Saimaa Floating Town

[Jitter]

The outside market could even be outside the perimeter, depending on how well people from different communities trust each other. Do you suppose in Y25 there would be need to defend against other humans? The initially infected would be gone already, but living conditions would still be unstable and resources scarce. I wonder if we’ll ever meet any “bandits” in canon.

And of course, great illustration! Maybe add some more grit though? The boat Ensi is using is new of course, but some of the living boats would be deteriorating?

[thegreyarea]

The outside markets should be on the perimeter, I think, because this way they could be accessed by both city dwellers and outsiders without them crossing each other.
The main safety question is that the city it's a Rash-free zone, where non-immunes can wander freely, while anyone from the outside can potentially be infected, except the ones known to be immunes.
I have a clear idea of how these markets layout could work, and will try to post an illustration tomorrow.

Now, about defending from other humans... Human nature is such that it's probable that occasional robbery or assault could happen, considering the scarcity.
But so far we saw evidence of a strong social order among the survivors (following the Nordics societies actual practice in that matter). Moreover, any bandits acting (or living) in the Silent World would face the inherent risks, which would reduce their number in time.

So I'd expect bandits to exist but in a limited form and acting only on isolated areas. Lone travelers or small groups crossing the Silent World between settlements would have to worry with that additional risk.
I can see a potential Wild West scenario here... but with monsters! A nice idea for a story, don't you think? "The Good, the Bad and the Troll" or "Once upon a time in the Silent World" could be good names...  

[Jitter]

Hey, I finally found the depth maps. It's accessible here: https://retkikartta.fi

On the upper right corner there are  the tools. The one showing a pile of papers (??), i.e. second from the top is the Map Layers. Click on the layers and a menu opens. On the upper part of the menu you can choose background map(s). Under that there is a list of various targets you can show on the map. At the bottom, click "syvyyskäyrät" to show the depths. If you press the drop you can make the markings stronger, they are a bit pale to start with.

ps there may be announcements on the upper part of the map window which hide the tools. On these you can click "ohita" (pass) to remove the announcement. On the bottom there is the cookie announcement "tämä verkkosivusto käyttää evästeitä", click "hyväksy" to approve. This service is by a Finnish state agency so should be pretty ok

The area we chose is pretty deep in the middle, under -20 m!

[thegreyarea]

Jitter, that tool is fantastic! Thank you so much!

Sorry for taking so long to answer, but I've been very busy lately.
But I finally finished that drawing with the market and the gate! Here it is!



The market building is show in a cut to make the interior layout visible. To keep buyers safe I'm imagining two internal areas, separated by a glass barrier that allows the merchandise to be seen. Buyers would indicate what they want and sellers would put it all in a cart (where had I seen something like that?   ). After one finished buying it would proceed to a payment point. After that they would clean the items in a chamber with UV lights - not show here, would be in the non-visible top of the building - and deliver it to the buyer.

The gate is defined by two parallel barges that create a channel with gates in both ends, working as an airlock to prevent any waterbeasts to go inside the perimeter. We can see here an outgoing boat waiting for the external gate to open.
In one barge we would have the market, and in the other personal accommodations and maintenance. A nearby boat would work as quarantine facility.

I hope that the grit is more evident now. I had a lot of fun adding it, and it surely makes things more realistic inside our context.

[Jitter]

Hey! New stuff for the floating town! Yes, the grit is great, especially the broken boats in the background And cats! Definitely must have cats!

[Buteo]

I just rechecked this topic for the first time in several days.
Saw this illustration for the floating town market, then had to pick my jaw up off the desk and wire it back on.
This is beautiful, detailed, believable design!
I need to keep trying to carve some time out of my days to stay in touch with this project.

[Keep Looking]

Grey, that is... impressive!

[Róisín]

Grey, do I remember correctly that IRL you are some kind of landscape architect? From this design, certainly looks like it!

[thegreyarea]

Thanks Jitter, Buteo, Keep Looking and Róisín! It's great that you liked!
Jitter, yes, cats! I regret now just adding two cats. I should have made it a game: "There are 8 cats in this image, can you find them?". I'll try next time...
And I'm quite happy with the half-sunk boats too. Expect more.
Buteo, I hope the jaw is fine, and also hope that you don't mind if I keep trying to make it fall again!
Róisín, I'm actually an architect (buildings and occasional shots at design) and have some works dealing with gardens, parks and river restoration, but almost always with the support of a landscape architect in my team. I love that area of expertise and wish I had time to study it too.

Next I'm going to try to depict the town central area. Or maybe young Ensi at her home. Or... I have so many ideas!
I also think the young Ensi's stories would be perfect. There are so many ways to look at it: Being one of the first mages and discovering her powers, connecting herself with Nature, spirits and deities, living in a floating town with lots of older people that saw their world and their old lives obliterated by a disease that they still didn't understood, being divided between the memories of the old world and embracing the new one, coming of age in the middle of all that, with relations (and love) affected by this context...

[Jitter]

I have a silly story idea for someone who likes to make original characters: someone commandeers an old police boat (this would be a lot closer to Y0 than the current city plans at ~Y20) and ends up with some other survivors in the area that will later become the Floating Town. They are not a police officer or anything similar. However since they have the police boat, people come to them asking for help and settlement of disputes etc. So they become the police, despite being something very different originally.

I'm not writing this myself, I don't have time. No, I don't.

Young Ensi would be wonderful!

[Mirasol]

What, I haven´t said anything yet about the market and the townsketch??? Because they´re amazing! I can´t wait to see more of your ideas play out, Grey!

I also very much like your silly story idea, Jitter, though I sadly don´t have the time to write it either.