Tooth And Claw - Copper Caverns
Feb. 21st, 2008 02:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ffuturesMore scene-setting, this time for the country-cave mystery. I'm going to say more about the location etc. and residents, this is the start of an introduction which I hope explains a little about the history of the place, its current occupants, etc.
The great cave complexes occupied by Tiamath’s noble families are the draconic equivalent of the largest Yarge country houses, immense symbols of fortune and power. But natural caves in desirable locations are at a premium, and the largest are invariably occupied by the oldest and grandest families. Those of less exalted status may have to find alternatives, even if they can afford the country lifestyle. One such alternative is Copper Caverns, in the mountains South of Tolga and East of Teltsie, a sprawling copper mine that became uneconomical to work six hundred years ago and was subsequently converted to residential use. The caverns are roughly 25 miles from Tolga or Teltsie as the dragon flies.
The caverns have had a succession of occupants; while superficially a very attractive residence, they have very little grazing nearby and are completely snowed in from Icewinter to Thaw, so despite their impressive size they tend to be a rich dragon’s folly rather than a serious country estate.
The main surface access is a branch line from the railway to Tolga; when it was built the Caverns were owned by a director of the railway company who had the authority to order such an uneconomic project. Today the owner of Copper Caverns must subsidise maintenance of the line to the tune of several hundred crowns a year. There’s a twice-weekly service from Tolga, often suspended for several weeks at the end of winter due to the risk of avalanches, used mainly to bring in food and guests. There is also a cart track to Teltsie, unusable in the winter months.
The current owner is Illustrious Vimiar Tenecel, best known as owner of the Irieth Journal and other publishing concerns in the capital. He’s a genuine member of an old noble family, not a newcomer who has bought or married into a title, but his business interests are occasionally considered to make him a little “shop-soiled” amongst the nobility. He has a reputation as a literary and artistic patron, and the guests at his frequent parties often include authors, poets, and other figures from this world. He is currently considered a likely candidate for the next vacant seat in the Noble Assembly, since the Journal generally supports the majority faction, but it may be years before a seat becomes available.
Does this seem OK? Bearing in mind that this is the introduction and contains stuff that will be more or less common knowledge, what else might someone want to see here? I'm going to add more about the rest of the family, and there will be more details of the location for the referee, of course.
Also, is "shop-soiled" or "shop-worn" more appropriate for this sort of association with commerce. Would it apply to publishing anyway?
The great cave complexes occupied by Tiamath’s noble families are the draconic equivalent of the largest Yarge country houses, immense symbols of fortune and power. But natural caves in desirable locations are at a premium, and the largest are invariably occupied by the oldest and grandest families. Those of less exalted status may have to find alternatives, even if they can afford the country lifestyle. One such alternative is Copper Caverns, in the mountains South of Tolga and East of Teltsie, a sprawling copper mine that became uneconomical to work six hundred years ago and was subsequently converted to residential use. The caverns are roughly 25 miles from Tolga or Teltsie as the dragon flies.The caverns have had a succession of occupants; while superficially a very attractive residence, they have very little grazing nearby and are completely snowed in from Icewinter to Thaw, so despite their impressive size they tend to be a rich dragon’s folly rather than a serious country estate.
The main surface access is a branch line from the railway to Tolga; when it was built the Caverns were owned by a director of the railway company who had the authority to order such an uneconomic project. Today the owner of Copper Caverns must subsidise maintenance of the line to the tune of several hundred crowns a year. There’s a twice-weekly service from Tolga, often suspended for several weeks at the end of winter due to the risk of avalanches, used mainly to bring in food and guests. There is also a cart track to Teltsie, unusable in the winter months.
The current owner is Illustrious Vimiar Tenecel, best known as owner of the Irieth Journal and other publishing concerns in the capital. He’s a genuine member of an old noble family, not a newcomer who has bought or married into a title, but his business interests are occasionally considered to make him a little “shop-soiled” amongst the nobility. He has a reputation as a literary and artistic patron, and the guests at his frequent parties often include authors, poets, and other figures from this world. He is currently considered a likely candidate for the next vacant seat in the Noble Assembly, since the Journal generally supports the majority faction, but it may be years before a seat becomes available.
Does this seem OK? Bearing in mind that this is the introduction and contains stuff that will be more or less common knowledge, what else might someone want to see here? I'm going to add more about the rest of the family, and there will be more details of the location for the referee, of course.
Also, is "shop-soiled" or "shop-worn" more appropriate for this sort of association with commerce. Would it apply to publishing anyway?
