Setting Profile #4: Oakwood
Meet my elven enclave!
Hello, friends, and welcome to my fourth Setting Profile, a monthly feature in which you get to learn more about one of my settings for my middle grade fantasy series.
Each setting profile will consist of three parts:
the mood board — where you get a peek into the setting as photos!
the history book-esque description of the setting — where you get to learn more about the setting through an entertaining textbook!
a writing snippet featuring that setting— where you get to see how I incorporate the setting (and some characters from Project Royalty) into a short scene!
#1: The Mood Board
#2: The Description
Oakwood is an enclave in the country of Sailim and home to the entire Elf population (see page 366-390 for more information on Elves). The region was founded in 25 SCE, when a group of elves suffered a cave-in in their mountain home and relocated to the forest. The elf colony has become a thriving country of its own with time.
Oakwood is ruled by a monarchy and will soon be led by Prince Sander and his fiancee, Thea. The colony of Oakwood are allowed to rule themselves, but they are still citizens of Sailim and must pay taxes to the Sailim royals.
Oakwood is home to over 20,000 elves and has a vast treehouse system that stretches through most of the forest. The country’s main exports include lumber (they replant trees consistently), weapons, and medicine. Sometimes they share the spring water from their nearby caves, but only in rare cases.
As mentioned in the paragraph above, Oakwood is surrounded by half a dozen caves known casually as the Oaken Cavern. Most of the caves connect to each other, creating a complex cave system that many elves like to explore.
Besides exploring caves, pastimes include hunting, fishing, and apprenticeships. The elves rarely go outside of their colony and are mostly independent. To read more about the history of elves, go to page 268.
#3: The Snippet
“Order’s up, Jack*!”
Jack paused from where he was methodically plating cannoli and wiped his hands on his apron. His supervisor, Moira, a gray-haired woman with a stern face and tight bun, was frantically waving at him from across the room.
Jack abandoned the dessert and strategically weaved around the busy elves working on various dishes, mostly dessert like him. The normally tidy kitchen was strewn with dirty bowls and random stains on the kitchen counter. Someone would have to clean the mess up, and Jack hoped it wouldn’t be him.
He reached Moira quickly and swept the three heaping platters of food in his hands, balancing them perfectly.
Moira smiled. “You’ve gotten good at that.”
“I mean, it’s my job,” Jack quipped. “Which room do you need me to deliver these to?” Deliveries in Oakwood weren’t uncommon, especially when it came to the royal family of Oakwood, who had a variety of skilled chefs at the ready. Jack was one of them.
“The white hall,” Moira said. “The Army delegations are meeting tonight, and the king asked if we could make something for the troops.”
Jack nodded and carefully made his way out the kitchen door. The journey from the kitchen to the king’s quarters was not very long, but Jack still took his time as he hurried up the stone steps out of the cellar. Soon he ran out of stairs and found himself in the hallway that led to the king’s quarters. The thick green carpet muffled his steps.
In recent months, out of worry for kidnapping attacks, the king had taken to holding Army meetings in the conference room he usually reserved for more important people. It was just another drastic change from what Jack was used to.
Two guards were standing watch. One of them moved to let him through and said in a monotone voice, “Take two lefts and the conference room will be the first door on the right.”
Jack nodded and quickly found himself in front of the conference room where another guard was posted. Jack knew him well; his name was Reggie and he often hung around Jack to sneak a few sweet treats to his army regiment, the 372nd. Jack was good friends with Prince Sander, who was also part of Reggie’s regiment, so over time the three of them had gotten to know each other better. Jack, Sander, and Reggie were also all friends with Sylvie, who had made it into the army recently.
“Thanks for helping, Jack,” Reggie said, unlocking the door and taking one of the plates himself.
The plain, white room was broken only by a long wooden table, where Army members, 50 or more, sat and chatted. Jack noticed the king and Sander right away. They were both sitting halfway down the table, and on Sander’s left side was Sylvie, who smiled and waved at Jack. Most of the army didn’t notice him, so Reggie cleared his throat until everyone was looking at the two of them.
“Jack brought the food!” Reggie said a little too loudly, and the newer members broke into a loud cheer that died down instantly.
“Quiet, please,” the king said, standing and holding his hand up for silence. “Before we partake in this delicious food that Jack and the rest of the talented kitchen crew have made for us, I would like Jack to join us for a few minutes.” His kind blue eyes fixed on Jack, who shook his head.
“Your Majesty, I couldn’t, I have other plates to serve, and Moira will be wondering where I-”
“Sit,” the king said firmly.
Jack sat.
*all names have been changed for character privacy*
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