Name: Summervale

Location: In the mountains of Southern Oriens between the Drevilheim Plains and the Silver Peninsula.

Population: About 10,000. All Stardragon races are represented in Summervale. Though Stareaters form a slight majority.

General Information: Nestled into a peaceful valley in the mountains, Summervale hails itself as a place where all travelers are welcome. Provided they have peaceful intentions. A major highway connecting settlements around the continent runs right through the valley, making Summervale a perfect stop over for merchants and travelers. The valley itself is an idyllic location that seems to have just about everything. A river fed by mountain streams flows into a sizeable lake surrounded by thick woods and there’s even a network of caves where a community of StarCrafters mine and trade gems and precious metals. All this prosperity however does make Summervale a target, but the townsfolk are quite capable of dealing with such trouble themselves. Especially Summervale’s most infamous resident: The notorious mercenary killer Storm.

Government: The government of Summervale consists of an elected Mayor and a Town Council. The current Mayor of Summervale is a StarShooter woman named Bellatrix. She is also the proprietor of The Obsidian Rose. During daylight hours it serves as a teahouse where people can socialize and discuss community issues, at night however it serves as a brothel catering to higher end clientele.

Main Exports: Metal, Gems, Timber, Meat

Main Imports: Textiles, Medicine

Diplomatic Relations: Due to its location on a major highway, Summervale is considered a moderately important town in the region. As such it is not uncommon for visitors to the town to have diplomatic business with the leaders of Summervale.

Law and Crime: Summervale’s laws are enforced by the town’s Magistrate, who in turn employs a moderately incompetent Sherriff. The Sherriff also has a posse of not entirely incompetent Deputies, about half of whom are his blood relations. As such, Summervale doesn’t have the capability of holding any seriously dangerous criminals. The town leadership has come up with a solution though: one of the Sherriff’s Deputies rides out to one of the mountain passes into the valley and drops a rucksack full of supplies. The criminal is then released at the edge of town and told that if they can make it to those supplies they are welcome to them, on the condition they never return. However, all the land in the valley outside the town boundary is owned by the infamous mass murderer Storm who uses it as his private hunting grounds. This practice has been in use for thirty years. No one convicted in this way has ever made out of the valley.  (source) (town by wolfwriter42) 

Location
Walaka Zaarn can be found living on flotillas throughout the world, but tend to hang around swampy areas or on rivers. 

Population
Each flotilla clan represents anywhere between 5 and 100 members in huge, complicated family networks. Historically, the biggest flotilla was known to have up to 200 members in its peak, though it eventually broke up into three separate clans. 

General Information
The Walaka Zaarn, also known as the “People of the Sea” or more colloquially as “Sea Nomads” are primarily composed of Mudskipper Fishers living in large flotillas in rivers, swamps or along coastal areas. The Walaka Zaarn live in large flotillas consisting of numerous covered boats, loosely held together by rickety makeshift wooden slats. These flotillas are not permanent constructions and are easily broken apart into individual boats during times of migration. With the exception of the extremely nomadic Indigo clan (more on this later), these boats tend to be shallow, sampan-like vehicles and are usually not constructed for deep ocean travel. The Walaka Zaarn’s flotillas loosely follow fish migration patterns, though some have been known to follow wind or sea currents. Despite the looseness of their living conditions, the Walaka Zaarn have an extremely structured society and strong beliefs. They are avid worshippers of Lenus and believe that their bodies and souls belong to the sea. They are most famous for their belief that they cannot be on land after sundown lest their souls be corrupted by the “Darkened Earth”. Walaka Zaarn who disobey this rule can no longer rejoin the flotilla, as they are considered “Dead to the Sea”. 

Societal Structure
Each Walaka Zaarn flotilla represents a single clan comprised of many related families. Each clan is notable for a single specialised skill, such as boat building, pearl diving or fishing. From the moment of their birth, Walaka Zaarn are in competition with each other for the title of their generation’s clan leader as well as other positions of status. This competition is complex and differs dependent on the clan in question. There are many unspoken rules to the competition, status is measured not only through structured contests, but also through a Walaka Zaarn’s behaviour and reputation. For example, the cormorant fishing Ikan tribe prides both skill with animal handling and general kindliness, while the pearl-diving Nataus clan prefer sportsmanship and pride. Each clan also has its own laws where it comes to behaviour. The Walaka Zaarn are known for having fairly violent punishments for any crime, which can include anything from public flogging to halfdrowning, or in the cases of particularly heinous crimes, banishment to the land. Despite the rigid family structure, Walaka Zaarn are fairly free with their affections and will sometimes request sex from members of other species. This request is considered an honour and is only given to those that the Walaka Zaarn in question respects highly. Thus, it is not unknown for members of other fisher types or species to be part of the Walaka Zaarn tribe through birth, despite the high concentration of mudskipper fishers in its population. Trading of clan members is also not unheard of, as Walaka Zaarn who show a particular aptitude in the skill of another clan may sometimes be adopted by that other clan. 

Religious Ceremonies and Life Stages
Introduction to Lenus Walaka Zaarn inherit their mother’s clan names and surname in a ceremony that takes place one month after their birth. The starpuffs are wholly dipped into the sea by the clan leader, who then introduces them to Lenus by their full names. It is considered a sign of good luck if the waves lapping against the boat form a spray that lands on the starpuff’s gem during this ceremony, as they are then considered “kissed by Lenus”. 

Coming of Age
A Walaka Zaarn is considered an adult sometime between sixteen and eighteen years from their birth. In order to qualify as an adult, a Walaka Zaarn must obtain a boat. This can be done via inheritance, trade or, in the case of many boat-building tribes, by building their own boat on land, while still respecting the “Law of Darkened Earth”. In the latter case, it is not unknown for such Stardragons to return having built at least two boats – a mini-canoe built for the sole purpose of getting offshore during the nights and their full-sized adult boat. Once the new boat is acquired and successfully piloted back to the flotilla, the Walaka Zaarn’s adulthood is celebrated with a ceremony in which their horns are engraved with coded designs that tell the story of their life to date. The Walaka Zaarn is also gifted with an earring, usually coral or mother of pearl, that bears their clan’s sigil. This is one of the junctures that a Walaka Zaarn can change clans, as they are not required to pilot their boat back to the flotilla of their origin. They can, instead, request the proposed horn design from their family and take it to another flotilla to celebrate their adulthood there. 

Marriage
When two Walaka Zaarn decide to form a family unit, the male and female of the pair are tasked with proving their love for each other by acquiring or building a family-sized boat together. This process can take months, and it is not unknown for Walaka Zaarn to end up expecting children during the building process. Family boats are similar in structure to catamarans, as they incorporate both the couple’s adult boats as part of their structure. They are used as “docking stations” for the flotilla. Once complete, the boat is then piloted back to the main flotilla and the marriage is celebrated with a feast, exchanging of flowers and much drinking. Wedding sigils are engraved on the horns at this juncture, with any additional feats or achievements highlighted. The couple is also celebrated by an outpouring of gifts. Traditionally, the couple’s parents gift the newlyweds with brand new, beautifully dyed sails for their new boat. If the marriage is cross clan, the newlyweds are gifted with a new clan sigil earring, just as if they are coming of age. 

Funerals
When a Walaka Zaarn dies, a relative with a high reputation is appointed their Death Speaker. The Death Speaker is tasked with the division of that person’s belongings amongst the tribe. If unmarried, they are placed in their adulthood boat, which is then festooned with flowers. A small hole is drilled into the bottom of the boat and it is set adrift in the deep ocean to “return them to Lenus”. If married, the Death Speaker is to acquire a small coracle, which is then intricately carved both inside and out with the full details of the deceased’s life. This is also set adrift in the deep ocean. Often, preparations for the funeral begin well before a Walaka Zaarn’s death, usually at the start of old age. 

Governance
Walaka Zaarn flotillas are usually governed by a single clan leader, known as the HeadFather or HeadMother, per generation. While it is customary for the clan leader to step down once the youngest member of the next generation returns with their adult boat, it is not unknown for a particularly intelligent or skilled leader to serve as a consul for the next generation’s leader. The clan leader is responsible for resolving disputes, religious ceremonies as well as other day-to-day minutia such as discerning the direction the flotilla is to take, both physically and conceptually. Dependant on the size of the clan, they may be assisted by other high-status clan members, known as Aunties-in-Charge or Uncles-in-Charge. Given the family-oriented structure of the flotillas, most clan members will refer to each other as cousin, brother or sister, with older generations being referred to as Aunties or Uncles. 

Clan of Clans Gathering
Though each clan is largely left to their own devices, there is, once every so often, what is known as a Clan of Clans Gathering, when a contingent from each flotilla meets in a central area in order to trade, exchange new techniques, technology and ideas in a flurry of feasting. This is an extremely rare event and whole generations may go by without it occurring. It is unknown what conditions cause it to occur, only that each flotilla is given some sort of magical signal to begin the gathering. It is theorised that it occurs during times of great crisis, but it has been known to occur in times of great plenty. 

New Clans
A Walaka Zaarn who has done or invented something particularly remarkable is often given the opportunity to start their own clan. When this happens, the families that decide to join him or her break away from the main flotilla and move off to an island in somewhere in the North or South, where the sun never sets. In the harsh conditions of these islands, the new clan builds what is known as a Clan Headquarters or colony boat. These boats are both massive and elaborate, the equivalent of a Chinese treasure ship and are known to contain numerous rooms for storage and such luxuries as gardens on the main deck. The new clan then boards the new Colony Boat, abandoning their adulthood boats in favour of being “reborn” to this new Clan. The adults of the new are then considered “married” to each other, with any underaged members considered shared children of the new family 

Trading
Though they are a cloistered group, the Walaka Zaarn are not above trading or intermingling with other species as they do not apply their law of the darkened earth to “those that belong to Raziel”. They will often trade fish, pearls or other sea goods for assorted land items like cloth, metals and vegetables. Metallic cookware, in particular, is highly prized by the Walaka Zaarn and often end up as precious family heirlooms. 

Tribes of Note
The Indigo Tribe
The Indigo Tribe is the only Clan known to have its flotilla headquartered in the middle of the deep ocean. Known throughout the world as excellent seafarers, Indigo Clan members serve as a sort of postal service for the other Walaka Zaarn clans. They’re also famous as smugglers, as they’re not afraid of running afoul of laws of the land.

Ikan Clan
A swamp-dwelling clan, the Ikans do not fish in the traditional manner with nets and hooks. Instead, they train seabirds to fish for them in the muddy waters of their swamp. The Ikan’s seabirds aren’t only used for fishing, however, as they are also trained to scout ahead for favourable water conditions and as guards for the Ikan’s boats.

The Nataus Family
No clan is as rich as the treasure hunting and pearl diving Nataus Family, whose flotilla moves between several dangerous, rocky reefs. These opportunistic Stardragons are known for seeking out and plundering shipwrecks and are also more than happy to rescue any distressed ships in their path… for a fee, of course.

Wakala Zaarn by Selphie (source)

Name: Osis

Location: Nestled between the Shrine of the Seven cliffsides and the Great Expanse, Osis is about 4 days travel away from the rivers and main trade routes. As there is no direct road and it is across unforgiving desert and cliff side, it is somewhat out of the way.

Population: Small Village Size. Primarily consists of Dashers, with eaters and crafters being tied for second most common residents. Other stardragon races do call this place home, but are much rarer.

General Information: The village of Osis is considered by those outside of it as a whispered rumour and ghost village. Travelers who have claimed to have discovered the elusive location have spoken of a lush valley filled with plants and wealth...only to try to return and become lost in the underground maze that runs through the mountains that surround the village...or stranger yet find their way through only to discover abandoned buildings and dried riverbeds. Such things have led most to believe the village is nothing but a myth or some haunted remnant of a village long since destroyed. However the truth is that the village itself is in a way not one village but three, as depending on the season the waters that run through the village will shift course into one of the three enclaves. When this happens, the entire population gathers their belongings and migrates to the new enclave. The locals often joke that everyone has three houses in Osis...one for each enclave. The houses are built from clay and rocks mined from below by the starcrafters, though it isn't uncommon for some members to live in tents and pavilions.

To even get into Osis, one must first navigate a series of complicated underground tunnels...a task that even some locals can find difficult at times. Depending on the route an individual can end up at any of the three enclaves...or more likely just end up lost in complex networks. The tunnels themselves are maintained (and likely expanded upon) by a small clan of starcrafters who mine far underneath the cliffs for natural gems and metals. While one could technically scale the steep cliffs, the strong winds and sand make such a task painful if not deadly to try.

Seasons: Osis runs off of three seasons, each depending on which enclave has water. A typical season lasts for about four months, though there have been instances where a season has only lasted two to upward of close to a year and a half. The season is usually marked by the silverleaf cactus going into blossom followed by a sudden rapid decline of the river, to which two scouting groups go and see which enclave has begun to fill with water in order to prepare for the migration. As water rushes into the previous riverbed, local river plants that lay dormant during the dry season bloom and grow rapidly. The dashers of the area have long since learned to cultivate a type of reed as well as several crops that grows quickly to make the most of the possibly short growing seasons. After the season ends, the plants go dormant into a form of dry hibernation as the area soon becomes a dry wasteland.

Government: The village is run by a council of elders and prophets who oversee different aspects of the community. There is an elder to oversee trade and commerce with the outside world, one oversees defense and protection, one tends to the spiritual needs of the community, while another sees to the physical needs of the community. A fifth elder acts as a proxy to the people themselves. While normally each elder has say over their area of expertise, they will often vote when it comes to decisions that affect everyone as a whole.

Main Exports: Metal, Gems, Pottery, Silverleaf Cactus Extract, Silk, Medicine, Jewelry

Main Imports: Food, Fabric, Lumber

-Due to the size of Osis and the seasons, lumber and domesticated animals are a rarity. Many of the crafters and dashers in Osis are skilled artisans, honing their abilities in an environment that doesn't require them to constantly travel across the desert. However due to the reclusive nature of the village as well as the difficulty in traveling there, it is not on any trade route. This combined with the small population is often the reason why many young members of the village join with the trade guild (much to the chagrin of the elder who oversees the village's defense) so as to travel and see the world as well as make their fortune and find a partner before attempting to return and settle down.

Silverleaf Cactus: (Its pointy! See image above for example) One of the prize exports of the village, this cactus grows in several parts of the Great Expanse and is highly sought after for its medicinal properties as it not only renders the area it is applied to instantly numb and devoid of pain, but also acts as a relaxant and calming agent. However in its raw form, the cactus has several side effects such as nausea, dizziness, headaches, heavy anxiety/paranoia, as well as severe hallucinations. While many groups have found various ways to distill the cactus to lessen the effects, the village of Osis has managed to discover a method in which the negative effects have been neutralized all together...making their extract one of the more sought by various medical practitioners and alchemists.

Outside World: The village of Osis is somewhat reclusive. Due to the fear that if they grow too large or expand outward they will somehow attract raiders or a shooters, the older generation tends to be somewhat xenophobic. However the trade goods of the outside world are too tempting and many of the younger generation find it more exciting to become a member of the trade guild and explore the world rather than stay behind and act as a militia and patrol the caverns. Small trade groups often go to and from Osis, usually trying to remain small enough so as to avoid too much notice and attention. However it isn't uncommon for trade groups to come across lost travelers and bring them back to Osis to nurse them back to health.

Crimes and Law: There is not much crime in Osis due to the small population and easy to maintain distribution of wealth. As such, most small crimes tend to be punished with community labor. Serious crimes are a rarity and are usually dealt with swift and severe punishment.