Grounde

Grounde is a fictional town and municipality used in speculative fiction and tabletop role-playing to illustrate small urban centers within a regional setting. Located in the imagined border region of Valara, Grounde functions as a representative community for exploring governance, economy, and culture in a compact locale.

The name Grounde is presented in lore as derived from an old local term meaning foundation or base, reflecting its historical role as a stabilizing center for neighboring settlements and its prominence in regional narratives.

Grounde sits on a basalt-heavy plateau near the Vell River in the Valaran hills. The area features a temperate climate with moderate rainfall, mixed farmland, and stands of conifers. The town center forms a roughly triangular grid around a central market square.

History and society: According to the fictional chronology, Grounde was founded in the 11th century by a pair of monastic and craft guilds. It grew as a market hub and quarry town, developing a municipal council and a tradition of crafts and local governance.

Economy and culture: The economy blends basalt quarrying, timber, and small manufacturing with agricultural pursuits in surrounding villages. Cultural life centers on the Grounde Abbey ruins, the Basalt Columns, and a yearly harvest festival. The local government is a town council led by a mayor.