Ploverleigh

Ploverleigh-by-the-Sea, usually shortened to Ploverleigh, is the capital of County Östervan in the Dreibach Empire. It is the second-largest port in Dreibach proper, after the city of Brightwater. Still, its size is constrained by the fact that any entry into Ploverleigh city limits must be strictly noted and controlled by the city's immense team of bureaucrats, because of the traditional paranoia of the Count and Countess of Ploverleigh. This system is so widespread that as much as 20-25% of the town's population are tax collectors, customs officers, or other agents of the bureaucracy. As onerous as this is on life in Ploverleigh, the strategy nonetheless kept the town relatively safe from the Dread Battalion in the 1090s and the most violent parts of the Glorious Revolution of Y1105.

Government

An extensive system of viscounts, margraves, and barons work underneath the Count of Östervan within the city of Ploverleigh. In some places, the land is so heavily managed that baroncies consist of single streets.

Points of interest

The Shimmersands are the most famous beach in Ploverleigh. Their sands have an unusually strong golden hue, and they glitter faintly at high noon. Just inland from the shore is Shimmersands Street, a row of gleaming white mansions adorned with fanciful woodwork of incredible craftsmanship. This street is more heavily guarded than most, as most of these mansions are the summer homes of some of Dreibach's wealthiest and most powerful. At least one belongs to the Blackhammer Clan, and rumors abound that an unknown Archmage of the Convocation of Wands owns one of the mansions. Promenade Park is a large, well-maintained public park near the southwestern wall of the town. Ploverleigh's diligent Gardener's Guild painstakingly deconstructs and reconstructs its hedge maze each winter so that its solution is never the same from year to year. It also contains the Gallery of Icons, a statue garden displaying brass figures of great kings and leaders of Dreibach. The statues were given to the city as a gift from Breughelland in Y1077. Breughelland has sent several more statues for the collection over the decades, including one of Emperor Amadeus and one of Sarastro himself.

Tourism

The town is popular as a tourist destination during the summer months for its sunny weather, scenic beaches, and various pleasure parks with attractions and games. Because of the extreme bureaucracy involved, most visitors are already heavily vetted by their own hometown nobility and sent to Ploverleigh with recommendations from the Empire, which cuts down on the customs lines significantly. Each June, Ploverleigh hosts the Festival of Flora, a weeklong competition and showcase that draws florists and gardeners from across Belcantas. Entering the event requires rigorous qualifications and a proven track record of success in smaller regional garden shows. Even being invited to compete is considered a high honor.

Architecture

Large homes with ornate woodwork are the norm in Ploverleigh, and many of the oldest and most well-crafted are famous tourist destinations in their own right. Bungalows, cottages, and rowhouses are incredibly uncommon; young adults or poorer families tend to live communally in older, less-desirable mansions. After the passage of the Keep PURE (Keep Painting Under Reasonable Expectations) Law in Y1097, new construction is restricted to white or other pale neutral-toned colors, with bright accents only allowed with special prior approval from the homeowner's association. A few historical mansions, such as Colorful Manse and Flamingo Manse, have been grandfathered in and allowed to keep their famous coloration.

Type

Town

Population

15,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Ploverleighan

Location under

Dreibach

Ruling/Owning Rank

Count

Owning Organization

County Östervan