• Out of Character • Players' Development Forum

[Thessaly]

Sfelte's Funerary Services

Sfelte's funeral home, the premier funerary services offered in the city, has been standing for nearly thirty arcs. The owner and proprietor, Dagon Sfelte, has been in the city plying his craft for that long. From a long line of physicians and morticians, Dagon has traveled the world in search of answers to nature's most puzzling question: What happens after death? While the building itself is well kept and posh for its surroundings, it is old and somewhat ominous once inside. Three levels, one of which is the basement in which the corpses are prepared for either burial or cremation.

Upon entering, one is immediately greeted by the smell of cloves and cinnamon, mostly to mask the chemicals used below in order to preserve corpses and the smell of burning bodies. There are plush chairs, newly upholstered once an arc, in the current fashion of Etzos. Six rooms sit off of the circular lobby, each with its own function. The primary room to the direct north of the entrance is Dagon's office, which is richly decorated and contains many volumes on anatomy of the races and furniture befitting a man of his middling wealth. A desk-sized map of Idalos sits on his desk, with pins dyed specific colours to denote the central hubs of society, and a few smaller silver pins dedicated to "outlying" tribes and peoples. This colour coding is known only to Sfelte and his apprentices, but pertains specifically to which funerary rites each location prefers, to provide a more intimate rite.

The second, third and fourth rooms are circular viewing rooms, meant for the loved ones of the deceased to say their own personal goodbyes before burial or cremation. Sparsely decorated, each room serves its function plainly, and there are only a smattering of wooden chairs for those not actively saying their goodbyes to sit and wait their turns. Small easels stand in each room, one for each, where a painting of the deceased may sit if the family has the money and desire for one to be produced.

The fifth room is set for refreshments, where grieving families can gather after they say their final words and eat and drink together. The food offered is often only finger foods, not a full meal, though Sfelte has been known to cater in feasts for the particularly affluent. There is a long dining table and multiple chairs, and the room remains dark and empty when the services are not being offered.

The final room is off to the side, and is often used as storage for extra chairs and the like. Dagon himself has the only key, though it is rumoured that there are magicked items that he buries or burns with the bodies, pertaining to whichever Immortal or religious beliefs they practice. This room is secretive, and guests are not shown inside.

The top floor is divided into two essential purposes. The forward Display Room houses the caskets that Sfelte offers for burial, as well as the urns in multiple metals and intricacies for the families to choose. Because Sfelte does not craft these himself, there is often a casketmaker or metallurgist in attendance when showing the family, often handled before the ceremony of last rites.

The rear section is guarded by a beautifully crafted Cambria wood door leading to a long chamber of individual niches provided for those that practice Signalism. Those that wish to, may locate their loved one's "lighthouse" in this peaceful, ornate and secure location. Despite the security this stone building offers, many feel that the intimacy of the home eases the confusion and suffering of the lost soul.

The entire endeavor is protected by mandates of the Old Guard faction, who has always protected the right of private worship of Immortals in Etzos.

Prices of Services Offered

Each casket is priced individually, dependent on the size and materials taken in. Basic pine coffins are 50gn, and the price goes up from there. Contact a Prophet if you have questions about more intricate caskets and their costs.

Burial costs anywhere from 700-1,000gn depending on the plot chosen, with the more expensive being in nicer areas of the graveyard. Basic plots are dug by a gravedigger, and the casket is lowered in full view of the family, should they choose. This is only for plots within the grounds belonging to the site itself, which are extensive. Burial services conducted outside the city in the public cemetery is much cheaper, going generally for 1-200gn, but there is no maintenance of the site, or headstone provided. There is space for mausoleums to be constructed, but construction is not provided by the funeral home and lease of the space must be maintained at a cost of 50gn per season.

Cremation is often free, and scattering of the ashes is left up to the family. If they should choose to keep the remains, they may purchase an urn for anywhere between 100gn to 400gn. The more expensive, the more ornate the urn.

Transport of the body from any of the outlying towns or inside Etzos itself is included in the burial cost, and for those wishing to be cremated, the body may be transported for anywhere from 50-300gn. Time allotment and weather dictate if a body may be transported.

The specific funerary rites of each race, Immortal or religion are included for free. Sfelte himself performs these rites.

NPC's

Name: Dagon Sfelte
Age: 53 Arcs
Origin: Etzos, Central Idalos
Skills: 100 Medicine, 90 Surgery
80 Sociology, 60 Chemistry
40 Etiquette, 40 Linguistics

Biography: Born in Etzos to a rather wealthy family of physicians, the Sfeltes, Dagon took his interest in funerary studies from an early age. While his family practiced their craft on living beings, Dagon was drawn to the world's greatest question: Was there life after death? At the age of eighteen arcs, Dagon enrolled in the Etzori Academy and set to studying religious practices, as well as medicine and surgery. He studied abroad, traveling to all the majour cities in Idalos to learn and understand the funerary practices for each place. With the wealth of knowledge gained over a decade of traveling, Sfelte returned to Etzos to provide his services to the city.

Credit: Thessaly

Sfelte's Funerary Services
Approved by Maltruism

[Torqin]

Lowgarden

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Lowgarden

Nestled on both sides of the Southwood River is a new, burgeoning town known as Lowgarden. This town spawned out of the project to begin expanding and improving the Outlying Cities of Etzos. It was founded by a middle aged couple on Vhalar 31st 717, Jaqueria and Monard. While not married by any official government or religious standards, the two were as close, if not more so, than any man and wife. Both had recently retired from their own jobs, hers being a docks manager from Etzos proper, him being a shipping captain. They had talked for many arcs about how strange it was that there were no towns along Southwood enroute to Etzos.

So they made one.

They started with a simple set of docks, a tavern, and their shared home. In just under an arc, the town began to grow rapidly, borne of the traffic of riverworkers, farmers to the northeast and those who worked the quarry. But most of these people were temporary populace, there to rest, eat, and enjoy a respite along their travels. The permanent population was slow to grow, for while the small town was fun, it had little basis in history. Many didn't wish to start in the mud around the river, to cater to people, for the town has little in the way of its own resources beyond small local farms and fishing.

But still, it grew, drawing in a high percentage of foreigners. Many non-natives found their way to Lowgarden, becoming fishermen, dockworkers, opening small inns and taverns. The majority of industry is giving a place to sleep, food to eat, and beer to drink to those simply passing through.

All was not well in Lowgarden, and in Saun of 718, Jaqueria and Monard split up. It was the biggest gossip in a town that frankly had very little of it to begin with. Jaqueria took the eastern half of the town, operating it as the mayor, while Monard took the western half, also as mayor. While the two halves are mostly similar, they drew a divide in the town. To this trial, the eastern half tends to get the majority of dockworkers and quarriers for its business, while the western half gets more farmers and shipworkers. The former couple still have spats, sometimes yelling in town, sometimes undermining the other's business and political interests.

The town itself is not yet large, and is of equal size on both sides of the river. No permanent bridges have yet been built that would be large enough for ships to pass beneath, so a ferry system is used to transport people and goods from either side. The majority of the homes and such are built from the cheapest stone the quarry digs up, coupled with some wood and clay tiles. Beyond the immediate embankment of the river there are many canals through the town, for it is within an extremely low point in the river, so water is ever prevalent. Stone pathways were carved, and small rope and wood bridges currently exist.

And while the people of Lowgarden are mostly foreigners, they, as a whole, do not appear to be wishing to go against the Etzori ways. They work hard for their money, they do not openly worship Immortals nor tolerate such heresy. Mostly these immigrants keep their heads down, eager to make money from this new opportunity in Etzos, though most find themselves still in poverty. For while the town is growing, outside of the two mayors, not many have made much wealth yet. But the belief is still alive, in the hopes that they will be the next Foster's Landing.

Extra Resource

Updated map if this gets approved

Credit: Torqin

Lowgarden
Approved by Maltruism

[Kasoria]

Westguard

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Westguard

Much like Foster's Landing on the opposite side of Etzori land, the town of Westguard has swelled and thrived over the arcs thanks to its key location. But unlike the Landing - which would still be a paltry settlement like it's older, southern sibling Middlecleft, if not for its unparalleled access to the Orm'del Sea - Westguard has more than just economic importance going for it. It's strategic nature makes it one of the most heavily-fortified of the outlying Etzori towns, perhaps the most fortified outside of the populated fortresses that the southern towns have become since the war with the Rhakros. In addition, being the first sign of Etzori civilization anyone coming from the west comes into contact with, there is quite the onus on the townspeople to impress, educate, warn (and if necessary, intimidate) visitors about the Free and Independent City-State of Etzos.

Trade, geography, military significance, and cultural emphasis. All of these factors have combined into a perfect elixir to grow a border town on the river into a powerhouse that hopes to one day rival its mother city in importance.

Westguard was founded not long after Etzos itself, and some historians contend that the township came first. Located next to fresh water and easily defensible, it would have been a fine spot for a city... but then vast gem deposits were found under the Etzos plateau, and any question as to which location would dominate the region was laid to rest. However, Westguard has still been seen as crucially important by the High Council. In the early trials, this was because of the Fields of Gauthrel.

Stretching across a huge swath of the Western Continent, the Fields are feared across the world for breeding some of the most horrific and tenacious monsters imaginable. The Eastern Fields are largely civilized now, and even centuries ago, Hiladrithi territory and thus hunters and military forces acted as an important buffer between the monstrous packs and Etzori citizens... but such a place can never be truly tamed. In the same way, such abominations can never be relied upon to be turned back or killed before they cross Hiladrithi land and reach Westguard.

A clutch of Haggen-Fohl, a handful of Feron's monstrous spirits, even a single dreaded Lurker of the Plain, would be more than enough to devastate the town and slaughter hundreds or thousands, then continue pillaging and butchering deep into Etzori territory. For this reason, the town has always been surrounded by stone walls and the militia there is always on duty. An Arm of the Etzori Army is always stationed there, and the well-maintained road network around the town ensures that when rotation does come about, it is always done quickly and with as little undefended window as possible.

Such strength and stoutness produced a bulwark in the wilderness, which is always appreciated by the traders of the world. Fortunately for Westguard, the city sits upon not one but three major trade routes: the river-bound route from Ne'haer to Hiladrith, the land route from Argos to Hiladrith and, of course, the outward traffic from Eztori caravans and trading expeditions traveling southwest. As a result, Westguard has boomed into a cosmopolitan town of tens of thousands, where many citizens of the nations and states congregate, even if only for a trial or two, while they rest their bones before traveling onward. There are even those in the Mayor's office who crow that if ever the Westguard-Etzori road is ever completed, making Westguard the unavoidable stop between the southwestern nations and Eztori itself, the town will grow to a city within a matter of seasons, not arcs.

Such an influx of trade and outside culture has made for quite an eclectic town, but always one that remembers where their loyalties lie. The ruling powers of Westguard are loyal to Eztos Prime, and brook no argument when it comes to "properly informing" newcomers about Eztori... expectations. Worship of Immortals is strongly discouraged and their priests can expect a cold reception bordering on outright hostility. There are always soldiers on patrol, letting the foreigners know that the power of Etzos is not just in gems or trade, but in steel and martial ability.

Yet despite this cultural posturing, Westguard boasts many families and residents with lineage that mingles the blood of several nations and peoples. The Old Guard faction of Etzos keeps a staunch presence in Westguard, and the people there are known to be much more understanding and flexible when it comes to certain alien influences. After all, they are the Gateway to Etzos, not the city herself; what harm is it done if a few harmless practices are ignored, as long as the practitioners know to stow such chicanery when they reach the Big Rock proper?

There are many, though, who think this melting pot attitude is going too far. There has been friction reported between the military men long-posted to Westguard, and the mercantile politicians who rule it. After the incursions and atrocities of 716, military commanders have complained that the Mayor's "come one, come all, and bring your money!" attitude has left Westguard too exposed to infiltration and attack. They've been conducting increased patrols around the border and the rich farmlands around the river, hunting down scattered monsters from the Fields. The overall military commander for Westguard has even demanded that the civilian militia be given further training and expanded to include surveillance and observation of visitors, regardless of the cost. As far as the Etzos Army is concerned, war is coming, and if Westguard is not on the front line, it will still be essential for reinforcement and resupply for the forces fighting elsewhere.

The politicians, bankers, traders, and businessmen have different opinions. While they all profess (and in most cases truly hold) loyalty to Etzos Prime, generations of exposure to Hiladrith, Argos, and Ne'haer have softened the rabidly anti-Immortal stance of the mother city knocked into them, and the latent xenophobia that comes with it. Similar to Lowgarden, Westguard now houses a few thousand immigrants that call the town home, and a definite "ethnic quality" has seeped its way into the character of the town. One faction of Westguard embraces this diversity; the other distrusts it. One side believes that the current martial presence is more than enough to effectively police the town and the scores of small farms around it; the other believes just as fervently that Westguard is changing too much and too quickly.

Time will tell which side is proven correct.

Credit: Kasoria

Westguard
Approved by Maltruism

[Kasoria]

Muster

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Muster

It would be safe to say that without the vast open fields surrounding it, the town of Muster would not exist. Not because they are such fine soils for livestock grazing or crop growth, nor because they make for perfect surfaces for roads. No, it was the very size and flatness of the open space themselves that proved so valuable to the ruling powers of Etzos, or more narrowly, the Marshalls of the Etzori Army.

One fine trial, these men pored over a map of the Etzori territories and poked their fingers at a spot of land perfectly positioned for gathering together and deploying outward the entirety of the Etzori Army, if necessary. But location was not enough: the landscape would have to be amenable to the idea.

These commanders found the land flat, open, unspoiled by rivers and hills and crevices. They looked upon it, and said it was good. Forever after, these plains have been churned and pockmarked and ravaged by thousands and now tens of thousands of Eztori soldiers gathering on them. Coming together in their Wings and Arms, provisioned and rested and given their orders, before leaving once again. And like a snail that leaves a silver trail, a town grew in the aftermath of this decision. It started small, much as one would expect. Then the steady influx of soldiers and auxiliaries and assorted civilians that follow armies like remora fish to whales showed the rest of Etzos just how lucrative such a place could be.

It grew. It expanded. It refined and mutated and dirt roads became cobbles and wooden palisades became stone walls. And the name of this place? Why, Muster, of course.

One might argue that there are more militarized towns in Etzos, but few could dispute that this would be the only town spawned by the military itself. First it was taverns and stables, places for men and animals as the roads were being constructed to and from the area. Then it was grocery stores and blacksmiths, then housing for all concerned, and like that, a town had been born and it keeps on growing. In fairness, its size was limited due to the fact that the unseen hand of market forces and human appetites of five thousand men could only be nourished by so many businesses, whores, taverns, stores, and other such locations. Muster was a town in its own right, with paved roads and local government and a militia garrison to keep order throughout the arc and defend the walls surrounding it, but there was little to suggest it would grow any larger.

Then 716 rolled around, and with the eruption of fresh outrages to the south, the Eztori Army was redeployed in full strength... and its numbers were increased by tenfold. Five thousand suddenly became fifty thousand, and Muster became one of the central hubs of his new recruitment, training, armament, and deployment explosion. The town is fast becoming a city, with tens of thousands of people flocking to it and new housing being constructed every season to accommodate them. Most are civilians, ranging from the families of soldiers to engineers, hunters, healers, mapmakers, artisans, cooks, servants and even mages that follow an army wherever it goes. But many are there to stay, planting their flag of commerce in rich soil and hoping to strike it rich.

While the Mayor of Muster is quick to crow that nowhere has such a familiarity and thus appreciation for the brave boys of the Etzori Army, even he would find it hard to deny (at least outright) that a substantial "shadow economy" has flourished under the surface of the town. Soldiers throughout history have always provided work for whores, gambling dens, alehouses and, at the darker end of the spectrum, amoral men seeking stolen arms for sale and muscle for hire. Muster's underworld has exploded in recent arcs, as whole platoons of whores attend to the swollen Army and gambling parlors seem to sprout up in the basements of every other tavern. Loan sharks and drug peddlers circle like vultures, although the latter find less custom that one would expect: commanding officers may allow sex and drink and games of chance, but soldiers who neglect their duties due to drug-addled uselessness will soon find themselves grievously punished and discharged in disgrace, possibly to end up in Highbend.

This unseemly aspect of Muster society is, however, but a parcel of fleas on quite the healthy hound. The Marshalls generally do not care what lowborn soldiers do as long as it doesn't effect their effectiveness as soldiers. Their concern is the town itself, and just like at the very beginning, they are content with the edifice they and classic Etzori entrepreneurship has produced. Muster is well-defended and well-located, the center of a pentagram with Westguard, Southguard, Relay, Lowgarden, and Eztos Prime as the points. From there, soldiers can be rapidly deployed to any territory Etzos counts as its own. Well-maintained roads and an efficient messenger system ensure that this is a timely process, and as long as Eztos has enemies surrounding it, Muster will be a busy place.

Credit: Kasoria

Muster
Approved by Maltruism

Outstanding!
You'll note I did take some liberties with the images.
I'm sorry, but there was way too much forest and hills (as well as cars!) in your first image.
I placed two, as a sort of "before" and "after" 716 comparative.
I also added a statement that disgraced soldiers might get sent to Highbend as punishment.

[Kasoria]

Relay

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Relay

"Stores, Stables, Soldiers, an' Shit-Reekin' Saddle Jockeys. That's what Relay's known fer."
- Amadeus Crux, entrepreneur and town alderman

While Etzos is undoubtedly the heart of the Etzori lands (not to mention the mind, soul, and purse, as well), Foster's Landing the gateway to the East, Westguard the same for the West and, arguably, Muster the practical home of the Etzori Army, the linchpin for all communication and supply for the territories is currently and most definitely Relay. Much like Muster, the clue is in the name, and if language isn't your strong point, a simple glance at a map of Etzos and its holdings will tell you just as much. Relay was settled arcs ago for its central location, being a perfect stopping point for many trade, exploratory, military, and administrative expeditions. For many of those years, it was the furthest reach, the very edge of Etzori civilization, and southward was naught but savagery and wilderness.

Of course, times changed, and as the borders were pushed back and more land colonized, new towns sprouted up in the wilds between Etzos and Ne'haer. Relay didn't become a ghost town by any means, but its essential importance was slowly eroded. It was less a linchpin as it was a passing-through town. Crosston to the south-west became the crucial spot for the Southern Territories, like Foster's became for the East and Westguard for the West. With Etzos Prime dominating every inch of the North, Relay became another drab, stagnant settlement sustained by through traffic and a convenience of geography.

But times changed again, and the bloody doom of Crosston became an unspoken but undeniable boon to the future of Relay.

The desolation of Crosston in 716a meant that the critical junction of logistics for the Southern Territory of Etzos had been wiped out. A half-dozen settlements relied on that burgeoning bastion for food, clothing, livestock, weapons, trained personnel, building tools, and the innumerable means of communication and messaging that societies were built on. In one horrific incident, this hub was ripped out from the guts of the territory, and for a terrible season, chaos reigned in the South. But the leaders of Relay swiftly stepped into the void, pushing their citizens to explode outward and take up the slack that the sacking of Crosston had left. Word was sent back to the capital city that while one town had fallen, another would rise with the passion and vigor of two. Relay would once again become the hinge on which all traffic in the South rested on, for the good of all Etzori.

Such were the noble words and high ideals the common folk were told. Mayhap there is truth to them, for civic pride is a trait even wretched examples of the Etzori seem to possess. But the rulers of Relay knew full well an opportunity when they saw it. That thousands in Crosston had to die was tragic, but there was potential there nonetheless. Fordwell, Darington, Bolstrum, even Southguard, well over a hundred thousand people, now depended on their town for all their commerce, since the main road heading South went through their town.

Patriots though they were, and are, there was no way they'd not wring every drop of prestige, influence, and precious nel out of this chance that they could.

In the past two arcs, Relay has nearly doubled in size, both in population and urbanization. Dozens of warehouses, grain silos, lodging houses, stables, trading posts, blacksmiths, and even banks and guild chapters have sprung up in that time. The town resounds at all times with the clang and cry of industry. Unlike Westguard, though, there is little of ease or respite or cultural appropriation in Relay. Here is where those aimed at further destinations pass through to feed, to spend maybe a night in sleep, and then plow onward. Here is where tens of thousands of messages every season flutter by, going from rider to rider in endless chains of galloping communication. The message carriers of Relay have become renowned for their horsemanship and tenacity, with their stout ponies bred and conditioned to ride for breaks at a canter or at least a healthy, steady walk. Huge, windowless warehouses packed with supplies and goods of all sorts have risen like grand temples to commerce, though they're not full for long. Caravans and supply expeditions pass through Relay every trial, and the engineers of the town have become experts in maintaining all the roads and byways to ensure efficient, constant traffic. Thousands of soldiers have marched through the streets, pitched camps in the pastures around it, emptied their purses into the taverns and brothels and gaming halls and cafes.

There is no true night in Relay, for the business of supplying half a nation never sleeps. A cottage industry in ear plugs and sleeping masks has proven quite profitable over the arcs, not to mention essential, considering the roar of thousands of animals and men never ceases.

The town government has not been idle in this time, either. They've been steadily petitioning Etzos for more public funding, to develop the lands around Relay to feed its citizens, its visitors, it's flowering growth and (though they always insist this is mere useful side-benefit) long-term development of cash crops and workshops. The older generation in Relay remembers stories from their own elders and even has personal memories of when the town began to decline, replaced and made redundant by new settlements. They're grabbing as much power and profit as they can from the fall of Crosston, but they're not so blind to history and progress both that they think it will last forever. Relay is growing and swollen and crucial right now, but the rebirth of Crosston and the stabilization of the South against the Shadow Witch's forces will happen. They are determined not to be bypassed again, and that Relay will prosper by itself, without reliance on the comings and goings of others.

Credit: Kasoria

Relay
Approved by Maltruism

This is Sooooo approved!

[Llyr Llywelyn]

Trust & Fair Appraisal and Valuation Services

Founded by Richard Trust and Jenifry Fair in Arc 569, this family business has come a long way from the starting trials while operating out of a small home in the Outer Perimeter.

With an impeccable reputation for third-party evaluations, Trust & Fair grew their business from residential and insurance claims, to taxation assessments, to development and planning strategies for local businesses. They notarize their assessment reports and are well-regarded in the Etzori courts in cases of arbitration between conflicted parties. Often, judges will order an evaluation from Trust & Fair to decide divisions of assets in the case of inheritance, argument, or otherwise.

Since the founding, Trust & Fair has expanded operations. Their headquarter office moved to the Commercial Ring in Arc 594 and has been remodeled twice since then.

The business itself has been passed down through the generations. Jenifry Fair’s eldest son (Elmond Fair) and Richard Trust’s youngest daughter (Sowena Trust) were wed and the two families merged into what is now-known as the wealthy Fairtrust family. The current incarnation of the business is owned by their descendant, Merrin Fairtrust.

The front entrance opens to a reception foyer. If a person does not have an appointment, this is where they can schedule a consultation. Drop-ins are highly discouraged, and actively scorned, and it is considered common etiquette to send word ahead by several trials if one wishes to meet in-person. Consultations are not free, though they are reasonably priced if a person is willing to wait for an appointment. The more immediate the need, the more costly the fees will be.

If a potential client, or visitor, manages to get past the iron double doors behind the receptionist desk, they will find themselves in a red-carpeted hallway that splits into three paths.

At the end of the left corridor is a locked iron-bar door with a spiral stairwell. It leads to a basement that stores administrative filings and records. On the right corridor are several narrow doors that each lead into various small studies, work rooms, and employee offices.

Straight ahead, the majority of clients will be led to an immaculate office with one chair meant for Merrin Fairtrust (or Spring Hale, depending). Clients are expected to stand during the consultation, though exceptions are made for those of wealthier status. Each consultation lasts exactly the length of a sand-timer that is flipped as soon as the visitor walks through the door. If the timer requires to be flipped again, all fees are doubled. Rarely does the timer ever flip a third time.

There are three other exits to the building, but that is employee-only knowledge, and thus why employees are rarely seen going through the foyer or main entrance. This has given to many rumors over the decades about hidden doors in the record chambers of the basement.

In the aftermath of the Lisirra assault on Etzos in Ymiden 719, Trust & Fair lost the majority of their employees. This left the core family to operate the business and they are struggling with the steadily increasing workload during the rebuilding of Etzos. There is a waiting list for consultations, of which the meetings have been reduced to even briefer times allotted in attempt to keep up with the demand.

Types of Services

There are a great range of services offered by Trust & Fair, ranging from business valuations to residential appraisals to third-party judgment of insurance claim values. They also perform consultations regarding investments, potential liquidity or merger development, estate planning, and providing litigation support on contracts. Other general areas offered are business, residential, damages, losses, antiques, estates, investments, assets, fraud detection, loan accumulation (for creditors usually, not debtors), and taxes.

Trust & Fair prides themselves as a professional, accurate, and established local business. They encourage employees to gain Licentiate from the Academy, with accreditation in Business, Trade & Commerce, and Diplomacy & Law (Etzos Law). Trust & Fair offer accredited experts in their company to assure the quality of all valuations performed for clients.

The common procedure that is followed:

1. Consultation Appointment
2. Cost Estimates for Services
3. Order (and prices) Agreed on
4. Contract Notarized
5. Scheduled Valuation
6. Inspection Appointment
7. Report Compiled
8. Quality Checked by either Merrin Fairtrust (or Spring Hale)
9. Report Notarized
10. Final Notary Report Delivered

NPCs

Name: Merrin Fairtrust
Age, Race, Gender: 73-Arc-old, Human Male.
Skills: 76 Business Management, 54 Appraisal, 36 Intelligence, 35 Etiquette, 34 Detection, 30 Politics, 25 Leadership, 15 Teaching
Biography: Accredited with a Licentiate in Business and Etzos Law through the Etzos Academy, Merrin used to teach at the educational establishment. He doesn’t anymore, due to enough student complaints about his harsh grading practices - with only a 10% passing rate in his classes. Since then, he settled into his family's business with a grumble and a mean eye for inaccuracies or errors in any reports. His wayward grandson, Jameson, is to inherit, but is currently traveling the world.
FC: David Bradley.

Name: Spring Hale
Age, Race, Gender: 39-Arc-old, Mixed Biqaj/Human Female.
Skills: 76 Appraisal, 44 Business Management, 35 Negotiation, 30 Research, 27 Etiquette, 13 Intelligence
Biography: The bastard daughter of Merrin. Technically the day manager of Trust & Fair, she doesn’t own any of the business though she is well-known as performing most of the responsibilities. She’s been working at her father’s business for about twenty arcs. Accredited in Trade & Commerce and Etzos Law, she oversees most operations and occasionally takes on direct work herself. She is the representative of Trust & Fair, if required to present a report within the courts.
FC: Chloë Sevigny.

Name: Clover Hale
Age, Race, Gender: 20-Arc-Old, Human (1/4 Biqaj) Female.
Skills: 76 Research, 35 Appraisal, 34 Writing, 25 Rhetoric, 15 Bookbinding, 15 Etiquette.
Biography: The daughter of Spring Hale, father unknown, she started as a messenger and courier when younger, but now has taken on a lot of various work. Clover is recognized as a pleasantly ambitious girl. She currently attends the Academy and is working for her Charter in Diplomacy and Law, focused on Etzos Law, though she hopes to expand to Trade & Commerce coursework soon. However, most of her time is spent handling the administrative upkeep of Trust & Fair.
FC: Elle Fanning.


Credit: Llyr

Trust & Fair Appraisal and etc.
Approved by Maltruism

to be found in the Location, Location, Location Topic.

[Llyr Llywelyn]

The Northside Orphanage

Most people know the main orphanage in Etzos, frequently referred to as "The Etzori Orphanage". However, there is another place for such lost children, located in the North Outer Perimeter.

The Northside Orphanage began as "The Northside House", a place for uncertain families and guardians to settle their children in a smaller facility for peace of mind. As the original name implies, it began as a boarding house for youth in Arc 635, but gradually switched to catering for only orphans as the mix between the two type of children proved untenable. It was a rare few who kept in contact with the guardians who left them there.

The most distinguishing aspect of The Northside Orphanage compared to "Central" (as they call the main Etzori Orphanage), is that Northside still operates like a private business rather than a public service.

Volunteers aren't easily accepted. Monetary spending is watched very closely, and no luxuries are granted for children. There is a service for concerned families who wish to settle what might happen to their young ones if all relatives were to perish in plague, or war, murder, or even simple causes - and so they arrange settlements with Northside to care for their children in such cases. When these children reach adult age, they are bestowed whatever the parents left behind for them.

As such, Northside holds to certain standards of record-keeping, inspection of orphan health, itemization of costs through an orphan's time to a running total invoice given on their age-out date. These invoices can be paid through inheritance of a family fund, but if the fund runs out and costs are left over, then the aged-out orphan is assigned indentured servitude to either the Northside Orphanage or a connected partner/investor. It also does no good if people believed death or illness to be common in their establishment, so Northside is very particular about hygiene and have strict behavioral standards for the children under their purview.

It is expected that every Northside orphan will pay off their debt, in full, to the establishment. If the orphan dies beforehand, another orphan around their age is named the bearer of their "sibling's" debt and expected to pay it in addition to their own. Some orphans that age out, run away from this obligation, but the majority pay it back as they are appreciative for the various lessons and good health provided them during their time at Northside.

Because of this itemization, and running bill, Northside is very careful to maintain an austere living for the orphans. Treats such as sweets, medical care of any kind, and special provisions increase an orphan's age-out invoice exponentially. As such, practical minimalist measures define everything from meals to clothing to beds. Everything is as cheap, yet as efficient, as possible.

The building itself is a multistory stone-brick old but well-maintained architecture. Inside, the floors are polished though the interior is bare of decor. The place can feel empty unless one visits the dining hall during mealtime or the wash rooms in the morning or evening. Otherwise, the children are split up into smaller groups for easier observation and rotated through tutor lessons, physical training, or the cultivation of various talents (most of which are practical-based).

Ordinarily, the usual amount of orphans residing in Northside is somewhere between 100 to 150 orphans.

There are usually about 12 to 16 employees, trained and paid, and almost all of them, save for a few, used to be orphans at Northside. The Northside orphanage is very careful about who they allow into the estate, as well as interact with the children. It is common for certain orphans to choose indentured servitude at Northside rather than being placed with an unknown employer. These young men and women pay off their debt and leave, then are replaced with the next set of orphans in frequent rotation.

Thus, Northside has a role called Housemother that are expected to offer the orphans a more consistent presence over the arcs.

Four housemothers keep operations running (through cyclical rotation of shifts):

Nirmala Sinuraya
36-arc-old Human Female
30 Caregiving
30 Teaching
20 Etiquette
20 Business Management

Housemother Sinuraya, or as most call her Mother Mala, is the youngest Housemother, but she is the one who can usually be found at Northside no matter the time or trial. She loves the orphans as if they were her own children, or so she acts like. Perhaps it has to do with that she's never married, nor had children. Whenever she isn't taking care of management with the other employees, she can be found tutoring children in various different skills. She is best at guiding the "wards" (as she calls them) to different things that make use of their natural-born talents. One of Mala's favorite things is to send a newly aged-out orphan to a job well-suited for them. It warms her heart.

Talwynn Deyne
67-arc-old Human Female
30 Logistics
30 Teaching
20 Needlecraft
20 Discipline

Housemother Deyne has a known reputation for being a stern matron. She is the main teacher when she is at Northside, and she puts together all the lesson plans as well as keeping track of progress among various key orphans. Her reputation stems from her willingness to use corporeal punishment for children who act out of line, as well as give out other sort of punishments such as no meals, physical labor, or even solitary isolation for a few trials - in the cases of "problems". Her favorite subject is Etzori history and teaching about the various figures through-out Etzos that have built the city and made it what it is. Her second favorite is needlecraft while sitting quietly.

Caitlin Oates
64-arc-old Human Female
30 Detection
30 Investigation
20 Caregiving
20 Persuasion.

Housemother Oates is known to have an eye on most everything going on within the orphanage and around it. When something goes wrong, it's Caitlin who is put on the task of figuring out what, why, who and how. She isn't easily fooled. Caitlin was an orphan at Northside for several arcs before she aged out, then worked as a maid for a merchant family before she returned to Northside to work there after she'd finished paying back her debt. She's remained ever since and it often seems that she cares for the building more than she does the children within it. Regardless, most of the children like her because she lets them play freely, more than the other housemothers.

Sonja Mlynárik (aka Madam Miller)
61-arc-old Human Female.
30 Intelligence
30 Research
20 Tactics
20 Seduction.

Housemother Miller only works at Northside once every several trials, but she is a pleasant older woman most of the time. She believes entirely in the adage: You get more flies with honey than vinegar. And even flies seem useful to her as no person is too lowly or scrubby to consider as a potential source of information. She speaks in adages a lot, and plays up her age far more than she needs to as she's still sharp of mind and fairly active in body, but she'll still complain about aches and gripe and get the younger people to do things for her instead.

She keeps in touch with the orphans that leave Northside, and this is how she has grown her Intelligence network over the many arcs in which she has worked there.
Madam Miller is also a Business NPC for the PC, Llyr Llywelyn.

The Northside Orphanage
Approved by Maltruism

I love it!
It's not the Hellhouse orphanage Kovic submitted for Middlecleft.
But EVERY submission can't be some front for a bunch of sadists and cannibals.
Now and then, there can be something positive and genuine...lol
Keep up the good work, Llyr.

[Obriviyanah]

Humbly submitting an idea for a theatre location for Etzos. This theatre will house Troupe Lamont, a faction I will soon write up to match. This faction mainly performs in the Lamont, but will also perform within the Crescent Arena at times for city-sponsored performances.

The LaMont

"It's not the 'Lamont Theatre', it's just the 'Lamont'! The 'theatre' is implied. Lamont is theatre!"

Overview

Nestled between shops in the northeastern edge of Etzos' Commercial Ring, there can be found a long, whitestone building boasting stained glass windows and an open balcony above the main doors. This is the Lamont, a theatre house owned and operated by Bert Lamont and his beautiful, second wife, Elena Thalia-Lamont. Here, the small-time Troupe Lamont gather, rehearse, and perform a variety of plays for the paying public. Although the theatre house looks somewhat grim from the outside, weathered with age and slowly losing the battle to climbing ivy, the stone walls are often decorated with swathes of colored fabric and banners that advertise upcoming performances.

To promote running performances, actors and young stage hands will often stand outside the theatre house in full costume and cry out to the public—sometimes in character. Buskers and singers are often invited to play on the balcony above the main doors to draw attention and boost the public image of the theatre. Mummers will occasionally perform acrobatics and jolly dances to catch the eye—especially of passing children and their captive parents—and draw new customers inside.

Inside, the theatre seats several dozen in view of a wide, rounded stage. Bert's office can be found backstage, along with several storage areas and dressing rooms. Pulley systems operate the curtains as well as raising and lowering of certain props and weighted sand bags. A small, cramped basement beneath the stage offers more space for storage and can be accessed either through the adjacent stairwell, or a trapdoor that leads directly onstage.

Most of the time, the theatre is relatively empty while the actors rehearse, Bert conducts routine business, and sets are built—either by the actors themselves or briefly hired laborers. Performances are always held in the evenings for a few days every seventrial.

Owner: Bert Lamont
Age, Race and Gender: 48-arc-old human male
Skills: Business Management - 66 / Mathematics - 58 / Leadership - 50 / Acting - 45 / Politics - 50 / Negotiation - 47
Immortal marks: None

In another life, Bert was a successful business magnate who specialized in trading properties within and around Etzos. His first wife was a bored socialite who enjoyed spending his fortune and dreamed of a more glamorous life than he could ever afford to give her. Their two sons fed off his fortune as well, showing more enthusiasm for their inheritance than participating in the family business. After his wife died unexpectedly of a fever over the Cold Cycle, Bert was forced to reassess what he wanted out of life. To his sons' great displeasure, they found themselves written out of the will by the new arc.

A short time later, Bert found himself charmed by a woman twenty years his junior, Elena Thalia. She was an aspiring young actress struggling to make it big in the Etzos theater scene. She was flighty, passionate, and introduced Bert to the arts—not just acting, but music, literature, and fashion. Finding a new purpose for his amassed fortune, Bert invested in Elena's future and purchased the Lamont. He married Elena, and with her, founded the Troupe Lamont.

Bert Lamont is still, at heart, a shrewd businessman. He is seldom impressed, resistant to new ideas, and to those unfamiliar with his particular quirks, could understandably be described as severe.

However, underneath his scowling exterior lies a true patron of the arts. He is a slave to every word Elena says, and to charm her is to handily win Bert's favor. Although he can be a callous and demanding employer, Bert is generous and lenient to those within Troupe Lamont. To a point, at least. Once one has fallen out of Bert's favor, there is no going back. Bert will treat those within Troupe Lamont like they are his own family. But like his own family, once Bert's mind is changed, they will be written off forever.

[Obriviyanah]

As promised, the matching Faction, of which Obriviyanah (as Aiden Silverson) is a member.

Troupe Lamont

Overview

These are the permanent actors of Troupe Lamont, belonging the Lamont theatre house in Etzos. Although Bert will occasionally hold auditions for additional roles as needed, such employment is temporary and lasts only as long as the current performance is in vogue.

Leader: Bert Lamont
Age, Race and Gender: 48-arc-old human male
Skills: Business Management - 66 / Mathematics - 58 / Leadership - 50 / Acting - 45 / Politics - 50 / Negotiation - 47
Immortal marks: None

History

In another life, Bert was a successful business magnate who specialized in trading properties within and around Etzos. His first wife was a bored socialite who enjoyed spending his fortune and dreamed of a more glamorous life than he could ever afford to give her. Their two sons fed off his fortune as well, showing more enthusiasm for their inheritance than participating in the family business. After his wife died unexpectedly of a fever over the Cold Cycle, Bert was forced to reassess what he wanted out of life. To his sons' great displeasure, they found themselves written out of the will by the new arc.

A short time later, Bert found himself charmed by a woman twenty years his junior, Elena Thalia. She was an aspiring young actress struggling to make it big in the Etzos theater scene. She was flighty, passionate, and introduced Bert to the arts—not just acting, but music, literature, and fashion. Finding a new purpose for his amassed fortune, Bert invested in Elena's future and purchased the Lamont. He married Elena, and with her, founded the Troupe Lamont.

Bert Lamont is still, at heart, a shrewd businessman. He is seldom impressed, resistant to new ideas, and to those unfamiliar with his particular quirks, could understandably be described as severe.

However, underneath his scowling exterior lies a true patron of the arts. He is a slave to every word Elena says, and to charm her is to handily win Bert's favor. Although he can be a callous and demanding employer, Bert is generous and lenient to those within Troupe Lamont. To a point, at least. Once one has fallen out of Bert's favor, there is no going back. Bert will treat those within Troupe Lamont like they are his own family. But like his own family, once Bert's mind is changed, they will be written off forever.

For Troupe Lamont, he acts as their manager, director, and proprietor.

Lead Actress: Elena Thalia-Lamont
Age, Race and Gender: 29-arc-old human female
Skills: Acting - 46 / Singing - 58 / Dancing - 50 / Seduction - 75 / Politics - 30 / Cosmetology- 47
Immortal marks: Unknown

Although it's well observed that she is not the best actress in the troupe, Elena is easily the most stunning. Like her husband, Elena is quickly offended by unsolicited criticism no matter how nicely worded it might be. She is handily given most of the lead female roles in Troupe Lamont's productions, often even without the farce of an audition. On the surface she is sweet-natured, soft voiced, and rather diminutive. Her silken blonde hair and thin-waisted figure makes her a fan favorite with the crowds.

But poised behind her demure behavior lies a ruthless, alpha predator. She is and will always be the star of Troupe Lamont. Her true age is a mystery to most, as she has claimed to be twenty-arcs for the past half-decade. Elena is very easily jealous, continuously in denial of her gradually fading youth, and will not permit Bert to hire on any other blonde actresses for the troupe. Even so, she is threatened by any woman she deems to be more lovely than she is. As a consequence, most young actresses face frequent turnover in Troupe Lamont.

Alt-lead/Understudy: Carmilla Beltran
Age, Race and Gender: 22-arc-old human female

In order to maintain her place in Troupe Lamont, Carmilla has made herself as non-threatening as possible to Elena, deferring to her 'great' talent when in doubt. Her acting and singing skills are far superior, but she holds back when Elena is in the audience. Carmilla is intelligent and calculating, but ultimately all she wants is her fair share of the public eye.

Carmilla claims to hail from a place called Blackbrine to the east, supposedly to escape from the cutthroat way of life there. True to form, Camilla has done whatever she needs to do to remain a successful actress and stay in Bert's good favor. Although she is more compassionate than Elena, Carmilla is arguably most concerned about Carmilla, and will look after herself before anyone else.

Minor Actress: Gingerette Limh, aka, "Mrs. Limh"
Age, Race and Gender: 68-arc-old human female

Mrs. Limh has become a mainstay in Troupe Lamont after Bert hired her for a bit part playing a character's grandmother. Her warm, doting demeanor has made her a cast favorite on and off stage, and her habit of bringing freshly baked goods to the Lamont hasn't hurt her reputation either. Her husband has passed on, and both of her children live abroad with their families, so since becoming an official member of the Troupe, she has treated the theatre cast like her own family.

Usually, she is typecast as the warm motherly or grandmotherly character in plays, but Mrs. Limh's capacity for acting can be surprisingly flexible. Despite her hunched, diminutive size, her voice carries surprisingly well, and her elocution is peerless. A sweet line from her can charm a crowd, but in a villainous role, cruel words from her can just as easily chill to the bone.

Alt-Lead Actor: Vincent, aka, “just Vincent”
Age, Race and Gender: 25-arc-old human male

Hailing from a sleepy town on the outskirts of Etzos, Vincent (just “Vincent”) knew he was a star before he ever stepped onto the stage. He was a busker, playing the lute in taverns, reciting poetry on street corners, and acting out scenes from famous plays when Bert discovered him. What he lacks in acting talent, he makes up for in pure passion for the arts.

Fashioning himself as a dashing lothario, Vincent has a reputation of getting into romantic (however brief) entanglements with the cast and crew, whether they are actresses, tailors, laborers, or simply audience members. Although deemed more or less a scoundrel by women who know better, he seems proud of this trait, and brags often that he has a spurned ex-girlfriend in every tavern.

He considers himself in something of a rivalry with his counterpart, Aiden Silverson, but the sentiment is not very strongly returned.

Strong Man Actor: Borace Buskin
Age, Race and Gender: 31-arc-old human? Male

Standing at nearly seven feet tall, Borace Buskin is known in the Lamont as a gentle giant. He is often chosen for villainous roles, strong-man roles, older-male roles, and generally anything that will suit his deep laugh, bearded face, and broad-chested physique. In addition to being an actor, Borace is also responsible for most of the literal heavy lifting around the Lamont, including operating the pulleys and helping in the construction of sets.

Despite his impressive stature, Borace is a sensitive, compassionate soul with delicate sensibilities. Villainous roles often wear on him, as he is frequently upset by the easily resolved misunderstandings in the plot and the tragic arc of specific characters. Bert Lamont has become quite used to dealing with Borace’s pleas that the plot of certain plays be altered to redeem his characters (which would make them dull stories indeed).

Although Borace appears human, he claims that he is only half, and that his mother was a shadowy, tattooed woman from the far west. His one true love is his tiny cat, Sir Puss.

[Maltruism]

The Lamont Theater
and Troupe Lamont
Approved by Maltruism