Godsbreath
Brought to an unfamiliar land by their gods generations ago, Godsbreath folk built their community together. Today, they work the farmlands of the Ribbon, thrive on the islands of Nightwater Cove, and continue to build the port city of Promise. But while Godsbreath sings of a unified past in the living oral history known as the Awakening Song, cracks are beginning to form within this tight-knit community.
Demographics
Hallmarks
Godsbreath is a land known for its cooperative agricultural communities and the importance its people place on maintaining their oral history.People
The people of Godsbreath have skin tones ranging from the medium brown of copper to the near black of ebony, and most have tightly coiled dark-brown hair. Nonhumans and humans of other lands are rarely seen here; most who do live here dwell in Promise.Languages
The people of Godsbreath speak their own language, known as Godstongue, as well as Common.Names:
Most folk in Godsbreath go by a single name—often a nickname picked up in their youth instead of their given name—preceded by an honorific reflecting their age, profession, or standing in the community. Those too young to have an honorific may be addressed without one, though it’s often wise for strangers to use a courtesy honorific—Miss, Mister, Cousin—as a sign of respect.Government
Each community in Godsbreath is self-governing, with intercommunity and regional disputes settled at the annual Meet. Held in Promise during the Awakening Festival, this public forum between community leaders seeks majority consensus on each issue raised. The Meet continues until all items are resolved or half the participants leave.
Defences
Crime in Godsbreath is rare, and justice in this land focuses on making the wronged party whole. Decisions on how to make amends come through groups known as sevens—assemblies of the seven people who are closest at hand when an accusation of criminal behavior is made, but who have no direct stake in the outcome. For the most severe wrongs, offenders are banished to uninhabited islands, though they retain the right to travel to the Meet each year to seek reconciliation with the larger community.
Industry & Trade
While Godsbreath is relatively isolated from other lands, trade routes exist to facilitate the exchange of goods and resources. Caravans or small merchant groups travel through the region, connecting Godsbreath with neighboring territories. These trade routes are vital for acquiring goods not readily available within Godsbreath and fostering economic ties with other regions.
History
Generations ago, a land was plundered by enemies whose names are lost to time. Five gods came together to save as many of the land’s beleaguered inhabitants as they could by taking them to a new home. Those the gods saved named their new land Godsbreath, in honor of the deities who brought them across a vast sea to a new life. These inhabitants banded together to build strong communities and protect themselves from danger. From one generation to the next, they share stories of their past, of the distant lands of their ancestors, and of the unfulfilled promise of reunion with ancestors left behind in a lost land.
In Godsbreath, danger and beauty walk hand in hand. Along the southern coast, the murky, monster-stalked Nightwater Islands support tight-knit communities whose colorful houses perch on stilts. On the mainland, rising from the shore of Nightwater Cove, stands Promise, a town of brightly painted buildings and bustling trade. Northward lies a band of crimson soil known as the Ribbon—the source of this land’s agricultural prosperity—which weaves through woods and floodplains. Beyond the Ribbon spreads the treacherous land of the Rattle, a territory that might hold the key to Godsbreath’s future.
Type
Town
Additional Rulers/Owners