Scions of Heaven/Caradeen

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Village of Caradeen

This village sits amongst farmland, forest, and snuggles against the back and closed end of a valley where a river meanders near the village and through the forest. Its a quaint village, with a fountain at the center with a statue of an impressive woman and a strongly made wall surrounds it. A path at the back of the village leads up one of the more gentler mountains that is fondly called the Hill. It is here where a strangely designed building sits, and this is the home of the Orphans and their Matron Scarlet Ruby.

The Rulers

There are four Rulers that form the Village Council. All of them deal with the Village every day, and each agree on its mission heartily. On the surface they are like every other person who rules, caring for the well being of their people, managing Resources, and yet each hides something behind that. These Four are:

• Scarlet Ruby- Matron of the Orphanage on the Hill, she is mysterious, young looking, and yet holds more years than many in the village care to try to guess at. She is a stern woman who loves the children dearly, she is full of stories, always tells the Orphans that they are the key to a brighter future, and seems skilled in all sorts of things. She is also a skilled Martial Artist.
• Tempest- Captain of the Village Guard, this taciturn older man commands the forces of the Village, as well as trains everyone in some form of self defense. He also knows things that most people in the village should.
• Imari- This amazing Astrologist seems to be able to discern the future from the stars. Somewhat creepy she does what the things the Thaurmaguist is capable of. Her husband loves her though, and always does the chores in the house.
• Eloria- Healer and high Priestess to the Maiden of Secrets. If there is the need for a medicine, or a healing, or even a bandage, she is there. She is a quick responder and is always where she is always needed it appears.

The Defenses of Caradeen

First Line

The Shadow Forest- The unlikely defense is the one that lets no one through it. As far as anyone knows only the Matron Scarlet Ruby and the single Caravan that visits twice year comes through this forest unharmed. Anyone else that attempts to cross the forest are attacked by the denizens of the forest, no mortal can certainly survive it, and thus far none of the Ebon Empress's forces have either. It is said that maddened forest spirits reside here, maddened by the power of the Ebon Empress.

Second Line

The Great Farmer Families- There are 5 Farmer families who are also the Second line of Defense for the Village, they do not work with the village and seem only to answer to the Matron. This is not to say that they ignore the village, when a threat strikes they do their best to protect the Village and assist the Guard if something breaks through their lines. The Five families are these:

• Mighty Bull and his family are the closest to the Forest at the West end of the valley, his sons are good farmers and even better warriors. This family is a brave spartan family, always the first donate their required amount of food to the Village of Caradeen. Mighty Bull is a gruff man, who has seen much in his life, sometimes one can see the sorrow in his gray eyes. His family is friendly even if they share their Head's gruff nature. Mighty Bull's wife, Seramin, is a slight woman who has made a name for herself in the ways of cooking. Its rare for her not to win the yearly cooking contest. Their children, the Children of their brothers and sisters are fine warriors, their skill with sword and spear matched only by Raging Blizzard's Warriors.

• Silent Rivers and her Family lie to the North pressed against mountains, it is said they are Dragonblooded Sorcerers and warriors. Silver Rivers is a silent, secretive woman, her husband was taken from her by what she calls the Great Purge. She rarely talks with the villagers, but occasionally talks with the village Council. The family itself keeps to itself though rarely do they drive away visitors from the Village, especially the Orphans from the Hill. No one truly knows the skill that Silent Rivers and her family have, only the Martial Prowess that protects the village from the Forest has been seen, but it is rumored that they are able to manipulate elemental forces.

• Raging Blizzard and his family is to the south pressed against the southern mountains. Raging Blizzard is a strong pale man, with scars that hint at a violet past. His family like him are bulky muscular men with skills in powerful martial arts, that had not been seen since the old Wyld Hunts. They are however a peaceful group, calm at all times and never harsh towards anyone else. Soft spoken Raging Blizzard himself visits the village regularly and always is available for a story or two of glorious battles. There is a rivalry between him and Mighty Bull however, and it always comes to the fore every year during the Calibration Festival.

• Whispered Dance and her family is one of two families that hold the center farms, she boards all of the farms, but only Illumin's family holds the farm before the Village Gates. Still there is no finer archers and bowmakers, friendly and very good with parties they are the only family next to Illumin that mingles with the village and the other families. Once could say they are the more sociable family. Their skill with the bow is matched by Illumin's in range, but not in accuracy.

• Illumin and his family are proud hunters and archers. Like Whispered Dance and her family Illumin's family are archers, but they are also hunters, and they brave the forest from time to time to bring back some exotic materials for meals. The board the Village Gates though and take the defense of it quite seriously. In fact Illumin makes it a point yearly to remind Tempest, the Captain of the Village Guard to strengthen the wall and skills of his men. Tempest does take Illumin and all of the Families seriously but he especially listens to Illumin, his wife, and their brothers and sisters. His family's children are the youngest about the same age as the Orphans. Recently Illumin has been constructing siege and anti-siege equipment saying that sooner or later the Ebon Empress will breach the barriers that hide the Village from her. Once could say Illumin and his family are a bit paranoid, not that the village finds this problematic, in fact they feel safer with this.

Third Line

The Village Guard- The guard is made of the Citizens of the Village's men. Not a single man, young or not takes part in the defense of the village, however they especially have made it clear the Orphans are not to be a part of the village's defense. Truly no reason has been give but the Matron Scarlet Ruby supports this. Tempest commands the Village Guard, and he makes sure that three days of each week is dedicated to honing one's skill with their weapons. The Village Guard however is the Final Line, no adult in the Village desires the Hill to be breached, much less expected to fight. This may not make sense the children or the Orphans but the Adults of Caradeen understand this well.

Final Line

The Hill- The Matron, Scarlet Ruby has granted her children their hearts desires, be it training in a Sword, she has granted it, be it the unwieldy ax or hammer she has granted it, as long as they can do it, she grants it. But she has made it clear the one thing they cannot do is fight in the defense of the Village. Many of the Orphans have asked before and she has said before that the time is not yet right. Still the Hill is a Defense, should it fall then Caradeen itself is fated to be forever forgotten, a ruin the forest and its spirits with take and consume. And so what does the Hill provide for its defense if the Children are not it. No one, not even the village knows.

The Population

The Village itself holds a humble population. The Blacksmith Quin and his family maintains the villages needs for weapons and other mundane things. The Thaumatugists Esara and Lian have been keeping the village safe from the various undead that sometimes come from the forest. Lady Ann runs the ever empty Inn, well its empty only until the Traders Xe and Elyte come to the village to trade their various wondrous items as well as information from outside the Valley. Selat, a stern old war veteran who tells stories in the Tavern everyday for as long as the Orphans can remember, though one wonders how true these stories are, sometimes it seems as if he is trying to tell the truth but every time most of the Orphans approach him he will cut his stories boringly short and shuffle them back to the Matron Scarlet Ruby.

The Caravan

This mysterious train of houses on wheels travel to and from the village of Caradeen to trade goods. Leading this is a small family, lead by a self proclaimed hero of the South, things that the Village cannot gather they rely on the Caravan. The Caravan also brings news to the Village of the outside world, though rarely does it tell the Orphans of much else.