3 more cities to go...

I want to do Black and Ebon-gray together and I have a really good idea of what they are like and it will take me a whole day to put that together, so that is not on the board for this lovely Tuesday. (Any one else looking forward to Raid Night? Yea, server resets) 

So this afternoon I will attempt to spit something out about Summer-sky.  The problem is that I haven't had any ideas for this area at all.  None.  It is bordered by Tiger-eye,  Rose, Green, Ebon-Gray, and Opal.  That's a lot of borders...it is also near half the highest population centers, and most of the trade centers...A Bazaar!  It is the trade city!  Miners form Tiger-eye, wood from Green, imports from Opal, cattle from Black!  Its even not terribley far from Yellow!  Oh and the fact that Yellow is on the other side of Black from it is great for one of my already planned sub-plots!  Brainstorming for the win.

Alright then.  How about a slightly Indian feel to this one?  Saris and piles of spices, Silk tents over the boats,....and the whole thing is a huge lake!  So that scene in  Aladdin where Jasmine is walking through the marketplace?  Like that but on boats!  ...must find refernce pic, hold on a moment...


Back, ok so this:

Image © Walt Disney Animation

Mixed with this:

Not mine, just click through to see where I got it from.

Good right?  At night you look out at the lake and it is clear and calm with hardly anyone on it, the nighttime activities being restricted to the villages at the borders where everyone retreats at the end of the day.   This is also where the inns are, and residents live.

During the day the whole lake is filled at the center with neat rows of shopboats, lashed together with their neighbors in streets to form the  traditional lanes, like Potters Lane, and Shoe Street.  You can even walk down the 'streets' across the fronts of the boats.  There is a border fee that helps cover the cost of employing organizers that mark out the lanes, make sure all shops are in there proper place, which helps the shoppers find them.  There is also a local police force patrolling the city.

A fairly wide berth is left around the edge of the lake for traffic and some sections of the bazaar are separated from one another, such as clothing, cloth, leather and such are grouped together with the vendors of leather goods being closest to animal section but still separated by a fairly large water way. (for smell purposes) Likewise, bulk raw leather dealers are on the edge of the upwind edge of the animal section.  So on and so forth, so that is is organized neatly and conveintly, but also according to the weather. 

Perfect!  Another great idea, a family with a talent for weather prediction, a bunch of weather witches...Now what to do with them...

Sometimes you just gotta sit down and say, 'I will do this' instead of waiting for the inspiration to come to you.

----a