Shenling
Basic Information
Name Shenling
(Meaning "Forest" in Mandarin Chinese Not sure if pinyin is entirely correct)
What A place --> A small and peaceful village --> A:TLA's Family's Home
Where Earth Kingdom --> 150 miles south of the Si Wong Desert (We'll get more in depth about its location later.)
When Founded 20 years before the Great War by a group of travelers and traders
Why Group was tired --> Set up camp for night --> Morning next day, discovered that it was a perfect situated location --> Stayed
Description
Past and History
Main Idea Shenling is a little quiet and peaceful village set up by a tired group of travelers and traders 20 years before the Great War.
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It was a long day of traveling, and the group quickly set up camp and fell asleep. However, it was nighttime, so the group did not get a good look around before setting up camp.
The next day, when the group woke up, they were amazed at the sight that beheld them. It was a beautiful site, and not only that, the soil was fertile and a water source was nearby, but not too near to flood, too.
So they decided to stop traveling and settled down. Being environmental-friendly, they set up small farms and became self-sufficient. Other weary travelers came across this location, and the original founders were friendly and let them stay. Soon, the weary travelers that came across this place stayed and settled down.
The village became known as "Shenling," and it was not bothered much with the Fire Nation until now.
Location
Shenling is located around 150 miles from the Si Wong Desert in the Earth Kingdom.
Shira's troops (around 50 men) have just moved in, and right now, they're a mile northeast of Shenling. They have settled (at least for right now) right north above the Shenling Forest, and a little bit in the Shenling Forest.
Why is Shenling named "Shenling," AKA "Forest"?
Well, sitting east to Shenling a half-mile away was a great forest. It was medium in size, but it was still a magnificent sight to behold.
The forest became known as "Shenling Forest."
Shenling Forest looks a lot like the forest in which the Freedom Fighters were stationed in "Jet."
Appearance (of Shenling)
Shenling is a quiet and small little village with a few small farms surrounding the village. The village, however small, is still quite busy, yet self-sufficient.
Shenling has one elementary school (grades K-6), one middle school (which A:TLA currently attends) (grades 7-9), and the high school (grades 10-12) of that district is located in another village; four miles away.
Appearance (of Shenling Forest)
Shenling Forest is very dense, and has many many many trees there, much of which is over 100 years old. Some trees, however, are over 400 years old.
Shenling Forest is kept very clean. When it is not winter, the grass is always fresh, green, and crisp. The Shenling Forest's trees are also very healthy. Heck, practically all of Shenling Forest's organic life is kept very healthy.
Sunlight, not much, but not too little, either, filters through the trees' leaves onto the ground. It makes a great sunbathing place and a great place to do quiet work, such as read, write, or draw. It is truly one of those "amazing-sights-that-occur-in-ordinary-places." One or two famous authors and artists have gained inspiration through this natural wonder.
The space between most of the trees are evenly spaced apart at around two to six feet apart. One area, however, was not cleared by man, but naturally itself. That area is called a clearing, which is situated near the center of the forest. That area is not in any shape, but measures around 20 feet and 25 feet. That area is frequently used as a playplace for children, and occasionally, a town meeting place.
Since the trees of this forest are very high, seven treehouses are built there high up. Most of the treehouses belong to A:TLA's family; to house them in warm weather. The other three treehouses were built for the village children; two of which the children play in, and the other, abandoned and not used much (except for an occasional exploring adventure for the children) now houses woodland creatures.
There are no other treehouses in this forest. All of them were built by the villagers.
But how do the villagers access the treehouses? Well, they either climb, or they hide a rope cleverly amongst the vegetation. They never use nailed in ladders.
A:TLA's family's treehouses (four of them in all currently), however, are especially hidden well, and once you get to one of them, you'll find that the treehouses linked together. Not literally, but to get to each of them, you either navigate there by jumping and climbing, a rope to swing on, bridges, or hanging on a rope with a wooden hanger. The navigation system is similar to the treehouse navigation system of the Freedom Fighters in "Jet."
Water
There's a tributary to the west of Shenling a third of a mile away. It's not too near to flood, but not too far to be much of a task to retreive water.
There are a few wells scattered in and around the town of Shenling, some private and some public. The Shenling inhabitants are very careful to not let anything to contaminate the water.
In Shenling Forest, there are two little streams. One is an eighth of a mile away from A:TLA's family's house, and the other is further south, aligning the bottom of the village.
The stream closest to A:TLA's family's house is called "Bao Bei Xin Xi," meaning "Baby Stream" in Mandarin.
The other one is called "Hua Xin Xi," meaning "Flower Stream." Ironically, there aren't many flowers there, but probably there were beautiful flowers there many years before.
There is only groundwater, streams, and a tributary in or surrounding closely to Shenling. No other form of water is there, so that means no lakes, rivers, or waterfalls surround Shenling.
Special Locations in Shenling and Shenling Forest
Rebel Base - There is a rebel base situated somewhere in Shenling Forest. It is very diffucult to find, and no outsiders, nevertheless the Fire Nation, have ever located it so far.
A:TLA's Family's Home - We have already discussed the Hwang Family's airborne houses for warm weather, but not their home for cold weather.
Their home in cold weather is underground. One accesses it by a tree. Yes, a tree.
A hole was made in a tree by animals to nest in (the lower part of the tree), and the Hwang Family has made clever use of it by covering the bottom of the hole with grass (there's a light ledge below the grass to which the grass is stuck to by tree syrup), but then, when you find the hole, you lift up the light ledge and slide down underground. It's a pretty fun slide, actually.
Shira's Camp - This camp situates Shira's soldiers (around 75 men) and is a little bit in the forest.
Shira's troops have moved in there, because Shira has received word somehow that a somewhat major rebel base is located in the forest.
However, to date, she has not located the rebel base yet.
The troops also torment the village people, but not too much. At first, they were more violent, but they were surprised by the villagers' peaceful nature--well, by the adults and the lady teens...not by the boys and girls who cause trouble for them, on whom they call "the little rascal brats."
People
The people of Shenling are very friendly to outsiders (but not really the Fire Nation), and they are environmental-friendly. For each five trees they cut down for whatever reason (but for a useful reason), they plant a new one there.
Most of the people live in the village, but some make their houses in--or at the base--of Shenling Forest. They either stay there for the winter, or they move into their town home in the winter.
--
Okay, I decided to create a "profile" for A:TLA's home, lol. XD
And it's the FIRST one EVER on BSG, so HA! :P :lol:
I worked REALLY hard on this (at least an hour of typing it all up, and you can TELL that it was hard work, 'cause of the length...), so PLEASE comment. :(
I think I might've forgot a thing or two, but I'll remember it and add it in. Hopefully.
Also,
hopefully (heh heh ^^'') I'll add a picture and a map of Shenling and Shenling Forest...but you already know what Shenling Forest looks like; the Freedom Fighter's forest, except there are no leaves on the trees in winter, the leaves are a healthy green in spring and summer, then the leaves turn into brilliant fall colors in autumn.
:D
And yes, I didn't know where to put this, so why not here? :lol:
Enjoy! ^^
(BTW, copy any part and die. :))
