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Chapter 3 by Tilfe
More characters? Locations?
*Locations*
Resin Grove – Town Locations
Old Quarter
The beating heart of Resin Grove’s past. Stone-paved streets, crooked lamp posts, and buildings that remember more than they should. Home to antique shops, an old post office, a crumbling opera house, and the legendary Ashbourne Manor — a place that casts long shadows, even at noon.
Ridgewood Heights
The rich ridge. Winding drives, manicured hedges, sprawling estates behind tall gates. The Ashbournes own half the properties here, and their influence trickles down like fog. “The Heights” are quiet — too quiet. Something always watches from behind curtain-glass windows.
Mariner’s Hollow
Middle-class suburbia. Fenced yards, seasonal wreaths, and cul-de-sacs that echo with the bounce of basketballs. Life here is stable, if a little routine. Riley, Sadie, and several other teens call this neighborhood home. It smells like lawns, barbecues, and secrets.
Cotton Row
Once a bustling trade street near the train line, now a quiet stretch of brick warehouses, converted artist lofts, and shuttered diners. It’s the town’s aging spine, connecting the old to the new. Ethan and Nick hang out here, away from the eyes of Ridgewood Heights.
Greater Region and Nearby Areas
Eldermere Lake (10 miles southeast)
A lake surrounded by thick pine woods. Silent cabins, foggy trails, and the haunting ruins of Hartley Hall — the once-mighty ancestral home now swallowed by moss and decay. Eldermere feels suspended in time, and the woods whisper if you listen long enough.
Aurelien Lake (12 miles east)
A vast, shimmering lake nestled among surrounding mountains in the neighbouring county. The northern shore is dominated by the sprawling metropolis of New Aurelien, while only a handful of small villages cling to the few flat points along the lake’s edge. Remote, scenic, and largely untouched, the lake serves as both a natural boundary and a striking backdrop, contrasting the city’s bustle with the quiet of its mountain-framed shores.
Key Landmarks & Natural Features
The Old Bridge
An arched stone bridge crossing the river that splits the town in two. It’s elegant, sturdy, and worn — like it’s seen more things fall apart than come together. It’s often where teens meet late at night or where you go when you need to think… or hide.
Amber Street
A long, historic road that winds through the Old Quarter, crosses the Old Bridge, and climbs into Ridgewood Heights. The Ashbournes and other elite families own much of it. Every address on this street means something — or once did.
Riverside Park
A stretch of green tucked along the slow-moving river on the edge of Mariner's Hollow. Winding gravel paths, low-hanging willow trees, rusted swings, and a long-forgotten stone gazebo with initials carved deep into the bench wood. Most days it’s quiet — dog walkers, old men feeding ducks, teens killing time. But at dusk, the shadows stretch, and it becomes something else entirely. Lovers meet here. Arguments echo here. Secrets are buried just under the soft earth. The kind of place that remembers every whispered promise… and every broken one.
The Four Lakes
Sable Lake (south, near Bridgemont University)
Dark, glassy, and quiet. Students wander its banks during the day, but locals say it’s best avoided at night. Rumors of drownings, strange lights, and things under the surface cling to Sable like mist.
Twin Lakes (southwest side of the town)
Two lakes, close together, Fir Lake to the west and Cedar Lake to the east, named like that, because of the groves that surround it. Resin Grove originated to the no
Spirit Lake (northwest side of the town)
Named like that after an old legend. It sits tucked away in between hills. To the south it has Ridgewood Heights
Eldermere Lake (10 miles southeast)
The largest of the four, nestled at the edge of forested hills. Only the wealthiest families — like the Ashbournes — have cabins here. It’s secluded and serene. The deeper waters are cold, still, and unwelcoming.
Other Notables
Resin Grove High School
Red brick, ivy-covered, and slightly too big for the current population. The building creaks with history — championship banners, long-forgotten clubs, and echoes of schoolyard rivalries still felt in its gym and theater.
The Rail Line
Cuts across the southern edge of town, connecting Resin Grove to Bridgemont. The train is old but runs daily — a slow-moving artery through trees, fog, and time. It’s how some people escape, and others find their way back.
Cielo Rojo
A lively, no-frills taqueria tucked into a corner lot in Mariner’s Hollow. The walls are painted bright turquoise, with string lights curling around the patio railings and music always drifting out onto the street. Inside, the tables are mismatched, the salsa bar is crowded, and the food is fast, flavorful, and made to be eaten with your hands. Cielo Rojo is never quiet, never fancy — just bold, beloved, and always full. It's a neighborhood fixture, the kind of place people grow up with and keep coming back to.
Little Lantern
A warm, tucked-away noodle bar on a quiet stretch near Mariner’s Hollow’s main bus route. With steamed-up windows and a narrow, wood-paneled interior, it feels like a secret you only share with people you trust. Bowls of hand-pulled noodles come out steaming, the broths deep and rich, and the condiments crowd every table. A favorite of students, nurses, and night-shift workers, Little Lantern stays open late, humming softly under paper lanterns and the clatter of chopsticks.
Basil & Crumb
A cozy, slightly chaotic lunch spot with chalkboard menus and an open kitchen that fills the whole place with the smell of roasted garlic and warm bread. It sits at the edge of Mariner’s Hollow’s old train yard, part café, part sandwich counter. Basil & Crumb is the kind of place where you order at the counter, steal a window seat, and watch the regulars chat with the staff like family. Nothing’s too fancy — grilled cheese, tomato bisque, cold brew in mismatched mugs — but everything tastes like it was made with real care.
Gladiator Gym
Located in Mariner's Hollow. Loud music, louder bodies. Gladiator Gym isn’t about aesthetics — it’s about sweat, strength, and survival. Once a warehouse, now transformed with exposed beams, foggy windows, and the clang of free weights echoing off concrete walls. Trainers roam like predators, and regulars form a tight, sweaty ecosystem of competition, camaraderie, and flirtation. There’s no air-conditioning, just big floor fans and the constant hum of intensity. In the back: a boxing ring. In the locker rooms: heat, steam, and secrets. It’s where people push limits — and not always just physical ones.
Bridgemont University (BU)
Located in the heart of Bridgemont, near the shores of Sable Lake, BU is the nearest major university to Resin Grove — and the region’s most prestigious. Known for its rigorous STEM and medical programs, it attracts ambitious students and cutting-edge research alike. Its campus blends classic brick architecture with modern labs, embodying a proud, disciplined tradition of excellence that has long set the standard for higher education in the region.
New Aurelien University (NAU)
Set within the vibrant sprawl of New Aurelien, NAU stands as BU’s dynamic rival. Though not prestigious, it has carved out a strong reputation for its arts, business, and social sciences programs. The campus hums with creative energy — sleek, modern, and deeply tied to the city’s cultural life.
Other Cities
Bridgemont (15 miles south)
The bustling city with grit and reputation. It roared into life after World War II with factories, rail lines, and suburban sprawl. Fast-paced, practical, and a little rough around the edges, it’s the kind of place where work and ambition are taken seriously. Bridgemont boasts the region’s most respected university, drawing intellect and innovation, and while it lacks the glamour of the nearby metropolis, it makes up for it with substance, tradition, and a pull that quietly commands respect.
New Aurelien (25 miles northeast)
A gleaming metropolis born from the discovery of topaz, giving the city its golden name. Set along the shores of Aurelien Lake, New Aurelien dazzles with modern skyscrapers, historic districts, and vibrant cultural hubs. Waterfront promenades, artisan markets, and luxury developments give it an energy that’s lively, cosmopolitan, and impossible to ignore. Bigger, flashier, and more glamorous than Bridgemont, it’s a hub of commerce, innovation, and lakeside leisure — a city that seduces with opportunity, if not always respect.
Other locations?
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Resin Grove
In the valleys of the Northwest lies a small town, steeped in old rivalries and quiet ambition, where echoes of the past stir the beginnings of something that will one day shape the world beyond it.
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