Locations - Past, Current, Future
Glaston Township - Medieval in appearance with cobblestone paved streets. A low population numbering between 500-1000 sometimes spiking to 2000 if there was a joint community hunt that occurs annually. Besides the Inn, there is a tavern, brothel, general store/post office, chamber of commerce, a police and fire station and an emergency clinic. Additionally, there is a school house, library, train station, and independent stable and blacksmith forge. The only separate building houses the adventurer and hunter guilds' respectively.
Any other separate buildings which are constructed primarily of stone, thatch, and wood are various residences hidden in the forest, but surrounding the stores and guild's building. There is only one other multi-story building than the Inn and that is the matriarch's mansion where she rules over everything in that town.
There is a figurehead mayor, a council, and essential personnel all staffed from the Matriarch's family or brainwashed lackeys that she raised from childhood, usually orphans found abandoned in the woods nearby other isolated villages.
There isn't a jail because none of the criminals live long enough to regret committing crimes in Glaston. Executions take place in a bloody square that is centrally located between the guilds' building and the chamber of commerce.
Founded over two hundred years it has a history that is lost in time. As the matriarch stated, it has flourished unbeknownst to the outside world through her dictatorship this entire time.
However, with the falling of almost eighty percent of the dense forest, it is now becoming exposed. There is no telling what else will happen in the future to its residents.
The point of origin for everything taking place.
Fountain Grove - With a history that spans almost five hundred years, there is much to appreciate an area that watched civilizations rise and fall. It survived countless territorial wars and epochs of frozen periods wherein nothing lived because it was too cold to sustain life.
However, after the last cold epoch roughly two hundred years prior, hardy groups of humanoids once again ventured into the icy depths and found a way to survive. With the thawing of ice of course came flooding. That might've posed a serious problem if the citizens lived aboveground at the time, but they didn't. They'd sought shelter in caverns and other areas that weren't subject to flash flooding.
Wondrous waterfalls created spectacular sights and made for a thriving tourist sensation. Not satisfied with only transient populations, the permanent citizens made a conscious choice to cultivate types of creatures that were good hunting prospects and released them into the wild.
Needless to say, all the descendants of those original creatures still have thriving populations and needed curbing now and again. That also meant there would always be a need to trade whatever materials were accumulated in the hunts.
That was how Fountain Grove became a thriving pier and gathering spot for hunters and adventurers. Plus, many other people and visitors seek to travel to nearby villages or other cities. This is where our young group of siblings have also alighted to rest, recuperate and prepare for new trials.
Hunting Area - this place tested the youngsters and gave other adventurers peace of mind that they weren't inexperienced brats just running amok. It also gave Hermina a chance to roughly assess their capabilities in their own right.Day and Night Market Place - a gathering of vendors and restaurants. It is where most goods are transported to and from various locations within Barat besides the Republic of Shantu.Teleportation Annex - The final area that the newly minted hunters and fledglings have to access. In order to start their journey in the phase of reaching Three Pronged Forks. A plains land that is infamous for its multitude of learning institutes. It also has the unfortunate potential of monsters overrunning the various barriers that surround the vast sprawling walls.
As it happens there are six distinct districts that make up Fountain Grove. Currently the young protagonists were only able to explore two of the districts, which housed the hunting grounds and the night/day market and boardinghouse.
There is an indicator that they will one day return and be able to explore more of Fountain Grove. After all, they do have several younger siblings and therefore do want to return to get to know them once they'd matured in other areas.
Three Pronged Forks - Established with an estimated 1000 years of history, though there are hints of earlier civilizations dwelling within its boundaries. The historians that write of this particular metropolis have various opinions on its origins.
What is definitely concluded is that it holds a stable power source that keeps economics steadily increasing. Which resulted in the citizens who live there permanently possessing wealth and status comparable to many kingdoms and empires scattered among other continents.
It is thought to be the unofficial capital of the Shantu Republic solely because of the location and its neutrality position that sprawls along various rivers and lakes running up against four natural mountain ranges that enclose all 50k hectares of usable and intentional wilderness to maintain the neutrality.
It contains the most diverse population because of its unusual ecosystem. It is a plains land, true. It also contains other vast ecosystems within pockets of lands that're bisected with huge lakes and rivers.
A healthy fishing, tourist-based ferry system, and water sports take place during certain seasons. While other water-based locations maintain human-free areas. The main reason was to keep prime fisheries maintained for healthy fish populations to feed people and creatures that aren't able to feast on animal flesh for dietary reasons.
Those vast waterscapes also create unique variations of lifestyles. Truly subculture lifestyles that'll dazzle and tempt the unwary to remain unaware of the passage of time.
In rich valleys of arable land are vistas of fields by turn flowing with harvest-ready comestibles, and other ones lying fallow to maintain nutrient-rich soil every other planting season. In less arable lands, is where warehouses, boardinghouses, inns, residential blocs, and various other kinds of businesses flourish.
It is within the southeast, northeast portions of the plains land where the more scholastic and governance buildings are often found. It possesses boundless academies and rich opportunities for hunters and adventurers alike.
It is also where teleport portals, ambassador annexes, and military sectors are managed. Aerial ships and vast train complexes, along with a few larger ships are also found that make their way to the various seas and oceans that ring Barat.
This central location though has ominous shadows starting to encroach upon it. it is the one area that has already given the new adventurers qualms through foreboding dreams.
However, it is also where the majority of the story's adventures and daily life will play out for the next several years. Providing they survive long enough to talk about their adventures.
Will be updated in a future chapter and volume when more cities, suburbs or villages are discovered in future journeys.