Carmela (Car-MEL-ah)
Carmela is an elite farming town, specializing in vineyards, orchards, and fine goods. Here you will find grand estates, lush fruit orchards, and the finest shops outside of Elaria, the capital. The town plazas and roads are immaculately manicured and the well kept roads are lined with blooming flowers and lanterns. Lawns are manicured, and everything about the town speaks of money and wealth. Every well-to-do family worth something has a townhouse in the town proper, while the wealthiest families have an estate in/near the town, typically with a vineyard, orchard, or farm attached.
The inns in Carmela are often exclusive places that require a certain dress code or knowing the right people or passphrase to get in. There is an inn at the northern end of town that accepts adventurers and other travelers.
The town proper boasts a clean and elegant town square filled with beautiful shops, inviting benches, a manicured garden with a large stone fountain in it's center.
Carmela's most exciting feature is the finest Praon racing track in the whole valley, though they don't let just anyone race on this track, since it's privately owned and only used by the local nobles for practice or to host tournaments.
Taverns/Inns:
The Brass Pot -- (tavern;Wealthy/Aristocratic) A high-class Tavern with plush booths and a polished high bar. Sphinx's Cipher -- (Tavern/Club; Wealthy/Aristocratic) The sign hangs in front of a clean, three-story stone building that is well lit, a large decorated wooden double door in the center of the ground floor but has no windows on the ground floor. The door is locked. Two stone sphinx’s guard each side of the door. Orange Blossom Inn -- (Club/Inn;Comfortable/Wealthy) Stately and soothing, the large one story building speaks of elegance and finery, art in balance with symmetry. Some sections have a second story. The Emerald -- (Inn/Club/Restauraunt; Wealthy/Aristocratic) Just off the Square, the Emerald is a two story building faced with intricately carved stone and small green tinted colored windows. The lobby is enclosed by intricatly carved wooden pillars and a reception desk facing the door. Four guards stand just on the other side of the pillars, blocking the way. Music and laughter drift from beyond the desk. Firefly Grove -- (Inn/Tavern; Modest/Comfortable) On the south side of Carmela is the "middle class" part of town. A marketplace is directly on Pelor's Way and behind it and the homes of the people who live in the area are a lovely grove of trees. Set in the grove is the inn and tavern that caters to middle class travelers passign through or here to see the sights and the races that Carmela offers. The Twisted Vine -- (Tavern/Inn; Modest) A cozy and warm two story building at the north edge of town. You hear music and laughter drifting outside.Shops:
In the Fancy Square: Bit and Bridle – has mount related equipment for horses, Praons, and Daegons. The General Store – has general store items, plus fancier versions of them, more expensive versions of them, and displayed nicer. Carmela’s Candles – Her name is Carmela (after the town), and she sells nice candles. Eliza’s Fineries – a fine clothing store for the ladies. Michelo’s Sweet Shoppe – candy store. Top Hat – A fine clothing store for the sirs. Several fine hats are displayed in the window. Scrolls and Spines – A bookstore and scroll shop. Masquerade – A costume mask shop. La Petite – Bakery, baked sweets, and tea parlor. The Finer Things – soaps, perfumes, and other things in vials. Serves as a fine apothecary. Persephone’s – A fine jewelry store. On the North Side of Town: General Store -- Supply store for common needs of the town and regular town folk. Also has a large adventuring section for people heading north. Right across the road from The Twisted Vine. Emerald Forge -- Owned by Kassandra Pike (human with a hint of drow elf shading, 32), the Emerald Forge was owned by her father before her, Tov Pike. His parents started the forge in Carmela’s early days, making her family one of the original Carmela founding families. The family was known as one of the best blacksmiths in the region, but when Tov came back after the Goblin War, he brought back new techniques that made the metal stronger. Kassandra shows the same or better level of the craft, and many skilled swordsmiths ask to train under her. Though when she tests them, none passes. She is especially choosy of who she makes commission swords for. She is known for making the best kitchen knives in the Dom. Leonard's Leatherworking --Military:
Though called a Post, the Leyvarr Guard Post can operate as a fort if needed. Standing tall and imposing just to the west of the north-south road, it's made fully of stone sourced from the boulder field immediately to the west. Strong walls of 30 feet high and strong reinforced gates stand open to allow patrol and training troops in and out as needed. On the West end of town, a watchtower and small post overlooks the green rolling hills covered in orchards and vineyards. The Leyvarr Guard keeps the Post stocked well in case of an emergency, and uses the fort as a training camp for a few specific types of magic and archery troops.Demographics
The noble class form the vast majority of the population on the council and by land ownership, but each estate employs dozens or more people to operate such households, though their taxes are paid by their employers.
Species are a mix. Humans, Elves, dwarves, and combinations of those three are the most common, but it's not unusual to see half-orcs, teiflings, gnomes and halflings in any position or class.
Government
The local Earl acts much like the town mayor and fulfills that role. He relies on a few council members that he appoints to mitigate complaints for him while he tends to his vineyard. There are 5 council members and they perform most of the managerial civic duties that keep things running. The council members are all nobles or noble's spouses who live in Carmela year round. They each have trusted servants that carry out many of the duties for the town.
Industry & Trade
This part of the valley is prime real estate for growing grapes and other fruit that is exported as fresh or some kind of product. Wine is the best and more common export, but of note are honey, fruit spreads, and fine cheeses.
Districts
Carmela has two distinct areas of town, the town square and along the road to the east, and the northern section of town. to the west of the square and south of the eastern road is Praon racetrack and stables. Vineyards of private estates dot the countryside and along the east road are large townhomes for the nobles who don't have an estate, vineyard, or orchard, but stay regularly in the countryside.
The northern section is smaller and consists of small apartments where lower class servants live off grounds of their employer's estates as well as people who work jobs for the taverns, inns, and shops where housing is not on site for most staff.
The Square and east road are well maintained and are the social hangouts for the nobles.
History
Carmela is the only town that can officially claim to be the first town established in the valley by the Alaryan people. The Alaryans found themselves exiting a portal right out of the cliff face to the west of where Carmela now sits. After exiting the boulder field, just north of the lake seemed like the most defensible position the thousands of refugees could reach and defend for the first few nights in the valley. After a few days of bandit raids, the people became more determined to defend the spot and thus became the first encampment. A fort was hastily constructed and destroyed within the first year. Eventually, the region became less attacked and the first farms were established here.
Years later, and after many struggles and burnings and raids, the valley was freed of the bandit clans that once claimed the valley and the town of Carmela was officially founded by the now Elarian (formerly Alaryan) people in it's more current form.
Tourism
Carmela focuses on being the go to retreat for the affluent, not just within the nation, but beyond it. The town has hosted monarchs, ambassadors and other dignitaries from other nations, hence the importance of the people maintaining it to the best of their ability.
A good way to define the town is to describe it as a vacation town. There is a permanent population in the town to support it, and there are more people who come and visit it.
One of the great attractions is the Praon raceway. It's known for hosting the best trainers, being the best track, and hosting the most esteemed races ever hosted.
Geography
Carmela is the largest settlement in what are called the Emerald Hills, a region of lush green soft rolling hills.
Town Facts:
Education: Basic for all citizens, further tutoring for many
Founding Date
57 AP (revamped in 133 AP)
Type
Town
Population
2700
Characters in Location
Comments