Taroga Malir

Small Town: Population 1,025 (71% ettinor, 25% lynoxi, 4% other)

History

Founded in the late Restoration period, Taroga Malir is a small and very remote town without much connection to the larger world. Situated in between three large lakes, collectively called the Sevagralamaoli, Taroga Malir is a self-sufficient fishing settlement that was originally settled by a population of Lynoxi seeking solitude. The early days of the town's settling were very difficult. Even with the Lynoxi's natural resistance to the cold, the environment ensures nothing can grow, meaning the primary food source is the fish of the Sevagralamaoli. But as the Evedimor'ian Cocaluwen is the only frozen region of Arak, few have experience in ice fishing, so food was scarce early on. Expansion was slow, and the frozen tundra around them was home to a number of terrifying creatures hardened by the environment.

This changed following the Spellscar event in Gothir, when a large number of Ettinor decided to leave Gothir behind, seeing the endless battle with the Bakari to be hopeless; and so, many migrated to the Evedimor'ian Cocaluwen region about 80 years ago, preferring the colder environment. Most of the Ettinor living in Taroga Malir are descendants of Mentekinor who came to the town from Akulir in Gothir. Already used to the harsh environment, and being experienced in ice fishing, their arrival was a boon for the Lynoxi, who have thrived as a result of the Ettinor's protection and knowledge. The Ettinor managed to significantly increase the yield of fishing groups in the town, and given the Ettinor's ability to cannibalize the remains of their kills, they can sustain themselves on the creatures they hunt surrounding the town.

But not all creatures found near Taroga Malir are so easy to deal with. A disturbing new type of creature seems to have followed the Ettinor to the region; a terrifying hulking creature known as the Ulokoani, a creature the Ettinor are very familiar with; but refuse to speak of to anyone but other Ettinor. The Lynoxi have caught the Ettinor speaking of the matter on occasion and can tell that they know more than they are letting on, but even among the community they are a part of, they keep the Lynoxi in the dark. This has caused a divide between the two peoples; while the Lynoxi are grateful for all the Ettinor have done for them, the number of both peoples that have been killed by the Ulokoani has demanded answers, which the Ettinor refuse to provide. The Bone Collectors in town make frequent trips to the wilderness in search of this creature, and have seemingly killed a number of them; but somehow another always takes its place. Despite having killed several of them, the Lynoxi have never seen a body.

Government

Taroga Malir lies within the Evedimor'ian Cocaluwen region, which technically lies under the control of the magistrate of Odracanath to the southeast, Cascabar Olarick. However, as the majority of the population are refugees from Gothir, the magistrate has given them some leniency to be self-sufficient and govern themselves. Taroga Malir has no "government", and its residents handle justice the way all Ettinor do. This has caused some culture clashes with the Lynoxi who feel unrepresented, feeling as though they must obey the laws of the Ettinor because they are outnumbered, despite the fact that the town was theirs first. Most of the Lynoxi do not mind the Ettinor's method of justice, as it is typically fair, but some residents wish to petition to join the republic formally so that Odracanath can provide funding and infrastructure to help the town grow.

Economy

The town very rarely has travelers, let alone merchants. It is too remote to be part of a trade route, so the townsfolk have to be self-sufficient; as such, they do not typically use money, relying on bartering instead. Residents do not value money, as they rarely have the opportunity to use it. Those looking to obtain a good or service need to have something of equal value to offer. There are a handful of professions that make up the backbone of the town's "economy"; fishing, hunting, leatherworking, and herbalism. The Sevagralamaoli lakes are home to a large variety of fish, not all of which are edible, but all of whom have a use; some of which the Lynoxi didn't even know about until the Ettinor showed them. Fish are also the main food source for the Lynoxi and to a lesser extent, the Ettinor, as the Ettinor prefer to hunt and eat their kills fresh. The Bone Collectors brought with them a wealth of knowledge about how to use every part of the creatures they kill throughout the town, including their architecture. Pelts are very valuable, as even though both the Ettinor and the Lynoxi share a resistance to the cold, it can become cold enough to freeze them solid during times of harsh weather, making leatherworking important. The forests nearby have a number of herbs which are useful in making poultices and remedies to disinfect and heal wounds. There are a number of healers that use conventional methods to keep the townsfolk healthy, as they are hundreds of miles from the nearest cleric.

Notable Locations

• Sevagralamaoli - Three large lakes surrounding the town which are frozen over year-round, but which supply the town's primary food source; a wide variety of fish. The townsfolk struggled to fish here when it was first founded, but the Ettinor settlers from Gothir taught them new techniques that have allowed them to thrive. The lakes are wide open and are very windy, but are unusually quiet despite this. Many have reported occasionally hearing distant voices on the wind, which the Ettinor consider an ill omen, warning the fishermen not to follow them.
• Ebonakishar - This large forest to the southwest of the town is known for being unnervingly dark, regardless of the time of day. Filled with dense pine trees with dark bark that have near black wood, the forest has a reputation darker than the forest itself. The local Ettinor fear the forest, as it is home to a creature known as the Ulokoani, which prior to the Ettinor's arrival, was never there. The Lynoxi have long suspected a connection between the creature and the Ettinor, but do not know the specifics, as the Ettinor refuse to speak of the creature outside their own kind.

Culture

The Lushen Lynoxi are a pragmatic people that enjoy the challenge of survival and living without modern amenities, and the Evedimor'ian Cocaluwen region where Taroga Malir is located is the perfect environment for them. Though there is plenty of wood in the Ebonakishar to use for building, it was decided that simply using ice was simpler as it would not melt and insulated very well; though the town still has a number of wooden shelters used to house large community fires used for cooking and keeping warm so that the ice shelters do not melt, with the Lynoxi gathering around these fires late into the night to work on crafts, share stories, drink, and play music. Though most of their food is simple fish, the herbalists of the town have brought back a number of interesting herbs and spices found in the forest that not only enhance the flavor of food, but have some health benefits as well. The Lynoxi in particular enjoy chewing on a weed called Inastamoltir which seems to give them a burst of energy for a short time, but which is addictive.

The Ettinor have long lived a life of continuous combat, under constant threat of the dangerous creatures of Gothir. But the Ettinor alive in Taroga Malir today have never been to Gothir, and while the town is by no means "peaceful", it is far less threatened than their home of Akulir. Their sense of justice is based on survival; with the dangers they faced outside their cities, they could not afford dangers within them. As a result, Ettinor are quick to mangle or execute those who disturb the peace amongst their own, and this has spread to the Lynoxi natives in town, which has caused a great clash between the two peoples. The Lynoxi view the Ettinor as entitled for believing they have the right to ask for shelter in a foreign land and then impose their system of justice upon the ones living there simply because they outnumber them. The Ettinor have mellowed out a bit in the current generation, but the Lynoxi believe that it is not enough.

One mystery the Lynoxi of the town want solved is the nature of the creature known as the Ulokoani which plagues the Ebonakishar to the southwest. This creature appeared when the Ettinor came, and despite them having killed them a number of times, they continue to return. The Lynoxi fear the creature, but are certain that the Ettinor know more about the creature than they are letting on, but the Ettinor refuse to speak to them about it. The Ulokoani, in truth, is not a monster, but those Ettinor who have succumbed to Maven's corrupting influence, and who have lost themselves to their hunger. The Ulokoani are ravenous creatures whose supernatural strength and speed makes them ferocious hunters. Their ability to mimic the voices of those they eat has allowed them to lure in their victims' loved ones by calling across the winds that blow across the Sevagralamaoli. The Bone Collectors have repeatedly killed the Ulokoani, but it is only a matter of time before another appears.

Despite the two people's differences, they have made concessions and tried to understand each other, and have a number of traditions aimed at trying to help their communities cohabitate peacefully. There are weekly games on the ice of the Sevagralamaoli lakes that involve using special boots with sharpened bone blades on the bottom to glide along the ice, and sticks to slap rocks across the ice. They carve small holes into the ice and use the sticks and boots to try to glide past an opposing team carrying the stone with the stick, and try to hit it into the ice hole. The locals are very fond of this game that they call Suthespolir.

Defenses

Unlike other settlements in Arak, Taroga Malir has no Enforcers to protect it, and they must rely only on their own to protect themselves from the creatures that inhabit the frozen tundra. The Lynoxi were surviving on their own, but it was a harsh subsistence lifestyle until the Ettinor arrived; hardened by hunting the many dangerous creatures of Gothir, and bringing the knowledge of the Bone Collectors with them. The Bone Collectors are world-renowned monster hunters who have learned a large amount of obscure monster lore that allows them to more efficiently hunt the creatures; and when they kill them, they eat the remains and use the bones to build their homes, defensive structures, weapons, and armor. Though the town has no walls, the Bone Collectors have slowly built homes using the bones of creatures in the region, and begun to work on walls. In addition to the Bone Collectors, there is a single group of Emerald Company mercenaries in residence who have contributed their expertise in Goblin hunting to the town's consciousness, keeping the blue tundra Goblins at bay.

Crime

The Ettinor are not a materialistic people, and as such there are virtually no instances of theft in a town like Taroga Malir, but occasionally when times are tough, food is targeted by those who can't make ends meet. There has been a problematic clash of culture between the Ettinor and the Lynoxi, as prior to the Ettinor's arrival, the Lynoxi were working hard to try to establish the town with the intention of joining the republic and receiving funding to expand; but when the Spellscar event occurred and the Ettinor came seeking a new home, the Lynoxi had no issue accommodating them. But the Ettinor have their own sense of justice, one which is far more harsh than that of the Synodical Republic, and they were resistant to the ways of the republic. Because of this, the republic has allowed the Ettinor to settle without adhering to their laws so long as they stay within the Evedimor'ian Cocaluwen.

But the Lynoxi do not agree with all of the Ettinor's ideas of justice, finding them to be sometimes brutal in how they punish criminals. The Lynoxi feel as though the Ettinor are being prioritized in the interest of good relations at the expense of the republic's own people; and they are not wrong. This has caused a great deal of tension between the two people, with verbal arguments common, which can occasionally turn violent. The Ettinor are quick to punish theft with mutilation, and murder with death; but after one particular Lynoxi was punished for murdering a family of Ettinor in their sleep with Sari'negol, an ancient punishment used by the Soulbinders of Gothir, the Lynoxi have begun to demand that Cascabar Olarick of Odracanath put his foot down to stop their barbaric "justice".