Healthy egocentrism
A call for spiritual advice from Sulka himself and the Localvores!
10 members have voted
Credits: Subway and rapeseed field images in the feature image by DCInfo and Okko Pykkö respectively.
The Businesspeople's decision to construct a tourist resort in the forbidden area of The Sacred Pond of Forces provoked a significant backlash throughout New Udanani. Pilgrimages to the Mirror of Seeing (a New Udananian oracle and a form of orery) intensified as people tried to ask the spirits and the stars about possible outcomes of this troublesome event.
But, the voice of controversies surrounding these issues fades away the farther one moves from the Western Udananian coast. In the calm, distant corners of New Udanani that you are about to see today, the volatile mixture of business, politics and religion is a largely alien concept and the entire issue has, at least for now, been largely disregarded.
Despite all the quarrels and fear that the Businesspeople's new endeavor provokes, the Localvore and Activator communities are calm and focus on their own backyards. The benefits of this self-centered approach are pretty evident when you take a look at their cities.
Farmington, the Localvore capital is as pretty as ever with its wide-open meadows and fields. Some changes were introduced in the town, however, and several important investments took place since your last visit. Portions of smaller farms were repurposed for residential development. The number of people who want to join the Localvore tribe has increased in recent years and the local government decided that it might be a good time to provide extra living space for potential new citizens. As a result, the town expanded as far as population numbers are concerned and some new homes were built.
The Localvores also invested in their transport infrastructure. A new road connecting Farmington to Blossom was built. The movement of commodities between two towns was modernized as well. First of all, the single-tracked rail line connecting the towns was expanded into a two-way network. What is more, an impressive grain terminal was built in place of the previously existing (and rather small) cargo station - the facility employs about 100 people.
The farm area lost due to new projects, was reclaimed thanks to the establishment of two, new fruit plantations. These large establishments are cross-border and part of them lies in Farmington while the rest is within Blossom's administrative borders. The double-tracked rail line is, of course, continued in this second town.
Of course, the town of Blossom plans for expansion as there is lots of space available in it. However, The Revered Spirits of the St'ropoli Dimension may also take a part in shaping the town's future... The question is - should a large lake be created within Blossom's limits? Or is it just a waste of arable land? Take your part in the vote and decide on the matter!
Farming has also taken root in a place that many people would regard as not conducive to nature and plant life...
Surprisingly, the Activators decided to build a town dominated by agriculture... It is indeed an unlikely achievement for a tribe which focuses on industry and heavily urbanized terrain. The Activators simply recognized that farmlands can cover huge areas of unused land very quickly. This, of course, helps to fulfil one of the tribe's core principles of avoiding empty spaces.
Of course, one can easily spot a significant industrial area in the town. It is a bit cleaner than other industries in nearby Buildmoar and Industrious Hills. Most of the facilities present are home appliance factories, mills, food processing plants and light chemical plants (dealing with production of medicines and nutrient additives).
The town of Groundcover neighbors the capital of Buildmoar to the West. Both cities share a border and transition from one into the other is seamless... mostly. 
The unusual employment options available in Groundcover, draw significant amounts of job-seekers. Some may ask, however, if hunting for a perfect job is really worth it, given how complicated the streets and commuting through Activator cities are...
It is worth it. Because there is simply no more need to "navigate" these streets and sit through traffic jams. Communication between Activator cities was just made easier thanks to the comprehensive subway system. This, combined with tram lines, makes all travels significantly shorter and more cost-effective.
Two subway lines are currently in operation. One of them (H1) connects Industrious Hills and Buildmoar. The other, (H2) serves as a connection between the H1 line and Buildmoar's city center. This new form of communication has become a big hit with commuters. It is estimated that the subway system services about 15% of Activator's workforce. Below, you can find some pictures of existing stations and the subway maps - one in a leaflet form and one superimposed over city plans. This will, hopefully, facilitate your next visit to Activator metropolitan areas.
The interesting fact about the Activator subway is that knowledge required to build it was derived directly from the tribe's experience and technology involved in their mining operations. The city of Kuun Lan, where most of this industry flourishes, was central to this ambitious project and continues to supply the tribe with much-needed building materials. The famous quarry located in the town underwent some changes in recent years as well. All deposits were recorded in a special registry and work around them reorganized for better accessibility. This is why conveyor belts and separators were moved outside of the mining pit, while the pit obtained characteristic "snail" pattern, known from other quarries around the world.
For the record, the result of the voting you participated in, in one of the previous episodes was taken into account. Therefore, be it known, that the Businesspeople have legalized gambling in their cities, significantly increasing the income of their respective, local budgets.
As you can see, living away from political centers of gravity has certain undoubtable benefits. Focusing on one's own progress breeds development and peace required to take on new challenges. Sometimes, a little bit of healthy egocentrism is what really makes the difference!
Comment replies:
@TogaMasterJohn - Wow... I took a good look on the towns you mentioned last time and they indeed look terrific from what I can see on the map. Winona Lake is definitely a place if you like to spend your time by the water. I also like the arrangement of Warsaw's hotel and food places along Center Street - it looks like local government recognizes the tourist value of this spot on Indiana's map! 
Not to even mention the close proximity of some of America's most famous towns!
@Tamijo - I agree!
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