Hartgrove

Hartgrove (/ˈhɑrtˌgroʊv/ [Translation Unavailable]) is a subtropical Town located in Kshksvi̊daf County, Qiban Kingdom, within the Sylvanian Empire.

The name Hartgrove is derived from the Sylvin language, as Hartgrove was founded by Nania Bethune Carnell, who was culturaly Sylvin.

Climate

Hartgrove has a yearly average temperature of 19°C (66°F), with its average temperature during the summer being a warm 28°C (82°F) and its average temperature during the winter being a cool 11°C (51°F). Hartgrove receives an average of 203 cm/y (79 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of rain during the fall. Hartgrove covers an area of nearly 4 km² (1 mi²), and an average elevation of 3126 m (10255 ft) above sea level.

Overview

Hartgrove was founded durring the late 14th century in summer of the year 1351, by Nania Bethune Carnell. The establishment of Hartgrove was plagued by a lack of willing colonists. After attempts to pay people to resettle failed Nania Bethune Carnell struck deals with nearby nations and communities to establish Hartgrove as a prison colony.

Hartgrove was built using the conventions of Sylvin durring the late 14th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Hartgrove is no diffrent. The town's buildings feature delicute timber framework hidden behind layer upon layer of finly ground plaster bleached to an almost glossy white sheen, with green clay tiled roofs and decorative brass-leafed trim. Even the smallest, poorest looking structures appear to be expencive thanks to the extreem elegence of the organic shapes and paterns going into their lofty, spire-y, vagly gothic designs. The more well off folks live in identicle homes, save for even shiner trim and a more whimsical appearance to their structures flowing forms.

Hartgrove is buildings folow an organic layout of broad flagstone streets whihch gives the town a shape simmilar to a tree, if one views its streets from above. The town sits behind a stone-renforced palisade wall, with stone gatehouses and timber drawbridges for their trench. The would-be-castle fortifications have not been wellmaintained over the years, and while functional are in dire need of some loving care and perhapse light renovation.

A look around Hartgrove gives you an uneasy feeling. Everything is just a little too worn down, a little too dirty, or both. No one makes eye contact. Kids play quietly, but happily. Occasionally a passerby glances at you out of the corner of their eye, staring just long enough for it to be uncomfortable. This all rests atop the unmistakable impression the town is one of the strictest places imaginable. Everyone’s actions are clearly directed by laws they keep in heart and mind at all times. Orderly byond order is a phrase which Hartgrove brings to mind.

Civic Infrastructure

Hartgrove has an Office of Civil Vicary, which is responsible for providing a livelyhood for all officialy recognised religious figures within Hartgrove.

Hartgrove has a Gravedigger's Guild, which is responsible for collecting the dead and laying them to rest according to all applicable laws and religious customs.

Hartgrove has a Department of Firefighters, which is responsible for organizing fire fighting efforts during a fire and enforcing local ordinances relating to fire safety.

Hartgrove has a Highwayman's Guild, which is tasked with maintaining the roads and highways leading into town as well as keeping them safe for travelers.

Hartgrove has a monistary of an order of Civil Monks, who provide divine-related services to the general public and maintain Hartgrove's public wards, blessings, and other arcane systems.

Hartgrove has a Parks and Recreation Department, which is responsible for the construction, management, and usage rights for all of its parks and parklands.

Hartgrove has a public schooling program overseen by the Hall of Sages who has the responsibility of ensuring access to affordable high-quality education in all basic classes (Reading, Writing, Mathmatics, General Sciences, General Arcana, and Social Education) is made available to all citizens.

Hartgrove has a public septic system, which allows its citizens to have indoor bathrooms. The septic system is overseen by the League of Sewerkeepers, who posses the legal authority to enforce all laws relating to the septic system, and are also tasked with its maintenance and upkeep.

Cultural Notes

Hartgrove's garrison was built using a different architectural style from the rest of the town. The style used has a sleek, linear appearance with stylized, often geometric ornamentation. The primary facade of its buildings often featured a series of set backs that create a stepped outline. Low-relief decorative panels can be found at entrances, around windows, along roof edges or as string courses. It was best known for its use of smooth finish building materials such as stucco, concrete block, glazed brick or mosaic tile. Decorative details can incorporate various artistic or exotic motifs to suit the building's function or the architect's whim. Chevrons, zigzags, and other geometrical motifs are common forms of ornament.

In Hartgrove most nights are accompanied by colorful ribbons of light in the sky.

The Bumblebee, Giant near Hartgrove are known to be almost tame, such that they can be put to domestic use.

Hartgrove's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in summer and involves gestures to channel Elven High Magic energies of tier 3 via proclamations.

Economy

The following information was obtained via the Imperial Census Bureau as part of the Eyom Economic Outreach Program. It differs from Standard Imperial censuses in that many of Tom's citizens, regardless of culture, work in more than one occupation or hold more than a single job. The Imperial Census Bureau has ruled that a job is a job, hence, the intigers within the data presented here can count an individual more than once.

Hartgrove Census Data: Year 2000

330 of Hartgrove's population work within a Foundational Occupation.

• 20 work in Agriculture
• 73 work as Craftsmen
• 25 work as Merchants
• 54 work as Service Workers
• 31 work as General Laborers
• 12 work as Skilled Laborers
• 50 work as Civil Servants
• 33 work in Cottage Industries
• 15 work as Artists
• 17 work in Produce Industries

745 of Hartgrove's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 21 (2%) are noncontributers.

Points of Interest

Hartgrove produces some wonderful cultural artifact or trains famous artists. The product might be some exceptional cloth, or artistic luxury good, or the scholarly fruits of a famous academy. Trained artists might be students of a particular school, or the apprentices of the current masters of a long artistic tradition who dwell here.

Due to a magical anomaly, Hartgrove is directly accessible from a nearby river, despite the lack of a physical connection between the town's pond and the river.

POI

History

In time immemorial, reportedly some time during the late 2nd century a local hero by the name of saved most of the town when a natural disaster struck Hartgrove. was immortalized in song for this deed.

History