[Directory] Places
directory: places
As characters explore the world, they will find a variety of places, some that are more important than others.
It is also possible for them to create their own place!
This is just a general list of places that characters can find, though there are character-made places as well. Feel free to create anything you want, even if it's not on this list!
Espoir
- Residence
- Public Areas
- Landmarks
Somni
- Residence
- Businesses
- Public Areas
- Recreational
- Facilities
- Institutions
- Transportation
Floating Mountain
Desert
❦ espoir: residence
❖ cottages
There are several cottages that characters can live in, in all sorts of of shapes and sizes, though none going over two stories. Each one comes with its own little garden patch and if there is a cluster of cottages, there will be a small well in the center of them that is shared amongst the inhabitants. The buildings can be made out of either wood or brick.
❖ mansions
There four mansions that are scattered around the village. Though they're more of the old Victorian kind and not that large. They are around three stories with twenty rooms in each. Each one will have a circular "driveway" with a fountain in the center out in front, with a long winding road that leads to the entrance. These mansions are actually connected to a lot of the larger fields, and have their own barn/stables. That are empty of course. And a ballroom? But of course. Just have fun trying to take care of them as there aren't any servants around. Each mansion also have around 2 guest houses in the back.
❦ espoir: public areas
❖ fields
Rather obvious. There are several fields that make up the village, and all of them have the scarecrows. They are also actually still viable for planting, and it's really not surprising to see once completely barren fields suddenly sprout fully grown crops overnight. And yes the scarecrows move. Some are stationery to their post, but others can freely walk around. But no worries. They can't leave the field. They can be protective of their fields though...
❖ chapels
Over time, it seems that two chapels have suddenly appeared. Perhaps due to the growing population? They're not fancy or huge, but they serve their purpose.
❖ the morgue & cemetery
A little dark, a little creepy, but it's a morgue. There is a cemetery by it, with readable epitaphs. "In Loving Memory Of", "Rest in Peace", etc. Nothing too special...except all names and dates are scratched off. And if someone were brave enough to unearth a grave? They would find an empty grave. No coffin, no traces of a body or burned ashes. Nothing. ...Maybe this is a little creepier than what was said before.
❦ espoir: landmarks
❖ central plaza
Rather self explanatory. A rather large area in the center of the village with a large fountain at the heart of it. A few shop stalls ring around the large dirt path, though they don't offer much. Just basic goods like specific foods.
❖ the church of roses
Why yes, there is a church! A rather quaint one at that. Nothing too special about it. Just your average run of the mill church. This is also where the main clock tower is. It used to be stuck at 4:44, but it has now been fixed so that it functions like a normal 12-hour clock. The bell doesn't always work, though. When it does, it rings every six hours. Which six hours, though, is anyone guess. It will ring the correct number, though! It's also covered in ivy, so it's not that hard to mistake it as just a random tower attachment to the church.
❖ the tavern
The name has changed hands and names, so now it's just commonly referenced as "the Tavern". There's only one, so it's not too hard to get confused. If some of the older residents need a place to wind down and have a drink, the Tavern is their best bet. All sorts of drinks are available, though only those 18 and up will be able to actually drink.
❖ onsen
What kind of relaxing village would this place if not for a public bath? Two main areas, and supposed to be gender separated.
❖ tunnels
There is a system of secret tunnels beneath the village. There are actually various access points and it's suggested that some of them go even deeper but have been caved in. The main secret entrance is actually the fountain. To enter, there is a panel located at the base of the statue. Activating it will open the tunnels and provide access to the various rooms and chambers. Some more details can be found here.
❦ somni: residence
❖ apartments
There are apartment complexes in every district, though the nicer ones will be in the Residential and Shopping districts. Everything will be functional and be provided for, like linens, furniture, etc.. Yes, running water, electricity, air conditioning. If a resident accidentally breaks any of these utilities, there will be someone around to fix it. As for laundry, for the apartments, each room has their own special washer and dryer. A list of all the current residents will be hanging by the main receptionist desk, and once a room is claimed, a name plate will be placed next to the door with the room number. It should be noted that there is no logical room numbering system on some floors.
To see the currently listed apartments, refer to the Residence page. Keep in mind that characters can always "find" a new apartment, so you are not restricted to those limited.
❖ neighborhoods
Only located in the Residential district, there are four neighborhoods to be found, all containing a number of nicely furnished houses. They are larger than the cottages and definitely more modern. Feel free to take one. Most are empty, though some of the NPCs will also be living there as well. They make good neighbors?
❖ estates
Larger than the mansions in the village, there are two estates in the Residential district and a couple in both the Business and Government district. They all have a lot of land and a lot of room and completely available.
❦ somni: general businesses
❖ stores
There are a variety of stores in every district, though the majority of them will be found in the Shopping district. They can vary from clothing, food, tools, books, novelties, anything. And the clothing in the clothing stores will mysteriously change with the seasons. There are also larger shopping centers and malls scattered around. Everything is free to take.
❖ office buildings
Oh there are a ton of these around the city, and are the tallest buildings. The Business District has the majority of these skyscrapers. There are various financial and office records, but anything pertaining to what happened to the world are nowhere to be found. There are parking garages, so gank a car if you can't find one on a the streets.
❖ restaurants/food places/groceries
Available in every district, though the finer restaurants will be found in the Residential, Shopping, and Business districts. Where the food comes from is anyone's guess, but everything is now fresh and non-poisonous. Anything is free to take, however, and it's quite possible for a character to take over an already established eatery for their own.
❖ tv/radio towers
Yes there are TVs. Didn't you know that? Well most buildings will have them but there's nothing airing. There's no one to run them after all. But they are there in the Business district. However, while you have access to the control rooms and the filming/recording areas...the places where they keep recordings and the data seem to be sealed. There may be a hidden tape or video somewhere though. (If you wish to try for this, ask a mod first)
❦ somni: public areas
❖ parks/plazas
They are everywhere, though the biggest ones are in the Residential and Business districts. They're good for casual strolls or for jogging. A few have small ponds in them, even some athletic facilities like tennis or basketball courts. Also fountains.
❖ lake meridian
Revealed after the giant restoration of Somarium, this rather clear water lake is a mile wide and actually goes a little past the barrier into the desert. Uh oh. So far the monsters are still kept at bay, however, so that's good news. Though it does have a little inhabitant. Or rather. Big. Meet Nessie, the resident lake monster. But don't worry, she's nice. Unless you make her mad.
There is actually a hidden underground tunnel deep in the water. Wonder where it goes...maybe that's just where the sewers empty out into. ...Ew. More interesting facts: it's both fresh and salt water. One portion will be freshwater while the other is saltwater, and vice versa. It tends to rotate around at random intervals.
❖ libraries
There are quite a few scattered around the districts, though the Main library can be found in the Residential district. All information regarding the world itself have either been removed or left in the original Somarium language and therefore unreadable. However, other books such as novels, How-To guides, maps, atlases, etc. can still be found. It should be noted that there is no fourth wall breaking information. This means there will be no canon related books. However, books that parallel canon or other well-known stories can be found (for instance, there could be a Somarium version of Harry Potter or Twilight; this is also true for music, movies, and TV shows). Language books are also available but they are low grade level.
❖ museum
There is a museum in the Business district (also known as the Business & Arts, now) that contains examples of Somarium's culture. Mostly artistic things, like paintings, sculptures, etc.
❦ somni: recreational
❖ gyms
There various gyms and exercise fields that can be found scattered around everywhere. Need a workout? They're not too hard to find. They're all fully equipped and functional.
❖ community/public pools
There are a couple of community pools around the city. One is in the Residential district and another in the Business district. Feel free to dive in for a swim! Well not really. There are "NO DIVING" signs. There also aren't any lifeguards, so follow the buddy system. The Somarium Water Park is a very large, fully functional water park located within the Residential District. There are water slides and all that good stuff there. Have a party!
❖ golf course
There is only one, and it's in the Residential district. It's your standard 18-hole run complete with sand pits, water traps, small streams cutting through at random points, etc. All equipment can be found at the main center.
❖ clubs
Well there had to be some places for the youth of Somarium to hang out at. Some might need a bit of a fixer upper, but things like dance clubs and karaoke bars can be found scattered around Somni, particularly in the Shopping District. Try your luck, you might find something new, fun, and hip to do.
❖ theatres
There are both movie and play theatres around Somarium. There is one main theatre house in the Business district, and a couple of small ones can be found in the Shopping and Residential districts. The movie theatres still have the original movie reels, and the play theatres have all of the sets and costumes readily available.
❦ somni: facilities
❖ hospitals/clinics
There are three main hospitals in the city: One in the Business District, one in the Industrial district, and one in the Residential District. Out of all them, the Residential one is probably the one that is best equipped. The one in the Industrial District has definitely seen better days and will need a bit of a fixing up. It's also the smallest. There are also various pharmacies and clinics of varying functional states scattered around all of the districts, some run by the characters. They are currently all operational with NPC staff on hand, but they are also all free to claim.
❖ schools
Of course there are schools! They are in rather good condition, and the classes and offices are well equipped. Anyone is free to take over a school or even live in it. They're mostly in the Residential district but there is also one or two in the Business and Government districts. These would be more specialized, though. As of September 17, 2010, the schools have officially opened.
❖ police/fire stations
Yes, there are a few of these scattered around the city. All of them have the vehicles and are functioning properly.
❖ factories
Of course there are factories of a kind. But they're not running and all can be found in the Industrial district. Even they've been renovated, they're still pretty creepy and old looking.
❦ somni: institutions
❖ capitol building
The largest building in the Government district and also near the center. However...you can't get in. No buts. You just can't. All you can do is just stare at its hugeness and wonder what sort of secrets it could hold about the world...it will reopen its doors eventually. ...Eventually.
❖ courthouse
There is a courthouse! A rather large one. And just a few blocks away from the Capitol building. It's open and ready for use, and all the rooms with the records have been recently unsealed. What information could be found there?
chose_death and edgey_boy have recently established a law system, so this courthouse may be seeing some use yet.
❖ scientific research labs
While there are several smaller ones, there are two major Research facilities. One is in the Government district and is actually rather small. Any records or documents about what all went there are hidden and inaccessible for now. The tools and machinery seem to be the standard. Nothing unusual here. The other...well, it seems to be missing. There is a record of one being within the Industrial district, but where? Wherever it is, it's hidden and sealed until further notice. Even after the renovations, it's still missing. Huh.
❖ research stations
There is one in each district, and they all are closest to the barrier overlooking the desert. They originally weren't there, but are now revealed to have existed since, well, as long as Somarium has been there. What secrets could they hold? And what were they doing out there anyway?
❦ somni: transportation
❖ streetcar system
Since Somni has grown a bit, the streetcar system has been implemented to help ease travel between the districts. It only travels through the city, no stops to the village. They stop in the main circles and just run continuously. If you yell at it, it might slow down long enough for you to hop on if it's not at one of the stops. There's no conductor, and it's not electric. What does it run on, you ask? Why, dream energy!
❖ subway
There is a subway system that runs beneath the city. The list of subway stops can be found here, with the main central station in the Government district. It functions relatively well, though it can sometimes get stuck. There are no conductors, and no one is actually running it. So you could chance it and walk inside the subway tunnels, but who knows what's lurking down there...
❦ floating mountain
A recent addition added at the end of the year (2009), it's set high above above the lake, with the distance between the ground to the base at about 3000 feet. The mountain itself is about 5000 feet high, so it's not a super huge mountain, but it is rather wide. A mile long in fact, which is about as wide as the lake, so it's more like a mountain range. This also means that it also has a small valley and a deep forest inside it.
It's actually easy to access. A strange, circular teleportation pad can be found by the southwest corner of the lake with two golems beside it. When your character steps on the pad, the golems will raise their arms and something like a giant bubble will form around the characters and they will float to the mountain, landing on another pad that is there. The pad will be part of what looks like a very small research base that had been destroyed. All the buildings are crumbled and there is nothing left to help give further proof that anyone had been there. The only thing functioning is the pad.
The mountain houses natural wood based animals, such as deer, moose, goats, bears, eagles, badgers, squirrels, raccoons, etc. Basically the normal animals you'd find in a temperate forest and valleys around mountains. There is snow on the top peaks, and it is normally chilly due to the higher elevation. There are also several caverns. Feel free to explore, however there seems to be something sealed inside it. A plot point? Oh yes. If characters somehow manage to get to the center of the mountain through the caverns, they'd just find huge sealed double doors with strange writing encrypted on it. Also, there is a plot reason as to why the mountain has appeared when it did, but again that will be revealed at a later date.
The mountain is also special in how it works with the barrier. It's actually sitting right in the middle of it, and it is possible to go all the way around and outside of the mountain. This means you could technically get past the barrier. If anyone were to attempt flying or jumping off the other side, they would land in the desert.
Note: The teleportation cards can be used to access the mountain.
As of February 1, 2011, the floating mountain is no longer stationary and actually floats around Somarium just like the floating castle did before. There is also a Coliseum where characters can fight and train, as well as a working hangar owned and operated by smokesinspace. Located within the Coliseum is a training facility. The NPC Aisling first took characters here to teach them about dreamwalking. There are hints that there might be something else hidden within the mountain itself, but what?
❦ desert
❖ general
The desert is as expected: very hot covered with a lot of sand. It stretches on for miles before it hits the far distant mountain range. There are scattered oases within the desert, as well as what look to be abandoned base camps? Strange, why are they out here? Only one has ever been visited, but those who had gone have probably left Somarium. Hints of their existence can now only be found in other records. There are of course monsters roaming around, most of which no one has ever seen before.
❖ the sink hole
The sink hole lies just outside the city, near the northern shores of Lake Meridian. The sink hole appeared on August 28, when the crashed floating castle sank and disappeared into the sands. In the process, a 20-story tall giant statue emerged, standing atop the half-mile wide black hole. There seems to be a sort of barrier or seal that prevents others from falling or climbing into the hole, and even if they try to dig around it, there is no way to it. The barrier, or glasslike material, acts as a tunnel all the way around the hole. The barrier provides a sort of concrete floor that allows characters to walk over it without fear of falling through, and there is some visibility through the barrier. But there is only a dark, black void beneath.
The statue in the middle of the sink hole holds an inscription that says the following:
"To find the answers you seek,
Follow the rabbit down its hole.
Don't forget to use force!
The statue can be heavy."
❖ ruins
The ruins appeared on May 5, 2011 and are located at the edge of the sink hole out in the desert. Many rooms and mysterious rooms can be discovered here. But be careful! Monsters have made their home deep within, so it can be dangerous. A secret room was discovered, and details about it can be found here. The strange paintings on the walls seem to indicate certain events, but are they actually historical records or just myths and legends?
❂ index ❂