Halmura
Located on an island off the mainland of Taifar, Halmura is a city known for it's rare varieties of flowers. As such, the people there take much pride in them and carefully cultivate the flowers. Beyond just their aesthetic value, the flowers may be used as potion ingredients or mixed with drinks.
Some common customs include: bringing freshly grown herbs or flowers to a guest's house when visiting (especially when they are preparing a meal so that these ingredients can be used in the making of it), visiting bars or patios after a long day's work to have a drink, and sharing dishes when eating with a group. In addition, it is common to see elders decorate their hair with various flowers to denote their social standing. Elders are highly respected in Halmuran culture for their wisdom and life experience. Halmuran society was once very matriarchal--though today it is more egalitarian--so you are more likely to see women more heavily decorated with flowers. Moreover, members of city guard and politicians wear different varieties of flowers to denote their rank. The rarer the flower, the higher the rank.
Many homes in Halmura have their own gardens when they grow and harvest basic flowers and herbs to be used in food and drink. Lots of Halmurans also have a basic understanding of the medicinal properties of common flowers, so they are also kept around to cure sickness or heal minor injuries.
Flower language also plays a large part in Halmuran culture. The colour and variety of flower denotes a different meaning (this website gives a good overview). Flowers are given to people to send subtle messages or convey things they may not want to say out loud (such as if someone is interested in another person romantically). Many people also combine flowers in a bouquet to convey deeper meanings which the recipient must take time to decipher and interpret its meaning. This is especially common between close friends and people that are dating.
Every year, a festival is held in the city when the rare flower, osmoria, blooms. Once it blooms, its petals are harvested at midnight and used to make extremely rare and powerful potion of true seeing (gives effects of True Seeing spell). People gather from throughout the region to view the flowers bloom and take part in the night market activities. It is customary for people to paint a third eye on their forehead and wear flowy, transparent clothing.
Halmura also receives lots of tourists who travel to the city to view the many rare and beautiful flowers that grow in the region. Because of this, there are many inns and taverns that cater to travelers, especially near the city's main port. Locals do not tend to frequent this area.
Culture:
Halmura's culture is a little more laidback than the rest of Taifar's major cities since it is further out from the mainland. There is a little more focus on community and caring for the well-being of neighbours and friends. However, this does not mean that its inhabitants don't work hard. In fact, a large portion of its population works to harvest and cultivate flowers that are the city's main source of income. In addition, Halmurans are not always the most punctual since their work can often be unpredictable and does not follow a strict schedule.Some common customs include: bringing freshly grown herbs or flowers to a guest's house when visiting (especially when they are preparing a meal so that these ingredients can be used in the making of it), visiting bars or patios after a long day's work to have a drink, and sharing dishes when eating with a group. In addition, it is common to see elders decorate their hair with various flowers to denote their social standing. Elders are highly respected in Halmuran culture for their wisdom and life experience. Halmuran society was once very matriarchal--though today it is more egalitarian--so you are more likely to see women more heavily decorated with flowers. Moreover, members of city guard and politicians wear different varieties of flowers to denote their rank. The rarer the flower, the higher the rank.
Many homes in Halmura have their own gardens when they grow and harvest basic flowers and herbs to be used in food and drink. Lots of Halmurans also have a basic understanding of the medicinal properties of common flowers, so they are also kept around to cure sickness or heal minor injuries.
Flower language also plays a large part in Halmuran culture. The colour and variety of flower denotes a different meaning (this website gives a good overview). Flowers are given to people to send subtle messages or convey things they may not want to say out loud (such as if someone is interested in another person romantically). Many people also combine flowers in a bouquet to convey deeper meanings which the recipient must take time to decipher and interpret its meaning. This is especially common between close friends and people that are dating.
Every year, a festival is held in the city when the rare flower, osmoria, blooms. Once it blooms, its petals are harvested at midnight and used to make extremely rare and powerful potion of true seeing (gives effects of True Seeing spell). People gather from throughout the region to view the flowers bloom and take part in the night market activities. It is customary for people to paint a third eye on their forehead and wear flowy, transparent clothing.
Halmura also receives lots of tourists who travel to the city to view the many rare and beautiful flowers that grow in the region. Because of this, there are many inns and taverns that cater to travelers, especially near the city's main port. Locals do not tend to frequent this area.
Demographics
24% halfling, 20% gnome, 18% half-orc, 15% elf, 10% tortle, 13% other
Government
The Halmuran government is run by a council which currently consists of five members. The first council members were appointed by the community to take up a role of leadership when Halmura was founded. Since then, new council members are appointed by the member they are replacing. When selecting a new council member, the opinion of the community is taken into consideration as well.
Founding Date
1023 BA
Type
City
Population
68,500
Inhabitant Demonym
Halmuran
Owning Organization
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