Emerald Falls Hold
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyrhold
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr (NPC)
River Bluff Weyr
Seacraft Hall
L1 Lord Holder: Corowal
L1 Acting Lord Holder: Corofel
Lady Holder: OPEN
Provisional Warder: Reven
Minor Holder: Rizpaulen
Steward: Gordenic
Headwoman: Jylanya
Hold colors are emerald green, blue and gold/yellow.
Heraldry: Vert a pale wavy azure in dexter chief 2 corn sheaf counter passant or in sinister chief 2 corn sheaf counter passant or
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Latest News
COROFEL RETURNS HOME
Harper Hallsecond Jalanya reported to Lord Corowal about unauthorized prison labor and an amassing of fighting men, including some former Emerald Hills guards, at White Hollow Hold (Troubling Reports). Former Guard Captain Zandan previously purged from employment at Emerald Hills all those guards whose loyalty he could not confirm and replaced many with his own men (Persona Profile: Zandan).
Corofel returned to Emerald Falls from his fostering at Amber Hills to find that his father, Lord Corowal, had mysteriously disappeared (Moving Back Home). Speculation and rumor ran rampant at the Hold as to what happened to him (Speculation amd Rumors).
While waiting for the Conclave to determine how to proceed given Corowal's absence, Elana believed in giving Corofel a chance, while her aunt was more skeptical of his suitability for the role (Uncertain Futures).
Having been appointed Acting Lord Holder, Corofel sought advice from his Provisional Warder, Reven of Green Valley (Navigating a New Norm). Upon his suggestion that he be visible, Corofel visited the Hold's Master Healer Rhudas and made a dinner appointment to meet his wife and daughter (Dinner Plans).
On the advice of Lord Zathris's Guard Captain, Karhal, Corofel promoted Zandan's lieutenant Oriel Captain of the Guard at Emerald Hills Hold (Persona Sheet: Oriel).
Corofel hired former Dolphin Hall Headwoman Jalanya to take over the Headwoman position at Emerald Falls (Same Position, New Place), and Gordenic to become the full time Steward (Persona Profile: Gordenic).
ENVAL MURDERS WATCHRIDER TR'FAL
A mysterious Shadow ordered the killing of Emerald Falls's watchrider, Tr'fal, and Enval carried it out by gruesomely beheading the man (The Last Day of Summer). The man was caught red handed, and Captain Oriel interrogated him but learned nothing (Bad Cop, Bad Cop).
Corofel sought guidance from Reven as to how to handle the murder, who advised him not to roll over to the Weyr and ensure himself that justice is done in his protectorate (Measured Responses). N'vanik visited from Dolphin Cove, hoping to extradite the culprit. Corofel refused but ensured him the man would face justice and agreed to allow N'vanik and his guard a supervised opportunity to interrogate him themselves (The Punishment Will Fit the Crime).
COROFEL SEEKS TO ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS
While attempting to visit his siblings, Corofel encountered Elana in their quarters, and she nearly brained him with a toy runnerbeast (The Stranger). She recounted the tale later to her friend Sellimere (What Awaits Us).
Corofel spoke to Reven about a plan to travel through the entirety of the Emerald Hills Protectorate to meet with his minor Holders, get to know them, and learn how to support them (Riding the Circuit). However, Captain Oriel convinced him to take a more realistic approach (Let's Reign It In, Shall We?)
THE BALLAD OF BRENNAULT AND ZAVEK
Zavek returned home to Lavender Run from his stay at the Weyr with Brennault, but a troublesome blackmail letter from an interloper who caught sight of their tryst quickly ruins all of the happy feelings he had built at Dolphin Cove (Good Feelings Gone).
Written by Aaron as L1 on May 17th 2024
History
Emerald Falls Hold was founded three turns after the end of the last Pass, as without the threat of Threadfall the population of the Southern Continent expanded into the lands of the interior. The waterfall that gives the Hold its name was discovered by a group of explorers following the river upstream to find its source. One of these men was familiar with the work of the new Technician's Craft and had the idea of using the enormous power of the falling water into electricity for a new Hold. He staked his claim to the land and became the first Holder of Emerald Falls.
As small holds were established in the surrounding area, Emerald Falls grew rapidly. Since the waterfall was impassable by any kind of river traffic, it became an important trading post where goods were transferred from boats to traders' carts to go further south. The hold itself traded lumber and game from the surrounding forests at first. Later, once those were cleared, food crops were planted. Fifty Turns after the Hold's founding, a travelling weaver reported that the land was ideal for growing flax. The forward-looking second Holder invited craftsmen to Emerald Falls to establish a Weaver Hall close to the main Hold. Soon after, Emerald Falls was granted major status and he became the first Lord.
With the wealth of the Hold growing, building work began on the new Hold proper. It was to be a large five-sided stone building with a tower at each corner, set against the cliffside, which its new Lord hoped would soon rival the old Holds of the North for size and grandeur. Twenty Turns after the founding of the new Weaver Hall, the Harpercraft was persuaded to site a second southern Hall at Emerald Falls. This hall specialises particularly in instrument making, making use of the high quality hardwoods that the Hold produces. Both Halls can take advantage of the Hold's electrical power to power looms and tools, and supply lighting and heated water.
The Plague hit Emerald Falls hold in Turn 1160, killing almost half of it's population and leaving abandonment of some minor holds. Lord Dariel, Lord Holder during that era, lost two of his sons for the Plague. He was succeeded by Ziadriel, who in time passed the Lordship to his only legitimate son, Enrizial. Enrizial married with Lady Anaia and they had three children, although their son didn't survive infancy. Enrizial's rulership turned out to be unsteady one and full of crisis. The most notable feature was his ability to anger the Hold's old allies and alienate trade partners . When Harper Hall was destroyed in an arson, it choose to relocate to Dolphin Cove Weyr. When Amethyst Cliff was destroyed in earthquake, among the victims was Enrizial's sister Lindria and his mother Enriline, who had both married to Amethyst Cliff Blood. That was straw that broke Enrizial's mind and it became apparent he couldn't function as a Lord Holder any longer.
The Lordship was passed to Corowal, then Steward of Coral Bay hold who had recently arrived to Emerald Falls hold to become his cousin's Steward. Corowal was Lord Dariel's grandson, born to his youngest son Corovan. Corovan had died in Plague and Corowal's mother had taken the toddler and moved back to Coral Bay with him.
Corowal was married with Lady Ofelia of Coral Bay's Blood. Ofelia died during the birth of their fifth child. Later Corowal remarried with Lady Felyna. It didn't take Corowal long to man the key positions of the Hold with his own people. Working hard to repair the damages done by Enrizial, Corowal has managed to convince Harper Hall to return to Emerald Falls, into a newly built location. He lifted the ban of women crafting and has repaired the relationship with Weyr. He sent his son and Heir to be fostered in Amber Hills hold to create new political alliance. He's successfully pulled the Hold back to it's feets and made it flourish. His personal life is whole different matter and has given much cause for rumors.
Location
Emerald Falls lies just within the flight territory of Dolphin Cove Weyr, about 1,700 miles (2,735 kilometres) from the Weyr itself on the River. The closest major Hold is Sapphire Meadows, 800 miles to the west along well-established trade routes. The quickest way to get to other Holds, apart from going on dragonback, is to take a riverboat to the harbour at the mouth of the river and then to take ship for the nearest port to the destination.
Building Information
The Hold proper is a four-storey building built of light grey stone against the cliff face, similar in design to a Terran castle and surrounded by a paved courtyard. Five round towers - the North, South, East, Lord's and Lady's Towers - are positioned at each corner, each containing a spiral staircase.
The main entrance to the Hold is through a pair of huge metal doors, closed only at night and during Fall, but there is also access through a small door at the side of the Hold. The kitchens are separate from the Hold in a large one-story hall with open pits outside, and food is carried into the Dining Hall via this kitchen door. Once through the main doors, the visitor finds himself in a long hallway two storeys high, surrounded by a balcony. The walls are hung with rich tapestries, old and new, and the portraits of former Lords and their families - by tradition, as each new Lord takes over his likeness is painted to be hung alongside that of his ancestors. Corridors leading off from this hall and a wide, elegant staircase at its far end lead to the rest of the Hold.
Most of the day's work is done on the ground floor, which contains the archives, the steward's office and workrooms, the laundry, drudges' hall and many of the storerooms as well as many small sitting rooms and reception halls for guests. On the second floor are the extensive and handsome apartments of the Lord Holder, with suites for ranking guests and fosterlings and smaller rooms for holders and craftsmen, a nursery and a large solar for the ladies of the Hold. These rooms are furnished with expensive hardwoods, which were more plentiful in the first Turns of the Hold's existence. On the higher floors, less well appointed but still comfortable, are found storerooms and the quarters of lower-ranking holders and drudges.
Technology Level
Emerald Falls is supplied with vast amounts of electrical power from the falls. The majority of rooms have electric lighting - although glowbaskets are also found as a backup due to a recent generator failure which cut off the electricity for sevendays. Heated water is available throughout the Hold, from the common bathing room used by drudges to the bath in the Lord Holder's quarters, and the main rooms of the Hold are cooled at the height of summer. Electric power is also used to run mills to grind flour and is used to a limited extent in the kitchens for cooking and refrigeration, although the Hold's largest cold store is refrigerated by a combination of electrical power and large blocks of ice quarried from the Southern mountains. Distance writers are available to the Lord, his Steward and the Masters of the two Halls, although traditionalists may prefer to hand-write letters and send them by a runner or a messenger firelizard.
Female Policy
Emerald Falls has been one of the strictest policies on women's rights in the Southern Continent. Not only were female crafters banned, but women are restricted to their "traditional" jobs - cookery, cleaning, laundry and childcare. Girls were expected to marry at sixteen or sometimes younger and bear many children to make up for the population losses due to the Plague. They were completely under their father's or husband's rule. There's been improvement to the Women's rights under recent Turns and domestic violence has become a crime. While the ban for females to craft had been lifted, the actual number of female crafters is extremely low if non existent outside Harper Hall. The general population's opinion is slow to change and people tend to hold on to the "old way", resisting the change.
Population and Plague Effects
Emerald Falls Hold was fortunate in that its Lordship has remained in the same Bloodline, passing between relatives without major disruption for the twelve hundred Turns of its existence. At its peak more than a thousand people lived in the Hold proper and the surrounding cots and buildings. However, its position as a major trading post meant that it was hit hard by plague in the last hundred Turns. Although the population has since begun to recover, there are now about five hundred people living in Emerald Falls, with many rooms and cots still vacant. The Hold's territory includes many more minor holds, small farm holds and cots housing fishers, hunters, herdsmen and lumberjacks.
Economy
The main part of the Hold's population is involved in farming or herding to produce food. Much of this is consumed by the holders - the rest is sent in tithe to the Weyr or sold on to other Holds. A significant portion of holders grow flax, cotton or keep ovines for their wool, and these are sold on to the Weaver Hall or made into everyday clothing by the holders themselves. The Hold does not produce as much lumber as it once did and faces strong competition from other sources, but there is a ready demand for what wood is produced from the Harper Hall for instrument-making. The Hold includes several small mines in the Eastern Barrier Range, though these are not well developed. Trade from the river and the caravan routes running through Emerald Falls increases the Hold's wealth. Breeding runners beasts have opened up a new source of income. New trade alliances with Coral Bay Hold and Amber Hills hold have helped the economy to boon during past Turns.
Transportation Information
Travelers to and from the Hold can go either along the main trade roads which lead to the west, northeast and north along the river, or buy passage on the riverboats that leave the Hold at least daily. Visits to the Hold by dragonriders are rare due to the disapproval of their lifestyle by the previous Lord and his family, however they have become more common during the current Lord Holder's rule.