Mernac Place Story - What is it? How do I write it?

In a growing place like Mernac, where any writer may join and contribute to the geography, it is vital to define things. Here, I shall focus on Places, but first, I must clarify that these are secondary tales, like Lore and Items. A primary tale, what we call a Legend, is the ultimate goal, but the Places, Lore, and Items also play an important role by providing a foundation for the work to come.

What is a Place story?
Typically ranging from 500-1000 words, a Place story tells of some city, temple, village, continent, country, town, mountain, forest, or other thing that can be defined as a place. Some lines may be blurry on things like temple shrines; is it a lonely place upon a mountain side?? or a thing? I'd probably categorize it as a thing, but again, the definition may be somewhat fluid. For now, I shall confine my definition to something we can all agree is a place: country.

Check out Hobala, by Pyroglyph.
Short excerpt:

The small Dwarven country of Hobala is located along the western coast of Toberna, slightly south of the continent's mid-point.

The Orvill mountains are particularly rough in this region, stretching long fingers of stone-topped ridges all the way down to the sea. Between these ridges are long, narrow, fertile valleys, watered by mountain streams and glacial runoff. These valleys are lush, but small, and will generally support only one small village above ground. Only in the central portion of Hobala is there a slightly kinder landscape. There the mountains dip down and give way to foothills and even a large grassy plain. In the center of this plain is Tam's Crossing, which is the largest above-ground settlement in the country. It is there that the Races of Light who do not wish to live underground tend to gather together.

Notice how this reads much like an encyclopedia entry. Passive parts exist (gasp), yet it flows smoothly and describes the parameters of this country. The author also slips in bits of topography, economics, valleys are lush, but small, and will generally support only one small village and history there that the Races of Light who do not wish to live underground tend to gather together.

How do I write a Mernac Place story?
If you're new to Mernac, you start by reading, reading, and more reading. Don't let that scare you though; think of it as an exciting challenge. Oh, and try writing a Character story first. The reason for this is that the character matters most. I'll touch on that in a moment.
Say you've got your character and just need a Mernacian place to put him/her, but nothing on Cathall suits you, nor Toberna, nor Brangin. So, make it up! You're a writer, hence the place story. Even if it's not a whole country, you may need a city, town, or village.

Let's examine Morningsong, Solaris:
Short excerpt:
The crown jewel in the quaint kingdom of Solaris, Morningsong delights first-time visitors as well as those who have lived there for generations. Some say the city never sleeps, for food, fashion, and fine plays can be found at all hours. These things alone make Morningsong popular, but the music makes it famous. From the first moment the sun glints off the Temple of Sola’s topmost spire, Nebvidron harps, Kyrie windpipes, and Sekri flutes fill the Market Square with sweet music.

Here the author immediately tells you which kingdom of Cathall you are in. If you actually look at the main page, you will see Mernac > places > Cathall > Solaris, so you will know where you are. The author then goes on to say what Morningsong is famous for, what sorts of attractions it offers, and what is semi-unique to it. While these are not "must" things to include, they're good facts to have. (OCC - It's like eating oreos or peanut butter cups... you can hardly screw up the process.)

Questions you may want to answer in your city story:
Who famous came from there?
What wars were fought there and why?
Is it a City of Light, or a City of Darkness?
What does the city offer in the way of entertainment?
What is the government like?
How did the government change over the seasons?
Who famous passed through there? (See, Morningsong is connected to Katarina Calis, who is she? You'll have to see her character story? What's she got to do with Morningsong? Check out the main Morningsong page.)
What deity takes an interest in the place? (Morningsong, Solaris is joint Elves and Man so Mother Sola and Mother Siberlee have vested interests there; Mother Terees is also fond of the place)