Snakemond

Snakemond (/snakemond/ [Translation Unavailable]) is a subtropical Town located in Esterbeach Dutchy, Kobian Kingdom, within the Sylvanian Empire.

The name Snakemond is derived from the Sylvin language, as Snakemond was founded by Olwen Ivens, who was culturaly Sylvin.

Climate

Snakemond has a yearly average temperature of 15°C (59°F), with its average temperature during the summer being a warm 29°C (84°F) and its average temperature during the winter being a cold 1°C (33°F). Snakemond receives an average of 226 cm/y (88 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of snow during the pleasantly short winter months. Snakemond covers an area of nearly 5 km² (2 mi²), and an average elevation of 1970 m (6463 ft) above sea level.

Overview

Snakemond was founded durring the early 11th century, by Olwen Ivens. The establishment of Snakemond was plagued by a lack of willing colonists. After attempts to pay people to resettle failed Olwen Ivens struck deals with nearby nations and communities to establish Snakemond as a prison colony.

Snakemond was built using the conventions of Sylvin durring the early 11th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Snakemond 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.

Snakemond is is constructed arround a semi-circular premissive paverstone mainstreet, with smaller strait roads linking the circiles to eachother at varrious points. The town sits behind an impressive looking clay brick wall. The wall is notable for querried stone blocks being used to renforce the clay bricks in the expected manner and locations. While the wall was built to the exact specifications of modern fortifications, one has to wonder why the money invested into creating such a well fortified wall wasnt spent on a less impressive looking wall crated from sturdier materials. Snakemond's walls would endure a brief bombardment, but only from light siege weapons. It seems more likly the town's walls were not designed with defence in mind but rather lending the town a certain air with visitors. The town's boondoggle-of-a-fortified wall have recently undergone extensive repairs and renovations, such that the repairwork is imeadiently apparent and can be spotted due to the diffring ages of materials. One can't help but wonder what brought the need for those repairs to the town.

Snakemond is not quite well. Something happened here, perhapse recently, perhapse long ago. Whatever it was, it settled into the very soul of the town like a festering wound. The people go about their day well enough, but there’s a tention in the air you can cut with a knife.

Civic Infrastructure

Snakemond 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.

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

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

Snakemond 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.

Snakemond 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.

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

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

Snakemond 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 Snakemond's natural decorations nor waterways.

Snakemond 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.

Snakemond 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.

Snakemond 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

Life is hard in Snakemond. 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 Snakemond a notably resourceful and hearty people.

Snakemond's chapel was built using a different architectural style from the rest of the town. The style used is characterized by their massive, monolithic and 'blocky' appearance with a rigid geometric style. It was best known for its rough, unfinished surfaces, unusual shapes, heavy-looking materials, straight lines, and small windows. Modular elements were often used to form masses representing specific functional zones, grouped into a unified whole.

In Snakemond sometimes, near one of the seasonal solstices, the sun appears to split into three and it rains from a clear sky for several hours.

The Hoar Spirit near Snakemond are known to be more aggressive than normal.

Snakemond's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in autumn and involves creating small tokens to channel Conjuration 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.

Snakemond Census Data: Year 2000

426 of Snakemond's population work within a Foundational Occupation.

• 26 work in Agriculture
• 98 work as Craftsmen
• 32 work as Merchants
• 71 work as Service Workers
• 42 work as General Laborers
• 16 work as Skilled Laborers
• 60 work as Civil Servants
• 39 work in Cottage Industries
• 20 work as Artists
• 22 work in Produce Industries

893 of Snakemond's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 69 (5%) are noncontributers.

Points of Interest

Snakemond's is something of a geological and arcane anomaly, as neither physical nor magical law entirely explains its formation.

POI

History

In time immemorial, reportedly some time during the late 2nd century a local hero by the name of solved a major long term problem plaguing the town. was immortalized in song for this deed.

History