Hollow Oak Town (Ha-Low Oak)
Something strange is happening in Hollow Oak. Undead, Bugbear Mercanires, Smiling Old Men, and an entity going by The White Ghost. . .The Party has their work cut out for them.
Geography
Hollow Oak is a town that sits in a province of the same name. The town and the surrounding villages sit upon gentle hills and thick lush forests, all of which are dotted with ruins from previous eras. Squirming through the hills and the forests is the worm river which turns on the edge of the town down to the south towards the Dwarfish Mountain Cities. The town and province receive their name from the hollow oak trees that are unique to the region. It is typically regarded as a gentle natural era of Bilow, un-touched by magic activity since the end of Scion's Heresy.Size & Power
Despite being a town, Hollow Oak is a relatively small community. It boasts a population of 502 people, which in reality is the medium size of a village. It receives its town status due to it being the governing and economic seat of the province. It has a standing army of 40 soldiers and guards, and a larger force of 200 men and women for its citizen militia should it need to be raised in defense of the town. As the seat of power, it collects taxes from the surrounding villages in the Lordship.Commerce
Hollow Oak gains most of its economic status from its namesake resource. The hollow oak wood is a sturdy yet flexible wood that is perfect for crafting furniture, and Sturywood around brings in wood to be sold to traveling merchants or town carpenters. The market prices of hollow oak are as follows;- Raw Hollow Oak Wood: 4 copper pieces /per lb
- Raw Hollow Oak Lumber: 1 sp per/lb
- Guild Carpenter Wage: 2 gold pieces /per day
- Lumberjack Wage: 1 gold piece /per day
Demographics
Races, Ethnic & Cultural groups:
The people of Hollow Oak are about 99 percent humans from the Nomidian ethnic and cultural group. The other 1 percent is halflings from the Nomidian ethnic and cultural group and humans from other ethnic/cultural groups; Ruuxa (Western), Ishalan, Tracian.Professions:
The Professions of Hollow Oak are based around the productions and refining of wood into lumber and furniture. 80% of the people of Hollow Oak are connected to the industry of logging, sawing, carpeting, or selling wood and hollow oak. The other 20% is split amongst the rest of the skilled labor jobs of the town. Tailors, blacksmiths, fletchers, etc.Wealth
Around 99% percent of the people in Hollow Oak live in modest conditions, making enough to comfortably sustain themselves and leave behind just a little bit for their future generations. This class of people are typically consistent of various wood workers and laborers. The other 1% live lavish lives of wealth, making enough to live comfortable lives with lots left over for future generations. This class of people is consistent of the merchants who buy and export the furniture, The Hathaways who run the Hathaway Guild, and The Halhearts who rule the Lordship and town of Hollow Oak.Government
Hollow Oak is ruled by Lord Vaygrade Halheart. He manages all the affairs of the settlement, settling legal disputes, placing taxes on goods, property, and permanent residents. Gregor Solbur serves as the commander of the town garrison and the enforcer of Vaygrade's laws and commands. Gregor is the scale upon which justice sits. Crimes of the Town include but are not limited to: Theft, Murder, Arson, Failure to Pay Taxes, Kidnapping, Unlawful/Coerced Marriage, Slavery, J-Walking (Whatever that is), The Unlawful Harvesting of Hollow Oak, etc.
Infrastructure
Hollow Oak was constructed as a simple manor surrounded by walls and with a large courtyard of stone. When the manor was turned into the capital of the region people began building their homes and businesses around the manor. In the years since the start of the town, much of the space within the walls have been taken up. A good way of indicating how old a building is is by determining what it's made from. Wooden houses and businesses are often new immigrants coming to the expanding town, while stone houses and buildings are typically ones from before Vaygrades reforms. The streets are simply the places in between buildings, as the ground was stoned over centuries ago. Waste is often taken from buildings and dumped into the river that runs alongside the town, or in the various grates and gutters than run waste under the city. Sawmills dot the river on the outside of the walls, accompanied by logging camps. The inside of the city still has many "squares" of open roads where traveling merchants and farmers often set up stalls to sell goods. The largest of these squares is The Plaza Square, where town events are held and town announcements are given. Despite the age of the town, it is well maintained by stonemasons and carpenters paid by Lord Halheart, so it retains a shiny and prestigious look.
Districts
Hollow Oak is a small town and thusly has no formal districts. That being said there are informal districts that are based around the locations of the various squares of the town.
The Plaza Square: This square is surrounded by the wealthy merchant's, and noble family's estates. There are no buildings when containing shops in this region, although exotic merchants coming from other towns often set up stalls to attract the eyes and purses of the wealthy inhabitants.
The Market Square: This square is surrounded by the shops and homes of hollow oaks' modest class of people. Most of the commoners live in this area of the town. The square itself contains the stalls of farming merchants, lower-wealth traveling merchants and peddlers, and carpenters wishing to flaunt their goods to those passing through the town.
Natural Resources
The Natural Resources of the town are the wood and hollow oak from the surrounding forest. The wheat, potatoes, eggs, chickens, beef, and milk from the surrounding villages brought into the market. Finally, there are the mana roses, magical herbs, and haramaha harvested from the forest and fields.
Founding Date
Sometime in the Third Era
Alternative Name(s)
Riverside
Type
Town
Population
502
Inhabitant Demonym
Hollowen
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
Related Reports (Primary)
Related Reports (Secondary)
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