the frontier [Lore] Saraneighvo

[SteelEagle]

SARANEIGHVO - CITY OF SONG AND DANCE!

 

Equestria has a great many cities and towns that are worthy of being known as global centers of commerce or political importance, but despite the snide remarks of some, it does have a few cities known far more for their cultural aspects than anything else. Saraneighvo is one such city and its concert halls and ballet theaters are world-renowned to such an extent that the city's stamps, flags, and other signage have musical instruments and other form of art. Despite or perhaps due to the roughness of the terrain where the city resides, Saraneighvo attracts artists of all flavors the world over. It is no exaggeration to say that no place in Equestria is as highly regarded as Saraneighvo when it comes to the quality of its artists and the competition they have with one another.

 

Located at what was once the edge of the Equestrian frontier, Saraneighvo's population never did grow large enough to register on a great many maps of the important global cities. Land routes were few and the city was cut off from civilization to a great deal. Rationing during lean years and rough times were not uncommon and it was the site of a few vicious Diamond Dog attacks. Over time, the city started to depopulate as living conditions in Stalliongrad improved. The city slowly died, even if the cultural lights burned bright in the encroaching darkness. However, the reemergence of the Crystal empire has changed all that. Saraneighvo has become an important transportation hub to and from the Empire and the train stations that have been built are some of the most beautiful and lavish in the world. The bits that flow into the city have went into the many art programs that the city is well known for.

 

Not that it was ever really needed. Saraneighvo is a city of beautiful architectural stylings, gothic buildings with unique flair and flavor dot the city. Multiple musical academies are propped up by foreign donors who pay a great deal to send their young children to be raised by stern headmasters while learning everything there is to know about music. The same is true of actors and actresses, dancers and ballerinas, and artists and sculptors. Some of the largest orchestras, ballet companies, theaters, opera houses, and galleries in the world are located here and with a world-class transportation network in place the city's reputation has only grown. Of course, this has brought all sorts of new challenges to the table.

 

Dreamers and lovers of art with a sense of wild adventure mark Saraneighvo as the place to be. Many smash against the rocks of competition and the city is quickly filling up with the proverbial starving artist. They can find ample work along the riverfront but it is not what drives them to come to Saraneighvo. The city's penchant for large gothic buildings as opposed to the quicker huts and normal stone structures of other cities means that it has become crowded as new buildings for residents go up slowly. The constant flow to and from the Empire brings wealth but Saraneighvo is quickly becoming home to groups of higher class criminal seeking refuge amidst fine art. While none of these concerns are by themselves dramatic, taken on the whole, it is not hard to see that this new found prosperity and respect internationally hides a growing sea of discontent below the surface.

- A Journal Between Lovers: My Travels and Travails, by Flowing Stars