The Guardian Tree
Added 2017-01-12 06:58:44 +0000 UTC
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So here's the design of the guardian tree, a really, really big tree located in the middle of the river separating the Dark Forest from the rest of the fairy territories.
The tree's large roots extended as the water eroded the rock and widened the river over the centuries, and now form a bridge large enough to carry entire caravans between the two shores.
The thousand steps is a very long spiral stair that go from the west bridge right up to the entrance of the village to do the top. Most fairies just fly up and reach the top in a minute, so the stair is there mostly for the view or for physical challenges and contests.
In the middle of the tree is Nadisha's laboratory, where she study and experiment on monsters found in the Dark Forest. She also study how the forest and their creatures affect fairies, and heal or attempt to heal those afflicted. It is part zoo, part laboratory and part medical clinic, really. Some fairies disagree with its existence but it was authorized by the star fairies so Nadisha can work freely and hire help as long as she can contain and control whatever creature she gathers. Her main assistant is her friend, Laura, a dual Dark/Fire fairy that is very efficient at atomizing any rogue monsters.
At the root of the tree is the trading outpost, where goods from the Dark Forest are exchanged for goods from the rest of the island, everything is done under the watchful eye of the Dark Forest Guild, who is in charge of the security in this semi-hostile territory.
At the top of the tree is the small Guardian village, filled with fairies who live there permanently either because they have their shop set up below, or because they are part of the guild or simply because they really, really enjoy the view. There is no mayor in this tiny villag; decisions are done with meetings but the village is technically under the jurisdiction of Solaris, the star fairy in charge of the Forest Village to the East.
