InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "NEEEIGH!"

This Land Mods (thislandmods) wrote,
@ 2008-01-25 16:45:00

The Provinces;

Sinistra has been split into seven areas, or provinces, they are as follows.

Vaniara is located in the North West corner of Sinistra and happens to be the only one of the seven provinces with all four seasons. It is the proverbial breadbasket of the land in that it thrives on its hundreds of farms and countless forests. The peoples main source of income is their farmland with major production of dairy, meats, vegetables and homemade breads. The castle is made entirely of brick rather than stone because even when she was young the princess preferred the warm feeling it gave off. The castle sits in the center of the province, just north of the town square which is the center of trade and commerce. There are various shops and cafe's scattered around the town along with the homes of some of Vaniaras highest ranking citizens and army members.

The atmosphere of the province is one of happiness as the people are treated extremely fairly by their princess. The princess makes sure that every child goes to a good school, and that they all have free, full health care. They are the future of her land after all. Every adult also has wonderful health care, and is guaranteed to be paid a sum even if their crops fail; because the princess believes that bad weather should not mean that people fall into poverty.

The summers can be far too hot and their winters far too cold. The land is graced with rolling fields, and several large and small hills, along with clumps of forest scattered here and there including the Forest of Mirrors which can be deadly if you approach it the wrong way. The forest has several small streams and lakes that tempt people into staring into their depths, often falling in and drowning if they do not overcome their vanity.

~*~

Winter is the only season that occurs in the province of Sparkleol so it's a given that if you don't like cold you won't want to settle down in this section of Sinistra. But 'cold' and 'barren' don't seem to go hand in hand when it comes to this beautiful expanse of land. Though normally the harsh temperatures would destroy any living form of plantlife the fae that make their home deep inside the frozen snow see to it that when they come to the surface they see beauty everywhere. Frost tipped bluebells and red roses with frozen stems gleam across the top layer of crystal snow flakes. Though the sun shines almost every day, except for when a blizzard tends to hit, the countless ice sculptures created by the various artists that live in Sparkleol don't melt due to the constant extreme temperatures. The castle is a sort of icey color in itself, though made out of a block specifically designed to trap heat inside at all times. And it matches the landscape perfectly since it's tinted blue and decked with white marble sculptures and pillars. The homes in the province are created from lumber and stone found throughout Sinistra; these homes contain some of the most brilliantly artistic minds in history, they are painters, writers, sculpturs and people of great opinion. They export textiles and various works of art while importing most of the things they can't have grown right there in their own backyards.

Beauty is an obvious benefit of living in this region but education is another. The princess here is very much involved in deciding what the education of her people includes and excludes; and she strives to make Sparkleol the number one center of education in the kingdom. The children are required to be involved in learning until the age of seventeen, at which time they are able to choose whether or not they want to continue their education. If they choose to they are able to enter the university of their choice, paid for completely by the Sparkleol government. The Princess makes sure that everyone is given an equal opportunity for these things, from the poorest children to the wealthiest of heirs; she treats all of her people as though they were equal.

On top of these things; every year there is a festival around the square of the province, during which people celebrate a holiday brought to them by the same fae that bring such beautiful plants. One day of the year is given as a free day to all citizens so that they may witness what is called the 'Snow Faerie Rising.' On this day the fae of the land gather and dance and sing, swirling through the air and gracing all they meet with an icy gift.

~*~

The Province of Livinton is by far the driest of the seven, and it only experiences hot, dry days no matter what season it’s supposed to be. As such it is inhabited by very few people and those that do live there tend to stray from the usual way of life for the inhabitants of Sinistra. The province is nothing but desert; great mounds of sand litter the entire expanse and there is very little shade or plant life. The citizens of this land are, for the most part, hermits and they move almost daily in search of life and the great shade tree.

Food is scarce, but if you dig far enough into the sand you may find a rock dweller or two that would provide a decent dinner. It does rain, but it is rare, and the heat doesn’t cease to exist at any time, so when water falls from the sky it often dries as quickly as it comes down. There is only one export from inside Livinton and that is sand, it is used elsewhere for building, land scaping etc. The only imports are those that are shipped to the castle, and those things are few and far between.

If you travel long enough, and if you look hard enough, you will come across a small pond, to the south of which lies the castle of Livinton. It is made of sandstone, because it is plentiful there, and nearly blends in to its surroundings. The building is kept cool at all times, and it is engraved with various murals that show Sinistras’ past. Livinton’s army members and their family live in small homes around the castle, and news of any dire situation is spread throughout the land by the sand fae, who are skilled at searching out people over vast amounts of land. There is also the great shade tree, which few ever find and no one can recall exactly where it is. It is the only growing tree in Livinton, and its braches extend more than fifty feet from the trunk, leaves burst to life every morning, and by the evening they are gone.

~*~

Randor is unique to Sinistra in two extremely distinct ways; first off it is the Southernmost province, making it the warmest all year round and it only experiences Summer; the second is that it is the only province to be it's own island, and it just so happens to sit on top of a dormant volcano that is said to be fated to erupt to signify the end of days. It is deathly hot in Randor most of the time, though there is always a nice sea breeze floating around the island. The area has a tropical climate, really, and is covered with plants and trees that grow best in that region; birds of paradise and palm trees are plentiful, and native fruits such as coconuts, pineapple and bananas are in no short supply. Most of the island is covered in rainforest, but the outer rims and the main city are much like an oasis. Many of the citizens of Randor live in houses made of bamboo or in thick wood houses up in the trees; but no matter where they live it is certain that they'll have plenty of windows to let in some air. The castle is made of light stone that keeps cool air in and warm air out all year round; it is a large, three story building just north of the city centre, around which are seated the best cafe's and shops in the province. The people make their livings in harvesting the fruits that are native only to their region, and creating furniture and cloth that is shipped out to the rest of Sinistra.

The Princess here has taken great care to ensure that the people of Randor will be safe since they do live on an island that also happens to be a volcano. That being said she found it a good investment to have a group of three hired to keep the threats of flooding and lava damage under control. If a natural catastrophy ever managed to break through the spells that the witch, warlock and earth elemental have used to protect the land the people can be assured that their posessions would be replaced if possible and they would be given the health care and funds they need to take care of their families until they're back on their feet.

In addition to the other plus sides of living in Randor there is the fact that it has one of the most diverse selections of species in Sinistra. It is a hotspot for mermaids who tend to love the warm water, and those Fae that love bright colors and cool breezes, shooting stars can be seen flitting around the island at night and there are said to be several species of dragon in the province as well.

~*~

Evilical is considered to be the artistic capital of Sinistra, with all of its brilliant creations that will hopefully lead the way to a sort of electronic lighting, and many ways to broadcast music and talk to the people of the province. The people of Evilical pride themselves on their artistic abilities and can produce everything from a one person play to hundreds upon hundreds of songs and poems, so it goes without saying that the incomes of most of its people come from their abilities as far as creativity goes. Many more of them are inventors, and some investors who sponsor those that they think have something of an incredible talent. The province has many spectacular buildings, some as much as fifty stories high, but none rivals the look of the Castle of Evilical's Princess. It is made entirely of black marble with reflecting glass windows, built so that she can see out, while people cannot see inside. The building rests in the center of the city, tucked in a small square surrounded by gardens it offers a serene spot in the middle of the crowded urban area. Beyond it lies a large building made entirely of the same reflective glass that coats the Princess's windows, and it is here that the army makes its home, and trains for any threats that may approach.

It is always busy in Evilical and often the nights are more exciting to the days, for it is then that the city bursts to life and the clubs, restaurants and dance halls open up and set the skyline aglow. One of the greatest inventions of the province aids in this, it was discovered some years ago that if you mix the correct ingrediants with some pixie dust and light it on fire it will give off a bright glow and create multicolored lights that can be used to dance across the rooms of the city.

As Evilical is so dependent on creativity (art, music and literature are their main exports) its ruler has insisted that all children be given the opportunity to take classes to advance and build on their love for their own specific art. These classes are free and avaliable until the child turns eightteen. Also, as any city based area will learn, there is a high health risk so costs have been lowered if not completely thrown out in most cases. Money and the lack of money is not something their government takes extremely seriously, if you're talented and work hard they assumes you deserve to be paid fairly well.

Autumn reigns year round in Evilical, and some nights can be bitter cold, while some days can be scalding hot, but the leaves are always changing colors, and on one day in particular, the thirteenth day of the first month, rain pours from the sky along with bright green lightening, and it is said that this day brings good luck. The biggest problem in the province may be that no one seems to be able to really keep the Princess under control, but hey, that's what Evilical is all about, freedom.

~*~

Domarion is a geographical wonder on the face of Sinistra, for it consists entirely of swampy land and nothing else. It is also said to be the deadliest of provinces as there is an uncharted area of swamp that is known as 'The Black Bog'; the reason it is uncharted is because if you stumble upon it you never come back out. The people are great carpenters, and have managed to build sturdy and flood resistant homes by creating them somewhere that the water would never touch; in the trees. The entire city and even the castle of Domarion sit high upon the branches of the provinces many willows and other trees; they are light, sturdy and extremely well made. The people there are amazing woodworkers and creators of potions and other magical products, so those are their main exports. Major imports include jewels from Chaontic and fine fabrics from Sparkleol and Randor. Citizens of Domarion are incredibly skilled with walking quietly and excell in stealth training in their military and is necessary for moving around above the waters of the land without alerting the predators that lurk there. The city is built in a large circle, with the castle, which is really just a three story tree house, in the center. Eight branches flag out from this center, and all are connected by rope and wood bridges, that were built to withstand almost anything.

The Princess spoils her people tremendously, giving them whatever they need to survive in return for making sure her castle won't plunge into the waters below. She has taken great care to give them the best education and health care that she can. The woman also makes sure that her people have plenty of entertainment, and are for the most part happy, though she can't always do this and it obviously troubles her. But as much as she cares about them they care about her, and they might possibly have the closest ruler/subject relationship in Sinistra.

The weather in Domarion is usually sort of dreary, rainy and muggy, and mosquitos have overrun most of the swamps, but the people are dealing with it as best they can. It probably wouldn't be so hot if it weren't for the humidity that rips through the land nearly every day, this makes fan and a cooling systems especially important. It is a kind of a chore to live in Domarion, but if you do you are rewarded with simple pleasures that many other people would love to have.

~*~

Chaontic is said to be one of the most naturally beautiful places in Sinistra; known far and wide for the beautiful mountains and flower filled valleys that grace its surface. The mountains are lush at their bases, and snowy at the peaks, with a spring sort of weather all year round and many drizzly afternoons, but despite the rain it always seems that the sky is a brilliant blue. Homes are built scattered over the landscape, some on hillsides, some in the middle of no where and some at the very tips of the highest peaks; but no matter where you are you can see something of the castle. It is a huge structure, white-washed stone with towers that seem to reach the heavens. It is surrounded by a large courtyard that is used for the training and housing of the army, and has many, many trees that dot the area. Citizens of Chaontic are extremely nature oriented, and so the province has the best wood products, florists, and merchants who sell their wares around the centralized areas of the province.

The Princess of Chaontic is a very loving and caring girl, despite her occasional spurts of craziness. She has taken great care to outline a health plan for her province that cannot be diminished in the future, even after the throne has been passed on to another from her family. She makes sure that her people will always be cared for, and she wouldn't dream of leaving them unguarded.

It is well known that while the people of Chaontic are very in touch with nature they are not the best at agriculture. A select few of the citizens are able to raise their own small subsistence farms but for the most part the province is forced to import their vegetables, fruits and meats. The climate is fair, with moderatly cool temperatures all year round, but there is also the slight threat of a random blizzard or two, though the snow usually melts fairly quickly.