Avill Glen

The myriad hamlets that pepper the dense reaches of the Etter—both mountains and forest—and the prevalence of arcanists who inhabit such cloistered settlements speak of a steadfast, unquestionable truth: like attracts like. In this regard Avill Glen is much like the other settlements throughout, yet in practice the glen operates on quite contrasting principles and retains respectable notoriety because of them. Not only does Avill Glen allow the foreign to seek shelter within its walls but it actively seeks to marry the unrelenting nature of its woodland survival with more inventive ideas.

If a place drags you back and binds you tight, then it is a prison;
If it waits for you to wade through life until you return, then it is merely an anchor.

— Julen Alaniss

Halls of the Glen

The main structure of the settlement, circular in nature and devised to coalesce with the natural order of trees through which it interweaves, has been forged and developed over centuries by primarily vale arcanists. The innermost sanctuary is also the oldest, and makes up the principal halls of confluence within the glen; rippling outward are rings of residential abodes, those smallest and most recent situated more sparsely at the very edges of the settlement.

Architecture

Much like the rings of a tree tell of its history, so does the shift in design throughout the glen's structure tell its. The inner rings bear multiple layers of remodel, the moldings carved in intricate designs, walls sleek and polished with vines wrapping the struts in adornment. Moving outward, the homes become simpler, more rustic in style. A few are not inherently arcanic at all, instead the work of common labor—wood cut with blade and sweat, bits of metal from the outside world used for adherence.

Government and Rule

The Circle

To keep with its vale arcanic traditions, Avill Glen maintains that all members of its Circle must be vale arcanists. The Circle serves as judge, jury, and executioner in most affairs of the glen, though their rule is a gentle one that seeks the complete influence and agreement of its subjects. There are thirteen members in total, each choosing an apprentice who will one day take their place. The number is thought to be optimal in representing a fair array of views from throughout the entire glen, as well as averting any 'ties' in conflict.

The Globe

Legally, Avill Glen is protected by the Armistace Guilds, however basically the entire world recognizes the settlement under ownership of itself. As a whole, the glen doesn't engage in any outside relations and the hostility of the Etter itself is such that no one else would want to interfere with the glen anyway. Life in the Etter, both civilized and wild, is widely regarded as unpredictable and eldritch, and the very fact that the glen's citizens will immerse themselves in the modernity of the outside world and then choose to return to the terrible forest is daunting.

Demographics

At any given time Avill Glen consists primarily of the young and old. There are, of course, denizens throughout all stages of life welcome within the halls, however most who can traverse the globe and forge independent paths in their adult years are encouraged to do so.

In terms of ethnicity, any distinct origin of blood has long been lost throughout the many generations rooted to the glen. The majority of individuals carry features similar to those of eastern Avar, however eastern Avar and the region surrounding Armistace is an ethnic melting pot itself. It does stand to reason that there were once other cultures from the north and west that pervaded the surrounding areas and perhaps wound themselves in the glens' gene pools.

Location

The Etter Forest

Founding

~862 Prior

Population

~700

Ruler/s

The Circle of Avill Glen

House of Elver

Avill Glen is traditionally a glen of vale arcanists (like many of the settlements within the Etter), though due to its denizens consorting with the outside world it has long become home to not only other arcanic types, but a number of nonarcanists as well.

Still, it maintains heavy vale traditions, and about sixty percent of its current population is vale arcanists. This is not surprising; by nature, vale arcanists are more easily drawn to and thrive in areas like the Etter where heavy stores of arcana coexist with abundant and relatively untouched vegetation.

Perils of the Etter

Any forest as big as the Etter is predisposed to hold a variety of inclement fauna, but the arcanium within this particular forest breeds a certain kind of terror rarely seen outside its edges. The glens within may not be familiar with many of the manmade atrocities that have tormented the rest of civilization, but they have retained a more primal knowledge often lost in other cultures. Simultaneously they are both the hunters and hunted, and they have learned to precociously navigate everything from the predators frothing with arcanic poisoning just beyond their walls to the lethal stonework and waters of the rapids.

by John Ernest Phythian

by prettysleepy1

People

To Leave

The idea behind structure of life within the glen stems from the mythological as well as the logical. Several stories in the pyramisic mythos have strong themes of an individual going out into the world and then returning home after becoming more hardened and knowledgable, but more importantly is a core belief of the glen that one's purpose is predetermined but not predisposed. What this means is that one must figure out their own destined purpose, which, according to the glen, is unlikely to occur in Avill Glen itself considering the vast scope of the world. Thus it's expected that when an adolescent reaches young adulthood they will go out into the world for however long it takes until finding this said 'purpose'.

And Return

While the departure of an individual from the glen is often something expected and deliberate, their return usually comes about through happenstance. No one really plans to return to the glen but students finish their schooling, parents grow elderly, and some individuals simply get homesick after years of travel. Some attribute it to the gods' work, playing at the strings of humanity so that the glen's denizens will be inclined to return, while others say that it is the natural cycle of life.