<> <> A mostly-agricultural community in a valley among the eastern foothills of the [[Dusty Mountains]], named for its source of water, a natural spring. It is inhabited by ponies and [[grundles]]. The pegasi of Springvale have a longstanding working partnership with the grundles in the defense of their community, being the upholders of a long tradition of noble grundle paladins trained to fight from pegasus-back. Springvale was never subjugated during the long centuries of the [[Dark Age]] despite many attempts to do so. The economy is based on agriculture (70%), services (10%), mostly transportation-related (Springvale is on the road between the [[Western Dusts|Western]] and Eastern Dusts, and is a usual stop for overland travelers), trade, and agricultural support industries. A small but important aspect of Springvale is the [[Springvale Hospital]], the most respected [[Medicine|medical institution]] in the entire Eastern Dusts. Fine [[Weapons|arms]] and [[Barding|armor]] are made in Springvale, but for the exclusive use of the Order of the Knights of Springvale; export is forbidden and rarely occurs in practice. Springvale is theoretically ruled by [[Count of Springvale|its count or countess]], as represented by the Grandmaster of the [[Order of the Knights of Springvale]], but the Grandmaster has, for centuries, devolved most of his or her powers unrelated to defense or foreign relations to the Springvale Assembly, which implements essentially a direct democracy. It could be considered a constitutional monarchy with certain reserve powers. The incumbent Grandmaster is Sir [[Mundle]] the Gallant, a grundle. The incumbent Chairpony of the Assembly is [[Lofty Goals]], a pegasus mare. The highest noble in Springvale is the [[Count of Springvale]], the unicorn [[Graph Paper]], who is mainly occupied with his mathematical hobby and has few responsibilities to his state beyond knighting individuals on the advice of the Grandmaster. Springvale has the major dependent villages [[Dry Creek]] and [[May Bee Manor]]. CategorySettlements