novy Novgorod a place where monuments can be erected, where food can be grown, and where communities can grow and persist through centuries.   The passage to Level 3 leads to the Roman Catholic vineyard Villa Dremli, led by Pope Benedict XVI. Despite religious differences, the two settlements are avid trade partners, circumventing language barriers by speaking Latin. Novy Novgorod's biggest exports below are coal, ice, and ice cream, while their major imports are wine and fruits. While the journey to the Villa is a descent along a spiraling ramp inside the Pillar, the journey back is a flat, straight path of about 6 kilometers.