Deltora Quest I - The Shifting Sands Discussion

[DQA]

Deltora Quest I - The Shifting Sands Discussion

[Cass]

It's been yonks since I've read the books, so I'm not certain about all the finer details. However...

I always wondered: why was Rithmere 'bustling', so to speak? I mean, it is revealed that the Shadow Lord DOES control the city, though albeit behind the scenes. Considering the rest of the country is in turmoil, it seemed odd that Rithmere wasn't impoverished and suffering like, say, Del.

Oh, and where are all these people from? That's another thing that's bothered me - towns seem very scarce in Deltora. If I remember correctly, the only towns touched upon were Del, Tora, Rithmere and Broome. Seeing as Del is often depicted as a rather small town as well, I'm left wondering if Del has any cities of commerce besides Rithmere.

Just two cents that I thought I'd put on the table.

[DQA]

Hmm... interesting point. Seeing as the Rithmere Games would've been one of the largest events during the reign on the Shadow Lord, I'm not surprised that many people would attend.

I suppose in order for people to attend, Rithmere needs to be in a pristine condition. Otherwise the combatants would surely not be in the right condition to fight. Perhaps the fact that Rithmere wasn't in a impoverished state gave people hope that their lives were not in complete turmoil, and the environment around them had at least some redeemable qualities.

[Cass]

Oh, I suppose when you put it that way it makes sense. Perhaps it's just the fact that there are still people in Del. Why on earth would anyone stay in Del when conditions seem so much better in Rithmere?

Given that, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Rithmere is a lot more controlled than it appears. Perhaps nobody actually lives there, and it's only an illusion given off by Ols and tourists? I find it interesting that the town outwardly appears not affected by the Shadowlord. Wouldn't combatants be suspicious as to why there are no Grey Guards?