It sounds like you've got some really solid ideas for Mary! I just thought I might tell you a bit about Koshtur for flavor!

Being wedged between the Waking Desert, the low Singing Mountains, and the coast, Koshtur is a fascinating and beautiful place to live. It doesn't look like much to the untrained eye, with its organically-shaped architecture made mostly of the same clay as the ground. However, it is filled with colorful mozaic artwork, dotted sparsely with enormous palm trees, and its blazing heat is managed perfectly by the ocean breeze and the large waterfall to the south. It's the perfect choice for Meryem, being extremely beloved by the Sun Elves who make up most of its population.