Herbalist of the Hearth
Overview
The Herbalist of the Hearth is an Imperial title appointed by the senators of Wintermark. The Herbalist has custodianship of The Valley of Pride, a garden commissioned by the Civilian Commissioner of Wintermark in Summer 380YE. Construction was completed shortly after the 380YE Summer Solstice.
The position of Herbalist of the Hearth is a sinecure, requiring minimal responsibility but offering a regular income of herbs. The position is a Wintermark national Imperial title.
Responsibilities
The Herbalist of the Hearth has no particular responsibilities; they simply receive a bounty of herbs from the Valley of Pride in Wood Heath, Hahnmark. If the Valley were to be threatened in any way, it would be the responsibility of the Herbalist to deal with those threats.
Powers
Bounty of the Herbalist
The Herbalist receives an income of herbs each season: 6 doses of Bladeroot, 5 doses of True Vervain, 4 doses each of Imperial Roseweald and Marrowort, and 2 doses of Cerulean Mazzarine. Bladeroot and True Vervain prosper in the northern hills, but the gardeners struggle to maintain more than a few patches of Cerulean Mazzarine.
Appointment
The Herbalist of the Hearth is appointed by unanimous decision of the Wintermark senators. If a unanimous decision cannot be reached, the title may be appointed by the Imperial Senate instead.
The title can be held by a Wintermark citizen. The Herbalist has tenure, and serves until they die or step down. They can be revoked by the General Assembly, the Wintermark National Assembly, and by the Assembly of the Nine.
The Valley of Pride
The Valley of Pride is a grand edifice built of weirwood and deep mined stone that encircles the delicate herb gardens within. This impressive sinecure has the rune of pride carved across its walls many times and its vaulted entrance archways with their crenelations and guard posts and the weirwood stockade walls stand high against the surrounding land. Trees, shrubs, herbs, and other flora stand along the paths that lead to the sinecure's mighty studded entrance doors each door has had the rune of Pallas carved upon it at eye height the flora slowly creeps its ways along and up the walls blending nature and man made might.
The edifice itself is a monument to Pride - every wall is covered in runes and carved stories concerning the accomplishments of the followers, Paragons and exemplars of pride from across the Empire. Where imagery could be found the faces of paragons and exemplars reside carved into the hard dark stone where the stories of their exploits can be read, within this huge erection resides the more common herbs found dutifully kept and tendered by household members of the Wintermark hall of Hendle Hearth.
The interior gardens are a sharp contrast to the wild, and only just recognizably tendered gardens of the harder to grow herbs of the Empire which line the hills around the sinecure. This enables maximum harvests of both easy and hard to grow herbs. The valley of pride lies next to the Hall of Hendle Hearth between Southridge and Wood Heath, just outside the village of Wood Hall . Built upon the prosperity of Tyr Brenna so that Brienne Stormborn can continue to keep the Mark, their allies, and the Empire on their feet and battling the enemy for longer, she believes,
Every herb is a life on the battlefield saved, and every herb lost is a life lost on the battlefield.
| Summit | Elected |
|---|---|
| Autumn Equinox 385YE | Astar Lodindottir |
| Autumn Equinox 380YE | Brienne-Walda Stormborn |
Recent Elections
This title is currently held by Astar Lodindottir. This title has tenure, the occupant may hold the title until it is revoked, they die or they relinquish the position. The table to the right shows the citizens who have been elected to hold this title in the years since Empress Britta died.