The Incredible Digital World- On Location! (Hallowbark Part 2: Chesston)
That's right, we're back! As promised, today's subject is none other than the capital of Hallowbark, Chesston!
This grand, oaken-crafted castle city is the beating heart of Hallowbark, being the first settled land by players Kinger and Queenie. Originally meant to merely be a location wherein they could be at peace with each other and enjoy nature, what was originally a simple retreat soon became an area of rest and refuge for traveling players, as the kind hearts of the couple had great difficulty in turning away a needy guest. However, make no mistake, this generosity was repaid often with goods, brought from other biomes and locations, as well as trust and loyalty. As more locals made themselves known, the small retreat of Kinger and Queenie grew rapidly, from a small sheltered area to a minor village, and quickly to a bustling town as Kinger utilized his knowledge of the game's programming to safely locate a number of much needed materials for the sake of helping. Kinger and Queenie were quickly named mayor and mayoress, and yet their growth showed no signs of stopping as time went on. Perhaps feeling a sense of duty to the product he'd had a hand in, perhaps pity, perhaps whim, Kinger and Queenie eventually realized that with both locals and players wishing to learn and be guided by them, they needed some form of proper governance. Deciding to play into their appearances, they established the Kingdom of Hallowbark, with the location of their original cottage to be the location of what would soon become Castle Entomo of the City of Chesston.
As of now, Chesston is a sprawling city, easily one of the biggest on the continent, only truly rivaled by Starlight City to the west and Toonytown to the southwest. It is defended by two large walls forming rings around the city, making up the Outer and Inner Rings- these are purely for defensive purposes against Abstractions, however, and mean no real class stratification...though, sadly, it yet exists, with Inner ring domiciles often costing many more Tix to rent or own.
Still, with such walls, and the proud Chessguard patrolling the streets, the city of Chesston is one of the safest in the land and one of the most prosperous. Though Kinger and Queenie rarely make public proclamations, they are more than happy to entertain visitors, particularly if they’re fellow Players. The two are arguably the oldest players in the game known, and they have a wealth of experience and information for anyone needing a guiding or reassuring hand. The city itself is split into several districts that cater to various needs, and is notably much like a wheel in terms of layout. There are three primary districts, however:
The Learning District, which contains a vast array of books, training facilities for the scientific minded AND martial minded, and locations for apprenticeship training in various trades.
The Market District, which is where many different cafes, and restaurants, and of course, marketplaces are situated. The main road down it is a gentle S-shape, and having your business at or near the 'head' or the 'tail' is often considered prime positioning- with the expense to match.
The Crafter's District is where individuals in various trade fields; many of which often are considered high class, especially the woodcraft. The Crafter's District is often noisy and busy, but if you need something custom, you'll find it here.
There are other, smaller districts as well, but they are usually for a very specialized purpose, such as the Artistian District, which is considered one of the quieter spots in the city. And looking over it all in the center is of course Castle Entomo. It may come as a surprise to those not in the know, but Castle Entomo is actually somewhat small, though still very much a castle. Kinger and Queenie largely simply desired the extra space to put their bug repositories- areas where the both of them, Queenie in particular, can fawn and enjoy a wide variety of insect friends, many acquired as either goodwill presents from patrons, or obtained themselves on their travels. Otherwise, it is surprisingly plain and has little in the way of grandeur- which is just how they like it.
Chesston itself is furthermore is known for various achievements in development of the digital world's capabilities- it was Kinger in Chesston whom first deduced the possibility of duplicating the legendary Developer Weapons, in fact. However, attempting to pry the secret from him is a fool's errand- he quickly understood the dangers of such knowledge, and was the first to swear to never tell a soul not wholly dedicated to the protection, wellbeing, and safekeeping of the Digital World.
Ultimately, Chesston is widely considered a beacon of civilization and good will, and is a melting pot of a variety of peoples, having all sorts live within its walls, and more often looking to journey there every day- although if not there, there are a number of worthy settlements and towns relatively nearby.
We'll be exploring a couple of those next time- Flutterby Village and Barkley! Until then!
