Sun's Hollow

The home of Sun's Glow cider

There's nothing better than the warmth of the sun on your face and the sweet scent of apples on the air.

— Tobias Wood, an orchard worker

by Fabrizio Conti

The valley of Sun's Hollow

Nestled in a valley where the sun pools like water, Sun's Hollow was a small idyllic village of less than a hundred people. It was located in the Lordship of the Vasey family, about three miles east of the city of Broadgate.
Prior to its destruction by a landslide, Sun's Hollow was well known for their growth of an apple variety known as Sun's Gold and the cider they made from it, Sun's Glow.

Founding

In 4811 EA, the three Reed brothers inherited a small orchard and brewery from their dying father. Located on the outskirts of Broadgate, the Reed orchard was relatively successful, supplying cider to several taverns in the city.
The middle brother, Quill Reed, was an impetuous young man of twenty winters. He believed that the Reed orchard could be much more successful - if his brothers listened to him.

The eldest brother, Carey Reed, was offended by the insinuation that their father had not run the business well. He challenged Quill to start his own orchard and become more successful than their father. He assumed that would shut his brother up; in fact, it sparked Quill's deep competitive streak and he accepted the challenge.
With Carey's reluctant blessing, Quill dug up five saplings from the Reed orchard and loaded them onto a cart. He then headed out to find a piece of land to start his own orchard. His younger brother, Leon, who had always been closer to Quill than to Carey, tagged along, leaving Carey to run the Reed orchard by himself.
The two brothers came across a sun-soaked valley and a wild apple grove, and decided to plant their saplings there. Over the next couple of decades, this became the village of Sun's Hollow.

An Acerbic Rivalry

Within a decade of its founding, Sun's Hollow was producing enough apples and cider to begin selling some of their product to the taverns in Broadgate. Some believe this was due to the blessing of Faolan, the Lord of Earth. In doing this, they became a direct competitor of the Reed orchard. Whilst Quill originally meant to prove that he had been successful in his brother's challenge, some taverns dropped the Reed orchard as a supplier in favour of Sun's Hollow. A bitter rivalry quickly developed between the two orchards.
This rivalry would continue for the next five hundred years, long after the death of the Reed brothers. Occasionally, this even escalated to outright sabotage. This became rarer after the Vasey family officially sponsored the Sun's Hollow orchard and brewery in 5140 EA.
However, after the tragic landslide that destroyed Sun's Hollow, the Reed orchard honoured them with a new beverage which they called Sun's Set. Ironically, this is currently their most popular product.

by aitoff

The Landslide

See Sun's Hollow Landslide
In 5340 EA, on a wet spring's day, the slope above Sun's Hollow collapsed. Tonnes of mud and rock swallowed the village and the orchard whole. Out of the eighty-nine people who called Sun's Hollow home, there was only one survivor.
A monument now stands on the site of the village, as a reminder of the lives lost that day.

Founded

4811 EA

Destroyed

5340 EA

Population Prior to Destruction

89 people

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Notable Buildings

Sun's Hollow Brewery - Where Sun's Gold became Sun's Glow
The Golden Core Tavern - A place to relax after a hard day's work.
The Boarding House - Somewhere for itinerant workers to stay and drink during harvest season. A controversial, recent addition.
Since Sun's Hollow was so close to Broadgate, the village relied on the city for most of their shopping and service needs.

by Lichtsammler

Sun's Glow Cider

I don't know what they do to it, but it's like drinkin' liquid sunshine.

— A satisfied patron

Sun's Glow cider is a deep clear golden colour, with minimal cloudiness. It has a tart flavour that fades to a sweet, warm aftertaste. When asked if anything was added to the cider to enhance its flavour, Quill Reed answered 'only sunlight.'
Since the destruction of Sun's Hollow, it has become a valued commodity as no more can be produced.

A Kingly Gift

In 1500 SE (5329 EA), Lord Robert Vasey presented High Lord Edward Elenasia with a barrel of Sun's Glow cider upon the birth of his heir, Camber Elenasia. This preceded the biggest boom in the popularity of Sun's Glow cider for a hundred years.

by susannp4