Ralak Thuul

**Ralak Thuul** (Home land of the Ralak) is a large island in the south of Avendele. The meaning of "Ralak Thuul" is Blessed of Magic. With Ralak meaning "Blessed" and Thuul meaning "Magic"

## Land Description

Located in the South, Ralak Thuul is a harsh land. Summer temperatures range from 11C to -2C and winter ranging from 3C to -13C.

It is a large island, made up of mostly mountains. In the north there is some flat land. This land can be farmed all year round, but there is only a small variety of crops that can be planted (Cabbage, Parsnips, Turnips, Spinach, and a few others.). Due to the weather, however, wood is a scarce commodity, and only used to build ships.

The mountains of Ralak Thuul are rich with resources, so mining is a big industry. Metal and Minerals are mined to create weapons and armour, coal is mined for heating, and stone is mined for building materials.

## Disposition

Each Ralak clan is a very tight-nit community. Given much of their culture requires teamwork like, raiding, sailing and the Thuul, camaraderie is a big aspect for the Ralak. Due to this, they have a strong dislike and lack of trust for outsiders, so foreigners are rare on Ralak Thuul. While trust can be earned, outsiders will never be considered Ralak, that is privilege that people can only be born into. Due to this view on outsiders, there is no slave market on Ralak Thuul, and while the Ralak may take prisoners on raids, they will always sell them in other countries before docking in Ralak Thuul.

Ralak have a very strong work ethic, when not raiding, they will be mining, forging or building. They don't have a structured week, they only take a day off when they feel they have truly earned it.

## Clans

Ralak Thuul is divided up into nine clans. Each clan follows similar laws, with minor variations. Each clan sets their own taxes and tolls, visitors from other clans are treated like foreigners, very cautiously.

### Clan Names

1. Taylik
2. Unknown
3. Unknown
4. Unknown
5. Unknown
6. Unknown
7. Unknown
8. Unknown
9. Unknown

### Clans-moot

Every year, the leader of each Clan meet at Larriksun where the Clans-moot is held. At the Clans-moot, Leaders get together and discuss the future of their clan for the next year. Things like land disputes, money owing, trade routes, who will raid where, are all settled at this event.

With a gathering of leaders, it is not uncommon for assassination attempts to be made, and occasionally they're successful. Due to this, each leader is allowed a personal escort of two champions.

## Social Structure within Clans

Each clan has a Leader. Each leader is chosen differently depending on which clan. While the Social structure of each clan may differ, the Job structure is more or less the same.

### Farmers

Due to the climate of the land, and the horrible condition of the soil, being a farmer garners massive amounts of respect. Those who can raise crops and pastures for animals are considered to be blessed by the gods. They are the only people who are excused from going on raids because farmers have already proved they are blessed by the gods, but this doesn't mean that they don't go on raids. Farming families are quite well practiced in Thul, as being able to manipulate the weather is almost vital to growing strong crops.

### Builders

There are two kinds of builders, most of the time they work together, as many houses are built half in and half out of a mountain.

#### Carvers

Carvers create structures by mining rooms and passageways into the sides of mountains. The most skilled carvers can create ornate wall trimmings and murals .

#### Layers

Layers build structures by laying stone bricks and slabs. Most carvers start as layers while they are apprenticed, and work their way up to being a carver.

### Miners

The backbone of Ralak Thuul, mining is the most popular job as the bulk of resources come from the mountains. Most raiders are miners in the off seasons.

### Forgers

Forgers are blacksmiths. Forgers contributes almost evenly with Raiding to the economy of Ralak Thuul.

### Raiders

Most citizens of Ralak Thuul have been raiders at some points in their life. Every Ralak must go on atleast three raids to prove their metal (Excluding Farmers, though most of them go aswell) and that they are blessed by the gods. While many retire from raiding, there are a core group of raiders that refuse to stop raiding. They earn masses of respect from their peers by putting their life on the line year after year.