Post by Midnight on May 28, 2017 15:08:43 GMT -5
WILLOW HILLS
by P.Michael Hodge
Whereas most cities have their Chinatown in the downtown core, Vangaurd City's Chinese district can be found on the North West edge of town, bordering on the area known as Willow Hills.
The legends involving Willow Hills date back to the earliest days of the area when the encroachment of early settlers often resulting in conflicts between the white settlers and the native peoples. When Silver was discovered in the area, an unscrupulous land owner by the name of Jebediah Whitby hired his own private army to solve the "Injun" problem once and for all.
Although their original intent was to force the tribe to leave, they resisted. Working through interpreters, the tribe's elders refused to leave, citing that it was their people's duty to stay and defend Nah-hna-i Oyo-i Adanvdo and that they would never leave. Despite tactics the terrorize the tribe, they refused to budge and, eventually, the most extreme measures were taken and the local tribe was slaughtered to every man, woman and child.
With the "bothersome injuns" out of the way, Jebediah Whitby, immediately began mining operations in the mountain that the natives called Nah-hna-i Oyo-i Adanvdo. Using his already prodigious wealth, Jebediah Whitby had workers brought in and the town of Whitby went up over night at the base of the newly christened Willow Hill.
Although Whitby's fortunes now seemed guaranteed to prosper, he would have turned his back on Willow Hill and never looked back had he known that the name Nah-hna-i Oyo-i A-danvdo translated into "Place of The Bad Spirits" and that his translator had misinterpreted the meaning of the tribal elders. Their tribe's duty was not to defend the mountain but to defend others from the evil forces contained within the mountain itself.
Over the years, Whitby doubled his fortunes many times over with the silver mined from the mountain but at a terrible cost in pain and suffering. The accidents and deaths in the mine easily exceeded those of any other mine of it's time and what was even more alarming was the rate of disappearances both in the mine, in town, and in the surrounding area. Strange lights reported as often being seen playing over the hillsides added to the level of tension and fear of the residents of Whitby. Many residents spoke of leaving but after Whitby's men made an "example" of one family intending to leave, no one openly discussed moving away from Whitby.
This culminated in the year 1870 when overnight, the entire populace of Whitby disappeared overnight without a single trace of struggle. According to legend, only Whitby, his family, and his personal servants living on the estate survived. To this day, no explanation has been discovered. Although popular belief is that the populace, having lived under the iron fist of Whitby for too long had simply packed up and moved on. This explanation, however, does not address the fact that all belongings and valuables of the residents of Whitby were found in situ, without a reason to explain why these people would leave all of their worldy possessions behind.
Whitby soon repopulated the town by offering top wages, homes and livestock to any "Chinamen" willing to come work for him. With the recent completion of the trans-continental railroad the previous year, hundreds of skilled unemployed chinese took up Whitby on his offer, willing to work off the cost of their new homes over time as a deduction from their monthly wage packet. The accidents and deaths continued but, having lost so many lives in the construction of the railroad, the Chinese were not deterred and, with the unheard of wages that they were making (still half of what Whitby would have paid a white man) they could afford to send back to their homeland to have their wives and extended families join them in America. During this time, it seemed that every year Whitby doubled in size as more and more Chinese immigrants flooded into the area as word quickly spread of a town where the Chinese were welcomed by their own and encouraged to start their own businesses instead of being run out of town as "slant-eyed Chinks" or given the town's worst jobs that no one wanted. Always with an eye out for profit, Jebediah Whitby would often lend money to newcomers in town to open new businesses at very high interest rates. In this way, anyone not working in the mines would still be making money for him as the interest rates usually resulted in the local businessmen repaying him their original loan several times over.
The mine prospered for another ten years until one day, an hour prior to end of shift, a runner from the mine came to Whitby Manor to summon Jebediah to the mines. A "great discovery" had been made and Mr. Whitby was to come right away. Shortly after Jebediah entered the mine, the earth rumbled and gas and smoke poured out of the mine as a cave-in trapped all inside...including Jebediah. With jacks and timbers, the night shift started back down. It took them over twelve hours to find the survivors. What few survivors there were.
Of the one hundred and fifty workers in the mine at the time of it's collapse, only ten were rescued from the mine. Including Jebediah himself.
No one ever discussed what was found in the mine that day, or what caused the cave-in but Jebediah ordered the mine borded up that very day and vowed never to reopen it. To the men and women of Whitby, he cancelled all debts and handed over the deeds of the town and the surrounding areas to the people of Whitby. To the widows and families of those lost in the mine cave-in, he gave a year's salary.
No one could explain this uncharacteristic act of generosity on Jebediah's part nor could they explain his actions after that. Jebediah shipped his entire family off to England while Jebediah, himself, remained behind and became a recluse, sole occupent of Whitby Manor and it's estates. Once a month a representative from his the legal firm handling his business dealings would visit to conduct business and would return with an order for supplies from the general store which were to be delivered to the Manor and left on the front porch.
To preserve his privacy, Jebediah paid to have Shao- Lin Priests brought over from China to protect his home. In return, Whitbey paid for the construction of a Shao-Lin monastery to be built on his estate on the banks Willow Lake. With spiritual teachers from their homeland to help them preserve their culture, the residents of Whitby became the most pronounced center of Chinese culture in North America.
When the town of Whitby was incorporated into Vanguard City in 1962, the area became known officially as "The Chinese Quarter". Unlike most appellations of that nature, the real estate comprising Willow Hills, Willow Lake and the town of Whitby actually did comprise roughly one-quarter of the acreage of Vanguard City. As Vanguard City continued to grow, however, Willow Hills and Willow Lake created a natural boundary on the South-West site of the city, resulting in Vanguard City's Chinatown being on the outskirts of town.
Over the years, the city has attempted to expand into the Willow Hills area but, to date, every attempt has met with failure. In the end, other than The Chinese Quarter, only a few small communities which thrive on the summer cottage trade of Willow Lake have managed to survive.
Points of Interest:
Willow Hills: Often referenced when discussing Willow Hill, Whitby National Park and Willow Lake.
The Lake District: Often considered synonymous with either "Willow Lake" or even “Willow Hills” (see above)
Willow Hills District: Often referenced when discussing Willow Hills and The Chinese Quarter as a whole.
The Chinese Quarter: Roughly 15% of the total area of Vanguard City’s Urban sprawl, situated between the downtown core and Willow Hills, constitutes the largest single concentration of people of Chinese descent outside of The People’s Republic of China. As the original Chinese workers of Whitby and the families that they brought over to join them date back to the 1800’s, some consider the population of Vanguard City’s Chinese Quarter to be the “purest representation” of Chinese Culture prior to the socialist movement which created The People’s Republic. Housing some of the most extensive museums, theatres and artistic centers dedicated to Chinese Culture, the Chinese Quarter is a true Asian enclave on the Easter coast of the United States. Tourists come from all over North America to visit a "real" Chinese city without having to fly across the Pacific to do so. Every year, eager hopefuls stand vigil outside the Shao-Lin Temple hoping to be taken in by the Priests of the temple but every year most are turned away while only the most persistant are awarded with the chance to fail under the harsh trials of the Priests within. Meanwhile, at any time in the Chinese Quarter, it is not unusual to see limousines with diplomatic plates parked outside even the most nondescript little restaurants and any street in the Chinese Quarter. A favorite with the members of the chinese consule and the support staff of the Chinese embassies in Washington DC at the United Nations in New York City, the political dignataries will drive for hours to eat "authentic" Chinese cuisine on par or better than that which can be found in their homeland. A private air service run from a private airstrip just outside of New York City runs a lucrative shuttle service with four flights a day to and from Vanguard City with a private limousine fleet ready to whisk wealthy patrons to The Chinese Quarter the moment they step off their plane. The owners and employees of this service, of course, third-generation Whitby residents and are able to converse quite adeptly with visiting dignataries in their native language.
Willow Hill: Just a few feet short of official classification as a Mountain, Willow Hill is a popular destination for the citizens of Vanguard City in both Winter and Summer. Willow Hill Lodge offers horseback riding, nature walks and rock-climbing excursions in the summer, and skiing, tobogganing and sleigh rides in the winter. At times the strange lights that once filled the residents of Whitby with dread can still be seen playing over the sides of Willow Hill, but now these lights are explained as Ball Lightning attracted to the unusually high magnetic fields of the mountain. These magnetic fields are so strong that local air traffic must be diverted away from the area immediately over Willow Hill and cell phones and radios do not work on the Hill itself. Several researchers have petitioned the Whitby family estate for a chance to explore the mines within the mountain in hopes of identifying the source of this unusual magnetic activity but to this day the mine remains closed.
Willow Lake: This name is given to both the body of water and the small community that supports the needs of what they call "the summer people", those who frequent the summer cottages that dot the banks of Willow Lake. The people of Willow Lake are friendly enough but are considered both "quaint" and "a little odd" by the people from the city proper. Living in close proximity to Willow Hill, the people of Willow Lake could never get good reception on TV and Radio and have lived most of their lives in relative seclusion, creating a very rural "small-town" mentality on the outskirts of one of the largest metropolitan cities of North America. Even though the introduction of Satellite Television and Radio has provided the means to end this seclusion, the people of Willow still tend to keep to themselves and their community; rarely opening up to strangers. Meanwhile, the Lake district itself is a constant buzz of activity during the summer months as pilgrims make their annual trek from the city to open up their cottages and launch their pleasure craft of all sizes at the Willow Lake Pier. During the months of June, July and August, weekends are chaotic to say the least as hundreds of part-time lakegoers shed the heat and congestion of the city for the refreshing and rejuvenating waters of Willow Lake. Amid such heavy lake traffic, accidents are inevitable and every year a few dozen lake-borne accidents happen resulting in rare, but not inconsequential deaths. Lake-goers are cautioned against going out on the water at night but, regardless, people do go out at night and there are always a few night-time deaths, drownings and disappearances on the lake, usually amongst teenagers and young adults ranging from 15- 25. Statistically, this falls within acceptable norms of a body of water this size but that fact has not prevented people from creating the story of the Willow Lake Monster (or "Willie" for short). Typical of all supposed lake monsters, blurry out-of-focus photos and stories from friend-of-a-friends abound regarding Willie. Unlike most purported lake monsters, however, no sightings of Willie have been reported by any of the local full-time residents of the lake district and no lake monster memorabilia is sold in any of the local storeowners. Any such memorabilia is sold by the summer vendors from the city who operate kiosks on the Willow Lake Pier.
Willow Lake Summer Camp: Willow Lake Summer Camp has a dark history. In the early 1970's, an escaped psychotic roamed the woods of willow hills and, in the span of one night, slaughtered the entire staff of the Willow Lake Summer Camp, leaving the children untouched, before escaping back into the woods. Many of the children who survived this night had to undergo psychiatric counselling and four were eventually committed to a sanitarium for protection against themselves. The events led to the city forcing the closure of the camp and stories of the events of this night inspired a series of horror movies which take their title for the date of these tragic events...Friday, The 13th of August, 1971. The camp was reopened in 1992, to many protests of the survivors and families of those slain at the Willow Lake massacre, and although attendance was low in it's first few years of renewed operation, they have had to expand the camp several times in the last five years to keep up with the demand by parents eager to get their kids out of the city.
Willow Wood: Although officially registered as Whitby National Park, the twenty-square mile forest surrounding Willow Hill and Willow Lake is referred to by the people of Vanguard City as Willow Wood. Although open to the public, visitors to the park are requested to sign in with the park rangers at one of four ranger stations, located at the edges of the park, and register their planned routes through the park. A haven for all forms of natural flora and fauna, Willow Wood is also known as the area with the most Bigfoot sightings outside of the Pacific Northwest. Although no photographic of video footage exists as concrete evidence, dozens of people from Vanguard City swear to having encounters with the wild man of the forest, as his Indian name of Sasquatch translates. Some people claim that these sightings prove that the psychotic murderer of the Willow Lake Massacre still hides in Willow Wood. These claims, however, are consdidered to be 'camp fire stories' created to scare young children as the area was thoroughly searched after the murders occurred and authorities assured the general populous that the escapee from the insane asylum had long since left the area. If still hiding in the forest, the Willow Lake Murderer would now be seventy-five but it is assumed that he could still pose a serious threat if encountered alone in the woods.
Great Rock Glen: Deep in the heart of Willow Wood, at the Western base of Willow Hill is the Great Rock Glen, a naturally occurring 100 yard circular clearing in the forest with a single monolithic stone at the exact center. Although part of the protected area of the national park services, over the years, many people have tried to unearth the base of the stone and the great rock itself beards the signs of these efforts with countless gouges, knicks and scratches, compounded by the chips taken off by people wanting "a piece of the rock" for themselves. The most flagrant attempt to unearth the rock was last year when a bunch of construction workers smuggled dynamite into the park and attempted to blast the rock free. Although they did massive damage to the grounds around the stone before they were arrested by park rangers, the rock itself remained unmoved. The parks services spent thousands to redo the landscaping around the rock as the Great Rock Glen is one of the biggest attractions of the park, bringing in the casual onlooker as well as being rented out to Wiccan groups for events on the pagan calendars who believe the rock to be a focal point for ley line energies and a place of great natural power.
The Shao-Lin Temple: Still standing over 100 years after it's initial construction, this temple still boasts a membership of 100 Shao-Lin priests and monks. When the most of the buildings of the original Shaolin Temple were destroyed by a fire set by the army of Shi Yousan in 1928, the Shao-Lin temple of Whitby became the repository of the largest surviving collection of Shaolin artifacts in the world, including the only known surviving copy of 'Yijinjing' the base of Shaolin martial arts or Gongfu dating back to 1624 and written in the original hand of Zongheng. Contrary to popular belief, the 'Yijinjing' was written by Zongheng and not Bodhidharma -- or Damo -- who was the founder of Chinese Zen. Largely self-sufficient, the temple survives by selling any excess produce to the Chinese community and by allowing guided tours through certain parts of the monastery at specific times of the day which do not interfere with their religious obligations. The monks happily perform traditional chinese music and give martial arts demonstrations to the tours to promote understanding of ancient chinese culture, and its contribution to the civilized world. Further Donations to the temple are gratefully accepted and original paintings by the monks can be purchased at the gift shop on your way out.
The Whitby Estate: As part of the perpetuity clause for their deeds to the lands upon which their temple is built, the monks of the temple are obligated to maintain the upkeep of Whitby Manor and to prevent anyone from venturing inside Whitby manor itself. Whether or not anyone still resides within the house is a matter of some debate as the only persons allowed inside the house is the representative of the law firm which continues to handle the Whitby estate. Every month a visit is made to the house, ostensibly an inspection tour to check that the Shao-Lin priests are holding up their end of the agreement, although the lists of required supplies ended shortly after construction of the Shao-Lin temple was completed. It is assumed that, as part of their upkeep, the monks provide whatever supplies are needed on the estate. Whatever the case, Whitby Manor remains an exemplary specimen of Colonial Architecture, remarkably preserved and unchanged into the present day.
Willow Hills Funeral Home and Cemetary: Throughout every incarnation of Willow Hill and the town of Whitby there has always been one constant: Death. One of the largest non-Asian businesses in the Willow Hills area is the Willow Hills Funeral Home and Cemetary. Run by the Decharne family since the initial construction of Whitby, the cemetary is one of the largest in the state and actually covers a significant portion of Willow Hill itself. With an intriguing combination of European and Asian iconography in the memorials, vaults and mausoleums, the cemetary has become somewhat of a status symbol for the upper crust of Vanguard City. Everybody who is anybody wants to be laid to rest in Willow Hills and the ostentation and wealth invested in their places of eternal rest have resulted one of the most beautiful cemetaries in North America.
Cho's Curiosities: In the heart of The Chinese Quarter, you will find a museum dedicated to the artwork and scientific achievements of the Chinese people throughout history. Supporting the largest collection of Chinese antiquities outside of mainland China, to give everything in this collection the attention it deserved would take several days. However, it is said that the true heart of the Chinese Quarter can be found in a little curiosity shop, on a side street far from the center of town, called Cho's Curiosities. Run by a wizened old chinese man named Cho Li-Hwan and his half-chinese grand-daughter Sandra, the front room is a cornucopia of the odd, unusual and indescribable. The front room, however, is just the stuff he sells to the casual shoppers and tourists who come in off the street. Local residents who come into the shop are usually escorted into the back room and offered tea. When they are ready, they usually tell Mr. Cho their problems. It is said that there is no problem that Mr. Cho cannot solve. Whether it be through sage advice, soothing council, or a remedy of herbs and powders, no one leaves Mr. Cho's shop unfulfilled and always feeling as if the weight of the world has been lifted from their shoulders. All Mr. Cho asks in return is that they repay him some favor at an indeterminate time in the future. Sometimes they are asked to do something immediately. Sometimes they are summoned to meet with him days, weeks or even years in the future. One thing is assured, Mr. Cho has never asked someone to do something that was outside of their own moral code to do and no one has ever dared deny a request from Mr. Cho. Is he good samaritan or master manipulator? Is he a wizard practicing ancient chinese sorceries or simply a kind old man with some home-made cures and tinctures. Some believe one way....some the other...but all agree that within the heart of Mr. Cho beats the heart of the chinese community of Vanguard City.
by P.Michael Hodge
Whereas most cities have their Chinatown in the downtown core, Vangaurd City's Chinese district can be found on the North West edge of town, bordering on the area known as Willow Hills.
The legends involving Willow Hills date back to the earliest days of the area when the encroachment of early settlers often resulting in conflicts between the white settlers and the native peoples. When Silver was discovered in the area, an unscrupulous land owner by the name of Jebediah Whitby hired his own private army to solve the "Injun" problem once and for all.
Although their original intent was to force the tribe to leave, they resisted. Working through interpreters, the tribe's elders refused to leave, citing that it was their people's duty to stay and defend Nah-hna-i Oyo-i Adanvdo and that they would never leave. Despite tactics the terrorize the tribe, they refused to budge and, eventually, the most extreme measures were taken and the local tribe was slaughtered to every man, woman and child.
With the "bothersome injuns" out of the way, Jebediah Whitby, immediately began mining operations in the mountain that the natives called Nah-hna-i Oyo-i Adanvdo. Using his already prodigious wealth, Jebediah Whitby had workers brought in and the town of Whitby went up over night at the base of the newly christened Willow Hill.
Although Whitby's fortunes now seemed guaranteed to prosper, he would have turned his back on Willow Hill and never looked back had he known that the name Nah-hna-i Oyo-i A-danvdo translated into "Place of The Bad Spirits" and that his translator had misinterpreted the meaning of the tribal elders. Their tribe's duty was not to defend the mountain but to defend others from the evil forces contained within the mountain itself.
Over the years, Whitby doubled his fortunes many times over with the silver mined from the mountain but at a terrible cost in pain and suffering. The accidents and deaths in the mine easily exceeded those of any other mine of it's time and what was even more alarming was the rate of disappearances both in the mine, in town, and in the surrounding area. Strange lights reported as often being seen playing over the hillsides added to the level of tension and fear of the residents of Whitby. Many residents spoke of leaving but after Whitby's men made an "example" of one family intending to leave, no one openly discussed moving away from Whitby.
This culminated in the year 1870 when overnight, the entire populace of Whitby disappeared overnight without a single trace of struggle. According to legend, only Whitby, his family, and his personal servants living on the estate survived. To this day, no explanation has been discovered. Although popular belief is that the populace, having lived under the iron fist of Whitby for too long had simply packed up and moved on. This explanation, however, does not address the fact that all belongings and valuables of the residents of Whitby were found in situ, without a reason to explain why these people would leave all of their worldy possessions behind.
Whitby soon repopulated the town by offering top wages, homes and livestock to any "Chinamen" willing to come work for him. With the recent completion of the trans-continental railroad the previous year, hundreds of skilled unemployed chinese took up Whitby on his offer, willing to work off the cost of their new homes over time as a deduction from their monthly wage packet. The accidents and deaths continued but, having lost so many lives in the construction of the railroad, the Chinese were not deterred and, with the unheard of wages that they were making (still half of what Whitby would have paid a white man) they could afford to send back to their homeland to have their wives and extended families join them in America. During this time, it seemed that every year Whitby doubled in size as more and more Chinese immigrants flooded into the area as word quickly spread of a town where the Chinese were welcomed by their own and encouraged to start their own businesses instead of being run out of town as "slant-eyed Chinks" or given the town's worst jobs that no one wanted. Always with an eye out for profit, Jebediah Whitby would often lend money to newcomers in town to open new businesses at very high interest rates. In this way, anyone not working in the mines would still be making money for him as the interest rates usually resulted in the local businessmen repaying him their original loan several times over.
The mine prospered for another ten years until one day, an hour prior to end of shift, a runner from the mine came to Whitby Manor to summon Jebediah to the mines. A "great discovery" had been made and Mr. Whitby was to come right away. Shortly after Jebediah entered the mine, the earth rumbled and gas and smoke poured out of the mine as a cave-in trapped all inside...including Jebediah. With jacks and timbers, the night shift started back down. It took them over twelve hours to find the survivors. What few survivors there were.
Of the one hundred and fifty workers in the mine at the time of it's collapse, only ten were rescued from the mine. Including Jebediah himself.
No one ever discussed what was found in the mine that day, or what caused the cave-in but Jebediah ordered the mine borded up that very day and vowed never to reopen it. To the men and women of Whitby, he cancelled all debts and handed over the deeds of the town and the surrounding areas to the people of Whitby. To the widows and families of those lost in the mine cave-in, he gave a year's salary.
No one could explain this uncharacteristic act of generosity on Jebediah's part nor could they explain his actions after that. Jebediah shipped his entire family off to England while Jebediah, himself, remained behind and became a recluse, sole occupent of Whitby Manor and it's estates. Once a month a representative from his the legal firm handling his business dealings would visit to conduct business and would return with an order for supplies from the general store which were to be delivered to the Manor and left on the front porch.
To preserve his privacy, Jebediah paid to have Shao- Lin Priests brought over from China to protect his home. In return, Whitbey paid for the construction of a Shao-Lin monastery to be built on his estate on the banks Willow Lake. With spiritual teachers from their homeland to help them preserve their culture, the residents of Whitby became the most pronounced center of Chinese culture in North America.
When the town of Whitby was incorporated into Vanguard City in 1962, the area became known officially as "The Chinese Quarter". Unlike most appellations of that nature, the real estate comprising Willow Hills, Willow Lake and the town of Whitby actually did comprise roughly one-quarter of the acreage of Vanguard City. As Vanguard City continued to grow, however, Willow Hills and Willow Lake created a natural boundary on the South-West site of the city, resulting in Vanguard City's Chinatown being on the outskirts of town.
Over the years, the city has attempted to expand into the Willow Hills area but, to date, every attempt has met with failure. In the end, other than The Chinese Quarter, only a few small communities which thrive on the summer cottage trade of Willow Lake have managed to survive.
Points of Interest:
Willow Hills: Often referenced when discussing Willow Hill, Whitby National Park and Willow Lake.
The Lake District: Often considered synonymous with either "Willow Lake" or even “Willow Hills” (see above)
Willow Hills District: Often referenced when discussing Willow Hills and The Chinese Quarter as a whole.
The Chinese Quarter: Roughly 15% of the total area of Vanguard City’s Urban sprawl, situated between the downtown core and Willow Hills, constitutes the largest single concentration of people of Chinese descent outside of The People’s Republic of China. As the original Chinese workers of Whitby and the families that they brought over to join them date back to the 1800’s, some consider the population of Vanguard City’s Chinese Quarter to be the “purest representation” of Chinese Culture prior to the socialist movement which created The People’s Republic. Housing some of the most extensive museums, theatres and artistic centers dedicated to Chinese Culture, the Chinese Quarter is a true Asian enclave on the Easter coast of the United States. Tourists come from all over North America to visit a "real" Chinese city without having to fly across the Pacific to do so. Every year, eager hopefuls stand vigil outside the Shao-Lin Temple hoping to be taken in by the Priests of the temple but every year most are turned away while only the most persistant are awarded with the chance to fail under the harsh trials of the Priests within. Meanwhile, at any time in the Chinese Quarter, it is not unusual to see limousines with diplomatic plates parked outside even the most nondescript little restaurants and any street in the Chinese Quarter. A favorite with the members of the chinese consule and the support staff of the Chinese embassies in Washington DC at the United Nations in New York City, the political dignataries will drive for hours to eat "authentic" Chinese cuisine on par or better than that which can be found in their homeland. A private air service run from a private airstrip just outside of New York City runs a lucrative shuttle service with four flights a day to and from Vanguard City with a private limousine fleet ready to whisk wealthy patrons to The Chinese Quarter the moment they step off their plane. The owners and employees of this service, of course, third-generation Whitby residents and are able to converse quite adeptly with visiting dignataries in their native language.
Willow Hill: Just a few feet short of official classification as a Mountain, Willow Hill is a popular destination for the citizens of Vanguard City in both Winter and Summer. Willow Hill Lodge offers horseback riding, nature walks and rock-climbing excursions in the summer, and skiing, tobogganing and sleigh rides in the winter. At times the strange lights that once filled the residents of Whitby with dread can still be seen playing over the sides of Willow Hill, but now these lights are explained as Ball Lightning attracted to the unusually high magnetic fields of the mountain. These magnetic fields are so strong that local air traffic must be diverted away from the area immediately over Willow Hill and cell phones and radios do not work on the Hill itself. Several researchers have petitioned the Whitby family estate for a chance to explore the mines within the mountain in hopes of identifying the source of this unusual magnetic activity but to this day the mine remains closed.
Willow Lake: This name is given to both the body of water and the small community that supports the needs of what they call "the summer people", those who frequent the summer cottages that dot the banks of Willow Lake. The people of Willow Lake are friendly enough but are considered both "quaint" and "a little odd" by the people from the city proper. Living in close proximity to Willow Hill, the people of Willow Lake could never get good reception on TV and Radio and have lived most of their lives in relative seclusion, creating a very rural "small-town" mentality on the outskirts of one of the largest metropolitan cities of North America. Even though the introduction of Satellite Television and Radio has provided the means to end this seclusion, the people of Willow still tend to keep to themselves and their community; rarely opening up to strangers. Meanwhile, the Lake district itself is a constant buzz of activity during the summer months as pilgrims make their annual trek from the city to open up their cottages and launch their pleasure craft of all sizes at the Willow Lake Pier. During the months of June, July and August, weekends are chaotic to say the least as hundreds of part-time lakegoers shed the heat and congestion of the city for the refreshing and rejuvenating waters of Willow Lake. Amid such heavy lake traffic, accidents are inevitable and every year a few dozen lake-borne accidents happen resulting in rare, but not inconsequential deaths. Lake-goers are cautioned against going out on the water at night but, regardless, people do go out at night and there are always a few night-time deaths, drownings and disappearances on the lake, usually amongst teenagers and young adults ranging from 15- 25. Statistically, this falls within acceptable norms of a body of water this size but that fact has not prevented people from creating the story of the Willow Lake Monster (or "Willie" for short). Typical of all supposed lake monsters, blurry out-of-focus photos and stories from friend-of-a-friends abound regarding Willie. Unlike most purported lake monsters, however, no sightings of Willie have been reported by any of the local full-time residents of the lake district and no lake monster memorabilia is sold in any of the local storeowners. Any such memorabilia is sold by the summer vendors from the city who operate kiosks on the Willow Lake Pier.
Willow Lake Summer Camp: Willow Lake Summer Camp has a dark history. In the early 1970's, an escaped psychotic roamed the woods of willow hills and, in the span of one night, slaughtered the entire staff of the Willow Lake Summer Camp, leaving the children untouched, before escaping back into the woods. Many of the children who survived this night had to undergo psychiatric counselling and four were eventually committed to a sanitarium for protection against themselves. The events led to the city forcing the closure of the camp and stories of the events of this night inspired a series of horror movies which take their title for the date of these tragic events...Friday, The 13th of August, 1971. The camp was reopened in 1992, to many protests of the survivors and families of those slain at the Willow Lake massacre, and although attendance was low in it's first few years of renewed operation, they have had to expand the camp several times in the last five years to keep up with the demand by parents eager to get their kids out of the city.
Willow Wood: Although officially registered as Whitby National Park, the twenty-square mile forest surrounding Willow Hill and Willow Lake is referred to by the people of Vanguard City as Willow Wood. Although open to the public, visitors to the park are requested to sign in with the park rangers at one of four ranger stations, located at the edges of the park, and register their planned routes through the park. A haven for all forms of natural flora and fauna, Willow Wood is also known as the area with the most Bigfoot sightings outside of the Pacific Northwest. Although no photographic of video footage exists as concrete evidence, dozens of people from Vanguard City swear to having encounters with the wild man of the forest, as his Indian name of Sasquatch translates. Some people claim that these sightings prove that the psychotic murderer of the Willow Lake Massacre still hides in Willow Wood. These claims, however, are consdidered to be 'camp fire stories' created to scare young children as the area was thoroughly searched after the murders occurred and authorities assured the general populous that the escapee from the insane asylum had long since left the area. If still hiding in the forest, the Willow Lake Murderer would now be seventy-five but it is assumed that he could still pose a serious threat if encountered alone in the woods.
Great Rock Glen: Deep in the heart of Willow Wood, at the Western base of Willow Hill is the Great Rock Glen, a naturally occurring 100 yard circular clearing in the forest with a single monolithic stone at the exact center. Although part of the protected area of the national park services, over the years, many people have tried to unearth the base of the stone and the great rock itself beards the signs of these efforts with countless gouges, knicks and scratches, compounded by the chips taken off by people wanting "a piece of the rock" for themselves. The most flagrant attempt to unearth the rock was last year when a bunch of construction workers smuggled dynamite into the park and attempted to blast the rock free. Although they did massive damage to the grounds around the stone before they were arrested by park rangers, the rock itself remained unmoved. The parks services spent thousands to redo the landscaping around the rock as the Great Rock Glen is one of the biggest attractions of the park, bringing in the casual onlooker as well as being rented out to Wiccan groups for events on the pagan calendars who believe the rock to be a focal point for ley line energies and a place of great natural power.
The Shao-Lin Temple: Still standing over 100 years after it's initial construction, this temple still boasts a membership of 100 Shao-Lin priests and monks. When the most of the buildings of the original Shaolin Temple were destroyed by a fire set by the army of Shi Yousan in 1928, the Shao-Lin temple of Whitby became the repository of the largest surviving collection of Shaolin artifacts in the world, including the only known surviving copy of 'Yijinjing' the base of Shaolin martial arts or Gongfu dating back to 1624 and written in the original hand of Zongheng. Contrary to popular belief, the 'Yijinjing' was written by Zongheng and not Bodhidharma -- or Damo -- who was the founder of Chinese Zen. Largely self-sufficient, the temple survives by selling any excess produce to the Chinese community and by allowing guided tours through certain parts of the monastery at specific times of the day which do not interfere with their religious obligations. The monks happily perform traditional chinese music and give martial arts demonstrations to the tours to promote understanding of ancient chinese culture, and its contribution to the civilized world. Further Donations to the temple are gratefully accepted and original paintings by the monks can be purchased at the gift shop on your way out.
The Whitby Estate: As part of the perpetuity clause for their deeds to the lands upon which their temple is built, the monks of the temple are obligated to maintain the upkeep of Whitby Manor and to prevent anyone from venturing inside Whitby manor itself. Whether or not anyone still resides within the house is a matter of some debate as the only persons allowed inside the house is the representative of the law firm which continues to handle the Whitby estate. Every month a visit is made to the house, ostensibly an inspection tour to check that the Shao-Lin priests are holding up their end of the agreement, although the lists of required supplies ended shortly after construction of the Shao-Lin temple was completed. It is assumed that, as part of their upkeep, the monks provide whatever supplies are needed on the estate. Whatever the case, Whitby Manor remains an exemplary specimen of Colonial Architecture, remarkably preserved and unchanged into the present day.
Willow Hills Funeral Home and Cemetary: Throughout every incarnation of Willow Hill and the town of Whitby there has always been one constant: Death. One of the largest non-Asian businesses in the Willow Hills area is the Willow Hills Funeral Home and Cemetary. Run by the Decharne family since the initial construction of Whitby, the cemetary is one of the largest in the state and actually covers a significant portion of Willow Hill itself. With an intriguing combination of European and Asian iconography in the memorials, vaults and mausoleums, the cemetary has become somewhat of a status symbol for the upper crust of Vanguard City. Everybody who is anybody wants to be laid to rest in Willow Hills and the ostentation and wealth invested in their places of eternal rest have resulted one of the most beautiful cemetaries in North America.
Cho's Curiosities: In the heart of The Chinese Quarter, you will find a museum dedicated to the artwork and scientific achievements of the Chinese people throughout history. Supporting the largest collection of Chinese antiquities outside of mainland China, to give everything in this collection the attention it deserved would take several days. However, it is said that the true heart of the Chinese Quarter can be found in a little curiosity shop, on a side street far from the center of town, called Cho's Curiosities. Run by a wizened old chinese man named Cho Li-Hwan and his half-chinese grand-daughter Sandra, the front room is a cornucopia of the odd, unusual and indescribable. The front room, however, is just the stuff he sells to the casual shoppers and tourists who come in off the street. Local residents who come into the shop are usually escorted into the back room and offered tea. When they are ready, they usually tell Mr. Cho their problems. It is said that there is no problem that Mr. Cho cannot solve. Whether it be through sage advice, soothing council, or a remedy of herbs and powders, no one leaves Mr. Cho's shop unfulfilled and always feeling as if the weight of the world has been lifted from their shoulders. All Mr. Cho asks in return is that they repay him some favor at an indeterminate time in the future. Sometimes they are asked to do something immediately. Sometimes they are summoned to meet with him days, weeks or even years in the future. One thing is assured, Mr. Cho has never asked someone to do something that was outside of their own moral code to do and no one has ever dared deny a request from Mr. Cho. Is he good samaritan or master manipulator? Is he a wizard practicing ancient chinese sorceries or simply a kind old man with some home-made cures and tinctures. Some believe one way....some the other...but all agree that within the heart of Mr. Cho beats the heart of the chinese community of Vanguard City.