Arnagh
-Welcome to Arnagh.-Am I?-We'll see. First, we need to talk.
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Arnagh is a forgotten little town at the far edges of Valabrad. The town is surrounded by a dense forest and close to a river. Despite the desolation raging across the nation, the people in this town fight every day to survive. There aren't many inhabitants in the town. Their low numbers allowed them to develop a system of distribution of the chores, tasks, food and other items in equal parts. It's far from perfect. There is always a dispute of who gets the best food, clothes or materials to build a house, but with years they have learned to overcome the fights over the resources because they know they are lucky Nature is on their side, at least for now.
Every time one of them visits another town, or on rare occasions, they get a visitor, all the news they get are devastating. Humans are losing a battle against something they don't understand. There is a question they always listen "If the mages are gone, why do bad things keep happening to us?"
The people from Arnagh don't have an answer. They are not sure if all the mages are gone, or if they had the fault for everything that's happened in Valabrad at the age of The Fall. Maybe Nature is still claiming its revenge through Lylla's curse.
Arnagh wasn't from the beginning a place touched by Nature's gift. The first inhabitants barely survived fishing in the river, collecting food from the forest, and wood to build their houses. As it was so far away and in the depth of untamed Nature, the horrors of war were a distant tale. The people focused on surviving. With time they managed to build farms and keep some animals. These brought them new problems because domesticated animals were easy prey for predators from the forest. Many lives were lost: animals and humans. They didn't give up and built new, sturdier barns and fortified their weapons. It wasn't easy, they persevered to have a home.
The harsh conditions of living in Arnagh didn't make an attractive point for newcomers, but they received a few new settlers once or twice a year. Sometimes a family, most often more adventurous individuals. Before anyone is allowed to live there, they have to pass a series of trials and talks with the most prominent members of the community, then sign a contract that binds them to a set of rules and rights. If they agree and fulfil their part for a year, then they are considered part of the town as long as they want.
A town with a secret
-We could deliver him to the authorities. -Why? -It's the right thing to do. -He helped us, he helped you. He is staying, and you're going to keep your mouth shut.
One day, after the war was over, a young man arrived at Arnagh. Even if he declared he intended to live in the forest, not in the town, he applied to become a member of the community. As usual, people distrusts him at first as they did with any stranger. With time he won the trust and favour of all of them. The young man was Ralid. He's lived in Arnagh since there. A century has passed, and Ralid is still a young man. He doesn't frequent the town anymore but everyone knows he lives in the forest and provides services to the adult population no one can give as good as him.
Just his neverending youth were enough to raise suspicion among townsfolk. There was a moment when they needed to discuss what to do with Ralid. Even if all of them enjoyed in one way or another his services, to have a mage was a risk they weren't sure they wanted to take.
In the end, they decided it was better not to ask any questions to Ralid. They never mention his presence to any strangers. Arnagh became Ralid's sanctuary. The mage reciprocated the best he could the gift of safety.
Welcome to Valabrad
Type
Town
Related Tradition (Primary)
The decisions in Arnagh are taken by consensus and dialogue. The people come together to decide what's best for them. Their leaders change after four seasons, and to be chosen means a great honour and responsibility. What keeps them together is not only their bonds of solidarity but also the fear of suffering to the same extent as the rest of Valabrad.
The people on Arnagh have learned, thanks to Ralid, to respect Nature and everything it has to give. Even if sometimes Nature is cruel and plays pranks or is downright unfair with them, they are still grateful for the scrap of peace they have in Arnagh. They don't know how long the peace will last when Nature is devouring everything in Valabrad. Maybe they will be forgiven because they protected Ralid. Or perhaps that could be the reason for their downfall.
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After what happened with Lylla and King Alane attitude towards sexual pleasure in Valabrad shifted to repression and secrecy. People often don't know how to enjoy their bodies. Ralid thought if they don't know how much time they have left until the end, they better enjoy while they can. That's why he created a new tradition in Arnagh.
Once a year, the town celebrates a special event at the beginning of spring. This event started a couple of years after Ralid settled with them. He taught him many sensual techniques obtained along his years of experience as a sex worker and others imbued with magic and potions.
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