Rivercrystal

Rivercrystal (/rivercrystal/ [Translation Unavailable]) is a subtropical Town located in Kīijinf Jäk Hold, Queoulnia Kingdom, within the Sylvanian Empire.

The name Rivercrystal is derived from the Sylvin language, as Rivercrystal was founded by Vilwiel Cole Chalmers, who was culturaly Sylvin.

Climate

Rivercrystal has a yearly average temperature of 19°C (66°F), with its average temperature during the summer being a warm 27°C (80°F) and its average temperature during the winter being a cool 11°C (51°F). Rivercrystal receives an average of 138 cm/y (54 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of rain during the spring. Rivercrystal covers an area of nearly 4 km² (1 mi²), and an average elevation of 4126 m (13536 ft) above sea level.

Overview

Rivercrystal was founded durring the late 14th century in winter of the year 1278, by Vilwiel Cole Chalmers. The establishment of Rivercrystal was somewhat plagued by a lack of willing colonists, leading to Vilwiel Cole Chalmers electing to pay people to resettle in Rivercrystal.

Rivercrystal was built using the conventions of Sylvin durring the late 14th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Rivercrystal is no diffrent. The town's buildings feature plaster covered brickwork used to form structures with an emphasis on symmetry, proportion, geometry and the regularity of parts. Orderly arrangements of columns, pilasters and lintels, as well as the use of semicircular arches, hemispherical domes, niches and aediculae can be found everywhere such that only size of building and yard can be used to measure the general prosparity of a given building's owners due to a general wealthy feeling the style gives off.

Rivercrystal is buildings are speckled and packed arround restrictive cobblestone streets with seemingly no patern to them. It appears as if the town's residents simply built streets as they pleased and squeazed buildings in wherever and howeave rpossible, creating an organic, frustrating to navigate, maze of a town. The town has a defencive wall made from large clay bricks. The wall is constructed to the exact specifications of millitary fortifications, but the nature of its clay brick construction leaves it vulnerable to even outdated siege equipment. That said, the town is well defended against anything short of an army. The brittle defences has suffered a visible ammount of structural damage, leaving them effectivly useless. One can't help but wonder why the has not yet effected repairs.

A look around Rivercrystal 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 jsut long enough for it to be uncomfortable. Beneath this surface, the people of Rivercrystal can be overheard having academic discussions, as well as talking about scholarly subjects in general. It’s quite clear Rivercrystal places a lot of value on education and being a learned individual.

Civic Infrastructure

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

Rivercrystal 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.

Rivercrystal 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.

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

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

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

Rivercrystal 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

Life is hard in Rivercrystal. Its people are impoverished compared to their peers elsewhere. Something is making the locals stay, however, whether fear of the alternative, hope for a better future, or a stubborn attachment to their ancestral lands. Whatver the reason, living in this harsh area for generations has made the people of Rivercrystal a notably resourceful and hearty people.

Rivercrystal's chapel was built using a different architectural style from the rest of the town. The style used is characterized by vertical proportions, pointed arches, external buttressing, and asymmetry in the general shape of its buildings. The decorative features of the style were key, consisting of large arched windows, pointed arches, vaulted ceilings, flying buttresses, and sculptures integrated into the structure itself. Occasionally, for very important buildings, an array of sculptures or one colossal sculpture might replace the entirety of the entrance to said building.

Due to the actions of local Kami, winter is long in Rivercrystal.

The Gremlin near Rivercrystal are known to be more aggressive than normal.

Rivercrystal's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in summer and involves orgies to channel Transmutation energies of tier 1 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.

Rivercrystal Census Data: Year 2000

346 of Rivercrystal's population work within a Foundational Occupation.

• 23 work in Agriculture
• 76 work as Craftsmen
• 27 work as Merchants
• 58 work as Service Workers
• 33 work as General Laborers
• 12 work as Skilled Laborers
• 51 work as Civil Servants
• 32 work in Cottage Industries
• 16 work as Artists
• 18 work in Produce Industries

765 of Rivercrystal's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 34 (3%) are noncontributers.

Points of Interest

Rivercrystal is accessed from a nearby river via an intricate series of locks.

POI

History

The the a symble of Charm, an a symble imbued with great amounts of Charm energies was created near Rivercrystal by in time immemorial, reportedly some time during the early 2nd century.

History