Death stalks the steppes and valleys, the mountains and fields of the world. It always has and it always will; even the dragons are not immune to the grim reaper's scythe.
In Sharoban the traditions of death have grown up from many different sources and cultures. A hodge-podge of customs have been meshed together based on old wives tales, folklore, family ritual and the teachings of the Church. These bear small resemblance to what came east with the Six and their followers or to the cultures that they found and slowly absorbed into the city; though here and there a custom that can be pinned down to a definite point of origin can be seen. For instance the tradition of gathering snowdrops to mourn the dead has its origins in the Jorvin Empire and is reputed to have been brought by them from their island home, whilst the tradition of keeping a small fire burning in the room where one keeps the dead to keep them warm comes from the Salva tribe whose lands lie south of Sharoban. Customs and rituals can vary from quarter to quarter or even from street to street. Despite this, there are a few traditions that carry across the entire city.
The first of these is the death bed. Every home, even the poorest, will have a bed set aside for the sick and dying. In larger homes this is set aside in a private room, whilst in poorer houses it will be a pallet that is taken down and laid before the fire. It is considered most unlucky to die in your marriage bed, to the extent that when that happens the bed will be burned to rid the house of ill fortune. As the deathbed has a specific purpose of sheltering the dying, it does not attract bad luck.
It is believed too that the soul of the dead person cannot move on to until they have been buried, or cremated, or torn apart by animals (as the city has communities that believe all these varieties of funeral to be correct). As a result wills and legacies cannot be discussed before the funeral, to show love and respect to the departed. It is also seen as not only rude but unlucky to speak ill of the dead, and it may result in their ghost haunting the naysayer and refusing to enter the afterlife.
Funerals happen during the day, preferably on days with good weather. Practicality means that a rain storm or strong winds won't delay a funeral unless burial would be dangerous, but most people hope for sunshine and cool breezes because that is the best weather to ensure their safe journey to the underworld. It's believed that Mycra will guide them safely to the Shadow Fields where they can rest awhile before being reborn.
In Winter the ground is too hard to bury the dead, bodies are stacked in cool cellars and warded; spontaneous outbreaks of 'rising', where the dead walk, are not unknown though they are thankfully uncommon. The other threat to the dead in this season is scavengers both four-footed and two-footed. The Keep makes sure that guards and even Wind Strikers check on the dead, to ensure that nothing untoward happens to them.
Other kinds of funeral go ahead as usual in the winter and the shanty towns find they get extra custom from families who want them to take their dead relatives out to the steppes for the hawks and wolves. The pyres are kept well stocked and burn almost constantly when the winter is hard. Callously, some families 'miraculously' discover that relatives who had wanted to be buried had last minute changes of heart and actually opted to cremation. Whilst this practice is disapproved of there is little that can be done to prevent families doing it and physikers actively support the burning of the dead as it promotes public health.
Before most people reach the stage of being buried, they grow old. The old are respected in the city, mostly because to grow old in Sharoban is to be tough as nails and snake canny. In the extended families, they rule the roost, often deciding what their children and grandchildren will do without dissent. This is particularly true of Grandmothers, who prosper in the city's matriarchal culture. This is mitigated by the fact that there is no retirement, the elderly are expected to keep working unless they become too infirm to. At which point they either enter the care of their families or if their relations cannot care for them, they enter the temple's almshouse or are forced to live on the streets. At which point they die very quickly.
The city does provide some perks for the elderly, however. No public house may charge them for drinks and they may use public fountains with impunity. Many vendors sell food more cheaply to the old as a mark of respect and the gangs, in general, leave them alone.
Next week; superstitions.
Saturday, 26 July 2014
Friday, 18 July 2014
Life in the Big City: Courtship, Marriage, and Children
Just as in the real world the people in Sharoban fall in love, marry and have children. For many of them this is their overriding concern, whether because of love, business or the desire to achieve some sort of legacy. There are political and dynastic matches, marriages for love and money, and even revenge. Relationships grow cold, stay warm against all odds, and end in disaster. Some even end in murder or divorce. Some never really start, leaving both partners lost in a world that seems to be set against them.
The beginning of a relationship very much depends on who you are. It is likely that parents, guardians and masters will be involved in the process at the very beginning and most matches are set in motion by older people. A pair of rich merchants might arrange for their children to wed in order to consolidate their fortunes or a guild master might introduce a star apprentice to the right person for the specific reason of creating a match. It is in their interest to do so as it encourages loyalty from their proteges and helps them along with their lives; within a large part of the city there is an ethos that leaving people behind is amoral and so it is the duty of people with more luck, wealth and power to help those less fortunate than themselves. Even within the lower classes this practice holds true and it is hardly uncommon for a young man to come home to find his parents waiting for him with some important news about his future; and his bride. Most matches are made about the age of fifteen, and signals the start of a slow courtship that lasts many years.
What follows is usually a series of chaperoned meetings initially at the families' homes, later in public places. Before these public dates occur there is some expectation of commitment on both sides. Commonly this takes the form of gift giving, usually something that can be worn or carried and ideally something made by the lovers for each other. Scarves are popular as are hats and pieces of jewellery and small knives. After this, the match is presumed to be official and on its way to marriage.
Amongst older people who are unmarried (who are often considered to be ne'er-do-wells, on account of their lack of attachments), the road to marriage is less controlled but more chaotic. Men are expected to take the lead here, pitching their suit to women they like. Women do sometimes make the first move, but it's rare enough to be commented on. Again the couple are expected to exchange gifts before their match is considered official; they are also expected to have a short engagement and if more than six months passes between betrothal and marriage the relationship is considered a dead duck.
Weddings take place in the temple, and group weddings are not uncommon if there are a lot of ceremonies that coincide. There is no official colour to get married, for either sex, but everyone will wear their best clothes. Both brides and grooms wear garlands of flowers and silver bracelets to signify the day. They enter the temple together and stand before the priests with their parents close by. From there oaths are exchanged and, in a throwback to an old tradition, bread and salt are given as gifts. Songs are sung and blessings given. Traditionally these are centred on fertility and prosperity rather than happiness. The newlyweds usually move into the bride's home, living with her family until they can afford a home of their own.
Many couples, especially amongst the poor never officially get married. Instead, they simply move into together and go from there. There is no stigma in this though the priests of Merida will offer a blessing if the couple decides they want to legitimise the relationship. Official marriage is not considered seemly in these circumstances and particularly if there are children (though none of the priests can really point to a specific prohibition on this).
Except in specific cases married couples are expected to have children, and quickly. The usual pattern is that the first child will be born within the first two years of the marriage to much celebration. Street parties to welcome a newborn, especially if the child is couples firstborn, aren't uncommon, as the family splash out to celebrate their good fortune. It doesn't matter if the child is male or female, every new life is considered special and celebrated as such. Children are born in the marriage bed and for the last few months of any pregnancy this is the wife's bed. The husband will find somewhere else to sleep and must wait to be invited back in postpartum. Some unfortunate husbands never return to the marriage bed, much to their chagrin.
Children are named within the first six months of life at a ceremony where they are presented with a cup of wine and a loaf of bread to symbolise their needs. Often they will be given gifts, most of which will be useless to them for the first few years of life, but which they will grow into. These are often connected with a trade or profession. They will stay with their mother or grandparents for the first seven years of life, when their official education begins. After this, most children only see their families at high days and when their masters or teachers release them. This is a situation which will continue until they are fully grown and ready to begin families of their own.
Next week we consider the end of life, old age, death and funerals.
The beginning of a relationship very much depends on who you are. It is likely that parents, guardians and masters will be involved in the process at the very beginning and most matches are set in motion by older people. A pair of rich merchants might arrange for their children to wed in order to consolidate their fortunes or a guild master might introduce a star apprentice to the right person for the specific reason of creating a match. It is in their interest to do so as it encourages loyalty from their proteges and helps them along with their lives; within a large part of the city there is an ethos that leaving people behind is amoral and so it is the duty of people with more luck, wealth and power to help those less fortunate than themselves. Even within the lower classes this practice holds true and it is hardly uncommon for a young man to come home to find his parents waiting for him with some important news about his future; and his bride. Most matches are made about the age of fifteen, and signals the start of a slow courtship that lasts many years.
What follows is usually a series of chaperoned meetings initially at the families' homes, later in public places. Before these public dates occur there is some expectation of commitment on both sides. Commonly this takes the form of gift giving, usually something that can be worn or carried and ideally something made by the lovers for each other. Scarves are popular as are hats and pieces of jewellery and small knives. After this, the match is presumed to be official and on its way to marriage.
Amongst older people who are unmarried (who are often considered to be ne'er-do-wells, on account of their lack of attachments), the road to marriage is less controlled but more chaotic. Men are expected to take the lead here, pitching their suit to women they like. Women do sometimes make the first move, but it's rare enough to be commented on. Again the couple are expected to exchange gifts before their match is considered official; they are also expected to have a short engagement and if more than six months passes between betrothal and marriage the relationship is considered a dead duck.
Weddings take place in the temple, and group weddings are not uncommon if there are a lot of ceremonies that coincide. There is no official colour to get married, for either sex, but everyone will wear their best clothes. Both brides and grooms wear garlands of flowers and silver bracelets to signify the day. They enter the temple together and stand before the priests with their parents close by. From there oaths are exchanged and, in a throwback to an old tradition, bread and salt are given as gifts. Songs are sung and blessings given. Traditionally these are centred on fertility and prosperity rather than happiness. The newlyweds usually move into the bride's home, living with her family until they can afford a home of their own.
Many couples, especially amongst the poor never officially get married. Instead, they simply move into together and go from there. There is no stigma in this though the priests of Merida will offer a blessing if the couple decides they want to legitimise the relationship. Official marriage is not considered seemly in these circumstances and particularly if there are children (though none of the priests can really point to a specific prohibition on this).
Except in specific cases married couples are expected to have children, and quickly. The usual pattern is that the first child will be born within the first two years of the marriage to much celebration. Street parties to welcome a newborn, especially if the child is couples firstborn, aren't uncommon, as the family splash out to celebrate their good fortune. It doesn't matter if the child is male or female, every new life is considered special and celebrated as such. Children are born in the marriage bed and for the last few months of any pregnancy this is the wife's bed. The husband will find somewhere else to sleep and must wait to be invited back in postpartum. Some unfortunate husbands never return to the marriage bed, much to their chagrin.
Children are named within the first six months of life at a ceremony where they are presented with a cup of wine and a loaf of bread to symbolise their needs. Often they will be given gifts, most of which will be useless to them for the first few years of life, but which they will grow into. These are often connected with a trade or profession. They will stay with their mother or grandparents for the first seven years of life, when their official education begins. After this, most children only see their families at high days and when their masters or teachers release them. This is a situation which will continue until they are fully grown and ready to begin families of their own.
Next week we consider the end of life, old age, death and funerals.
Saturday, 12 July 2014
Life in the city: Food, Fashion and Tradition
This week we look at what it means to live in Sharoban and be a part of its culture. The lenses we're going to use will be food, fashion and, ahem, frolicking; or carousing and courting if you prefer.
Food
Most people in the city eat simply, with a focus on soups and stews, black bread and porridge. They drink thin wine and mead, saving medvuka (a fermented honey drink with spices) for special occasions and the depths of winter. Kvass, a sort of liquid bread, is also drunk and often forms a sizable chunk of the poor's diet. The drink is so ubiquitous however that it is drunk for breakfast by pretty much everybody, and is supplemented by fruit or meat.
The local farms produce cabbages and root vegetables. There are species of stunted grains that managed to ripen despite the harshest wind, ensuring the city has rye and barley. The fine white breads and heavy fruit loaves favoured by the well off rely on imported grain and dried fruits from the west whilst noodles have been appropriated from eastern merchants and turned into a local delicacy. Local orchards grow apples and pears, which are seldom fermented as they are highly valued as fruit. The most common way for them to be consumed is with bread and honey.
In terms of meat, sheep and goat are favoured during the summer and beef during the winter after the herds have been culled. In times of great distress, horse is eaten, but they are generally considered too important to waste on mere food even when famine threatens. Much of the meat finds its way into pelmeni, meat-filled dumplings which are considered quite a delicacy, and on the city's high days haunches are cooked in porridge.
In contrast, when famine strikes many of the city's burghers are forced to subsist on a diet of birch bark pounded into pulp, mixed with husks and straw. An unsavoury meal at the best of time, it seems to slip the minds of all people that this meal is not uncommon in the shanty towns at the best of times as well as the worst, and only the Temple of Merida makes an effort to alleviate the situation by providing thick broths and hard bread for the people there.
Fashion
Clothing in the city is made from wool and linen and tends to be dyed red, green or, of course, blue. Black and purple cloth is very rare indeed and stands a mark of great wealth as does the presence of a great deal of leather, unless it's armour, or even a small amount of silk. Women wear long gowns that tie in various places with complicated knots and buckles, and head scarves. Men wear hose and long coats that end at the knee. Again, they are tied or buckled, owing to a lack of buttons. They wear round hats, which are often lined with fur. Both sexes layer their clothing, wearing plain linen undergarments under their richer outer clothing. One effect of this is that the outer clothing stays relatively clean as it collects the dirt from the street and the linen garments absorb the odours of the wearer.
In winter, cloaks become an obligatory form of clothing to keep out the cold. Made of the heaviest wool they are often lined to make them more waterproof and brightly dyed and patterned. Fur too, is common in this season and the pelts of bear, wolf, lion, beaver, and tiger are seen in Sharoban's streets as part of one piece of clothing or another. The rarest of these furs is the white wolf and as a consequence it is mostly commonly seen around the Keep and the Old City. The white wolf's fur is a sign of nobility and generally the entire skin will be used for a cloak, rather than simply lining a woollen one.
On holidays, everyone wears blue, especially on the annual celebration of the city's founding. Beyond that there is no particularly rhyme or reason to colour choices, though rich people often sport clothes with gold thread embellishments.
In terms of footwear, both men and women wear boots in the main, reserving less sturdy footwear for dances and parties. It is customary to change shoes upon arriving home, so as not to track the street inside. Most people wear either sandals or soft linen shoes about the house and it is considered rude not to wash your feet upon arriving home. Most households keep a jug and ewer of water by the front door. Apart from during the winter children often go barefoot or wear soft moccasins as it is not being seen as worth the money to purchase shoes that will have to be discarded within a season. In winter they wear hand me down boots, stuffed rags and straw. During the rainy season when the ground is often turned to mud, women wear pattens to keep their shoes free of mud and other things.
Turning to armour, the leather that does not end up in boots or horse's tack is boiled and turned into tough leather jerkins. Metal armour is still quite rare for common soldiers and chain armour coats are reserved for the important soldiers. Whilst there are stories of heavier armour, there is little appetite for such innovations in the city's military: Sharoban's fighting force is designed to fast and light; they depend on the ability to travel fast and anything that will slow them down is viewed with suspicion.
Traditions
Outside of the holy days there are many opportunities for the people of Sharoban to meet, socialise and fall in love. Whilst the winter drives people off the streets, spring and summer are the traditional time to meet and if you are lucky, fall in love. Taverns are permitted to stay open a few hours after sundown, creating a drinking culture that relies on drinking strong liqueur very fast. It's very popular with the young, but the Guard is less enthusiastic, just because of the amount of work it can make.
Dances are popular, whether they recall the traditions from before the city was founded, like the Blessing of the Orchards, where the young women dance amongst the trees until the point where the young men chase them, or are part of the burghers' established social calendars. The guilds hold dances for the journeymen and it is here that the strongest influence to arrange matches comes into play, as the guild masters try to find suitable matches for their proteges and to protect guild secrets. Consequently matches within guilds are the most common, with a few between allied guilds taking place every year.
The nobility hold dances too, but these are much more formal and carry different stakes. It is true that for the young the first dances of the season will often be the ones where their partners are selected by their families, and frequently where they find the people they will have quiet affairs with once they are married. But many of these parties have a political dimension that goes beyond affairs of the heart. Treaties and trade deals are discussed, diplomacy is practiced and the steps of the Great Game, which Sharoban tries so hard to stay out of are danced as deftly as the steps of the rondel.
Within military circles, the focus of socialising is usually the Dinner, taking the opportunity to gather about the table and share food and stories with comrades. Amongst the Wind Strikers there are two grand dinners, one at the start of the war season and the other at the end. Both are solemn affairs, where death is acknowledged tales of heroism exchanged and, to lighten the mood, games are played.
Next week we'll look at romance, marriage, childbirth and child rearing.
Food
Most people in the city eat simply, with a focus on soups and stews, black bread and porridge. They drink thin wine and mead, saving medvuka (a fermented honey drink with spices) for special occasions and the depths of winter. Kvass, a sort of liquid bread, is also drunk and often forms a sizable chunk of the poor's diet. The drink is so ubiquitous however that it is drunk for breakfast by pretty much everybody, and is supplemented by fruit or meat.
The local farms produce cabbages and root vegetables. There are species of stunted grains that managed to ripen despite the harshest wind, ensuring the city has rye and barley. The fine white breads and heavy fruit loaves favoured by the well off rely on imported grain and dried fruits from the west whilst noodles have been appropriated from eastern merchants and turned into a local delicacy. Local orchards grow apples and pears, which are seldom fermented as they are highly valued as fruit. The most common way for them to be consumed is with bread and honey.
In terms of meat, sheep and goat are favoured during the summer and beef during the winter after the herds have been culled. In times of great distress, horse is eaten, but they are generally considered too important to waste on mere food even when famine threatens. Much of the meat finds its way into pelmeni, meat-filled dumplings which are considered quite a delicacy, and on the city's high days haunches are cooked in porridge.
In contrast, when famine strikes many of the city's burghers are forced to subsist on a diet of birch bark pounded into pulp, mixed with husks and straw. An unsavoury meal at the best of time, it seems to slip the minds of all people that this meal is not uncommon in the shanty towns at the best of times as well as the worst, and only the Temple of Merida makes an effort to alleviate the situation by providing thick broths and hard bread for the people there.
Fashion
Clothing in the city is made from wool and linen and tends to be dyed red, green or, of course, blue. Black and purple cloth is very rare indeed and stands a mark of great wealth as does the presence of a great deal of leather, unless it's armour, or even a small amount of silk. Women wear long gowns that tie in various places with complicated knots and buckles, and head scarves. Men wear hose and long coats that end at the knee. Again, they are tied or buckled, owing to a lack of buttons. They wear round hats, which are often lined with fur. Both sexes layer their clothing, wearing plain linen undergarments under their richer outer clothing. One effect of this is that the outer clothing stays relatively clean as it collects the dirt from the street and the linen garments absorb the odours of the wearer.
In winter, cloaks become an obligatory form of clothing to keep out the cold. Made of the heaviest wool they are often lined to make them more waterproof and brightly dyed and patterned. Fur too, is common in this season and the pelts of bear, wolf, lion, beaver, and tiger are seen in Sharoban's streets as part of one piece of clothing or another. The rarest of these furs is the white wolf and as a consequence it is mostly commonly seen around the Keep and the Old City. The white wolf's fur is a sign of nobility and generally the entire skin will be used for a cloak, rather than simply lining a woollen one.
On holidays, everyone wears blue, especially on the annual celebration of the city's founding. Beyond that there is no particularly rhyme or reason to colour choices, though rich people often sport clothes with gold thread embellishments.
In terms of footwear, both men and women wear boots in the main, reserving less sturdy footwear for dances and parties. It is customary to change shoes upon arriving home, so as not to track the street inside. Most people wear either sandals or soft linen shoes about the house and it is considered rude not to wash your feet upon arriving home. Most households keep a jug and ewer of water by the front door. Apart from during the winter children often go barefoot or wear soft moccasins as it is not being seen as worth the money to purchase shoes that will have to be discarded within a season. In winter they wear hand me down boots, stuffed rags and straw. During the rainy season when the ground is often turned to mud, women wear pattens to keep their shoes free of mud and other things.
Turning to armour, the leather that does not end up in boots or horse's tack is boiled and turned into tough leather jerkins. Metal armour is still quite rare for common soldiers and chain armour coats are reserved for the important soldiers. Whilst there are stories of heavier armour, there is little appetite for such innovations in the city's military: Sharoban's fighting force is designed to fast and light; they depend on the ability to travel fast and anything that will slow them down is viewed with suspicion.
Traditions
Outside of the holy days there are many opportunities for the people of Sharoban to meet, socialise and fall in love. Whilst the winter drives people off the streets, spring and summer are the traditional time to meet and if you are lucky, fall in love. Taverns are permitted to stay open a few hours after sundown, creating a drinking culture that relies on drinking strong liqueur very fast. It's very popular with the young, but the Guard is less enthusiastic, just because of the amount of work it can make.
Dances are popular, whether they recall the traditions from before the city was founded, like the Blessing of the Orchards, where the young women dance amongst the trees until the point where the young men chase them, or are part of the burghers' established social calendars. The guilds hold dances for the journeymen and it is here that the strongest influence to arrange matches comes into play, as the guild masters try to find suitable matches for their proteges and to protect guild secrets. Consequently matches within guilds are the most common, with a few between allied guilds taking place every year.
The nobility hold dances too, but these are much more formal and carry different stakes. It is true that for the young the first dances of the season will often be the ones where their partners are selected by their families, and frequently where they find the people they will have quiet affairs with once they are married. But many of these parties have a political dimension that goes beyond affairs of the heart. Treaties and trade deals are discussed, diplomacy is practiced and the steps of the Great Game, which Sharoban tries so hard to stay out of are danced as deftly as the steps of the rondel.
Within military circles, the focus of socialising is usually the Dinner, taking the opportunity to gather about the table and share food and stories with comrades. Amongst the Wind Strikers there are two grand dinners, one at the start of the war season and the other at the end. Both are solemn affairs, where death is acknowledged tales of heroism exchanged and, to lighten the mood, games are played.
Next week we'll look at romance, marriage, childbirth and child rearing.
Saturday, 5 July 2014
Other Gods, Other Celebrations
Whilst there is no doubt that Merida is the Patron Goddess of Sharoban, other gods are worshipped here, to lesser or greater extents. Of the Luminal Pantheon, only one, Dywz, goes unmarked because his domain, the sea, sits several hundred leagues from the city in just about every direction. Veneration of the other gods often breaks down into small, focused groups that dedicate their worship to the deity through work, knowledge or celebration. Some receive small, but constant worship; for example Naia, the Goddess of Health and Clarity, has no major festivals within the city but her priests receive almost daily visits from the elderly, the ill, the lame and the guardians of people afflicted with madness. They maintain a small asylum on the main trade route, a few leagues west of the city, and it is here that their main temple stands, welcoming pilgrims.
.jpg)
Perhaps the most contentious part of Naia's worship is the way it is often conflated with the small rituals dedicated to the water spirit Liandra, who is said to have been instrumental in the city's creation. The spring Liandra guards bubbles up near Naia's temple and the cult is keen to attribute any healing from the waters to the Goddess rather than the undine. Within the city, Liandra has two days of worship; one at high summer and the other in the depths of winter. Both are water related and quite open. In high summer, people pray that there will be no drought, whilst in the winter they pray for the snow to melt and spring to come.
By contrast to both Goddess and undine, Korvin, the Artisan God, has a shrine in every craft hall and shop. The guilds take their worship of him very seriously and, in addition to a monthly offering, the most promising students are given the task of making 'tithe pieces' which will be offered up at a grand ceremony in the guild halls across the city at New Year. This is a great honour and a mark of both trust and respect in both the students' character and skill, which softens the blow of the ritual destruction the pieces undergo as part of the offering. Whilst the city may turn out for the festivities, the rites and practices surrounding the god's worship are kept secret and are often bound up in guild traditions. These are kept secret and safe from prying eyes, often even between rival artisans.
Equally secretive is the cult of Adol. Sequestered in the House of Fools for the most part, but with shrines wherever knowledge is gathered and maintained, the Knowledge God's worshippers are dedicated to keeping their discoveries secret. Another Guardian God, Adol's life was so secretive that nobody knows what he did to be granted his dominion. The tenets of his worship involve stockpiling information and knowledge to use against the Shadow until the most opportune moment to strike. In practice, this seems to have created a situation where his black-robed priests spy out every piece of gossip, tittle-tattle and rumour and lock it away 'just in case.' Whether anything they hide is of any use, only time will tell, but their reputation is as meddlers and spies; not even the city's leaders like to be around them too long. Like Korvin, their rites are secretive and lore hidden. The fear is that this is for reasons quite unlike the Artisan God's and hides something far more sinister.
Mycra's worship takes place out in the open, often literally. The Lady of Light, Beacon Lighter, Spear of the Sun and other accolades; Mycra is the leader of the Luminal Pantheon, a position legend says she assumed in the days of the Eclipse War. Unlike Alchnor she is not a ruler, but a leader; she gives no orders but pushes others to do their best. Within Sharoban's walls her worship is very much related to fire, with beacons burning through the night to keep the Shadow at bay and her holy days being marked by large bonfires. The tradition of fire leaping came to Sharoban from somewhere in the east and has been incorporated into Mycra's customs. Her largest festival is The Triumph, when the days become noticeably longer after the winter solstice. A large part of this festival now comprises the Wind Strikers and others leaping the flames, whilst bellowing challenges to the Shadow.
Lastly, we turn our attention to the Unnamed God, the Jailer of the Shadow. He is not officially worshipped in any guise, but a small group from all walks of life meet in the midnight hours to maintain the Vigil, a small ceremony that involves specific prayers to drive away evil. Much like Mycra's worship, this is the main focus of his ceremonies and it seems a wonder that the larger cult has not absorbed the smaller. However whilst Mycra is focused on keeping the dark away, the Unnamed God is dedicated to stamping it out. Linked with the moon in many places, including, the Unnamed God's worship is always nocturnal. Each phase has a different meaning to his followers and they are at their most vigilant during the new moon, fearing the Shadow gods will take advantage of the near total darkness to escape and bring ruin on the world. In other places, there are stories of the sun disappearing for the entire winter; here the small cult's vigils last the entire season and it is both an honour and a curse to be invited to participate.
Next time we return to life in Sharoban in general, with a discussion of food, clothing and the traditions that fill the city's life.
Perhaps the most contentious part of Naia's worship is the way it is often conflated with the small rituals dedicated to the water spirit Liandra, who is said to have been instrumental in the city's creation. The spring Liandra guards bubbles up near Naia's temple and the cult is keen to attribute any healing from the waters to the Goddess rather than the undine. Within the city, Liandra has two days of worship; one at high summer and the other in the depths of winter. Both are water related and quite open. In high summer, people pray that there will be no drought, whilst in the winter they pray for the snow to melt and spring to come.
By contrast to both Goddess and undine, Korvin, the Artisan God, has a shrine in every craft hall and shop. The guilds take their worship of him very seriously and, in addition to a monthly offering, the most promising students are given the task of making 'tithe pieces' which will be offered up at a grand ceremony in the guild halls across the city at New Year. This is a great honour and a mark of both trust and respect in both the students' character and skill, which softens the blow of the ritual destruction the pieces undergo as part of the offering. Whilst the city may turn out for the festivities, the rites and practices surrounding the god's worship are kept secret and are often bound up in guild traditions. These are kept secret and safe from prying eyes, often even between rival artisans.
Equally secretive is the cult of Adol. Sequestered in the House of Fools for the most part, but with shrines wherever knowledge is gathered and maintained, the Knowledge God's worshippers are dedicated to keeping their discoveries secret. Another Guardian God, Adol's life was so secretive that nobody knows what he did to be granted his dominion. The tenets of his worship involve stockpiling information and knowledge to use against the Shadow until the most opportune moment to strike. In practice, this seems to have created a situation where his black-robed priests spy out every piece of gossip, tittle-tattle and rumour and lock it away 'just in case.' Whether anything they hide is of any use, only time will tell, but their reputation is as meddlers and spies; not even the city's leaders like to be around them too long. Like Korvin, their rites are secretive and lore hidden. The fear is that this is for reasons quite unlike the Artisan God's and hides something far more sinister.
Mycra's worship takes place out in the open, often literally. The Lady of Light, Beacon Lighter, Spear of the Sun and other accolades; Mycra is the leader of the Luminal Pantheon, a position legend says she assumed in the days of the Eclipse War. Unlike Alchnor she is not a ruler, but a leader; she gives no orders but pushes others to do their best. Within Sharoban's walls her worship is very much related to fire, with beacons burning through the night to keep the Shadow at bay and her holy days being marked by large bonfires. The tradition of fire leaping came to Sharoban from somewhere in the east and has been incorporated into Mycra's customs. Her largest festival is The Triumph, when the days become noticeably longer after the winter solstice. A large part of this festival now comprises the Wind Strikers and others leaping the flames, whilst bellowing challenges to the Shadow.
Lastly, we turn our attention to the Unnamed God, the Jailer of the Shadow. He is not officially worshipped in any guise, but a small group from all walks of life meet in the midnight hours to maintain the Vigil, a small ceremony that involves specific prayers to drive away evil. Much like Mycra's worship, this is the main focus of his ceremonies and it seems a wonder that the larger cult has not absorbed the smaller. However whilst Mycra is focused on keeping the dark away, the Unnamed God is dedicated to stamping it out. Linked with the moon in many places, including, the Unnamed God's worship is always nocturnal. Each phase has a different meaning to his followers and they are at their most vigilant during the new moon, fearing the Shadow gods will take advantage of the near total darkness to escape and bring ruin on the world. In other places, there are stories of the sun disappearing for the entire winter; here the small cult's vigils last the entire season and it is both an honour and a curse to be invited to participate.
Next time we return to life in Sharoban in general, with a discussion of food, clothing and the traditions that fill the city's life.
Saturday, 28 June 2014
High Days and Holy Days: The Church of Merida
Sharoban's greatest temple is dedicated to the Guardian Maiden, who sacrificed herself to protect others and in doing so earned a place among the gods. Merida's worship sits at the centre of almost everything that goes on in the liturgical life of the city. Her temple contains shrines to the other Luminal Deities, though these are not as large or well tended as her main altar and their priests are most decidedly lower in the clerical food chain than her priesthood. As she is seen as a protector petitioners approach for all sorts of reasons, soldiers come to be blessed before battles, mothers seek her aid for unborn children; merchants offer tithes for safe transactions especially if there is a caravan involved. It is not unknown for thieves to pray for a safe, uneventful score when they have their eyes on a big prize. Despite the fact that originally Merida was strictly a war goddess, albeit with a protective slant, today she has become an all round defender of the weak regardless of their situation.
In the city's ordinary day to day life this means a number of things. The temple frequently blesses trade caravans to ensure safe journeys with neither men nor beasts harmed. This has become such a frequent request that younger priests are routinely sent to linger by the gates in case a traveller or merchant asks for a blessing as they are leaving the city. It also means that the priests have been present when raiders have attacked close to the gates and done their best to help out, and as there are days when the priests do nothing but stand around watching the flow of people in and out, they have also been able to point out things the guards miss when strange events occur. As a result a strange sort of camaraderie has grown up between the priests and the guards. A lot of this has focused on Brother August, a young cleric who has developed a close working relationship with the east gate's captain after he helped to defuse a situation with a peddler and a possessed marionette.
Elsewhere Merida's priests provide counsel, both to the normal people who ask for guidance in their lives and at a more political level. They are consulted on all sorts of matters, from the right time to grow crops to the healing properties of plants.
Merida's holy days are set about the seasons, each celebrating a particular aspect of her godhood or life. The summer solstice brings the celebration of her birth, Maiden Birth. A small crib with a straw infant is placed in the temple portico and candles are lit. As devotions are said and celebrations enacted the candles are left to burn throughout the day. The climax of the holy day is the ritualistic burning of the straw doll, marking Merida's presence in the world.
In autumn the church celebrates Merida's early life with a tourney of daring feats. This is not necessarily dedicated to combat and it is not uncommon for the contest to take place in the House of Fools to make use of their traps, puzzles and tricks. Over the years teams have emerged, often from the various walks of life across the city and competition is fierce. The team from the Blacksmith's guild won last year, but only because their leader Esfir the Bear, a huge woman, disabled the traps with her hammer wherever possible. Her master, Gerasom Gold Hand was somewhat taken aback by the bill the House presented him with a few days after the competition.
Winter marks the goddess's heroism in the years before she died. Across the continent this holy day takes many forms. In warmer climes there are re-enactments and plays to dramatise the events, whilst in the Jorvin Empire skalds recite long eddas regarding Merida's exploits. Sharoban has used this tradition for a long time, if only because the weather does not permit anything more energetic. The people who can gather in the temple or the keep and listen to the stories. Recently the event began to take on a competitive edge, as bards and minstrels competed to tell the best tales. Last year's champion was a woman, Dominika, whose rendition of Merida and the Golden Apples left the audience weeping with laughter.
The last of the church's great occasions is in late spring, just before the start of the war season. Maiden Fall feels jarring to many people because it occurs as the apple trees blossom and the fields are full of lambs. Life is spreading all around but Maiden Fall marks the date of of Merida's death. A quiet spreads across the city and a military procession winds through the streets as soldiers, mercenaries, and adventurers pay their respects to the goddess. This is the most martial of the church's holy days in one sense and it is the only time that weapons are permitted in the temple. At the same time the focus is very much on the fallen goddess and other people who have died in battle (and recently as a consequence of it) and the day is stark and full of mourning. No music plays during this ritual, every person who comes to the temple is left to their own thoughts and conscience. Maiden Fall has led to many soldiers, especially new recruits, leaving the army for other more peaceful occupations.
Next time we'll discuss the ways that the other gods are honoured in the city.
In the city's ordinary day to day life this means a number of things. The temple frequently blesses trade caravans to ensure safe journeys with neither men nor beasts harmed. This has become such a frequent request that younger priests are routinely sent to linger by the gates in case a traveller or merchant asks for a blessing as they are leaving the city. It also means that the priests have been present when raiders have attacked close to the gates and done their best to help out, and as there are days when the priests do nothing but stand around watching the flow of people in and out, they have also been able to point out things the guards miss when strange events occur. As a result a strange sort of camaraderie has grown up between the priests and the guards. A lot of this has focused on Brother August, a young cleric who has developed a close working relationship with the east gate's captain after he helped to defuse a situation with a peddler and a possessed marionette.
Elsewhere Merida's priests provide counsel, both to the normal people who ask for guidance in their lives and at a more political level. They are consulted on all sorts of matters, from the right time to grow crops to the healing properties of plants.
Merida's holy days are set about the seasons, each celebrating a particular aspect of her godhood or life. The summer solstice brings the celebration of her birth, Maiden Birth. A small crib with a straw infant is placed in the temple portico and candles are lit. As devotions are said and celebrations enacted the candles are left to burn throughout the day. The climax of the holy day is the ritualistic burning of the straw doll, marking Merida's presence in the world.
In autumn the church celebrates Merida's early life with a tourney of daring feats. This is not necessarily dedicated to combat and it is not uncommon for the contest to take place in the House of Fools to make use of their traps, puzzles and tricks. Over the years teams have emerged, often from the various walks of life across the city and competition is fierce. The team from the Blacksmith's guild won last year, but only because their leader Esfir the Bear, a huge woman, disabled the traps with her hammer wherever possible. Her master, Gerasom Gold Hand was somewhat taken aback by the bill the House presented him with a few days after the competition.
Winter marks the goddess's heroism in the years before she died. Across the continent this holy day takes many forms. In warmer climes there are re-enactments and plays to dramatise the events, whilst in the Jorvin Empire skalds recite long eddas regarding Merida's exploits. Sharoban has used this tradition for a long time, if only because the weather does not permit anything more energetic. The people who can gather in the temple or the keep and listen to the stories. Recently the event began to take on a competitive edge, as bards and minstrels competed to tell the best tales. Last year's champion was a woman, Dominika, whose rendition of Merida and the Golden Apples left the audience weeping with laughter.
The last of the church's great occasions is in late spring, just before the start of the war season. Maiden Fall feels jarring to many people because it occurs as the apple trees blossom and the fields are full of lambs. Life is spreading all around but Maiden Fall marks the date of of Merida's death. A quiet spreads across the city and a military procession winds through the streets as soldiers, mercenaries, and adventurers pay their respects to the goddess. This is the most martial of the church's holy days in one sense and it is the only time that weapons are permitted in the temple. At the same time the focus is very much on the fallen goddess and other people who have died in battle (and recently as a consequence of it) and the day is stark and full of mourning. No music plays during this ritual, every person who comes to the temple is left to their own thoughts and conscience. Maiden Fall has led to many soldiers, especially new recruits, leaving the army for other more peaceful occupations.
Next time we'll discuss the ways that the other gods are honoured in the city.
Saturday, 21 June 2014
On Gods and Creation
Let us pull back a little, away from Sharoban and its troubles and the steppes with their bitter winds and barren soil. Step outside the world for a moment and into the infinite, into the realm of the gods. We will explore a few of the gods here and talk about the various churches that worship them as well as establishing the mythology of the Eclipse War.
The people of the western kingdoms pray to a pantheon of ten deities, referred to as the Luminal Gods, and sometimes acknowledge an eleventh, nameless god referred to as 'the Gatekeeper' on their high days and holidays. The Church as a political entity has grown slowly from the far west, spreading through faith and the sword, the latter being almost inevitable as ideas clash. The position of the Church was secured when the Jorvin Empire accepted its tenets and Emperor Wilhelm bent his knee to the high priests who form the Council of Ten, the leaders of each of the gods' cults who work in unison to make the Church, as a political entity, function.
The Gods of Light
Alchnor the Pure is the god of kings, leaders and rulership. He is depicted as an elderly king usually seated on a throne. His church is diligent in upholding his rule and seeks out the followers of his opponent, Larros everywhere.
Merida the Guardian Maiden was once a warrior in the service of the Arkayan Emperor Marius. Beset by enemies she sacrificed herself to protect him, allowing him to escape an ambush set by his brother which would ultimately lead to the pantheon elevating her to the status of a Guardian Deity. She is set against Baluz the god of pain and cruelty, who slew the original Maiden.
Xella is the Goddess of Nature, dwelling in a flower meadow that is home to a thousand types of insects, birds and other species. Here there is death but it is only the necessary death that nature demands. Xella is seen as a pragmatic goddess as well as a loving one and many of her followers follow nature's example rather than that of mankind. There are frequent clashes between Xella and Alchnor's churches because of this.
At the other side there is the Shadow Pantheon, though only a few worship the dark deities that compose it. These gods are dedicated to everything that is dark and wicked. They delight in all improper things and encourage their followers to do likewise. Unlike the gods of light their worshippers are organised into cults and covens; there is no doubt that what they do, if not wrong, is frowned upon by the authorities.
The Shadow Pantheon
Baluz is craven and sadistic. He delights in slaughter and death, amused by the futility of war and the cries of the dying. His followers are frightening warriors who have no respect for life. Bandit kings, assassins, mercenaries; adventurers, these are his followers, people for whom the number of deaths they cause is more important than the lives they may save. He slaughtered Shayla during the Eclipse War and ruled battles and war unopposed until Merida was raised to the position of goddess.
The Hunter is one of the Chosen, the Shadow Pantheon's equivalent of the Guardian gods and goddesses. His name is lost to time and it is known that he was the first mortal to be promoted to the ranks of godhood. Where Xella is nature in its most beneficent the Hunter is the dark, feral side. He rivals Baluz in sadism and his followers are cruel to the things they kill.
Larros the Broken, a twisted deity at the best of times Larros lays claim not to one cult but two. In the first he takes the form of an authoritarian ruler who rules with a rod of iron and mistreats those he rules. A dark king he rules by fear, rather than trust and breaks his opponents before he will change. The second casts him as a seditious figure, working to overthrow authority by any means possible, whispering that the means justify the ends.
The Eclipse War
It is said that in the beginning the gods, weary from their labour of building the world, sat to rest and watch their new creation. They saw the first dragons hatch from their eggs and take wing. They watched as the world the dragons created rose to great heights but then fell under the encroaching glaciers that heralded the first ice age and how the mightiest of them fell into long slumbers.
They saw the first men take their steps towards becoming what the gods intended them to be.
It was as they watched this that they became aware of someone watching them in return. Looking down they saw their own shadows move, independently. They saw how hideous they were, the very opposites of what the Luminal Gods were. Where one was a defender of the weak, her opposite was a craven killer, where another desired healing, the shadow being was dedicated to sickness of mind, body and spirit. As the gods moved to confront their umbral nemeses the Shadow Pantheon reached towards the world. At their touch the first murder occurred. As their influence spread a forest fire destroyed the great forest leaving a swathe of desert in its wake.
Seeking to protect their creation the gods drew arms and battle broke out, with light and shadow fighting across the world, plunging the world into an eclipse that lasted for days. Battles raged on and on, the shadow gods conjured weapons of darkness and breathed life into dark followers. Their presence corrupted the spirits of the land and water, even darkening the hearts of many of the dragons, transforming them into monstrous engines of war. For their part the Luminal Gods drew their strength from the occluded star Tamor and called upon the loyal followers they had made to care for the world. In a climactic battle at Orm's Reach the two armies clashed, ripping and tearing at each other in a frenzy. Thorn soldiers from darkened forest spirits tore through the mountain kings, whilst a great dragon, Ember, called the Thrice Cursed*, spewed fire and death across the field. The Goddess of Protection, Shayla fell at the battle, the first of the gods to die, devoured by the dragon. Others followed at other battles, Maylon Wood, The Ashen Heights and Scarlet Reach, and each fracas left scars upon the world.
The War claimed the lives of six deities in total, leaving gaps in the pantheons that would not be filled for centuries. For the Luminal Gods the deities of Protection, Maclan the Just and Elya the Learned perished, whilst within the Shadow Pantheon the Nature goddess Jarria, also known as the Poison Queen died under the blows of Alchnor's mace. The other dark gods to die were Arkan the god of theft and ignorance and Myrr the god of Shadow.
The Western Church teaches that the innate nature of the gods allowed them to overcome their doppelgangers, driving them down into the Dark and sealing them there. It is said that the eleventh god, agreed to stay behind and act as jailer, forsaking his name to ensure that the Shadow Pantheon could not reach the world. Today that name is a closely guarded secret, known only to a select few.
It is not known what the shadow worshipping cults and covens teach their new recruits about the war's end but it is assumed that their doctrines have a different take on the matter.
Next time we will return to Sharoban to discuss the role of the Merida's church in the city.
*It is not known if this the same dragon Ember that ravaged the Jorn Islands five hundred years ago though the beast's three heads suggest that it may be so.
The people of the western kingdoms pray to a pantheon of ten deities, referred to as the Luminal Gods, and sometimes acknowledge an eleventh, nameless god referred to as 'the Gatekeeper' on their high days and holidays. The Church as a political entity has grown slowly from the far west, spreading through faith and the sword, the latter being almost inevitable as ideas clash. The position of the Church was secured when the Jorvin Empire accepted its tenets and Emperor Wilhelm bent his knee to the high priests who form the Council of Ten, the leaders of each of the gods' cults who work in unison to make the Church, as a political entity, function.
The Gods of Light
Alchnor the Pure is the god of kings, leaders and rulership. He is depicted as an elderly king usually seated on a throne. His church is diligent in upholding his rule and seeks out the followers of his opponent, Larros everywhere.
Merida the Guardian Maiden was once a warrior in the service of the Arkayan Emperor Marius. Beset by enemies she sacrificed herself to protect him, allowing him to escape an ambush set by his brother which would ultimately lead to the pantheon elevating her to the status of a Guardian Deity. She is set against Baluz the god of pain and cruelty, who slew the original Maiden.
Xella is the Goddess of Nature, dwelling in a flower meadow that is home to a thousand types of insects, birds and other species. Here there is death but it is only the necessary death that nature demands. Xella is seen as a pragmatic goddess as well as a loving one and many of her followers follow nature's example rather than that of mankind. There are frequent clashes between Xella and Alchnor's churches because of this.
At the other side there is the Shadow Pantheon, though only a few worship the dark deities that compose it. These gods are dedicated to everything that is dark and wicked. They delight in all improper things and encourage their followers to do likewise. Unlike the gods of light their worshippers are organised into cults and covens; there is no doubt that what they do, if not wrong, is frowned upon by the authorities.
The Shadow Pantheon
Baluz is craven and sadistic. He delights in slaughter and death, amused by the futility of war and the cries of the dying. His followers are frightening warriors who have no respect for life. Bandit kings, assassins, mercenaries; adventurers, these are his followers, people for whom the number of deaths they cause is more important than the lives they may save. He slaughtered Shayla during the Eclipse War and ruled battles and war unopposed until Merida was raised to the position of goddess.
The Hunter is one of the Chosen, the Shadow Pantheon's equivalent of the Guardian gods and goddesses. His name is lost to time and it is known that he was the first mortal to be promoted to the ranks of godhood. Where Xella is nature in its most beneficent the Hunter is the dark, feral side. He rivals Baluz in sadism and his followers are cruel to the things they kill.
Larros the Broken, a twisted deity at the best of times Larros lays claim not to one cult but two. In the first he takes the form of an authoritarian ruler who rules with a rod of iron and mistreats those he rules. A dark king he rules by fear, rather than trust and breaks his opponents before he will change. The second casts him as a seditious figure, working to overthrow authority by any means possible, whispering that the means justify the ends.
The Eclipse War
It is said that in the beginning the gods, weary from their labour of building the world, sat to rest and watch their new creation. They saw the first dragons hatch from their eggs and take wing. They watched as the world the dragons created rose to great heights but then fell under the encroaching glaciers that heralded the first ice age and how the mightiest of them fell into long slumbers.
They saw the first men take their steps towards becoming what the gods intended them to be.
It was as they watched this that they became aware of someone watching them in return. Looking down they saw their own shadows move, independently. They saw how hideous they were, the very opposites of what the Luminal Gods were. Where one was a defender of the weak, her opposite was a craven killer, where another desired healing, the shadow being was dedicated to sickness of mind, body and spirit. As the gods moved to confront their umbral nemeses the Shadow Pantheon reached towards the world. At their touch the first murder occurred. As their influence spread a forest fire destroyed the great forest leaving a swathe of desert in its wake.
Seeking to protect their creation the gods drew arms and battle broke out, with light and shadow fighting across the world, plunging the world into an eclipse that lasted for days. Battles raged on and on, the shadow gods conjured weapons of darkness and breathed life into dark followers. Their presence corrupted the spirits of the land and water, even darkening the hearts of many of the dragons, transforming them into monstrous engines of war. For their part the Luminal Gods drew their strength from the occluded star Tamor and called upon the loyal followers they had made to care for the world. In a climactic battle at Orm's Reach the two armies clashed, ripping and tearing at each other in a frenzy. Thorn soldiers from darkened forest spirits tore through the mountain kings, whilst a great dragon, Ember, called the Thrice Cursed*, spewed fire and death across the field. The Goddess of Protection, Shayla fell at the battle, the first of the gods to die, devoured by the dragon. Others followed at other battles, Maylon Wood, The Ashen Heights and Scarlet Reach, and each fracas left scars upon the world.
The War claimed the lives of six deities in total, leaving gaps in the pantheons that would not be filled for centuries. For the Luminal Gods the deities of Protection, Maclan the Just and Elya the Learned perished, whilst within the Shadow Pantheon the Nature goddess Jarria, also known as the Poison Queen died under the blows of Alchnor's mace. The other dark gods to die were Arkan the god of theft and ignorance and Myrr the god of Shadow.
The Western Church teaches that the innate nature of the gods allowed them to overcome their doppelgangers, driving them down into the Dark and sealing them there. It is said that the eleventh god, agreed to stay behind and act as jailer, forsaking his name to ensure that the Shadow Pantheon could not reach the world. Today that name is a closely guarded secret, known only to a select few.
It is not known what the shadow worshipping cults and covens teach their new recruits about the war's end but it is assumed that their doctrines have a different take on the matter.
Next time we will return to Sharoban to discuss the role of the Merida's church in the city.
*It is not known if this the same dragon Ember that ravaged the Jorn Islands five hundred years ago though the beast's three heads suggest that it may be so.
Saturday, 14 June 2014
Places in the Shanty Towns
Despite the way the shanty towns are treated by the city, there are people and places among the squalid buildings of interest and importance.
Mother Scarlet lives on the very edge of the northern shanty town. An old, bent woman, she has a reputation for being a witch and a wind caller. Nobody knows where she came from but her small shack, festooned with strings of bones that clatter in the almost constant wind that sweeps down from the north, is well known. For the local people she is a source of medicine and counselling; for people from within the city walls, especially women, she offers another service. Hers is the only place where an unwanted child can be discreetly got rid of, something she does through herbal tinctures and lotions.
This flies in the face of the orthodoxy handed down by the Church, which holds every life sacred whether born or not and hunts abortionists down. The Cult of Merida is less strict about the issue, but the other strands of the Church hold the act of abortion as something that only aids the Shadow Gods and therefore something that should be stamped out.
At present it is a mystery as to how Mother Scarlet has not been discovered and killed, frankly. Whilst her services are not widely advertised outside the shanty town even she has been surprised by the way her business has been ignored. There are rumours that a priest of Alchnor the Lord of Purity may be on his way east however and that could swing unwelcome light onto her practice.
The Smugglers operate from the eastern gate, though they have groups in all the towns and even within the city. Led by Markov the Gaunt they have become adept at spotting likely marks and exploiting them. Once stolen the goods are taken to a safe house near the central market, and stored in the cellar prior to being sold on the black market. Perhaps predictably this has led to the Roof Runners becoming aware of them and a number of shipments into the city have been disrupted as a consequence.
So far Markov has been able to deflect investigations into the smugglers' activities but knows that it is only a matter of time before something goes wrong. Unknown to his followers, he is also making secret plans to head south if the heat gets too much, hoping the presence of a dragon will mean he is not followed.
The southern shanty town is the home of a small, discreet still that brews a number of heady concoctions. Deprived of traditional brewing and distilling ingredients the brothers who run the still, Asha and Morr, use local alternatives, including moss, fern and nettle. The result will definitely get you drunk but you may regret the taste of the brew. Their whisky, which is sold in some of the inns in Sharoban itself, has a reputation for being a dangerous thing to drink. At least one person has gone blind from it and the brothers have had to fend off angry relatives on numerous occasions.
The still takes the form of a large shack just beyond the shanty town's official edge. The current version, the fourth, is a large, squat building with woven wicker walls. The brothers chose the design after the third, a stone outhouse, exploded. They reason wicker won't hurt as much as stone if this one goes the same way...
Anastasiy comes from a tribe that ranges in the eastern reaches of the steppes. A group of horsemen and raiders, their territory begins at the far edge of the Red Vein Mountains and extends as far as the Dyrkan Ridge, where the Witch Lands begin. His presence in the shanty town is something of a mystery, as is his tendency to hide whenever eastern caravans come to Sharoban, especially if his kinsmen travel with them.
In truth Anastasiy was a prince among his people until he went against the marriage his family has arranged with a young enchantress of the Witch Lands. In an overly dramatic act he waited until the betrothal feast to let his feelings be known - smashing the betrothal cup to the ground and daring to draw his sabre in his father's presence. Exiled and disgraced he fled west and found sanctuary in the shanty towns. He is still working out what he wants to do with his life, and for the moment he is just trying to keep his head down and stay hidden.
The Shrine: tucked away within the western shanty town the shrine takes the form of a man with antlers. Most people do not know what it is, assuming it to be a work of art that has somehow made its way there. In truth it is a statue of the Hunter, a Chosen god of the shadow pantheon. A small group of hunters and trackers venerate it, asking for assistance with their kills. In return they offer blood and meat to the god. Rarely, they offer the life of a man they have hunted.
Next time we'll look at the gods in more detail and explore how the two pantheons came into existence.
Mother Scarlet lives on the very edge of the northern shanty town. An old, bent woman, she has a reputation for being a witch and a wind caller. Nobody knows where she came from but her small shack, festooned with strings of bones that clatter in the almost constant wind that sweeps down from the north, is well known. For the local people she is a source of medicine and counselling; for people from within the city walls, especially women, she offers another service. Hers is the only place where an unwanted child can be discreetly got rid of, something she does through herbal tinctures and lotions.
This flies in the face of the orthodoxy handed down by the Church, which holds every life sacred whether born or not and hunts abortionists down. The Cult of Merida is less strict about the issue, but the other strands of the Church hold the act of abortion as something that only aids the Shadow Gods and therefore something that should be stamped out.
At present it is a mystery as to how Mother Scarlet has not been discovered and killed, frankly. Whilst her services are not widely advertised outside the shanty town even she has been surprised by the way her business has been ignored. There are rumours that a priest of Alchnor the Lord of Purity may be on his way east however and that could swing unwelcome light onto her practice.
The Smugglers operate from the eastern gate, though they have groups in all the towns and even within the city. Led by Markov the Gaunt they have become adept at spotting likely marks and exploiting them. Once stolen the goods are taken to a safe house near the central market, and stored in the cellar prior to being sold on the black market. Perhaps predictably this has led to the Roof Runners becoming aware of them and a number of shipments into the city have been disrupted as a consequence.
So far Markov has been able to deflect investigations into the smugglers' activities but knows that it is only a matter of time before something goes wrong. Unknown to his followers, he is also making secret plans to head south if the heat gets too much, hoping the presence of a dragon will mean he is not followed.
The southern shanty town is the home of a small, discreet still that brews a number of heady concoctions. Deprived of traditional brewing and distilling ingredients the brothers who run the still, Asha and Morr, use local alternatives, including moss, fern and nettle. The result will definitely get you drunk but you may regret the taste of the brew. Their whisky, which is sold in some of the inns in Sharoban itself, has a reputation for being a dangerous thing to drink. At least one person has gone blind from it and the brothers have had to fend off angry relatives on numerous occasions.
The still takes the form of a large shack just beyond the shanty town's official edge. The current version, the fourth, is a large, squat building with woven wicker walls. The brothers chose the design after the third, a stone outhouse, exploded. They reason wicker won't hurt as much as stone if this one goes the same way...
Anastasiy comes from a tribe that ranges in the eastern reaches of the steppes. A group of horsemen and raiders, their territory begins at the far edge of the Red Vein Mountains and extends as far as the Dyrkan Ridge, where the Witch Lands begin. His presence in the shanty town is something of a mystery, as is his tendency to hide whenever eastern caravans come to Sharoban, especially if his kinsmen travel with them.
In truth Anastasiy was a prince among his people until he went against the marriage his family has arranged with a young enchantress of the Witch Lands. In an overly dramatic act he waited until the betrothal feast to let his feelings be known - smashing the betrothal cup to the ground and daring to draw his sabre in his father's presence. Exiled and disgraced he fled west and found sanctuary in the shanty towns. He is still working out what he wants to do with his life, and for the moment he is just trying to keep his head down and stay hidden.
The Shrine: tucked away within the western shanty town the shrine takes the form of a man with antlers. Most people do not know what it is, assuming it to be a work of art that has somehow made its way there. In truth it is a statue of the Hunter, a Chosen god of the shadow pantheon. A small group of hunters and trackers venerate it, asking for assistance with their kills. In return they offer blood and meat to the god. Rarely, they offer the life of a man they have hunted.
Next time we'll look at the gods in more detail and explore how the two pantheons came into existence.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)