[Bewere] Religion and a brief world description...

[Baphnedia]

There is a lot of info you're about to get. However, there's a lot I'm also going to leave out, to be left for discovery.

Mian sits as a large gem in the sky, encrusted with ancient natural beauty. You are in the Tilban region, not too far away from the seat of power. Amaka Orteus, Guardian of the Forest, Lady of Beauty rules with a kind hart and a quick backhand. Weres do not exist. Natural creatures, and various races, some touched by magic inhabit the world.

Cities are allowed to exist, along with worshippers of other Deities, so long as they are in league with Amaka. Among them are: (symbol)

Watonis, Goddess of the Hearth (fire)
Derdena, God of Water, Trade, Wealth (water pear)
Saros, God of Agriculture (something green)
Luros, God of the Moons (two circles, one slightly in front of the other)
Luna, Goddess of the Moon (one moon)
Verlorgan, God of Magic, Mentalics (none)
Anyin, God of Rock, Gravity (mountain or ridge)
Inime, Goddess of Speed, Inertia (pair of wings)
Amaka, Goddess of Nature (Oak)

Ghulidalen (where you will be starting) is a city to the Southeast of Midarra, the capitol. It is roughly a weeks travel to Midarra, either going west through Samalad or north to the holy city of Kerrean.

There is a lot of farmland on the outskirts of this human city. The plains surrounding Ghulidalen are always inviting. The town itself isn't really huge. There is a large, sheltering hill to the NW, where most of the holy sites are located. There is a huge cavern beneath the hill that shelters many of the religous folk reside, beneath the hill. To the NE the river Nalc enters the town where the nobles reside. The middle of town is quite amicable, and the city center is often the center of attention with more than one marketplace and other amneneties.

Holy days are oft around here, as Watonis and Saros are worshipped more than Amaka here (though she has a healthy following with the farmers, since she happens to control the weather). A well known fact, by the way.

Lightning is a sign of drawing Amaka's ire, and is seen as a curse, if the stricken person survives.

All sorts of trade takes place in this city, as it is the trade route for the miners in Dolian and most trade from Vontaim and Samalad to Kerrean and Midarra. However, Ghulidalen just takes care of itself otherwise, aside from providing food to Samalad and Vontaim.

The buildings are built of plaster and wood, more often than not, though the entire frames are covered in plaster, to hide from Amaka the trees that were used before their time to build the buildings.

Major groups in Ghulidalen include the churches of Amaka, Watonis and Saros. Derdena has a small following here, and the farmers markets are run by trade houses that work together across the continent. Caravans run with light guards freely from city to city.

The inner city (particularly the slums, where the river Nalc leaves Ghulidalen with all of the waste of the city), is often noisy. Stray animals (domesticated ones at least) often wander the streets along with the bums.

Taverns dot the city, going from rough houses in the slums to elitist joints like the Other Rulven Skull, which is almost the magical hub of the city. Other services that exist include:

Advocates (lawyers)
Armorsmiths
Bakers
Barbers
Bards (resident)
Bards (wandering)
Bathers
Beer-Sellers
Blacksmiths
Bleachers
Bookbinders
Booksellers
Bowyer
Buckle Makers
Butchers
Caravaners
Carpenters
Cartographers
Chandlers
Chicken Butchers
Clergyman
Cobblers
Coopers
Copyists
Cutlers
Doctors
Fishmongers
Fletcher
Furriers
Glovemakers
Guards
Harness-Makers
Hatmakers
Hay Merchants
Healers
Inns
Jewelers
Locksmiths
Mages
Maidservants
Masons
Merc Companies
Mercers
Mercs
Noble
Old-Clothes
Painters
Pastrycooks
Plasterers
Priests
Pursemakers
Roofers
Ropemakers
Rugmakers
Saddlers
Scabbardmakers
Sculptors
Spice Merchants
Tailors
Tanners
Taverns/Restaurants
Thieves
Undertakers
Watercarriers
Weaponsmiths
Weavers
Wine-Sellers
Woodcarvers
Woodsellers
Soothsayers
Smugglers