ICE DADDY

name: navya  age: 33 affiliation: delfikru occupation: inn keeper & sira ( translation: sex worker ) 

navya works in, and helps run, a successful inn & brothel within the southern boarder of delfi. roan met her during the second year of his exile. he had sought refuge and paid for a room. while he hadn’t been there for any other services than a roof over his head, the woman spent much of the evening speaking to him as it was a quieter night. they were undeniably drawn to each other. the two wound up sleeping together; while there were no strings attached or expectations. roan visited the inn a handful of times that year when passing through the area. they haven’t been intimate since but still feel a close connection. 

name: tobias  age: 46 affiliation: louwoda kliron occupation: farmer

during the beginning of his third year, roan was desperate and attempted to steal some freshly butchered game. he was caught by the owner of the property. instead of attacking him, or turning him away, tobias showed compassion. he allowed roan to stay with him and his family for a week. while he was planning on leaving after one night, they insisted he take time to recuperate instead. he had suffered a minor injury and the stresses of travel were clearly wearing upon him. the family invited him to stay longer but he felt he couldn’t rightfully impose anymore, and moved on after the week was up. 

name: cara age: 31 affiliation: podakru occupation: seamstress & trader 

first acquainted with each other during his trips to polis when he was still a prince, cara was the main person roan would go to when he needed supplies. she cared little for political expectations or whatever repercussions most feared when it came to an outcast like him. she simply wanted to do her job, which was trade and sell her goods and services. she always welcomed roan in her trading post. 

name: joshua age: 39 affiliation: sangeda occupation: healer

              based on: azgeda spirituality  - @azhefa goufeim - the child taker

a small creature that burrows into the earth and lives inside the soil. It has sharpened teeth and the body of a young child covered in mud. tts fingernails are long and sharp, its eyes black. it only comes out when the sun has set, searching for children to consume. if there is a deformed child born, they must be brought into the forest that night and left to the goufeim to eat. if the goufeim is not fed, it will seek out the healthy children of the village, luring them out into the forest by mimicking the sound of the crying children they devour. koja - the spirits of honor

MAJOR DEITIES

— beka (savior & all mother): beka is widely believed to have come down from the skies and blessed humanity with life. while the fleimkepa believe her to be the goddess of all, many clans formed their own beliefs. azgeda widely believes her to have saved their ancestors from praimfaya with her blood as a sacrifice. but belief in the divinity of commanders is often disputed.  — afrei (goddess of war): represented by a woman on a white horse, skin painted in blood. warriors use the blood of sacrifices as warpaint, believing it is blessed and carries protective energy.  — heisef (goddess of death & life): represented by a two headed woman, death represented by a skull with a wreath of poisonous berries, life represented by a young woman with a laurel of snow flowers. the right hand is life’s and is held when a soul enters a vessel, the left belongs to death and is held when a soul leaves the body.  — houdas (goddess of the hunt): represented by a black wolf with a rabbit in her mouth. hunters will often give offerings to wolves before they hunt to increase their fortune. traditionally a portion of every hunt is put upon an altar to give honor to houdas. (wolves have a great deal of symbolism in their culture. for example, it is also believed if a wolf forms a bond with a human that wolf is a reincarnation of a loved one).  — nomon (goddess of childbirth): simply referred to as ‘mother’ or ‘the mother’ she aids women in childbirth. she is often called upon to bless pregnancies and families. if a woman dies during or after labour she comes to collect their souls and comfort them. she gives them the power to protect their children. when a mother dies in childbirth she remains in the spiritual realm to guide her kin until their fight ends. she is there to greet them so they may both be at peace and continue their cycle. 

MINOR DEITIES

— esabou (spirit of the harvest): represented by an albino hawk carrying a bunch of pine needles in his talons. hawks are generally considered a sign of prosperity and good luck.  — orou (spirit of winter): represented by a family of foxes. it is believed if you see more than one white fox at once you have been visited by this spirit.  — nusai (spirit of marriage): man with the legs of deer, human torso and humanoid face with antlers. commonly perceived as male but is considered a fluid spirit. they are a representation of fertility and family. priestesses call upon him to bless couples during marriage ceremonies, usually the participants being joined will use a paste made of powder from ground down antlers to anoint each other. 

AFTERLIFE

BODY SPECS  〉INITIATION SCAR

while the purpose of the scars on roan’s face is clear  (  a status symbol of the royal family  ), the design on his back is more elusive to understand. the reason is how deeply personal it is for him. he got this mark after his initiation as a warrior. it is common for seconds to get scars after they graduate. but for roan, it was more than a flex of strength. it is a reminder of the seconds lost throughout his life. particularly, the wing shape is in honor of lyon, the boy he was matched against in his single combat to the death. he cared deeply for him and had a romantic connection. the wing shape was selected due to lyon having had a pet hawk, and homage to his general liking for birds. roan was grieving after the completion of his training. he never wanted to forget the sacrifices that had to be made for him to reach his place in life. the scar is not only for lyon, but for every life laid down for him. 

reindeer are the most commonly hunted game in azgeda. there are some herds which are raised by humans, but there are more wild herds than domesticated ones. moose are often seen in the woods. though something of an alarming sight, especially ones which have growths or larger size due to radiation, they typically are not a threat. it’s commonly understood you simply leave them alone and stay out of the way. only the most skilled hunters seek them out and even then it’s rare. 

AZGEDA AESTHETICS 〉THRONE ROOM

the throne of azgeda is a mix of bone and wood carving. there are animal and human bones weaved throughout as pictured on the left. the stature of it is closer to that of what is pictured to the right. the backing reaches to the ceiling, with a carving of a wolf’s head protruding out and over looking the seat. rather than wood carvings, the armrests are fitted with wolf skulls on either side. fixed around the base of the throne are human skulls. some of them belonged to previous royals  (  nia’s would have been cleansed and placed there if lexa had not withheld her body  ). it’s a very intimidating sight to behold, especially when a king or queen of azgeda is sitting upon it outfitted in their full ceremonial dress.

AZGEDA AESTHETICS  〉CLOTHING

azgeda do not wear patchwork remnants of clothes made hundreds of years ago. early on their ancestors had to learn how to make pelts, how to create leather and sew it together with what the earth provided. as their environment began to recover, and skill grew with each generation, they began to learn how to make their own fabrics. while azgeda mostly produces leathers, furs, and pelts, they trade with allies for other fabric materials. various clans perfected different ways of creating clothing and knowledge circulated. 

typical ice nation dress are leather pants, fur boots, shirts made of furs and hides, topped with pelts, leather jackets, or fur cloaks to keep them warm. many pieces might be lined with wool on the inside for further insulation. while the main goal of clothing in azgeda tends to be functionality and warmth, within cities, especially in troit, there is a space for elevated craftsmanship. seamstresses began trading with other clans, finding more colorful fabrics of varying materials to craft clothing which would also be beautiful, not just warm.

there is a certain level of wealth in many cities, an upper class of nobles and war chiefs who hold a level of status which warrants the ability of sellers to appeal to their desire to stand out. it isn’t uncommon for people who work in the palace to be seen wearing more luxurious items. those of a higher place in society will, when appropriate and functional, wear clothing with imported materials. dresses dyed colorful colors, lined with fur and padded with wool, coats made from treated leathers with shining metal buckles, stones, and trinkets, along with jewelry carved of bone or decorated with various items produced from ruins, etc. azgeda tends to have seasonal celebrations and feasts, and even those of lower classes in azgeda use these opportunities to wear their most beautiful items. 

THE DEMON OF AZGEDA  〉AZKRIPA

everyone loves a good rumor. 

the war between trikru and azgeda gave the prince a reputation. the ice nation is known for its ruthlessness in battle, the prowess of their warriors and bulk of their armies. roan led many battles during the war. the campion and pride of azgeda. easy to instill loyalty in his people and fear in his enemies. it was a reputation which could easily follow him and become twisted. when he was cast out, forced to be banished by decree of the commander, the only way to bring his people peace, the rumors began. 

slowly one story would turn to many, details would become skewed. no longer a tragedy but a horror. a little lie began to spread that maybe, the prince was sent away because he had done something so monstrous even azgeda itself would no longer accept him. the story was never the same. maybe he went mad and began killing his own people. maybe he was too driven by his thirst for blood and murdered a lover. maybe…the power of suggestion is an awful thing. 

roan is the only child of queen nia. he was born in her early 20s, not long after her marriage to the war chief, toron. despite appearances, the two cared for each other. it was a marriage of politics but they had a bond, a love of their own kind even. there simply was not time for another. it was their duty to produce an heir and once that was done they were focused on their vision for azgeda. they planned on more, but that never happened as toron was slain in battle when roan was 10 years old. 

nia had lovers but she never had another child after that. she didn’t have the heart for it and she was more determined than ever to expand azgeda in the way they dreamed. she threw herself into her duties, into her ambitions. she cared for roan and loved him, even though she was a harsh and often cold woman. the chill of her personality set in the older she became and it affected her relationship with her son. roan was very much like his father and it made it difficult at times for nia to face him. 

lexa choosing to have the condition of surrender be the queen’s son was so merciless and affective because he was all she had. she was the only thing besides azgeda itself that she loved and the commander knew this. it would mean very little for her to have that be the cost if she had other children, backup heirs. as seemingly selfish as nia can be, as cold and cruel as she is, she did not hate roan. she loved him. her love was twisted by grief and anger and a lust for war, but she cared for him. she did not cast him aside with ease.