Akulir

Large Town: Population 4,317 (96% ettinor, 4% other races)

History

Akulir has long been the home of a large number of Mentekinor Ettinor, as the cold climate of northern Gothir keeps many of Gothir's dangerous native creatures at bay, making it a more peaceful place. The Mentekinor Ettinor migrated here to find peace; and for many years, they had it, isolated from the rest of Gothir. The Ettinor originally migrated here and founded Akulir early in the Upheaval period. However, the Ettinor are not farmers, and had to find other sources of food. While the mountains surrounding Akulir were not conducive to growing food, there are many creatures that the Ettinor are more than happy to hunt and then eat. Unfortunately, this created a complication when some Ettinor began losing themselves to their hunger.

The Ettinor are no more resilient to the corrupting influence of Maven than any other race, and some in Akulir began finding themselves craving flesh more and more. Eventually, this hunger was directed at their brethren. Those who listened to Maven's whispers found themselves attacking their brethren, and the more they ate, the more they lost themselves to their dark cravings. These Ettinor became known as Ulokoani, a name which has become known to Ettinor worldwide, and which they refuse to speak of to outsiders. The Ulokoani dwell within forests near Ettinor settlements, using their supernatural gifts to wage psychological warfare on their former kin, luring them to their domain so they can earn their next meal. Because of this disturbing development, many of the Mentekinor Ettinor have chosen to reject the Ettinor's cannibalistic nature.

Thousands of years later, now modern day, Akulir has changed. A century ago, when a Wellspring eruption created the Spellscar to the southwest, many of the Mentekinor Ettinor fled Akulir to find new homes in northern Arak. However, like others who remain in Gothir, many are unwilling to leave their home. Akulir is a bastion of strong Ettinor warriors. While the Bakari share their resistance to the cold, the terrain makes it extremely hazardous to traverse. Akulir is also protected by Ebondel to the south, who barely keep the Bakari contained to the south. While many left Akulir to seek a new home in Arak, plenty fled the southern lands and joined the Mentekinor tribes here, nearly quadrupling the town's remaining population. This sudden influx of different tribes has caused some clashes between cultures despite their shared plight, with the tribes choosing to segregate themselves.

Unknown to the residents of Akulir, northern Gothir was not always frozen. The cold climate in this region is due to a slumbering Titan by the name of Drusak within the mountains, whose body lowers the temperature of the surrounding region. But Drusak's body seems to be attracting parasites in the last decade. These parasites, known as the Sari'vunoki, are ancient monsters who were frozen by Drusak in the Shattering period, and are finally breaking free thanks to miners from Akulir. The Sari'vunoki have begun to awaken the others and seem interested in the Ettinor. Akulir has been attacked on a number of occasions, and the Sari'vunoki have disturbed the Ettinor due to their ability to absorb the spirits of the Ettinor they kill, becoming stronger when they do. Some have likened the creatures to the Voidspawn.

Government

The town is self-governed, with each tribe answering only to their leader, their "Ganlok", who is chosen by virtue of experience and strength. There are three main tribes within Akulir; the Luntarek, the Soganak, and the Teogasek. The Luntarek are led by Ganlok Donoma, and are the tribe of mostly Mentekinor Ettinor that were native to Akulir before the other tribes made their home here. There are also the Soganak, led by Ganlok Essir, and are a tribe of mostly Kidokinor Ettinor who came from southern Gothir, especially from near the Spellscar. Finally, there are the Teogasek, led by Ganlok Koterik, who are a tribe of mostly Daolokinor Ettinor, who come from the jungle in eastern Gothir, and who are detested by many due to the fact that they carry a potent contagion in their blood that they spread to their enemies. There are some feuds between the tribes, but the shared trauma of the Bakari devastating their homeland has united them; and with the Sari'vunoki threat, they have agreed to set aside their differences in order to protect the small sliver of their home that remains.

Akulir is home to some other races who are members of the Spellscar Crusade, but they have no jurisdiction to make decisions about the laws governing the Ettinor, and they would not try even if they were given orders to do so. They are vastly outnumbered at 1:25, and mostly leave the Ettinor be, only intervening in the rare event that the Bakari make their way north to the town and attack. The Bakari who do make it this far north rarely return if killed, as there is very little Acroniten this far north.

Economy

Akulir has long faced food shortages due to the climate which have only been made worse with the town's population exploding following the Spellscar event. This has caused conflicts among the tribes, with some even challenging each other to ritual combat to compete for food. The Spellscar Crusade has fortunately received donations of food for the people of Gothir from foreign followers of Quen, which has helped to curb this. The Ettinor have been suspicious of foreign goodwill due to their history with the Kingdom of Derunadel. Another way the food shortage has been curbed is with the emergence of the Sari'vunoki from the mountains, which the Bone Collectors have begun hunting and eating. The Sari'vunoki may taste terrible, but with the Ettinor's ability to eat carrion without getting sick, it's enough to keep them fed, especially with how enormous the Sari'vunoki are.

The town has few exports, as the Ettinor do not care for money, and do not use it amongst themselves. However, the money goes a long way to buying the resources they need for supplies. The two exports that the town does have that are unique to it are byproducts of the Sari'vunoki that they kill. The spines that jut out from the creature's backs are highly corrosive; the acid the spines excrete is harvested and is highly valuable to alchemists. Additionally, the spines can have the base encased in glass and wrapped tightly with leather cordage to make a stabbing weapon capable of penetrating armor. The creature's skin can be made into garments that blend into their surroundings; a highly valuable, but extremely expensive resource, as it is rare to be able to obtain it without someone dying.

Notable Locations

• Ossak ma Vikosebar - This large bone tower can be found in the center of the town, and serves as a symbol of pride to the Bone Collectors, who built the tower from the countless remains they have recovered from their most dangerous hunts over the years. The tower stands at over 250 ft. tall and is 30 ft. wide at the base. Only the most dangerous of creatures have had their remains added to this pile, which is a testament to the significant accomplishments of the Bone Collectors in the town.
• Taro ma Shunil - A large domed circular bone building near the Ossak ma Vikosebar with plaster daub that insulates the interior. It is a temple dedicated to Estrea that is a neutral ground for the three tribes of Akulir. The grounds are considered sacred, and spilling blood here is one of the highest crimes among the Ettinor, punishable by Sari'negol, in which one of the tribes' Soulbinders would kill you and bind your spirit, re-attaching it to your body, and burying it in a deep hole somewhere where you will be forgotten. The more religious Ettinor come here daily to pray for strength to face the challenges they must face.
• Drek ma Veonar - Referring to three large camps separated by tribe which have a sea of bone huts housing the Ettinor of the town. Each has their own little quirks that put the culture of the different tribes on display. The Luntarek have a number of open areas with flat stone surfaces with braziers where they participate in communal meditation and chanting. The Soganak have a recessed circle in the center of their camp where they meet for tribal discussions and to sing and perform ritual dances to send off their dead. Finally, the Teogasek prefer to build their huts on elevated platforms, reminding them of their home in the jungle, and they have a number of large huts that they fill with plants and animals from the jungle, heating them so they can feel at home.

Culture

Akulir has a unique appearance not seen anywhere else in Aellorah, owing to the Ettinor's grim architecture choices. Though many Ettinor settlements incorporate bone into their structures, Akulir uses it for practically everything. In addition to the traditional bone huts seen in most Ettinor settlements, which are typically domed huts covered with furs; the town has infrastructure and decorative structures that use bone, such as towers of the skulls of their honored dead along the streets which have sconces to light the streets at night. The Ettinor believe that burying or burning bodies is wasteful, and make sure to use every part of the corpses of monsters they hunt, as well as their enemies, and even their allies.

With three large tribes with very different cultural beliefs, there are frequent feuds between tribes. This has led to violent clashes in the streets a number of times. However, in the last 40 years, things have become less stressed. During one of the worst feuds in the town's history, as it looked like the Kidokinor and the Daolokinor would begin a territorial war, a single Vesperkin man named Ravi Gespetha managed to use his silver tongue to talk down the Ettinor and convince them to bury the hatcher, so to speak. In honor of this event, there is a monthly celebration at the end of the month, known as Shaluki ma Iso, during which the three tribes of Akulir come together to drink, have friendly competitive games, and build large bonfires that they dance around. During this celebration, conflicts are forbidden, and any who dares to spill blood are exiled from their tribe.

Defenses

Akulir has the highest concentration of Bone Collectors of any place on Aellorah. No town is safer from wild monstrous creatures than here. They have amassed an overwhelming number of bones from creatures around Gothir over the years, and as a result, the town's very walls are made of a thick pile of bones. There are also a handful of Soulbinders in residence, three from each tribe, who have bound a number of spirits to the town's walls to protect it. There are a small number of other races in residence from the Spellscar Crusade, but they are only there to be a first line of defense against the occasional Bakari raid to protect the Ettinor, who can be transformed by them.

Crime

The Ettinor are not very materialistic and have few personal possessions that other Ettinor would consider worth stealing; perhaps coveting another's prized weapon. But there are two types of crime seen most frequently in Akulir -- murder, and theft of food. While the feuds between tribes have calmed in recent years due to efforts to unite the tribes and the Sari'vunoki threat, Akulir still faces problems with food security. As a result, some can become desperate and find their way into another tribe's camp to relieve them of their "excess" food. The Ettinor are not typically very sneaky, and this has caused a number of fights that often lead to severe beatings, or even death. Even if the Spellscar Crusade had the numbers to enforce some sort of law in Akulir, the Ettinor do not recognize them as an authority figure.