Summer

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Summer’s bright days and bright colors, lends itself to a cheery comfortable atmosphere for those who visit. Its river banks can make for wonderful days on the beach, and its markets are a great way to while away time. Summer is known for its roaring trade with the other cities - who would likely have a hard time surviving through some of their winters without the food that Summer provides.

History

A particularly harsh winter, that had followed multiple years of decreasing food availability, lead to a joint set of caravans from Autumn and Winter to set out on a quest to find more sustainable food sources. They converged on the area that is now known as Summer, a fertile land perfect for the development of the farmland that would eventually cover the region, as well as its numerous small rivers leading to a strong fish trade. Many of the first residents of the city became the farm families that live there now, though some turned to living a nomadic lifestyle to transport crops to the older cities.

Those that stayed behind built a comfortable community that understood the circumstances that had necessitated the building of their city. That food isn’t always readily available and that its easy cultivation in the region was a boon that could not be underestimated. It became a core part of Summer’s culture to make sure everyone, no matter where they came from, is well fed and taken care of.

Government

Ruling and Law has always been a somewhat chaotic affair in Summer as the founding residents were from Autumn and Winter - two cities that have traditionally been very competitive even if the very creation of Summer was a rare show of collaboration during a tough time.

In order to preside over this natural division in it’s people, representatives from each sector - one from the Winter families, and one from the Autumn families, would be elected for a lifetime commitment as “Mediators” a title that would give them the power to do exactly that for any disputes among not only the winter and autumn divisions, but others as well, such as the one that formed between the Farmers and the Fishers.

Larger decisions about the community are then left to a vote for all in the city to participate in. Acquiring these votes in a timely manner is no small feat and one of the efforts that the Mediators control is the organization of hiring and sending out messengers to collect and record these votes so that decisions can be made in a timely manner. If immediate decision is required, the Mediators are given the right to do so, provided a long-term decision is still put to the people where plausible.

Culture

The inception of Summer created a people who are by and large, warm, cheerful, and carefree - provided you aren’t competing with their livelihood. With many of the families from Autumn or Winter, a competitive nature is also indicative of the city, and bickering - albeit good-natured and pacifist - is common to experience.

Their bright outlook and plentiful farms lead to dyes with bright colors being used on everything, and the city is one of the most well decorated places in The Burrow. Rivers flow through the city and small boats are often used to quickly get from place to place, while bridges hanging overhead allow for walking through the city.

Days are long, and bright, and their seasons amount to a dry and rainy season, with no snow to be spoken of, and which lends itself to open flowing clothing all year round.

Trade

Summer by far has the most active trade with the other cities of The Burrow, and a burgeoning trade with The Core as well - driven by reports that the food and materials from The Burrow are fresher and easier to work with than those manufactured within The Core.

There are whole Nomadic caravan clans dedicated to ferrying the produce from Summer to the other cities in the Burrow all year round. These clans often have active contracts with particular Farmers and Fishers to get the best product first, while nomadic clans whose whole income comes from other sources will often pick up whatever is left to sell alongside their other wares.

Summer also of course benefits from these trade agreements - They are the second wealthiest city in The Burrow after Winter, and get many useful exports from the other cities - Stone and Crystal from Winter, Wood and Pottery from Spring, and Cotton from Autumn.