Kimmeridge

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## Members

### Other Roles

HealersArtisans

**Kimmeridge** is a Fireflight shantytown at the edge of the Molten Scar.

Supplier of ore to both Cinderslag and the Great Furnace. Kimmeridge began as a diveminer camp, but has grown to a real town with a fair amount of merchants, guildmembers, and skilled miners. Like all Fireflight settlements, it's haphazard in setup, and focused majorly on necessary jobs, but as it grows more artists and specialists arrive.

## Lore

#### Fireflight Arrows

The Fireflight's system of governance is dominated by the artisans they are known for. The Three Arrows, or the three most powerful guilds, are at the top. Masters of these guilds are known as Arrowheads.

The largest and most well known Arrow is the Smiths, those who work with metals to create weapons, armor, tools, and even included are those who are not traditionally "smiths," like metallurgists or sculptors who work with metal. Smith is not a strict term within the Fireflight, rather just meaning someone who creates from metal. There are also smaller, more loose guilds that are somewhat included within the Smithing Arrow by virtue of using forges or heat but do not work with metal, like the Glassblower's Guild. Smiths are present in most settlements, with colonies of guildmembers living within the Great Furnace.

The second Arrow is the Diveminers' Guild. Diveminers are heavily concentrated on the Molten Scar. They are simply those who brave the magma to mine raw ore. There are hundreds of diveminer clans on and in the Scar, ranging in size from real towns to ramshackle camps.

The third Arrow is the Masons' Guild, which, similar to the Smiths, does not only include actual masons but anyone who works with stone or, more broadly, builds structures. Masons are responsible for constructing forges, buildings, and roads throughout Ashfall. Masons are often overlooked by those outside of Ashfall, but unlike diveminers are often very wealthy. There are prestigious mason schools, whereas smiths operate on an apprentice system (and are often taken advantage of) and diveminers are considered unskilled laborers.

#### Diveminers

Diveminers are the most undervalued Arrow. While all three Arrows have sway in the politics of the Fireflight, between the supermassive Smithing Arrow and the wealthy Masons, diveminers unfortunately don't have much power.

Miners are extremely necessary, as they source all the ore that the smiths need to do their work, other than the small amount of ore imported from Dragonhome. Included within the Diveminer Arrow is the transportation of ore as well as those who mine it. If diveminers went on strike, the entire machinery of the Fireflight would grind to a halt, as would all of Sornieth, which depends on the products from Ashfall.

Diveminers are considered unskilled workers, but in reality they are extremely competent. They have to be; divemining is one of the most dangerous jobs, with a high fatality rate and high risk of injury besides. To know where to find ore, let alone how to pry it from the rock before the magma can swallow it back into the earth, is essential knowledge. While there is a system of care for diveminers, it is underfunded and overlooked. Retired diveminers often depend entirely on their community to survive, especially those who retired due to injury. Some celebrated diveminers in well-off communities are cared for, but in the many small camps lining the Scar, miners are more than likely to perish following injury.

There is no formal apprenticing system like there is for the smiths, nor formal education; rather, diveminers must be trained by their superiors in a hands-on manner, directly within the Molten Scar.

#### Smithing Apprenticeships

Smithing is a profession passed on through mentorships, which must be approved by the regional Arrowhead to be official.

Smithing is often a family business, but those wishing to learn the trade can find mentors in local smiths who specialize in the trade they wish to learn. Most common in smaller communities are blacksmiths, especially those who primarily forge tools, but in larger cities smiths can be contracted to create structural pieces, chains, or other large order products. While any village blacksmith can forge a sword or crude chestplate, armorers and weaponsmiths are needed to craft tailored armor or specialized weapons.

Some apprentices are taken advantage of by their mentors, used as unpaid labor in exchange for knowledge. The Arrow does not protect against predatory mentors, seeing it as a necessary risk. The Arrowheads and high ranking guildmembers themselves are the most likely to participate in this practice. Smiths hold power both as an organization and individuals; the smith is an essential part of any Fireflight settlement, and threatening to raise prices or stop work entirely can cripple a community. Communities with only one smith may be bled dry, since the smith knows that their services are absolutely necessary and can charge as much as they please.

Apprenticeships can last for any amount of time. Some may be high intensity and last only a few months, while others can take years; some even last until the mentor's death, at which point the apprentice will often take over their forge and become a mentor in turn. Small village smiths usually end up working in the same town that they were trained in, whereas smiths who train en masse in cities will leave to find work.

#### Fireflight Musical Tradition

Fireflight is not known for its music, which is usually only performed on special occasions, especially in smaller towns or villages. Travelling bards can be found, as in any flight.

Forgebards are a particular type of musician unique to Ashfall. They are usually percussionists, or play large brass instruments. They are hired by industrial forges or those with many workers to play a rhythm for the smiths to work to, to avoid distraction or loss of focus caused by so many smiths working in the same room. Forgebards don't usually play very complex melodies, but must tirelessly keep the beat for hours at a time. They are known for their incredible physical and mental stamina. Most places that hire forgebards have several that cycle out, to avoid exhaustion. Forgebards have their own guild, though it is outside of the Arrows, and rigorous training and tests in order to receive certification.

Not all music in Fireflight is centered around forges, however. Music can be found anywhere there are dragons. The rhythm of the forges finds its way into recreational music, as well; most Fireflight songs have a strong beat and bass part. Large brass bands travel seasonally, and play in large cities during Flameforger's.

Traditional Fireflight songs are usually about folk heroes or legendary blacksmiths and their creations. Beastclan music also has an influence on Fireflight; centaur and sprangyroo music in particular. Sprangyroos have a few bass wind instruments that have become very popular in Ashfall. Centaur music is usually marching music, so many brass bands in Ashfall are marching bands. Fireflight marching bands are legendary throughout Sornieth.