setting information;

[khuimods]

✽ SETTING INFORMATION
	Aifaran; The Sea-glass City Built atop one of the ten young continent turtles that compose the archipelago, Aifaran is the capital of the Ioduan Alliance. Aifaran itself, the city and lands protected by the barrier, is lush and green and glowing, as though all the life energy of this world has congregated here, in this lone safe spot. The architecture favored reflects this. Where there is color, blue and green are favored. Shapes lean to curves and arches, broad domes that suggest the ease of growth and intricate mosaics like branching leaves. Here life is paramount: Aifaran is a shrine to the world, living beacon and memorial of what was. Because of the barrier, and because of Aifaran's position in the world, it remains temperate for the vast majority of the year, rarely varying more than ten degrees or so. Its location in the archipelago was chosen partially for this, in the hopes that all the peoples settling there would be able to prosper without fear for adverse weather affecting the more fragile. Seasons are defined more by crop cycles than temperature or weather patterns, as the stability of the climate allows for year-round production. To some this constant warm welcoming makes Aifaran seem strangely timeless, and those are the people who will most often desire to venture beyond the barrier. The barrier itself is a projection of the Great Turtles' metaphysical power, and appears as a shimmering, slightly opaque dome which covers the landmass itself and a circumference of ocean in its vicinity. (See more location details here!) PLANAR MYSTERIES & BEYOND THE BARRIER Konryu once existed in harmony with the three Realms, but prior misuse of otherworldly magics and wars which ripped the very fabric of reality has left them damaged and in a state of extreme tumult. The lands before Khu Ioduan emerged as a continent still exist, but not recognizably. Hundreds of years of turmoil and disasters (both natural and unnatural) have rendered them practically unlivable. Some areas of the world have been rendered to barren earth, where growth fails even when it shouldn't, and other areas are caught in schisms of extreme natural disasters, with daily flooding and eruptions, ripping apart tectonic plates and scarring the lands constantly. Much as people come through the Dreaming, so too can dreams of the world. This is more evident than anything outside the barrier of Aifaran. Amidst the warped shapes of the original landmasses are a patchwork of borrowed places, the shells of otherworldly cities and alien spires. There's plenty to be salvaged from these places, these dreams of what might be, for those willing to brave the ravaging of the disasters that have devastated the land. However, like all dreams, these too eventually flee into mist. Therein lies the danger: what happens to someone when the dream they've wandered into vanishes? No one knows. Those whom it's happened to have never returned. So exploring outside the barrier can be worthwhile, and in many cases necessary in order to supplements the protected archipelago's resources, but it has its dangers as well and many outright refuse to leave at all. Life on the Archipelago LAWS AND CUSTOMS Each member of the Ioduan Alliance had its own unique set of laws and governing styles (or sometimes lacked them), and unifying them would have been nigh impossible. Instead, a new parliamentary assembly was formed as the basis for governing all individuals under the Alliance. Today, this group of officials is elected by a general vote of all adults (meaning over the age of 18) every five years. Legislation is decided based on majority vote. While parties and coalitions do form, there are enough groups in the assembly that it's rare for a single one to dominate for any length of time. There are long-standing tendencies for certain groups to side together on the same issues, but these are unofficial partnerships. In addition to the Alliance assembly, Aifaran and other settlements also have local governance. Aifaran is led by a triumvirate council appointed by the Alliance assembly, but each district of the city has a popularly elected representative as well. The city councils see to many of the day-to-day operations of Aifaran, such as public transportation. Many of the customs of Alliance members continue to be practiced today, although some have faded or new ones have emerged. By and large, what could not be legislated became custom for many races of the Alliance - although the law still trumps tradition. Where disputes arise or crimes are committed, there is a robust judicial system in place. Once criminals are apprehended and charged, their cases are handed over to Arbitrators. Trials almost exclusively take place in the district where a crime occurred. The Arbitrators examine documentation from all angles in order to get to the truth of a case, and they are frequently tested for impartiality in their judgments. If an Arbitrator is suspected of their impartiality being compromised, they are removed from their position and subjected to investigation until they are cleared. An Arbitrator breaking their vow of inviolate trust has committed a serious crime, because they are undermining the rule of law itself. CRIMINAL ACTIVITY As in any big city, there is bound to be crime. It ranges from pick-pocketing (usually by street children) and petty theft to well-organized gangs roaming the streets at night. Gangs include: • Neneka The Neneka are a gang of approximately 300, which runs the black market and smuggling interests in Aifaran. They hide their intent behind legitimate businesses, and their leader is known only as the Vai. The Neneka are also the oldest gang in Aifaran - running a black market that has continually evaded the Verdant Sentry for decades is no easy feat and not possible without extensive experience and resources. Rumors abound that the Neneka are in collusion with Chihuelan smugglers and maintain secret routes in and out of the city, but no one has been able to prove the veracity of these claims. They're a highly secretive group, suspicious of newcomers and value loyalty even more than currency - cross them, and you will regret it. • Beika The Beika are a gang that thrives primarily in the poorer districts of Aifaran, where prospects are difficult to come by. They are smaller than the Neneka, and their primary racket is collecting protection money from shops. Their lower-level functionaries occasionally rough up those wandering the streets at night in "their" territory. While theoretically easier to eradicate than the Neneka, the Sentry has nevertheless had difficulty disbanding the gang thanks to their relatively loose organizational structure. They are masters of the areas they patrol, and have a habit of disappearing into thin air whenever the Sentry tries raids one of their hideouts. They also recruit young, often taking in orphans and raising them up to carry on the legacy of the gang. COMMUNICATIONS The communications network that the city runs on is called the Lae Shunjai (frequently abbreviated to simply the "Lae"), which is a Muinese term for "ten voices", alluding to the ten major races inhabiting Khu Ioduan. It is based on the design of the highly interconnected system which the continent of Tavimbi once boasted, and is headquartered at the Opara Core compound within the city. The network is robust and surprisingly advanced for what most do not consider to be a primarily technological-based society. The Lae Shunjai is also powerful enough to contact other surviving land masses, like Lichorys in Evidet, but between the planar chaos causing interference, and the shielding byproduct of Khu Ioduan's barrier itself, these communications are few and far between. Usually they're reserved for very important exchanges, or non-time-sensitive messages are saved up for when the barrier is temporarily dropped during exploration and retrieval missions. It has been confirmed within the last few decades that the Chihuelans also have an advanced network, and consequently past-barrier communications are now carefully controlled. While the network does allow anonymous communications, those are regulated to within Khu Ioduan only, and cannot be sent outside the barrier for security's sake. Within Khu Ioduan however, free network access is the right of every individual, with every settled part of the archipelago has the capability to connect in once they have the equipment which comes in two forms: stationary terminals and portable handsets. Both have the same core features of text, voice and video options for sending either direct or broadcast messages, and both allow various styles of encryption to be included depending on the sender's preferences. Each can be configured to display in the owner's preferred language options, although funnily enough, a lot of young children in Aifaran pick up English as a written language with great alacrity-- it seems, with only 26 characters and a handful of punctuation, it's actually an easier than average language to visually process for them. The stationary terminals can be found in nearly all public spaces, and most homes and businesses also have at least one installed. They come in many styles, from as simple as a pedestal-mounted screen and inputs, to more elaborate setups with multiple screens. Some races, like the sight challenged Sinayg and the large-handed Bresilykians, find it easier to use terminals where the input panels can be customized to make them more accessible. Engineers from the Opara Core facility also double as network techs, and it's not unusual to see them on call outs because someone tried to "upgrade" their terminal after a few bottles of liquor. On the side of the handsets, which are colloquially referred to as a yimo, they are small and tablet like, and most have touch input along with physical buttons. Different races prefer different configuration options, and there are multiple styles in use for this reason. For example, the dexterity of the Kin'nal's pad-like fingers make them virtual maestros at texting communications (which they love, being a generally shy race) but the Igheeri with their long hooked fingers find the touchscreen inputs almost impossible, and prefer formed buttons instead. A yimo is also capable of running a number of small and simple games, although enterprising people are continually experimenting to expand that. These yimo last for about 5 days between charges on average use, but must be returned to a terminal for charging, which takes a few hours. Not all of the Lae Shunjai network is purely for function, however. There are dozens of troupes who air regular recorded productions, sort of like a live episode. Generally over the top dramatic in nature, these can be anything from the love story about a poor Castian sailor falling in forbidden love with a fictional Erol'a princess (Tears of the Ocean Heart, airs weekly and is everyone's guilty pleasure), to the comedy about the Sinayg who keeps getting accidentally hired for jobs that require sight (Valg Cvek, translated to 'Not Again', and has a massive fan following). In recent years there's also developed with a lot of input from Dreamfolk, a social sub-network called Xa Xa (pronounced zah-zah) on the Lae that is primarily dedicated to taking and posting of pictures, which has become enormously popular with people of all races and ages as everyone's interested in capturing the "perfect picture" from around the archipelago. Xa Xa is a pastime that resonates with people from nearly every race in Khu Ioduan, and many use their unique attributes to their advantage - Igheeri often capture breathtaking aerial views, and the Kin'nal habit of clinging to buildings give them some of the best perspective shots. Much like Earth-analogous sites like Instagram, popular users often have huge followings of fans and are treated (or at least act like) celebrities. MAGIC & METAPHYSICS Although magic is most common and varied among Dreamfolk, there are some magics native to Konryu. Since Dreamfolk themselves are well-known, especially in the archipelago, the gifts that they arrive with are similarly considered part of the status quo. By and large, both the Talents they arrive with and any innate magical abilities are accepted, provided of course that they aren't used to wreak havoc on the general population. There are stories told of Dreamfolk who chose to use their powers, whether newfound or inborn, for ill. Some were stopped by mundane means, but in the instances when things really got out of hand, they were given a new appellation: Night Demons. Over time, these stories have taken on an epic quality, and details are assuredly exaggerated to some extent. Most citizens of Aifaran take the presence of magic in stride. Some, however, are deeply suspicious, in part because of these past mishaps and in part because no one knows why only Dreamfolk have these gifts bestowed on them. There are some branches of magic that are native to Konryu, but they find their roots in either nature or the curious planar intersections in this world. Practitioners often describe it as harnessing the wild forces of the world, or helping the world express itself through them, depending on the school. Their magic tends to be broader in scope than the Talent of a Dreamfolk, such as those among the Sinayg who can not only 'listen' to stone and detect minute changes in density, but also effectively speed up geological processes to produce some of the terrain features that would normally take continent turtles far longer to build up. They cannot raise a mountain overnight or in a place it wouldn't have naturally existed, but in small enough areas they can reduce timescales from thousands or millions of years to tens or hundreds. This and similar magics have been enormously helpful in ensuring stable resources in the archipelago. TRANSPORTATION AND TRAVEL Aifaran has a few forms of public transportation. A light rail system called the Skyway runs trains both elevated and at street level through all districts of the city. This is the most heavily used form of transit, as few people have personal powered vehicles of any kind. It's also relatively cheap and there are enough lines to be easily accessible to most of the population. In addition to the Skyway, there is a network of zip lines that serve a dual purpose: providing short routes of aerial travel, and identifying lanes of travel for the gliding Igheeri. The zip lines are not ubiquitous, and are typically found where elevated rail is absent. Cycling is also popular, and most major streets have dedicated lanes for cyclists, as well as ample locations for securing bikes when not in use. Flying vehicles are reserved for the Sentry. Travelling between settlements elsewhere in the archipelago is usually accomplished with a combination of long-distance rail and boats (both powered and sail-driven). The two biggest coastal towns are connected to Aifaran by ferries that run daily, carrying both passengers and cargo. Inland travellers can also rideshare on a kirin-drawn coach or spring for the whole coach to themselves for a higher fee. Coaches are ruggedized, so they're often ideal for the slightly rough terrain outside Aifaran. BUSINESS & COMMERCE Aifaran and the Alliance have a robust economy, in part due to the varied nature of crafts and technologies of the united members. Artisans who produce traditional work originating from before the Alliance are respected for maintaining cultural roots. An offshoot of this cultural upkeep is a brand of art and manufacturing that intentionally melds elements together, sometimes for the aesthetics or meaning and sometimes for the irony of it. Within the city, there can be found neighborhoods that are known for the abundance of certain goods, like a garment district. These areas aren't officially demarcated in any way, having formed and shifted organically over the course of Aifaran's history. Production and manufacturing relies primarily on raw material from within the archipelago, but the explorations beyond the barrier are also important for retrieving rarer components or discovering brand new ones. Since there are still populations living outside the archipelago such as in Evidet, trade between these areas runs on the raising and lowering of the protective barrier. Several forms of currency are used in the Alliance, carried over from the countries that formed it, but there is an official currency as well called rhinn. These coins come in different shapes and metals to identify their denomination, and have holes in the center to make them easy to slot on a string. Small copper squares, silver crescent moons, and cobalt triangles are roughly equivalent to $5, $20, and $100, respectively. The squares can be cut into pieces to pay smaller costs. A single copper square will cover the cost of two rides on the Skyway, and two or three can purchase a meal at a casual restaurant. An average retail worker earns around 16 cobalt pieces a month. Moderate accommodations can be rented for 6-7 cobalt pieces a month, while a luxury apartment will go for two or three times as much. Because Khu Ioduan is a primarily self-contained system insofar as the majority of its resources, bartering is also a highly viable and encouraged way of trade, particularly for daily use items. It's not uncommon for people to have lines of credit at places where they frequently patronage, and there are financiers available all over the city to help set up reputable loans for larger purchases. (There are of course less legal variants, loansharks and back room moneylenders, but with the financial state of the city being quite steady, they're very very rarely people's only option unless they're involved with illegal activities.) MEDICAL FACILITIES Coming soon...