Hemlock Hollow

Art by Becky Munich

Just in time for Halloween, I'm dropping the version of Hemlock Hollow that will appear in the revised Krevborna book. Hemlock Hollow is the area of the setting designed for exploring the Gothic ends of folk horror and cult horror. Hemlock Hollow isn't a town in danger of being taken over by the forces of the Devil--that battle has already been lost. The question is now which Faustian bargains are worth risking your soul over.

Future posts will detail specific locations in Hemlock Hollow, as well as two prominent members of the Graymalk clan.

Hemlock Hollow

A Mining Town in the Grip of Devil Worship

Hemlock Hollow was initially founded as a mining camp after rich veins of silver were discovered in the nearby mountains. The mining operation grew prosperous, and the camp expanded into a fully fledged town. Then, disaster struck. A series of mine collapses brought ruin to Hemlock Hollow. The townsfolk fell into despair and the town’s death seemed all but assured.

The town was granted a new lease on life with the arrival of the women of the Graymalk family. The Graymalks had ready coin to purchase the deeds to the disaster-prone mines. With the mines now under their sole ownership, the Graymalks held a meeting in the town square. Helena Graymalk offered the townspeople a blasphemous proposition: if they would renounce the saints of the Church of Holy Blood and pledge their souls to the Devil, the town would once again know the prosperity of old. The townsfolk initially jeered at this proposal, but within the week the town’s most desperate citizens traded their souls to resume mining under the auspices of the Graymalk family. Most of the town has now converted to the worship of the Devil. As long as the mines remain fruitful and safe, the people see no reason to return to the bosom of their once-adored church. 

Hallmarks

The following elements and aesthetic notes define Hemlock Hollow:

• Occult symbols decorate the facades of Hemlock Hollow’s shops, homes, and inns.
• Hemlock Hollow’s street signs are written in both the common tongue and in the Verbis Diablo, the infernal language of Devils and Demons.
• The townsfolk make casual references to the Devil’s glory in conversation, the way other Krevbornites would speak of their saints.
• It is not uncommon to see sacrificial wicker men or ribald maypole ceremonies on the streets of Hemlock Hollow.