OOC Info The Riverfall Codex

Welcome to Riverfall! All the information you need to know about Riverfall is contained here. There is a complete city map, linkmap, NPC Library, Fesitvals, Holidays, The Riverfall Flag System, and both IC and OOC informational posts.

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Built into the cliffs overlooking the Suvan Sea, Riverfall resides on the edge of grasslands of Cyphrus where the Bluevein River plunges off the plain and cascades down to the inland sea below. Home of the Akalak, Riverfall is a self-supporting city populated by devoted warriors. [Riverfall Codex]

The Riverfall Codex

Postby Gossamer on February 19th, 2012, 8:16 pm

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Within every domain there is a core information center where everything one needs to know about a domain is contained within. This Codex is Riverfall's collection of information. Please thoroughly read it before starting to play here. If you find that anything is lacking, please PM Gossamer so a discussion can happen and perhaps even more information can be added. In some instances, like the NPC Library, the posts are constant Works in Progress (WIP) due to the nature of the growth of the city. Other posts, such as Riverfall's Flag System should be fairly static. As always suggestions for additions are welcomed wholeheartedly.


❖ Index Of Postings
Last edited by Gossamer on August 31st, 2014, 5:36 pm, edited 67 times in total.
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Riverfall's Link Map

Postby Gossamer on February 19th, 2012, 8:29 pm

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Parks
❖ These are leisurely places of interest for Rivarians to stroll through and enjoy.

Official City Buildings
❖ These locations are city owned and operated.
Religious Towers
❖ Each of these locations acts as Riverfall's temples dedicated to their specific Gods and Goddesses

Training/Educational Facilities
❖ These are great open roleplay scenes - feel free to use them often - and many of them are available for self moderation.

Residences
❖ These are all the housing complexes and private residences in Riverfall. PM a storyteller to have your personal residence added.


Businesses
❖ Please feel free to self moderate unless otherwise noted.


Misc Locations
❖ These are locations that do not fit well into other categories.


Outside The City In The Fringe Forest & Grasslands
❖ These locations may or may not be listed on the map above. Often they are off the map in one direction or another.
Mod Note :
To be added to the map:

  • Kuvay'Nas Lodge
  • Menagerie Aquarium
  • Artfire Glassworks
  • High Spirits
  • Leather Shop
  • Windsinger Kites
  • Coils - Dhani Nest
  • The Warren
  • Leth's Observatory
  • The Shadowhall
  • Moonstone Bathhouse and Massage Center
  • Message Center
  • Stained Pelt
  • Loads of Leather
  • Glynstein Master Station
  • Gideon's Glory
  • Vault of the Cerulean
  • The Terra Cottage
  • Beautiful Things
  • The Wellness Center
  • Riverfall Amphitheater
  • Red Diamond Fashions
  • Move Laviku's Tower Out To Sea
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Riverfall's IC Information

Postby Gossamer on February 19th, 2012, 8:30 pm

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❖ Introduction

Welcome to Riverfall! It is hoped that within this thread one who is either visiting, contemplating moving, or considering creating a pc for Riverfall will find a great deal of answers to their questions. While trying to stay as close as possible to the Riverfall wiki, if this thread and the wiki thread disagree, please defer to this thread first. The wiki needs to be updated and expanded upon, which creating this thread is the first step.

Herein you will find a great deal of information both on location of Riverfall itself and attitudes of the people of Riverfall. They are not an easy people to understand nor are all their ways entirely explainable. They are a divine people that feel close to their Gods and Goddess' having sprung from the union of two such deities that still dwell within the cities boundaries.

Because of the divine presence in Riverfall, the city self is one of the more spectacular sites in Mizahar, having no sections that have fallen to ruin nor any awkward underground. This is an important thing to note because almost all cities have a sprawling slum or some sort of underground crime. Riverfall has none. The reason is simple. With both deities present so heavily, the city itself maintains a strict honor code. Those that do not follow it are turned out and that results in almost certain death. The Akalak believe in charity, but not through giving hand outs. Instead the employ people and train them for professions rather than waste time heavily on crime and punishment.

❖ What The City Looks Like
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The first thing that is going to strike a visitor or immigrant to Riverfall is that the city looks reminiscent of a great stone beast perched on a cliff overlooking the Suvan Sea. It often, in the sunset, resembles a great plains lion ready to pounce on unsuspecting prey below on the beach. But the moment a visitor walks inside its formidable gates, another impression altogether is often given.

Rivarians love their stone and water and Riverfall reflects this to its core. Riverfall is a great fusion of stone and water. Made of sweeping walls and streets that only run straight on the very top of the cliff, Riverfall can't help but make an impression on a visitor or the newly arrived as a very alert active and solid city.

It is comprised of three tiers. The top tier being the cliff its perched upon. The second tier is comprised of the entire cliff face and is a maze of small narrow winding alleys and roads that have more staircases than actually flat pathways. The final tier is simply the beach and bay level where the port stretches out across the bay. Everyone in Riverfall is extremely fit for this very reason. Navigating the city itself form one tier to another keeps people on their toes.

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Within the city there are green spaces everywhere. Part of Riverfall law states that any unused portion of the city must be planted in food, scent, or aesthetically orientated plants that provide something to the residents. Food is common, but so too is scent and beauty. Each building, especially those on the second tier, have a balcony draped with green that overlooks the bay or the Suvan Sea. Buildings on the top tier often have inner courtyards that house secret gardens of all sorts. Residents aren't afraid of their spaces and use them wisely.

Rivarians have an inherent love of arts and crafts, and it shows throughout their city. Water from the ever-present Bluevein River is often channeled down side paths and into gutters or pipes that allow the denizens of Riverfall to create waterfalls, both artificial and natural, almost everywhere. The lower tier has the bay, so most of its architecture is orientated on private docks and balconies that go out over the water.

The second tier specializes in waterfall sand durable water features that give the city of Riverfall an overwhelming impression of water across stone, flowing always flowing. There is a music, a sound, to the city as well that lends it an almost mystical air. The Akalaks cultivate this, being great lovers of nature and natural fusion. On the top tier there is a profusion of pools used for both bathing and aesthetics. Fountains tend to grace turns in the main thoroughfares through Riverfall creating round-abouts that look beautiful and fit in neatly with the architecture of the city..

ImageBuildings in Riverfall have a very distinct 'domed' look to them. They are increasingly complex with geometric design created by brick and plaster. Private structures tend to be a bit more reserved, but in important public structures, classical orders are more freely, mosaics replaces carved decoration, and a profusion of complex domes rested upon massive piers Windows are always carved with large arches and lined with glass or thin sheets of alabaster to filter light through and softly illuminate enormous inner halls and frescoes which tend to decorate the inside of these domes.

Because half of Riverfall, especially on the second tier, has been built into the cliff itself, a great deal of the rooms are underground and comprised entirely of stone. These rooms are patterned after the external structure of Riverfall so that only the lack of windows clues a person in to being beneath the ground in the solid rock of the cliff verses in a dwelling that is entirely sitting upon the ground rather than built into it.

Lots of inner courtyards and gardens throughout and outside of their buildings are found all over Riverfall. It is almost as if the denizens take pride on their courtyards as a reflection of their wealth, status or intelligence.

The decorative character of external facades depended largely on the arrangement of the facing bricks, which were not always laid horizontally, but sometimes obliquely, sometimes in the form of the meander fret, sometimes in the chevron or herringbone pattern, and in many other similar designs, giving great variety to the facades. Attempt are also made to ornament the rough brick exteriors by the use of stone bands and decorative arches. Walls are often sheeted internally with marble and vaults and domes with colored glass mosaics on a golden background.

Riverfall's domes are by and large unique in all of Mizahar. By transferring the weight to piers rather than to the wall itself, pendentive construction makes possible a lofty, unobstructed interior space. Pendentives are the concave triangular sections of vaulting that provide the transition between a dome and the square base on which it is set to transfer the weight of the dome. This type of architecture is incredibly beautiful and allows for not only strong support structures and massive buildings, but lofty open rooms. The Akalak use this style both within and without Riverfall, though it is best displayed on the buildings of the first tier which all share this same unique style.

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Decorating in Riverfall primarily consists of open vaulted domed ceiling rooms that have comfortable collections of furniture that are set up for entertaining or comfort in small collective clusters. There's usually at least one musician per household (or a servant or Nakivak that sings and plays) so these little entertainments are frequently displayed in the forms of harps, xylophones, clusters of drums, or lutes. Riverians are in love with romance and tend to set their rooms and decor so it is best shown off in low light with candles and lanterns illuminating everything subtly. Glass plays into this as well as mineral wall inlays and mosaics.

Furniture in Riverfall suffers from a lack of readily available wood. Reluctant to cut down their fringe forests, most Rivarians utilize stone and wrought iron furniture as much as possible. When they do use wood, their furniture built of solid, heavy timber, designed to last, and designed for the space it was to occupy. The designs normally show straight legs, tracery, and chair splats that form pointed arches. The backs of these pieces are often is inlaid with silver embossed in an intricate design. Wealthy furniture includes heavy, carved and pillared chairs, tables with inlaid worktops, cabinets and storage chests. Chests are also used by the common people frequently, and are often fitted with locks and keys.

All in all Riverfall furniture is distinct because it is characterized by heavier proportions, elaborately carved cabriole legs terminating in a pad or ball-and-claw foot, ornate carvings, pierced back splats, and the use of gilding.

❖ The Rivarians & Their Attitudes Image

Rivarians are primarily welcoming people. As well as being warriors - one and all - they are artists and craftsman alike. Competitive in their work, the average Rivarian normally always strives to be the best they can be at whatever their chosen profession is. Combat is highly competitive so those who are not the best fighters have branched off and worked on their skills at creating exquisite wines or being the next best thing in terms of stone masonry.

Riverfall has a multitude of artisans and craftsman due to this competitive nature of the Akalaks. Businesses spring up over a wide variety of goods and services, all tending to be astonishing and unique. Tanners, for example, will routinely strive to find better colorings for their leather and a wider variety of shades. Secret techniques among craftsman are guarded to the utmost extreme and shared only with the best of the best apprentices. Because of this constant need to better themselves, the Akalak often need a great deal of help in their work and apprenticeships are abundant. Getting one is easy, however, though keeping it is far more difficult. An apprentice that does not show a profound love and competitive spirit for his work will find himself not advancing in his workplace. Men and women are treated equally when it comes to work, with there being no 'male or female only professions' in Riverfall. Part of this has to do with the overwhelming male population. They must cook, clean, and sew just like females because there often are no females around. It is for this reason that females are also welcomed into the combat arena since the Akalaks are firm believers that everyone, even small children, should have the right and ability to defend themselves.

Rivarian style of dress consists of heavy use of leathers in men and women and are often refereed to as 'leathers'. These are normally leather tight-fitting pants and a tunic or chest piece that is either reinforced or decorative. Armbands are common, both in metal and leather as well. Weapons harnesses are decorative as well as functional and readily display weapons. Rivarians at leisure are prone to more causal attire and can be found in loose fitting tunics and shirts of cotton and linen that are colorful and free flowing. Women are often dressed in the highest quality fabrics that are free flowing around them as they move.

Since Riverfall is extremely hot in the summer and can be bone chilling in the winter, Riverfall dress changes seasonally as well. Furs left on hides for added warm turned both outside and inside out are added to wardrobes as the weather chills.

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In terms of love and marriage, Riverfall is unique in the fact that it often has non-standard mixings of marriages and couples. Standard marriages exist between Akalaks and other species' females, though the most successful of these are via Konti women. There seems to be a steady flow of Akalak and Konti between Mura and Riverfall with both cities having 'sister/brother' city status. Akalaks also take human wives, though these relationships tend to turn tragic. It is not unheard of, as well, due to the lack of females, for more than one Akalak to share a wife. Women have a great deal of power in Riverfall and can easiy arrange such situations. Akalak males, at times, can also share a Nakivak between them, and in this way keep a woman in her Nakivak status longer. Sevatal, Akalak males who prefer relationships with other males, are accepted so long as they contribute to society by their profession (as everyone is expected). Sevatal often attempt to reproduce by taking Kelvic or Nakivaks as partners along with their significant others in a bid to gain status in the city. At least one of the Council of Ten is rumored to be Sevatal. Sevatal females are extremely frowned upon and considered selfish in Akalak societies unless they act as surrogate mothers to Akalak males.

All in all Riverfall society is simplistic. It might seem complex to an outsider, but the whole race and thus the way the city is established means that the more children you have the more rank you have in the city, regardless of skill, orientation or opinion.

❖ Demographics Image


Akalak 60%
Humans 35%
Other 5%

Akalak are all male, 60% of the city population is male (4800 men) The human population makes up 35% of Riverfall - approximately 33.3% / 66.6% men to women (930 men and 1870 women), of those 1870 women – or 75% are married leaving only 467 single human women The remaining population of 5% (400 people) is 50% men to 50% women, of those 200 women - 70% of them are married leaving 60 single women of the 8000 total inhabitants there are 527 single women, 1543 married/couples, and 4387 single men, that is a single ratio of 8.3:1 men to women.

❖ Social Standings In Riverfall
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Riverfall is pyramidal in hierarchy. The top layers all consist of Akalak as well. At the top rests Nevar Chivan, Riverfalls Leader. He is not the end-all-be-all of rule however since Riverfall was never designed to be a monarchy. The real power lies in the Council of Ten that govern Riverfall on a day to day basis. Beneath that are all those eligible to be Council if they wish it (and spots open up). These include all the Akalak of good standing who are over the age of 200 who have also been Exalted for a number of years, preferably in their early 100's. Esteemed fall next and these are the Akalak who have successfully given Riverfall a son. Beneath the Esteemed lie all the adult Akalak and the majority of the population. Next follow the Akalak Adults, all who have passed the Rite of Passage. Beneath them lie all the Akalak children in Riverfall, regardless of age or trial successions. Beneath them are those women the Akalaks are married too. Nakivak's fall next, being indentured breeders for the Akalak. Next come the Kuvan. Every Akalak starts out as a Kuvan though non-Akalak peoples of Riverfall can join their ranks. There is a requirement for Kuvan status. To become a Kuvan, you must have a competency level in a weapon or unarmed combat (thus be able to fight for the city) and be employed in or around Riverfall. Kuvan status may be applied for in The Citizenship and Labor Aid Office. Beneath the Kuvan and making up the bottom layer are kelvics. Female kelvics are given preferential treatment over males, but by and large kelvic are treated as animals or livestock and allowed to roam where they will. All other peoples are considered guests and of no rank in Riverfall.
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  • Leader of Riverfall - Nevar Chivan
  • Council of Ten - Elected Leadership Board chosen from Elders
  • Elders - Wise men of the Akalak over the age of 200
  • Exalted - Adult male with a grandson
  • Esteemed - Adult Male with one son
  • Adult - Akalak over the age of 30 who has passed his Rite of Passage
  • Children - Akalak under the age of 30
  • Wives - Women the Akalak have married.
  • Nakivak - Women the Akalak have contracted and bound to sire children for them. These females are the property of Riverfall.
  • Kuvan - Denizens of Riverfall that are non-Akalak. These can be any sex, race etc.
  • Kelvics & Slaves - Considered property and pets of the Akalak, Nakivak, and Kuvan. Females are more valuable than males and female kelvics carrying Akalak children are protected in Riverfall in the same way a wife or Nakivak would be.
  • Guests. Any visitor to Riverfall. These people have no citizenship, no rights, but must obey the laws and are somewhat protected under city law.

No other person has status in Riverfall that falls above Kuvan unless they are married to an Akalak or under contract by them. This includes Akalak that do not pass their Rites or fall into Cerulean Status.

To become Kuvan, Guests must meet the requirement for full citizenship, be employed and trained to competent in a combat or weapon skill. They must pass a Kuvan Test to gain the Kuvan tattoo and all the rank and privilege that comes with the status. Riverfall services are free to Kuvan and above, plus they get a voice and vote in the City Council.

The belief structure Cauldric Chivan, Founder of Riverfall, created was one of community. In order to keep the city from being a monarch style ruling society, Cauldric created a ten-member Council of Elders to handle all the affairs of the city to include who to trade with, what businesses to create, how to wisely spend the money of the city. Cauldric made up the eleventh and tie-breaking seat which is passed down from first born to first born. All other seats are voted on by the entire city. The term is for life, but the Council can remove a member. The role of a council member is one of community first. They are never allowed to think of themselves when making a decision. It is when a council member shows even the slightest hint of corruption that the Council of Elders will remove the person and ask the city to vote on a new member.

❖ Riverfall Laws Image

Each visitor to Riverfall is given a map of the city and a list of laws. It is expected that the visitors can read the laws. If not anyone passing with politely inform them what they are. Riverfall's laws are as following:

  1. All Rivarians are expected to maintain courtesy and civility within the city boundaries.
  2. Respect and deference to those with a higher social standing is expected.
  3. Dueling is allowed only outside the city gates or within appropriate Sasaran.
  4. Stealing is not allowed.
  5. Food, scent, and aesthetically orientated greenery is to be cultivated in any viable spot within the city to encourage beauty and sustainability among Riverians.
  6. The Harassment of Women and Children is not allowed.
  7. Trespassing is not allowed.
  8. All Kuvan and above must be employed if they remain within Riverfall's boundaries longer than a season.
  9. All Kuvan or above must be competent in at least one weapon or martial arts style and is required to be available at any time for the defense of Riverfall.
  10. Slavery is allowed though slaves must be maintained in a healthy manner and treated with the same regard as other living property. Slaves who are treated otherwise will be relinquished to the Council and reassigned new owners.

❖ Crime and Punishment Image

All forms of wrong doing are taken care of in the Gideon Combat Arena. Gideon Vayne created the system and the Arena. He was a close friend of Cauldric. For crimes against the city, he was the one that fought on their behalf in the arena. He never lost a fight during his life. Based on the Council of Elders the fight will either be by points or to the death. Most issues are fought by point system. A death fight usually involves murder or a cowardice act that results in a needless death. If the accused loses, he is required to pay a penalty decided upon by the Council to the accuser. If the accuser is loses, then he was wrong and must serve the accused in whatever capacity for one season.

Women live up to this standard as well and can be forced to fight. If the accuser or accused is an Akalak and the second party is a woman, there are society rules that are accepted ways of life to these people (they do not consider it cruel or wrong). First, a woman can forfeit the fight and simply serve the accuser for one season. Secondly, she can fight. If she loses there is never a money exchange. She must serve the Akalak for one full season. This service could include sexual relations even if the woman is married! Any child conceived during this service will be rendered to the father since all Akalak children are male. The exception would be if the woman is Konti. An Akalak is never allowed to take a female baby from a Konti woman even though he sired the child. This is a racial respect issue the Akalak to not take lightly. Konti women would never keep a male child from an Akalak father. If the Akalak loses to the woman, then his payment to her is in whatever she desires, not the Council of Elders. He could be forced to serve her for one full season, pay her fees, etc. The Council must first agree to the woman's demands, so that the punishment is proper to the crime committed, but she is the one who presents as many ideas to the Council as necessary to find a suitable punishment. Some women have set the punishment towards the Akalak's honor knowing that respect is held in the highest regard in Riverfall. To lose respect through deeds and combat have taken some Akalak men a lifetime to recover from.

❖ Defense Image

The men and women of Riverfall are required to learn the ways of combat in order to protect the people of the city from the harsh environment of the Cyphrus denizens. They are also required to go on various hunting parties to slim down the Zith presence in their area. Zith tend to form 10 to 15 person hunting parties. If the city of Riverfall were to allow these hunting parties to grow, it would not belong before a strong presence of Zith could over run the city. Plus there are various types of barbarian raiders that come to the city in hopes of taking over the gem mines. This is why Riverfall has the strongest defensive structure in the lands; built into the side of the great cliffs off the Bluevein River Waterfall, a great wall structure surrounding the city. Riverfall also forms raiding parties of their own focusing on slave traders and caravans. Slave traders come to Cyphrus because of the large barbarian presence in the plains. The Cerulean Akalak usually raids these slavers and brings the slaves back to Riverfall. Most eligible women become Nakivak while the ineligible women and men are either resold or freed.

❖ Fashion

In Riverfall, clothing for either sex is generally functional, and almost never ostentatious. Exceptionally loud colors are avoided, and dark, earth tones make up the predominant palette. Even the wealthy do not draw attention solely with clothing; the richness of the fabric, embroidery, and fine jewelry are the hallmarks of an affluent wardrobe. Riverfall lacks any real poor class, so it is very rare to see anyone in public lacking at least decent clothing. Immigrants to Riverfall retain their native style for a short while, but eventually migrate to the local fashions, usually within a season or so.

Men, who make up the majority of Riverfall’s population, wear a significant amount of leather, primarily for its durability. Many Akalaks wear leather bracers on their forearms, leather boots or sandals, and wide leather belts. Those in the crafting professions may wear their leather working aprons around the city as a mark of their profession. The more proud Akalaks choose to show off the build of their body by wearing sleeveless cotton shirts, or no shirt at all, while the weather permits. In the winter, many warriors will wear large fur cloaks over their clothes and armor, for warmth and to emphasize the breadth of their shoulders.

Women, like the very wealthy, do not need to go to excesses to attract attention. A woman will already attract attention from many men she passes, simply by virtue of being a woman. Therefore, styles tend to be more conservative than in other parts of Mizahar, with bared midriffs and scantily covered busts rarely seen unless the weather, or work, requires it. In the spring and summer, ruffled skirts and dresses are the common fare, making way for loose, sturdy pants in the cooler seasons. Riverfall skirts, shirts, and scarves alike are long, flowing garments, often with ruffled ends or patterned dyes. Shirts in any season are typically long enough to reach over the hips. In the winter, fur or wool cloaks are in order, though often thinner than the cloaks worn by the men.

❖ Employment, Professions, and Owning A Business
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It is required of every person, both male and female, to take up a profession within the city if they are in the city longer than a single season. This is how everyone provides for one another. A person who does not pull his or her weight within Riverfall will be asked to step up or leave forever. The people do not own any of the businesses around Riverfall initially. If a person has an idea for a business, they present it to the Council of Elders for approval. Riverfall will create the business (providing land/buildings/starting funds) and allow the person who came up with the idea to 'run' the business. Riverfall takes all the risks. So if a business survives, Riverfall and the creator split the proceeds 60% / 40%. If the business does not succeed, Riverfall will close it down. Riverfall also pays the salaries of whoever is required to work in the business. As a note, a business must provide impact within the community or else the Council of Elders will not approve it.

If a business is ran successfully for one year, The Council of Ten will allow the person who initiated the business plan to pay back all the initially lent funds for the start up costs (starting funds, land/building costs) and become a full time business owner. Once they own the business, they must pay the salary of any employees the business then requires to operate. To initiate this process, one must go before the council and pitch ones' business proposal and see what they say. (See Storyteller for a thread!).



❖ Trade

  • Ahnatep: * by Ship
    Receive from Ahnatep: salt, paper, palm oil
    Sent to Ahnatep: gems and fruit
  • Yahebah: * By Ship
    Receive from Yahebah: olive oil, tea, spices
    Send to Yahebah: Cow cheese, fruit
  • Zeltiva: *Overland via Syliras
    Receive from Zeltiva: Ships, Lumber, Books
    Send to Zeltiva: gemstones, fruit, wine, and cheese
  • Kenash: * Overland via Kabrian Road
    Receive from Kenash: Tobacco, Cotton, Grains and Whiskey
    Send to Kenash: gemstones, fruit, whine, and cheese
  • Spires: * Via Wind Eagle
    Receive From Spires: Dyes, Perfumes, Knowledge, Animal Parts
    Send to Spires: Cheese, wine, fruits
    Bonus: Youth Exchange program
  • Ravok: *Overland slowly
    Receive from Ravok: Kelvics & Art
    Send: gemstones, fruit, cheese, and wine
  • Wind Reach: *Via Wind Eagle
    Receive from WR: Glassware & Weapons
    Send: Fruit, Cheese, Wine, Gemstones
  • Mura: * By Ship & Overland via Syliras
    Receive from Lhavit: Vision Water and Medicine
    Send to Lhavit: Fruit, Cheese, Wine, Gemstones
  • Lhavit: * By Ship
    Receive from Lhavit: Skyglass Things, Books, Silks
    Send to Lhavit: Fruit, Cheese, Wine, Gemstones
  • Syliras: * by land and sea
    Receive from Syliras: Grains, lumber
    Send to Syliras: Fruit, Cheese, Wine, Gemstones
  • Sultros: *note from the Eastern Boarder Post on Suvan
    Receive from Sultros: Metal, Weapons, Lumber
    Send to Sultros: Fruit, Cheese, and Wine (some meat/fish)



❖ Miscellaneous

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Riverfall is going to continue to grow and evolve. As it does so, more information will be added to this thread. Please PM a storyteller if there is any additional information someone would like to see displayed here.
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Riverfall's OOC Information

Postby Gossamer on February 20th, 2012, 12:01 am

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❖ Introduction

First and foremost, the storyteller’s of Riverfall have worked very hard to create a story rich environment that all players can enjoy. We’ve done this through hardcore use of plot, setting, and giving you a dynamic list of NPCs most of which are available for your use with little or no permission. Riverfall strives to be one of the most scenic and dynamic cities in Mizahar. We achieve this by having clear cut policies and procedures that easily allow players to either start in Riverfall or move into Riverfall’s setting and integrate quickly. The Riverfal staff expect all players in Riverfall to abide by the guidelines we have carefully laid out for Riverfall. This list is short but very important. If pc’s do not follow the items below, they will not get their threads graded until they have complied.

❖ Riverfall Core Guidelines ❖

  • If you are an Akalak who has completed his Rite of Passage and want to start out with a Lakan, it costs 2 gm. Consider this the price to forge it.
  • Each PC must have a completed Character Sheet.
  • Each PC needs to update their CS at each Season Change with updated thread lists, ledgers that account for cost of living and expenses doled out during the previous season, and all expenditures for the season just completed. This is for your own good as a player. Please update your CS’s as often as you can, ideally each time you start a new thread and/or make an expenditure.
  • All PCs must follow with the Rules and Terms of Use for the entire site. If they do not, Moderator Interventions will be added to their threads and pm’s sent.
  • All PCs should to attempt to communicate with Storytellers clearly and promptly when problems and questions arise. With opens lines of communication the staff can strive to make the overall experience in Riverfall fulfilling.
  • All PCs need to register when entering Riverfall and then remove their registry posting when they have exited the city for extensive or permanent periods of time. Registry postings must be reposted when pc’s revisit the city.
  • Due to the nature of Riverfall and its economic level in Mizahar, all PCs within the city of Riverfall will be living under a Common Level of Living Expenses. In some very rare cases pcs may step back to Poor Living due to a unique lifestyle. Other PCs may be existing at a significantly higher Living Expense. Any living expense below a Common level must get Storyteller Approval in Riverfall. Any expense above a Common Level can be freely applied without Storyteller Approval.


That’s it. This is a very shot and simple list of guidelines for Riverfall. If you have any questions about them at all please feel free to ask in the OOC or PM an RF ST for further clarification.

❖ Additional Links & Resources


*Some of these 'pages' don't exist yet but they will. Feel free to help work on them if you'd like. I'm a big fan of compilation pages.



❖ Avatars & Signatures

Riverfall an NPC and Avatar library of both Akalaks and other sorts of Avatars that are available for use in Riverfall for folks that don't like picture hunting. I'll keep it filled up but you need to let me know when you utilize something so I can take it out of the pool. It's hosted on Photobucket but please don't hotlink from there, upload the images to your own account here! Please use these for RF only (no poaching other lazy folks buliding NPCs elsewhere!) or PCs starting in RF. I just used photobucket because I could mass upload.


If you have an avatar you need cropped, colored, or altered in any way please contact Gossamer and she'd be glad to do it. The same goes for a signature being created. Please note signatures need to be no bigger than 600X150 px.

❖ Business Ownership

We'd love to help you set your PC up in owning their own business. This is highly encouraged. What it entails is simply having a PC that first and foremost has the skillset to own a business. Once that is established, they can go before the Council of Ten and request funds. Riverfall will give the individual the money needed to fund a new business and pay the owner like an employee at the business until the debt accrued for the business is paid off. Once the debt is paid, the business becomes wholly the PC's. Debt is agreed upon at the time of the transaction and does not change unless a PC requests more funds (say for an expansion or remodel) and adds to the debt willingly.

Please see a Storyteller for a Council Thread to get started setting up a business.

❖ Calendar of Events

Riverfall has a Calendar of Events that outlines the happenings in Riverfall each Season. Each 'event' is listed as a date on the calendar. These events include weather oddities, trade, visitors, discoveries, and quest opportunities. Feel free to incorporate them into your threading and roleplay or request that your PC be part of the event as it unfolds.

The Calendar can be found here.

❖ Community Development & Suggestions

The Suggestion Box is a primary source for people wishing to get involved in Riverfall and its development. Riverfall would enjoy additional locations, groups, even festivals and calendar events. We are always open for people to add new ideas and new settings into Riverfall.

The Suggestion Box thread is for the taking of suggestions, planning development, Q&A, and anything related therein to Riverfall Development. Feel free to use this thread frequently and pipe in if you have any comments or thoughts. All opinions welcome. I also use the Suggestion box to lay out plans for future endeavors and keep most of Riverfall's activities transparent and open. This allows the storytellers to find out who's interested in whats going on, who isn't, and if certain things are confusing or intriguing to people. I welcome any and all dialog.

❖ Employment

Everyone needs to earn money. In Riverfall there is a serious cost of living that keeps everyone at a common or above unless you have special permission. That means your PC needs at least have enough coin to cover 135 gm or 1.5 gm/day on their seasonal living expense. That needs most if not all PCs need to have regular employment. The Riverfall Labor Aid office can help a PC find a job in their chosen profession. You can also set it up with a Storyteller to have an earned income at some unorthodox professions such as fortune teller, escort, mercenary where steady income might be a problem.

Once income is established, it doesn't need to be reapplied for as long as you are actively doing threads depicting your income. Your PC can claim their 'salary' on your ledger on the last day of each season (for that completed season) so long as your PC has been active during the season. Seasonal XP, however, must be tracked thoroughly and applied for including receiving SS thread entries for Seasonal XP earned.

❖ Experience Awards & Grading

Please post in the Moderation Request Thread to request grading and experience awards. You must have a current up-to-date CS to get your threads award, so be prepared.

❖ Godmodding & Powergaming

Godmodding (sometimes called Powergaming) has a whole host of definitions, but is distinctly different from Metagaming. In general, Godmodding is a term used for those that create a character that is portrayed as skilled sometimes to the point that they are virtually indestructible and incredibly good at everything they do despite their skillset listed on their character sheet. Anyone who utilizes skills at a higher level than listed on their CS is considered a Godmodder.

Godmodding is also a term used to refer to a character that describes an outcome of their own actions against another PC or NPC without giving the PC or the moderator a chance to respond. Ie. Character A swung his axe, cutting off Character B’s head! On Mizahar, its perfectly acceptable for Character A to swing to kill, just let Character B respond and at least try to dodge. In a situation where it is impossible for Character B to dodge (say hes laying prone on the ground unconscious), it can also be considered Godmodding for Character B to miraculously get away in a convenient and out of context way.

A further use of Godmodding is when a character takes too many actions in one round of combat. Some people love to write great detailed in-depth posts, but one has to remember that doing actions takes time. This is especially true with magic. So if its our badboy Character A’s turn to post again, and he casts two fireballs, throws up a shield, and creates a sword of stone all out of his awesome Reimancy, odds are he’s not going to have time for all of that at once. A fireball or two is fine, but some things take concentration and PC’s have a tendency to forget about casting time in magic. And while the wiki doesn’t specify casting time, we go by the ‘is it reasonable in those seconds’ rules. Probably four creations of oozing djed, forming it, and utilizing it aren’t.

Controlling characters that are not yours to begin with is also considered godmoding. This is not metagaming, like some people confuse it with. Metagaming is utilizing knowledge (usually a skill or some news relevant to the game) your PC does not have in thread.

❖ Groups

The Kuvay'Nas are Riverfall's Militia. They are have expanded in recent years and are taking new recruits constantly. More info about them can be found here.

❖ Mary Sue/Gary Stu

Beware the Mary Sue/Gary Stu Player Character. According to TV Tropes a Mary Sue is defined as:

"The prototypical Mary Sue is an original female character in a fanfic who obviously serves as an idealized version of the author mainly for the purpose of Wish Fulfillment. She's exotically beautiful, often having an unusual hair or eye color, and has a similarly cool and exotic name. She's exceptionally talented in an implausibly wide variety of areas, and may possess skills that are rare or nonexistent in the canon setting. She also lacks any realistic, or at least story-relevant, character flaws — either that or her "flaws" are obviously meant to be endearing.

She has an unusual and dramatic Back Story. The canon protagonists are all overwhelmed with admiration for her beauty, wit, courage and other virtues, and are quick to adopt her as one of their True Companions, even characters who are usually antisocial and untrusting; if any character doesn't love her, that character gets an extremely unsympathetic portrayal. She has some sort of especially close relationship to the author's favorite canon character — their love interest, illegitimate child, never-before-mentioned sister, etc. Other than that, the canon characters are quickly reduced to awestruck cheerleaders, watching from the sidelines as Mary Sue outstrips them in their areas of expertise and solves problems that have stymied them for the entire series."


In Riverfall and also somewhat in the rest of Mizahar, our definition of a Mary Sue character is one that is basically perfect. They have a noted lack of flaws and certainly have no character weaknesses. They rarely need any help, and for example can travel around Mizahar on a beautiful half-wild horse (having no skill at riding or wilderness survival) and have no issues with anyone or anything trying to eat them. These PCs are annoying and generally are disliked to the point that other roleplayers start refusing to thread with them altogether.

Please avoid Mary Sue and Gary Stu characters in Riverfall. If you'd like some help making sure your PC doesn't fall into that category, please contact a Storyteller here or even one of our esteemed Liaisons. But remember, the number one way to avoid being this type of PC is to simply build in equal amounts of flaws into your PC as your PC has strengths. Balance is critical and makes for a more dynamic interesting PC in the long run.

❖ Magic

While magic is not the primary focus of Riverfall, it is known and available in certain instances. All magic performed in Riverfall is generally for its defense and protection. There are very few 'for profit' magic organizations or shops. So while individuals can be found to teach magic, there are no established schools of magic or real discipline in learning magic.

Common: AuristicsFluxHypnotismGlyphingMorphingProjectionReimancyVoidingShielding

Uncommon: AlchemyAnimationFamiliaryMagecraftSpiritism

Unwelcome: SummoningMaladictionLeeching

Unknown: Webbing

❖ Metagaming

Metagaming is simply defined as the use of out of character knowledge in an in character situation. A character played by a metagamer does not act in a way that reflects the character's in game experiences and back-story.

Metagaming most commonly occurs when a pc utilizes knowledge (usually a skill or some news relevant to the game) they do not have in thread. Player A knows how to tie a killer knot thus Player A’s PC (Character A) can too! Where’d he learn how to tie knots? When? Show me the lore or skill? If you don’t have it, you don’t know it unless its considered in-game common knowledge. Now this is a mild example, a tiny whoops, but the use of Metagaming gets vast and ridiculous fast.

Metagaming is not allowed in Riverfall. All Metagaming will be commented on and noted when threads are graded and most instances, when either noted by Storytellers or reported by players, will result in PM's that ask players to change their posts to more clearly reflect their PC's skillset. This is why it is important to keep your Character Sheet updated and current.

Metagaming is distinctly different but closely related to Godmodding (Powergaming). Please see the Godmodding section for noted differences. Neither is allowed in Riverfall or on Mizahar in general. Mistakes are made, and sometimes these two instances happen without players being aware. We understand this, but expect corrections to be made if and when incidents do occur.

❖ Models

  • External City Shots: Santorini, Greece on the outside views of the cliffs, infused with Dome Buildings.
  • Architecture: Byzantine Style Buildings, Furniture and Architecture with Heavy Domes etc. Heavy Istanbul influences and southern Mediterranean feel.

❖ Money

Riverfall and the Rivarians that dwell here utilize the Miza system. See Money in the wiki for more information. Currency consists of copper, silver, and gold-rimmed Mizas. There is no banking system. PCs are required to carry or stash thier own currancy as they see fit. Almost any business owner or shop can exchange currency for a pc if such a service is needed. They might charge a fee based on the location money changing is carried out.

❖ Multiple PCs

The same player cannot have multiple PCs in Riverfall at the same time. If a special need arises where some overlap needs to happen, please contact a storyteller for permission. Otherwise, please only one alt at a time in this domain.

❖ News & Announcements

All news and announcements will be posted in the Riverfall OOC thread found here.

❖ NPC Usage

All of Riverfall's PCs will be displayed both in location threads and here in the NPC Library found in this thread. We like to give players a great deal of freedom to utilize NPCs and the NPC library reflects this by listing which NPCs one can use freely without permission. There are several NPCs that cannot be used at all, and there are some that can only be used by permission. In regards to NPCs we are generally talking about 'named NPCs' not the nameless faceless people seen on city streets. Don't react for PCs or named NPCs if you don't have permission to use that person in thread. An ST or the owner of the PC can do that for you. In otherwords, yeah I can grab someone’s hand and hold on it, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t tear it away or smack me for touching them. Now you can ask a player in a pm about taking brief control… like taking lead in a dance, but never assume you have complete. As far as a NPC, the storytellers give you a lot of trust to run an NPC. Treat it like another character or person, because that’s what storytellers do. You might need the NPC to teach you something, so think of all the teachers you knew and how they acted.

What about non-named NPC’s? You can assume simple control over non-named NPC’s. If you go into a bar and order a drink, assume the waitress or bartender gets you one. Maybe there is a band in the corner, you can assume that requesting a song and paying them will change the next selection to what you want. If you enter a busy market place you can assume that people are around creating a dull chatter and you might bump into a few of them.

What can’t I assume… the above actions were simple and easily requested. For example, most waitresses will get you a drink if asked. A musical band will play requests, a crowded courtyard is bound to make people stumble into one another. Overall these things weren’t unusual, however, picking pockets, fighting, or throwing something at them make people react differently. Ask your storyteller if you can assume certain things before writing a post, like hey I have boxing skill of 35 can I assume that I land several blows on this guy and knock him out? As a storyteller I would say that you can land the blows and even break his nose, but he will still be up.

❖ Posting & Post Length

Posting is a very important concept in Riverfall. You can't tell a story without making posts, but in making posts there's some very short and sweet rules to follow.

  • Feel free to start as many open threads as you'd like.
  • Feel free to post in as many open threads as you'd like.
  • Don't post in closed threads unless you have permission.
  • Do not hijack threads.
  • No one liner threads are permitted EVER.
  • Please make an attempt to spell check your posts and read them over for grammar.

A post should be approximately 300 to 400 words or more. Sometimes short posts are required to simply answer questions, and sometimes writers like to write a great deal more. Feel free to do so. But on average, a full midsized post is best to get your thoughts and actions across and give others time to react. This is roughly four paragraphs in length of 4-6 complete sentences, which roughly equates to half a page of writing. Grammar should be passable, we don’t need overly flowered phases or sentence structure like the Great Gatsby, but you should have proof read it once and gone over it with a spell checker.

❖ Races & Race Relations

While individuals in Riverfall might have various opinions on various races, the following list is an ‘in general’ idea of how races are perceived and treated in Riverfall.

  • Akvatari: While finding them somewhat melodramatic and depressing, the Rivarians welcome Akvatari visitors into their midst because they can often be persuaded to paint a mural or decorate in a bright and cheerful way that always seems to delight the women of Riverfall. The Council of Ten often hosts artistic Akvatari for free during their course of stay as long as something is given in exchange – paintings, landscaping, stonework – or else take them on hire as employees for as long as the creatures can be pursued to stay. They often reside in The Blue Gem though The Pearl House has been known to take Akvatari travelers in as well.
  • Chaktawe: Welcomed politely in Riverfall, this race is traded with and treated respectfully.
  • Charoda: This aquatic race is welcomed in Riverfall and treated with respect. Often the Charoda and Rivarians trade on an individual basis.
  • Dhani: Riverfall has a small permanent population of Dhani, so while they are stranger perhaps than most of the visitors and denizens in Riverfall, they are nevertheless welcomed.
  • Ethaefal: Thought of as strange and celestial, Rivarians treat them with distance and respect. However, if their ‘normal side’ is a race feared or hated such as Symenestra or Zith, they will be executed as soon as this fact is discovered.
  • Eypharian: Thought of as arrogant, this race is tolerated but barely, and is sometimes openly disdained.
  • Ghost: Mostly ignored, ghosts populate Riverfall but they are nothing that the Akalaks ever get excited about.
  • Humans: Humans are welcome in Riverfall and treated on par with many other races the Akalak like to interact and trade with. Their dependence upon humans is noted especially in terms of human females. A great deal of Riverfall’s population is human and there is no place off limits to them or taboo. Humans are welcome to stay in almost any housing in Riverfall, though they tend to prefer Baywatch and Bluevein apartments where they are found in large numbers.
    • Benshira: Thought highly of because of their connection with Yahal.
    • Drykas: Respected neighbors and honored. Drykas women are sometimes returned to Endrykas rather than turned into Nakviak’s when rescued if their family is well known or respected in Riverfall.
    • Inarta: Rarely seen in Riverfall, they are treated as exotic normal humans.
    • Mixed: Generally treated the same as straight humans.
    • Svefra: Heavily trade with the Akalak and are welcomed and respected.
    • Vantha: Rare in Riverfall and found fascinating. They are especially popular if these individuals are storytellers or carvers.
  • Isur: Welcome and very respected in Riverfall. Their ties to Izurdin and weaponsmithing make them well sought after craftsman.
  • Jamoura: Rare in Riverfall, the Jamoura are treated perhaps better than kelvics but not on par with humans. It’s perhaps as if the Rivarians haven’t realized the non-bestial nature of these people.
  • Kelvics: Welcomed in Riverfall, these creatures however are not considered human and are instead designated to ‘pet’ status.
  • Konti: Konti are very welcomed in Riverfall, embraced in fact. Their longevity matches that of the Akalak. And Konti have very little problem bearing Akalak children, though they might as easily have a Konti daughter than have an Akalak son for their chosen mates.
  • Mixed Blood: See each part of the combination for reaction. Part Syms and Part ziths fall under full blooded status for the purpose of Riverfall’s viewpoint and these individuals are executed on sight.
  • Myrians: Males are welcomed with grudging respect though females are often ran out of the city after a day or two of being in Riverfall just because their dominant female attitude often gets them in trouble. If a female Myrian made no trouble and acted respectful, she took would be tolerated.
  • Nuit: Spotting a Nuit is a rare thing. They are treated with caution and often followed or watched when revealed to be Nuit. The Riverians know very little of Nuits and thus treat them with caution.
  • Pycon: These little creatures are considered annoying but harmless. They are treated with less respect than a normal welcomed human would be, but they are not often abused either.
  • Symenestra: Males are slain on sight. Females are treated with respectful caution. Male Eth/Sym combinations, if known, will revert back to Sym status while females will fall into the ‘cautiously watched’ category.
  • Zith: Males and females both are hunted and killed on sight. There are no questions asked. The same goes for mixed blooded Zith. Zith blood contaminates everything it touches.


❖ Seasonal Experience & Wages

Please post in the Moderation Request Thread to ask for seasonal wages and XP Awards.

A seasonal salary and seasonal experience points are two different things and while they are often awarded together, they shouldn't be considered together. What in the heck do I mean? They are both designed so PCs can earn a living at their profession and enrich their RP experiences. How? A job is designed to be an rp backdrop for that PC which holds a job. When I say a PC has to rp their job to get their seasonal xp, then I mean they have to use their job as a backdrop and do threads in which their job is preformed.

What I see storytellers doing is requiring two or three job threads a season and then seemingly double awarding XP for first the thread then the seasonal XP. No no no! ST's seem to combine these two things, which should be totally different, into one singular request.

Lets have some examples:

Sarah is a busker. A busker is someone that stands on a street corner and plays music with a can out or an open guitar case in which she gets donations for her playing. Now, Sarah should earn a base salary of 4 gm a day for performing. To get this coin, she has to talk about busking, set other threads in the busking scenario (Say almost get hit in the street by a run away carriage or get stolen from and chase the thief), but she doesn't have to actually busk. She just uses the busking as a backdrop. These threads earn her the seasonal XP for busking even though shes not actually performing in them. She's not really busking in them, but she's being a busker and using that busking lifestyle as a backdrop.

Now.. Sarah needs a few job threads for a salary. She does a busking thread where she works a festival and gets some requests asked of her. Then maybe she works a really bad day where its pouring down rain and she gets no tips or really has to struggle to stay at work. IN this thread she's awarded XP for the Busking in the form of the musical instrument or performance etc... and these two threads count for seasonal salary. They do not, however, count for her seasonal XP because she already got busking XP for doing them.

Where most ST's make the mistake is that the second scenario is required and awarded both coin and XP seasonally. Why? She got XP already for busking/musical instrument/performance.. why give her double? In the first scenario she was trying to busk but got run over by a carriage or ended up having an adventure chasing a thief.

Even if a profession is considered special or rare in Riverfall, like its the most exulted profession ever, it still needs to pay what what the price list says. A PC still gets its level bonus for L2, L3, or L4 levels in that skill. The Price List explains how to add this bonus. If a person owns their own business and doesn't work for someone else, at their BASE rate, they can in fact add a 20% bonus to their wage. This isn't added EACH level, this is only added at the base rate. This is a standardization that's FAIR and can't allow for abuses. If people work their businesses, they earn a fair wage.

❖ Seasonal Challenge

What is a thread goal? Each season Riverfall’s storytellers will provide a list of suggested ‘to do’ events for the characters here. These to-do threads are in no way required, but are simply for fun. Characters that finish the seasonal challenge will receive an RF Seasonal Challenge medal. PC's outside Riverfall are welcome to do the Riverfall challenges in their own area for a Riverfall Medal in case people are collecting them. A complete list of the current Seasonal Challenge can be found here.

❖ Setting

Please feel free to assume weather conditions that you can find on an average day in Riverfall along with average conditions. Tornadoes, Hurricanes, wild djed storms, and significant weather events need to be ran by a storyteller first. Can you witness a squabble in the street that might happen in any street anywhere? Sure. But you can't say a riot broke out. That's crossing over to Storyteller territory.

Remember that Riverfall has beach, cave, building, street, orchard and numerous other 'settings' so you can probably one that fits your needs easily. Check the Link Map and the IC guide above for additional ideas.

❖ Starting Packages

Forthcoming...

❖ Status

Forthcoming...

❖ The Riverfall Store

Announcements about the Riverfall Store will be forthcoming and placed in this thread for IC and OOC Shopping Fun.
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The NPC Library

Postby Gossamer on September 9th, 2012, 4:50 pm

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BBC CodeHelp DeskStarting GuideSyka
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Gossamer
Words reveal soul.
 
Posts: 21145
Words: 6357847
Joined roleplay: March 23rd, 2009, 4:40 pm
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Medals: 11
Featured Contributor (1) Featured Thread (1)
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The Riverfall Holidays

Postby Gossamer on December 2nd, 2012, 1:54 am

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❖ Introduction

Riverfall can be a somewhat serious city. However, that being said, the Rivarians do like to celebrate and cling to their traditions in the form of festivals and holidays. There are not a great many holidays throughout the year, but the ones they do have are celebrated with great gusto and are often renowned as some of the most crime-less celebrations found anywhere on Mizahar.

Holidays in Riverfall seem to come four a season. Rivarians generally have one solemn holiday, one pointed towards the future, one based in the past, one celebrating women, and one having something to do with food. There are other smaller celebrations throughout the year as well, for example when a child comes of age or passes a Rite. Marriages and births are also commonly celebrated.

❖ Spring

ImageName: The Valterrian Survival Festival
Date: 1st Day of Spring
Details: Marking the beginning of the new year from the ashes of the old, this festival celebrates life and its resilience in the face of chaos and destruction. The mood is festive, but tempered by the sadness for all that was lost. People look forward to the future while remembering the lessons of the past. Public celebrations do not indulge in any excess of revelry; instead, this is a time for everyone to be thankful and express their good will for the new year. Citizens visit their loved ones and take great joy that they have survived one more turn of the seasons. Highly symbolic presents, tailored to the individual, are often exchanged between family and close friends. There is no pressure or obligation to do so, but these small gifts are viewed as a token of gratitude and an invitation to carry on.

Duels and violence are forbidden on this day when the world is revived. Also, on this occasion every single citizen can hold a public speech if they so choose. Commonly, the speaker uses this chance to thank someone they hold dear and to make propositions for the coming year. The entire community will hold them to their promises regardless of race or gender, so such oaths should not be made lightly. Several Akalak have been dishonored upon not being able to follow through on their propositions by their fault alone.

A new tree is planted in Riverfall on the first day of spring, and carefully marked so that everyone can see the year when it was installed. Several people develop a special connection with the "Valterrian tree" of the year when they were born or some other significant time of their lives. Whenever a Valterrian tree withers and dies, the next tree will take its place so that life can always go on. Markets are open all day and art pieces are especially valued. It is not uncommon for people, especially those who lead particularly dangerous lives, to have their portraits painted, sketched or carved on this occasion, to remind them that they, too, are survivors. These works of art also serve as a part of them that will remain, should they not make it to the next spring.
Credits: Leo Varniak

ImageName: The Ink Festival
Date: 90th Day of Spring
Details:Rivarians celebrate the end of Spring by taking advantage of the warm weather and showing off some skin. Herrlock/Garad from Riverfall Ink receives a commission from the Council to do free tattoos, under a certain size, from dawn until dusk. Any amateur tattoo artists in the city also offer free tattoos, and though they don’t receive Council commission, it is a matter of pride to offer one’s gift to such a holiday.

Those with tattoos display them openly throughout the city, where many businesses offer festival discounts to those with extensive markings. All Riverfall residents, who have their residency tattoo, receive at least some small discount. In the evening, much of the public and those with the most spectacular tattoos meet on the floor of the Gideon Arena, where a winner of the festival is decided by public vote. Tattoos are not just judged by multitude alone, but color and quality as well. Epic stories may be told though one’s tattoos, relayed to the gathered crowd while the bearer stands on a box for all to see his marks. The winner from one year cannot win in the next five years, to make sure fresh winners are always chosen.

Children often are given henna or other temporary tattoos - often by child artists- as well, and have their own contests judged by child judges.
Credits: Rosela

ImageName: The Form And Fitness Festival
Date: 45th of Spring
Details: At the apex of Spring, when new life blooms and the days are once again tolerable, Riverfall earns its reputation for masculinity and bravado when the Form and Fitness Festival begins. Heralded as a contest of strength and prowess, the festival lasts for three days, in which Rivarians flaunt their strength and love of the physical form. All citizens are permitted and encouraged to attend, but visitors to the city may participate as well. Staged at Gideon's Arena and Gideon's Glory, contests of strength feats dominate the days while raucous drinking and celebration rule the night.

While many scheduled and official events occur throughout the festival, it is not uncommon at all to be challenged at any time to an arm wrestling bout or similar contest anywhere in the City. The incredibly brave or insane may also venture out to the Cerulean Outpost, where more brutal and feral challenges can be made, though these often end badly for the loser. On the final day of the Festival, a Body Building competition occurs in the Arena, where forms and definition take precedence over brute force. It is known to be second only to Beautyfest in attendance of the females of Riverfall. Prestige and honor are the main victories, though one special honor remains for the victor of the overall events. A winner of the Festival is named and the victor holds that title all year until the next Festival.
Credits: Elem Bree

ImageName: Sweetday!
Date: 60th of Spring
Details:Sweetday is a holiday of happiness and self control. It is one of the several holidays that celebrate the ever-important presence of children in Riverfall by bringing a day of levity into their lives. It is also one of the few holidays that is not dedicated to a particular god. For Sweetday, the Zhongjie Warrens repopulate with candy stalls, all selling some manner of sweets. Professional bakers, candy shops, and family cooks can rent a space to sell their wares for the day. The festival starts informally after lunch and ends around dinner.

While adults must pay for their sweets, each child under 12 is issued a packet of tickets: 5 tickets for those aged 9-12, 4 for 7-9, 3 for 5-6, and 2 for all children 1-4. Parents of a very young child may spend an hour or two choosing for them, but the rest of the festival is spent dodging packs of children running from stall to stall, deciding what to spend their tickets on. Candy makers compete for the most tickets, using any advertising tactic available to lure children into spending tickets on their wares. The next day, the tickets are tallied, and the store with the most gets their spot in the Warrens for free the next year.

In the disciplined society of the Akalaks, gluttony is abhorred, but one must still make time to stop and appreciate the sweeter things in life.
Credits: Rosela

❖ Summer

ImageName: The Day Of The Dance
Date: 85th Day Of Summer
Details: Parties in the streets! Musicians line every street corner, playing music a plenty. The celebration of the end of summer starts 4 bells before nightfall. Males and females take out to the streets in casual wear, and dance till you can't dance no more. Most of the city takes to the beach for beach dances, but some like the quieter atmosphere of the parks where they still have music. From street corner to street corner, different music is always playing, allowing for people to almost always be dancing, to whatever they like best.
The Gideon Arena is turned into a staging area for the professional group dancers, with the outskirts turned into audience seating.

People have been known to dance all the way through the night till the dawn of the next day. Rhaus has been known to be at this festival some years, celebrating in the excellent music and dancing. Everyone is given a single necklace deep blue necklace, who they are to give that night to the person they think danced the best. The top ten dancers generally will have a dance off in the Gideon arena, to the delight of everyone else in the city.
Credits: Dex



ImageName: Seafaire!
Date: 30th Day Of Summer
Details:Details: Being built nearly on top of the sea, Laviku is a vastly important god to Riverfall. Konti and Charoda, two species present alongside the prevalent Akalaks, owe their existence to either Laviku or his mate, Alavis. As is his right, Laviku demands sacrifice in his name and the city is happy to oblige.

Seafaire is a city-wide festival, and all citizens are expected to turn out for it. The mighty sea that protects Riverfall is celebrated with boat races, swimming competitions, and seahorse races. Companies and stores will often sponsor a competitor, though the winner receives only prestige. All praise goes to Laviku, who allowed the competition in the first place. Should an Otani wander into the harbor during the festivities to grant them a song, all other music stops as the city crowds into the harbor to listen.

Throughout the day, a great wreath is constructed at the end of the harbor. Every citizen, down to the last child, is expected to add some bounty, be it food, flowers, or worldly possession. Vendors set up stalls and sell wares cheaply, though the quality is highly important. No one wants to be responsible for incurring Laviku’s wrath for sending him their discards. Many shops make festival-themed variations of their typical wares, specifically for adding to the wreath. These vendors often add what does not sell to the wreath themselves at the end of the day. The wealthier families of the city make vast contributions, often with much pomp, in an attempt to out-do one another.

As the sun starts to sink, the Council of Ten holds a ceremonial tying of the wreath, wrapping it with net to be sure all contributions make it out to sea. The winner of the boat race slowly hauls the wreath out to sea, with the winner of the swimming competition aboard and the seahorse champion swimming alongside. Once they are out of the harbor, the rope is cut, buoys removed, and the wreath floats out to sea, slowly sinking. The festival is officially over when the wreath has completely vanished under the waves.
Credits: Rosela

ImageName: The Festival of Lights
Date: 2nd New Moon of Summer
Details:The Festival of Lights commemorates the dual nature of all Akalaks and the endless cycle of Akajia and Syna. During the day, the shadows of the cliffs bring a bit of Akajia into the day; and during the night, Leth’s light brings his lover’s essence into the darkness. However, during the new moon, Leth is gone from the skies to join Syna as lovers do, and the people of Riverfall take it upon themselves to continue his work.

The Festival of Lights is a casual festival by day. Shops and stalls sell their wares at a festival discount, with a particular emphasis on candles and candle holders. Craftsmen and chemists show off the latest fashions in candleware, usually in darkened tents and back rooms to emphasize the lights.

Either during the day, or well in advance for the over-prepared, each citizen of Riverfall creates a unique candleholder. These are made primarily from painted glass jars or lanterns, but the skilled may craft their own. Each candle represents a single notion about the carrier, be it a physical object, an emotion, or anything else important to the one carrying it. For the first person able to guess what their candle represents, the carrier must present a small token of reward. It is considered bad luck if, at the end of the festival, one has a candle that no one has been able to guess.

Once night falls, the real festival begins. There is a night-long fair throughout the city, through which people carry their own candles and guess at the candles of others. Shop stalls remain open, and are joined by street performers and games of chance. Though most of the public does not make it through the entirety of the night, the young take it as a badge of honor if they can stay awake until the celestial lovers part and Syna returns with the sunrise.
Credit: Rosela

ImageName: Feastday!
Date: 80th of Summer
Details: With the autumn harvest drawing closer at the end of summer, the people of Riverfall give thanks to Bala and the farmers who keep the city well fed. One final day of excess before the work of the harvest kicks in, and the whole city feasts. Most of the day is spent preparing food, so almost all non-culinary businesses are closed for the day.

Restaurants open in the evenings with large spreads for those who wish to dine out instead of slaving over their own meals. Those with extensive families often stay home and cook, and many social circles engage in a pot luck dinner. For those without families, or no desire to eat at home, restaurants enjoy a familial atmosphere, with complete strangers sitting elbow to elbow. Members of the known farming families in town are often given a free place at restaurants and friends’ homes.

After the feast, most adults sleep off their excesses while the children play games in their homes. The evening of Feastday is often slept away, and the streets are empty until the next morning.
Credits: Rosela




❖ Fall

ImageName: The Fire Festival
Date: 25th of Fall
Details:Details: Celebrated in many locations across Mizahar, the Fire festival was originally introduced to Riverfall by Svefra seafarers. Their influence is obvious as the greater part of the festival takes place on the beach and away from the grass, where unchecked fire could easily run out of control. People gather around bonfires to chase the cold of the night and take turns sharing stories of sadness and hope, death and rebirth. Some of the tales are retellings of popular legends in local folklore, others are new, spun by the storytellers for the enjoyment of their audience. Some are even of a personal nature. The Akalak often share stories of battle, loss, destruction and redemption. It is not uncommon for people to start rehearsing their tale seasons in advance of the festival. On this occasion even the Nakivak women sit and speak side by side with the Akalak; all are considered equal on this night. There are no contests and no winners.

Fire dancers move smoothly between the bonfires, the torches they carry and juggle with ease marking them in the darkness. They entertain the audience in between tales, dancing on the embers and eating fire as the night marches on. Dressed in gaudy, flowing robes, they do not speak a single word throughout the festival. Taking care of the more solemn side of the festival, theirs is the duty of collecting a flame from every bonfire at the culmination of the event. Lighting a torch from each gathering, they bring them all together and stand in a line in front of a raised platform well visible from the sea, where a pile of wood and kindling has been prepared in advance.

As most participants assemble around the platform, a massive wicker figure dubbed the Dark One is transported on top of a wagon by eight Akalak warriors. The Dark One was woven by Riverfall's women and decorated by skilled artisans one season prior to the event. It embodies the worst challenge the city had to face in the past year and could be a Zith, a glassbeak, a Yukman or even a misshapen man deformed by disease. The wicker creature is hoisted upon the platform and the Fire dancers light the bonfire with their torches. As the Dark One burns, people hold hands and celebrate the cycle of rebirth. The ashes from this event are then buried somewhere in the city to fertilize the soil and make it so that new life can bloom from the blazing fire.
Credits: Leo Varniak

ImageName: Remembrance Day
Date: 45th of Fall
Details: The golden age for the Akalak people occurred during pre-Valterrian times, when their race thrived in the great city of Valkalah. After the Valterrian, however, Akalak numbers shrunk drastically and the ones who remained were left to pick up the pieces. Their society is steadily being rebuilt in Riverfall, but the loss is still deeply lamented. Remembrance Day is a tradition put in place by the Council of Elders to allow the Akalak a public outlet for their grief and to ensure that their illustrious history is not forgotten. Over time, the holiday evolved so that the citizens of Riverfall mourn the loved ones they've lost post-Valterrian, as well.

On this day, it is customary to wear a red ribbon to honor the dead. Men tend to tie these ribbons around their wrists or upper arms, whereas women often braid them into their hair. During the morning, families gather and partake in their own traditions. Many honor Dira with prayers or shrines, while others choose to spend their time sharing stories, giving thanks, or meditating.

At mid-day, the city gathers for a public mourning ceremony. The Council of Elders and other prominent members of Riverfall society make official speeches about the past, and often emphasize the importance of hope for the future. Citizens are invited to share their poems and art, and children are told grand stories of Akalak bravery and honor.

In the evening, a pyre dedicated to Dira is filled with flowers and candles and sent out to sea. Those who wish to participate will hold a candlelight vigil along the shore. These candles are often decorated with a single red ribbon and inscribed with the names of the dead. Many citizens also choose to include messages or memories dedicated to their loved ones in these inscriptions. The vigil is held until the pyre disappears from view, though there are always some who stay until Syna begins to rise once more. On a more personal level people often float candles in the small lakes within Riverfall's park, holding private memorials dedicated to their lost loved ones.
Credit: Naeya

ImageName: Beautyfests
Date: 68th of Fall
Details: Beautyfest is a holiday filled with love, passion, flirting, and fun for both genders of all ages. Beautyfest is a fabulous holiday in which the women tease and flirt with the men, often even ending up with some "getting lucky". The women dress in their finest attire, put on the most beautiful makeup they can, and go with their friends to have fun.

The Beautyfest causes the streets of Riverfall to be filled with fun and exciting music, often different tempos and rhythms, to set the mood for any and all wanting to dance. During the day, the music definitely isn't as lively. During the most part of the day, the women dress in their finest clothing and jewels only to visit the free hair, makeup, and spa booths. There are even stations in which the women can get free mani/pedi's with the girls. After they are prepped they often head out and enjoy in the city's activities that are hosted by the businesses.

When the sun goes down, however, it's a different story. The music around the city livens up and at every corner and strip of street there is guaranteed to be a set of musicians playing a variety of music. The music varies in tempo and rhythm setting the mood for anyone. Dancing then occurs, and a lot of it. The men of the city carry around an average of 200 beads around, giving them to the woman they feel they care for the most. In order to get some beads the women usually move around, dancing, flirting, teasing, and flaunting themselves at the men. The woman with the most beads around is usually the most respected since she has pretty much won the Beautyfest.

Set aside from that, Beautyfest is not only pretty much a game for any woman. With the unlimited amounts of wine spread throughout the city, people tend to become frisky and the citizens grow more provocative and 'turned on'. When alcoholic beverages and sexual desire are thrown into the mix, things are bound to turn into the direction of love. In the end, many children are conceived after this night and many relationships blossom. In the end, not only does it turn out in favor for those who were looking for that, but it also helps their races strive.
Credits: Septimus

ImageName: The Wine Festival
Date: 80th Day Of Fall
Details:The Wine Festival takes place on the 80th day of Fall because that date assures that all the grapes have been harvested for the season. This is when the Winery begins to prepare for Winter and has more time to promote the Wine Festival. This is when the Bluevein Winery begins to stock the shelves with wine that has aged a year. Before the festival no previous year wines will have been put up for sale.

This holiday celebrates more of last years harvest than the current year for the wine that is served and sold is of the previous years harvest, although the current year is mentioned as well. Vendors across the city will stock their shops with all different kinds of wine from in and outside of Riverfall. The Winery will only sell Riverfall made wines. Wine prices are reduced for the festival and grapes are also in high demand for those who don't drink. All Bluevein employees have this day off, but most stay around the festival to work and promote sales.

Drinking is highly encouraged and drunks are not uncommon, although any sight of violence or harassment is dealt with promptly. This holiday is meant to be fun and care-free.

Because the Wine festival celebrates the harvest, the Goddess Bala is automatically celebrated as well since she is the Goddess of Harvest. She is thanked for the good harvest and prayed to for a better harvest if the current years was not good. Statues of Bala are set up around the city and offerings of wine, grapes and other plants or products of plants are given freely.
Credits: Syrah Steele


❖ Winter


ImageName: Founding Day
Date: 1st of Winter
Details: Details: While there is no agreement on the exact day when Riverfall was founded, tradition has pegged it on the very first day of Winter, as the last of the large outdoor celebrations before the cold season truly sets in. Most of the Akalak population belongs to the second and third generations since the founding, having heard the tale of the great march from their fathers and grandfathers. This festivity promotes remembrance of the city's common roots and is meant to remind the Akalak where they came from and what they accomplished.

Five days before the event, ten Akalak are selected to participate in the re-enactment of the great march from Valkalah. All interested Akalak volunteer by placing their names in a ballot, with the only requirement being that they must have completed their rite of passage and be considered adults. Oftentimes, those who volunteer have had their honor stained for some reason: participating in this event is an statement of their goodwill to clear their name. Lots are drawn and the names are announced. The chosen must depart on the fourth day before the celebration. They travel on horseback from dawn till dusk, going as far East as their mounts will take them in a day. Then, they dismount and make their return to the city on foot, carrying the city's banners and insignia with them. The celebration cannot begin until they have made it to the walls, so they would be greatly dishonored if they could not make it in time. There have been instances of the founding party being attacked on the Sea of Grass in the past. If a member falls during the march, it is considered a bad omen for the coming winter. On the contrary, if the party takes no casualties but returns with trophies from vanquished enemies, the coming year is said to be a fortunate one. In a single case, when the party failed to return altogether, Riverfall was ravaged by famine throughout the next year.

The townspeople stand on the walls and out of the gates, waiting for the founding party to arrive. As soon as they are sighted, cheers of joy welcome them into the city and all participants then gather into a procession to the Knirin gardens, where a number of heavy slabs of rock have been prepared. The Akalak spend a few bells erecting a makeshift structure out of those, symbolizing the construction of Riverfall at the hands of Cauldric Chivan and his men. Healers are always on hand as incidents are quite common, and the newly made building will be dismantled a few days later, only to be remade the next year. Once the construction is complete, and not a moment sooner, the revelries can finally begin. Dances, songs, wine and recitals continue late into the night.
Credit: Leo Varniak

ImageName: The Festival of Love
Date: 45th of Winter
Details: When an Akalak falls in love, it is a moment of both beauty and tragedy. The prolonged lifespan of this race means they almost always outlive their lover, which makes for a painful existence. Some realize this and despair, swearing to never fall in love. Others, however, do their best to make the most of the short time they have through celebration and reverence. The Festival of Love is a manifestation of the latter.

On this day, the Akalak honor Cheva - Goddess of Love, Passion, Vows, and Marriage. Many betrothals are announced, and more marriages occur during this day than any other, as it is considered good luck to marry when worship for Cheva is at its peak. Gifts are also exchanged between lovers or potential lovers, and a number of establishments across Riverfall hold "couples nights" for those who would like to celebrate their love through food, drink, and merriment.

Vendors peddle a wide assortment of perfumes and aphrodisiacs (the pheromone-heavy perfumes from Ahnatep are especially sought-after), and some even claim to sell "love potions." Discovering whether a love potion truly works is often a harrowing process, however, and many report experiencing short-term side effects after drinking a peddler's dubious creation. Fortune tellers also frequent the city and, unsurprisingly, tend to offer couples nothing less than visions of a happy future.

A popular tradition among Akalak without a lover is to gift necklaces of colorful, beaded glass to the woman or women they most admire. The more necklaces a women receives, the more she is appreciated. In order to signify whether or not they are in a relationship, thus giving the Akalak a sign of availability, many women playfully choose to wear a braided ribbon around their wrist. If the ribbon is on the left wrist, they are available. If it is on their right wrist, they are not. Games of seduction also abound. These are particularly well-liked by both men and women who are uninterested in love, but who wish to find a companion to warm the cold winter's night.
Credits: Naeya

ImageName: The Festival of Hope
Date: 15th of Winter
Details: In the face of winter, where so much dies, The Festival of Hope celebrates life. A few nights before, Priskil changed the watchtowers of the world to signify another season passing. Riverfall celebrates with Oriana that passing, another season that brought them new children and the continuing life of the children who were born before.

The Autumn has taken much of the greenery from Riverfall, and the children of the city take the day to make wreaths and laurels from the newly shed branches. Though all children are required to make one, and wear it for the day, excessive stripping of branches is frowned upon, and adults are always on hand to assist and supervise the process. Each child chooses one tree to take their branch from, and leaves a small lantern in its place, to be lit in the evening. Babies and children too young to wear scratchy branches may wear a ceremonial laurel of cloth, with the images of branches stitched onto the sides.

Throughout the day, a festival is held in the city, centered in the Zhongjie Warrens. Games and activities specifically geared to children are held, such as animal tricks, puppet shows, and face painting. There is a scavenger hunt held in the Warrens, with an intricately carved bear totem to the child who completes it first.

After dinner, the city gathers to the base of the Azurite Watchtower, Priskil’s bastion of sadness and hope for her lover. At the base, all the able children of the city join hands and form a massive ring. Outside the ring, mothers or fathers with children not yet able to walk also stand. In unison, the children run and skip in a circle around the base three times, with the crowd calling out the number of loops as they pass. After the third ring, the children are laughing and stumbling too much to continue, and the ring breaks apart. The ring is the informal end to the festivities, and the child of each family leads them to where he or she hung their wreath lantern. Before heading home, the family lights the lantern, to help future children find their way to Riverfall.
Credit: Rosela

ImageName: The Ice Masquerade
Date: 80th of Winter
Details:This Holiday marks Riverfall's famous Masquerade Ball. Related to many gods, mainly Morwen and Rhaus, the winter masquerade represents the activity of life in the dead middle of winter. The festivities start at dusk, where everyone makes their way to the location of the Masquerade which is held at various locations depending on the year. Females generally wear white, representing the icy cold of winter, while the males generally wear black, representing the seeming always present darkness. All woman are free to dance with any man for the night, allowing for much more socializing and activity.

From time to time during the festivities, various activities for dances can happen, such dances with large groups, to random pairings for a song. But the main idea of the entire evening is for fun, socializing, and to exhibit life and activity together. The music can vary depending on the musicians, but songs of joy are the most common, as well as songs to spring, as the night designates the time that the beginning of spring is closer then the end of fall.

Any Vantha in the city are highly praised to demonstrate their ice carvings in the halls as decoration, and are highly paid for it by the city. Other decorations include white lights and shining crystals, with ceilings often covered with white veils.
Credit: Dex

❖ Miscellaneous

ImageName: Eclipses
Date: Varies
Details: Whenever an Eclipse happens, Riverfall celebrates.


Lunar Eclipses:
When the moon passes into the shadows, completely obscuring it from view except as a small black circle in the sky. Though the most common eclipse, and fairly regular, followers of Leth and Akajia have a celebration the day of each one. During the day's of the eclipse, all businesses are closed 4 bells before the eclipse, and until 4 bells after. During those 8 hours, most citizens of Riverfall are expected to attend to a temple or a temporary alter to Akajia, or to meditate in Leth's Observatory. The shadows are very active during this time, becoming stronger and louder to those marked by Akajia, seeming as alive as a running horse. Once the eclipse officially occurs, meditation ends, and loud celebrations begin. The city organizes a parade throughout the city, with music and marching. In the arena's, people wrestle and spar through tournaments.

Solar Eclipses: Much less common, these days are cause for celebration all around. Akajia's followers see this as a day with the world covered almost completely by shadow, giving great power to those marked by Akajia and to the shadows themselves. Followers of Leth see it as a joyous time, as the two lovers in the sky leave the earth in darkness to spend time together, leaving the land to Akajia. All business is closed that day, and the entire city has a huge party. Down at the docks, fishing ships are set out almost immediately, due to the huge quantity of fish during those times. The entire city becomes alive and dark, moving through the shadows in stealth. Any light during this time is frowned on, as it's a time to rejoice in the darkness. Children and adults alike arrange games throughout the city, from chases to blind wrestling. All adults are given a necklace with a card having their number on it, and a city wide competition begins 6 bells into the eclipse. Everyone moves through the dark, the objective is to steal as many necklaces as they can from other people. The necklace's have a easy break away system, so all one as to do to steal it is to get a grip on it and yank hard... and then escape into the shadows. Once you have additional necklaces, you have to wear those as well. Each necklace also has a single small bell on it, so stealth is a requirement, especially since it gets harder as you get more. Only one necklace can be stolen at a time, to provide more fair play.
Credits: Dex



ImageName: Giftdays
Date: Various
Details: Giftdays in Riverfall are frequently assigned to all kinds of memorial dates in a person's life. There are the traditional gift giving days in Riverfall, but truthfully just about anything can be turned into a giftday. The Rivarians love giving gifts. Most are hand-made simple things that reflect the nature of the person's relationship or profession. Food items, crafts, even jewelry are often given. Sometimes even acts of labor are preformed on someone's giftday which is a welcome expression of fondness in Riverfall.

Gifts are given in celebration of a milestone in someone’s life. A milestone is an important event that can be a milestone, turning point or advancement in knowledge.

These milestones are usually:

Apprenticeships, Anniversaries of Births, Any Rites Accomplished, Birth of a Child, Deaths, Engagements, Forging of Lakans, Taking a Nakivak, Weddings, and Wedding Anniversaries.

ImageName: Zintila's Tears
Date: Any meteor falling...
Details: Whenever a tear of Zintila streaks across the sky in the form of a comet, one of the first to notice is usually someone in one of the religious towers, high above the city with eyes turned upwards to the heavens. From there, the joyous news is immediately spread up the chain of command, always corroborated by several excited witnesses. By the time it gets to the City Council, half the city knows and the announcement of a holiday comes as no surprise.

Shops immediately close as everyone takes to the streets to celebrate and see if they can spot the fading tail of the tear in the sky. The story of Zintila’s sacrifice is told along the streets, through song, dance, and impromptu performances. Performers gather crowds to tell the tale, though for the spectacle only – never Mizas. To capitalize on a tear of the stars is in poor taste.

The day is joyous, but with a swell of pride and remembrance. As they remember Zintila’s sacrifice to save Semele, their own Mother Mizahar, they acknowledge the joy in sadness, and the honor in laying down one’s life for another. Despite Zintila’s lessened rank to that of an Alvina, there is great pride to be had in that humility.
Credit: Rosela
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The Kuvay'Nas

Postby Gossamer on December 9th, 2013, 5:57 am

New addition to RF. Any comments or see anything missing/lacking?


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❖ General Overview


While Riverfall does not have an official standing army, there is a significant force under Nivar Chevan's command based in the city of Riverfall. Fluctuating in numbers based on how dangerous the times are, the Kuvay'Nas may swell or shrink depending upon the atmosphere in the region. The Akalak themselves are primarily reactive, but tend to have a sixth sense on what will be needed in the region. Having a general population that is well trained and at the level of Kuvan or higher, the Kavran are not hard to find. It is fairly easy as well for Kavran to rise in the ranks and acquire training in their perspective fields.

Squad Leaders and Commanders are given rooms in the lodge as part of their settlement packages. Training in perspective branches are provided free of charge though once a person volunteers for service, one is inspected to show up and carry out that service or there is huge penalties to pay, including loss of rank. Squad members and general Kavran reside in their private homes. Commanders and Squad Leaders have the same option if they choose to refuse private rooms in the lodge. The Calvary maintains their own mounts, pulling from local breeders to get the best fighting stock.

Training is carried out informally but rigorously, with each squad having its own style and theme.

❖ The Branches



The Infantry Branch

By and large the biggest most extensive branch of the Kuvay'Nas, The Infantry Branch consists of most of the foot soldiers and trained watch in Riverfall. Not only does this branch turn out for city defense, but they respond to natural disasters, act as firefighters and emergency responders. All infantry are trained in combat - unarmed and weapons. Quite a few also have medical training as well.

The Calvary Branch

The mounted division of The Kuvay'Nas act as crowd control and event security in the city itself. They patrol the parks and act as guides outside the city. The Calvary Branch often heads up the raids that are taken place on the Sea of Grass and act as messengers when Nevar Chevan sends out a call to need. Most ride warhorses owned by the Kuvay'Nas.

The Intelligence Branch

A more nefarious side of the Kuvay'Nas, the intelligent branch members are not always known. These individuals carry out the intelligence branch's need and scout or infiltrate as needed in various other organizations and cities. The Intelligence branch members are not always at Riverfall, but might be scattered to the four winds.

The Archer Branch

These trained yoeman carry out all sorts of security duty in the city and are some of the most valuable members of the Kuvay'Nas during zith attacks and incidents where archers are necessary. Archers also are known to hunt to assist their training, giving the meat to members of Riverfalls society who are going through hard times. Trained in other weapons as well, Archers are universally useful and important to the city and its needs.

❖ The Ranks, Duties & Pay


The Principle Commander
The Principle Commander is in charge of the entire Kuvay'Nas. They select the Branch Commanders and oversee the issues the Kuvay'Nas deal with daily. The Principle Commander answers directly to Nivar Chevan himself.
Skill Requirement: 75+ in Leadership, 100 In Primary Weapon & 100 in a primary Branch Skill (Bow, Weapon, Riding, Intelligence), 50 in all other branch skills.
Thread Requirement: Two meetings a season, two training threads a season, one Principle Commander meeting a season
Pay: 12 GM/day + Level Bonus

Branch Commanders
Branch Commanders are in charge of their entire branch. They support their Squad Leaders – hand picking them - and guide them in their leadership roles. Branch commanders assign squads to various duties, maintain the squads training, and guide the branches in the direction they see fit under the Principle Commander’s leadership. Branch Commanders answer only to the Principle Commander.
Skill Requirement: 50 in Leadership, 75 In Primary Weapon & 75 in Branch Skill (Bow, Weapon, Riding, Intelligence)
Thread Requirement: Two missions a season, two training threads a season, one squad leader meeting a season
Pay: 9 GM/day + Level Bonus

Squad Leaders
Squad Leaders are well versed in their profession and have been assigned leadership positions among their peers. They have authority over their squad and make sure their squad is training and performing their duties up to par. Squad Leaders are granted a permanent residence at the Kuvay’Nas Lodge if they do not have alternative housing. This living arrangement is considered part of their pay package and includes meals. Squad Leaders have the right to determine the name of their own squad and can cherry pick its members from Zavran and even Kavran. Squad Leaders answer to particular branch’s Commander.
Skill Requirement: 25 In Leadership, 50 In Primary Weapon & 50 in Branch Skill (Bow, Weapon, Riding, Intelligence)
Thread Requirement: Two missions a season, two training threads a season, one squad meeting thread.
Pay: 7 GM/day + Level Bonus

Branch Kavran
Kavran have picked their career pathways and started training towards them. If their skills are up to par, the branches and have recruited the General Kavran into them and made the members full Kavran. They are assigned to the general pool of Kavran until such a time as a squad leader cherry picks them into their squad based on performance, personality, and aptitude. Squad Leaders have been known to dual over the right to pick a new Kavran for their squad if more than one leader wants the recruit. Squads have ten members and a Squad Leader. Branch Kavran answer to their Branch Squad Leaders.
Skill Requirement: 25 In Primary Weapon & 25 in Branch Skill (Bow, Weapon, Riding, Intelligence)
Thread Requirement: Two missions a season, two training threads a season.
Pay: 5 GM/day + Level Bonus

General Kavran
Kavran are the general admittance volunteers. They often patrol the city and sometimes pair up with various individuals of the four branches to learn about those branches.
Skill Requirement: None, though actively working on weapons and specialty skills
Thread Requirements: Three patrol (or the equivalent of) threads a season.
Pay: Volunteer position thus unpaid.
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The Riverfall Codex

Postby Magpie on January 31st, 2014, 2:50 pm

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The Citizen’s Council is a small council of 5 Kuvan that offer guidance to the Council of Ten on matters at hand from a grassroots level. The Citizen’s Council is made up of Kuvan members of the community who are nominated to the position by a fellow Rivarian. The CC will be presented with a problem at the beginning of the season, such as a problem in the city or proposed policy change, and must deliver a report with their recommendations, opinions, or observations, whichever is applicable, by the end of the season. Because Akalaks have more rights in the city and a stronger voice with the Council of Ten, the Citizen's Council seeks to give a voice to Kuvan on the same level as Akalaks.

The CC becomes open for new members every season, and old members, if they wish to retain their position, must go through the nomination process again. If more nominations than positions appear, the 5 positions will be voted upon by the entire city - everyone in the season's Registration Thread at the time.

The position is paid with 300gm base pay, with an additional bonus of 200gm for completing the thread requirements within the season they were assigned. While pay is determined individually, coming to a solution on the problem will be a group effort, and a system of inactivity checks should be decided upon by the members at the start of the season. If any particular member fails to meet the activity requirements, they will be ineligible to run for Citizen’s Council the next season. After that next season, they will once again become eligible.

To Join the Citizen’s Council:
  • Have been in the city at least one season (for spring, must have registered in Riverfall during the first month of winter)
  • Be nominated by a fellow Rivarian who has been in the city at least 1 season
  • Have attained Kuvan status (Akalaks are not Kuvan - they are of a higher societal rank)
  • Have an outside job (Citizen’s Council cannot be your only source of income)
  • Must have 50 posts
  • Must be ready for the responsibility of the activity requirements

Thread responsibilities:
3+ posts in each of 2 group threads, and 1 individual thread

Requirements to be Paid
To be paid the primary amount, you must participate in 2 group threads during the season, as well as 1 external 2000 word thread. These threads will not be moderated, so it will be up to the group to move things along in a timely manner. The external thread may be either a solo or with another person, but must be primarily on the topic facing the CC. To qualify for having ‘participated’ in the group threads, you must have had 3 posts or more in each. Because the group threads will be primarily discussion-based and are time-sensitive, shorter posts (no shorter than 3 solid paragraphs) will be permitted.

As mentioned before, if the situation presented to the CC is resolved, culminating in a report to the main Council, within the season it is assigned, an additional bonus is awarded. However, if the task at hand generates significant discussion, but is unable to be resolved that season, the bonus may still be awarded at an ST’s discretion.

The nominations for next season’s CC will be due by 2 weeks before the end of the previous season. During those 2 weeks, a city vote will be made, if necessary, and the final CC will be decided. The season’s problem will be PMed to the CC during the first week of the new season. Members are encouraged to discuss OOC any inactivity checks they wish to implement, to prevent any single member from holding up the proceedings.

After the CC meets to discuss the topic at hand, the group will break, and individual threads should be completed, doing any external research required by the topic, such as speaking with PCs or NPCs, or observing the city.

Halfway through the season, the second group thread should convene, where the members reconvene to discuss their findings and come to a final report to send to the main Council (PMed to an ST).

At the end of the season, alongside regular job thread submissions, links to the two group threads and the individual thread should be submitted, and applicable payment will be awarded. Remember, this is a group job; you cannot point to a single person and claim they held up the entire process. That’s what the inactivity checks at the beginning of the season should be for, to bypass inactive members. Any difficulties working together should be resolved amongst the CC if at all possible, but an ST may be asked to intervene if absolutely necessary. A guiding principle for the Citizen's Council is non-moderated teamwork, so actions towards this end must be taken throughout the process.
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Riverfall Legends

Postby Gossamer on February 3rd, 2014, 12:20 am

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❖ The Wave Horse

Wave Horse :
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"And one day when you wake up, I hope you realize that you were never really alone out there at sea."


Most commonly told at night on a fullmoon, is a great fascinating tale to intrigue the youth willing to hear it. This is the Legend of The Wave Horse.

Long ago, before Riverfall was ever created, it was said that small remnants of Zintila's stars fell into the oceans of Laviku. However, they fell in the most common area of what is now Plunge Pool Bay. These falling remnants were what is known as falling stars that we see falling to the earth. These small remnants are only fine particles much like dust, only shinier and heavier. They also have a strange pulling aura to them.

One full moon night, Leth had the moon's rays beaming down into the ocean and all was illuminated with moonlight. Everyone and anyone could see the ocean reflecting this moonlight many miles away. And on this night, many small star remnants fell much like confetti into this and thus a meteor shower formed that night. As Zulrav wanted to get in on the small "party", he wipped up many winds directed at the ocean and for once everything seemed like bliss. However, these winds caused the waves to move and churn even more than the moon's gravity did. On the contrary, this magnificent show wasn't the only beautiful thing that formed.

Out of the mayhem, Djed was somehow added to the mess and The Wave Horse was born. Up from the center of Plunge Pool Bay, rose a cyclone about fifty feet. This cyclone was glowing from Leth's moonlight and Zintila's star particles, and Zulrav's wind was helping spray Laviku's salt water everywhere within a fifty foot radius. Someone (no one knows who) let loose some djed and with a burst of moonlight and water, a large horse as big as a full grown Tiaden War Horse came sprinting through the mayhem and it all ceased. The only thing left was the large Wave Horse, whom was glowing underneath the moonlight and sprinting across Laviku's waves much like a horse through a pasture.

The Wave Horse stayed there until the moon began it's descent and for every night while it was full, the Wave Horse emerged from the waves and continued it's sprinting triumph across the churning waters. It is said that The Wave Horse would help those stranded inside the bay reach shore or sailors that had been thrown overboard to the shore. However, those that reported being save by the strong creature were discarded and called mad. Soon after the years, The Wave Horse stopped appearing for no reason and the death toll rose, mostly for those who would risk their life to see The Wave Horse.

Now it is said, that once every several years while the moon is full, the Wave Horse will emerge and continue it's triumph and celebration, only to then sink beneath the sea once more. During this period, people report the Wave Horse saving them with a weird transparent goo on their hands. This is discarded though, and is said that it's just the goo off the bottom of the bay's floor. After all, it is only a legend right?

* Submitted by Septimus


❖ Akontaks

Origins Of The Akontak :
The Beginning of the Akontaks.


Like the original story of Valkalah goes, Akalaks were able to reproduce more easily back before the Valterrian. Now it is much more rare to have a child born. Now more things have resulted with the Valterrian besides the poor reproduction rate of the Akalaks. This time it was good thing.

A new race popped up, a race to perfectly fill the Akalaks missing women role. Konti, they called themselves, a race made completely of women who made children just like the Akalaks did. Mating with any other race to ultimately make a Konti, no matter the male input.

Most thought that breeding a Konti and an Akalaks would result in a stillborn of either race or no pregnancy at all. In fact it was quite the opposite. With the combination of the races either an Akalak or a Konti could be bred and Konti became the number one choice for a partner by the Akalaks for their high success rate at their pregnancy and most did not result in death like most humans. To the Akalaks, Konti became a gift from the Gods and it only got better when a strange child was born.

About 200 years after the Valterrian a Konti gave birth to a baby girl with white hair and lovely scales and gills. Except there was something wrong with this one, she had blue skin like that of her father Akalak. She was instantly regard with the up-most care and, for most of her young life, she stayed safely in Mura where her father moved to care for her as well. As she grew she developed her second personality, the dark one, and she battled with it like any regular Akalak would. She overcame her dark side eventually, earning more love and trust from her Konti and Akalak brothers and sisters. It became clear as she grew and developed a love for magic that she was more entwined with the Gods and kept a larger Djed pool than most. She excled quickly at her studies of magic and other things and she was regarded as the best of both races. It wasn't until another strange child was born about 20 years after the girl.

This child had a rough birth and almost killed his mother but the outcome, they thought, was worth the risk. This boy looked like an Akalak, he was male, blue skin, infravision. But, like his Konti mother, he had white hair and scales and gills. He became the second known mix of the two races and they finally produced a name for them. They called the mixed children Akontaks, a mix of Konti and Akalak, like the children were themselves. The boy was raised in Riverfall and as he grew he developed his dark side, which eventually overcame him. His love for magic turned dark and many thought they had lost a precious being. As a last resort, the boys father went to the first Akontak for help. He thought that maybe she could help his son as they were the same. She agreed and went to see the boy in his confinement.

She spent many days with him inside his confinement, earning his trust and love. Although in the end her time with him did not fully banish his dark side, it did help and his light side became more apparent and took control over his body. The boy continued to have violent outbursts, but they were few and far between. Both the Konti and Akalaks had wondered what would happen if they put the two together. Would they recive a regular Konti or Akalak, or a prized Akontak? After the two Akontaks meeting, they didn't have to wait long. During his confinement the boy fell in love with his fellow Akontak and they were married when his dark side grew quiet.

ImageIn their lifetime they produced three children, a wonderful number, and they never failed to produce an Akontak. It was quite a sight, their family. Five Akontaks, unknown before the females birth. They had two sons and a daughter. One of the sons fell completely into the dark side and was unable climb back out. The daughter, like her mother, was fully in the light and she grew to be a priest, spouting the words of the Gods for all to hear. She was marked with all four parenting Gods of the Akalak an Konti, Wysar, Akajia, Avalis, and Laviku. With two marks from each God and three from Wysar. She was revered in both Mura and Riverfall for her closeness to the father and mother Gods. The second son wound up like his father, a constant battle between his dark and light side. He was very skilled in magic, more so that his parents and was marked with Akajia, Avalis and Zulrav. He did both great good when preventing storms and great bad when he caused them when his dark side took over.

After the first two Akontaks produced nothing but more Akontaks, thoughts started to run through peoples minds. They began to believe that the Akontak was the true race of the Akalak and that Konti and Akalak were only one apart of a whole. Two half spheres to make one. It was clear that Akontaks were a more superior race than the Konti and Akalaks themselves, it only made sense that this is what the Gods had intended.

Now a statue of the daughter, or the second female Akontak who was named Rilssia has been made and placed in Semele Park, her mother father and brothers were placed as well, all in one large group although most visitors look up at Rilssia's statue for all the good she did for Riverfall.

*Submitted by Syrah Steele
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Riverfall Games

Postby Gossamer on February 3rd, 2014, 12:33 am

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❖ Board Games

Waterfall Escape :
WATERFALL ESCAPE

Waterfall Escape is a 2-4 person game commonly played by children and by bored young adults. The game consists of one board, four different sets of three colored gems, and trivia cards. The main goal is to get as many of your gems out of the waterfall and onto the highest ledges possible.

Concept:
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Each player receives three colored gems. There are four sets of colored gems. The gems come in the colors of red, blue, yellow, and purple as pictured. The Gems can range in any size and form but there is rarely ever a sharp gem found in one of these games. The gems are tumbled so they are soft enough and not as dangerous for children. The gems act as "people" trying to escape the danger of the danger zone (the waterfall) by hopping out onto the ledges by answering Riverfall trivia questions that are written on the "WE" cards.

ImageEveryone starts out at the top of the waterfall (places all three gems at the top) where each player will take one gem and slide it down beside the first and highest ledge, being careful not to put the gem in the ledge (divot) on the board. Here each player will pick someone to read their trivia card aloud to them. If the player who is answering the question gets the question correct they get to move on to the safety ledge by placing their gem in the divot. If they get the question wrong, their person/gem continues to "fall" until they reach the next ledge where they get another chance to answer a trivia question.

Image If the player continues to get the questions wrong, they will soon find themselves at the very bottom "pool" where they get to pick someone to read their Before Death (marked with a skull) card. This is their last chance to get the question right and live by being placed in the very bottom "ledge". If they get the Before Death card question wrong, however, their person dies and they are forced to leave their gem in the pool and gain no points.

Each player goes one question at a time and must wait until the current row of gems are all dead or on a ledge before they start their next round. These processes are repeated until every gem is dead on on a ledge. The person with the most gems on the highest ledges wins.

* Submitted by Septimus



❖ Card Games

TBD - See Suggestion Box


❖ Sports

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