Setting Profile #2: Hodridge
Meet my capital city!
Hello, friends, and welcome to my second Setting Profile, a monthly feature in which you get to learn more about one of my settings for my middle grade fantasy series.
Each setting profile will consist of three parts:
the mood board — where you get a peek into the setting as photos!
the history book-esque description of the setting — where you get to learn more about the setting through an entertaining textbook!
a writing snippet featuring that setting— where you get to see how I incorporate the setting (and some characters from Project Royalty) into a short scene!
#1: The Mood Board
#2: The Description
Hodridge, or “House of Ridges”, as it was originally called in the early days 0-51 SCE (see page 122 for more details about this period of time) is a bustling city centered around Sailim Castle (pgs 25-31). Recently, a sub-city called New Sailim has been founded on the opposite side of the castle, but this page will talk exclusively about Hodridge and not the surrounding cities.
Hodridge is filled with tributes to the Kingridge family (originally known as the Ridges), including the huge castle, the 24-story bell tower and main gate, and several smaller statues, houses, and monuments scattered around the town. In addition to the castle, the town’s main attractions include Regent House — a giant building where the two remaining nobles of Sailim live — and the market stalls.
Hodridge’s main business is trade, and it has many shops and vendors that trade for goods not found in the city, like silk and wool. Hodridge’s population had been growing steadily since the founding of the castle, but the number of casualties due to Shadow attacks has spiked over recent years.
Hodridge is located on the hilly edge of Sailim, and the houses, roads, and even castle have been built on top of uneven ground instead of evening it out. The castle itself is partially located right on the edge of the cliff that separates Sailim from the Unknown Waters. Thankfully the cliff does not erode very fast and should be stable for another thousand years.
For more about the Unknown Waters, see page 197.
#3: The Snippet
“Well, we’ve made it, Princess Eileen*,” her tutor said as the huge white carriage rumbled to a stop on the cobblestones of Hodridge. They had been traveling from their home country of Clovia nonstop since Monday morning to get to the capital city, and now it was Wednesday evening.
“Can we explore?” Eileen asked excitedly as her tutor stifled a yawn. Miss Halney had only been Eileen’s tutor for a few weeks, but she was already Eileen’s favorite. The tutor was one of the most enthusiastic people Eileen had ever met when it came to travel. Miss Halney had been the one to ask her father for a field study to the neighboring kingdom of Sailim, and he had approved it. Her father barely approved anything.
“It’s late,” Miss Halney said as the driver opened the door and helped them both out. Then she smiled. “I’ll give you fifteen minutes, Miss Cloviahurst. Where should we go first?”
Soon, the two of them were wandering down the streets of Hodridge. Although it was almost dark, there was still plenty of activity in the busy city. Young children played with toys in the yard as family members aired out the laundry.
Eileen noticed that the closer they got to the middle of the city, the grander the architecture was. The houses were taller and bigger, the windows and doors more elaborate.
“Where are we going?” she whispered, and Miss Halney smiled.
“I’m going to take you to meet an old friend,” her tutor whispered back. “She lives in Regent House.”
Eileen almost dropped the travel notebook her sister had given her. “We’re going to meet Mrs. Enna Nobleton? How do you know—”
Miss Halney held a finger to her lips. “Just calling in a favor.”
It was common knowledge that Enna Nobleton and her husband were the only two nobles left in Sailim – or anywhere in the world, for that matter. They lived secluded lives and only went out occasionally. Even the royals were a little wary of the Nobletons. The Kingridges and Cloviahursts might have been the ones ruling the world, but Elaine knew that the Nobletons, with their wealth and influence, were not to be underestimated.
Regent House itself was a large house, at least four stories high. It was made of dark beige stucco, with large, glass oval-shaped windows that must have cost a fortune. Eileen knew from reading many books about the house that it was bigger than it looked and that it even had a courtyard in the middle.
Miss Halney turned back on the front steps, her face going suddenly pale. “Be on your best behavior. Enna’s moods can change on a whim.”
Eileen nodded as Miss Halney let the doorknocker fall against the door.
*all names have been changed for character privacy*
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