Hollyvale

Hollyvale (/hollyvale/ [Translation Unavailable]) is a subtropical Town located in Stonefalcon Dutchy, Tifia County, within the Kingdom of Helsteria.

The name Hollyvale is derived from the Sylvin language, as Hollyvale was founded by Mlë Steel Bowles, who was culturaly Sylvin.

Climate

Hollyvale has a yearly average temperature of 18°C (64°F), with its average temperature during the summer being a pleasant 25°C (77°F) and its average temperature during the winter being a cool 12°C (53°F). Hollyvale receives an average of 231 cm/y (90 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of rain during the summer. Hollyvale covers an area of nearly 4 km² (1 mi²), and an average elevation of 4224 m (13858 ft) above sea level.

Overview

Hollyvale was founded durring the late 10th century, by Mlë Steel Bowles. The establishment of Hollyvale suffered from many setbacks, delays, and obsticles, most notably a group of Hollyvale which required millitary assistance exterminate before the community could finish being built.

Hollyvale was built using the conventions of Sylvin durring the late 10th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Hollyvale is no diffrent. The town's buildings feature waddle and daub construction with good timber frames and a stone foundation protected by thatched or shingled rooves. Most buildings with second floors are built in such a way as to overhang into the streets on the upper floors for more space, as building size seems to be the primary indicator of wealth within the community. Most buildings are not decorated with any integral features, but instead use ivy, flowers, and other natural elements in planters of on trellices to breathe life into the structure they grow upon.

Hollyvale is is constructed arround a series of crampt cobblestone mainstreets which form concentric circles, with smaller strait roads linking the circiles to each other at varrious points. The town sits behind an impressive looking clay brick wall. The wall is notable for querried stone blocks being used to renforce the clay bricks in the expected manner and locations. While the wall was built to the exact specifications of modern fortifications, one has to wonder why the money invested into creating such a well fortified wall wasnt spent on a less impressive looking wall crated from sturdier materials. Hollyvale's walls would endure a brief bombardment, but only from light siege weapons. It seems more likly the town's walls were not designed with defence in mind but rather lending the town a certain air with visitors. Unfortuantly, these boondoggle-of-a-fortified wall are in extreem disrepair, so much so that one cannot tell if they are decaying from a lack of mantance or damage incured.

Hollyvale has the unmistakable air of a town on its last legs. Everything is a bit slipshod and ramshackle. Everyone is at work, or drinking. No one has anything in their eyes other than fear and despair. Whatever industry once fueled Hollyvale ’s existence has dried up and the town is drifting down the stream of history as it dries up. Likely due to this, Hollyvale is, in a word, disorder. People seem to be allowed to do as they please with little harmoney to anything. It feels less like a town, and more like a spot people just happened to have homes. One cannot help but wonder what Hollyvale was like during the glorydays.

Civic Infrastructure

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

Hollyvale 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.

Hollyvale 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.

Hollyvale has a Hall of Slayers, which is tasked with maintaining the roads and highways leading into town as well as keeping them safe for travelers.

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

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

Hollyvale has a Guild of Roadworkers, who are responsible for maintaining the roadways and public paths within town. They also have the duty of enforcing all civil laws relating to the roadways.

Hollyvale 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.

Cultural Notes

While Hollyvale might ostensibly be ruled by some other power, real control lies with the senior members of the local craft and labor guilds. Their decisions have the practical weight of law, and much of their time and effort is spent squeezing out competitors and parceling out economic opportunities in the community. Some guilds might have little or nothing to do with their original trade, and now exist purely as shells for political influence.

Hollyvale's mayor's house was built using a different architectural style from the rest of the town. The style used is which made use of the classical orders and mathematically precise ratios of height and width combined with a desire for symmetry, proportion, and harmony. It used columns, pediments, arches and domes are imaginatively in buildings of all types. Decorative features were seen as largely unnecessary as the sheer beauty of the structure itself was often close to art. However, many buildings with large ceiling spaces had their ceilings decorated with elaborate paintings, simply because the large flat spaces could feel wasted.

In Hollyvale the utterance of expletives is impossible within city limits. This has changed as the limits have changed, but has not kept up with slang, or swearing in foreign languages.

The Festrog near Hollyvale are known to be almost tame, such that they can be put to domestic use.

Hollyvale's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in spring and involves bloodletting to channel Augury energies of tier 2 via recitation of poetic epics.

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.

Hollyvale Census Data: Year 2000

320 of Hollyvale's population work within a Foundational Occupation.

• 22 work in Agriculture
• 70 work as Craftsmen
• 25 work as Merchants
• 53 work as Service Workers
• 31 work as General Laborers
• 11 work as Skilled Laborers
• 47 work as Civil Servants
• 29 work in Cottage Industries
• 15 work as Artists
• 17 work in Produce Industries

667 of Hollyvale's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 85 (8%) are noncontributers.

Points of Interest

Hollyvale is known for its well built pedestrian paths, which include foot bridges to cross the main street at several high-traffic areas.

POI

History

The the a suit of brigandine armor of Necromancy, an a suit of brigandine armor imbued with potent amounts of Necromancy energies was created near Hodgeing by in time immemorial, reportedly some time during the early 2nd century.

History