Mistborn

*"The Ashray Coast is populated by some of the best sea farers and shipwrights in Arborea. They are known to depend heavily on fishing, though some tribes raid and pillage as well. The people have many ghost stories and are very careful to ward their ships and avoid angering a spirit dwelling in the depths. These grim tales seem to have made the culture more grim and brooding, though it could also be all the rain and clouds. All men are expected to train martially and women built for it are encouraged as well." -Lauchlan Nobleheart of the Frostshield Archive from his book Realms of Convergence*

## **Appearance**

The Ashray Coast folk share much of the same lineage and appearance as the Foothill folk, though they have more Wood Elf bloodlines. Red hair is common, perhaps the most red hair people can be seen on the Coast than anywhere else, though blonde hair is fairly common as well. They are some of the most fair skinned people, and often have ghostly pale blue eyes.

## **Culture and customs**

Ashray Coast culture is considered by outsiders to be dark and brooding. It centers around the acceptance of death, pain, and living courageously despite despair. Combat and raiding are important facets of Mistborn life, though they tend to raid each other more than anyone else. Mistborn navigate the seas seemingly instinctively just using the current and winds to sense where they are, and where they are going. They are the mostly likely people to cross open ocean rather than keep the coastline in sight.

### **Governance**

Rank and kingship are often determined by who can martial the most and best men. Duels between a king and a claimant are known to occur. There is some system of patrilineal monarchy, but transition of rulers tends to be even less stable and predictable than in the Kingdom.

### **Faith**

Iria is the main deity of the Mistborn. Warriors seek honorable death on the battlefield eagerly to be selected by Her for a place in Her afterlife, which is seen as eternal feasting, games, and fighting.

They believe corvids are Her messengers and scouts reporting great deeds or terrible cowardice.

Mistborn faith holds that there is an impending, world ending war called lómëar, that they must prepare for, in life and in Iria's Crow Fields, a place for the honored warriors to train after life.

### **Economy**

While in fact mostly farmers the Mistborn produce a number of goods that have given them some options for trade. They trade cattle, food, and other practical goods with each other for the most part, but their shipwrights are considered the best in Convergence. They have begun to be sought out for the purchase of their ships and many vessels stop in cities like Ghostwatch for repairs and upgrades.

Their main obstacle to becoming a wealth trading culture is the tendency of most tribes to attack and pillage trade vessels.

### **Language**

Elven and Dwarven are spoken natively by the Mistborn.

### **Culinary customs**

The Mistborn enjoy a great bounty from the sea in addition to being good farmers and hunters. Cattle are a main food source and a measure of a tula's wealth. The misty shores make for difficult growing at times and some harvests are poor. They are also know to hunt seals, whales and other aquatic mammals.

### **Structures**

Like the Footlanders, Coast folk inhabit tulas. Their ships are like second homes. From simple fishing boats to huge war galleys, they have mastered this craft.

### **Settlements**

Ghostwatch on the coast is the largest Mistborn city, it would perhaps be their capital if they weren't so busy raiding each other. What was once a tula like many others attracted more tribes until a large settlement grew around it. That settlement had a variety of needs and when they realized they could trade with Frostshield merchants rather than die stealing from them a trade port was born.

### **Marriage, sexual relations, and childbirth**

   Marriage is a serious under taking among the Mistborn. Inheritance and responsibility for children are determined by marriage so the process is often over seen, approved, and divorced if necessary by the tula council. This is done to prevent conflict over inheritance and tensions within the tula.

While adultery is not specially a crime the creation of children outside of marriage is considered irresponsible and it is possible to be punished especially if the situation creates a conflict of interests. While marriage is sacred and promises are made to the Gods most councils will find it foolish to force an unhappy couple to stay together, in such cases the pain staking task of sorting out the legal ownership of property and responsibility to children is done so carefully with the ultimate goal of restoring harmony.

Roles between the sexes are defined by a practical division of labor. Men are responsible for fighting, though any woman who takes to the skill is more than welcomed and other women serve as auxiliaries. Men do the majority of farming while women manage households and tend to animals within the tula.

### **Death**

Honored council members, kings, queens, and weaponthanes are sent out to sea on a funeral boat which is set fire with a flaming arrow.

### **Military**

The fyrd is an army composed of armed male farmers, fishers and weaponthanes who are professional fighters. Any women who take well to the martial skills are more than welcomed to join the fyrd.

Mistborn prefer a finesse fighting style that lends itself well to the turbulent seas. When not in a shield wall formation they dual wield axes, swords and spears.

### **Other beliefs and superstitions**

"Ashray" refers to the water spirits that Mistborn believe inhabit their coasts. While these are less dangerous than the rulsalka, Mistborn are careful to check their nets for strangely beautiful women who's curses they do not want to provoke.

Indeed the Mistborn claim to be able to see ghosts that others cannot. The Coast is said to be very dangerous to outsiders in particular as one can stumble into an angry spirit within the mist and never be heard from again.

The Coast is thought to be the most haunted and strange place other than the Expanse.