Rheirgest is a village formerly in northern Izril, then relocated to the Floodplains.
Geography[edit | edit source]
The village was located in the highlands at the edge of human territory, in a pocket of the mountains rising towards the High Passes. This location provided safety, being higher than most monsters are willing to climb but lower than threats that live higher up. Notably, it was also built on top of the sixteenth rib of a giant skeleton that's as big as Liscor.
Following the giant skeleton's reanimation on the Winter Solstice which destroyed the village in the process, the inhabitants relocated to the Floodplains, around the Wandering Inn's new location.
Layout[edit | edit source]
The village was accessed by a rope bridge. Everything is compacted for space. They used terraced farms, big ridges where they could grow plants. The houses where often made from ivory.[1]
Following having to relocate and being outed as necromancers, their new buildings were made to be more sinister-looking.
Culture[edit | edit source]
The inhabitants are proficient and knowledgeable in necromancy, more so than self-taught hedge-Necromancers. They possess spellbooks to teach necromancy and their skeletons are intricate. The children are given ivory training-dolls to manipulate, and are allowed to make their own undead when they turn 14.[2]
In the present day, they hide their use of necromancy to outsiders to avoid repercussions, and have no one with the actual [Necromancer] class, but classes relating to the undead and Death Magic are still common. They're not fond of roving graverobing [Necromancers] however.[3]
Economy[edit | edit source]
Rheirgest exports ivory, which they mine from a giant rib. The ivory is used for alchemical purposes, crafting fishhooks, various tools, or sold for the exoticism of the material. House El buys this ivory for their Automatic Crossbows.
The inhabitants use undead to tend to their fields, which they used since before Archmage Chandler popularized the practice.
Residents[edit | edit source]
History[edit | edit source]
Reirghest has existed for eight generations. [Necromancers] used to visit the village to buy ivory samples or to try to raise the giant skeleton without success.
After the fall of Az'kerash, the village hid its use of necromancy and made sure they technically had no [Necromancers] when knights or nobles came to inspect. When House El investigated, they turned a blind eye to keep buying ivory.
The Necromancer never came to the village during the Second Antinium War, as the Goblin King's forces reduced his own before he arrived.
Ivory was less popular with Drakes after the Antinium Wars, which reduced their income. The magical door and the arrival of the Dwarves resettling Dwarfhalls Rest caused worry that trade would become less profitable. There were suggestions of selling ivory in Celum at a higher price.[4]
Chronology[edit | edit source]
Tolveilouka came to the village one day, but became furious when he learned where the village's ivory came from, and was chased out. The next morning, he burned their fields. Unable to grow anything quickly due to the coming winter, the village was threatened with starvation. The situation worsened to the point that they ate leather and sold all magic items to buy food, except other villages had their fields burned and were looking for provisions as well. Three weeks before the blizzard, Rittane covertly wrote a letter to 'Santa' asking for food and gave it to Fals, who delivered it to the Wandering Inn for free.
When a harsh blizzard began, the village handled attacks from Snow Golems without difficulty thanks to their bridge, but they were still starving. Only the undead had the energy to go outside. Thanks to Rittane's letter, Normen set out with the [Driver] Zanze to deliver food to Rheirgest. They arrived with the help of Jewel, Antherr, Vess, and Ama, saving the village just in time.[4]
During the Winter Solstice, Kasigna reanimated the giant Skeleton and sent it to attack the Wandering Inn and its defenders. The village was destroyed as a consequence and the villagers had to flee.[5]
The now homeless villagers had to resettle, and were offered space by Liscor. However Selys revealed that the villagers were [Necromancers], leading to protesting citizens occupying the land meant for them and preventing them from settling it. Lyonette offered to have them settle around the relocated Wandering Inn instead, which they proceeded to do.
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- The giant skeleton the village was built on does not have a humanoid skull.[6]