Albatross Assembly

Iporis

This content refers to phenomenon on the continent of Iporis.

* Map
* Flag

**The Albatross Assembly** is a faction on Iporis dominated by Aarakocra, Elves, Halflings, Humans, and Yuan-ti and primarily subsists on trade with the northern continent, Gatsia.  It tends to stay independent and out of the affairs of others.

## Beliefs and Religion

### Beliefs

Tradition is a key part of life in the Albatross Assembly. These manifest as community culture, holidays, and other phenomena that celebrate or scorn the events of the past.

#### Notable Holidays

* Winter's Offering (January 10th) - A day to celebrate the community around you. It is the community, not the individual, that helps you prevail when food is scarce and altruism is needed for survival.
* Wishmore Night (April 27th) - All cities with access to the waterfront hold this holiday, with the biggest celebration being in Chunathan, as it is at the mouth of the bay. People light lanterns and float them on seaweed rafts out into the ocean in hopes of appeasing the sea and wind. This is also thought to be a way to communicate or send offering to the dead.
* Rockstruck (September 18th) - settlers landed that day.
* Squall's Passing (October 14th) - the day after the first storm hit the settlers and the sun had returned. This day is meant to celebrate thinking about the long-term and knowing that there is always an end to the storm.

#### Notable Culture

* Shedscale - coming of age for Yuan-Ti, but it has been extended to Lizardfolk, Dragonborn, and other reptilian races.
* Tattoos - tattoos were awarded to an individual after travelling to or across certain landmarks. They could choose whether to take the tattoo or not. Typically, flashier individuals who loved to boast would show off a collection of them. Examples of tattoos may include
	+ A sparrow for every 5000 nautical miles sailed.
	+ A serpent for every 5000 miles walked.
	+ A gold dragon for traversing the Hills of the Lost Dragon
	+ A blue albatross for sailing to the northern continent, Gatsia
	+ A golden albatross for sailing to the mainland, Byselon, across the Kraken's Hold.
* Aarakocra are bound to strict expectations - especially those with plumage that resembles an albatross or another sea bird. They are to be held to extreme academic, career, and personal appearance expectations. Failure to meet these result in the individual being looked upon as a "waste of genetics". Some individuals are known to dye their feathers other colors to escape this treatment, while others dye theirs to seek it.

#### Notable Superstitions

* Damaged feathers are bad luck - feathered races are pressured to dispose of bent or broken feathers as soon as possible and maintain their appearance with an intensive preening regime.
* Whistling is bad luck - it is thought that whistling was to challenge the wind.

### Religion

The gods of the Assembly are Illmater and Savras.

The Assembly requires the worship of their own deity: The Albatross.

It was described as a massive bird whose tailwind was thought to have blown Iporis away from the mainland, and acts as the protector of its carved out territory.  It is associated with guardianship, endurance, and freedom.  The figure of the mythical albatross can be seen on the faction's flag. This albatross has never appeared outside of folklore. Some say that it is purely fictional, some say that it is a roc, and others say that it is a silver dragon.

#### The Outsider's Tax

Worship of outside deities is permitted - for a price. Those who choose to worship something different than The Albatross, Illmater, and Savras are treated as citizens of the Assembly if they pay the Outsider's Tax. The price varies based on the use, and only applies to those living or working in the Assembly.

Personal Home Worship: 5 gp per month

Temple Worship: 50 gp per month

Town Worship: 500 gp per month

City Worship: 5000 gp per month

Failure to produce a receipt confirming the payment of the tax to an official lands the violator a 500 gp fine, as well as 20 days in prison.

## History

The Assembly is the oldest of the factions, having grown from the original Human and Yuan-Ti settlers. As squabbles within the original group began, those who disagreed split off to form other factions. People from the Assembly consider themselves the purest in terms of upholding the original tradition of the settlers.

It is said that the Human settlers and Yuan-ti refugees met at sea, where one of the Human ships had struck a hole in its hull. They were assisted by the Yuan-ti, and decided to form up as a fleet since they were going the same direction. When supplies had begun to run low, they saw a huge winged figure that loomed over the fog. It shot upwards and behind the fleet, blasting their sails with a downwind that they rode until they hit land. This is where the legend of The Albatross began, and is also why both races are so friendly with the Aarakocra who later appeared on the island.

## Government

The Assembly is a gerontocracy. The leaders tend to be older, and valued for their wisdom. Elves are common leaders because of their long lifespan. Disefin is ruled by a Silver Dragon.

### Leader

The leader of the Assembly is noted to mirror its tendency for neutrality. He presents himself imperiously and nobly, and as a result, is a source of inspiration for many. However, it is rumored that he is biased toward the Nekronian Empire.

### Crimes

#### Minor Crimes

Failure to pay the Outsider's Tax

* 500 gp fine
* 20 days in prison

Failure to pay taxes to the Assembly

* 200 gp fine
* 20 days in prison

Theft

* Fine worth twice the value of stolen items
* 20 days in prison

#### Significant Crimes

Assault

* 1000 gp compensation to the injured
* 5 years in prison

Manslaughter

* Up to 6000 gp compensation to the family of the deceased
* 2 years in prison

#### Major Crimes

Murder

* Execution

OR

* Up to 10000 gp compensation to the family of the deceased
* Life in prison

Raising the Dead

* Execution

Treason

* Execution

## Relationships

### The Cloven Conclave

Due to their xenophobic nature, the Conclave has neither good nor bad relations with the Assembly. They share no border, and generally don't interact aside from the occasional merchant or diplomatic visit.

### The Nekronian Empire

The Nekronian Empire and the Albatross Assembly have many established trade and diplomatic connections, though they still consider each other very different. However, one may note that the Empire's influence on the capital, Chunathan, and the current leader of the Assembly's apparent bias point toward some sort of alliance.

### Knoxis

Knoxis is currently seeking to join the Albatross Assembly.

## List of Albatross Assembly Towns and Cities (474 PA)

* Actran
* Chunathan (Capital)
* Delikial
* Disefin
* Fallowfor
* Githab
* Han
* Kryrol
* Oakton
* Oranstice
* Sankont
* Shillton