POLL: ASPER WORLDBUILDING CONTEST

ROUTE 1: BIRCHWILD GROVE

[tangent=]SNACK STALL[/tangent]
Just within zipline distance from Round 2, the Snack Stall has everything you could want, meal-related. The food is fresh, and the drinks are made to order. The stall is manned 24/7, with the swap between daytime and nighttime shopkeepers being instantaneous. But, rumor is if you catch them just right, you can get a free steak!

[tangent=]STEAMING SPRINGS[/tangent]
Springs exist hidden among the Birchwild's autumnal foliage, steam rising from water that bubbles with welcoming warmth. It's not rare to see wild Pokémon relaxing in the soothing waters of these hot springs, which are rumoured to have a rejuvenating effect on those who dive in.

[tangent=]MYCELIUM HEIGHTS[/tangent]
Massive fungi and crashing waterfalls- the atmosphere of the Heights is something quietly profound. One can scale the dizzying pileus via the staircase-like platforms of smaller mushrooms, eventually rewarding a view over the whole of the red-autumn forest. At night, the spores glow and glitter, like fireflies.

[tangent=]AUTUMN ALTAR[/tangent]
A place for UNOVR weddings. An immense sense of peace permeates this living aspen grove, where players will find that only truth can leave their lips. Finding the altar within is a sign of the grove's approval - ill-suited couples will find themselves wandering the trees until they make peace with each other, or themselves.

[tangent=]QUESTING LANE[/tangent]
A welcoming, sunlit lane filled with clear signage and friendly NPCs. Too friendly... Speaking to, walking near, or even looking at one of these folk will net your character a dozen new quest prompts! Best move quickly and keep your eyes shut if you want to get through without a slew of new fetch quests and escort missions.

[tangent=]WHIMSICAL WOODS[/tangent]
The fairies of this forest play pranks on travelers by arranging its trails in nonsensical ways. Even heading back the way you came is not guaranteed to return you to where you came from. Signposts that once led the way out may instead point in circles, depending on the whims of the fae!

[tangent=]OVERGROWN ALTAR[/tangent]
Before you stands a large abandoned structure, long since reclaimed by nature. Tree roots wrap around the pillars, the red leaves looking like dried bloodstains from unknown giants. The sight is nothing short of breathtaking and yet, were you to stand still and listen, you would hear the quiet buzzing, warning you to stay away.

[tangent=]TAINTED BARNYARD[/tangent]
A picturesque farm sits on the outskirts of the grove, long since abandoned. Crops are grown, clothes hung to dry, fences repaired, all without a single soul. A peaceful place during the day, but every night the danger becomes known. Corruption flocks to this place like a moth to a flame, demanding blood.

[tangent=]HARVEST COURT[/tangent]
Deep within the grove lies a fairy ring that will transport you to a fabled court, where Pokémon are said to host banquets and performances for a powerful Sawsbuck known as the Harvest King. Make merry, but be wary of what lurks beyond the glade.

ROUTE 2: MISTY TIMBERLAND

[tangent=]THE DOOR[/tangent]
On the side of a rising hill is the Door. Faerie-fire gleams around it like restless spirits. The Door looks old, tired wood and ailing iron. What's behind is a mystery- Even now. Perhaps it's a distant offshoot of the Dream Kingdom, changing and malleable- or perhaps none who enter can remember, or ever find the words.

[tangent=]THE CRYSTAL GARDEN[/tangent]
Deep in the woods stands a house of glass, and everything within is also glass. It's unclear who built it and why, but inside, countless crystal flowers bloom among trees with trunks of clear quartz — preserved for eternity. A house untouched by mist, and oddly, the scent of lavender never fades within.

[tangent=]FORGOTTEN SITE[/tangent]
A ruined tree sits, once-adorned. There are vestiges of humanity around it- Someone revered this place, worshipped it- but now the stone is cold and silent. In the tangling mist, the tree cannot return to life, but the red-glow lanterns hint at some secret importance.

[tangent=]SCALDING SPRINGS[/tangent]
A natural hot springs tucked in among the evergreens, making you wonder whether it's really mist that hangs over the Timberlands, or simply steam. The water is far, far too hot for normal bathing, but Kindlers and players with Reduced Pain Thresholds might enjoy a soothing dip at the end of a long day.

[tangent=]ABANDONED VILLAGE[/tangent]
Game Codex says the former residents of this dockside ghost town were turned into Magikarp by the powers that be, vanishing in the middle of the night without a sound. Their homes and fishing boats are all left behind, free for the looting. If you try fishing here, you may find the local Pokémon remember strange histories.

[tangent=]FORBIDDEN CRYPT[/tangent]
In the shadow of a grand tombstone lies a long-disused underground burial site. Mysteriously, it can only be entered when the tombstone's natural shadow covers its entrance. Its bowels are lit with red, blue, and purple will-o-wisps, straining the eyes of trespassers.

[tangent=]CITADEL OF LOST DREAMS[/tangent]
A formerly grand castle, ominously reminiscent of the Dream Palace, lies hidden by the choking mist. Seemingly haunted, those unable to pass on have made this place their home. Endless amount of horrors lie within its grand halls. Despite the terror, on nights of the full moon, music echoes from the ballroom.

[tangent=]MIRROR LAKE[/tangent]
Mirror Lake is eerily calm, permanently reflecting a place long lost to the world. An ancient church and a graveyard are reflected within, even though only ruins exist today. Should one fall through the lake, however, they'll find themselves within the reflection, a small pocket of the past untouched.

ROUTE 3: THE SURGE STEPPES

[tangent=]UNDER-FORGE[/tangent]
A spot of respite among the maze of underground tunnels, the Under-Forge is surprisingly furnished. A massive forge dominates the space, flames licking in bright orange, vibrant green, and eerie blue. Alongside it are places craft- but also to rest, and restore body as well as armor.

[tangent=]MAZE OF MARVELS[/tangent]
Among storm clouds rises a maze, its walls constantly shifting thanks to the Steppes' unpredictable magnetic field. Much is said to constantly change within as well, but even so, many have been known to brave the climb up the staircase to the maze in search of rumored treasures and wonders.

[tangent=]THUNDERDOME HILL[/tangent]
Home to one of UNOVRs premier PVP locations, every server day at High Noon a Giant Duraludon will spawn to kick off the event. Players will work together to fell the powerful beast, but whoever lands the final blow will be dubbed king of the hill, gaining buffs to their pokemon and painting them as the next target for the mob to gang up on.

[tangent=]THE DIVIDE[/tangent]
A long lonely road that runs parallel to both Mistra and the Steppes. Those who walk its path will often find corrupted beasts on the first steps of their incursion, or the brave and foolhardy looking to explore into the fog. Along its sides are ancient western style graves with familiar names scrawled along ancient oak posts. Some have been dug up and their coffins shattered, some might have your name on it.

[tangent=]BROKEN CIRCLE[/tangent]
Amidst the lightning is a tall arc of fractured metal. It curves and juts in precise shapes, as if invoking something ancient. Time has worn away this creation, and any semblance of its creators. Was it some early settler? The Prince's own machinations? The Circle is silent, and does not answer.

[tangent=]TINYMON TOWN[/tangent]
A thriving Pokemon village, where a variety of small Pokemon live in tiny houses, work their tiny fields, and raise their tiny children. Players can trade with locals or even find a place to stay for the night- but watch your feet! Destroy any houses with a careless step, and it'll be tiny torches and pitchforks for you!

[tangent=]THE THUNDERWORKS[/tangent]
A power plant complex built in the center of an intense, perpetual thunderstorm, its operations provide electricity for every settlement in Asper. To operate at maximum efficiency, it has been built in a location devoid of natural iron spires - approach at your own risk!

[tangent=]GAUSS GROTTO[/tangent]
A beautiful, long-forgotten cavern filled with floating ores and ancient metal scrap as magnetic forces defy physics. The bottom of the spires act like massive stalactites, sparking electricity throughout the cave at all times. Lightbulb Mushrooms illuminate the region, giving the grotto an ethereal glow.

[tangent=]RUPTURED LANDS[/tangent]
Pulled from the earth as the Thunderfall Shrine was uprooted, the Ruptured Lands float very low across the landscape. A series of floating islands of varying sizes, ropes connect the lands in makeshift bridges. Ancient structures lie hidden behind the endless plant life, just waiting to be discovered.

[tangent=]THUNDER CANYON[/tangent]
Thunder Canyon cracks apart the steppes like a thunderbolt in the earth, filled with dangerous predators. The walls are unnaturally shaped, allowing insane acoustics that causes sound to echo for miles. Wild Pokemon hunt silently, pouncing on whatever or whoever is dumb enough to make a sound.

[tangent=]DRAGON'S MAW[/tangent]
Once a prosperous nesting ground for steel types, the area has since become a ruin as gravitational shifts have sent floating hunks of steel crashing into the ground. Without proper lightning rods it is now most dangerous spot in the Steppes, but also an invaluable energy source.