Ivyum

Ivyum (/ivyum/ [Translation Unavailable]) is a subtropical Town located in Zashvād County, Ipoulan Kingdom, within the Sylvanian Empire.

The name Ivyum is derived from the Sylvin language, as Ivyum was founded by Tshesí Cousins, who was culturaly Sylvin.

Climate

Ivyum has a yearly average temperature of 20°C (68°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 12°C (53°F). Ivyum receives an average of 141 cm/y (55 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of rain during the spring. Ivyum covers an area of nearly 5 km² (2 mi²), and an average elevation of 3918 m (12854 ft) above sea level.

Overview

Ivyum was founded durring the early 11th century, by Tshesí Cousins. The establishment of the new community went well, though many minor issues had to be solved as time went on. This was enough to delay construction and push back the formal opening ceramony, leading to some embarisment for Tshesí Cousins.

Ivyum was built using the conventions of Sylvin durring the early 11th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Ivyum 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.

Ivyum is was constructed arround several spacious baked earthen mainstreets which cross one another at certain axies, with smaller streets branching off of them to premit acess to the many buildings deeper into the road network. The overall fashion is remenessent of a circulatory system, or other organic construct, and is quite effishent in its design. The town rests behind the absurdity that is a thick, timber braced, wall made of clay bricks. While visualy impressive and certainly an astetic, Ivyum's wall provides no actual defence against siege equipment due to the choice of its cosntruction materials. Even nonexperts can tell the town is trying to impress rather than defend with its walls, towers, and gatehouses. Though admittedly, they do look nice... To primitive tribals who have never seen fortifications before. Astonishigly, the political statment focused walls are in pristine condishion, as if they had just been finished before you laied eyes upon them.

Right off the bat Ivyum hits you in the face with its success. Everyone, even the peasants, are dressed in well made clothing. Every tool and implement you can see is finely made, and people will boast to you as obvious strangers of the wonders which can be found in their markets. More interestingly is a total lack of beggars, and plenty of new buildings are going up even as you speak. Somehow this town has come into quite a lot of wealth, and recently from the looks of things. The new wealth has created some worrying attitudes in many passers by, such that it’s clear new laws have recently been enacted and enforced with such extreme scrutiny the locals seem to be going about their day as if by clockwork.

Civic Infrastructure

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

Ivyum 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.

Ivyum 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.

Ivyum 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.

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

Ivyum possesses an older civil lighting system consisting of street lamps. These lights provide nighttime illumination to most city streets.

Ivyum has a first rate hospital which caters to anyone in need of long term medical care.

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

Ivyum 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

A substantial minority of the locals are descended from foreigners alien to their local neighbors. They may have been religious exiles, economic migrants, indigenous locals surrounded by the existing polity, or a foreign settlement conquered within the relatively recent past. The locals may not be enthusiastic about being ruled by others not of their kind, and their neighbors may look askance at the way foreign customs or even laws may be maintained.

Ivyum's town hall 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 Ivyum tiny harmless tornadoes plague the town.

The Ghoul near Ivyum are known to be more aggressive than normal.

Ivyum's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in summer and involves embarking on a group pilgrimage to channel Charm energies of tier 1 via singing.

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.

Ivyum Census Data: Year 2000

376 of Ivyum's population work within a Foundational Occupation.

• 23 work in Agriculture
• 84 work as Craftsmen
• 29 work as Merchants
• 63 work as Service Workers
• 37 work as General Laborers
• 12 work as Skilled Laborers
• 52 work as Civil Servants
• 37 work in Cottage Industries
• 19 work as Artists
• 20 work in Produce Industries

826 of Ivyum's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 37 (3%) are noncontributers.

Points of Interest

Ivyum has a substantial mill pond located a short distance from town.

POI

History

In time immemorial, reportedly some time during the early 2nd century the Vêshë-dènî Shrublands was struck by a drought when Lake Talwara grew too small to continue feeding Creek Lemtry, which reduced the available water supply nationwide, but was especially harsh in the area arround Ivyum. As the neighboring regions had no water so spare, Ivyum lost 102 people, and 299 livestock in the disaster.. The drought lasted for 5 weeks, which are remembered as the Loss Thirst.

History