Thermal Baths
... a bath isn't just for cleansing or relaxing; in the Ice Age, it could save a Life!
Across the villages of the Ice Age, settlers often built their homes near sources of warmth or water. If they were lucky, they found both. These areas formed temperate biomes with hot springs, mud pits, and warm mineral pools, creating a natural oases in the frozen landscape.
Ruins of Thermal Baths dot regions where villages thrived, surviving thanks to meticulous maintenance. Aelves and Mystomythiansconstructed grand, inspiring Thermal Baths, later influencing the impressive aqueducts and bathhouses of subsequent eras and their Cultures.
Today, they continue to serve as popular spots for both locals and adventurers seeking respite from the cold, offering a glimpse into the vibrant life of early Mystomythia.
Steam drifted from the mineral shelves by wading bodies glistening in the light as the murmuring of cascading falls joined the chatter of conversations. One quiet moment is all Fafna desired.
She had been traveling through the snowy outlands for weeks. Even now, Fafna could feel the chill in her spine; she shivered, and sunk into the warmth of the mineral pool. As she resurfaced, her Aelven companion hovered above, waiting to splash her in the face!
Water and hair streaming down her face, she exclaimed, "Aeriph!" The Aelf giggled, her cheeks flushed with the heat of the steam. Together, their laughter sang like song, as warm steam floated into the breeze, towards the open air of the colder lands.
Architecture & Customs
Aelven Maiden, Aeflheim
Aelven Hunters bath before going on a Hunt. While Thermal Baths were communal, the Aelven Diviners maintained sacred pools for cleansing rituals and ceremonies. Aelves lack natural resistances to cold, making Thermal Baths common areas. Settlements, such as Aeflheim, built their Palaces near sources of warm, running water and deep underground geo-thermal vents.
Public baths were open to many Aelves of various status, but foreigners would need an Aelven escort or Attendant present. Aelven Baths were regularly maintained, with parlors and private rooms for healing. Aelves secured the secrets of their Baths from others.
Public baths were open to many Aelves of various status, but foreigners would need an Aelven escort or Attendant present. Aelven Baths were regularly maintained, with parlors and private rooms for healing. Aelves secured the secrets of their Baths from others.
Mystomythians
Myst Folk favored placing their Thermal Baths near Fjords, caverns of Magical Ice, or near geothermal salt-marshes, where they could farm T-Bottan. Mariners would perform baths in Magical Ice and salt water to fortify their skin against the elements before sailing into the open sea.Myth Folk preferred warmer regions with regular geothermal activity, volcanic mounds, or mud pits. Mythic Shamans would exfoliate their skin in sinter springs and mineral pools. Their Thermal Baths channeled hot springs or geothermal lakes.
Myth & Myst Folk
Aelven Architecture & Customs
Bath House Hierarchy
Thermal Baths were common, reflecting the Aelven concern for outward appearances. Nudity was common as denizens of the baths wandered the vast, steamy halls of stone or ice. Various Aelven families were permitted to use the commons areas while nobility enjoyed private dens of luxury
These bathhouses evolved into multi-chambered, high-rising structures with elevated levels dedicated to various societal roles. The highest chambers were for elder members and nobility, while the lowest were for more youthful Aelven families. Outsiders were permitted to use the communal Thermal Baths.
Bath House Ceremonies
Aelven Nobles used these Thermal Baths for leisure, politics and social status. Bathing Contests attracted contestants from various social ranks, ready to apply shampoo surgeries and promote mineral lotions, while private bathing rituals were reserved for the elite, using aromatic Blood Amber incense and perfumes.
Beauty Contests defined several courtship rituals, and many legends begin in the hothouses of Thermal Baths. Legends and stories surrounding the Aelven Deities are often shared in these places, where the Deities themselves once bathed. The middle grounds were reserved for gossip and contests.
Public Pairing ceremonies and Divorce procedures were often handled at the Thermal Baths. This practice would later change, as the Aelven Court system developed. Still, Thermal Baths are often regarded as places of romance for the Aelves due in part to the Architecture which melds the natural terrain.
Hidden chambers within were held for sacred rituals. Baptisms and Life Rites were performed by Aelven Diviners, and new spells were tested in the deeper bowels of the Thermal Houses. Mythologists have found various signs of Eidola worship in the deeper chambers, hidden even from the Aelves.
Folk Architecture & Customs
Mystomythians & Magical Ice
Nestled within the frozen landscapes of Mystomythian territory, these ancient Thermal Baths serve as places of rejuvenation, ritual, and resilience against the cold. Using a fusion of Magical Ice and geothermal energy, they create an environment where scalding heat and biting cold exist in harmony. For Myst & Myth Folk, bathing is a communion with elemental forces, a rite of passage, and a sanctuary from the relentless frost.
Mystomythian baths do not rely solely on natural heat. Instead, they harness Magical Ice, a rare and self-replenishing substance that interacts with geothermal currents to regulate temperature and produce ethereal mist. Rich with elemental properties, this mist blankets the baths, obscuring the outside world and heating the environment. An unusual interaction with water allows Magical Ice to regenerate near cold sources.
The bathing chambers are constructed beneath the ice itself, forming vast underground sanctuaries where warm mineral pools glow with an eerie luminescence. Columns of Magical Ice form the skeletal structure of these halls, constantly shifting and reforming. The floor is paved with stone-hewn channels, guiding water through a series of pools, each varying in heat intensity.
The architecture of these baths is a marvel of both nature and design. Structures are formed from a blend of clay, Bottan-wood fibers, and seed husks, reinforced with strands of Folk hair for flexibility. Shapers- Artisans attuned to Shaping Magic-shape the underground caverns to endure avalanches while maintaining the delicate balance between heat and ice.
Bathing Experience
Mystomythians bathed for ritual, healing, and transformation. Upon entering, bathers must first undergo a purification ritual, where Attendants use crushed Ice infused with healing minerals to exfoliate the skin. Following this, they descend into the pools, experiencing a cycle of extreme temperatures- plunging into an icy bath before retreating to a steamy cavern, allowing the body to adjust and fortify itself against the cold.The baths are structured in tiers:
- Glacial Plunge Pools: Coldest of the baths, used for endurance training and spiritual purification. Some believe that submerging here grants visions or divine insight.
- Communal Sanctum: A vast central pool where bathers gather for storytelling, meditation, and deep conversation. The surface shimmers with mist, creating illusions of stars reflected in water.
- Ice-Warmed Mineral Springs: Infused with geothermal energy, these pools heal the body and enhance the natural resistance of Mystomythians to cold. Their waters carry traces of elemental energy, said to bolster strength and clarity.
- Vault of Ice: Storage and generator of Magical Ice. This compartment contained accumulated Ice. Pools of salt water were warmed by the processes of making a Thermal Bath.
- Snow Globe Chamber: A steam room lined with magical Snow Globes. Single compartment rooms, meant for one to five guests; mist and steam flows through the Snow Globe.
The Folk regularly guarded the secret of Magical Ice from others. In Mythological excavations of old, ruined Thermal Baths, Pots full of various forms of Ice are found.
Origins & Historical Significance
The first Thermal Baths originated naturally, from settling near Micro-Climates. Locales known for supporting warm-blooded Life, these hot-spots were ideal for agricultural needs in the early eras. Their value shaped early societies that congregated for their warmth.
These locations drew various Cultures together. Kinship Tribes formed when resources for a Thermal Bath were found. Others used the Thermal Baths to secure themselves with a territory of warmth. Thermal Baths reflected the land as much as the people that built them.
Myths & Cultural Relevance
WIP-TBD
The Water is Fine!
Mythic Maidens
Construction
All Thermal Baths have a similar construction, but vary by Culture.
Foundation
The site is excavated to create pools and canals, often using Magic to shape the land. A foundation is laid near hotsprings or geysers.
Copper piping is installed to control water temperature. Bottan filters are employed to remove detritus.
Copper piping is installed to control water temperature. Bottan filters are employed to remove detritus.
Structure
Canals lead to pools. Depending on the surrounding landscape, the Thermal Baths can be built on varying elevations, creating beautiful fountains or waterfalls cascading into mineral pools.
Extra rooms include massage parlors, hot saunas, islands for communal gathering, private chambers, and supply rooms for storing minerals.
Extra rooms include massage parlors, hot saunas, islands for communal gathering, private chambers, and supply rooms for storing minerals.
Operations
"Do I like working at the Bath Houses? Of course! I wear Icing Silk, keep warm all day, and these slippers let me skate on water! The best part? I get to use the Master's private Bath once a week! It keeps us gorgeous!"
Attendants of the springs maintain the Thermal Baths by keeping them clean, and protecting the mineral supplies that give the springs their healing properties.
Each Thermal Bath differs in its' specific needs. Hygiene and sanitation, mineral balance, and water management are all important tasks. Hosts receive goods from patrons, redistributing their wealth into wages to the Attendants.
Each Thermal Bath differs in its' specific needs. Hygiene and sanitation, mineral balance, and water management are all important tasks. Hosts receive goods from patrons, redistributing their wealth into wages to the Attendants.
Notable Locations
- Aeflheim Baths
A beautiful description of a luxurious atmosphere. Consider introducing a history and cultural context earlier, to set the stage before diving into greater sensory details of the baths.
Cool deal! I've reread this a few times, thinking it was lacking- something! I think you're right though! It would benefit more from a little more Historical context! As soon as we can edit, I'll put in some work on that! Thank you for the excellent feedback!