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[Tastes Like Blue]

This spiraled into something. I tried to keep with the themes of the RP while gently sliding some religion in. Anyway, let me know if it works or if I need to edit anything. I know I need to add more Interesting Facts, but my brain is coming up with nothing. I'll edit as I think of it.

City Name: Saasarnda, The Red City Of The Ill-Fated, Carmine Cliffs
Region Number: 9
Current Leader/s: Dynast - Æsc Braddock; Speaker - Sister Starla Everille

Major Factions:

• Our Lady of Oblation: The church holds a heavy sway here. Their worship is primarily of Saint Anna Perenna, the daughter of a baker who was able to lead an army of twelve and defeat an army of hundreds during the protection of the Stolen Lands. While they are not an opulent church and do give to the wanting and needy, people know not to cross them. There's a militaristic order within their ranks called the Scions of Sacrifice, rumored to be a band of powerful assassins.
• The Braddock Family: This family holds Saasarnda after brutally murdering wresting it from "pagan sea witches." They were a rich family that poured their money into trying to make something from nothing in a coastal town where shores were limited and the ground was infertile. But they did and have held it ever since. Unfortunately, the church has become prominent and usurped some of its power. Still, Our Lady of Oblation cannot fully take over due to a) the Braddock's hold on the mead and swill industry and b) a rumored monster that lives in the craggy shorelines of Saasarnda. The less skeptical believe it's a nasty warship that could easily decimate the religion's churches.
• South Shore Mining Company: The faction in charge of the clay pits for which Saasarnda is famous. While they swear fealty to both heads of Saasarnda's ruling snake, they do have the second highest revenue of the seaside City State. And as such, their mining camps are entirely run at their own discretion, and neither faction looks into them. It is known that the Mining Company employs "indentured labor" for its workers, which is a fancy way of saying slavery. Of course, not everyone falls into this category, but those who don't do the worst work. SSMC's private "camps" are heavily guarded, and their "hunting parties" are the things of children's bedtime stories.
• the Blacktide Hags: These are the ancestors of the "pagan sea witches," AKA the heraedyne, that were "driven" out of Saasarnda. They still hold their traditions and knowledge close, but they've changed with the times to stay fearsome. They run the harbor of Saasarnda and are the reason that fish and other sea-related goods aren't the primary export of the City State. While both the church and the Braddock's deny their existence, the signs are there. It is said that they practice magic and can control the seas to their whim. But mostly, they have a massive stash of muskets and no fear of death.

Form of Rule: Hegemony

Geography: From the north are rocky slopes that lead into what looks like fertile plains, but a foot below the soil are more rocks. The ground is bright green, though, watered by the rivers flowing back into the ocean. As you move south, you might notice that the land is not dipping before you reach the sea. There are very few places along Saasarnda's shoreline that actually have a shore. Most are steep drops into the craggy waters below. But the sea is a beautiful blue with low landing clouds sometimes laden with rain. The roads are made from crushed oyster shells, making them a bright white against the scenery, and a lot of the wooden structures are formed from driftwood--of which there aren't a lot. The major form of building in Saasarnda is made of rock and clay. It's known for its bright red buildings, formed from its equally bright red clay. Not even the process of making bricks from it dampens the color. It's eerie against the more natural-looking landscape.

Key Trade/Industry: Clay, Alcohol, and the gracious donations of the patrons of Our Lady of Oblation.

Interesting Facts:

• The Red Clay: It is said that the blood of Saint Anna Perenna is why their soil is red, but it was red before that--honestly. But not to discount the strange rumors about the clay. It's said the more they pull up from the seafloor and surrounding areas, that the more "miners" go missing. It's recently traveled to townspeople. Many believe that the SSMC is feeding people into their clay mixes to produce the red (that's not how blood works, yet again.) Others believe that a horrendous monster lives underneath the clay and is dragging people away as a warning.
• Saint Anna Perenna: Believed to be a holy figure, this saint is only canonized within the Stolen Lands. The witnesses of her deeds now form her church and worshippers. According to them, the Braddocks had a hard time riling together an army to protect them, so they commanded the villagers to rise as well. A baker's daughter stood before him and told him he would not sacrifice their young for this battle. Enraptured by her beauty and fierceness, twelve of the strongest warriors in Saasrnda joined her to fight. Never once had she lifted a sword into the air, but she sliced down soldier after soldier, her blonde hair said to be alight with holy fire. Eleven of the twelve warriors died, only leaving the youngest, a man whose name was scrubbed from history. As Anna leaned down to help him up, she took a sword from the back and fell. A lightning bolt struck the man and the remaining soldiers down. Anna was held aloft as a saint, and her body was interned in the massive cathedral in the middle of Saasarnda.
• The Caverns Underneath the City: A city built atop rocky land and outcroppings are bound to have some natural tunnels. These were discovered when they were trying to bury their dead, but after a season or two, they either rose from the groundwater or sunk so far into the earth that they couldn't be recovered. This led to Saasarnda using mausoleums, cremations, or sea burials for their dead. But it led to finding an immense cave system made of walls so white and shiny it almost looked like glass. They call it the Glass Maze, and over the years, it has been used by smugglers, citizens, the church, and storage alike. Yes, there is a small underground town underneath Saasarnda, only accessible by stairs leading down into it and openings unknown to the regular passerby.

Relationship With Other Cities: TBD

 

[Tastes Like Blue]

I will preface this by saying that I'm not an artist. I downloaded Krita and have a real cheap drawing tablet. But I did find some watercolor brushes the other day, and I've been looking for a place to use them. So, I figured doodling Pascal would do it. Please note that I will refer to the profile image on the character sheet; this does not replace that. I just wanted to expand on what's going on under all those layers. So, part of the design is not mine either. I also thought it'd be fun to make it look like he just got into a barfight.

Anyway, I just did way more research than needed into the physique of longbowmen. They had beefy arms and shoulders and fucked up fingers. I've omitted the last bit. Sorry, I'm allowed to take SOME liberties. Also, I don't know why I'm prefacing it that much... it's not good.

Pascal

 

[Hecatoncheires]

Bruh that's fuckin awesome. For someone who says they're not an artist, that sure looks damn good to me.

Anyway, I just did way more research than needed into the physique of longbowmen. They had beefy arms and shoulders and fucked up fingers.

Oh aye, longbowmen were absolutely jacked. Drawing and firing a longbow requires the kind of back muscles you don't see outside of professional athletes or fighters these days. You've definitely nailed that look with Pascal there.

Banging my head against Premiere Pro to try and make it work still, but I'm thrilled to see a City State. I'll give it a proper read over tonight and get back to you about it.

 

[allthekingsmen]

Pascal looks great! I had a brief stint in middle school where I really, really wanted to be a cool archer and was a little wigged out when I found that many longbowmen could be identified by their skeletons because of their bones, which morphed according to their professions. They were strong guys; some of those draw weights were insane, and they'd sometimes draw them back to their jaws rather than their lips for extra power. Scary! Can't wait to see him in action.

 

[Tastes Like Blue]

Bruh that's fuckin awesome. For someone who says they're not an artist, that sure looks damn good to me.

I have friends who are actual artists and are fabulous. So, I always try to lower people's expectations with mine. Also, it helps cut down on the critiques and criticism. I do this for fun. Don't insult me. But you go online and everyone SUDDENLY becomes an art critic. But thanks!

Oh aye, longbowmen were absolutely jacked. Drawing and firing a longbow requires the kind of back muscles you don't see outside of professional athletes or fighters these days. You've definitely nailed that look with Pascal there.

Thanks! I'm a weirdo who likes to map out how characters look in my head so I'm not contradicting myself down the line. I do this with everything, even published short stories. And considering Pascal is probably going to wear layers, his form is going to be ambiguous. By all means, he is NO Juna. But I get tired of every archer or ranged fighter looking like elves when you must send those arrows out like cannons for it to be effective. And while I didn't look up the weight of an arquebus, I can imagine that its kickback is enough to warrant a strong upper body. And the belly is because, on the inside, he is a court bitch and DOES NOT miss meals or alcohol. Man, I need other hobbies to keep me from thinking about this shit.

Pascal looks great! I had a brief stint in middle school where I really, really wanted to be a cool archer and was a little wigged out when I found that many longbowmen could be identified by their skeletons because of their bones, which morphed according to their professions. They were strong guys; some of those draw weights were insane, and they'd sometimes draw them back to their jaws rather than their lips for extra power. Scary! Can't wait to see him in action.

omg. Yeah. Their fucked up spines. As someone who does a lot of physical work for their job, I don't want to think about that. Hah. So, it's also omitted, but considering diets and the sheer constant shooting, I can imagine. I saw a mockup of one while looking this up, and I was like: "Yeah, I'd be dead. Thanks." Oof. And pulling a bow with your jaw hurts my teeth.

Thanks! And the same for Juna. I imagine them having an okay relationship. Just him going, "You have to take that armor off sometime. And when you do, I do not want to be around. Probably smells like a ton of fish in a hot metal barrel. But I have some soap if you want it. I made it from deer fat-- a little tiny baby deer, they're very cute and chubby."

 

[allthekingsmen]

And pulling a bow with your jaw hurts my teeth.

That sounds horrifying! I was mainly meaning pulling back the bowstring with their fingers to the point of their jaw by the ear when it's normally done just up to the mouth (seen in Olympic archery), not literally with their jaws (can you imagine the neck muscles that would come with that?), but you've put a new image in my mind. Maybe I'll try that one day with, like... a toy bow.

And the same for Juna. I imagine them having an okay relationship. Just him going, "You have to take that armor off sometime. And when you do, I do not want to be around. Probably smells like a ton of fish in a hot metal barrel. But I have some soap if you want it. I made it from deer fat-- a little tiny baby deer, they're very cute and chubby."

It probably does smell very bad in there, considering he's moving around and getting sweaty all the time. Juna does make the effort wash himself and clean his armor a normal amount, but that's not always possible (he puts a sack on his head when he cleans his helm, just in case anyone walks in/past him while he's doing it, but that requires taking off the helm in the first place). Juna will probably dip his head in shame and frantically, happily nod upon the offer of soap. He may even pump his fists in joy upon hearing of the cute, chubby baby deer, only to dip his head again in sadness once he realizes that the deer that helped make the soap is definitely dead.

 

[Tastes Like Blue]

That sounds horrifying! I was mainly meaning pulling back the bowstring with their fingers to the point of their jaw by the ear when it's normally done just up to the mouth (seen in Olympic archery), not literally with their jaws (can you imagine the neck muscles that would come with that?), but you've put a new image in my mind. Maybe I'll try that one day with, like... a toy bow.

Well. That's just my reading comprehension failing me on a catastrophic level. I'm with you now, though. Pulling the bowstring back to the jaw. I can only imagine, holding tension that far back. Anyway, I'm going to retake English now.

It probably does smell very bad in there, considering he's moving around and getting sweaty all the time. Juna does make the effort wash himself and clean his armor a normal amount, but that's not always possible (he puts a sack on his head when he cleans his helm, just in case anyone walks in/past him while he's doing it, but that requires taking off the helm in the first place). Juna will probably dip his head in shame and frantically, happily nod upon the offer of soap. He may even pump his fists in joy upon hearing of the cute, chubby baby deer, only to dip his head again in sadness once he realizes that the deer that helped make the soap is definitely dead.

lol. That'll be an interesting interaction. Pascal is older and everything is mildly grimdark. I'm going to play him as much as the straight man that I can with the occasional "wtf did he just say" thrown in. Poor Juna. Just a softie made entirely of murder muscle.