Ayaunj
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Favored Race | Nefortu |
| Element(s) | Earth, Void |
| Home(s) | A Vast Hoard (vnum 12xx) |
| Alignment | Lawful Neutral |
| Symbol(s) | Three coins |
| Portfolio | Trade, contracts, wealth, community, strategy, discretion |
| Worshippers | Merchants, negotiators, travelers, mercenaries, contractors |
Contents
History in Avendar
In the first nefortean legends, their people were born in a land of plenty: a paradise of warm caves, shiny stones, and countless fish. Both of their gods lived among them, counting themselves no greater or lesser than any other. The pair reveled in games, and for generations, knew only delight and care-free existence. One of the two was called Ayaunj; She delighted in the glittering rocks whose veins ran through Her caverns and drifted through the rivers. While She could draw them forth with Her power, She coveted those held by others with equal, or greater, fervor. Clever and calculating, She concocted elaborate games and urged others to wager their treasures-- and while Her rules were fair enough, they always skewed to Her favor. It was a badge of honor amongst the ancient nefortu to best Ayaunj at Her own games, in large part because it was so rare. However, She always held to Her agreements, and held no animosity toward those who defeated Her. Yet, She always had another bet for the winner... if they were bold enough to make it.
Ayaunj was as surprised as any when Bayyal burst from the heart of the earth, and She was no different in finding Herself helpless against His fury. Unlike the nefortu, however, She was a goddess, and therefore they assumed (and expected) that She would protect them. To Her, the best strategy was to flee, rather than fight an insurmountable foe. Her abdication of Her divine role mirrored that of Tzajai, and the pair's separate followings dwindled greatly; long accustomed to seeing relationships as transactions, many nefortu aligned themselves with Bayyal, whom they regarded as the winner. The duo's remaining loyalists beat a hasty retreat as their homeland burned around them, pursued by the gleeful acolytes of the Reaper. As Sythraki srryn ravaged the kingdom of Caal, the aelin strongholds of the Brintors, and the Earendam river valley, so too did Bayyal's nefortu devastate the fertile civilization of Ashta Harrud. Ayaunj withdrew Herself at this time; some historians attribute this to Her cowardice, while others suggest it was in pursuit of a deal amongst the divine. The latter frame the close of the War of Fire as humanity seeking Jolinn, while Ayaunj negotiated a solution with Iandir.
With the War's end, the nefortu as a whole were at a point of crisis. Their homeland was lost to Bayyalite cultists, and they were dispersed into the foreign world of the mainland. Most they encountered were suspicious, if not outright hostile; rumors of the role of the nefortu in the scarring of the south spread as quickly as any flame. Divided as they were in allegiance and proclivity, the nefortu separated themselves into roughly two schools of thought. One rejected the strangers who cast them as villains, and sought to carve for themselves and their progeny a new sanctuary, where their lives could resemble that which they had lost. Conversely, the other saw opportunity in the scores of new people they encountered; these foreigners were naive to their multitude of games, and had many new, shiny things. Who better than they to gain from such easy profit? While the former hid themselves in the cavernous enclosure of Rahh-Nefor, the latter began the slow process of integrating into mainland society, bringing with them their love of contracts, regulations, and negotiation.
Ultimately, the flight of an amber-gold dragon heralded the return of Ayaunj to the nefortean consciousness. When it made its lair in the caves beneath Mount Enrien, many were soon to follow. Here, they developed their own city-state, Kohlis, which was fashioned on Ayaunj's principles. Their new home flourished as they established trade with nearby Var Bandor and a multitude of smaller settlements, both human and ethron. Now a regular sight in lands where they were once ostracized, the nefortu established themselves as some of the preeminent merchants and traders of the continent; their success even encouraged some of their brethren from the Sea Cave to journey out into Avendar at large. Ayaunj is, and remains, a beacon of golden prosperity for all nefortu, encouraging their strongest collective instincts toward general economic dominance.
Goals and Methods
Above all else, Ayaunj seeks the greatest amount of personal advancement at the least personal risk. She attempts to avoid or end conflicts via careful negotiation and measured giving of ground. There's nothing wrong with giving up a little now if it means securing advantage later-- that's how payment works. However, if cornered into a position where there is no potential gain, she will fight using any means at hand to end the altercation as decisively as possible.
Ayaunj encourages her followers to make as many allies as possible and hold those alliances tightly-- one whose services are essential cannot be betrayed, and indeed become leaders after a fashion. To this end she favours at least some free-market competition, but there are absolutely times when a market must be cornered in order to preserve the business, and she favours swift action when this becomes necessary. Harm to others is an unfortunate side-effect and never a goal. By and large she encourages truthfulness-- a false bill of sale or deceptive advertising might lead to greater profit in the moment, but the loss of trust is rarely worth the risk. Of course, in some lines of business, fooling all of the people some of the time or some of the people all the time is sufficient.
Organizations and Followings
xxx
"This world runs on give-and-take!"
Not every merchant chooses to settle within the confines of a shop. Some choose to source exotic goods through adventure, or simply cater to the adventuring classes, seeing a market largely untapped by more traditional forces. Others simply realize that fools and their money are soon parted, and what could be more foolish than taking up the adventuring life? Ayaunj smiles on those who would profit by this unconventional method, offering a measure of Her protection against what is inevitably a dangerous lifestyle. Many of GROUP band with the Merchant Federation, but are as likely to work with other groups-- or even none at all, trusting that what they have to offer is enough to stand alone on.
xxx
"Surely we can come to an equitable arrangement."
Most people in their lives will need some sort of agreement brokered. The GROUP offer to oversee these agreements, formalizing them via contract and Ayaunj's divine eye. These can be formal, written arrangements, or simple verbal affirmations, depending on the needed circumstances. This requires considerable social cachet on the part of the GROUP MEMBER; if they are not valued for their oversight then their services rendered become meaningless. Among adventurers, then, GROUP MEMBERS often must have great personal power for they must very often be the one to punish any given party who is in breach of contract. This can be simple violent enforcement, or it might be the withholding of one's services as a healer or other skills on ventures. GROUP MEMBERS typically charge for their services and are often partisan, though invariably hold themselves strictly impartial on contractual matters, lest they lose their own charter.
xxx
"Most adventurers give it up within the year. You don't want to be one of them, do you?"
A lifetime of following Ayaunj often leaves Her faithful with more money than they can easily spend personally. It is the ambition of most to transition over to investments. The GROUP NAME in particular focus on more risky investments-- anyone can buy into a stable, long-running concern. Those of the GROUP are more inclined to assist daring new businesses, or perhaps new adventurers, fresh out of the School of Heroes. A return is always expected; perhaps a young water scholar would be financed early on, with the expectation that they will heal the investor through a daring exploration. In a perfect world, everyone benefits. In an imperfect world, the GROUP MEMBER turns debt collector, and extracts what they are owed by any means necessary.
Individual Followers
Followers of Ayaunj are generally congenial, pleasant folk, right up until the moment someone fails to meet expectations. They may genuinely care about others or not, but they thrive on community for protection and advancement. Solitude rarely sits well with the Ayaunji. They tend to be extremely focused on how they will benefit from their circumstances. This may be in the form of a need to 'win' conversations, in the manner of Ayaunj herself-- and only Her exemplars manage to succeed at this without destroying personal relationships in the process. The unskilled believer might be overanalytic, refusing to commit to situations and missing opportunities in the process.
In general, before committing, Ayaunji must be convinced of the benefit of doing so. This need not be material gain-- the trade of favours or goodwill are certainly of value, and for the right person even maintaining friendship might well be a solid reason. Without that benefit, that reason, Ayaunji can be slapdash or lazy if they offer their services at all. If they have better things to be doing with their time, they will do it.
Ayaunj is most popular amongst the nefortu, though aelin have a greater appreciation for Her than they do for most nefortean concepts, finding much to appreciate in orderly contracts. She is almost exclusively worshipped in large settlements; Var Bandor has a great many dedicants, and the city of the Kohlis was founded in Her name, under the sign of Her sacred amber dragon. She is little-liked in Rahh-Nefor, hearkening back to the centuries-old rift between She and Tzajai. The lawful scholars in general serve Her in significant numbers, offering services in vast demand by adventurers and the mainstream alike. Most merchants will offer up a prayer to Her in times of need whether they dedicate themselves or not. Her temples tend to be elaborate, gloriously-decorated affairs, showcasing the wealth of the faithful; those who prefer a quieter display tend to do so within their own homes.
Though She Herself is a sponsor of the Grand Federation of Merchants, civic-minded Ayaunji may find themselves at home in the Guardians and those whose avarice is more specifically intellectual could be lured to the Coven of the Shunned. Raider methodology is ill-compatible with Ayaunj, and the Champions find too many ethical questions surrounding the accumulation of wealth to accept Her faithful.
Relationships
Ayaunj maintains cordial relations with most of the gods; whether that is by her skill or their indifference is a thing that depends on the teller. Her relationship with Tzajai is fraught, running hot and cold depending on the both of their moods; her recent period of absence from the world is often ascribed to a lost bet with him. Rveyelhi is uncommonly pleased to work hand-in-glove with her; the societies he builds offer much to one who would seek advancement, even at the detriment of others. Similarly, when Lilune is in a building mood, she finds herself quite pleased with Ayaunj's impact on expanding societies. Iandir by and large considers her an asset; she defines and organizes rules for daily life, and this pleases him. Ayaunj has commissioned Dolgrael's artifice on numerous occasions; the amber dragon is of his craft with license granted to her. Some gods do outright dislike her; while he can appreciate a twisted contract, Ayaunj is generally far too literal-minded to hold Serachel's interest. Meanwhile, Nariel finds Ayaunj utterly contemptible on the ideological level; wealth is far better put to the service of all than the one. Others such as Rystaia and Jalassa find themselves in rare agreement here: much harm can be done with Ayaunj's ways, but one willingly compelled to action or inaction may be far less willing to do wrong than others.
Shrines, Sigils, and Mobs
Areas
- None
Rooms
- The Altar of the Dragon (vnum 1950)
- Shrine to the Dragon (vnum 2912)
- The Treasure Hall of the Merchants (vnum 3821)
- A Tiny, Cluttered Space (vnum 6347)
Sigils
- None
Mobs
- The amber dragon (vnum 2900) - A dragon seen as a sign of Ayaunj's favor
God Mark
- Something
Notes, Logs, and Other Documents
(Fill this in!)
Helps
- None
Lore
Logs
- None
