[Ne'haer] Development and Requests Thread

[Finn]

Southern Temple

Location

Near the gates leading out of southern Ne’haer

Immortals Worshiped

Moseke

Description

The Southern Temple, much like the Northern Temple, has a singular building designated for worship. Yet, unlike any of the other temples, this one has the most nature surrounding it. Neatly designed as a wild park, the premises embody everything Moseke ever stood for. Earth, stone, nature are all central themes of life here. It even has, perhaps artificially created small pond. Whoever built this temple had Moseke’s character and belief in her ingrained in their mind and were very much aligned with the Immortal.

The singular structure that stands three quarters down the irregularly shaped park, is a rotunda built of smoothly chiseled stone. With pillars supporting the high roof on the outer circle, the inner wall encloses a statue of Moseke - a beautifully crafted imitation of the solemn, yet kind features that belong to the Immortal. The wisdom captured by hands of long forgotten artist that still speak strongly through the stone. The charm of this temple is in its simplicity. There isn’t much more to the rotunda than its unique circular shape, three round windows in the globe-like roof to let in light and the statue.

As far as the wildlife goes, it is not peculiar. It was designed to grow plants that are commonly found anywhere in and around Ne'haer. Occasionally, it is possible to spot some wildlife within the park as well.

The Tunawa Refuge

The temple has long served as the refuge for Tunawa rescued from slavery. They find their solace within the nature that surrounds the temple. It is a weak resemblance of the lush environment in southern Idalos where this race is originally from; nonetheless, many stay for extended periods of time. They can roam the park freely, easily hide when they feel anxious. Every Tunawa is welcomed by the Matriarch who asks for no payment of any kind for offering this safehouse. She does it out of the goodness of her heart, following the ways of Moseke.

Many citizens are aware of the temple housing the Tunawa and the Matriarch is aware of the fact that it sometimes might attract curious visitors, especially children, to visit the temple. For those reasons, the section of the park behind the rotunda, is strictly off limits to the anyone but the Tunawa. Even the Matriarch goes to the lengths of asking for permission to enter, respecting the need of the small race for peace. Unfortunately, many youngsters sneak inside the temple premises at night at times to catch a glimpse of the elusive race.

The Temple Stands

The temple is aware of the necessity of funds. The offerings to Moseke aren’t frequent and abundant all the time. Usually in the early trials of Ashan, people visit the temple to pray to Moseke and thank her for the life she granted them to survive the harsh seasons of cold cycle. If the harvest is particularly bad, or particularly good, after the festivals in the Eastern Temple, citizens might also pay a visit to the Southern Temple during Vhalar. It is these times that citizens give the most. Yet not enough for the temple to be able to last with it long. As such, the temple needs an additional source of income. Unlike Eastern Temple, the richest of all four as it accepts donations from patrons alongside its other activities, Southern Temple has little of regular donors within the city. Due to that, it has established a few stands where amulets for good luck and charms for safe travels are sold. The temple also offers a few extra stands to rent for any merchants who wants to sell their goods. However, items sold are strictly limited to travelling supplies.

Amulets that are sold come in three sizes and various levels of detail. The smallest size is of 2cm in diameter. The largest size can be that of a palm. The medium sits in the middle size range. In terms of detail, the smallest size usually comes only with the first letter of Moseke’s name chiseled into the thin stone. Medium size also has the letter M engraved in it, but it is more decorative, but not so detailed. The largest is the most detailed, decorative and polished one. The largest is often bought as a present for someone, or a decoration for businesses as it is believed it might bring good luck in negotiations and bring it more revenue.

Charms are also sold in various shapes and of various kinds. They can either be in the shape of a twirling root carved out of a pebble stone to be kept on a leather string either around the neck or wrist; or it is a prayer neatly written on a small piece of paper, folded and safely deposited in a 5cm x 3cm small pouch, closed with a simple white string. The pouches might be of various colouring. However that does not change the price.

NPC

Name: Liliwen Bunner
Age: 59 arcs
Race: Human
Blessing: Sevrath
Title: Matriarch
Languages: Common
Skills: Gardening, discipline, leadership, psychology, sculpting
Other information: Liliwen was born and raised in Ne’haer. She has never left the city, never felt any need to. She loves it, simply put. Ever since young age, however, her head always seemed to be aloof, not focused. The only time, she was able to bring herself down from the clouds was when she worked with her hands. By the young age of twenty-five arcs, she has tried almost any manual job there was and was at loss of what to do since nothing she tried was truly fulfilling. Thankfully, after working at Eastern Temple as an Aide Maiden, she was told that the Southern Temple was looking for Aide Maidens too. It was perhaps that Liliwen was starting to slack in her job there that she was directed elsewhere, but the promise of working with her hands more, as that's what aide maidens were said to do in Southern temple, she happily switched workplaces. In the Southern Temple, Liliwen could fully immerse herself in gardening, sculpting, writing and other manual jobs. She found herself enjoying the world of Moseke’s sanctuary. She fell in love with the charity of the Tunawa Refuge, the chipping away on stone even if her hands bled when her chisel slipped. One day, as the matriarch was to pass away, the title was given to Liliwen for her devotion and determination.
Note: The temple hires up to five Aide Maidens.

Price List

Item	Price
Small Amulet	5gn
Medium Amulet	7gn 50sn
Large Amulet	10gn
Pebble Charm	8gn
Pouch Charm	6gn
Stand Rental	5gn/day

Note about moderator approval here.

Mahalo for your submission! - Incubus

[Nir'wei]

Name: Mew'kri
Created by: Nir'wei.
Race: Sev'ryn.
Age: 27.
Born: 12th of Ashan, 689.
Title: Scout of the Whispers, Cell of the Wolf.
Blessings/Curses: None.
Skills: Stealth (55), Disguise (50), Fieldcraft (50), Unarmed Combats (40), Armed Combats (40), Intelligence (35), Detection (35), Deception (20), Hunting (20)

Other Information: Raised in Desnind and trained in Ne'haer for the last five arcs of her life after settling in the city and taking the first job that could offer her "something adventurous", Mew'kri has earned her reputation as the most reliable scout in her cell through nothing more than throwing her very life into the Whispers. Quick to snatch up any job, she can disappear for anywhere up to a whole season, meticulously grooming through cities and surrounding areas and returning with insight the likes of which could stun residents who'd lived on those grounds for most of their lives. She almost seems to relish in her time spent away from most reliable human contact, set deep into the wild of unknown territories to fend for herself, and has picked up many physical scars for her efforts, trailing down her back, arms, legs and face, as well as mental ones; most do not find her talkative at all, sometimes barely responsive, suggesting she spends an almost unhealthy amount of time with her spirit familiar in favour of physical friends. However, new recruits do often pique her interests, and to those, she appears surprisingly friendly. She's often the first to show her face, quick to offer help and advice, although other recruits tell that she is exceptionally stern during missions and disturbingly cold when it boils down to combat.

Name: Sur'velli
Created by: Nir'wei.
Race: Sev'ryn/Aukari Mixed Breed.
Age: 34.
Born: 19th of Zi'da, 682.
Title: Assassin of the Whispers, Cell of the Wolf.
Blessings/Curses: Favoured by Audnev.
Skills: Stealth (90), Disguise (90), Unarmed Combats (75), Armed Combats (70), Intelligence (60), Deception (60), Politics (50), Detection (30), Tactics (20)

Other Information: Sur'velli was born to an Aukari father and a Sev'ryn mother, who met during both of their own quests. Their love was passionate, but brief, and the child they brought into the world was neither accepted in Sirothille nor Desnind due to his bloodlines. To even remain close to his parents, Sur'velli was often forced to wear disguises, until it became a normality to hide himself from the world behind false identities. Eventually his father died through burning, his mother all but disappeared from the world after becoming a mage for the Seekers, and left to carve his own path, it was only a matter of time before Sur'velli found himself in the Whispers, quickly rising through the ranks, only held back by his lack of combat prowess and excelling in his ability to completely disappear from the face of the world at the drop of a hat. Sur'velli is undoubtably Aukarian, as he has no spirit familiar and frequently closes himself off from general contact with the rest of his cell, rarely even appearing to them with a face that they will recognize. It's also obvious that he strives to become a Whisper, always honing his abilities and manipulating other ranks into performing tasks that only benefit him and his standing in the cell. He often gets away with it too, since nothing short of the Whispers themselves wield the authority to stop him, and everyone else can still not be sure that Sur'velli is really the person responsible.

and added to the NPC directory. Thank you!

[Finn]

Ne'Haer Underground Tunnels

Location

Spread underneath the city of Ne'haer, not fully mapped out

Immortals Worshiped

Those who seek mortals' undoing

Description

Ne’haer welcomes its diversity and tolerance of religious practice, however, dislikes worship of Immortals who seek to unmake and destroy the foundation of the city. Therefore, they’ve decree that all worship of destructive, chaotic Immortals be done within the Underground Tunnels. Even then, there are strict regulations placed on the worshipers.

What the council that issued the decree does not mention is that the tunnels beneath the city are a maze and anyone who decides to venture below in search of those cults is most likely as insane as the Immortal Kata herself. However, somehow groups of people are still able to gather in certain locations, worshipping those who seek their end. It is an impossible task to pinpoint individual places that have been turned into underground, miniature temples. It is usually only those initiated into the congregation who are then taught the way to that location and are sworn to absolute secrecy.

Among the glorified Immortals, there are a few who are the most popular - Delroth for greed, Faldrun for turmoil, Edasha for jealousy and adultery, Audrey for deception and secrecy. In many ways the occurences within the tunnels, the Immortals worshipped there, are like the other, unseen side of the city - the ugly, rotten side that is hiding away for the time being. Everyone knows about it, but they choose to ignore it for as long as they can until a horrifying rumour bubbles up that might make people's skin crawl.

In general, those who worship the Immortals in the underground tunnels have taken their assigned location as banishment, which resulted in brooding resentment towards the authorities. In consequence, the groups stick closer together, keep their rituals, meeting points and even members as unknown as possible, often committing an offence of the regulations imposed on them. However, it still means that authorities don't really know much about the happenings below and no one considers the gatherings to be of enough danger to send a spy there to find out what's happening.

Regulations

1. Every member must register with the council. Failure to do so results in a fine of 50gn.
   The first few did. Those are unofficially called the Originals. However, after the council imposed more rules on this outsider society, new members were encouraged not to register. Partially it was in fear of discrimination. Later it turned into a form of defiance. As such the actual number of worshippers is no longer accurate.
2. Only known entrances must be used to enter the tunnels. That is for the safety of the citizens.
   Each entrance is guarded at certain intervals. It was a way of further documentation of who enters the tunnels. As such, worshippers have gone to the lengths of finding new entrances. Council has soon followed and the whole affair has turned into a race or even a competition of who discovers a new entry point first and manages to catch the other one out.
3. All worship - including festivals and rituals - must happen within the tunnels. Failure to do so will result in the detainment of involved members.
   In other words, those who worship Immortals who seek mortals' undoing must not perform their religion outside that area, in the streets of Ne'haer.

The council is constantly trying to find ways how to regulate the underground tunnels without coming across as restricting and discriminating. As such, temporary rules are often enforced for a certain amount of time and if they prove effective, these are then implemented as regulations. However, so far there have been only these three core regulations.

NPC

Name: Guo Alder
Age: 43 arcs
Race: Human
Title: Supposed leader of Delroth worshippers
Language: Common, Rahaki
Skills: Deception, Business management, Appraisal, Etiquette, Politics
Other information: Guo is one of the richer, if not the richest, merchant in Ne'haer. He is believed to have joined the movement in his early years when he started his career, but he wouldn't say so himself. His closest friends, however, know he attributes his wealth to Delroth and it was perhaps his cunning nature and ruthlessness that got him to the top of the order.

Name: Malai Hoargent
Age: 27 arcs
Race: Naerikk
Title: Supposed leader of Faldrun worshippers
Language: Common
Skills: Deception, Unarmed combat, Poisons, Forgery, Intimidation
Other information: Malai is probably one of the most unlikely leaders one could imagine. Little is known of her life outside the worship. Even less is known of her capabilities. However, many believe that she his behind all the major turmoils, uprising and skirmishes within the city. It is believed that she is able to organise an uprising in a flick of a finger. She certainly seems to thrive on chaos.

Name: Rosalind
Age: 49 arcs
Race: Human
Title: Leader of Edasha worshippers, last of the Originals
Language: Common
Skills: Seduction, Business management, Gambling, Intelligence, Persuasion
Other information: Rosalind is, to this day, the only known, official leader within the tunnels. She was one of the first to officially register with the council and she does not hide her religious believes. It is to no surprise that this woman owns several brothels in the city.

Name: Nameless
Age: Unknown
Race: Thought to be Avriel due to the eyes, but lacks the wings; rumours that Nameless might be Yludih
Title: Leader of Audrey worshippers, not one of the Originals
Language: Common
Skills: Deception, Disguise, Intelligence, Discipline, Endurance
Other information: Little is known of Nameless. Only that it's a woman based on her voice. She once appeared in the tunnels, quietly sat during the congregations, partook in the rituals. She then challenged the previous leader, one of the original registered members. Few trials later, the leader did not arrive and Nameless gradually assumed her new position.

Price List

No price list is published as the underground tunnels aren't a home to any official organisation and if any trade happens in there, it's highly unregulated or traceable for set prices.

Note about moderator approval here.

Mahalo for your submission! - Incubus

[Ilied Loraeva]

Name: Denali Vraskna qalar-Treid
Race: Ellune
Age: 28 (born 12 Zi'da 688)
Title: Oscillette's Manager in Chief, Baelam's second-in-command
Languages: Leni, Common, Rakahi
Skills: Endurance (master), Nilas (expert), Business Management (expert), Negotiation (competent), Logistics (competent), Detection (competent), Deception (competent)

Other Information: Denali Vraskna is the better known head of Oscillette, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the estate and directly interacting with high profile guests. Her ascension to this position is foggy in memory, having been another Ellune to wash up in Ne'haer over the arcs, eventually finding a home in Oscillette. Rumors of Denali offering Baelam favors have surfaced from time-to-time though never with much evidence. The more apparent story is a long and successful career in the estate that brought Denali to her position today. Her reputation as a diligent, decisive leader extends throughout Oscillette and beyond.

Denali exudes enough charisma to make up for all others lacking it in Oscillette, namely Baelam. Her constant energy brings a great deal of warmth to the ice palace, especially when interacting with non-Ellune clientele. While she is admired by Oscillette's business relations, local coworkers tend to find Denali to be a bit on the crazy side, being the only witnesses if and when she has a break behind the scenes. Of course, that's expected when someone is running a miniature kingdom solo.

As an Ellune is incredible character and merit, it's often wondered why she sticks around with Baelam to run Oscillette. Outsides who look hard enough can infrequently catch the manager's strain in operating the estate. In her years of success, attempts to headhunt Denali to other businesses have historically failed, and she shows no signs of running off soon. Odds are, she knows someone about Oscillette or Baelam that most people don't.

and added to the NPC directory. Thank you!

[Incubus]

The locations, flora and fauna up to this point have all been approved! I will look at the NPCs later, and I will be adding the newly approved things in ASAP.

[Tei'serin Nji'ryn]

Greeting the Sun

This is a tradition/holiday specifically for Treth, but it is possible that Ne'haer, and the other territories honor it as well.

For a small farming village like Treth, the sun is of utmost importance. Because without the sun, there can be no crops, and what is a farmer without a crop to harvest?

On the 29th of Cylus, Treth comes to a complete stop. The shops, and school are closed for the trial. No business is conducted, and no work is done. Most people fast, consuming nothing that the sun had a part in nurturing. The exceptions to this are the very young, and those who are so ill that fasting for a trial would cause them considerable harm. Even then, they are given foods that were not directly produced by the sun; nothing containing grains, fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts, or plants of any kind.

During the trial, families gather together in their homes. They sit in silence, reflecting on happy memories of times spent in the sun. For children, these often include any number of games played with their friends. Farmers might remember bountiful harvests, or hope for good harvests to come, or celebrate minor triumphs like the first year a new fruit tree bore fruit.

As dinner time approaches, the silence is lifted. Families leave their homes to gather in the village center where they sing songs, and tell stories, honoring the sun until the first rays of light from Ashan grace the sky. Outlying farmers make the trip into Treth so that their families can also take place in the vigil, and the celebration that follows.

On the morning of the first day of Ashan, the gathered people throw a huge feast for the entire village. Each family brings a dish they made on the 28th of Cylus to share with the people of Treth. Anyone who has any kind of musical talent is called upon to sing, or play for the village, and the children put on a play. The festivities last until the sun sets, and most people go to bed early in the hopes of getting enough sleep to make up for staying up all night the night before since normal work resumes the following day.

[Tei'serin Nji'ryn]

This is a bit of folk lore that originated in Treth, but it may or may not have traveled by word of mouth to Ne'haer and the other territories.

The Lucky Seed

Many arcs ago when our grandfathers' grandfathers were very young, there was a terrible drought. There had been little snow during Zi'da, and Cylus that arc. And not a single drop of rain had fallen during Ashan, Ymiden, or Saun. Harvest time came, but few farmers had any surviving crops at all. Those who did guarded their precious few wilted fruits, vegetables, and grains jealously. Willow Woods was dry, and barren. The animals had died off one by one when they couldn't find enough food to keep themselves alive. As a result, meat was just as scarce as the crops. In what was usually a time of plenty, the people of Treth wondered how they would feed their families through Vhalar, never mind once the weather turned cold.

The village turned to Ne'haer for help, but the city didn't have enough food to feed their own people, never mind help anyone else. Young people left the village in droves, seeking better fortunes for themselves elsewhere while elders scolded everyone for not trying harder, and telling anyone who would listen how much better it was when they were young. As the season progressed, the village leaders began to discuss the possibility of disbanding the village, and searching for more fertile land.

In the midst of all the fear and despair, one young girl refused to give up hope. Her name was Cerasi. Unlike the other people her age, she refused to leave the village to seek a better life elsewhere. When asked why she wouldn't leave, she explained that if she did, her aging parents would have no one left to take care of them.

One night, Cerasi dreamed that she had lost something very precious. She searched frantically through the house for it, but it was no where to be found. Then she searched through the barren fields of her family's farm. Still, no luck. She searched long after the sun set, leaving the world in darkness. Just as she was about to give up, she found a small glowing orb on the ground, partially buried in the wheat field. Its soft, silvery glow lit up the air around it, holding the darkness at bay. She had never seen anything so beautiful before. For several bits, all she could do was stare in awe. When she finally picked the orb up to get a better look at it, it transformed into a single glowing grain of wheat.

"If you plant the seed, it will grow." came a wispy voice over the wind that had sprung up suddenly after she'd picked up the orb.

Cerasi looked around, but there was no one there.

"But you must tell no one, or the magic will fail." the voice whispered again.

Again Cerasi searched for whoever was speaking, but she could find no one. Cerasi was a practical young girl. She wasn't the type to readily believe gossip or rumors without hard evidence, nor was she the type to spread unfounded information about. But there was clearly something magical about the seed in her hand. Not willing to take any chances, she planted the grain of wheat. Once she had done so, she heard a rustle in some nearby bushes. When she went to investigate it, she found what she had been looking for.

When Cerasi woke up the next morning, the images of her dream lingered in her mind so strongly that she rushed out to look at the field. As one might expect, it was empty; it had only been a dream after all. But even so, she felt compelled to go to the exact spot she'd found the glowing orb in her dream. There was no glowing orb waiting for her, of course. Glowing orbs aren't a common thing, especially in these parts. One simply isn't going to find a magical artifact laying on the ground...and if one did, they shouldn't trust it. There's no telling what such a thing might do to the person who found it.

But she did find a single grain of wheat in that spot; a grain of wheat where there had been nothing there the day before. Remembering the cautionary voice's whispered warning from her dream, Cerasi planted the grain of wheat, and told no one of what she had found. She didn't know what would happen, but there was no need to tempt fate.

Five trials later, the field was full of wheat. And when Cerasi took several grains of wheat so she could plant one in each barren field they had, sure enough, the fields were all overflowing with golden wheat five trials after she planted the grains. Cerasi was not a greedy girl, so she called everyone in the village together, and gave each person enough wheat to feed themselves for five trials. She told them of her dream, and about what happened when she planted the grain of wheat she'd found the next morning.

Some of the villagers were too greedy for their own good. They sold most of the wheat they had been given to the market in Ne'haer, telling wild stories about magic wheat, and keeping only enough to plant their fields. Others honored the gift they had been given, keeping it to feed their families. They too planted a single grain of wheat in each of their fields.

Five trials later, those who had honored Cerasi and her gift had fields full of ripe, golden wheat. But those who had been greedy were left with nothing. Cerasi and her family were honored and respected for all of their trials for saving the village. To this very trial, nothing so magical as that has ever happened to Treth, or her people. Perhaps the greed of those who sold their wheat angered the one who gave Cerasi the grain of wheat that saved the village. Even so, to this day, there has never been a drought as bad as the one that Cerasi saved Treth from. Some people believe that it is because her spirit lingers on, and watches over us even now.

[Tei'serin Nji'ryn]

And...a bit of slang for the Cylus writing challenge. Both would probably only be known/used in Treth.

Cerasi's Seed/By Cerasi's seed: Something said in awe or amazement.

"Don't be like the people who took advantage of Cerasi's gift." - Don't be greedy.

[Avrae Kyric]

Curio's Curiosities Book Shop

Developed by Avrae Kyric

Curio's Curiosities Book Shop is a quaint little place. Two stories and spacious, it's packed with books on nearly every subject. Much of the books are upstairs, rows and rows of bookshelves to be revealed behind the first few that are near the balcony that overlooks the first floor. One bookshelf downstairs by the front desk has books written by the shop's owner- Curios Xarethi. Curio is often seen at this desk, busily writing his latest book while customers shop around him. However, when he's really in the zone, he gets a short temper when a customer "bothers" him to buy something. Therefore, he's recently been looking for an assistant/cashier who can handle the customers while he writes.

Curio's often has books from local writers, or articles from local journalists, on display. It will also accept artwork such as paintings and sculptures, either to display in the shop as decoration, or to sell in the shop. The price on these are negotiable. There's a back room covered by a red curtain that holds storage- extra copies of books, or rarer books that are only brought out if inquired about. Only Curio himself is allowed back there, and he's been known to smack people with his tail (as he is an Ithecal) if they try to venture there.

Feel free to stop into the shop to ask about the assistant position.

NPC

Name: Curio Xarethi
Created by: Avrae Kyric

Race: Ithecal
Birthday/Age: Saun 10th, Arc 688, Age 29
Title: Book Keeper, Author
Skills:
Business Management (35)
Writing (58)
Details: Curio Xarethi is a pen name- for this man is a bit of a famed author. He's penned at least twelve books, all of which on a variety of subjects, though many have to do with the military arts and tales of famed battles throughout Idalos. One of them is his autobiography. Though being a writer may be a strange job for an Ithecal, it's what he loves doing. One arc ago, he opened this book shop in Ne'haer city, and has been pretty successful. He works hard to maintain it, and of course there is a section with his own books. In personality, Curio is an interesting man. He's vastly intelligent, but hot tempered. He's very tactile, disciplined, and has a short fuse. He doesn't tolerate stupidity, and has a very sharp tongue, always ready with retorts to make others look the fool. To be honest, many believe him to be a hard ass, and don't like him very much. He's a bit of a diva, but as long as he has his tea in the morning and his coffee at night (you'd think it'd be the other way around, wouldn't you?) he's been known to be tolerable.

Price List

Non-Fiction Book: 10 GN
Fiction Book: 8 GN
Autographed Book by Curio Xarethi: 9 GN
Blank Journal: 5gn
Fine Paper (10 pages) : 5gn
Ink Well: 2gn
Ink Pen: 1gn

No moderation needed.

Mahalo for your submission! - Incubus

[Gorgon]

Updated!

Everything up to here has been approved and added! If I've missed you please PM me ASAP!