Holocene
Chalkstone and Beauty
Holocene, the Pale City. Located in The Free Cities of Alderun, and named after the stark white Chalkstone it is built from. Known for its wine, art, music, medicine and of course its export of refined Chalkstone. Holocene is the richest city east of Mod Dranor. This was made possible due to the value of refined chalkstone in the practice of Alchemy, and Iron Light.
Holocene’s resources are controlled by the Alderian Seat of the city, and the profits are shared amongst all its citizens within the walls. This makes for a wonderfully high quality of life, but gaining citizenship in Holocene is no simple feat.
The generosity stops at the city’s breach. The city’s Gate Town, known as The Spring, is full of people who wanted to make a home within the city, but did not qualify. The produced culture is a tight-knit ghetto. The rivalry between the outer and inner city is a staple of Holocene.
Holocene’s east overlooks The Grand Nothing, and houses the Pale Lift which is actively being constructed.
# Overview
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Main Opportunity | The city has the longest standing economy in all of The Free Cities of Alderun. This has allowed for the creation of a beautiful city, rich with art and culture. All individuals who live within the city receive a universal income allowing them to undertake any career they choose. |
| Main Challenge | They ‘city’ (by the definition of the nobility) is quite small, confined to its high walls built atop a plateau. All benefits the city provides stop at the walls. A massive Gate Town has been constructed around the base of the plateau where the lower classes of society live. These individuals, mainly made up of those who originally sought to gain citizenship in the inner city and their descendants, suffer at the greed of the inner city. Many want to leave, but the water from the city’s spring is tainted with the minorly addictive Chalkstone. Making leaving quite difficult if you have drank it all your life. Despite the hard lifestyle of those who live in the Gate Town, many live with the hope of one day moving into the inner city. |
| Climate | Temperate |
| Cuisine | Imported farmed goods, hearty meat-and-potatoes meals, wild game, ales and mead |
| Export | Art, Chalkstone |
| Size | Medium |
| Outer Villages | Some |
| City Leader | Lord Leonell Vanveld |
| Primary Language(s) | None |
| Majority Racial Group(s) | Human |
| Majority Religion(s) | Zolaen-Centric |
# Major Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Distinguishing Features | Cliffside, Hilltop, Massive Gate Town |
| Architecture | White Stone palaces, ramshackle slums |
| Color(s) | White and Purple |
| Symbolism | A tower with an arched top containing the rising sun |
| Defenses | City garrison, sloped approach |
# People Groups
| Group | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| High Nobility | Social Class | Those who control the city, and its finances. They are given this power and status due to political station or ownership of Chalkstone Mines |
| Wall-Walkers | Social Class | Those who live within the city full time. They may have been born into it, or brought into it because of some merit. The name was given by those who live in the Gate Town, forced to watch the nobility walk the high walls in the distance. |
| Peasantry | Social Class | Those who live in the slums of the Gate Town. Many work lowly jobs as miners or farmers. These individuals drink the unfiltered water from the city’s spring. Causing a slow development of Chalkstone addiction. The substance has no effect in small doses, but one faces extreme withdrawal without it. |
| Orella Bard College | Guild | The artists and entertainers of the inner city. These individuals pay handsomely (or have a patron pay for them) to enroll here, and train to be great in their craft. |
| The Grey Council | Pseudo-Political Faction | A group run by well respected community members of the gate town. This group, while seen as illegitimate by The Free Cities of Alderun, acts as a governing body for those who live outside the walls. Headed by Palona Greyfoot, a wise halfling woman. |
# Goods and Services
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| The Pale Ward | Keep | The city’s main keep and campus of beautiful buildings that house the high nobility. |
| Spring Keep | Keep | A large mansion in The Spring that is headquarters to The Grey Council |
| Holocene Convergence | Teleportation Circle | The city’s primary teleportation circle |
| Holocene Station | Train Station | The city’s train station |
| The Pale Lift | Misc. | A lift similar to Gilligan’s Lift, that is currently under construction |
| The Chalkmarket | Market | The inner-city’s main market |
| The Grey Market | Market | The Spring’s main market |
| Cloudwater Inn | Tavern | A the most popular tavern in the spring, does not allow wall-walkers |
| The Wooden Flute | Tavern | A tavern close to the city’s main gate. Popular both to peasants and wall-walkers. This tavern is a hub of musical talents. Many come from far and wide to show their skills here. If they are well liked, an inner-city patron may bring them into the city to attend the Bard college. If they are well liked, they may have the chance to live there permanently. |
| The Aradiir | Wine House | A wine house that is a common place for the wall-walkers to attend concerts put on by the bard college |
| Scoreforged | Tavern | A tavern and dancing hall that implements many Apparatum illumination devices giving it a unique feel. The band that preforms there is a group of Warforged who play music all day and night without break. |
| Orella Bard College | College | An educational institution focused on the arts: Visual, Architectural, Literary, Performance, and Culinary. Run by the Orella family of High Nobility. |
| Kerketh Academy: Holocene Campus | College | A small campus located within the inner city. Attended by nobles, and largely conducts private tutelage. |
# Authority
The city is well protected by is massive garrison of soldiers. Under the ever watching gaze of Lord Leonell Vanveld, a clever and charismatic human man. The Lord’s pockets are rumored to be bottomless. Many think Lord Leonell Vanveld is the richest person in all of Zol.
Long ago. During the Alderian Rebellion, the city gave up their rule willingly to the rebels. At the time this seemed an act of grace, or possibly fear. In modern day, many believe it to be a long drawn out plan by the nobility to preserve the rule they have always had. Albeit modified to match the modern political climate.
The result is a cleverly planned out city that is very hard to access if you are not invited, or cannot afford it.
# Laws
The city subscribes to the Alderian Laws as well as enforcing its own laws.
| Law | Severity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Inner City Membership | Low | One is not allowed within the city unless they have the proper documentation. This membership can be given temporarily if an individual pays a steep daily rate, or an inner city citizen fills out the proper documentation for a guest. Alternatively the city’s high nobility may grant permanent citizenship. Infractions may result as fines, imprisonment, or temporary/permanent banishment |
# Modern Importance
In the modern day, Holocene is seen as a city of exclusive art and culture. Its rules and restrictions are almost oppositional to the ideals of The Free Cities of Alderun.
# Historical Importance
Holocene was the first city to surrender during the Alderian Rebellion, and the only one to do so willingly. In modern day this is seen as a clever ploy to maintain the city’s aristocracy.
# Other Things of Note
- Urban legends of The Spring tell of secret passages into the inner city, but if they truly exist or not is only known by few.
- Holocene is the only Non-Ward city to be hit by the Greatwinds. Fortunately, the Stormwall’s foothills, North Sea inlet, and The Grand Nothing’s combatting weather systems protect the city from the bulk of the winds.