Straights of Crescendo
In the middle of the East and the West of the Grand Line lie the harshest waters in the world second only to the raging current of Reverse Mountain. The easiest way to avoid shipwreck is to travel through the Straights of Crescendo. Many trade ships take this route to avoid losses. The tax for passing through the straights has varied over the years depending on the economy, pirates and whoever is in control at the time. Three hundred years ago the straights experienced the best tax rates due to low pirating and the world government using the twin islands on either side of the waterway as a base. Since then, it has been sold to private owners and the tax has increased. To the north is the island of Dehavala and to the south is Lee. When travelers approach them from either direction, the cliffs bear the resemblance of two women’s figures. It is said that they were carved by giants who admired a certain singer and her sister, but most believe this story is simply folklore as there are no tool markings on the rock face.
Fortuna
The island of Fortuna lies to the South West of Jaya. Unlike its unruly and much smaller neighbor, Fortuna is a bastion of industry. The port city - also called Fortuna - is one of the largest ports of call on the Grand Line, servicing the flow of good from all parts of the world. Fortuna main export is wheat, iron and livestock which it supplies mostly to the east and west. The trade from Fortuna even flows through Rogue Town to the Red Line. In the city, there is no lack of bars and taverns that service the multitude of hardworking men who toil on its waterfront. Fortuna has no striking physical beauty and almost no tourist trade, but the natives enjoy rolling hills and tranquil countryside on the interior on their days off.
Largo Atoll
800 years ago, Largo was an island. It became nothing more than a thin crescent-shaped atoll when a volcano erupted and destroyed much of the land mass. What remained was covered in lava rock. The points of the crescent have twin opalescent lighthouses that are but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to glitter. Largo is known as the “Entertainment Capital Of The Grand Line” and features over two dozen major casinos, nearly 50 hotels, 100 restaurants and endless attractions such as a circus and zoo, magic shows, and an amusement park with the tallest roller coaster ever created. To the reader, this may not seem like a lot of establishments, but consider that Largo has only 22 square miles of land above water! Largo attracts the biggest names in musical entertainment. Such performers as Lilly Marlene, Harmony, and Chanson have called Largo home. Largo’s population is in constant flux because of the tourist trade but an average 500,000 people inhabit the island on a yearly basis. With visitors the population can be counted at one million. Its governor is a man named E. Kotsube, an alleged well known figure in underground crime.
Guraba
One of the more civilized islands in the "New World" due to it's close proximity to Water Seven (along the same longitude), Guraba is a vibrant and bustling island. Despite it's relatively small size, it hosts nearly 100,000 inhabitants crammed into colorfully painted buildings that scale its steep, sloping southeastern port city of the same name. Its inhabitants are generally friendly, calm people who live in peace and cooperation with the New World Government and its military base there. It is said that Gurabans know best the value of a Berrie. Inflation has made the Berrie incredibly weak on Guraba and raised port taxes so high that most visitors to the island take public transportation rather than lodge their own ships there and usually spend no more than one or two nights in its high-priced hotels.
Palast
An autumn-climate island,
Palast is a popular calm vacation spot for the wealthy of southern neighbor,
Arabasta. The trees are in a constant state of change, growing and shedding
brightly colored leaves every four months. Palast is almost as well known
for its jagged black mountains that line its northern coast as it is for the
island’s orchestra of the same name which awes audiences everywhere. A traditional,
sometimes strict-seeming culture, the people of Palast pride themselves on
tidiness, tight architectural design, clean dress and living. However, four
times a year when the leaves fall from the trees the inhabitants and happy
tourists celebrate Konohamatsuri - a celebration of the rebirth that comes
with the end of the deciduous cycle. Much alcohol and hearty food is consumed
at these festivals. The native dress of the island is poked fun at the Grand
Line over and usually only worn during Konohamatsuri. Men wear tight, leather
shorts with knee-length robes usually covered with tree or leaf designs and
women wear tight bodices also of leather with a longer flowing robe of similar
design.