Aeredal is and always has been. Brother Andryl
A tiny village tucked away in a hidden valley, its inhabitants are self sufficient to the extreme. Time passes, children are born and the elderly die. Time passes, yet little has changed since the land was first settled. Too distant from any large holding, and with the journey by land arduous at best, the village sees few outsiders. No lord lays claim (or remembers a claim) to the land or the people, nor are the inhabitants much aware of life outside their own. Merchants pass through twice yearly, at the onset of spring and autumn. Exchanges are kept to simple bartering and little news comes from the stoic lips of the barge masters. From time to time, the barges deposit not only goods, but people as well. Stragglers, one or two men or women, those who are desperate to escape - to start over. The village rarely welcomes such individuals with warmth.
Something has always been off about Aeredal.Merchant Perthwin
With no more than two hundred calling the village home, all work together to support the tenuous grasp they have over nature - to overcome the difficulty in surviving season to season. To their great benefit, the seasons tend to be mild and the land incredibly fertile. The majority of the town is densely packed around the town square - enclosed to the north by the Mayor’s home and to the west by the Brothers' church. Most families keep a small garden and chickens or ducks. To the outskirts of the village hold larger community farms and grazing for sheep and goats. Wheat and barley are the staple of their agriculture, though a small orchard of apples and pears has also sprung up in more recent years. The meager fields and herds they have would not be enough to support even a village so small - Aeredal still relies on a small group of hunters and gatherers who set up camp in the nearby forest. The extra meat from deer, rabbits, and other small vermin, as well as the mushrooms, wild onions, and berries, make up for an otherwise lackluster diet. The village healer, closely tied to nature and at times at odds with the Brothers, calls the forest home as well.
The village buildings and houses are largely wooden, though a few show their wealth with the use of stone. To the east of the town square the skilled artisans set up shop, their workstations combined with both shop and home. Overseeing them all is the Master Tradesman, with a home smaller than the mayor’s but still impressive in comparison to the rest of the village.
The village functions without much oversight on a day to day business. The Mayor is the unquestionable leader. He - or rarely, she - is advised by a small council. The Eldest Brother, the Master Tradesman, the Mayor’s Heir, and a rotating villager meet monthly to discuss any pressing concerns. Mayorship is hereditary, in times of a mayor having no heir, a prominent family can garner support to fill the role. Such an act has not been necessary in several generations. The Eldest Brother title perhaps speaks to a time when several Brothers would lead the village in spiritual matters. Or perhaps not, regardless, the Eldest Brother is alone in his duties except in the taking of an apprentice to teach and succeed him. The Master Tradesmen is selected from the group of skilled artisans in a manner only they are aware of.
OOC Information
- Aeredal is a seemingly idyllic village, unmolested by time or outsiders. All is not as it appears.
- Player characters will be recent arrivals from the merchant barges. They arrive with the first merchants of the year - in spring.
- Village characters are to be treated as NPCs - some control is allowed, barring the Mayor and Council - basic character information will be provided. As GM, these will be used to push along the story.
- Influences - MOTW/Twin Peaks/Fringe otherworldly creepiness in a Medieval - lightly fantasy - setting, Banished
- Humans are the only sapient/sentient species. Flora and fauna is “real world” based.
- Light fantasy elements are to be introduced as the rp progresses.
- Looking for up to 6 players.
Extra World Information
- The villagers are opposed to news of the outside world - ignorance is willfully pursued to the point of anger should such conversation be pursued.
- There is obvious contention among certain factions of the city - most notably between the healer and the Brothers.
- Nonetheless, most villagers vocally ascribe to the Brothers’ religion. Rituals and dogma are bare bones - belief is centered around a male-gendered creator and basic mores of spirituality is taught. Zealotry is at a minimum.
- Subsistence living at its finest. Apparel, homes, accessories, etc are simplistic and functional.
- Merchants and traders that visit twice yearly take whatever extra raw goods the village has managed to produce (grains, wool, leathers, etc) in exchange for other raw goods and processed materials the village is unable to produce or produce in high enough volume (citrus, iron, parchment & inks, etc).
Villagers/NPCs of Note
IC Expectations
- Advanced - 2-4 paragraphs expected - but not looking for short-story/novella length posts
- Post collaboration is welcome and encouraged - but not to the point of holding up others
- Grammar and spell-checking - mistakes happen, but posts should not be riddled with errors.
- Post at least once per week
- Got an idea and you aren’t sure how to fit it in or make it work? Ask! Character driven subplots are wholly supported.
