The Towns and Villages of Sirith

Small Towns and Villages
Population: between 500 and 2,000

About Village Life:
Throughout much of the northern parts of Sirith, villages have begun to spring up within the last couple hundred years; compiled mostly of farming families. While these villages are small and very rural, with homes often spread as far as a mile, they still consider each other to be a community. Many of the equine living here have some hand in agriculture, cultivating crops such as rice, wheat, tea, and tuber vegetables. Villages may even specify which crop each family specializes in, to ensure as little competition with each other as possible.

Life here is humble, consisting mostly of simple (though spacious) homes made of the traditional wood and paper materials. Families are large, ensuring enough hooves to carry the work loads of the farms. Foals begin their duties early on, trained to carry out the request of parents and elders and are often given simple yet meaningful chores. Older siblings and parents will take the brunt of the work, completing tasks such as heavy lifting, plowing, and harvesting. Because work begins early on, few of these small town foals will attend an actual school. They will complete minimal book work and studying in their own homes, taught by parents, grandparents or even older siblings. The few villages that do have a school house consider themselves fortunate and prosperous.

Aside from the family run farms, these small towns may also include a small diner or inn. Such establishments were erected for the equine that transport the produce between markets of The Point and other cities; a show of hospitality and thanks for their hard work. While some of the larger towns may also include artisans, many do not have such a luxury and are required to travel for needed supplies. This job is often given to the head family of the town, an honor often bestowed upon the founding family for that area. These equine not only take on the responsibility of traveling for needed goods, but also organize harvests and protect the village from any dangers.

Being located in the northern parts of Sirith, the towns and villages have little to fear from the predators of the south. The packs of terror birds that stalk the tall grasses of the vastlands are rarely, if ever, seen on the flat lands where the farmers have built their homes. While stray adolescent birds may sometimes wander north, they travel alone and are easily scared off when shouted at. Villagers face their greatest threat from the wild Devil birds of the north, their large flocks sometimes straying from the Skytop forest during dark and cool nights. These carnivorous creatures will swarm a stray foal or small pony, causing severe damage to an skin they can grab at. Towns advise all equines stick together, leaving no foal unsupervised after the sun has set.

Such warnings have given way to many stories told between the villages, often stemming from accidents or disappearances with little explanation behind them. Because of this, the horses here have become a very superstitious group and indulge in the art of ghost stories. Much of what they can not explain is often blamed on these spirits or demons and fixed only by their faith that the god's will protect them.

List of Towns and Villages:
Here is a short, incomplete list of some of Sirith's more popular villages and towns. These smaller communities all began popping up well after Nariah's creation, though they are each unique in what they bring to the table. A small farming village built on the coast of a lake. Legend has it the lake was created by a falling star, hence the name. Town to the north of Nariah, it is the hub for all supply lines from the Point to the capital city. An intricate cart system brings the supplies from the surface to the small town, where they are documented and prepared for travel down the Silverdust River to Nariah's food distribution center. It's a busy town, and many of it's inhabitants work to manage, maintain, and enhance the supply lines. South of Nariah, Oyuuta is a historian’s haven. Filled with libraries, archives, and museums, it is also home to Sirith's most prestigious college: The Edowell College of History and Magic. The town also houses a few smaller specialty schools as well, and though not quite as famous, they are still considered among the best in the nation.  South of Nariah, Kibirie is home to Fort Agate, the only training base for both the Watch and the Wardens, as well as the herd's only prison which is attached to the large base. The town's true claim to fame though lies in it's crop of jewel cap mushrooms, easily recognized by their bright, colorful, almost gemstone like tops. Once harvested, the are pressed and dried for two weeks. After being dried, the mushrooms fibers are brushed through and spun into an almost silk like thread, which can then be turned into a fabric that is used throughout the Labyrinth. While the jewel cap mushroom can grow almost anywhere in the Labyrinth, Kibire has the largest crop by far. A larger town south of Nariah, Cresa is home to many healers, and is often thought of as a place of refuge and relaxation. Considered a popular vacation spot by many, even many royals and other officials can be found visiting the town. Spas and bath houses can be found in abundance here, as well as massage and aroma therapists. Herbal tea shops and musical theater are also quite popular in the small town. Residents of Cresa are often more laid back and less concerned about punctuality than those in other Umare towns, lending to a very relaxed and almost lazy atmosphere about the town.
 * Starfall
 * Kago
 * Oyuuta
 * Kibirie
 * Cresa

Recently a deal with the Freedom's flight has allowed the rebel group to create a trading outpost in Cresa, which is managed by the Royal Overseer Pyria. To learn about the Flight's Outpost in Cresa, click here! A Kawaru hybrid town, Vasall is built around an entrance to the labyrinth east of Sterling  and exists both above and below ground. It acts as a trade town of sorts, ferrying supplies and resources to and from Sterling. Citizens of Vasall have been known to send out small parties in search of new ideas and materials to bring back in order to give the Kawaru an edge. Their latest discovery led to a team leaving for the Battlefield of the Gods, though no one has heard from them in months.
 * Vasall

Recently, Vasall has begun expanding, moving towards being it's own farming community. Serorans helping to grown the town have set up camp among the farmlands, feeling more at home in the temporary structures and under Alya's open sky rather than the tunnels of the Labyrinth. Even so, the Seroran visitors are welcome to come and go freely within the town itself, and while they are feared by some, most are incredibly thankful for their presence.