Fairy Tail RP Location Thread

[Shark a' Pult]

Although I had the side guild in mind when making this thread, I think it could apply to the Fairy Tail RP as a whole, since certain structures (such as the Guild buildings) are like characters in their own right. They can play such a big part, that just simple in-thread descriptions are not enough always.

So in short, this thread is like a character sheet, but for buildings and locations.



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Historical Details

Name: Dunwald, the Northern Reach
Age: Around 200 years at least
Formation: Initially nothing more than a fishing village, Dunwald actually predates the formation of Fiore. Originally part of a local lords holdings, the town incorporated into Fiore around the time of the country's formation, but has changed hands between Seven and Fiore over the years. This has been mostly due to land disputes and war.
Historic Events: Apart from the many wars and chance of alliances the town has seen, the most notable history of Dunwald comes from its very early days before countries even existed. The times when legends were real and myths took place every day.
Historic Role: Due to its strategic location, Dunwald has traditionally acted as a key point on the border between Fiore and Seven. Over the years, regardless of whichever country it belonged to, Dunwald has become the guard of the border in the north.
History: Originally Dunwald was just a small, simple fishing village, which in time was incorporated with the surrounding lands into a local lords holdings. This was a time before the present countries existed and had claims to the land, though this period of time lasted quite awhile. Eventually though, these holdings were absorbed by a larger parent country, thus ending the feudal servitude. Whereupon the distinct borders were set in stone, Dunwald became somewhat important due to its location right at the border, and for its already present port. Overtime the population rose and fell, as the town switched between the ownership of Fiore and Seven. Today, Dunwald is at a notably low point in its history, although some good years of stability have come and gone. Because of this, it is possible that the town may continue to grow once more. Whatever happens however, one thing is for certain; Dunwald isn't going anywhere, and it isn't going away anytime soon.
Historic Problems: Instability due to changing ownership, that is, whichever parent country had a claim to the town.



Geographic Details

Location: Northern Fiore/Seven border.
Size: Fairly small, though certainly the largest town in the area because of the remote nature of the northern border.
Geography: Dunwald sits upon low-lying coastal plains, leading up to the start of the great northern mountain range. To the east are a mix of traditional plains and moors, and to the west are riverlands and thick forest.
Climate: Rainy, dreary, almost permanently overcast.
Characteristics: The region Dunwald exists in is known for it's rough but bountiful seas, and a good living has always been made in fishing. As well, to the south on the Fiore side of the border are good farmlands.
Natural Wonders: Tharsis, the tallest mountain in the great northern mountain range. Dunwald sits on the slopes leading up to this giant formation.
Hazards: Storms can sometimes be a problem, as well as rockslides.
Ecology: The northern region Dunwald lies in, is fairly sparse in terms of life. The thick forests not too far away are the only exception.



Political Details

Government: City Council
Organization: Six seats, afforded to local people of importance.
Establishment: The city council was created rather recently. Before that, Dunwald was simply treated as an outpost of the border patrol, and before that the domain of a local lord.
Enforcement: The Dunwald City Watch, an effective albeit disorganized group consisting of the citizens of the town from the ages of 16 to 50; effectively, it is a militia.
Seat: Town hall.
Divisions: Minor branches within the council, each tasked with some aspect of running the town.
Economy: The common currency, jewels, although trade and barter are still widespread in the region, not just the town.
Citizenship: Anyone can live in Dunwald, though being born helps.
Individual Rights: The same as with Fiore, though some duties to the town are expected of every citizen.
National Laws: The same as whatever country Dunwald belongs to, currently Fiore. Of note that the town has some more... detailed laws in relation to the complicated issues that border proximity invites.
Crime: With such a small population, and the overall militarism of the town, crime is very low. Indeed, serious crimes are usually only committed by outsiders and people trying to illegally cross the border.
International Policy: It is the job of the town to remain strict in it's maintaining the border, and harsh in it's enforcement.
International Involvement: Although something of a minor trading hub, for the most part Dunwald limits its dealings to its parent country, currently Fiore.
Military: No military per se, though the populace is capable of defending itself. They have not needed help from any armies in a long time.
Military Composition: All citizens from the age of 16 to 50 are required to serve in the City Watch.
Military Importance: Between the City Watch which protects the town, and the Border Guard which protects the border and Fiore, military is quite important in Dunwald as the only real means of keeping order in such a turbulent environment.
Military Strength: Both the City Watch and Border Guard are only as strong as their respective benefactors (Dunwald and Fiore) can afford to make them. Dunwald is not some haven for wealth so the City Watch is only adequately supplied, and as of late the importance of maintaining the border has decreased so the same could be said of the Border Guard.
Military Strategy: As a standard policy, the Border Guard exists simply to maintain and patrol the border, so when under attack it will always fall back to its walls and forts running along the border. The City Watch are a last line of defense, should the Border Guard fail to keep out attackers.
Political Problems: Dunwald is technically governed by the acting leader of the local Border Guard, however when not in dire times, the City Council controls the town. Council seats however, are less about representing the local populace, and more about who has the most money, power, or the best connections in the town and Fiore proper. Thus, most of the seats are chaired by local families or groups of wealth or power.



Cultural Details

Population: 500 to 1000, depending on how far you look outside of Dunwald proper, maybe a little more.
Ethnicities: All sorts.
Sex Ratio: Even split, though in the town itself probably a slight favor towards female as most men up and join the Border Guard when they can.
Languages: A healthy mix of Fiore and Seven common, as well as some northern dialects.
Religion: There is a Zentopian church in town.
Growth: Fairly steady. Although Dunwald used to be bigger, there was a sharp decline in population in recent years with people leaving for nicer places in Fiore or Seven. That said, anyone who would have left has pretty much done so, and the current population is the sort of people who would never leave.
Age distribution: Tending towards the younger side of things, as life in and around Dunwald is hard, and dangerous.
Mortality: The most common cause of death is probably wildlife and harsh weather, though as of late, the influx of refugees has brought many problems. Among them, a higher death rate.
Hazards: Because of it's location between two countries and with a decent sized port, every once in awhile a nasty sickness tends to sweep through Dunwald.
Life Expectancy: Most people do not live past 60, though some of the more privileged families tend to have members much older than that.
General Health: The people of Dunwald are a hardy sort, those living who are tough enough to thrive in such an environment. While they might not be a picture of health, they certainly aren't all dying.
Urbanization: Almost the entire population resides within the town proper, though a few families and other people live on the outskirts, either on the farmlands or in the forests.
Education: For the most part, the people of Dunwald are not that well educated, simply because life in the area does not warrant a high education. There is little beyond elementary school, and nothing beyond secondary school.
Social System: Typical of any medieval-type town, there is a maypole in the center of Dunwald, showing the social system in place.
Social Mobility: Fairly rigid, simply because most people learn a trade and stick with it their whole lives.
Social Problems: There is a strong antagonistic sentiment towards foreigners, even refugees. The people of Dunwald might not like people from the rest of Fiore, but they strongly dislike people from outside of Fiore.
Social Sentiment: As if the weather was a reflection of the people, Dunwald's citizens for the most part are a depressing lot. The hard northern life does not lend well to personality, though they try to remain cheery and optimistic as best they can. Their best, unfortunately, is just not very good.
Social Outlook: Although the people support Fiore, their allegiance mainly lies with the town, as over the years they have been citizens of both Fiore and Seven many a time.
Social Worldview: The people of Dunwald tend to have a very insular worldview, as life is hard enough as it is, rather that going looking outside the area for more trouble.
Social Acceptance: Not very welcoming at all, especially towards those who are clearly foreigners.
Cultural Problems: If Dunwald is ever to be a successful and valuable addition to the many towns of Fiore, it needs to let go of its strong focus on keeping the border. That said, if Fiore and Seven could remain peaceful for a long enough time, then maybe this wouldn't be an issue in the first place.
Notable Groups:

House Mirtet - One of the prominent families in Dunwald, with strong ties in trade. Although the port is largely out of their reach, they fund several land trade routes through Fiore and have connections with smuggling. Being on the border between two countries is helpful to that kind of business, but they have the kind of money to keep eyes off their back. As such, they have a seat on the city council.
House Indsberke - One of the prominent families in Dunwald, known for banking and having ties through greater Fiore. That said, they don't have as strong a presence in Dunwald as the other houses.
House Telveri - One of the prominent families in Dunwald, notable for bringing a lighter side to Dunwald. They own the theater and museum in town, stage various demonstrations for entertainment around town, and fund artistry overall. Certainly Dunwald is not a place known for its art or culture, but the Telveri do their best to keep the people not entirely miserable, and are largely responsible for the funding and organization of the various festivals and holidays in the border town. It is because of them that aspects of many cultures having been drawn from all over Earthland can be found in Dunwald, and because of this they have a seat on the cit council.
House Resolan - One of the prominent families in Dunwald, drawing their power from farming. Although the Resolans own most of the farmland in the area, this means that their effective power in Dunwald is lower than the other houses despite being responsible for feeding the area, and they do not have a seat on the city council.
Border Guard - Probably the most notable group in the entire region, the group responsible for protecting and maintaining the border of Fiore. Although they officially have a seat on the council, in practice they call the shots when the situation gets rough.
City Watch - The group tasked with the policing and protection of Dunwald. Effectively a militia, all citizens are required to serve, determined by a relative time quota. While there is an actual police force, its duties are covered and more by the City Watch. If you commit a crime in Dunwald, chances are, these are the people you will be dealing with before you are handed over to the authorities.
Port Authority - Perhaps Dunwald's most defining feature is the port, which due to its growing status since the town was founded, is quite large now. While initially just part of the City Watch or other, overtime the Port Authority has become something of its own independent organization, with its commercial arm handled by Exotic Imports; something of a mix between a warehouse and a black market. Although technically under Fiore charter, it has its own seat on the city council.
Builders Union - The group responsible for all the buildings in Dunwald, both in terms of construction and repair. Although their services are often overlooked, they have a seat on the council.
Chamber of Commerce - Going by many names, basically the group which is responsible for the general economy in Dunwald, of which most of the shops and shopkeepers belong to. Similar to the Builders Union, they provide a very basic but important service to the town, and have a seat on the council.
Legend - The local magical guild in Dunwald. Although they perform an important function in relation to magical presence and problems in town, they are of little concern in the larger picture and do not have a seat on the city council. For the most part, Legend is simply treated as an extension of the Border Guard, and therefore is largely overlooked by the important groups and figures of Dunwald. This is quite the contrast with the past, when Legend was one of the most important if not the most important group in Dunwald, though times have changed and so has Legend since the guild war.


Notable Citizens:

Commander Lacey Thormund - Leader of the border guard, perhaps the most important man in Dunwald. He does not take his job very seriously, and considers it something of a punishment to have been sent here from the capital. He sits on the city council to represent the border guard, though his subordinates do all of the hard work.
Sabyn Mirtet - Matron of the Mirtet family, and their representation on the city council. A clever, refined woman who looks like she would be better at home in some high court of the capital of Fiore rather than Dunwald. Breathtaking in appearance, one would never guess that she runs a trade and smuggling empire.
Terrell Indsberke - The only actual Indsberke in Dunwald, a terse, shrewd fellow. Very serious and largely removed from day to day happenings in the town. That said, he always has an ear for a good deal.
Fallion Telveri - Head of the Telveri, and representative on the city council. A melodramatic thespian of a man, finds life in Dunwald to be quite depressing and seeks to enlighten the people's lives with the gift of art and culture.
Brivard Resolan - Patron of the Resolans, an older, jovial man. Quite portly due in part to the fact that his family supplies most of the food to the region, he doesn't seem to mind that most people tend to overlook him and his family, as at the end of the day he knows how much everyone truly relies on him even if they don't.
Licie Nelson - Port Authority commander, a very busy woman. While she herself prefers to run things by the book, she realizes that if she and her subordinates weren't vigilant, then the Mirtets would surely sink their claws into the trade by sea.
Pharlew Byne - Head of the builders union, and representative on the city council. Treats his work and his organization with the utmost seriousness, and doesn't like it when people overlook him.
Fretha Wyard - Current representative of the chamber of commerce on the city council. A cheery young woman who wants to do what's best for merchants and artisans like her in the community. She runs a sweets store in her free time.

Henry Arbald - A baker in town, owner of the Rising Crust. Doesn't seem to like people but sells them whatever they might need.
Jane Arbald - Henry's daughter, a sultry young maiden who likes to help her father in making deliveries about town. Has the eye of many a fellow about town as well.
Elrer Stiny - A shepherd in town who takes care of many a flock, though he does tend to wander farther than he should.
Aniel Cuine - A traveling salesman who arrived in town only recently, and wishes to unload his wares on the populace. A strange fellow with stranger products.
Melissa Merrowly - Innkeeper of the Lost Fox, a kind young woman who lost her husband and children to illness awhile ago. For whatever reason though, she doesn't seem to mind all that much, and is quite cheery and more than happy to serve anyone who stops by. Runs the inn and tavern on her own.
Holex Falcio - Owner of the main beer hall in town, the Sleeping Giant. This is where most everyone in Dunwald goes when they want a drink and something to eat, not in their own home. A loud and even rude fellow, though always well meaning. He tends to get involved with his customers a bit too often, and would surely drink himself out of business if the Telveri didn't fund him for the most part.
Erret Helmsly - Local bard to be seen all over town, who plays and sings dulcet tones in the day and hearty songs of celebration at night. Though he may charm a lady or two, none yet have fallen for him so hard as to overlook his penniless situation.
Akir al-Allad - Deliveryman and busybody for the Port Authority. Unlike the other port workers, Akir handles business in town whenever there is a job that needs doing. A young, handsome man from far away only trying to work off a debt, scandalous rumors are about towards the nature of Akir's deliveries.
Kat Billingsly - A strange herbalist and protector of cats, owner of Green Leaves. Hates his older brother Dawg.
Dawg Billingsly - A friendly swordsman and dog lover. Hates his younger brother Kat.
Merha Fallow - Priestess of the local Zentopian church. Caregiver in the community for those who need it, though she is quite lonely at times.

[Shark a' Pult]

Historical Details

Name: Legend
Age: Around 100 years.
Formation: Robur Gilavar founded the guild when he came to the area. Overtime it became a stable establishment in Fiore, attracting mages in the northern reach.
Historic Events: Legend has had a long and illustrious history of accomplishments and events, though perhaps the most important (at least in present times) was the guild war which happened around 9 years prior. This led to the destruction of the guild for the most part, and its downfall over the years.
Historic Role: Traditionally Legend served not only as a compliment to the safety and security of the northern reach, but also as a famous and accomplished magic guild. Today though, the failed Legend is little more than an accessory to the Border Guard.
History: Roughly 150 years ago the renown mage, Robur Gilavar, came to the northern reach in search of magical wonders. Through his travels, studies and findings, he came to call Dunwald something of a second home. As it was so central to his goals, he eventually set up Legend as a magical guild so that Dunwald might become his first home, although in those days the guild was not called Legend. The guild in those days was little more than just a haven for Robur to return to, though it did attract local attentions, especially those of aspiring mages in the region. In his time however, the guild grew to become a name recognized throughout Fiore, earning an illustrious reputation. Eventually Robur passed control of Legend to his son Simon, and this growth of power and fame only further increased, though seemingly at the peak was when disaster struck. An unprovoked attack befell Legend, a guild war, the result being that nearly the entirety of the guild was wiped out. Since that time, Legend has all but faded from memory, and today is little more than a ghost from the past. There are few people if any, outside of Dunwald, who remember the guild for what it once was.
Historic Problems: Ever since the guild war, Legend has become a dying breed.



Geographic Details - For this part, the focus is the guild building

Location: Southern Dunwald, a ways up the great mountain, Tharsis.
Size: Fairly small. Originally, the guild building was a vast cathedral. In the guild war however, a cataclysmic burst of uncontrolled magic power caused a collapse of a large portion of the mountain face, taking most of the cathedral with it. What remains is a small portion of the main atrium leading to open sky where the rest of the structure collapsed. Branching off of this is what remains of the annex, having since been converted into rooms for the guild members.
Geography: The guild building hangs precariously to a side cliff of the mountain.
Climate: Foggy, dreary, almost permanently overcast. In the winter time, it gets far too cold for anyone to live there, so the guild building is abandoned in those months.
Characteristics: Very high up, very windy, and very cold (even during the summer months), the guild building is not in a nice place. When it was still a full cathedral, the elements were accounted for and the place was actually quite cozy. Like with the guild of the past however, that sense of belonging and warmth are long since missing, gone the way of the rest of the cathedral down the mountainside.
Natural Wonders: The guild building does sit a ways up Tharsis, along the path heading up the mountain known as Dagger's Ascent. Because of its altitude, the guild building offers an amazing view on the rare clear day.
Hazards: Bad weather, low temperatures, and the ever-present risk that the ruined building will simply fall off the mountainside to join the rest of it at the bottom.
Ecology: The altitude does not lend well to life. Hardly any animals live that high up, except for the occasional mountain goat, and birds of prey. Plantwise is a bit more forgiving, though beyond the lone tree in the courtyard, there is little that grows up this high beyond simple shrubs and bushes. If you looked hard enough you might find a mountain flower or two.



Political Details

Government: Guild Master
Organization: One person, being given the role by the previous guild master.
Establishment: The position of Guild Master is as old as the guild itself, dating back to the establishment of Legend under the first guild master, Robur Gilavar.
Enforcement: The members of the guild, or worst comes to worst, the S-rank members.
Seat: The ruins of Saint Helena's Cathedral, a ways up the great mountain Tharsis, of which Dunwald sits upon the slopes.
Divisions: Small, what you might call "Teams" or "Taskforces" within the guild, though these are few in number due to the low membership.
Economy: The common currency, jewels, although trade and barter are still accepted sometimes.
Membership: Magically gifted persons are welcome, though technically anyone can join. Currently though, the guild membership are all magical users for the most part.
Individual Rights: As good as in any guild in Fiore.
Rules: The same as with any guild that ascribes to the national guild charter.
Crime: Virtually unheard of, though there has been the errant mage here and there throughout the guilds history, who caused trouble and broke laws. The current guild master's brother, is the most notable example of this.
International Policy: Officially, Legend takes part in the magical duties that are expected of it; reporting to the Magic Council and respecting magical laws of Fiore.
International Involvement: Originally Legend was as active in international matters as much as any guild. Now though, it avoids such matters at all costs.
Military: Legend acts as the magical arm of both the Border Guard and the City Watch, and so compliments the strength of these groups.
Military Composition: All citizens from the age of 16 to 50 are required to serve in the City Watch.
Military Importance: By simply existing within Dunwald, military is of paramount importance to the guild, largely because due to its nature the guild invariably acts as a military-type force.
Military Strength: While strong individually, Legend as a guild is tragically weak.
Military Strategy: In the case of an attack, Legend will defer to the Border Guard. After that it will defer to the City Watch. Assumedly if that too were lost, then the last resort would be to either retreat to one of the nearby guilds or to make a last stand at the guild building.
Political Problems: Due to the inexperience and reluctance of the current guild master, Legend faces a real leadership problem. Between those who would try to return the guild to what it once was, and those who would try to exploit it, the future of Legend is very uncertain.



Cultural Details

Population: 5
Ethnicities: All sorts.
Sex Ratio: Currently, a heavy trend towards male.
Growth: Near death. Ever since the guild war, Legend has never had more than ten members, and has been in steady decline for the most part ever since. In the last 9 years, Legend has not been able to maintain a recruitment rate higher than that by which it loses members.
Age distribution: Tending towards the younger side of things, as members usually retire when they get old.
Mortality: Death on actual jobs is not rare, but the highest risk comes from border patrol duty, to which many members have lost their lives.
Hazards: The usual expected risks associated with magical jobs and guild life.
Life Expectancy: Fairly low oddly enough, being that most members usually just retire before too long, so anyone to ever actually die on jobs and the like are usually the younger members.
Residence: For the most part, the guild spends its day to day functions in Dunwald proper, in the various inns and taverns about town. Occasionally though, for special functions and events, the members will relocate to the actual guild building high up the mountain.
Social System: Although the members will often try to act as a typical big name guild with celebrations and mirth, each and every member realizes the sad, dark truth looming above them at all times; Legend is on its last legs, merely whiling away the time till its eventual demise.
Social Mobility: Extremely rigid. Because Legend has such a low membership, it's almost impossible to increase in rank unless people actually give up the position willingly or unwillingly.
Social Problems: If anything, the main problem Legend faces socially, is the differences it has with the town it resides in. To put it bluntly, Dunwald and Legend are not exactly peas in the same pod, even if they compliment each other well.
Social Sentiment: Unlike the citizens of Dunwald, the members of Legend are not all natives of the town. As such they tend to bring a more worldly optimism to the table, not to mention that all the members regardless of their nationality tend to have a greater degree of freedom than your average citizen. A blacksmith who has been in town twenty years can't just leave, but the guild members have that option whenever they choose.
Social Outlook: Officially the members owe allegiance to Fiore and the Magic Council, but personally they all tend to care about Dunwald more than anything else.
Social Worldview: As with Dunwald, Legend's scope of things is rather narrow. Because of their nature as a magic guild, they have a stake in greater events such as the wellbeing of Fiore and the world, but in practice the focus is largely on Dunwald. This is a stark contrast with the pre-guild war Legend, which was more akin to the style of the other big name magic guilds.
Social Acceptance: If you can do magic, you're welcome. Actually even if you can't you're probably still welcome, but you should probably look for somewhere else to live.
Notable Members:

Robur Gilavar - The original founder of Legend. Not much is known about the mysterious founder, even by his own descendents.
Simon Gilavar - Robur's son and the second guild master of Legend. A good man with a strong heart, the pillar and ideal of what Legend is, was, and should be. Struck down in the guild war, Simon gave his life to protect the guild, his family.
Illora Gilavar - In her time, Illora Cheseri was one of the greatest mages in living memory, perhaps one of the greatest ever to have lived. Through her duties she encountered Simon and though the two never saw eye to eye and even found each other to be enemies from time to time, eventually they ended up married, ironically enough. Though they lived and loved for many years together, Illora died giving birth to their two children, despite her historic strength.
Maven Gilavar - Simon and Illora's daughter, the current guild master of Legend. A reluctant young woman who does not accept the life she has been given, perhaps due in part to her utter lack of magic power despite her impressive lineage.
Torryn Gilavar - Maven's twin brother. Seeming to have inherited all of his mother's strength while his sister received none, growing up Torryn showed promise, likely to be a mage of even greater power than either his mother or father. Unfortunately for reasons unknown, he betrayed Legend in the guild war, leading to its downfall. Some time after he was captured and imprisoned within the Panopticon, the greatest prison ever to have been built, where he is assumedly imprisoned to this day.
Emmanuel Watkyns - One of the two S-rank mages of Legend, and one of the five surviving members of the guild war. Emmanuel is a clever, ambitious mage who has big plans for Legend and even bigger plans for Fiore.
Evander Scorpionfield - The other S-rank mage of Legend, and one of the five guild war survivors. Evander has always been loyal to Legend, and seeks only to return it to its former glory. First and foremost however, his devotion is to Maven, whom he has acted as something of a surrogate father to over the years since the guild war.
Satir - An honest, spiritual mage of strong belief and resolve. He is a humble man, though his dependability and ties to Legend are unquestionable.
Carello - A boisterous, mighty mage plagued with inner doubts and worry. Though he is certainly a reliable member of Legend, his ambitions and beliefs can tend to get the best of him.
Leeandre Inalta - A former S-rank mage of Legend, when all else was lost, she made a last stand at the guild building in the war. She gave her life to protect it, and died in the collapse of the cathedral. Because of her selfless act she is remembered in Dunwald as well as Legend, as "Last Chance" Lee.
Erenonn Litani - A former member of Legend and one of the five guild war survivors. Initially a strong supporter of the guild and even a native of Dunwald, Erenonn found the aftermath to be too hard to cope with and eventually left to find a new life in the East.
Melyn Algrifion - A former member of Legend and one of the five guild war survivors. At the time Melyn was just a young mage herself, but the war took its toll on her, leaving her severely injured in the process. Some time after she left to pursue a more stable life in the West.