Here we are with our daily facts about Valcrest! Only two more days to go. And twenty more facts to go.
If you missed the first thirty facts you can find them here, here, aaand here.
So let’s talk a little bit about Blackpond and Newhaven today, shall we?
1) There’s an age difference
From the Five Great Cities to originally exist in Valcrest, Newhaven was the first to be created. Blackpond was the last.
2) No one’s sure why they hate each other anymore
The War happened so long ago and historical records of how it started are so muddled that no one truly knows how, when, or why hostility began between Blackpond and Newhaven.
3) Many attempts have been made to smooth things over
Over the course of history there have been many attempts from both sides to form a peaceful relationship between the Cities. Those always fell through for one reason or another.
4) It’s possible to tell where someone’s from by their clothes
What a person wears can be telling of where they’re from in Valcrest. Even though most travel clothes are commonly brown and dark shades of green fit to blend in with the forest paths, even wanderers are prone to wearing something in their home City or Faction’s colors underneath. In the Cities and villages it’s common to see Newhaveners wearing a combination of black and white clothing, while Blackponders are often seen in dark blue.
5) Life isn’t easy in either City
Newhaven is a larger, cleaner, more organized City than Blackpond and on the surface it might seem like the best place to live. Even tough in many ways that may be true, the cost of living in Newhaven is exponentially higher. It’s not unusual for families short on means to end up deserting the City and the poorer sections of its population to revolt, forcing the Guard to take action against their own citizens. It’s also not easy to make a life in Newhaven if you weren’t born in the City. While outsiders are welcomed, they’re often seen with suspicion by authorities making the process of owning land or opening a business in the city extremely bothersome.
While Blackpond takes great care of its Military, applying for the City Guard is easy to the point where most of those in its ranks are the bottom of the barrel in terms of ability and dedication. The City’s criminals know to take advantage of that fact and it’s not difficult to convince a guard or two to look the other way. Over the years crime has escalated to the point where a curfew has been set in place in an attempt to protect the population. Roaming the streets after sundown is not advisable by any means.
6) There are silver linings
Despite the high living costs, Newhaven is likely the safest place to live in Valcrest. While crime does exist, law is strictly enforced within its walls and the City’s treatment of caught criminals is known to be extremely harsh.
While security is an issue in Blackpond, living costs are far more manageable and for those who are able to afford private security, acquiring land and opening businesses there requires far less bureaucracy than it would in Newhaven.
7) One way or another…
Most people brought up in either City grow up proud. The sentiment on both sides is that the population would rather endure the hardships and work to see their City improve than abandon it altogether. Even those who end up abandoning their homes are unlikely to ever speak ill of it thereafter.
8) The Day of Creation
Creation Day festivities are a City-wide occurrence in both Newhaven and Blackpond and the only day when both Cities are known to keep the gates wide open.
9) Kings and Queens
The Queen of Newhaven holds as much authority as the King and is eligible to rule by herself should the King die, even before a male heir. Despite this, there’s no record in history of a Queen ruling without a King to date.
And in Blackpond this is not the case. At all.
10) The Inns
While in both Cities there are many places one can go for a mug of ale or a warm plate of food, the most popular spots in both cities are two inns run by an elusive group of assassins. Despite this being a know-fact to both City authorities and the majority of the population, the Inns have been a part of the landscape of both Cities for as long as they have stood. No one knows for sure why they are allowed to remain, but the knowledge of who runs the business hasn’t thwarted the population from attending.
So there we have it. 10 more facts about Valcrest!
Tomorrow is the final day. So stay tuned for something a bit different.
– The Crew
Written In Shadows 