Panda
Troubadour
My story was initially going to start out in a small, rural village consisting mostly of farmers. It recently occurred to me that this might be a bad idea: not only is it cliche, but it might not be feasible given the village's proximity to a mountain. (The mountain is important to the plot, so I can't change the location of the village.) I'm guessing the ground might be too rocky for farms, and there might not be enough sunlight for crops to grow. The mountain is part of a range on the western edge of the kingdom's border, so the village would be in its shadow for part of the afternoon. (This isn't important to the plot, but I don't want to change my mental image of the kingdom's map.)
So what sort of occupations might this village revolve around? Mining? Quarrying? Goat-herding? Keep in mind the village is small and, while I'm sure they export something to the larger cities, there isn't a steady stream of trade going on. (The relative isolation is also important to the plot.) The area is also heavily forested; could hunting or lumber be a source of income?
So what sort of occupations might this village revolve around? Mining? Quarrying? Goat-herding? Keep in mind the village is small and, while I'm sure they export something to the larger cities, there isn't a steady stream of trade going on. (The relative isolation is also important to the plot.) The area is also heavily forested; could hunting or lumber be a source of income?