Vivacia
Vivacia is a waterfall located at the centre of Torrinos, and therefore considered to be at the centre of the entire Kingdom of Astania. It also boosts the world record for "Places that Have Originated the Most Legends" (probably because the Kingdom of Astania is so old that its inhabitants have had plenty of time to come up with stories about their surroundings).
But even visitors who are (somehow) unaware of Vivacia's role as an overused fairy tale setting still cannot help but be impressed by the 20 meter-high cascade of crystalline water that falls within a natural pool carved over thousands of years in the rocky ground. The pool is at least two meters deep, according to Astania's Committee of Units and Measures latest estimates, a nearly-perfect circle in shape (attempts to make it a perfect circle for aesthetic purposes failed miserably over the centuries), and covered in vivid green moss that make the task of approaching it much trickier than it seems. The water from the pool flows into two smaller cascades, one on each side, and the cascades eventually widen enough to be considered rivers.
The first recognisably urban agglomeration in Astania started around those rivers. Ruins of those thousand year-old constructions can still be seen in the area, though most are overgrown with moss, tree roots, and sneaky potential predators, so visitors are warned against approaching them (though they are highly encouraged to make up stories about who lived there in the past and what hides in there now).
The fact that Vivacia is so strongly tied to the beginning of Astania means it now enjoys the status of Sacred Historical Site, which means it cannot be modified, built upon, artificially deteriorated, developed, sold, bought, or profited from in any way. The only exceptions are fairy tales and other legends created around the waterfall and its surrounding area (which is probably why there are so many stories about it in the first place).
The most famous fairy tales set around Vivacia are the following:
The Cascade of Youth
In Search of the Holy Kilogram Cup
Red Swimming Suit
The Three Little Pigs Hiding in the Ruins and the Big Bad Bear Chasing Them
Under the Natural Pool there is a Sword and Whoever Gets it Shall Be Monarch
Those stories have been told and retold many times in prose, song, canvases, and the occasional drunken shouting at 2 am. Writers, bards, and artists (as well as the occasional inebriated fellow) make regular pilgrimages to the site in search of inspiration. It is, in fact, recommended that all aspiring Writers, bards, and artists (though not aspiring drunks) make their first trip to Vivacia right before their graduation exams as a way to get the necessary good luck and inspiration to pass with a good grade.
(Statistics compiled by the Measures seem to confirm Vivacia's inspiration magic, as 95.78% of those who do the pilgrimage before their exams achieve a passing grade, with 87.09% of those achieving the highest possible award. The other 4.22% of wannabe artists who don't pass their exams usually do so because they are so untalented that even the place's magic and inspiration powers can do little to help.)
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Teehee! Very nice work! I just read about another waterfall article for the challenge. I guess people share the same reverence for the beauty of water falling from up high :) read Dagur's article Really nice work
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