Hope's Hollow

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Hope's Hollow

(City)

Nation

Taldor

Size

Small town

Population

611

Demographics

594 humans, 11 aiuvarins, 6 other

Government

Autocracy

Alignment

Chaotic neutral

Ruler

Lerral Armonde

Source: Tears at Bitter Manor, pg(s). 50

The quiet agricultural town of Hope's Hollow is an hour's ride along the eastern road from the city of Cassomir in Taldor, through the Blackwood Swamp.

History

Since about 4712 AR, this agrarian town has been subject to the malevolent machinations of the erodaemon Anobaith. The once-peaceful residents have largely either left the community or grown bitter, suspicious, and prone to violence. This bleak outlook led someone to mark the town's sign to read "Hope is Hollow".

While the residents are generally unaware of the cause of the community's downward spiral, few resist the urge to spread rumours and suspicions, taking these impulses so far as to have lynched the corrupt former mayor Filus Berot without a trial.

Inhabitants

See also: Category:Hope's Hollow/Inhabitants

• Gilda Marsh, a priestess of Pharasma and, as the town undertaker, one of the few residents who has seen her business increase recently.
• Lerral Armonde, the current mayor. As a one-time resident of Galt, he has seen his share of executed politicians even before the community hanged his predecessor.
• Sabine Lefleur, an aiuvarin woman of status who, despite losing her husband and only son to murder, remains willing to defend the town from negative influences with her sword and bow.
• Thurden Leeze, a street performer. Thurden has leveraged local gossip to his financial and political advantage. Smart enough to guess that otherworldly forces bring dismay to Hope's Hollow, he is unfortunately not wise enough to realize he should not enter into direct conflict with such forces.
• Xemne Pardette, a longtime prostitute, and current confidante and therapist to many Hope's Hollow residents. Xemne believes she owes her current good fortune stems from the advice of a priestess of Calistria who passed through town.
• Regine Rolst, sister to Cris and a talented swordswoman. She and her brother Cris have both fallen under the romantic charms of Anobaith.
• Cris Rolst, brother to Regine. Cris is also enthralled with the scheming Anobaith, who wants nothing more than conflict between the two siblings.
• Franz Dorthin, a local that distrusts strangers and is not afraid to be the voice of his peers.

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.