Blanksmill Castle (/blanksmill/ [Translation Unavailable]) is a subtropical Large City located in Maplebridge Dutchy, Emzada Kingdom, within the Sylvan.
The name Blanksmill Castle is derived from the Sylvin language, as Blanksmill Castle was founded by Kelëi Berenson Robbins, who was culturaly Sylvin.
Climate
Blanksmill Castle has a yearly average temperature of 20°C (68°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 14°C (57°F). Blanksmill Castle receives an average of 136 cm/y (53 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of rain during the spring. Blanksmill Castle covers an area of nearly 121 km2 (48 mi2), and an average elevation of 5052 m (16574 ft) above sea level.
Overview
Blanksmill Castle was founded durring the late 15th century in summer of the year 1389, by Kelëi Berenson Robbins. The establishment of Blanksmill Castle was somewhat plagued by a lack of willing colonists, leading to Kelëi Berenson Robbins electing to pay people to resettle in Blanksmill Castle.
Blanksmill Castle was built using the conventions of Sylvin durring the late 15th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Blanksmill Castle is no diffrent. The city'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.
Blanksmill Castle is buildings are arranged arrounded a highly ordered system of narrow gravel streets which form triangular paterns, allowing the incides of the octagons to be common grounds for the buildings on the edges, be it for parkland, yardspace, plazas, or markets. The city 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specifications of millitary fortifications, but the nature of its clay brick construction leaves it vulnerable to even outdated siege equipment.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 city is well defended against anything short of an army. Unfortuantly, these brittle defences are in extreem disrepair, so much so that one cannot tell if they are decaying from a lack of mantance or damage incured.
Blanksmill Castle is a bustling hive of activity. Everyone moves at nothing short of a jog, each convocation is a mile a minute, and there’s dedicated lanes for riding through town in the center of each street. The locals all appear to be not merely occupied, but in a true hurry for everything from drinking a pint of ale to their daily work.
Civic Infrastructure
Blanksmill Castle possesses a city-wide Aethary Link which provides Aethary access anywhere within its metropolitan. This allows citizens who can afford the relevant devices access in their places of work, and rarely homes.
Blanksmill Castle has an animal control department which works to enforce local ordinances relating to the control, impoundment, and disposition of animals.
Blanksmill Castle 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 Blanksmill Castle. They are also responsible for the maintenance of these features. Notably, the OCG is not responsible for Blanksmill Castle's parks.
Blanksmill Castle has an Office of Civil Vicary, which is responsible for providing a livelyhood for all officialy recognised religious figures within Blanksmill Castle.
Blanksmill Castle has a government-funded child care program, overseen by the local Department of Nursemaids, which is responsible for providing childcare to working-class citizens according to local ordinances.
Blanksmill Castle 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.
Blanksmill Castle has a Guild of Nurses, which is tasked with caring for the elderly and infirm in accordance with local ordinances, religious values, and customs.
Blanksmill Castle has a Department of Firefighters, which is responsible for organizing fire fighting efforts during a fire and enforcing local ordinances relating to fire safety.
Blanksmill Castle 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.
Blanksmill Castle 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.
Blanksmill Castle has a monistary of an order of Civil Monks, who provide divine-related services to the general public and maintain Blanksmill Castle's public wards, blessings, and other arcane systems.
Blanksmill Castle has an Arcane Academy which provides higher education in the arcane sciences.
Blanksmill Castle possesses a Galvanic Power Grid, which brings galvanic current to most if not all buildings in town, and permits a great many consumer goods to function within the Large City. Blanksmill Castle's grid is powered by a god's will and kindness.
Blanksmill Castle possesses an older civil lighting system consisting of street lamps. In spite of the Galvanic Grid, these lights continue to use their old fule sources to provide nighttime illumination to all city streets.
Blanksmill Castle has a first rate hospital which caters to anyone in need of long term medical care.
Blanksmill Castle has a library, which keeps a large collection of books, scrolls, and archives all manner of physical items. The library is open to the public, including the Aether Link.
Blanksmill Castle 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 Blanksmill Castle's natural decorations nor waterways.
Blanksmill Castle 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.
Blanksmill Castle 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.
Blanksmill Castle 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
Blanksmill Castle's locals are divided into several castes. They may be organized by social role, by imputed nobility of birth, by ethnic origins, or any other dividing principle, but they cannot imagine any other way of organizing themselves. A hierarchy of castes is not inevitable, but there will be social and legal limits applied to ensure that each caste remains fixed in its function. The outside world may or may not respect these distinctions when dealing with the locals.
Blanksmill Castle's garrison was built using a different architectural style from the rest of the town. The style used is characterized by dynamic designs and complex architectural plan forms; intended to heighten feelings of motion and sensuality, and frequently based on the oval. It made extensive and extreme use of: Grandeur, Contrast, Curves and twists, Rich surface treatments, Gilded statuary, Bright colors, Vividly painted ceilings, Fragmented or deliberately incomplete elements, Large-scale frescoes, Dramatic central projections on an external facade, the use of plaster, stucco, or marble finishing, Illusory effects such as trompe l’oeil, and pear-shaped domes. While beloved by the nobility, the common folk tended to despise the style due to the massive consumption of resources required for even a small building constructed in this style.
Due to the actions of local Kami, spring is skipped in Blanksmill Castle.
The Ovinnik near Blanksmill Castle are known to be almost tame, such that they can be put to domestic use.
Blanksmill Castle's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in autumn and involves consuming a local narcotic to channel Charm energies of tier 1 via chanting.
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.
Agriculture
Dairy Farmers: 55
Farmers: 73
Farm Laborer: 150
Hunters: 92
Milk Maids: 84
Ranchers: 36
Ranch Hands: 78
Shepherds: 79
Farmland: 115161 m2
Cattle and Similar Creatures: 7144
Poultry: 85728
Swine: 5715
Sheep: 285
Goats: 57
Horses, Mounts, and Beasts of Burden: 2857
Craftsmen
Arms and Toolmakers: 63
Blacksmiths: 63
Bookbinders: 37
Buckle-makers: 40
Cabinetmakers: 60
Candlemakers: 95
Carpenters: 90
Clothmakers: 73
Coach and Harness Makers: 31
Coopers: 73
Copper, Brass, Tin, Zinc, and Lead Workers: 41
Copyists: 27
Cutlers: 24
Fabricworkers: 68
Farrier: 211
Furriers: 18
Glassworkers: 105
Gunsmiths: 64
Harness-Makers: 28
Hatters: 57
Hosiery Workers: 20
Jewelers: 32
Leatherwrights: 79
Locksmiths: 29
Matchstick makers: 43
Musical Instrument Makers: 42
Painters, Structures and Fixtures: 38
Paper Workers: 41
Plasterers: 38
Pursemakers: 46
Roofers: 29
Ropemakers: 29
Rugmakers: 27
Saddlers: 52
Scabbardmakers: 60
Scalemakers: 29
Scientific, Surgical, and Optical Instrument Makers: 18
Sculptors, Structures and Fixtures: 27
Shoemakers: 27
Soap and Tallow Workers: 103
Tailors: 197
Tanners: 37
Upholsterers: 41
Watchmakers: 37
Weavers: 86
Whitesmiths: 23
Merchants
Adventuring Goods Retellers: 19
Arcana Sellers: 19
Beer-Sellers: 41
Booksellers: 46
Butchers: 84
Chandlers: 77
Chicken Butchers: 78
Entrepreneurs: 29
Fine Clothiers: 73
Fishmongers: 73
Florists: 17
Potion Sellers: 46
Resellers: 119
Spice Merchants: 38
Wine-sellers: 57
Wheelwright: 43
Woodsellers: 28
Service workers
Bakers: 150
Barbers: 139
Coachmen: 40
Cooks: 142
Doctors: 58
Gamekeepers: 45
Grooms: 25
Hairdressers: 102
Healers: 78
Housekeepers: 95
Housemaids: 168
House Stewards: 89
Inns: 27
Laundry maids: 54
Maidservants: 98
Nursery Maids: 49
Pastrycooks: 98
Restaurateur: 114
Tavern Keepers: 119
Specialized Laborer
Ashworkers: 39
Bleachers: 27
Chemical Workers: 16
Coal Heavers: 54
In-Town Couriers: 66
Long Haul Couriers: 66
Dockyard Workers: 58
Gas Workers: 14
Hay Merchants: 23
Leech Collectors: 68
Millers: 68
Miners: 66
Oilmen and Polishers: 45
Postmen: 69
Pure Finder: 36
Skinners: 81
Sugar Refiners: 16
Tosher: 44
Warehousemen: 98
Watercarriers: 60
Watermen, Bargemen, etc.: 75
Skilled Laborers
Accountants: 35
Alchemist: 43
Clerk: 63
Dentists: 28
Educators: 74
Engineers: 42
Gardeners: 29
Mages: 21
Plumbers: 31
Pharmacist: 35
Professors: 12
Scientists: 20
Wizards: 12
Civil Servants
Adventurers: 27
Bankers: 39
Civil Clerks: 60
Civic Iudex: 32
Consultants: 19
Exorcist: 63
Fixers: 33
Kami Clerk: 51
Landlords: 55
Lawyers: 35
Legend Keepers: 47
Militia Officers: 178
Monks, Monastic: 92
Monks, Civic: 102
Historian, Oral: 64
Historian, Textual: 34
Policemen, Sheriffs, etc.: 69
Priests: 114
Rangers: 38
Rat Catchers: 43
Scholars: 47
Spiritualist: 54
Slayers: 16
Storytellers: 103
Military Officers: 105
Cottage Industries
Brewers: 79
Comfort Services: 124
Enchanters: 32
Herbalists: 31
Jaminators: 81
Needleworkers: 95
Potters: 46
Preserve Makers: 84
Quilters: 42
Seamsters: 142
Spinners: 86
Tinker: 31
Weaver: 71
Artists
Actors: 29
Architects: 11
Bards: 40
Costumers: 17
Dancers: 34
Drafters: 18
Engravers: 24
Fine Furniture Carpenters: 14
Glaziers: 30
Inlayers: 26
Musicians: 81
Painters, Art: 14
Playwrights: 30
Sculptors, Art: 25
Wood Carvers: 92
Writers: 98
Produce Industries
Butter Churners: 89
Canners: 79
Cheesmakers: 95
Ice Merchants: 12
Millers: 57
Picklers: 45
Smokers: 36
Stockmakers: 30
Tobacconists: 43
Tallowmakers: 66
10800 of Blanksmill Castle's population work within a Foundational Occupation.
592 work in Agriculture
2498 work as Craftsmen
887 work as Merchants
1690 work as Service Workers
1089 work as General Laborers
445 work as Skilled Laborers
1520 work as Civil Servants
944 work in Cottage Industries
583 work as Artists
552 work in Produce Industries
17205 of Blanksmill Castle's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 571 (2%) are noncontributers.
Points of Interest
The roads leading into Blanksmill Castle possess a great number of switchbacks. While designed for defense, they mostly wind up pissing everyone trying to take goods to town right the hell off.
POI
History
In time immemorial, reportedly some time during the late 2nd century an up-welling of water from beneath the earth caused Creek Haven to surge and overflow its banks. The resulting flood was isolated to the area around Blanksmill Castle, which was swallowed by the waters for several days. Blanksmill Castle lost 238 people, 324 livestock, and 69 buildings in the disaster. The disaster is remembered as the Suffering Drownings.