Rockbluff

Rockbluff (/rockbluff/ [Translation Unavailable]) is a subtropical Town located in Morgate Dutchy, Liate County, within the Kingdom of Helsteria.

The name Rockbluff is derived from the Sylvin language, as Rockbluff was founded by Nåhikh Debney, who was culturaly Sylvin.

Climate

Rockbluff has a yearly average temperature of 19°C (66°F), with its average temperature during the summer being a pleasant 23°C (73°F) and its average temperature during the winter being a cool 16°C (60°F). Rockbluff receives an average of 200 cm/y (78 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of rain during the fall. Rockbluff covers an area of nearly 5 km² (2 mi²), and an average elevation of 3676 m (12060 ft) above sea level.

Overview

Rockbluff was founded durring the late 10th century, by Nåhikh Debney. The establishment of Rockbluff was plagued by a lack of willing colonists. After attempts to pay people to resettle failed Nåhikh Debney struck deals with nearby nations and communities to establish Rockbluff as a prison colony.

Rockbluff was built using the conventions of Sylvin durring the late 10th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Rockbluff 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.

Rockbluff is buildings are arranged arround a network of broad flagstone streets which form a grid, where each square verries in size given the proximity of the paralell streets forming each section. The ocasional smaller square has been used to construct a park, plaza, and other communal structures. The town is the proud owner of a properly designed set of renforced walls made from mighty querried stone blocks. Their construction and material choices would make a dwarf weap with joy, for each and every part of the elaborate fortifications are purly functional and robust well byond reason. Even nonexperts can tell the walls are an excelent defencive structure. Astonishigly, the exceptionaly well made fortifications are in pristine condishion, as if they had just been finished before you laied eyes upon them.

Rockbluff has the unmistakable air of a town 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 Rockbluff ’s existence has dried up and the town is drifting down the stream of history as it dries up. Even with that as it is, everything is just a little too worn down, a little too dirty, or much of both. The town should be gone, not dying. No one makes eye contact. Kids play quietly, but happily. Occasionally a passerby glances at you out of the corner of their eye, staring just long enough for it to be uncomfortable.

Civic Infrastructure

Rockbluff 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 Rockbluff. They are also responsible for the maintenance of these features. Notably, the OCG is not responsible for Rockbluff's parks.

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

Rockbluff 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.

Rockbluff 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.

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

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

Rockbluff 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 Rockbluff's natural decorations nor waterways.

Rockbluff 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.

Rockbluff 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

Rockbluff's chapel was built using a different architectural style from the rest of the town. The style used is admittedly strange and non-linear style rooted in defiance of symmetrical shapes. It championed the creation of buildings with a unique visual appearance. the structural norms of classic buildings and deforms or moves away from elementary architectural principles. By including non-linear designs processed into its buildings and favoring fragmentation, this style expressed a form of controlled chaos. Its buildings appear out-of-the-ordinary, draw the eye in immediately and sometimes create a feeling of strangeness. These distorted shapes and structure are not reserved to the building’s outer facade, they destabilize interior elements too, favoring minimalism and play on people’s perceptions by injecting a futuristic touch.

Due to the actions of local Kami, summer is short in Rockbluff.

The Slithering Pit near Rockbluff are known to be a mutant strain of the creature.

Rockbluff's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in autumn and involves sacrificing an animal to channel Chronomancy energies of tier 1 via oath swearing.

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.

Rockbluff Census Data: Year 2000

453 of Rockbluff's population work within a Foundational Occupation.

• 26 work in Agriculture
• 100 work as Craftsmen
• 32 work as Merchants
• 74 work as Service Workers
• 46 work as General Laborers
• 16 work as Skilled Laborers
• 70 work as Civil Servants
• 42 work in Cottage Industries
• 22 work as Artists
• 25 work in Produce Industries

903 of Rockbluff's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 56 (4%) are noncontributers.

Points of Interest

Rockbluff is known for its unusual rock formations.

POI

History

Rockbluff's residents established a new industry (15581 % 6)+1 years ago, and it’s making them a great deal of profit. Old patterns of authority and wealth are being disrupted, and the old gentry are unlikely to be pleased about it. They may be trying to take over the industry, or they may have been the ones to enable it in the first place and are using it to crush the life out of any rival power bases. Outsiders might be playing a major role as well, and it could be they plot to siphon off the profits.

In time immemorial, reportedly some time during the late 2nd century, Rockbluff was attacked by soldiers from another nation, with orders to raid Rockbluff. The details of the conflict are hazy at best due to many conflicting accounts. What is known is Rockbluff lost 245 people, 394 livestock, and 42 buildings. The conflict ended after roughly 222, when members of Rockbluff's militia enacted an operation to escort a particular vault to a safe location. The operation was complicated by the officers in charge fight among themselves, weakening the army as a whole. The conflict ended with a last stand against the enemy until a particular event occurred, which ended in victory for Rockbluff's forces. The war is remembered in legend by Rockbluff's bards, historians, and legend keepers.

History