Ashhold

Ashhold (/ashhold/ [Translation Unavailable]) is a subtropical Large Town located in the Cosea Provence of the Kingdom of Hobben.

The name Ashhold is derived from the Sylvin language, as Ashhold was founded by Tshênho Whiting, who was culturaly Sylvin.

Climate

Ashhold has a yearly average temperature of 25°C (77°F), with its average temperature during the summer being a warm 30°C (86°F) and its average temperature during the winter being a pleasant 21°C (69°F). Ashhold receives an average of 303 cm/y (119 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of rain during the summer. Ashhold covers an area of nearly 6 km² (2 mi²), and an average elevation of 884 m (2900 ft) above sea level.

Overview

Ashhold was founded durring the early 9th century, by Tshênho Whiting. The establishment of Ashhold suffered from many setbacks, delays, and obsticles, most notably a group of Ashhold which required millitary assistance exterminate before the community could finish being built.

Ashhold was built using the conventions of Sylvin durring the early 9th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Ashhold 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.

Ashhold is buildings are arranged arround a single spacious cobblestone mainstreet with many smaller streets branching off of it which gives the town a over all rectangular shape, albit one warped and twisted by the nature of the curves of the main road. The town rests behind the absurdity that is a thick, timber braced, wall made of clay bricks. While visualy impressive and certainly an astetic, Ashhold'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.

A look around Ashhold has something terribly wrong with it. It’s impossible to put one’s finger on, but something is horribly wrong. Maybe it’s the way fog blankets the ground, but only in the connors of places. Maybe it’s the vermin scuttling between shadows in the corner of your eyes. Perhaps it’s the overcast sky which seemed to creep out of nowhere, or the distant howling of wolves. Maybe it’s all of those things together, or perhaps it's the way these elements combine with the simple fact that it is abundantly clear Ashhold suffered something horrible some time ago. It's as if the town itself is depressed. Smiles are few, cheer is nowhere to be had. Everyone quietly goes about their daily business not looking anyone in the eye. Regardless, you do not feel it would be wise to remain in Ashhold long.

Civic Infrastructure

Ashhold has an Office of Civil Groundskeeping, which works to enforce local ordinances relating to the construction and upkeep up of all plant life, water features, and other natural decorations within Ashhold. They are also responsible for the maintenance of these features. Notably, the OCG is not responsible for Ashhold's parks.

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

Ashhold 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.

Ashhold 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.

Ashhold 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.

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

Ashhold has a Parks and Recreation Department, which is responsible for the construction, management, and usage rights for all of its parks and parklands. They are not to be confused with the Office of Civil Groundskeeping as they do not hold authority over nor responsibility for Ashhold's natural decorations nor waterways.

Ashhold 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.

Ashhold 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.

Ashhold is home to a University which provides higher education in a variety of fields, and also serves as a research institute for those same fields.

Cultural Notes

There’s a relatively new religion in Ashhold which is rapidly gaining power. It might be a sectarian offshoot of a major faith, the unique product of a new prophet, or an outside faith backed by wealthy and powerful foreign supporters. Depending on the demands made on believers, the new faith may be a matter of concern only to the existing clergy, or it might be a major flashpoint for conflict in the community.

Ashhold's garrison 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.

Due to the actions of local Kami, summer is recurring in Ashhold.

The Dryad near Ashhold are known to be quite timid.

Ashhold's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in autumn and involves line dance to channel Conjuration energies of tier 2 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.

Ashhold Census Data: Year 2000

498 of Ashhold's population work within a Foundational Occupation.

• 30 work in Agriculture
• 111 work as Craftsmen
• 40 work as Merchants
• 77 work as Service Workers
• 50 work as General Laborers
• 19 work as Skilled Laborers
• 75 work as Civil Servants
• 45 work in Cottage Industries
• 24 work as Artists
• 27 work in Produce Industries

1033 of Ashhold's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 31 (2%) are noncontributers.

Points of Interest

Ashhold's roads were poorly made when first laid. Rather than repairing them correctly, a series of new roads was laid atop the old, leading to the streets of modern Ashhold suffering from potholes, cracking, and even sinkholes. The locals often repair the road by putting down wooden decking.

POI

History

In time immemorial, reportedly some time during the late 2nd century, Ashhold was attacked by savage troglodytess living nearby. The details of the conflict are hazy at best due to many conflicting accounts. What is known is Ashhold lost 153 people, 335 livestock, and 77 buildings. The conflict ended after roughly 66, when members of Ashhold's militia enacted an operation to bring aid to another fighting force. The operation was complicated by the militia had access to far less resources than expected. The conflict ended with an assault and siege on the strategic location, which ended in a stalemate for Ashhold's forces. The war is remembered in legend by Ashhold's bards, historians, and legend keepers.

History