ABP #04: [Constructing a World, Block by Block]

So I found today's class to be really interesting and at the same time, kind of frustrating - I'm sure we definitely could have came up with more ideas if we weren't focused on random stuff. Anyways, here's a list of ideas and places and whatnot that I liked in our discussion.

• people washing up in town: I think this idea's still great and applicable, could be a reason to lead to the tension.
• Little Ben: I don't know why people were talking about two Little Bens, we could just, ya know, have it on one side of the bridge and be a symbol of the tensions... But anyways, yay for clocktowers.
• central square/plaza: Okay, I don't know about you guys, but I didn't exactly get "sprawling metropolis" from our conversation in class today, so I don't know why the central square/plaza can't encompass the bridge and river. Just imagine a giant square with a river running through it and a single bridge? 
• window factory: It's an interesting business thing, I don't see any problems with it. And windows can be symbolic and whatnot if you really need more of a reason.
• sheriff and hero: I like the idea in general, but I'd replace sheriff with mayor or other town leadership title, have the sheriff/mayor be a mutually hated person that both sides want to displace, and have the sports hero be a symbol for the entire city and thus a common point of interest. Add some politicking, ta da! Father and son are both prime political targets for a city of political and social unrest. 
• haunted house: Except haunted wharf. Tired of houses, lets do something more coastal city like?

You know what this reminds me of? Italy. Here's some details that I thought might be interesting

• canals: Hey there, Italy. That's what I was thinking of when you guys said river through middle of city anyways and docks, so throwing it out there. Plus economy based on sea trade/fishing? 
• layout of city: You know, like the plans of the city from an aerial view? A giant key or a fish or something could be cool, and I don't know, it might be an interesting reason that leads to tension. "HEY, WE NEED MORE ROOM TO BUILD HOUSING." 'NO, YOU CAN'T, YOU WILL RUIN THE FISH.' :D
• manor of a historical hero: Because if I follow through on the Little Ben on one side, the other side should also have something of importance. Insert random history of the hero who founded the town or something and built his house. Both Little Ben and the house were built before factionalism began, and each side claimed one?
• old priest in the middle of town: Like, smack-dab middle, with a tiny church available to all. Maybe have him try to mediate each side, but he would be the old guy trying to make peace with each side. Generally likable, but the more radical parts of the city want him out.
• possessed crane: Local legend says a construction crane/apparatus once went berserk with nobody at the controls and then broke stuff around it. Since then, a rusted crane lies in the middle of an unused plot of land near the dock sector. DEMON CRANES, because we could.
• locked rooms in Little Ben [+ manor of a historical hero/any other location of interest]: Nobody knows what's behind them, they are guarded by identical doors and nobody knows who has the keys. Multiple town legends involve them. Manor can be replaced by anything else or just nothing, but Little Ben should have one for sure.
• growing port city: To tie in further with random people drifting into the city, have it be like a major stop for seafarers or something on their way north/east/south/west. Then we get a whole bunch of random sailors to talk about. 
• California/Alaskan gold rush scenario: Maybe, to get a whole bunch of people trying to strike it rich and coming through the city? The resource of choice could be gold or anything else and could be near the city or just further in any of the compass directions, but the city is like a prominent stop for most ships going there. 
• a town fish: Like a fish that's unique to the town's area or something. Be a symbol of the city, have yearly festivals based on it, all that. Kinda like salmon to our region? And call it... Derpfish? Derfish? Derpish? :D Just kidding. But not about the fish in general.
• Possible Town Names
• Teisnayucanuis: There is no way you can pronounce this. Tereisnoayyucaronounchis. Teisnoayucaronunchis. Teisnayucanuis.
• Terull - Troll. XD
• Anamorisity - A name for this city. Anamorisity.
• Benralin - Ben Franklin. I don't know, I just thought this sounded cool.
• Jodaforth - Joe the Fourth. 
• Frontier - It's a cool word. And even if this is grounded in reality, we never specified an era. DISCOVERING THE WORLD, HO. Would tie in well if we did do a goldrush scenario.
• Derptown - I felt obligated to. 

Yeah. Pretty much. Also, like I said, I don't get sprawling metropolis, I get "salty, smells like a coastal port city, Venice-lookalike" so I'm not sure if I like the meadow idea at all because this feels pretty urban/in development to me. And I can't picture coastal town with meadows inside the town. But that might just be me.