The name Piles Castle is derived from the Sylvin language, as Piles Castle was founded by Maegang Driver, who was culturaly Sylvin.
Climate
Piles Castle has a yearly average temperature of 16°C (60°F), with its average temperature during the summer being a cool 19°C (66°F) and its average temperature during the winter being a cool 14°C (57°F). Piles Castle receives an average of 219 cm/y (86 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of rain during the fall. Piles Castle covers an area of nearly 36 km2 (14 mi2), and an average elevation of 538 m (1765 ft) above sea level.
Overview
Piles Castle was founded durring the early 10th century, by Maegang Driver. The establishment of Piles Castle was somewhat plagued by a lack of willing colonists, leading to Maegang Driver electing to pay people to resettle in Piles Castle.
Piles Castle was built using the conventions of Sylvin durring the early 10th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Piles Castle is no diffrent. The city'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.
Piles Castle is buildings are built arround a single broad worn bedrock mainstreet which forms a counterclockwise spiral to give the city a over all circular shape. The city has a defencive wall made from querried stone. The wall is equipped with a full set of battlments but the nature of its construction methodology leaves it somewhat vulnerable to siege equipment. That said, the city is well defended against anything short of an army. The city's cost-cutting-focused defences are visibly old, but also obviously well maintained. Its likly the local malishia or garrison are tasked with routine mantance of the city's defences.
Piles Castle has the unmistakable air of a city 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 Piles Castle ’s existence has dried up and the city is drifting down the stream of history as it dries up. The people are clearly worried about something, and everyone is either wearing a weapon or has one close at hand. Your gut tells you it’s not mere fate which has caused this town to begin failing...
Civic Infrastructure
Piles Castle possesses a Aethary Link for its accademic, government, and financial institutions. Public Aethary access is available through one or more of these intitutions.
Piles Castle has an animal control department which works to enforce local ordinances relating to the control, impoundment, and disposition of animals.
Piles 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 Piles Castle. They are also responsible for the maintenance of these features. Notably, the OCG is not responsible for Piles Castle's parks.
Piles Castle has an Office of Civil Vicary, which is responsible for providing a livelyhood for all officialy recognised religious figures within Piles Castle.
Piles 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.
Piles 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.
Piles 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.
Piles 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.
Piles 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.
Piles 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.
Piles Castle has a monistary of an order of Civil Monks, who provide divine-related services to the general public and maintain Piles Castle's public wards, blessings, and other arcane systems.
Piles Castle has an Arcane Academy which provides higher education in the arcane sciences.
Piles 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 City. Piles Castle's grid is powered by a god's will and kindness.
Piles Castle's old civil lighting system was converted to Galvanic Lamps recently, and expanded to provide nighttime illumination to all city streets.
Piles 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.
Piles 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 Piles Castle's natural decorations nor waterways.
Piles 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.
Piles 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.
Piles 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.
Piles Castle 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 more than one leader in Piles Castle, but at least some of them are at each other’s throats. It might be a conflict between formal leadership and informal authorities, or it could be a struggle among civil officials. Their interests might diverge sharply, or it could be a personal grudge that’s boiled over. Outside threats and internal problems are likely being ignored until the power struggle is resolved.
Piles Castle's mayor's house 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 recurring in Piles Castle.
The Ahlinni near Piles Castle are known to be almost tame, such that they can be put to domestic use.
Piles Castle's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in autumn and involves ritual combat to channel Charm energies of tier 2 via guttural bellowing.
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: 16
Farmers: 22
Farm Laborer: 50
Hunters: 31
Milk Maids: 21
Ranchers: 11
Ranch Hands: 24
Shepherds: 23
Farmland: 34766 m2
Cattle and Similar Creatures: 2156
Poultry: 25881
Swine: 1725
Sheep: 86
Goats: 17
Horses, Mounts, and Beasts of Burden: 862
Craftsmen
Arms and Toolmakers: 16
Blacksmiths: 19
Bookbinders: 10
Buckle-makers: 11
Cabinetmakers: 17
Candlemakers: 31
Carpenters: 26
Clothmakers: 23
Coach and Harness Makers: 8
Coopers: 22
Copper, Brass, Tin, Zinc, and Lead Workers: 11
Copyists: 8
Cutlers: 7
Fabricworkers: 18
Farrier: 55
Furriers: 5
Glassworkers: 31
Gunsmiths: 19
Harness-Makers: 8
Hatters: 16
Hosiery Workers: 6
Jewelers: 9
Leatherwrights: 22
Locksmiths: 9
Matchstick makers: 12
Musical Instrument Makers: 12
Painters, Structures and Fixtures: 11
Paper Workers: 12
Plasterers: 11
Pursemakers: 14
Roofers: 9
Ropemakers: 8
Rugmakers: 8
Saddlers: 15
Scabbardmakers: 17
Scalemakers: 9
Scientific, Surgical, and Optical Instrument Makers: 5
Sculptors, Structures and Fixtures: 8
Shoemakers: 8
Soap and Tallow Workers: 30
Tailors: 55
Tanners: 10
Upholsterers: 12
Watchmakers: 11
Weavers: 24
Whitesmiths: 6
Merchants
Adventuring Goods Retellers: 6
Arcana Sellers: 6
Beer-Sellers: 11
Booksellers: 13
Butchers: 22
Chandlers: 22
Chicken Butchers: 24
Entrepreneurs: 9
Fine Clothiers: 21
Fishmongers: 22
Florists: 5
Potion Sellers: 14
Resellers: 39
Spice Merchants: 11
Wine-sellers: 18
Wheelwright: 13
Woodsellers: 8
Service workers
Bakers: 45
Barbers: 33
Coachmen: 12
Cooks: 39
Doctors: 19
Gamekeepers: 13
Grooms: 7
Hairdressers: 31
Healers: 24
Housekeepers: 26
Housemaids: 53
House Stewards: 23
Inns: 8
Laundry maids: 15
Maidservants: 29
Nursery Maids: 15
Pastrycooks: 31
Restaurateur: 39
Tavern Keepers: 35
Specialized Laborer
Ashworkers: 12
Bleachers: 7
Chemical Workers: 5
Coal Heavers: 17
In-Town Couriers: 19
Long Haul Couriers: 18
Dockyard Workers: 16
Gas Workers: 4
Hay Merchants: 7
Leech Collectors: 22
Millers: 20
Miners: 22
Oilmen and Polishers: 13
Postmen: 19
Pure Finder: 10
Skinners: 25
Sugar Refiners: 4
Tosher: 13
Warehousemen: 31
Watercarriers: 17
Watermen, Bargemen, etc.: 23
Skilled Laborers
Accountants: 10
Alchemist: 12
Clerk: 17
Dentists: 8
Educators: 24
Engineers: 12
Gardeners: 8
Mages: 6
Plumbers: 8
Pharmacist: 10
Professors: 3
Scientists: 6
Wizards: 3
Civil Servants
Adventurers: 8
Bankers: 12
Civil Clerks: 20
Civic Iudex: 9
Consultants: 5
Exorcist: 20
Fixers: 10
Kami Clerk: 17
Landlords: 16
Lawyers: 10
Legend Keepers: 15
Militia Officers: 95
Monks, Monastic: 30
Monks, Civic: 29
Historian, Oral: 18
Historian, Textual: 10
Policemen, Sheriffs, etc.: 19
Priests: 29
Rangers: 11
Rat Catchers: 13
Scholars: 13
Spiritualist: 16
Slayers: 4
Storytellers: 40
Military Officers: 29
Cottage Industries
Brewers: 24
Comfort Services: 29
Enchanters: 9
Herbalists: 9
Jaminators: 26
Needleworkers: 27
Potters: 15
Preserve Makers: 26
Quilters: 12
Seamsters: 43
Spinners: 26
Tinker: 9
Weaver: 22
Artists
Actors: 9
Architects: 3
Bards: 13
Costumers: 5
Dancers: 10
Drafters: 5
Engravers: 7
Fine Furniture Carpenters: 4
Glaziers: 9
Inlayers: 8
Musicians: 24
Painters, Art: 4
Playwrights: 9
Sculptors, Art: 7
Wood Carvers: 27
Writers: 34
Produce Industries
Butter Churners: 29
Canners: 23
Cheesmakers: 27
Ice Merchants: 3
Millers: 18
Picklers: 14
Smokers: 10
Stockmakers: 9
Tobacconists: 13
Tallowmakers: 20
3227 of Piles Castle's population work within a Foundational Occupation.
182 work in Agriculture
714 work as Craftsmen
264 work as Merchants
497 work as Service Workers
324 work as General Laborers
127 work as Skilled Laborers
498 work as Civil Servants
277 work in Cottage Industries
178 work as Artists
166 work in Produce Industries
4710 of Piles Castle's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 690 (8%) are noncontributers.
Points of Interest
Piles Castle is known for its odd use of round-a-bouts, small ring roads used in place of intersections.
POI
History
In time immemorial, reportedly some time during the late 2nd century a local hero by the name of slew a dragon and brought its hoard to Piles Castle, where it was shared with all. Piles Castle created a local delicacy in 's honor which is served at festivals.