setting and locations
Note: Currently being updated to reflect plot related changes.
THE CITY
Solace is a city wrought from pristine white stone, each building capped with dark green tile. The streets are made of a pale grey cobblestone, sullied from years of traffic and usage. The metropolis is divided into four districts that spread outwards from the city's heart, neatly dividing housing and business with separate avenues.
The town square lies at the junction between these four districts, the pavement breaking away at the core to reveal a cluster of perpetually blooming roses. It is said that the rose plants that appear throughout the city, winding around pillars, walls, and pipes, all originate from this location.
Once this city was the kingdom's capital but the land's central power has since relocated. Despite this, Solace continues to operate as an important center of trade and commerce, home to soldiers and politicians alike.
DISTRICT: RESIDENTIAL
MIDDLE CLASS HOUSING:
Home to the majority of Solace's working class citizens. Available in a variety of sizes and shapes, these homes are typically affordable and more modest in design compared to the houses situated further along the street. As with most of the structures in Solace their walls are whitewashed clean and bright.
Lighting is included within these homes, usually crafted from crystals that exude a bright glow, though they are almost never pure. Plumbing is standard in all houses and temperatures are moderated by the same steam power that the city's machinery runs on, although it doesn't always function properly. Additionally these houses are usually one story and somewhat small. If a second level exists, it will most likely be in the form of a loft.
HIGH END HOUSING:
Located in the priciest neighborhood in Solace, these houses are large and grand in their appearance. Only those of great wealth and prestige reside in this part of the city, tucked away from the homes of the common class and proceeding an even greater structure - the church.
As with the less expensive housing, crystals are used for illumination, but in these houses most of these shine white unless substituted with another color. Houses have better heating and cooling systems, but this technology is still being perfected. the latest in gadgetry and technology can be found in these homes.
CHURCH OF SOLACE:
One of the largest and most recognizable landmarks in Solace, the church is a large building crowned with tall spires and a magnificent bell tower. Similar to the outside of the church, everything inside is snowy white, stained only by sunlight streaming through the tinted glass windows. Pews line either side of the central aisle and create a path that leads straight to the foot of a marble statue of the Goddess - the deity of this world. For some reason, no one speaks her name.
GENERALS' ESTATE:
The manor intended for the high officials - particularly the Generals - is perhaps the most elaborate of all the homes to be seen in Solace. Once a Duke lived in the estate, but in a gesture looked upon quite favorably by the King, he has donated this property for the personal use of these high-ranking soldiers. Complete with a gated entrance and an elaborate garden, it seems far too large for one person to occupy at a given time...
TIERAN PARK:
The park is ideal for picnics and games. There's a large lake to accommodate casual fishing, rowing and swimming. It's very picturesque and plenty for the aspiring and professional artist to gain inspiration from. A great place for people watching. There are foot paths for strolling, as well as benches line along these paths for sitting. Other fauna includes ducks, geese, swans, pigeons. The usual park fare for animals.
Within the park itself are formal gardens that boast the city's indigenous flora and exotic flora from around the rest of the world. A hedge maze is present for those who like to play. Benches and fountains provide comfortable seating for enjoying the gardens. It's the place where many a proposal of marrage has been performed as well as a ceremony or two.
ASTRAL OBSERVATORY:
Above you the stars flickers restlessly against the canvas of sky like so many flecks of glitter scattered across the cosmos. Regardless of what time of day it is, the sun, moon, and constellations are always visible from the Observatory. Students eager to devour knowledge come here to study the path of the great gas giants and to map the patterns in the world above them. In this sacred place, the skies are the limit.
DISTRICT: BUSINESS
THE CLOCK TOWER:
One of the few sizable wooden structures in the city, the clocktower is situated at the far end of the business district, its face easily visible (perhaps not easily read) from most anywhere in the city. The height it reaches is second only to the spires of the church and on certain holidays fireworks are set off from the platform atop the tower.
HEALING VISION (APOTHECARY'S SHOP):
A small and less noticeable building on the corner of the business avenue. The awning above the shop's entrance is overrun with roses that obscure the sign indicating its name. Inside the walls are crowded with shelves lined with bottles containing strange objects, bundles of herbs, and a variety of unidentifiable objects illuminated by the multicolored crystal shards strung like spiderwebs across the ceiling. Here both medicines and more unusual items can be found, though one may not always be able to afford more exotic wares.
MILLE-FUEILLE (CAFE):
A semi-open cafe displaying all-too perfect confections behind large, polished windows; they simply lure you in to at least ask the price for a slice. Compared to the shops on either side, the bakery's creamy white and soft pink interior is much wider and leaves plenty of room for ventilation--and for circulation of the most delectable aromas straight out of the oven! The half-closed door isn't half closed for nothing. How do you think they get all these customers?
...but it doesn't end there! Adjoined to the bakery and through a pair of the cutest saloon doors anyone will ever see, the tea shop that adds a healthy factor to the cafe's olfatory seduction. The scent of brews from all continents and regions mingle in the air. From the tiniest flower to the thinnest of herbs and to the juiciest fruits--jasmine and rose, lemongrass and mint, lychees and oranges--you named it, they'll have it. This tea shop's got it all! It's no wonder the place is renown for its collection, and it is just the loveliest ambient to sit down and enjoy a cup of exquisite, well-prepared tea.
DIAMOND DUST:
Where once the business district was cluttered with many smaller specialty shops, now something of an all-purpose outfitter has sprung up in their place. Flanked by a warehouse containing all varieties of supplies, this shop has become the place to go for armaments. Anything from restoratives to clothing to weaponry can be found lining shelves or displayed behind the front desk.
Run by a soldier who seems to perpetually have his nose in a book, you might have a hard time getting what you went there for.
??? (CANDY STORE):
PIN-UP:
THE POST OFFICE: At the end of the street, just before it tapers into the market, resides the cramped little post office. It's just a room, a counter, and a backroom, well lit and tidy but quite noticeably small. Most of the upper class use servants to deliver mail within the city, and many in the common class see one another and convey messages personally anyhow, so the place doesn't get much attention.
AIRSHIP PORT:
Set aside from the rest of the district, the port is not accessible to foreigners and is in itself a large dome open from the air. Not much else is visible, save the ships that fly into and out of it.
Currently Avatican ships crowd the port, including the flagship Vesperus.
DISTRICT: ENTERTAINMENT
PROPHECY ARENA (THEATER):
From the outside, this three-story affair strikes only chords of uniformity. But step inside the grand set of doors and you'll find yourself in a glittering lobby draped in red silk that matches the plush carpeting and seats of the inner amphitheater. The the building itself is actually divided into several halls, each denoting a different facet of the entertainment provided by local troupes. One of the halls is for musical performances, another for improvisation skits and comedy shows. Some say that when the need arises, a new section of the theater is added on as if by magic.
ROSEWALL INN:
As the name suggests, Rosewall's ashen bricks are covered with ivy and rose thorns, betraying centuries of age. Each room has a wash basin, trunk, duvet, fireplace, and table. Breakfast is served in the morning and each day is concluded with supper for all the guests! Currently this space has been reserved for foreigners to occupy, and the building has been awkwardly expanded to accommodate their presence. At this rate, you might end up with assigned roommates.
NAKOTO'S:
A restaurant specializing in cuisine from a foreign land across the sea, many insist visitors must give the food a try - even if eating raw fish and cloudy soup is off-putting for some. Both the food and the decor certainly stand out, though individuals from Asian countries might find it strangely familiar...
WARMHEARTH TAVERN:
A low and mournful buzz calls to you from one of the back alleys of the Business District, matching the dim lighting and crowded interior of Warmhearth Tavern. Lanterns are strung about the perimeter of the bar and sway with the breeze let in by tall, open windows. With the exception of the occasional bar fight, the quiet murmur and indistinct chatter typically provides for a nice atmosphere to forgot and relax for awhile. Minors are allowed within the buildings, but will not be served alcohol.
GREEN HAVEN (GREENHOUSE):
A small cabin of sorts with white walls and a red door for an entrance, which leads to a not-so-tidy interior. Flower arrangements, plants in pots, garden ornaments hanging off walls; it's the perfect place to get anything and everything required for when building a garden from scratch or taking care of one. Selection of flowers/plants change every week, customers being given the chance to order specific kinds if they wish.
DISTRICT: MILITARY
THE BARRACKS:
TRAINING GROUNDS:
THE LABS:
LIBRARY:
Enter the modest abode of mind, matter, and knowledge. After following a tight-winding staircase you will find yourself in a massive storm-blasted room full of towering book stacks. Book avalanches have made paper mountains of the floor. Beyond this room there are others - square tower rooms and round turret rooms - all interlinked by doors, all crammed to bursting with a vast clutter of books. Naturally the rooms are divided into different subjects with signs above each door for easy navigation: philosophy, art, literature, anthropology, history, archaeology, geography, and more.
UNDERGROUND: SLUMS
*Demolished in the battle between Avatica and Solinth.
To suggest additional locations including new businesses, use the following form:
Location Request
Location Name:
Description:
Additional Notes (if any):
THE CITY
Solace is a city wrought from pristine white stone, each building capped with dark green tile. The streets are made of a pale grey cobblestone, sullied from years of traffic and usage. The metropolis is divided into four districts that spread outwards from the city's heart, neatly dividing housing and business with separate avenues.
The town square lies at the junction between these four districts, the pavement breaking away at the core to reveal a cluster of perpetually blooming roses. It is said that the rose plants that appear throughout the city, winding around pillars, walls, and pipes, all originate from this location.
Once this city was the kingdom's capital but the land's central power has since relocated. Despite this, Solace continues to operate as an important center of trade and commerce, home to soldiers and politicians alike.
DISTRICT: RESIDENTIAL
MIDDLE CLASS HOUSING:
Home to the majority of Solace's working class citizens. Available in a variety of sizes and shapes, these homes are typically affordable and more modest in design compared to the houses situated further along the street. As with most of the structures in Solace their walls are whitewashed clean and bright.
Lighting is included within these homes, usually crafted from crystals that exude a bright glow, though they are almost never pure. Plumbing is standard in all houses and temperatures are moderated by the same steam power that the city's machinery runs on, although it doesn't always function properly. Additionally these houses are usually one story and somewhat small. If a second level exists, it will most likely be in the form of a loft.
HIGH END HOUSING:
Located in the priciest neighborhood in Solace, these houses are large and grand in their appearance. Only those of great wealth and prestige reside in this part of the city, tucked away from the homes of the common class and proceeding an even greater structure - the church.
As with the less expensive housing, crystals are used for illumination, but in these houses most of these shine white unless substituted with another color. Houses have better heating and cooling systems, but this technology is still being perfected. the latest in gadgetry and technology can be found in these homes.
CHURCH OF SOLACE:
One of the largest and most recognizable landmarks in Solace, the church is a large building crowned with tall spires and a magnificent bell tower. Similar to the outside of the church, everything inside is snowy white, stained only by sunlight streaming through the tinted glass windows. Pews line either side of the central aisle and create a path that leads straight to the foot of a marble statue of the Goddess - the deity of this world. For some reason, no one speaks her name.
GENERALS' ESTATE:
The manor intended for the high officials - particularly the Generals - is perhaps the most elaborate of all the homes to be seen in Solace. Once a Duke lived in the estate, but in a gesture looked upon quite favorably by the King, he has donated this property for the personal use of these high-ranking soldiers. Complete with a gated entrance and an elaborate garden, it seems far too large for one person to occupy at a given time...
TIERAN PARK:
The park is ideal for picnics and games. There's a large lake to accommodate casual fishing, rowing and swimming. It's very picturesque and plenty for the aspiring and professional artist to gain inspiration from. A great place for people watching. There are foot paths for strolling, as well as benches line along these paths for sitting. Other fauna includes ducks, geese, swans, pigeons. The usual park fare for animals.
Within the park itself are formal gardens that boast the city's indigenous flora and exotic flora from around the rest of the world. A hedge maze is present for those who like to play. Benches and fountains provide comfortable seating for enjoying the gardens. It's the place where many a proposal of marrage has been performed as well as a ceremony or two.
ASTRAL OBSERVATORY:
Above you the stars flickers restlessly against the canvas of sky like so many flecks of glitter scattered across the cosmos. Regardless of what time of day it is, the sun, moon, and constellations are always visible from the Observatory. Students eager to devour knowledge come here to study the path of the great gas giants and to map the patterns in the world above them. In this sacred place, the skies are the limit.
DISTRICT: BUSINESS
THE CLOCK TOWER:
One of the few sizable wooden structures in the city, the clocktower is situated at the far end of the business district, its face easily visible (perhaps not easily read) from most anywhere in the city. The height it reaches is second only to the spires of the church and on certain holidays fireworks are set off from the platform atop the tower.
HEALING VISION (APOTHECARY'S SHOP):
A small and less noticeable building on the corner of the business avenue. The awning above the shop's entrance is overrun with roses that obscure the sign indicating its name. Inside the walls are crowded with shelves lined with bottles containing strange objects, bundles of herbs, and a variety of unidentifiable objects illuminated by the multicolored crystal shards strung like spiderwebs across the ceiling. Here both medicines and more unusual items can be found, though one may not always be able to afford more exotic wares.
MILLE-FUEILLE (CAFE):
A semi-open cafe displaying all-too perfect confections behind large, polished windows; they simply lure you in to at least ask the price for a slice. Compared to the shops on either side, the bakery's creamy white and soft pink interior is much wider and leaves plenty of room for ventilation--and for circulation of the most delectable aromas straight out of the oven! The half-closed door isn't half closed for nothing. How do you think they get all these customers?
...but it doesn't end there! Adjoined to the bakery and through a pair of the cutest saloon doors anyone will ever see, the tea shop that adds a healthy factor to the cafe's olfatory seduction. The scent of brews from all continents and regions mingle in the air. From the tiniest flower to the thinnest of herbs and to the juiciest fruits--jasmine and rose, lemongrass and mint, lychees and oranges--you named it, they'll have it. This tea shop's got it all! It's no wonder the place is renown for its collection, and it is just the loveliest ambient to sit down and enjoy a cup of exquisite, well-prepared tea.
DIAMOND DUST:
Where once the business district was cluttered with many smaller specialty shops, now something of an all-purpose outfitter has sprung up in their place. Flanked by a warehouse containing all varieties of supplies, this shop has become the place to go for armaments. Anything from restoratives to clothing to weaponry can be found lining shelves or displayed behind the front desk.
Run by a soldier who seems to perpetually have his nose in a book, you might have a hard time getting what you went there for.
??? (CANDY STORE):
PIN-UP:
THE POST OFFICE: At the end of the street, just before it tapers into the market, resides the cramped little post office. It's just a room, a counter, and a backroom, well lit and tidy but quite noticeably small. Most of the upper class use servants to deliver mail within the city, and many in the common class see one another and convey messages personally anyhow, so the place doesn't get much attention.
AIRSHIP PORT:
Set aside from the rest of the district, the port is not accessible to foreigners and is in itself a large dome open from the air. Not much else is visible, save the ships that fly into and out of it.
Currently Avatican ships crowd the port, including the flagship Vesperus.
DISTRICT: ENTERTAINMENT
PROPHECY ARENA (THEATER):
From the outside, this three-story affair strikes only chords of uniformity. But step inside the grand set of doors and you'll find yourself in a glittering lobby draped in red silk that matches the plush carpeting and seats of the inner amphitheater. The the building itself is actually divided into several halls, each denoting a different facet of the entertainment provided by local troupes. One of the halls is for musical performances, another for improvisation skits and comedy shows. Some say that when the need arises, a new section of the theater is added on as if by magic.
ROSEWALL INN:
As the name suggests, Rosewall's ashen bricks are covered with ivy and rose thorns, betraying centuries of age. Each room has a wash basin, trunk, duvet, fireplace, and table. Breakfast is served in the morning and each day is concluded with supper for all the guests! Currently this space has been reserved for foreigners to occupy, and the building has been awkwardly expanded to accommodate their presence. At this rate, you might end up with assigned roommates.
NAKOTO'S:
A restaurant specializing in cuisine from a foreign land across the sea, many insist visitors must give the food a try - even if eating raw fish and cloudy soup is off-putting for some. Both the food and the decor certainly stand out, though individuals from Asian countries might find it strangely familiar...
WARMHEARTH TAVERN:
A low and mournful buzz calls to you from one of the back alleys of the Business District, matching the dim lighting and crowded interior of Warmhearth Tavern. Lanterns are strung about the perimeter of the bar and sway with the breeze let in by tall, open windows. With the exception of the occasional bar fight, the quiet murmur and indistinct chatter typically provides for a nice atmosphere to forgot and relax for awhile. Minors are allowed within the buildings, but will not be served alcohol.
GREEN HAVEN (GREENHOUSE):
A small cabin of sorts with white walls and a red door for an entrance, which leads to a not-so-tidy interior. Flower arrangements, plants in pots, garden ornaments hanging off walls; it's the perfect place to get anything and everything required for when building a garden from scratch or taking care of one. Selection of flowers/plants change every week, customers being given the chance to order specific kinds if they wish.
DISTRICT: MILITARY
THE BARRACKS:
TRAINING GROUNDS:
THE LABS:
LIBRARY:
Enter the modest abode of mind, matter, and knowledge. After following a tight-winding staircase you will find yourself in a massive storm-blasted room full of towering book stacks. Book avalanches have made paper mountains of the floor. Beyond this room there are others - square tower rooms and round turret rooms - all interlinked by doors, all crammed to bursting with a vast clutter of books. Naturally the rooms are divided into different subjects with signs above each door for easy navigation: philosophy, art, literature, anthropology, history, archaeology, geography, and more.
UNDERGROUND: SLUMS
*Demolished in the battle between Avatica and Solinth.
To suggest additional locations including new businesses, use the following form:
Location Request
Location Name:
Description:
Additional Notes (if any):