Avalheim

Location	Northwestern Eden
Races	Mixed
Primary Religions	Non-Denominational
Political System	Council-led
Current Council	Roseshade Daeris Xilthendrirrin

Introduction

On the coasts of wyrm isles, next to the frigid glass sea, resides the settlement of Avalheim, a peaceful and cozy home to many races. A paradise of peace and prosperity was founded by a group of adventurous travelers who sought a new home for themselves and others. The settlement is a haven without prejudice, where all races are welcome. From the earthborn dwarves to the many elves and humans, all who harbor thoughts of peace and friendship are welcome within the homes of Avalheim. But to those who harbor ill feelings or seek to harm the people of Avalheim, A grim and dark fate awaits them at the jaws of the wolves of Avalheim…

Geography

The settlement of Avalheim resides in the cold northwestern region of Eden, near the edges of the eastern part of the wyrm isles. Surrounding the settlement is the frigid glass sea, the rough mountains, and the white forests of the wyrm isle. The settlement can be found next to the coast of the eastern wyrm isles.

Demographic

Avalheim is a rather accepting and open place, home to many races. Anaheim's demographic mostly consists of dwarves, wood elves, high elves, humans, and orcs, although Avalheim is a welcoming settlement and is open to all races.

Culture

Apparel

Despite various races with many differences, the people of Avalheim have developed a common trend in apparel. The harsh climate of the mountains and forests of the wyrm isles that Avalheim resides on has made the citizens favor thick or layered clothing made out of many different materials such as fur, leather, and wool. Their clothing comes in many colors, typically dyed brown, grey, black, white, red, or blue. While traveling through the snowy regions/mountains of the wyrm isles, the citizens of Avalheim are often seen wearing hoods or capes of thick fur from creatures such as bears over their heads as protection from the cold snow as well as to hide their identity.

When traveling through the warmer regions of the Wyrm isles, such as the forests, the citizens of Avalheim tend to wear more loose-fitting clothes or thinner clothing, such as flannel shirts. Most leather clothing and armor made by the citizens of Avalheim have intricate patterns and designs. Some depict images, while others are simple patterns. Alongside their leather, the citizens or Avalheim often boast chainmail armor while out hunting. They often sandwich this chainmail armor with two layers of clothing to prevent the metals from getting cold and causing frostbite on the skin.

Arts

The people of Avalheim are quite artistic people who enjoy arts and crafts. They are adept in many kinds of art thanks to the various races residing in Avalheim. The Most common forms of art found in Avalheim are woodcrafts, metalcrafts, mural paintings, and applied arts. Many citizens enjoy carving wood and making small statues or other figures, most commonly wolves. It has even become a tradition to carve wooden wolf figures during festivals such as the day of strength. They are also known for their metalcrafts and enjoy creating small items such as brooches and pendants.

Another art commonly found in Avalheim is painting, specifically mural painting. Many different arts and images can be seen painted on the walls and roofs of places in Avalheim. Most of these paintings depict legends and tales, as well as the battles and stories of Avalheim. The citizens of Avalheim also enjoy decorating objects such as armor, weapons, homes, and more with various designs depicting many things, such as abstract animals and people & intricate interweaving patterns.

Architecture

The buildings and houses in Avalheim are usually built using available resources. As such, the main body of the buildings is built primarily out of wood and sometimes stones, and the roofs are made of materials such as wood, hay, wool, etc. The houses often resemble large wooden cabins with curved or slanted roofs. This structure allowed the buildings to keep warmth inside and to become cozy. Larger buildings, such as the main hall, are usually built out of stronger resources, sometimes stones or against a large solid ruin, to become more sturdy and strong.

Food & Beverage

The people of Avalheim boast a splendor of foods and beverages. They are most well known for their powerful beer brews, which are known for getting the strongest drinkers drunk! The people of Avalheim often hunt a lot and boast various kinds of meats, from rabbit to mutton, and even exotic meats such as bears! During the summertime, the citizens of Avalheim plant and harvest many crops, vegetables, and berries, such as potatoes and hay. The people of Avalheim tend to create various delicious dishes using these meats and vegetables that boast exquisite tastes and go quite well with their beer.

Marriage & Births

Marriages in Avalheim are joyous occasions that are celebrated greatly. Weddings will usually occur outside the great hall under the arcing gate, known as the gates of heaven. A priest will usually officiate the wedding. After which, all the people of Avalheim will come together for a grand feast to celebrate the newly wedded couple. Later on, when the couple is ready, a child is born.

When a child is born in Avalheim, a ceremony is held for them, in which one of the five council members or a priest will slit the hands of the mother and father of the child with a ceremonial knife and use said blood to draw one of 3 marks, namely the mark of the brave, fertile, and hunt, each one symbolizing a different thing. If the child does not have parents, i.e., the father died before birth, and the mother died during, then one of the high council members will use their blood for the child's ceremony.

Funerals

Funerals are solemn events in Avalheim. The citizens of Avalheim often send off the fallen on wooden boats, pushing them out to sea with their dearest belongings. One of the deceased's family members will say a few words about the deceased, talking about their life and legacy. They will then shoot a flaming arrow at the boat, and the rest of the deceased's family will follow suit, setting the boat ablaze and sending the deceased off in a glorious blaze to respect and honor their lives. If the deceased had no family, the high council or a close friend of the deceased will talk about the deceased and commence the firing of arrows and will be followed by friends of the deceased and citizens of Avalheim.

Festivals and Celebrations

• Day of The Wolves

A day where the settlement holds a grand and joyous party throughout the day, then at night, they leave meat outside the settlement for the wolves to come and feast.

• Day of Light

On the darkest day of the year, the settlement will gather around the dock together. They then make tiny wooden carved ships and send them to sea with a lit candle to pray for better days.

• Day of the Founding

A Day to celebrate the founding of Avalheim. The doors of the grand hall become open to all, and a grand party is held, with a grand feast, music, dancing, and other joyous festivities.

• Festival of Life

A festival where the citizens of Avalheim come together, decorate the settlement, and sell specialty items. The whole day is based around being kind and nice and coming together by helping each other out

• Day of The Fallen

A day to celebrate the lives of past friends and family. The citizens of Avalheim meet up at the docks to mourn the dead, wish them safe travels through the gates of 'Heaven', and make sure our elders are loved.

• Festival of The Moon

As the year ends, all the people of Avalheim will gather in the middle of the town wishing for a better year to come. During this day, everyone will fast and then come together after midnight for a grand feast to celebrate the new year

• Day of Strength

The citizens of Avalheim gather around a fire and tell each other tales of their feats of strength. Afterward, they put on festive shows of how they believe their ancestors took down creatures like dragons. During this day, everyone makes wooden carvings of dragons and wolves

• Coming of Age Ceremony

whenever a child in Avalheim turns 16, they must go through a trial to prove themselves as adults. The child has to prove they can survive outside the settlement for three days and return home on their own. If the child is incapable of taking on this trail for some reason, they are permitted to take on a more tame trail, in which they will be taken out on a fishing trip with the anglers and catch a big fish!

Society

Social Hierarchy

High Council

Lower Council

Citizens' representative

Pack Leader

Army

Medics

Priests

Common workers (i.e., hunters & anglers)

Normal citizens

Outsiders

Political system

The political system of Avalheim is one that greatly differs from that of other nations and settlements. Rather than having a single leader, Avalheim has a high council of 5 people who make major decisions for the nation through votes. Each council member is usually from one of the five founding bloodlines: the Roseshade family, the Daeris family, and the Xilthendrirrin family. This high council leads Avalheim together. The lower council and the citizens' representative in decision-making assist the high council; the lower council comprises three prominent figures in Avalheim. At the same time, the representative of the citizens is a single person who the citizens elected to voice any issues they have to the high council.

Economy

Regarding imports, the people of Avalheim are rather independent and don't rely on imports, as they prefer to provide for themselves but tend to get goods they can't get on their land. Instead, the people of Avalheim are good exporters of various goods. They export various goods to neighboring nations to promote good relationships with them. These goods include their strong and flavorful beers, various types of meats, and the weapons and gear they produce, such as axes and leather armor.

Avalheim has many common jobs one can take up while living there, all of which help provide for the citizens and the settlement itself. Some of these jobs include: Hunters, the people who head out into the wild in search of game and wild meat. Then, along comes the farmers who plant, tend to, and harvest crops. Lastly, fishers are the people who set out to sea and catch fish. All these providers are responsible for feeding the citizens.

When it comes to creating tangible goods, there are three types of common jobs. The blacksmiths forge weapons and metal armor like chainmail and swords. The leatherworkers are adept at their trade, crafting all their gear, armor, and clothing out of leather and then engrave patterns onto them. Lastly, the craftspeople specialize in the rest of the materials. They use wood, cloth, and so on to create various tools, jewelry, furniture, and more. All these hard workers are protected by the common soldiers, the brave warriors who dedicate themselves to protecting Avalheim.

The Law

The laws of Avalheim and simple yet strict. All citizens are expected to follow these rules or face appropriate punishment. The rules are as follows

Do not commit murder

Do not steal from your fellow citizens

Do not cause harm to your fellow citizens without a valid reason

Do not kill wolves unless necessary

Do not abuse fellow citizens or animals

Do not cause unnecessary harm to the land

Do not commit acts of hatred towards fellow citizens

Breaking these rules will cause one to be taken on trial before the high council, where an appropriate punishment will be decided, ranging from simple imprisonment to banishment or death.

Religion & Beliefs

The settlement of Avalheim has no single religion, but the ancient form of Feaeism and the ways of Nature is the main one inside the village. However, all citizens have a certain freedom as to practice their own religion. The citizens of Avalheim believe in myths and animals and associate parts of the body, mind, and soul with them. But the Spirit plays an important role as the animals and nature are important to the citizens of Avalheim. Spirits give them wisdom, knowledge, and words of advice, as well as bless them and their choices.

The Wolf

The wolf signifies life, fertility, and camaraderie; as such, they idolize and treat them with respect. Killing a wolf out of hatred or malice is considered taboo among them, as Wolves have always been a part of their town and are seen as creatures that have always protected them.

The Dragon

The dragon often symbolizes death and chaos. They are seen as creatures of pure destruction that fly over towns destroying everything and burning families alive but are still treated with respect as they are seen as the pinnacle of strength.

The Crow

The crow is often associated with greed and unhappiness. They are known for stealing everything valuable and are seen around unhappy people. Seeing a flock of crows is often seen as a bad omen of misfortune or bad luck. Unwelcome Outsiders are often referred to as crows by the citizens of Avalheim.

The Fish

The fish is often associated with manipulation and intelligence. They are known for leading fishers astray while out at sea. As such, the citizens of Avalheim often capture and eat fish as they believe them to increase one's intelligence.

The Fox

The fox is often associated with guile and deception. The people of Avalheim often associate liars and sly people with foxes.

The Bear

The bear is often associated with strength and bravery. They are seen as symbols of strength. The citizens of Avalheim take pride in hunting bears as they are seen as worthy foes. They often hunted to prove their strength.

The Phoenix

The phoenix is often associated with rebirth, joy, and luck. They believe that spotting this rare bird is a good omen and is a sign of great luck and joy in one's future.

The Bird

The bird is often associated with freedom and sustainability. They are known for flying in the sky happy and free. Birds also resent crows, and as such the citizens are often called birds because they resent the crows, the outsiders. Being called a bird means you are a free citizen and you can sustain yourself in the harsh environment.

The Owl

The owl is often associated with wisdom and the magical. The owls are wise beings of high intellect, and the people highly respect them. An owl is believed to have magical abilities and a great amount of knowledge. Mages are called wings, being associated with the owl.

The Elk

The elk is often associated with love, passion and healing. Elks are beings that love to stay together in pacts and show love and care for all, even outsiders. An elk is believed to have the ability to heal and take care of their friends, but also those they do not know. Medics are called antlers, being associated with the elk.

The Spirit

The spirit is associated with faith, honour, and the will to do good. They are known for appearing to people, and offering words of advise and wisdom. A priest in Avalheim is called a spirit because they speak the spirit's words of wisdom and tell their advise and will to the citizens. If a spirit appears for you, it is commonly believed you are blessed.

Military

The army of Avalheim is made of strong individuals who work together to bring safety and security to avalheim. The army of avalheim is often referred to as Avalheim's pack, as they have the honor of being named after the wolves that avalheim cherishes. The army consists of the pack leader, the fangs, claws, and wolves.

Pack Leader, also known as the Pack General, is the army leader. They make immediate decisions during combat and report directly to the high council. The general is often decided through a vigorous combat trial supervised by the high council. To become the pack leader, one must prove themselves as a powerful combatant. The pack leader is often tasked with supervising the training of recruits.

Fangs, also known as the region's Warlords, are the people below the pack leader. They are often promoted by the pack leader or the high council after they have proven themselves in combat. They are often tasked with training recruits and have the authority to lead the army without the pack leader.

Claws, commonly known as Corporals, are the recruits that have proven themselves in battle and are seen as more brave. They make up a large portion of the army and are often tasked with patrolling and scouting.

Pack Members, the nickname for recruits, usually initiates who have joined the army and have yet to prove themselves in battle.

The history of avalheim is short and brief as avalheim is a young and new settlement. The founders of Avalheim were a group of 8 people of different races who wished to achieve one common goal: to build a home where they could start over and live a new life. Originally, one of the founders, Lily Roseshade, set out to create a new home for herself after suffering from memory loss so that she may have a fresh start. She was supported in this endeavor by her elder brother, Astrophel Roseshade. The two of them were then joined by Ellisar Vennanor-Vend and Raimraid Daeris. The four then ventured around Eden searching for a suitable place to build their new homes. During their travels, they came across people with similar goals. These were Gunmar Einmana, Fardan Xilthendrirrin, Zolphar Vendove, and Cecilia Petrichor. Together the 8 of them traveled and eventually found themselves within the Wyrm isles, where they decided to settle. They built a few houses for themselves and began living together peacefully.

After living peacefully like this, new people started to find themselves in Avalheim. Most of them were people who had no homes or places they belonged to, while others wanted to live elsewhere. The founders welcomed these people with open arms to their new homes. After seeing how many people had found themselves in their small gathering of homes, the founders decided to make their home into a settlement for those who had no homes and wished to start over and live a new life. They then began expanding their small cluster of homes and building more structures, starting with a large hall where the people of Avalheim could gather. They then began building other buildings and structures, such as docks, taverns, metalsmiths, etc. They expanded from a small cluster of homes into a large village, and thus, the settlement of Avalheim was born.