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HoldworthyThe following was written by Joe Streeper.
Authority figures: Prelate Rakim Thundershard, male human Ftr6/Clr9 Notes: Holdworthy is located in the geographical center of the Pale. It has some prominence for two reasons: wealth and the public buildings to show off that wealth. If one could imagine Venice at its historical best, that would be a good approximation of Holdworthy, except of course that it's much colder and there are no canals. The town was built among rolling hills at the interior crossroads of the Pale. It is upon the highest hill in town that the Statue of Resolution is built. This statue is a gargantuan likeness of Pholtus 100 feet tall that can be seen from anywhere in town and for miles beyond. Such is the splendor of this statue that many pilgrims who come to the Pale will not feel their journey complete until they see it. Holdworthy does not quite rival Wintershiven in prominence, but the locals all live here with pride. Unlike Wintershiven, Holdworthy has no citadel, but rather a simple stone wall surrounding it. The wall is a reasonable fortification for the town, but few threats have faced the town in any recent times. It now mainly serves to control access to the city, by funneling all travelers through the four gates, which are open in the daytime, and closed at night, although a night watch will allow access at any hour. The streets are very well constructed and maintained by the able Flan workers who typically live outside the city proper, but enter the city daily for employment. An able City Watch keeps the usual Palish law and order. A Prelatal Army training barracks is located within the city, and not far from town is an additional training area that provides a bit more open room. Should the need arise, the Prelatal Army is at the ready to defend the righteousness of the Pale. As mentioned before, the dominating feature of town is the Statue of Resolution. Created of massive granite carvings by expert dwarven stone smiths from the Rakers, it was completed nearly 20 years ago. The statue is a 100-foot tall likeness of Pholtus looking over town with arms proudly folded across his chest. A stone dais raises the statue another 10 feet with Pholtan scripture etched into it for reading and praying. Surrounding the dais is an open circular courtyard made from a special white brick that spirals outward around the statue. A beautiful area of well-maintained grasses, shrubs, and trees makes up Resolution Park. It is through the park that a single path of white brick leads up to the statue. The path is symbolic of the path of spirituality known as the One True Way. Walking along this path, one cannot help but feel the holiness of the area, and the blessings of Pholtus. The white stones are perfectly aligned, with a precision not found anywhere else outside the Pale. The custom is for all to walk the path barefoot, which not only allows the walker to feel the path directly, but also helps it stay bright white. The Grand Pavilion connects to Resolution Park, and is located in the very heart of Holdworthy. The pavilion is quite large, and while still considered a spiritual place, does not quite have the awe-inspiring quality of Resolution Park. Nevertheless it is filled with numerous statues, fountains and open areas with intricate brick and tiles forming various patterns that define sections of the pavilion. To the east and west of the Grand Pavilion are the large buildings that serve the people and the government. Museums with historical relics are on display, some religious art museums are here, and even a small amount of nonreligious artwork can be found. Several small libraries are here, a small monastery is tucked away, and a theatre is located here as well. Other governmental and ecclesiastical buildings are located here as well, including the offices of the Prelate, the main City Watch, a Pholtan Knight's Valorous Hall, the Church Militant, and several guildhalls. As one might expect, there are numerous places of worship. With nearly the entire populace being devoted to Pholtus, the town boasts over 40 churches. While most of these churches are well kept, three cathedrals dominate the upper reaches of Pholtan worship. The largest is St. Ceril's Cathedral located right off the Grand Pavilion. The stone spires of this cathedral give it a somewhat gothic look, and it is often here that the most stoic worshippers come. The prelate holds services here typically, and many of the aspiring clerics hope to one day be a part of the clergy of St. Ceril's. The other two cathedrals are the Silver Cathedral, whose clergy are strongly Lawful Neutral, and the Cathedral of the Glorious Light, whose clergy is Lawful Good and quite vivacious. The latter church is known for its outgoing spirited services and wonderful singing, not to mention the building itself having a dazzling display of paned glass that makes the light of Pholtus seem all the holier. The market is located in the south of town and is an open area set aside for the selling of goods of all kinds. Two days each week are 'high market' days, while three other days are 'low market' days. On high market days, they are fills with vendors, who are all regulated by the town administrators. Most common goods are readily available. Low market days have much less for sale, typically food and other very basic necessities. Surrounding the market are more permanent shops with artisans of various sorts. Not all shops are located near the market, but the best ones are. And what town would be complete without a few places to eat, drink, and stay for the night? Establishments of all types can be found in Holdworthy. Two taverns of note are the Pious Pilgrim (a recent addition to town that has yet to catch on here) and Shelty's Bar (which is quite popular). Shelty's has a small stage on which some fairly talented bards frequently ply their trade. | ||
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