Eastern Villages: Setting

The Eastern Villages

Crystallus' Eastern Villages are few and far between, each densely populated by the more reclusive, skittish and skeptical natives of the continent as opposed to the wild and free inhabitants of the verdant Western Villages. Those residing within these massive yet sparsely placed cities live quiet in something similar to fear, wary of the tales their ancestors have told of the relentlessly expansive and godlike humans that once imposed an exodus of an entire continent in their search for advancement and growth. They softly lumber dead-eyed and quiet through their markets and streets, favoring inaction and subordination to combat. Step into any of the rotund villages that dot the landscape and you'll think you've found yourself in a ghost town, devoid of anything outside of heavily clothed eyes that won't stop staring.


Cartographers and navigators know of five major cities that have been erected in this region, each no less than fifty or so miles from one another. Their knowledge of these villages stop at their names and locations. Historians theorize that the villages were built so far apart from one another so as to split up their aggressors and reduce casualties overall during attacks, a countermeasure to the unstoppable tide of conquest they've heard fearful tales of. The residents of the East are not very technologically advanced, using the power crystals from the Northern Caves to fuel such simple tools as artificial heat and cooling, as wel as keeping their Kabulbeasts energized and moving.


Despite the exclusivity of these miniature civilizations, there is one particular village that is more lively than the other four. This village is the one closest to the Central Plateau, the massive mingling point for the inhabitants of both the Eastern and Western regions. By proxy, this location makes the village of Saajida the most (and really only) sociable population, home to the great ambassador Mansoor Teostam Rahim. Far and away from Saajida are the remaining four villages:


Luqmaan: Closest to the border between the Eastern Villages and the Northern Caves, the people of Luqmaan embark on expeditions to these crystalline halls to meditate and pray to those primordial beings they believe to have created such a resource and true wonder, though rarely. Even more rarely, they trek to the other villages for miles to spread their gospel by means of erecting stones with their words of wisdom and tales of the past. The residents of what outsiders call the Religious Epicenter of the East, Luqmaan's people wear incredibly grandiose and ceremonial clothing that goes up in grandeur and shine as their social status rises. No resident has a higher social status than Shinespeaker Rishi-Kishi, the high priestess of the East's creationist beliefs. Shinespeaker Rishi-Kishi is the only individual in the entirety of the Eastern Villages known to have heavily armed guards, a testament to her magnitude upon the land.


Nurinu: Nurinu, the village farthest south, has a very brief history: razed in a fire caused by a careless inhabitant years ago, Nurinu's once towering buildings and monuments to the Great Creators are but ash and busted stone. With little to no one living in such a broken town, religious activity has quickly concentrated into Luqmann, but more importantly, Nurinu's ruins are prime for exploration by all. From careless runaway kids to scavengers and criminals, the pointlessly charred rubble is constantly being sifted through and fought over. But for what, though? Some say that the Nurinu-consuming fire years ago was intentional, and even fewer souls theorize that it was a protective measure of some sort.


Aseef: Situated between Nurinu and Saajida lies Aseef, the ranch for breeding and training Kabulbeasts. These hulking, tusked beings grow at an astonishing rate, most reaching their maximum height of 7 or 8 feet within a month or so. The villages of the East use these beasts for reliable, sturdy transportation of cargo through the trade routes linking each village. Kabulbeasts are also bought and sold for usage as additional labor power in processes such as carrying massive materials for construction, pulverizing natural minerals into powder for paints and powering rotary windmills. Kabulbeasts, like the Crystal People, feast on the energy given off by the crystals their continent is known for. These crystals also enhance the Kabulbeasts physically, each becoming stronger and faster the more adorned they are. However, if a Kabulbeast is wearing too many crystals, they go into a rampage, uncontrollably powerful and destructive due to rampant growth in their anatomy. It's a wonder Crystallus isn't a more prominent continent in warfare.


Kaal: The centermost village of the East, Kaal's people make up the trade "hotspot", jokingly called so because of how quiet they keep their operations. Kaal's population manages the ebb and flow of caravans between the villages, and keeps stock of most of the East's collective riches and curios. Kaal and Saajida are very close-knit, having the most traversed and beaten trade route so as to funnel commodities to the Central Plateau for usage in the West. Trade Prince Igors lives within Kaal, the key player in estimating and controlling the estimated budgets and armories of the surrounding villages, though that second part isn't usually very important. Igors also helped in the creation the East's currency, Dobra, carrying on the tradition of his family being great treasurers.