𝔄𝔟𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔉𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔱𝔥 ℜ𝔦𝔫𝔤The fourth ring is the most current outer ring and holds survivors from the fifth ring. Everyone from the seventh and sixth ring surges has passed over the decades, yet the storm seems to consume even quicker in current times. As the surviving population was forced into the fourth ring, the living, and morale decreased. A semi-beautiful smaller ring that was used for finer productions, rationing, and finer statues of the Great King for prayer, and leisure. This ring is now threatened without its outer wall of stone and has an outer wall of darkness. A storm that is miles high. That blocks the sun from shining in.
The storm is encroaching into the fourth ring and will continue to spread fear throughout the population and taunt the inhabitants of the fourth ring with the sugary metallic taste that the storm supplies. The quaking earth is caused by storm surges. The beasts run rampant and destroy buildings. Those buildings are being consumed with thick yellow moss. That yellow moss grows thicker the closer you are to the storm and the darkness that threatens your life and the lives around you.
The yellow moss is a multi-purpose material that is used by the fourth ringers and on occasion by the third ringers. As the moss has been discovered to be harmless and overgrows, people have used it for many reasons. A few being clothes, beds, bed coverings, pillows, bandages, washcloths for dishes, and so much more.
Clothes being made out of the moss tend to be very heavy and unkempt looking and it might not help that the access to water is very troublesome in the outer ring. Clothes being washed is rare and being bathed yourself is something that only happens every few months unless you go out of your way to work or find a hidden bathtub that no one is making you pay for or broken or has a usable ikon.
Being in the fourth ring is a more difficult life than the others, individuals are always the last for everything that comes from the first and second rings. Access to necessities is lacking in the fourth ring and beginning to lack in the third ring as well.
Rations are given weekly, and fourth ringers are given items that are edible, yet they are not pleasant items, per se. The typical environment in the fourth ring is not comfortable. The
beds are stiff and hard. Usually, cots are made out of moss that is not very flexible to one's weight or a board with a moss-filled pouch to lay on.
The fourth ring is home to the most storm-touched individuals as well.
The atmosphere in the fourth ring is thick with moisture because of the storm. Everything is constantly damp and there are always puddles in the street because of the darkness and the clouds it brings. The reason is that
thicker clothes are more reasonable and that moss is used to make such clothes. It helps keep the dampness out of your lungs and away from your body. It gets cold, especially at night. One does not want to be caught outside at night for their own safety as well.
𝔓𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔢𝔰 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔉𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔱𝔥 ℜ𝔦𝔫𝔤°
𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕪 𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕜𝕖𝕥 is a place that hides from the Wardana and the Regia Guard. A place that most do not know about and if one does, they know the specific three-finger hand sign that gets you in. The gray market never is in the same place though the same few people help guide you to the entrance each time. If you want to get into the Gray Market, you better know someone who knows the hand sign or know the hand sign yourself. Plus, the signs you need to spot to find the people to guide you.
If you are trying to find something or someone, the Gray Market has someone with the information. Sometimes when one is digging for something that is touchy, they might not answer for any payment, especially when it comes to the whereabouts of where the Wardana or Regia Guard take people.
One can find anything from simple knickknacks to actual ikons to learn ikonomancy depending on if you know the right people for the right price type of deal. Most are swindlers. Ikons usually don’t work very well. Most items are not as valuable as what they are sold for.
There are people who know Ikonomancy and specialize in such practices as face changers. They are rare though they love to do their work. They can change the way you look which is a painful procedure. Do you want to look like a third ringer? A second ringer? Maybe trick someone into loving you. Your face can change with the right price though you have to have the willpower to not allow your face to change into the original one.
Do you want to learn ikons and get better at ikonomancy without signing yourself away from the Wardana? That’s possible. Unauthorized usage of ikonomancy gets the Wardana’s attention and the Regia Guard’s attention so be careful!
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𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕥𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕤 belong to everyone. No home is truly owned by anyone in the fourth ring. Everything is overflowing with capacity and multi-family and people's homes are pretty much what you get. The streets are sometimes full of people sleeping on the edges or in the alleys. It’s too cold to do that without layers upon layers of clothing. People get sick when not sleeping inside the safety of a building.
Buildings that are frowned upon are ones with storm-touched individuals. Regular people try to stay away from the curse in fear that being around them or touched by them will cause misfortune. It's fifty-fifty if someone will accept you into their home as a storm touch or want to seek safety in your home if you are a storm touch. Some people rather be eaten by the storm beasts during a surge than find safety beside the cursed.
Ikon-lanterns are the only accessible light that the fourth ringers get. These are used during the night and days, especially after storm surges.
shallow grave,
PrinceAlexus,
Charley,
BunniesOfDoom,
Vixere,
hanzo,
The Raven Calls,
Kaithe Dame,
Sky Blue,
Noctis
