Homefast (Region)

The Homefast region is home to House Holdenhome and their holdings, including waterways: Honig Rush, Blumenweg/Sweetwater Ryll, The Fast, Blodrill, The Traveller, Barpad, and Vinland Strom. Within the territory are the towns: Homefast, Vadvinge, Demonbreu, Honig Var, Tuskview, Folkecliff, Koboltblod, Rivergate, and Vaxstad. The house's ancestral hunting grounds take up much of the forest between The Traveller and Blodrill. Most of the region is made of temperate forest and grassland with an emphasis on flower fields.
== Settlements ==
==== Homefast (Town) ====
==== Vadvinge ====
People always lived in the location of Vadvinge, in scattered settlements or tiny hamlets, but it wasn't officially made a town until 573 AE.
==== Demonbreu ====
Demonbreu is a large agricultural village and surrounding farmland that comprises a portion of the western region of the Homefast hold, south of the fishing settlement of Vadvinge and directly north of The Hunting Grounds. The Village Chief is an Umbridge, Hector, his wife a Ludlow descendant, Amarika. The village has approximately 2000 residents. 
==== Honig Var ====
Honig Var is a sacred location to House Holdenhome. A small sect of priestesses live in the temple here, called the Melisende, and they dedicate their lives to beekeeping and the encasing of the dead in Honig Var's cavernous underground hives. Flowing from this location is a stream Blumenweg (oft referred to as "Sweetwater Ryll") where the waters have a hint of honey to their taste.
Many of House Holdenhome's forebears are encased here, their skeletons eternally part of the colossal structures that support several colonies of honey bees spread across tens of thousands of hives. While these bodies are decaying, the bees opportunistically gather small amounts of bodily material for nutrients. This allows for the occasional case of "necrophoric honey" which is carefully collected by the Melisende and sealed in a jar - much like how other cultures might keep crematory ashes in an urn. This ancestral honey is referred to as Sepulchral Ambrosia and is kept safely in catacombs beneath Honig Var's temple.
It is rumored even the Sepulchral Ambrosia of Aster Holdenhome is kept there.
It is standard practice to wait a year before visiting a deceased loved one so in the caves there is only a skeleton and their Sepulchral Ambrosia is safely stored in the catacombs. Visitors are strictly escorted by guards or the Melisende.
Most Melisende can tract their lineage back to House Holdenhome, although a few are active members in the line of succession, such as Hella Holdenhome.
===== Honigherz Sanctum =====
The temple of Honig Var is deeply rooted in nature. The building's integral structures are formed from ancient living trees, walls bound between them made from woven wattle and dried clay. High in the building's walls and ceiling, thick honey-combed yellow glass allows sunlight in, bathing the halls and sanctums in golden light. In and on the walls are beehives interwoven with the wattle and clay. The scent of beeswax fills the air alongside the gentle hum of bees. There are openings in the walls where bees come and go.
The outside of the Honigherz Sanctum is crawling with flowery vines, the grounds about it littered with verdant flora to sustain the bees. The meadows and forests surrounding Honigherz are some of the most colorful and vibrant in Aradia.
==== The Hunting Grounds ====
The Hunting Grounds were closed to outsiders in 909 AE after the land was mistreated by visiting nobles and several deaths occurred.
==== Tuskview ====
Tuskview was originally a military outpost set up prior to the Demon Wars and the construction of Everglow City. Its purpose was to watch for orc raiding parties. To this day is still a strong military training town.
==== Folkecliff ====
==== Koboltblod (formerly Mereham) ====
Prior to 166 AE, Koboltblod was a small village named Mereham (See Aster). After the events of the demon attack in 166 AE, the village was renamed Koboltblood in honor of Lady Aster Holdenhome's defense. This village is less tourist-orientated than it's sister village of Rivergate and has less exports. It's trades are more fishing-orientated and is a great source for nutrient-rich fertilizer.
==== Rivergate ====
Rivergate is usually the first stop for a traveler passing through Holdenhome lands, or on their way to Homefast. In 1086 it is regarded as a tourist stop by most Homefasters, but was long ago ravaged by demons in 166 AE (See Aster). Nowadays it is a trading hub for wax products, candles, honey, mead, and other bee-associated materials.
==== Vaxstad ====
== Nearby Waterways ==
====Honig Rush====
The river Honig Rush flows in a south-eastern direction, sourcing from the river Barrowbed. From it, The Traveller, The Fast, Blodrill, and Barpad flow into the Sorrows.
====Blumenweg====
Often referred to as Sweetwater Ryll, the stream Blumenweg is sourced from the freshwater spring beneath Honig Var, in Homefast, Aradia. It flows west into the Honig Rush.
====The Fast====
A small river sourcing from a spring near the ancestral home of House Holdenhome in Homefast, Aradia, The Fast flows north into the Honig Rush.
====Blodrill====
A river sourcing from Honig Rush near Homefast, Aradia, Blodrill flows south-east into The Sorrows. It passes beside the town of Koboltblod, formerly Mereham.
====Barpad====
Barpad is a short river that breaks away from the Honig Rush near Homefast, Aradia, and flows south-west into the Sorrows. It passes beside the town of Rivergate.
====The Traveller====
The Traveller is a river that wanders across the Homefast countryside in mainland Aradia, meandering through thick forest. At its source is the town of Demonbreu across the Honig Rush. The Traveller passes through the towns of Tuskview and Folkecliff. Locals insist the spelling of the river's name remain despite being misspelled in contemporary times.
====Vinland Strom====
Vinland Strom is a stream originating from the Whiterush, winding down south-west to briefly join with the Honig Rush before terminating in the Sorrows. It passes through the town of Vaxstad, in Homefast, Aradia.