The Figaroan Geographic

Major Cities:

Kefka - The capital of Figaro. This is a massive treetop city, supported by an entire forest of prehistoric-age trees with the most majestic of its buildings being the Shrine of the Holy Maiden, where successors to the Elder Clerics are trained. The wooden base of Kefka stands magnificently in the middle of Albrook Bog, where crossing ferries and air pads are provided for the travelers. The scenes of Kefka binds and blends perfectly with the tranquility of the forest, building carved from fossilized wood fireproofed and fortified by the elders' magic wards. As Viera are naturally bound to homeland forests, there wasn't much hustling and busting in the capital. But for each round of ritual held irregularly by the path of the stars, the elders from all Viera forest villages would join the council's enchantment of Figaro. Kefka also house the most famous Archer's and Fencer's guilds.

Mobliz - A city in the west, where thunderstorms are frequent. Moogles and Humans aided the Viera in designing lightning rods to protect their precious trees from the harsh wrath of the heavens. Recently the target of an HUV attack, it was quarantined, but the quarantine has since been lifted; which is good, as this treetop city is a vital pillar of trade. It lies on the shores of the Lete River. A large Shadow Clan garrison is based here, and it's the only city with a dock large enough to properly moor the Typhoon in Figaro. Mobliz is the pilot city engineered by Nu Mou alchemists and Moogle mechanics to store the charges of lightning and release the power into daily use - now adopted and made common by Midgar mega-corporation. (OOC: This is not household electricity as the technology has not reached such level) Now, Mobliz has its own tesla coils that relay thunderbolts onto desired targets, accessed only by the elders.

Kohlingen - The birthplace of the Assassins. It's the only Viera city as expansive on the ground as it is in the treetops. Vicious brawls between members of the Thieves Guild and the Assassins Guild are frequent, fueled by rumors of alliance to the International Syndicate. Even Cluny realized that imposing law on the lowest levels of the city would be nigh impossible, and the absence of guards in those districts makes them a veritable haven for fugitives. Kohlingen was once the home of a Human named Shadow, who taught the Viera the art of invisibility to protect themselves thus founded the Kohlingen Assassin Academy, a controversial, yet elite institution that feeds ultimate Viera stealth units to clans, good or evil.

*Daigoro's - A pub/inn as old as the city itself, also the Kohlingen elders' favorite, here you can eavesdrop over Figaro juicy bits of news and national secrets alike.

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Forests

Phantomwood - The forest surrounding to Kohlingen, this place was named for it's native Assassins, who where like phantoms to their enemies. Though heavily guarded by the Academy, there are a few ever-shifting paths through the forest they can never quite keep track of, radiating outward from Vectorwood. phantomwood is intentionally left "uncleansed" to provide real-time hazard trainings for assassin apprentices, though this place is also notorious for murders and mortal combats between assassins and thieves, or even among assassins.

Nikeahwood - Known as the "Forest of victory", Nikeahwood is where the Viera banded together to drive off the seemingly invincible Bangaa when they invaded centuries ago. A small camp in the middle of the forest now trains viera in the powerful Templar and Dragoon fighting styles, under the guidance of Shadow Clan advisors. The forest village has built a missionary church for Alexandrean religious order. Since the Vieras in the area are mostly converted, the Nikeah Elders also made excellent ambassadors for Alexandria.

Narshewood - The former home and gravesite of the greatest of all Viera White Mages, Narshe. She was a truly generous person who helped anyone who was injured, didn't matter if they were good or bad, a true and pure spirit of healer. There are rumors that the wood of the trees in this place have mystic healing properties as if influenced by the spirits of Narshe herself. Certain Viera white magi called "Narshists" Mage would pledge themselves to the grave of Narshe and take on her resolution not to hurt any soul during battles. Though nowadays, exorcising the undead was also included in the Narshist practice.

Jidoorwood - A forest filled with wild Chocobos, a nearby Chocobo ranch has taken to breeding and renting out the fleet-footed birds to weary travelers. The Jidoor villagefolks are the only culture to speak chocobo tongue and include pungent greens in their diet to assimilate the odor with chocobos. The cohabitation of the Jidoor village was much fascinated by scholars and so imitated by certain knights to boost their compatibility with chocobos. It's rumored that the villagefolk need not to hunt and capture the chocobo, they just coax them into going to the ranches, where they are pampered before sending to other places.

Vectorwood - Home to the local chapter of the thieves guild, Vectorwood is home to the most shitfy and cunning of Viera as well as Human fugitives. It grows in a deep valley in the middle of Phantomwood, and even the Assassins Guild has great difficulty in passing through it unharmed. Vector village is a shady scene of human thieves mingling with Viera rogues, with generations passed they had crossbred and gave birth to many human-viera halflings. Some of which quit the ways of thievery and joined Kohlingen population, others remain at large an since fueled the hatred of half-viera. An underground anti-halfling league was formed to lynch off the half-viera and they were the insinuators of what called "The Vector Massacre" once. Nowadays, this movement was reduced to a few hardcore members and the Vector thieves are contained within their villages.

Esperwood - This legendary forest is where Summoner Yibraltar received her divine vision and honed her ability to summon powerful beasts to her aid. Some say that spirits of the espers favors the climate of this forest. The Esper village was the first ever village to invent the "channeling horns" made from dead branches from the woods which facilitate the summoning of the beasts. So far, only Vieras and Grias neural waves are suitable for channeling with the espers, with or without use of the horns.

Thamasawood - A forest overlooking a grand river leading to the ocean, Thamasawood is famous for its archives of records, where scholars come to study the history of Figaro and find escape in the vintage air of the old woods. International covenant prevents any kind of tourist towns from being built on the gorgeous blue treetops. Life in Thamasa village is serene as the villagefolk would choose to practice tactical and supportive crafts more than pure battle. Most viera would either become a Narshist white mage or Red mages. Thamasa once suffered an invasion during global wars, but was the only village to win back the land by non-violent terms.

Tzenwood - Tzenwood is home to what was once considered the Viera's natural enemy, the Lilith. Many Lilith still live here to this day, and oddly enough, there is no sign of the Lilith family's cousin, the Lamia. The Thieves Guild and the Assassins Guild wage a constant and covert war over the place, for access to the Lilith there, who can be used by the resourceful to create many strange and deadly poisons. Tzen outpost village, over centuries, became a place where a certain group of thieves and assassins sign a pact of collaboration, there has been a more tactical type assassin units since.

Fuguewood - A forest on the other side of Lete River, with bizarre rock formations and deformed trees. As the strong gust would blow through the forest, it would tweet into different sounds which scholars has speculated as a musical scale mode. The wind in different direction would blow different melodies across the quiet river. Fugue villagefolks have their own exclusive language as they'd craft the woods into woodwind instruments which they use to "talk" and respond with each other. The village elders' woodwind performance would provide pictures of exquisite details to the listener via their counterpoints. The village is also famous for its exotic food made from the fugu or puffer fish. Light poison would numb your senses like a passionate kiss, and to practice the woodwind during the period of numbness is said to be the key of the Fugue villagesfolks' virtuosity.

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Caves:

Veldt Cave - The crash site of a famous giant airship, Veldt cave is filled with treasures left from that historic tragedy... Most of which were buried and hidden by the native monsters. Even the Thieves Guild leaves that treasure alone, believing it to be cursed. For each year, village folks and elder would gather to "add a little more" into the cave by throwing gils inside, believing that by giving an abundance of gold, the savage monsters will contain themselves inside the cave, forever guarding the treasure.

Zozo Cave - A labyrinth of complex passageways and tunnels said to be a hideout for an ancient assassin clan who has caused notorious manslaughters all over Fantasia and nearly toppled nations during centuries ago. The cave is laden with traps and pitfalls, and many has sacrificed in order to wipe out the clan. It's now know to be reoccupied by the anti-half-viera movement. Although by their minimal activity and the hazardous nature of the cave, no one bothered to enter it.

*Phantom Cabinet: A section of the cave that isn't too far in, but only has one correct entrance. The natural tunnels here become more of a constructed labyrinth, and traps begin to abound. The construction of the traps suggest human hands were involved.

Phoenix Cave - A legendary fiery cavern, it is here that Summoner Yibraltar has gained the favor of the legendary summoned beast, Phoenix the pyrebird. From time to time, patrols of Crimson Knights are seen in the area, fending off the Shadow clansmen from taking the "phoenix's heart" artifact guarded within the cave. It is observed that each time a summoner would channel with the Phoenix, the constant flames in the cave would be strengthened and turn bright scarlet.

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Wetlands:

Albrook Bog - A grand swamp where the entire city of Kefka roots, as contratry to one's expectation, instead of muddy bog, Albrook constitutes a forest over a waist-high clear, slowly running water with an abundance of fish seen with naked eyes. Small ferries and rowboats would be enough to traverse the bog with no difficulty. Magic wards are strategically places around the bog to fireproof the trees, it's near impossible uproot the city of Kefka since the magic wards are self-regenerating unless destroy synchronized in perfect order.

Lete River - The grand river that flows though Figaro is revered as the source of life of almost all the forest of Figaro. There is a battleground at the river's eastern bank. A vital line of trade for the fishing and oil industries, where laden ships travel up it to Mobliz, and cargo is further processed and then exported abroad by airship.

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Mountains:

Serpent Pass - A long and winding mountain path, some say that merely walking it from end to end will make you as dazed as if injected with snake's venom. In fact, the serpent pass' foundation lies just over underground poison gas pockets. Overexposure to such gas leakage can take your live in your sleep. Therefore it is necessary to fight the sleep while going through this pass with any means possible. This is yet another route turned obsolete by the now-common use of airships. But as the pass uniquely host the poison gas reserve, scholars come to study the use of the gas though assassins knew how to use the extracts from the contaminated soil to poison their weapons all along.

This post has been edited by Zvane the XIII on Feb 6 2010, 03:29 AM

Is it OK if the Shadow Clan's HQ is based in Figaro? Near Serpent's Pass somewhere.