Post by amisi on May 15, 2009 11:23:25 GMT -5
Name of Island: Strawberry Hill
Size of Island: Medium.
Location of Island: Near the West Blue entrance to the Grand Line.
Inhabitants: For the most part, inhabitants are normal civilians and retired marines. A community of wives and children of pirates adventuring in the Grand Line exists below the radar. Street children are very common here; these are children who escaped the restrictive Strawberry Hill Orphanage to try to make it on their own. Citizens are employed in all the common industries like hospitality, blacksmithing, etc. The city is run by a council of merchants or other wealthy citizens elected every five years.
Town(s)/Village(s)/City or Cities:
Strawberry Hill: True to its name, Strawberry Hill is built on a series of steep hills. This port city is surrounded on three sides by an immense stone wall; the only land entrance is Marlo Gate, a beautifully carved stone archway on the opposite end of the city from the harbor. The gate is rarely used because the City-State of Lal that used to be on this island failed centuries ago-- the most traffic Marlo Gate sees is from archaeologists traveling to the Lal Ruins.
Marlo Gate is the highest point in the city, so upon entering visitors are treated to a beautiful view of Strawberry Hill and the sea beyond it. The gate is connected to a large square plaza with a fountain decorated with bronze lions in the center. Long sloping stone streets begin on either side of the plaza, leading down into the residential district. These are called, respectively, East Street and West Street. These two streets span the entire length of the city, all the way to the harbor.
The buildings are Tudor style, with stone streets and wrought iron lamp posts. The central parts of the city are residential; the closer one gets to the harbor, the more stores begin to appear. The line of storefronts immediately facing the docks are Strawberry Hill's busiest shopping district, feeding into the bustling entertainment district on the city's east side nearest the harbor. This is the location of Strawberry Hill's largest and most popular inn, The Pirate King.
The Guild Hall, the primary administrative building in the city, is the sole occupant of a huge plaza, right off West Street, adorned with a huge fountain. The centerpiece of the fountain is a cast bronze replica of the Guild Hall. Besides hosting council meetings, this building houses records of the city dating back several hundred years, an extensive library, and extremely expensive shops frequented by the city's elite. The building itself is five stories of brown brick and a bronze roof that shines like fire on sunny days.
Directly across town from the Guild Hall, in an East Street plaza, sits Strawberry Hill University. The school is relatively prestigious; its most popular fields of study are archaeology and business.
Strawberry Hill Orphanage: Located in the middle of the residential district, the orphanage is a large stone structure covered in vines and flowers. It has a small fenced yard in the back for the children to play in. The matrons of the orphanage are very strict and exacting, but treat the children well and prepare them for careers in Strawberry Hill's merchant district.
Strawberry Allergy: A colony of rebellious runaways from the orphanage, these children live in the woods just outside the city wall. The settlement resembles a normal campsite, with small canvas tents, fire pits, and cookware (most the materials here were stolen). Early each morning they scale the gate and drop down into an alley connected to West Street, after which they spend the day begging and stealing.
Ruins of City-State of Lal: The ruins of the long-vanished City-State of Lal, which used to flourish on the southern part of this island. Stone foundations of large circular buildings are all that remain. Excavation pits can be found in various places throughout the ruins.
Flora and Fauna:
Flora: There isn't any wild vegetation within Strawberry Hill; weeds are removed before they can disturb the stone roads, and flowers are confined to window boxes and pots. Outside the city, forests dominate the landscape. Wild strawberries glow uninhibited.
Fauna: Woodland creatures are free to roam the forests of this island. Some of the townspeople enjoy hunting occasionally, but the animals are left alone for the most part. Beavers and deer are common sights, though people with sharp eyes may be able to spot elusive rabbits and field mice. Within the city, outdoor cats are popular pets.
Island History: Hundreds of years ago, Strawberry Hill was discovered by merchants from the Ilusia Kingdom, who immediately saw potential in the island's abundant natural resources. In particular, the pelts of the beavers who lived on this island were big sellers back in the kingdom. The trading post established by Martinique, who was appointed governor of Strawberry Hill by the king, eventually grew into a large city.
Further exploration of the island yielded evidence of an ancient civilization, later identified to be the former City-State of Lal, a prosperous but small entity appearing in few history books. Many scholars lost interest due to the low profile of the discovery, but those who retained interest didn't beat around the bush. A small school devoted to the research of ruins was founded in Strawberry Hill; this eventually grew to be Strawberry Hill University.
The guild council was established two hundred years after the initial founding of Strawberry Hill, when the city decided to break free of the Ilusia Kingdom. The king of Ilusia let the distant island go without a fight; imports of beaver pelts had long since dried up.
Size of Island: Medium.
Location of Island: Near the West Blue entrance to the Grand Line.
Inhabitants: For the most part, inhabitants are normal civilians and retired marines. A community of wives and children of pirates adventuring in the Grand Line exists below the radar. Street children are very common here; these are children who escaped the restrictive Strawberry Hill Orphanage to try to make it on their own. Citizens are employed in all the common industries like hospitality, blacksmithing, etc. The city is run by a council of merchants or other wealthy citizens elected every five years.
Town(s)/Village(s)/City or Cities:
Strawberry Hill: True to its name, Strawberry Hill is built on a series of steep hills. This port city is surrounded on three sides by an immense stone wall; the only land entrance is Marlo Gate, a beautifully carved stone archway on the opposite end of the city from the harbor. The gate is rarely used because the City-State of Lal that used to be on this island failed centuries ago-- the most traffic Marlo Gate sees is from archaeologists traveling to the Lal Ruins.
Marlo Gate is the highest point in the city, so upon entering visitors are treated to a beautiful view of Strawberry Hill and the sea beyond it. The gate is connected to a large square plaza with a fountain decorated with bronze lions in the center. Long sloping stone streets begin on either side of the plaza, leading down into the residential district. These are called, respectively, East Street and West Street. These two streets span the entire length of the city, all the way to the harbor.
The buildings are Tudor style, with stone streets and wrought iron lamp posts. The central parts of the city are residential; the closer one gets to the harbor, the more stores begin to appear. The line of storefronts immediately facing the docks are Strawberry Hill's busiest shopping district, feeding into the bustling entertainment district on the city's east side nearest the harbor. This is the location of Strawberry Hill's largest and most popular inn, The Pirate King.
The Guild Hall, the primary administrative building in the city, is the sole occupant of a huge plaza, right off West Street, adorned with a huge fountain. The centerpiece of the fountain is a cast bronze replica of the Guild Hall. Besides hosting council meetings, this building houses records of the city dating back several hundred years, an extensive library, and extremely expensive shops frequented by the city's elite. The building itself is five stories of brown brick and a bronze roof that shines like fire on sunny days.
Directly across town from the Guild Hall, in an East Street plaza, sits Strawberry Hill University. The school is relatively prestigious; its most popular fields of study are archaeology and business.
Strawberry Hill Orphanage: Located in the middle of the residential district, the orphanage is a large stone structure covered in vines and flowers. It has a small fenced yard in the back for the children to play in. The matrons of the orphanage are very strict and exacting, but treat the children well and prepare them for careers in Strawberry Hill's merchant district.
Strawberry Allergy: A colony of rebellious runaways from the orphanage, these children live in the woods just outside the city wall. The settlement resembles a normal campsite, with small canvas tents, fire pits, and cookware (most the materials here were stolen). Early each morning they scale the gate and drop down into an alley connected to West Street, after which they spend the day begging and stealing.
Ruins of City-State of Lal: The ruins of the long-vanished City-State of Lal, which used to flourish on the southern part of this island. Stone foundations of large circular buildings are all that remain. Excavation pits can be found in various places throughout the ruins.
Flora and Fauna:
Flora: There isn't any wild vegetation within Strawberry Hill; weeds are removed before they can disturb the stone roads, and flowers are confined to window boxes and pots. Outside the city, forests dominate the landscape. Wild strawberries glow uninhibited.
Fauna: Woodland creatures are free to roam the forests of this island. Some of the townspeople enjoy hunting occasionally, but the animals are left alone for the most part. Beavers and deer are common sights, though people with sharp eyes may be able to spot elusive rabbits and field mice. Within the city, outdoor cats are popular pets.
Island History: Hundreds of years ago, Strawberry Hill was discovered by merchants from the Ilusia Kingdom, who immediately saw potential in the island's abundant natural resources. In particular, the pelts of the beavers who lived on this island were big sellers back in the kingdom. The trading post established by Martinique, who was appointed governor of Strawberry Hill by the king, eventually grew into a large city.
Further exploration of the island yielded evidence of an ancient civilization, later identified to be the former City-State of Lal, a prosperous but small entity appearing in few history books. Many scholars lost interest due to the low profile of the discovery, but those who retained interest didn't beat around the bush. A small school devoted to the research of ruins was founded in Strawberry Hill; this eventually grew to be Strawberry Hill University.
The guild council was established two hundred years after the initial founding of Strawberry Hill, when the city decided to break free of the Ilusia Kingdom. The king of Ilusia let the distant island go without a fight; imports of beaver pelts had long since dried up.