City of Viantha: Difference between revisions
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In truth, the appeal of '''Vian'tha City''' is simple - it is a place of relative peace and order in a dangerous country. Violence is not very common and those whom bring disputes from outside the walls within are sent on their way promptly, if they don't lose their life over it. Life for the Sisters is less one of dealing with crime (though it does still happen from time to time) but rather one of dealing with trade disputes and the like. Indeed, in a land of scarcity, disputes over whom owns what or over trade are strikingly common, and when violent crime does occur, it is often blood over such disagreements. Culture at large in the city considers them unseemly adding to the hardship of the people - but that doesn't stop the covetous or desperate.<ref extends="may">Written 2025-11-28</ref> | In truth, the appeal of '''Vian'tha City''' is simple - it is a place of relative peace and order in a dangerous country. Violence is not very common and those whom bring disputes from outside the walls within are sent on their way promptly, if they don't lose their life over it. Life for the Sisters is less one of dealing with crime (though it does still happen from time to time) but rather one of dealing with trade disputes and the like. Indeed, in a land of scarcity, disputes over whom owns what or over trade are strikingly common, and when violent crime does occur, it is often blood over such disagreements. Culture at large in the city considers them unseemly adding to the hardship of the people - but that doesn't stop the covetous or desperate.<ref extends="may">Written 2025-11-28</ref> | ||
== Governance == | |||
Particular among even Vernian is the way the city-state has become governed, owing to its genesis. The stations could be considered similar to ministries in a more conventional government, but all power and decisions are still made by the Head Elder and her two Hands. The stations on the ring are: | |||
* '''The Sword Seat''' - Responsible for hiring, equipping, and maintaining the Swords of the Sisters, whom enforce law and order in the city and its surrounds, and provide judgement on matters of law for the citizenry. When the need arises, the Sword seat is also responsible for organizing that force into formal military ranks for defence. Currently held by Elder [[Alowyn Vian'tha]]. | |||
* '''The Storm Seat''' - Responsible for managing the response to magical storms, repairing the damage caused by them, and maintaining the wards, as well as arbitrating the use of magic, and sale of magic agreements. Currently held by Elder Iain Tur'vald. | |||
* '''The Coin Seat''' - Responsible for regulating trade within Vian'tha City as well as export agreements. They are also responsible for maintaining the Treasury of the city itself (that which is independent of the High Elder's own wealth), and hearing trade complaints. Currently held by Elder [[Sharon Wes'lon]]. | |||
* '''The Custom Seat''' - Responsible for maintaining the customs of the city and acknowledging new customs from immigrants or refugees considered of particular value. Also maintains arts and music patronage which is done in the city's name, and municipal works such as maintaining the roads. Currently held by Elder [[Rayne Stuart]], one of only two outlanders to ever hold a seat - a subject of some controversy given the power this gives an outlander to influence city culture. | |||
* '''The Hammer Seat''' - Responsible for maintaining the regulations and standards of industry in the city, as well as hearing the complaints of its craftspeople. Held by Elder [[Graeme Ty'Rion]] though he has been quite ill for the past year and his son Plinaes has been acting in his stead. | |||
* '''The Animal Seat''' - Responsible for attempting to conserve animal and plant life despite the storm, and help that life thrive. Unofficially, often the seat called upon to hear tribulations or complaints of the farmers. Currently held by Elder [[Amka of Linde]], one of only two outlanders to ever hold a seat. | |||
* '''The Magician Seat''' - Responsible for developing new magic for the city, and maintaining the wards of the city strong against the storms. Unofficially, often called upon to hear appeals when there are complaints of rulings regarding the use or sale of magic. Currently held by Elder [[Xantar Ab'Ovur]] | |||
* '''The Quest Seat''' - Responsible for maintaining the security outside of the walls of the city but still within its umbrella by means of hiring, equipping, and maintaining a group called the Sand Seekers - the farmlands mostly, but also where necessary for scouting the land, and liaising with private contractors for things that need done that cannot be handled by the official Swords or Seekers. Currently held by Elder [[Stace Wes'lon]]. | |||
* ''"The Star Seat''' - Responsible for cultivating religion in the city, worship of the spirits, and worship of Ezra, as well as mediating religious disputes. While the worship of the ancestral spirits is the formal, official religion of the city, the worship of Ezra has flourised in the past decade with the Elder [[Tyra Sen'wort]] also being the Sentire of Vernian and Toret of the local congregation. It is a source of severe consternation for more traditionalist members of the city.<ref extends="may">Written 2025-11-28</ref> | |||
All decisions are, "officially" actually all the purview of the High Elder, and these seats are advisory, not determinative. However, the High Elder has a long-standing tradition of deferring to her advisors unless she considers the matter of importance to the entire city-state.<ref extends="may">Written 2025-11-28</ref> | |||
Seats are held for 5 years or unto death; a seat can only be removed by the High Elder otherwise, which has yet to ever actually happen. Every five years an election is held, and candidates for the Seat can put their name forth for consideration. The actual composition of the ring is determined by the High Elder alone, but she often holds a lengthy week-long court called '''the Burying''' where each clan is allowed to make their case for certain candidates. The name comes from the fact the first many replacements all came from the harsher times when the city-state was first established, and all the replacements were made because of death of the holder.<ref extends="may">Written 2025-11-28</ref> | |||
The High Elder has people whom act on her behalf since she cannot be everywheres at all time, whom are called the Left Hand and Right Hand quite simplistically respectively. They do not have authority of their own, but are considered to speak with her voice. Each serves for a term of one year exactly, unless it is the High Elder's pleasure to remove them earlier or extend a term, but extensions are all but unheard of. It is considered a high honour to be selected to be one of these two, and it is subject to a series of secret rites and rituals to prove worthiness in the eyes of the spirits and High Elder. When no other candidate applies, Rudha tends to choose from among her children. The Current Right Hand is Fineena Vian'tha, her high elven wife whom holds a generally quiet life trying to help the city. The Current Left Hand is Puuko Ilmarienen, an immigrant from [[Kislova]] whom remained the city when he was misted there and earned a strong reputation with the farmers and traders through leading many courageous missions dispatching the mutant beasts of the outerlands to protect farmers and their cultivation, and travelling merchants.<ref extends="may">Written 2025-11-28</ref> | |||
{{ref}} | {{ref}} | ||
Latest revision as of 16:04, 28 November 2025
| Municipality of Vian'tha | |
|---|---|
| File:Viantha-arms.png | |
| Culture Level | Medieval |
| Climate & Terrain | Temperate plains |
| Year Formed | 90 BC |
| Population | |
| Races (%) | Dark Elves 46%, High Elves 10%, Humans 9%, Dwarves 7%, Wood Elves 5%, Halflings 4%, Gnomes 4%, Half-Orcs 3%, Others 4% |
| Languages Spoken | Elven, Balok |
| Religions | Church of Ezra, Cult of the Spirits |
| Government | Confederate Tribalism |
| Ruler | High Elder Rudha Vian'tha |
| Ruler Title | High Elder of Vian'tha |
| Title Inheritance | Female-Preference House Senority, lead by house Vian'tha |
| Title Ascendant (Above) | None |
| Title Descendant (Below) | First Sword (captain of the guard) |
 |
This section contains canon Ravenloft information from officially published sources; see the References below. |
The City-State of the Vian'tha, often simply called "Vian'tha City" was among the smaller of the elven settlements, prior to the cataclysm that shattered Vernian, but with the cataclysm, it is now the largest. Before the cataclysm, it was held by the el-thyrna elves (wood elves), but the city's people itself were driven out by a magical sludge that was left in the cataclysm. Formerly named Yr'thannon, it was purged of that harmful magical fallout by its now matron ruler, Rudha, and settled by the small group that was her family and friends. Over the years, many other disparate elven families that heard of the now-safe haven would come to clamour around it, and given her continued protection of the place, when it was formalized into a city state, it became known simply as the City-State of the Vian'tha - which was her original clan. It has prospered as a hub of trade, and is the breadbasket of the country-at-large.[1][1.1]
Background
The city has itself been mostly restored, and carries with it a grandeur consider though it is frequently scarred once again by the magical storms that plague all of Vernian. Like Ellsemere, it too possesses wards, but it is in a particularly-violent part of the country, and sometimes even those wards are not enough. Because being in shelter is enough to protect the people if not the appearance of the buildings, the city's streets have become sheltered corridors, and natural light is considered a (sometimes dangerous) luxury.[1.2]
The people of Vian'tha City are a generally affable sort - something rare for the domains of Dread and made all the more remarkable for the conditions under which they live. A common sentiment is that life is hard enough as it is, and it is well for people to treat them each other kindly. However, they are suspicious of best of outsiders they do not see regularly, and hold almost violent responses to unsanctioned uses of magic. Indeed, trade of magic items and artifacts is highly-regulated in Vian'tha City - only those with a permit from the ruling clan may do so, and such permits are granted on a per item basis (or batch of items such as a salvage run's loot, in cases where the clan trusts the salvager). The illegal sale of magical items, if it can be said was done knowingly, is a capital offence in the city-state.[1.3]
Reflecting the matriarchal nature of the clan that first settled the city-state, law is enforced by an almost entirely (but, it should be said, not exclusively) female force calling themselves the 'Swords of the Sisters'. They combine both police and military functions, but rarely leave the city-state and its surrounds. Each member from the highest to the lowest has the ability to arbitrate law, though elves born in the city-state have the deeply-protected right to insist on what is called locally the Cabal - essentially holding court, but rather than the court being directed by a single ruler or judge, it is directed by the heads of the Vian'tha clan, and a head from each of the other recognized clans, collectively. Only local-born elves have this privilege. While local born humans or dwarves do not experience the racism that often pervades the rest of Vernian, they do not enjoy the protections of citizenship either.[1.4]
In truth, the appeal of Vian'tha City is simple - it is a place of relative peace and order in a dangerous country. Violence is not very common and those whom bring disputes from outside the walls within are sent on their way promptly, if they don't lose their life over it. Life for the Sisters is less one of dealing with crime (though it does still happen from time to time) but rather one of dealing with trade disputes and the like. Indeed, in a land of scarcity, disputes over whom owns what or over trade are strikingly common, and when violent crime does occur, it is often blood over such disagreements. Culture at large in the city considers them unseemly adding to the hardship of the people - but that doesn't stop the covetous or desperate.[1.5]
Governance
Particular among even Vernian is the way the city-state has become governed, owing to its genesis. The stations could be considered similar to ministries in a more conventional government, but all power and decisions are still made by the Head Elder and her two Hands. The stations on the ring are:
- The Sword Seat - Responsible for hiring, equipping, and maintaining the Swords of the Sisters, whom enforce law and order in the city and its surrounds, and provide judgement on matters of law for the citizenry. When the need arises, the Sword seat is also responsible for organizing that force into formal military ranks for defence. Currently held by Elder Alowyn Vian'tha.
- The Storm Seat - Responsible for managing the response to magical storms, repairing the damage caused by them, and maintaining the wards, as well as arbitrating the use of magic, and sale of magic agreements. Currently held by Elder Iain Tur'vald.
- The Coin Seat - Responsible for regulating trade within Vian'tha City as well as export agreements. They are also responsible for maintaining the Treasury of the city itself (that which is independent of the High Elder's own wealth), and hearing trade complaints. Currently held by Elder Sharon Wes'lon.
- The Custom Seat - Responsible for maintaining the customs of the city and acknowledging new customs from immigrants or refugees considered of particular value. Also maintains arts and music patronage which is done in the city's name, and municipal works such as maintaining the roads. Currently held by Elder Rayne Stuart, one of only two outlanders to ever hold a seat - a subject of some controversy given the power this gives an outlander to influence city culture.
- The Hammer Seat - Responsible for maintaining the regulations and standards of industry in the city, as well as hearing the complaints of its craftspeople. Held by Elder Graeme Ty'Rion though he has been quite ill for the past year and his son Plinaes has been acting in his stead.
- The Animal Seat - Responsible for attempting to conserve animal and plant life despite the storm, and help that life thrive. Unofficially, often the seat called upon to hear tribulations or complaints of the farmers. Currently held by Elder Amka of Linde, one of only two outlanders to ever hold a seat.
- The Magician Seat - Responsible for developing new magic for the city, and maintaining the wards of the city strong against the storms. Unofficially, often called upon to hear appeals when there are complaints of rulings regarding the use or sale of magic. Currently held by Elder Xantar Ab'Ovur
- The Quest Seat - Responsible for maintaining the security outside of the walls of the city but still within its umbrella by means of hiring, equipping, and maintaining a group called the Sand Seekers - the farmlands mostly, but also where necessary for scouting the land, and liaising with private contractors for things that need done that cannot be handled by the official Swords or Seekers. Currently held by Elder Stace Wes'lon.
- "The Star Seat' - Responsible for cultivating religion in the city, worship of the spirits, and worship of Ezra, as well as mediating religious disputes. While the worship of the ancestral spirits is the formal, official religion of the city, the worship of Ezra has flourised in the past decade with the Elder Tyra Sen'wort also being the Sentire of Vernian and Toret of the local congregation. It is a source of severe consternation for more traditionalist members of the city.[1.6]
All decisions are, "officially" actually all the purview of the High Elder, and these seats are advisory, not determinative. However, the High Elder has a long-standing tradition of deferring to her advisors unless she considers the matter of importance to the entire city-state.[1.7]
Seats are held for 5 years or unto death; a seat can only be removed by the High Elder otherwise, which has yet to ever actually happen. Every five years an election is held, and candidates for the Seat can put their name forth for consideration. The actual composition of the ring is determined by the High Elder alone, but she often holds a lengthy week-long court called the Burying where each clan is allowed to make their case for certain candidates. The name comes from the fact the first many replacements all came from the harsher times when the city-state was first established, and all the replacements were made because of death of the holder.[1.8]
The High Elder has people whom act on her behalf since she cannot be everywheres at all time, whom are called the Left Hand and Right Hand quite simplistically respectively. They do not have authority of their own, but are considered to speak with her voice. Each serves for a term of one year exactly, unless it is the High Elder's pleasure to remove them earlier or extend a term, but extensions are all but unheard of. It is considered a high honour to be selected to be one of these two, and it is subject to a series of secret rites and rituals to prove worthiness in the eyes of the spirits and High Elder. When no other candidate applies, Rudha tends to choose from among her children. The Current Right Hand is Fineena Vian'tha, her high elven wife whom holds a generally quiet life trying to help the city. The Current Left Hand is Puuko Ilmarienen, an immigrant from Kislova whom remained the city when he was misted there and earned a strong reputation with the farmers and traders through leading many courageous missions dispatching the mutant beasts of the outerlands to protect farmers and their cultivation, and travelling merchants.[1.9]
