Vawsing

 Pelaria  No Responses »
Jan 262013
 

From the journal of Ardebast Raconteur:

Vawsing is a fishing community on the west coast of Pelaria. A fisherfur’s life is not for everybody. It’s wet work and you’re often on a boat for days at a time. One of the most miserable weeks of my life took place on a fishing boat. Let’s say that this dog wasn’t born for the sea and leave it at that.

My aversion for life on a boat aside, Vawsing is a fascinating community full of colourful characters. I think the periods of isolation make a fur more appreciative of good company. These are furs that appreciate a good yarn. As a result, my cup never runs empty when I visit.

Scalies generally aren’t afraid of water. They abound in Vawsing whereby they’re uncommon just about everywhere else you go.

A piece of common-sense advice: Avoid traveling to Vawsing during monsoon season. Storms hit especially hard on the west coast and smaller furs have been known to be blown out to sea by the wind. The town just about shuts down during this two week period as I found out one year. The inn gets pretty crowded that time of year as even the locals hole up there to ride out the storms.Forget about getting a room to yourself. The week following monsoon season is pretty joyous however, as everybody celebrates surviving the big storms.

Carja’s Notes:

Vawsing is one of the few places in Pelaria without a practical or descriptive name of some kind. I just made it up. A quick search of Yahoo! turned up one result: Barnaby’s profile on this site!

The Burroughs City Guard

 Pelaria  No Responses »
Jan 182013
 

From the journal of Ardebast Raconteur:

The first fur one encounters when entering (or rather attempting to enter) the Burroughs, is a member of the City Guard. These brave furs stand guard to ensure that the more undesirable types stay clear of their town. It pays to be courteous and honest with the guard on patrol lest one be turned away before even setting paw in the town.

Another thing the City Guard is counted on for, is to patrol the streets and help lost furs find their destinations. With the Burroughs being an extremely complex maze of alleys and side streets, it is easy to get lost. A good sense of direction is therefore a must.

It’s interesting to note that all members of the City Guard are born and raised in the Burroughs. Not a single member moved there from another town. The City Guard maintain that it isn’t a strict requirement. It just so happens that nobody from outside the Burroughs has ever passed the entrance exam.

Carja’s Notes:

Nothing to say really. Big Oonch was either going to be a private eye or a cop. I went with the cop idea.

The Burroughs

 Pelaria  No Responses »
Jan 112013
 

From the journal of Ardebast Raconteur:

An entire community housed in the caverns of a mountain range. It’s quite dark, as one would expect, with next to no natural light to be found anywhere.

It’s also one of the most maddening labyrinths I’ve ever tried to navigate.. Granted my sense of direction is rather lacking, but it’s not uncommon for visitors to get lost. Even being born and raised in the Burroughs doesn’t guarantee one will not get lost in the Burroughs. If one does not wish to be found, the Burroughs is THE destination to achieve one’s goal.

With its many places to hide, the Burroughs would have been a natural place for the Coven to take root. The City Guard stands ever vigilant to ensure that their presence remains limited.

My favourite haunt within the Burroughs is The Three Goose Inn. It is run by Winsome Tweed, a real salt of the earth type who enjoys a good yarn (it’s why we get along so swimmingly). Strays are more than welcome and an understanding can always be reached for furs needing a warm meal when Shinies are tight.

One last pawnote: If you don’t see all that well in the dark, I recommend carrying a walking stick while visiting the Burroughs. There are ponds EVERYWHERE. If a fur isn’t careful, he or she risks an unexpected bath simply by walking around a corner.

Carja’s Notes: When I was writing Dust-up in the Burroughs, it occurred to me that as a groundhog, Big Oonch would most likely live underground. I then thought it might be interesting then for an entire city to be underground. As for the name, it’s a rather obvious play on the word “burrow”. I like to think that a community that lives underground wouldn’t feel the name for a fancy name for their town. Just calling it “the Burroughs” would suffice.

The Crimson Coast

 Pelaria  No Responses »
Aug 242012
 

From the journal of Ardebast Raconteur:

It’s been some time since I set paw on the Crimson Coast. I’m not one for the beach myself and it just isn’t a breeding ground for stories to be honest. Maybe someday.

The Crimson Coast gets its name from the unusual red sand that is found there. When the sun sets, the coast glows blood red. It truly is one of the more breathtaking sights in all of Pelaria.

The popular legend amongst the residents is that the sand turned red from the blood spilt during the war against Man, though no records exist of any major battles actually being fought in the coast. It makes for a good story though.

The Crimson Coast is a popular vacation destination amongst furs who can afford to take time off. The beautiful vistas and the warm sun make it a wonderful place to just lounge around. The Royal House of Pelaria has a summer home here. I try to time my visits to the Crimson Coast during those times of the year when the King and Queen are there as the whole area is predictably more lively then.

Carja’s Notes:

The Crimson Coast! It just sounds so cool. It sounds like a pirate hideout. That was initially what I envisioned it as but ultimately I pushed the criminal element of Pelaria towards Northend. A vacation spot doesn’t necessarily fit in with the work ethic of a hard-working fantasy-age world, but who’s to say furs don’t like a vacation now and then?

Calix’s Cross

 Pelaria  No Responses »
Feb 082012
 

From the journal of Ardebast Raconteur:

The crossroads at the centre. All paths may lead to Sixtus, but most pass through the Cross to get there. This is not by accident. Pelarian society is based on a principle of remembering the past to shape our future. Sixtus may have been built on the site where the Six first rallied furkind against Man, but the Cross was built on the site of the first battle to commemorate the sacrifice of the furs who died there. Chief among them, as you might have guessed, was a fur named Calix. Nobody remembers if Calix was a fox, a wolf or even a bear. That isn’t important. That he died to save other furs is.

At the centre of the crossroads there is an actual giant white cross upon which is inscribed, “Always Remember”. It is an inspiring sight and furs come from all corners of Pelaria to pay their respects at least once in their lives. I, myself, visit once a year.

The town built at the Cross also serves as a merchant trading post due to its central location. One would expect that where there is trade, corruption normally follows. Oddly, this does not hold true for the Cross. Because the site is so revered amongst furs, those would bring shame with shady dealings are dealt with in expedite fashion. That isn’t to say that the Coven isn’t present, just that they keep an even lower profile than usual.

Carja’s Notes:

Not much to say here. When I chose not to place Sixtus in the centre of the map, it just made sense to have a town at the great crossroads. As for the name, I just liked the sound of it.

 Older Entries  Newer Entries