Kenash's Comments Questions & Suggestions Thread

[Leila]

Hi Kenash, I discussed an idea with Banicle in chat earlier. I'm now putting this idea here just for record keeping. I noticed while looking through the lore of Ahnatep, I saw that the House of the North Winds produces wadj, a paper made from a reed and mixed with other things. The reed is mixed with other materials for durability, some say cotton, but the exact recipe is unknown. I saw cotton and immediately thought Kenash. The lore states that the reed is grown in Ahnatep, but doesn't mention cotton. I was wondering if this could lead to a possible exclusive trading bond with the House of the North Winds, and one of the Kenash families. My first thought went to the Rajor Family (Dhani, Constrictor) since the Eypharian people have a soft spot for Dhani (though they prefer Viper it seems). If not, I'm sure the traders and travelers that act as the stand-ins for the middle class would allow for the cotton to arrive at Ahnatep. Anyways, that's all I've got for now. Thanks, I can't wait to see more from the city!

[Wrenmae]

Fantastic!

I'll be trying my hand at the Morealis and Radacke dynasties. Stay tuned for news on Sunday!

[Spirit Frostfawn]

Actually... I sort of disagree with Kenash fighting with the Zith... it would be pretty cool if the two had a shaky relationship of sorts. The Families buy a lot of their slaves from the Zith (or vice versa), and there could be a whole thing about if a slave misbehaves, they get fed to the Zith... Actually, there could be a whole 'Zith embassy' or something from Xy... heh... *goes to brainstorm* EDIT: I just came up with another idea... I'm assuming that there's crocodiles in Kenash, and it would be cool if they grew to massive sizes. Anyways, one of the families, instead of/as well as farming, could raise these animals... and breed them for their hide and stuff. Heh. Kids could have baby crocodiles as pets and stuff

[Sarith]

Indeed, it would make some sense that they would trade with the Zith on occasion, hence my note about Xy trading with outsiders. However it is a good idea to note that no matter how civilized they may seem, Zith are barbaric by their nature. As such the relationship would likely be very, very uneasy.

Xy might be a "civilized" colony, but for every one Xy there are dozens more that probably would rather attack Kenash. That is just how I see it. Since Kenash is still so early in development there is a lot of room for interpretation.

[Tinnok]

I think that you both are right about the Zith. On the one hand, it seems that the inherent nature of Kenash would promote lucrative trade with Zith as opposed to wasting time and resources fighting them, yet even if Kenash made agreements with certain sects of Zith, or the entire colony of Xy, it's likely Zith raids would still be a problem, after all both would be seeking to have power and the upper hand in whatever agreement they could work out, but those are just my thoughts! So since a couple families have been claimed I figured I'd throw out an idea for the Ackina family. I figure Kenash needs its own source of slaves as well as relying on trades form places like Ravok (or the Zith!), etc. As always thoughts and opinions are welcome.

The Ackina Family Leader: Morrison Ackina Race: Human Plantation Name: Clawstone Symbol: Three vertical slashes Description: One of the most recent families to claw their way up the food chain in Kenash, the Clawstone plantation has risen up in the ranks due to a distinctive ability to create a demand in the dynasties of Kenash. They supply the main source of meat to the city, but also provide another valuable service as well that all families are eager to look into: Slaves The Ackina family is one of the newest Dynasties, and has raised themselves up from a small, but fertile plot of land, to a whole gamut of property in about a half century. The original purpose of the plantation was for corn, alfalfa, and the meat products to feed off of it, namely swine and cows. This is still a major part of the Ackina's profits of course, and now they use their funds to run another quite valuable asset they have maintained, which is their Kelvic slaves. Treating their property well, but ensuring obedience and loyalty over all, the Ackina family are able to breed and raise a reliable stock to tend to their herds and fields, as well as share with the surrounding families...for a price. The best of their crop are kept as guards, overseers, and companions for the family, but let it never be said that any of the Kelvic brought to the market or bought and sold in clandestine meetings with other dynasties are of any lesser quality. After all, they wouldn't be so successful if their product wasn't sound...

[Tia'aria]

The Lynint Family Leader: Kaljia [KALE-gea] Lynint Race: Human Plantation Name: Silverbite. Symbol: A crocodile. Description: Historically, the Lynint family has existed since the founding days of Kenash, but it has been only in the last decade that they have become far more renowned and intimidating. Kaljia Lynint takes full responsibility for the newfound respect her family has garnered and this is often echoed among several of her meeker peers. While their trade rests almost exclusively with the growing and selling of sugarcane, the Lynint are also liable to take animals from the nearby Uvic Lake and other places in the swamp and train them to help make money on the side as well as double as an additional incorruptible security force. While they have a great deal of land put aside for growing sugarcane, they have parts of their land seperated for the tending of animals. Shallow pools for crocodiles, otters and beavers rest beside a small creek where snakes inhabit. They make the most of their money when it comes to what they make off of animal sales by selling their venomous serpents. Even with these sales, though, and their exclusivity with animals, the Lynint have made most of their fortune with sugarcane than anything else and will continue to do so. The Sitai Family Leader: Dervain Sitai Race: Human Plantation Name: Bloodflower. Symbol: A rose. Description: The Sitai Family deals in addictive substances more than any other crop normally grown in Kenash. They primarily deal with tobacco and hemp and run businesses dealing with perfume and aphrodisiacs. However, they are most notable in the tobacco business and make a great deal more money than other plantations with tobacco do. The amount of land the Sitai possess is a good testament to just how much tobacco they are able to grow, although some parts of their land are more suited to hemp and sugarcane. Their extracurricular dealings include selling recreational drugs and mixing them with many different types of food to cater to the tastes of their clientele. They have discovered plants in the swamp that release pleasant odours when crushed or distilled and use these to make their perfume and soaps with. They are unmatched in their talents with making tobacco actually taste different, although it remains relatively weaker than the tobacco produced by the Rajor Family. Surprisingly, the slaves sold by the Sitai Family are in better condition than a lot of others often for sale. They are typically adept in seduction and have been used for some of the parties thrown by the Sitai Family in the past. Sales of these slaves usually amount to much money and greater attention to the person who buys them. Owning one is often reason enough to have more guests than usual during parties.

Edit: I credit Spirit for the concept of the Lynint family.

[Leila]

The Lynint Otter Messengers Kenash, a playground of swamps, back washes, waterways, and estuaries. And in a city ruled by business, where relationships, both business and personal, intermingle. But in order for everything to run smoothly, there needs to be a system of reliable communication. But what method would truly work best in a city such as Kenash, where land and water intermingle often. The answer is messenger otters. The messengers, and the otter sanctuary, are owned by the Lynint family. They have multitudes of highly trained otters. They are trained to take messages to nearly every business and other location of importance. Private residences are rarely added to this, unless an otter is specially paid for and trained. One can usually find an otter and a slave at any dock; the slave is paid, the message put in a waterproof case strapped to the otter, and it is sent on its way. The messages are delivered quickly and directly to the destination. The otter will not deliver the message to a person, but rather will drop them at the door of the destination. Many businesses have opted to leave baskets out to protect the messages should no one be around to receive it. Anyone can send a message, the exceptions being those who've been found to have harmed, or attempted to harm, the messengers. Otto's Sanctuary is near the Draer family's Shallows. The main building is a wooden shack, a simple counter out front, with otter supplies in the back. But the main area is the otter pools that are out behind the main building. There are birthing pools, pools for young otters in training, and pools for otters not at work. All of them are kept well stocked with fish, and are lined with several dens. Some of these are dug into the banks or resting beneath logs. The employees are well trained in maintaining this habitat, for the otters' health and comfort comes first. The storefront of the building is where nearby customers can send a message. But its true purpose is to provide customers with the ability to fund their own private otter, which will be trained from the day its eyes open, to go to where ever the benefactor would like it to go. This could be used for two destinations, or as many as they'd like. The otters are trained in many different aspects, the most important of which is the learning of the necessary locations. However, there are other crucial lessons, such as avoiding being caught by people and predator alike, removing their message from the container, and avoiding temptation and not running off. It is a very common sight to see otters swimming along the banks, hopping over small strips of land, or even passing through town.   NPCs Name: Otto Lynint Race: Human DoB: Spring 65, 480 AV PoB: Kenash Title: Head Otter Trainer Skills: Animal Husbandry 55, Swimming 49, Fishing 35, Seduction 27 Gnosis: None Otto is insatiable ladies man, who loves a pretty face almost as much as his otters. He was born in Kenash, and has been swimming nonstop in the canals and waterways. One day when he was a boy, he found a small nest of otters that hadn't opened their eyes yet. That is, until he peered in, becoming their first sight in the world. They quickly considered him their mother, and he began nurturing them. He raised them, at first just having them fish for him, until one of them brought back a sealed scroll case. Inside it was just a message from a lover to another, but it gave birth to an idea. Otto began training his otters to deliver messages, and slowly his business grew. Several years later, his family of otters has grown tremendously, his business well known, and his life consists of training otters and seducing women. He's often a joking man, serious only in business.   Prices Service Price Short Range Message 2 cm Medium Range Message 5 cm Long Range Message 1 sm Private Otter 50gm/season

[Wrenmae]

Real quick. I'll get the other two families up I'm working on when home Sunday but one is a sugarcane empire and the other is a 'non-swamp materials, rival slave gathering (human and other, not kelvic) family to jostle up some rivalry. Just wanted to outline basic ideas before I got home and saw someone uploaded a family and accidentally uses the same idea

[Spirit Frostfawn]

Grown from their cacao trees that dot their plantation, the Drear family has started up a chocolate shop in the center of the city. Though they do export quite a bit of their product, a few of the members create the delicious treat from home as well. All the chocolate there is hand made, and though the store originally began to sell simple creations, just bars and such, the owner’s artistic skill has grown. Now it is quite possible to buy an edible work of art here, for a price of course. On first sight, the chocolate shop appears quite simple, with plain stone walls and no windows. The double doors, however, are always flung wide open, and the smell emanating from them does as just a good job at advertising for the building as the large sign above the entrance. Inside, the scent of chocolate grows stronger, coming not just from the products lining the walls. In the back, there is a workshop with all the tools and materials required for creating the most exotic and complicated chocolate sculptures around. The door between these rooms, however, is tightly locked, so none of the other families can delve their secrets from creating the delicious chocolate. The store sells a variety of different products, from a basic bar, to complex designs. The more beautiful and detailed the creation, the more expensive. In general, they sell milk chocolate, and dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is in general more expensive, but also the tastier. It is quite possible to order a specific creation, and this is often done for celebrations and such. For example, a chocolate plaque celebration an accomplishment, which could then be eaten afterwards.   Kasha Name: Kasha Drear Race: Svefra DoB: Winter 92nd 485AV PoB: Kenash Title: Chocolate maker Skills: Cooking: 81, Negotiation: 53, Carving: 67, Engraving: 28 Gnosis: 1 Laviku Additional Info: Having never really taken to politics, Kasha always enjoyed the more creative side of things. She took to cooking at a young age, and, along with her brother, began to experiment with chocolate. After proving to their parents that they were good at this trade, and responsible enough to run their own business, they were supported and able to start up ‘Drear Chocolates’. Kasha is quite friendly and bouncy, and her chocolate art has more of a flowing touch. Still, she drives a hard bargain and is generally the one who works out the front of the shop.   Sorus Name: Sorus Drear Race: Svefra DoB: Winter 92nd 485AV PoB: Kenash Title: Chocolate maker Skills: Cooking: 79, Carving: 81, Engraving: 76 Gnosis: 1 Laviku Additional Info: Twin of Kasha, he and his sister have always worked well together. Being similar at most things, when put together the two create an excellent team. Unlike his sibling however, Sorus is more reserved and quiet, enjoying the process of creating chocolate. Though less artistic than Kasha, he is more precise and delicate, good at perfecting repetitive tasks. In general, he doesn’t do well with others, so rarely works on the public side of the business.   Prices Prices: OOC’d’ is dark chocolate, ‘m’ is milk. 1”x1” square of chocolate (d) – 1sm 1”x1” square of chocolate (m) –1.5sm 5”x5” chocolate bar (d/m) – 2sm 10”x10” chocolate bar (d/m) – 6sm 5”x5”x5” chunk of solid chocolate (d) – 6gm 5”x5”x5” chunk of solid chocolate (m) – 5gm 5”x5” chocolate bar with nuts/fruits (d/m) – 4sm 10”x10” chocolate bar with nuts/fruits (d/m) – 1gm 1ft high figurine (d) – 15 gm 1 ft high figurine (m) – 12gm Personalized Item – prices vary * Location credit goes to Spirit Frostfawn.

[Wrenmae]

These are my takes on the other three families. Feel free to critique and change em around...just wanted to get them out there.

The Morealis Family Leader: Dimitri Morealis Race: Human Plantation Name: BlackSugar Symbol: A Black Diamond over three tall black pillars Description: The Morealis family has existed in Kenash since it was first formed. They were one of the original families to take a swathe of land for themselves, growing bountiful harvests of sugarcane that they’re so well known for. One of the richer families in Kenash, although they do not have power over weather, dominion over assassins, or a corner market on beasts and addictions, they sport the most owned land of any family in Kenash. Their dynasty remains a financial pinnacle in Kenash’s economy. They began with sugarcane, which is how their planation received its name…but have since expanded to produce cotton and tobacco as supplementary crops. The family is well known for their celebrations and strict code of honor by which they appear to conduct their business. None have ever seen a Morealis act anything less than polite to even a hated enemy, but somehow this perceived weakness does not prevent them from gaining many goals on their agenda, and even perhaps some…less known to the other families. The Morealis are the sugar kings of Kenash and make good on that perceived royalty. Those of their immediate family are always trained in rhetoric and speaking from an early age, along with other aspects of high culture they use to try and distinguish themselves from the other dynasties. Some have said that to join a Morealis dinner party is to memorize a complex dance of form and instrument so difficult, it is any wonder why they bother at all. The Zulaca Family Leader: Carthrys Zulaca Race: Nuit Plantation Name: Godstouch Symbol: A Starburst Description: The Zulaca family is perhaps the strangest dynasty currently in Kenash. They hold a moderate amount of land for their dynasty, but their conduct and crop elevate them to the upper tiers of the dynasties. Zulaca is particularly known for their hybridized crop, colored cotton, sweet tobacco, and other strange combinations of the staple exports within Kenash to create a niche market no other family can adequately touch. Most insist that the old nuit is using some form of magic to alter crops and then seed them through his lands, but if there is truth to that, Carthrys keeps it hidden. To that effect, Carthrys currently possesses one of the most defensible buildings in all Kenash. The Spear extends from the center of his land up into the sky. A singular tower, Carthrys spends most of his time inside. No one has ever seen Carthrys twice in the same body and the nuit likes to keep his appearance changing to keep his enemies off track. Perhaps strangest about Carthrys is his policy on slaves. While his dynasty buys from the markets like the others, he is known for sending representatives to other plantations with offers to buy certain slaves. Often these slaves are those who have caused trouble for the plantation, or have tried to escape. Those he can buy he puts to work in his own lands, but with an incentive that no other slave has the opportunity for. Some of Zulaca’s slaves can ascend to becoming full fledged members of the family. Usually this process is fairly straightforward. When Zulaca needs an expert in something, or has need of service that would require more trust than in an ordinary slave, he explores the grounds and his acquisitions. Those that show promise are told there is a position outside their bonds of slavery and given the tools to become an expert in the service needed. The slave that masters it the best is given a white starburst tattoo over their mark of slavery and become full-fledged members of the family. While few among the dynasties recognize these freed slaves as equal, it has been in their best interest to tolerate Zulaca’s eccentricities for the influence and possibility his land holds for all of Kenash. The Radacke Family Leader: Misho Radacke Race: Human Plantation Name: Whiplash Symbol: A diagonal tilde (~) crossed over a hammer Description: Of all the families in Kenash, the Radacke are perhaps looked upon with the most disdain. The land they own is the least fertile of the lands around Kenash, and many of their fields skirt the grasslands just outside Kenash where very little of value can be grown and attacks are constant. They make a modest profit on their tobacco fields, rice, and are the only family that has fields for indigo...a particularly durable and valued dye. Typhid Radacke was an ex-slave from Sunberth. Before that, he served as an architect and builder in the city of Zeltiva. He and several slaves surprised their captors while being taken to Kenash in the early days and ended up selling the captors as slaves for land when they finally reached the city. Theirs has been a long road up. With meager means they were one of the smaller and most easily bullied families. Even with the extra coin Typhid made designing superior, if not Zeltivan themed structures in Kenash, it was barely enough to keep his line afloat. Their land could not contend with some of the plantation giants and so Typid made the decision to involve himself in the slave trade, a market he knew about first hand. Recruiting slavers from outside Kenash, Typhid worked to breed them into his family in order to ensure loyalty and family ties. Centuries later, the Radacke are brutal slavers. The Radacke way is to brutalize their product mentally and physically to ensure the ‘fight’ is removed from them. While not the prettiest, it can be argued that the Radacke slaves are longer lasting and often hardier than the Ackina kelvics. Predating the Ackina family, the Radacke own the building where the slave trade is conducted from, designed by Typhid. Much of the brutish Sunberthian is still in this family and the way they are viewed. Despite being a dynasty, not many of the Radacke family dress the part. They prefer heavy tattooing, making their bodies a tapestry to their accomplishment and rank within the family. Typhid taught his family what he knew about architecture. He believed that if Kenash was to survive on such marshy grounds, strong structures would need to be erected with powerful foundations in order to keep them from sinking into the marsh. His children and now his line share that belief and it is said that if you want a new building built, you go to the Radacke.