Marport is a sea town on the continent of Dardanos.
Situated in one of few coastal spots where the continent's rip tides and jagged off-shore rocks won't damage incoming ships, the town is a vital stop on trade routes across the Espur Straits. Marport is also the only settlement on Dardanos that is larger than a hamlet.
Far enough away from the shadow of Dardanos' volcanic arch to avoid most eruptions, the town survives on import/export taxes more than anything else. It brings in enough revenue to have rebuilt most of the town's official buildings (such as the Town Hall and harbour) with imported stone, even though the rest of the town is built (and frequently rebuilt) from local wood.
As a hotspot on the Espur Straits, Marport has a major pirate problem. Many of the brigands settle close to the port town, stalking the ships travelling to and from Espur. For defence, Marport put most of its income into its navy and now has a small fleet (of about a dozen) fast, manoeuvrable ships — all with at least one gunner — designed to chase off pirates and patrol the trade routes.
Now describe the place itself. Be sure to state what *type* of place it is (a village, a town, a manmade or natural landmark, etc).
For towns and villages, try to answer the following questions.
- When was it founded? (Try to use the Elysian calendar (http://faroah.com/efwiki/index.php/Calendar/ElysianCalendar) wherever possible, unless of course it's a Zanaryan or Draconic place in which case you should use their calendars instead).
- What architecture is most common there? Remember to consult regional profiles for general, overall styles (for instance, homes near Danurai have to be on stilts due to the wet, marshy soil, and homes on Dardanos rarely use expensive materials because the volcanoes erupt too often to make it worthwhile).
- Who built it and who lives there now?
- What kind of history has the town/village seen, and what kind of things happen there? (For instance, Acheron Fort has seen a lot of skirmishes and probably a famous battle or two, while somewhere like Marport might have seen a lot of piracy.)
- How many people live there? (You don't have to use specific numbers, but try to give an idea of how big or small the place is. Remember that Elysia as a whole is sparsely populated and that towns are small, more like pre-industrial towns than contemporary ones.)
- Why was the town built where it is? People need three basic things to survive: fresh water, food and building materials for shelter. People don't cluster together without a reason, either, so consider what else the site offers (such as natural resources, strategic location, etc).
- Consider the atmosphere of the place. Is it cheerful and bright, wealthy and well-maintained, or run-down and depressing? Why?
For building and landmark submissions, try to answer these questions instead.
- When was it built or discovered? (Try to use the Elysian calendar (http://faroah.com/efwiki/index.php/Calendar/ElysianCalendar) wherever possible, unless of course it's a Zanaryan or Draconic place in which case you should use their calendars instead). You don't have to be specific, but this will give an idea of how old it is, and what kind of traditions might have sprung up around it.
- What does it look like? (Think about what it's made of, how that material has aged, who made it and consequently how they might have made it (eg. an Anyeli statue would most likely be made from rock chiselled out of a mountain, while a Dardanian statue of the same hero would most likely be carved out of wood or some other cheap materials).)
- Who does it belong to (if anyone)? Is it a national treasure, like the Cloud Palace, or a local one the way Acheron's Tear is to Acheron Fort?
- Consider the atmosphere of the place. Is it cheerful and bright, wealthy and well-maintained, or run-down and depressing? Why?
- For landmarks in particular, what myths or legends or folk tales have developed around or about it?
And finally, for both:
- Remember to include its location. That is, what realm and region is it in, and what is its placement in relation to other towns/landmarks that are already on the map (
)?
Some things to remember:
- It's best to read existing descriptions and submissions, and to make sure you understand how the worlds of Elysian Fields are supposed to feel, before adding yours. That way you don't accidentally submit something that doesn't fit the setting, but Emma's always on hand to discuss options with you either way.
- Don't just add something that took you two seconds to type out, especially for towns. Be as detailed as possible because other people have to take what you've submitted and work with it, and that's tough if you haven't given them much to play off.
- I'm going to keep my hands off these submissions as much as possible because the idea is for you to have the freedom to get creative. However, if entries are too outlandish or just don't fit the setting, I'll PM you to ask you to make some changes and work with you to make it fit.
As long as you try to answer all of these questions, you can format your page however you like (eg. a form for picking out the detail easier, or paragraphs so it reads more naturally, etc). You can delete this comment once this page is complete.
