Pearl City Beekeepers

Tell us about a farming profession in one region of your world. What species and products are produced?

Beekeeping is a time-honored profession in the Pearl Cities. With each of the cities known for their highly cultivated flora, they have similarly unique honey, known for their specific flavors:

• Asha Allanar has orange blossom honey, known for its light color and mild citrus flavor, making it a popular addition to deserts.
• Lyfalorian produces tupelo honey, one of the rarest, most expensive, as well as the sweetest of all Pearl City honeys. It has a very light golden color with just a tinge of green. It is only able to be produced twice per year when the trees are blossoming.
• Illstaesi has jasmine honey, known for its amber color and sweet, floral aroma and taste. It's one of the capital city's most common souvenirs among tourists.
• Cenodorran is known for their carab berry honey, which is mainly known for the medicinal properties it has, assisting with everything from stomach ulcers to skin conditions. Some people also simply enjoy the robust, earthy flavor it can add to food.
• Fel-Shora produces loss-blossom honey, known for it's dark amber color and aroma that is said to be similar to that of raw cocoa butter. It's most popular for use in baked goods and cocktails.

Honey producers from outside the cities are forbidden from using any of their names in their marketing, but there are still many fakes, especially as you move further from Allathoné and officials are less familiar with the products and less inclined to put in the effort to verify their origin.

Career

Qualifications

Every beekeeper who wishes to sell under their city's name must register with their city council and undergo a verification process; this involves the prospective beekeeper putting together a plan for how many apiaries they will have and where they will be kept. An inspector will review the plan as well as visit the proposed location of the hive; they will take into account things such as elevation, wind exposure, access to water, spacing between hives, and proximity to busy areas.

Other Benefits

Beekeepers in general are looked upon with respect by other members of their cities, but especially those who have been in operation the longest. Despite the fact that they do profit off of what they do, they are viewed as providing a very important service to their community, akin to firefighters or EMTs.

Perception

History

Plants and greenspace were key considerations in the design of the Pearl Cities both for aesthetic and practical reasons, and so part of their initial plans involved subsidizing any businesses which would promote the care and wellbeing of pollinators. These subsidies included not only bees, but moths, butterflies, hummingbirds, and certain types of bats.

Operations

Dangers & Hazards

Very few, other than the rare sting.

Purple Flower with Bee by Adonyi Gabor

Type

Agricultural / Fishing / Forestry

Related Locations

• Asha Allanar
• Cenodorran
• Fel-Shora
• Illstaesi
• Lyfalorian

Used By

• The Most Serene Republic of Allathoné