OOC Info Holds of Avanthal and Player's Guide [Please Read]

[Cheshire]

The Holds of Avanthal All Vantha born in Avanthal are born into a Hold. Holds are not made up of Vantha exclusively however as guests to the city are usually invited to stay with a citizen for the duration of their stay and some choose to extend their stay permanently and marry into the Hold. Each Hold specializes in a particular area or field. For example, Frostfawn Hold specializes in animal husbandry whereas Winterflame Hold specializes in cooking. What Hold you are born into determines what sort of skills you are likely to learn and what occupations are open to you. Parents are discouraging of children who show interest in skills that other Holds specialize in as they wish their children to continue the professions that the family has been involved in for generations. The only way to change what Hold you are in is to marry into another Hold. In the event of a marriage one of the spouses must move into the other’s Hold. Holds do not have any more political power than any other Hold as all political power is held by Morwen though she does allow all citizens to voice their opinions. All major disputes between Holds are dealt with by Morwen herself or Jenna Aviak in winter when she is away. While Holds are all of equal political power each Hold has a tight economic grip on what their Hold produces. All buildings in the city have been built exclusively by Iceglaze and all boats have been built exclusively by Coolwater. While each Hold is highly protective of their craft and boastful of their accomplishments the Holds work together to provide resources for the city to continue thriving. Most of the competition that arises from time to time between the Holds is friendly as all the citizens implicitly understand how necessary it is for survival that they work together. Holds manage to maintain peaceful and friendly relations between each other as long as each Hold does not step on the toes of the others. Coolwater fishermen would be quite upset if dogs from Frostfawn regularly got into their stock of frozen fish and would create a lot of animosity between those two Holds. Morwen and Icewatch keep a close eye on Hold relations and actively work to reduce any tensions that arise though some social conflict is inevitable. Any conflict that does occur between Holds tends to arise after the city has dealt with a serious crisis and citizens are looking for ways to express their negative emotions. Holds of Avanthal These are seven Holds of Avanthal along with what they produce and specialize in. The skills listed are not the only skills applicable to that Hold. If you are curious or concerned about where a particular skill set would fit best please contact an ST with questions. Please note that there are no Holds specifically designed for combat skills. Hold Name Description Leader Skyglow This Hold produces and controls art and non-wood luxury crafts in Avanthal. They produce sculptures, paintings, pottery, and drawings. The skills they specialize in are drawing, sculpting, pottery, and painting. Vannis Snowsong This Hold produces and controls music and wood crafts in Avanthal. They supply the city with musicians as well as instruments, decorative carvings, and carved furniture. The skills they specialize in are singing, playing instruments, musical composition, carving, carpentry, and papermaking. Layoda Frostfawn This Hold produces and controls animals and animal products in Avanthal. They take care of the cities livestock as well as employing the cities hunters. The skills they specialize in are hunting, animal husbandry, leatherworking, trapping, weaving, and horsemanship. Kayin Iceglaze This Hold produces the cities buildings and controls the quarrying of icestone. They build all of the cities structures and supply the cities quarriers and architects. The skills they specialize in are construction, masonry, geology, and architecture. Gensen Whitevine This Hold produces the cities healers and controls its hospitals. They train all healers and veterinarians as well as running all medical institutions. The skills they specialize in are medicine, herbalism, massage, dentistry, and embalming. Sefarrah Coolwater This Hold produces and controls the cities boats and fishing industry. They construct all the boats of Avanthal , do all the fishing, and arrange all sea transportation. The skills they specialize in are sailing, fishing, construction (ships), sea navigation, and cartography. Envan Winterflame This Hold produces and controls crops in Avanthal. They supply the city with crops and train the best chefs. The skills they specialize in are farming, botany, cooking, and vinting. Nennvar

Hold information credit to Cheshire and Valkyrie

[Valkyrie]

Player’s Guide Introduction Here you can find all the general information you may need to enhance your experience playing in Avanthal. This guide contains both OOC and IC information. If there is particular bit of information that is missing here and that you think would be helpful, please contact a local ST with your suggestion. Appearance/Layout of Avanthal Avanthal is a port city with the sea bordering its western side. The other sides of the city face the seemingly limitless tundra with the Northern Wastes to the north and the Northern Reaches to the south. The Icewall surrounds the entirely of the city, with the exception of the west side that has the sea as a natural barrier, the Icewall Gates are located on the east side. The buildings in Avanthal are grouped into small clusters that are loosely spread throughout the city. Each Hold forms its own cluster of buildings that are essential to the residents of that Hold while the city proper is a massive cluster that is located near the center. Most buildings are made from icestone and wood though some are made of stone while only a very few buildings are made with metal. Metal is incredibly difficult to come by in Avanthal and must be imported at a great cost. Travel between buildings can be difficult for foreigners as paths must be forged through the snow each day. The snowfall is so constant and so heavy it is impractical to build roads or formal paths that would be need almost continuous shoveling. So each day the Vanthas must slog through the snow anew and create paths to be used until the next snowfall. Weather in Avanthal The weather in Avanthal can be summarized with one word: snow. The wiki describes Avanthal’s weather thusly: Avanthal is the coldest city on Mizahar. The temperature never rises above 32 degrees F and can get as low as 40 degrees below zero F. The weather is snowy daily, and the city is prone to blizzards and high winds. The city is locked in an unending winter which makes this city a place one would want to keep away from if they do not like winter. The city gets about 400 feet of snow yearly and that is during drier years. The lack of forests around the city makes it about 20 degrees colder although there are some small forests lining the city and within the city. To add to this, the weather from season to season changes very little. The only seasonal change is in winter at which time it actually gets a few degrees warmer and snows slightly less. It still never reaches above freezing point but but usually hovers somewhere not too far below. This is because Morwen leaves during winter to bring the cold season to the rest of Mizahar. Since she is gone some of the Winter Goddess’s effect dissipates in the city and it warms slightly. With her return in Spring it goes right back to its usual frigid and blizzarding state. Finding a Job There are many locations in Avanthal with employment opportunities posted in them. If you are interested in one of the opportunities you will need to roleplay your character going to the location seeking employment. Please let your local ST know so that they may moderate the appropriate NPC to hire you. If there is a particular occupation you are interested in and it does not seem to be listed as an opportunity anywhere please contact the ST to work out an appropriate arrangement to get your character their desired employment. Some occupations are not possible within the city so please be flexible in finding the right fit for your character. At the end of the season please PM the DS with your job threads to receive wages. You must complete at least two job threads in order to be paid wages for that season. Joining Icewatch Icewatch is a very big responsibility and they play a very important role in Avanthal culture. This is why any PC who wishes to join Icewatch must have already played in the city for at least a season before requesting to join Icewatch. This requirement is in place so that it is assured that PCs who join are familiar with Avanthal culture and the spirit of the city. The only exception to this rule is Dire Polar Bear Kelvics who are allowed to immediately begin playing as Icewatch guards since this is the only occupation open to them. It also important to note that at some point you WILL be expected to bond to a Kelvic (or human if you are Kelvic). Once you have received ST approval to join Icewatch you will need to complete a moderated thread which requires your character to survive for three days in the Northern Wastes. Upon completion of this thread you will be a full member of Icewatch. Dire polar bear Kelvics are yet again exempt from this rule unless they choose go through the survival challenge. Cuisine Avanthal’s diet consists primarily of meat that comes from fish and sea mammals such as whales, seals, and walruses. These are the most reliable and plentiful food sources around Avanthal though the hunting of sea mammals is often dangerous and undertaken in large hunting parties. This diet is supplemented with some meat from land animals as well as the small yield of vegetables from Winterflame's gardens. The most prevalent plant-based food in the city surprisingly does not come from Winterflame at all. That food is seaweed, which is gathered by Coolwater sailors. Meat from game other then sea mammals is difficult to collect as most animals reside south of Avanthal and require well-planned travel to hunt. Dishes are composed primarily of meat with garnishes or sides of vegetables that is expertly seasoned by Avanthal’s skilled cooks. The availability of particular vegetables is often changing due to supply and the difficulty of growing so Avanthal’s cooks are very adept at taking whatever happens to be available at the time and turning it in a rich and nourishing meal that is always tasty and warming. Magic Usage Race Relations Akalak – Akalak are accepted and generally liked in the city. Icewatch is usually quick to request the honor of training with or being trained by Akalak warriors that come to the city. Akvatari – Though few Akvatari have traveled to the city they are always welcomed and usually invited to stay with Skyglow Hold to trade tips and skills concerning art. Benshira – These desert people rarely come to Avanthal but any who do would be welcomed heartily. The residents of Avanthal relate to the Benshira’s emphasis on family and community and usually get along well together. Chaktawe – Very rarely, if ever, seen in Avanthal these desert nomads are treated respectfully though their view on the exclusivity of storytellers is often a point of debate for Avanthal residents. Charoda – These peaceful people have never been spotted in Avanthal but would be treated as delightfully exotic. Dhani – Due to the Dhani’s inability to deal well with cold temperatures this race rarely, if ever, travels to Avanthal. If they did come they would be treated with guarded respect and Frostfawn would be sure to keep a close eye out for when Dhani are around their animals. Drykas – Rarely seen in the city this race is welcomed and respected. Ethaefal – Though not well understood, members of this race are welcomed and treated with awed respect unless their mortal form is a highly disliked race. Eypharian - Rarely seen in Avanthal, this race is treated politely but even more rarely invited to stay with Holds due to their annoying tendency to act superior. Ghost – Residents of Avanthal have mixed feelings about this race. Malevolent ghosts are usually dealt with by the city spiritist. Ghosts of family members are usually aided in finding what they need to leave peacefully and rejoin the cycle of reincarnation. Human – This race is usually welcomed and respected in the city. Inarta – Though not very common the city, Inarta are generally well-liked and asked to share stories of their mountainous home. Isur – Rarely seen in Avanthal the isur are welcomed, especially when bringing metal trade goods that are so rarely found in the city. Jamoura – Citizens of Avanthal adore their large, furry neighbors to the south. The culture of Avanthal deeply values elders and the long-lived and wise Jamoura are well-respected. Kelvic – Kelvic are a regular sight in Avanthal and are fully accepted into society. Konti – though not very common in the city this race is welcomed and respected. Myrian – Rarely, if ever, seen in the city this fierce race is treated with cold hospitality and encouraged to leave the moment they become troublesome. Nuit – Nuit are not trusted and allowed hesitantly into the city. Any Nuit in the city is usually followed by a few assigned Icewatch guards and certainly never allowed near the graveyard. Pycon – Though not very common in the city this race is treated as a novelty by children and respected by adults if they prove themselves to be skillful. Svefra – The sea-faring Svefra rarely make it up to Avanthal but are generally accepted and usually invited to stay with the Coolwater Hold. Symenestra – While citizens have of course heard the stories about widows and harvests for the most part that’s what they think it all is, stories. On the rare occasion that a woman is taken as a surrogate, people are divided about whether the stories are true or the pair just eloped. Zith - Zith are not trusted and sometimes not allowed into the city. Zith who arrive at the gates would be heavily questioned before allowed entry and Icewatch would not hesitate to attack Zith who seemed to have bad intentions. Residences Social Issues Visitors Crime and Consequences