Rahh-Nefor

Lissost's Journal

Notes from obj 23065 - the journal of Lissost (Lissost is an NPC Seeker of Knowledge in Rahh-Nefor)

Page One

After considerable discussion, Pohe, Gylion, and I finally conviced Gwyd to join us on a venture to the far-off caverns of the Rahh-Nefor. I had enlisted Pohe and Gylion, long-time travelling companions, quite easily as they are never ones to turn down the chance to explore a new corner of Avendar. We set out in morning. The reports of this venture will be sure to make a fine presentation for the Assembly!

7 o'clock pm, Iolenday, 11th day of Kyanamir According to the directions I obtained from a portly merchant who spoke to us of the caves a few days ago, we followed south and west along the Dantaron. We used the first of our supply of flight potions to get over the huge waterfall that spills from the mountain lake that is the source of the Dantaron. The beauty of the falls and the mountain lake requires a bard's tongue to do it justice. We camped on the west shore of the lake, where the dark tunnel leading to Rahh-Nefor begins. Gwyd had been a bit melancholy--like most rangers, he is a man of the open spaces, and despises deep, dark caverns. He has been suffering from a cold as well. A fine-looking mountain hawk that lives on the lake's edge has been speaking with him. Perhaps his animal friend will accompany us and help cheer him up.

11 o'clock pm, Thelansday, 12th day of Kyanamir The descent through the tunnels was a testament as to why this place is so little-known on the surface. Vertical drops through thin shafts of stone, an aggressive formation of eslingalis, species verdithius (common name-verdah slime), and dangerous blasts of wind through a narrow lava vent kept us on our toes. Once into the great cavern, we spent most of the day scouting around the southern half of the sea, finding little more than fish and the neforteans who fished for them.

Tragedy struck our group today shortly after making camp around 7 pm. We had stopped in a cavern, nearly hidden in a recess on a narrow ledge along the western side of the lake. Before we had even set up watch, we were attacked by a small granite drake. Gylion was slain--alas that we brought no water scholar--before we could wound the drake and drive it away. I created a small tremor to hide the cavern entrance with rubble and boulders, lest the drake return to feed on our friend's corpse.

Though we are all quite sad over the loss of Gylion, Pohe is in a fury. He vows to see how well the drakes fight a prepared group. Tomorrow, I'm sure he'll have ample opportunity to fulfill the vow, as we explore the northern half of the sea and the lower air levels, and I attempt to glean information about this place from its residents.

Page Two

I spoke with various nefortu to information about the folk here: a merchant, a few drunks at in the common area up in the stalactites, and an old fellow who demanded 50 gold before he would say a word. Everyone else just sneered when I approached them. Well, if 50 gold were always the price of knowledge, we Seekers would be poor but happy.

The Nefortu call this vast sea cavern Rahh-Nefor. In their language, it means, simply enough, 'The Nefortu Sea', and designates both the particular colony of nefortu, and this gigantic sea-cavern.

The Rahh-Nefor have ongoing conflict with the granite drakes that roost in the southern area of the cave in a giant crevice. The drakes primarily feed on fish, a drunk told me, but then he showed me a nasty scar and told me that they didn't think twice about eating a slow nefortu. I don't doubt the drunk was very lucky in his encounter.

The following pages detail the information I've collected thusfar.

Page Three

When I asked about their leadership, I got sneers and chuckles in response. I did manage to find out from the old fellow that there is no official authority, nor formal rule of law, as one would find in a more advanced society. However, there several primary figures in the nefortu colony: the leader of the Ajim-Chiaj, a group of templars who lead the fight against the drakes; the soothsayer, a primitve alchemist who is the closest thing the colony has to a priest; an air shaman and a fire shaman, who each perform a particular role in the colony; and the matron, the oldest nefortu female, who has the responsibility to care for the young (and, if I am told correctly, is well-paid to put up with them!).

Other than that, the civilization is quite unstructured, bound together by old tradition, mutual distrust, and common business interest.

Several of them were angry at the Ajim-Chiaj, and one old fellow told me (after looking around to see that we were alone) they were worse than the drakes--they force a "protection tax" on the colony. He said they could eradicate the drakes whenever they wanted, but colony wouldn't long stand for their strong-arming and harrassment without their also helping to occasionally push the drakes to the southern ends of the sea-cave.

Page Four

Regarding diet, the Rahh-Nefor, like the drakes, feed primarily on fish and seaweed found in the large sea below their dwellings. They do have steady trade and regular merchant visitors, and so have developed a taste for foreign food, though they prefer fish above all else.

Regarding clothing, they are quite aware of the styles and events up on the surface world. They import much of their clothing and styles are generally influenced by Var Bandorian pan-Avendarian sensibilities. However, they do have a fascination with rings and piercings--ear rings, nose rings, wing rings, even toe rings! The most successful merchant in the cavern is the ring trader.

Page Five

Regarding language, they speak the tongue common to all of their race, but have developed particular proverbs and idioms. I offered a gold per expression, in the tavern, and had to stop eventually as it became clear they were making them up on the spot. But the following are those which seemed most genuine, along with the interpretations they gave me.

Proverbs

- Dice, not stars, are faithful.            (trust to luck over fate, gods)
- The sharpest sword cuts best.             (skill, not size, matters)
- Not every light's the cave entrance.      (don't be duped by shiny goods)
- Every worm has its hole.                  (always have a back-up plan)
- Alatharya have thick fingers.             (good thieves must be clever)
- Today's fire won't smoke tomorrow's fish. (think long-term for profit)
- The mouth that always talks never eats.   (don't give away secrets)
- Verdah are philosophers.                  (idle thinking brings no profit)
 

Idioms -- as they don't often translate well, my definitions are approximate.

- A coin has two faces.                     (luck, bad or good, will change)
- trade gold for copper                     (to be drunk or crazy)
- have seven rings and nine scars           (to not learn from experience)
- be perched on a pike                      (be in a dangerous situation)
- to eat ash with Bayyal                    (negative but just consequence)
- a Tzajai gift                             (a mixed blessing)
- flap your arms                            (do something the wrong way)
- haggle with rings in your tongue          (be an unskilled trader)
- unsmoked fish                             (plain, bland, boring, innocent)
- to have one's spikes pointed inward       (to be the worst sort of stupid)

Page Six

"ayzal" (luck charm): a ritualistic behavior performed to bring good luck. This is like the warriors of my homeland who always eat the same meal before battle, or refuse to wash their underclothes after a victory. Absolutely disgusting!

Some of the nefortu spend a great amount of time considering what might have contributed to their good luck, and then repeating the circumstances. They'll also avoid circumstances connected with past bad luck.

"ayyth" (luck sign): many nefortu eventually settle on not only a lucky number, but a lucky day/month, lucky metal, lucky animal, and all manner of other signs of luck. A nefortu may have hundreds of ayyths to consider before making decisions.

"ntul jial" (parental debt): parents in the sea-cave make a small profit on offspring because offspring are required to pay off a "parental debt" and cannot keep money for themselves until they have done so. Parents use this money to pay the nefortu who handle the communal childcare, and they pocket a small profit besides (the whole point of having children, or why bother, one fellow told me!).

Adolescent nefortu of Rahh-Nefor make it a priority to trade/steal/do whatever they can to get the coin to pay off the parental debt, and aren't considered adult until they have done so. Many nefortu have a "Yaye Kiyn" (wind money), orcoming of age party when the last of ntul jial is paid. These parties are infamous for involving much drink and naughtiness.

Page Seven

"jwaol" (memory ring): Nefortu of Rahh-Nefor will often get a new piercing and a new ring to commemorate a special event or other significant experience. These rings are usually worn in the ears, on the nose, or lips, but could be--and are--put anywhere.

"aychalqa (luck bones)": consulting a shaman, who will roll bones or consult bloodspatter to determine answers to questions or to help make important decisions. If far from access to a shaman, rolling dice or tossing a coin for onesself is considered less lucky but still better than nothing.