Igen Groups Theme Overview

Bazaarfolk & Traders

If the dragonmen think they're the top canines, the Bazaarfolk know they're the ones who have been actually keeping it afloat. Igen's Bazaarfolk are a rare breed: medieval capitalists embarking on turning a once unused part of the Weyr into a sort of permanent Gather. Some of them are members of very old and very venerable families, usually Trader clans. Others are bright young men and women from Hold and Hall, trying to make a name for themselves in an exciting atmosphere.

The lure of the Bazaar has led to many Trader caravans abandoning their traditional routes and ancient ways in favor of sticking close to home - or even turning sedentary - and the ancient Thread shelters lie half-abandoned, the ways of surviving Threadfall in the open forgotten over the generations. And the wealth of the Bazaar has attracted more than just the respectable caravans: crime runs rampant in their midst. Some of them are even causing it.

Crafters

And let's not forget the Crafters! Igen has a fair number of Crafters posted, their quarters and workshops found off the Bazaar. Some are there as part of Hall tithes to the Weyr; others are there to work both Weyr and surrounding area; yet others are there to serve as permanent vendors in the bustling Bazaar. Even more conservative than the riders, they are mostly men: women are rarely welcome in 12th Pass Crafthalls, and those few girls who embark on apprenticeships require tough skin.

Many techniques of the 10th Interval have been lost in four hundred turns of upheaval, and the Crafts have regressed in more than just their worldviews. At Igen, with its Oldtimer connections to Southern's renegade Crafters, some ancient knowledge is slowly starting to flow back into circulation.

Riders

The crème de la crème, the top of the heap, the whole reason the Weyr exists in the first place. At least as far as they're concerned, anyway. With the Pass upon them, Igen's dragonriders must settle into the business of protecting their territory. It is a rigorous and dangerous life: it's not by chance that gold dragons lay many and large clutches during Passes. Attrition is a brutal fact of life.

A dragonrider's life is dominated by two things: their duties to their dragon, and their duties to their wing. Dragons are huge animals, and they take a LOT of washing, and oiling, and feeding. They need their wounds tended. They need to have their bedding changed. They need to have their straps checked, and re-checked, and checked again. When a rider isn't taking care of their dragon, they're often busy with their wing. A rider typically has one rest day a sevenday: any other non-Fall day will feature long and rigorous drilling on the wing's time, and persnickety formation memorization on the rider's own time. Drills are often rotated through various points of the day, so riders do not (generally) have long-term predictable schedules.

What riders get for this is an otherwise comfortable life: they generally have first pick of the Weyr's stored goods, their living quarters are far and away the most spacious, and riders are generally free and able to visit any corner of Pern. They also get respect: Holders and Crafters are very grateful to their protectors, in a way that an unscrupulous rider can easily exploit for their own benefit. (Well - at the lower levels, anyway. The upper ranks in Holds and Crafts dicker and chafe against the tithes, complain about every burrow, etc.)

Weyrfolk

The people who keep the Weyr running: the cooks, laundry workers, nannies, and the like. Housed alongside the Bazaarfolk in the resident terraces, regular Weyrfolk occupy an odd position in Igen. Being an official worker for the Weyr carries its benefits - a clear and settled place in the hierarchy, and easy access to the stores. But it also means regularly and constantly rubbing shoulders with people who will always outrank you (unless you, too, Impress). And, well - being proper Weyrfolk is seen as a little dull and unambitious, when you could take your skills across the Bowl and ply them for potentially greater returns. Unsurprisingly, the Weyr proper has trouble holding onto its staff.

Igen Riders

The Desert Rider

So you've embarked on a life as a rider at Igen! Harper's Tale is a Pass game, and this means you get to play a character who is performing their primary function: helping protect the Pernese from the celestial menace. While HT prides itself on providing opportunities to ALL our character types - we are not one of those M*s where Search is the only game in town - neither do we try to deny the special thrill of playing one of Pern's protectors.

What To Remember When Playing A Rider!

  • We are in a Pass. In the early Pass, Threadfall is irregular enough that riders may go a while in between Falls - but the threat is always and constantly looming over them. Therefore, remember: fighting Thread is your primary purpose in life. Surviving it is your chief interest. Thread may not be something you're RPing every scene, but dragonriders tend to develop a certain awareness of their own mortality.
  • Your dragon is the most important thing in your life. No matter how much your character might love their friend, their weyrmate, their child, a dragonrider will always love their lifemate most. Please bear this in mind when considering your character's priorities. Along the same lines, We STRONGLY advise using caution when it comes to ideas like unhealthy or unhappy rider/dragon relationships. OOCly, it's a cliche that's notoriously hard to play well; ICly, a bad bond is rare, and tends to get you killed.
  • Dragonriders are hierarchical. Your character doesn't have to like the Weyrleader, the Weyrwomen, their wingleadership, or any other member of the leadership. They will, however, treat them with respect - or suffer the consequences. It is not cool to be an order-defying badass. It's just going to get you killed - and maybe someone else with you.

Igen Wings

Like most Weyrs, Igen has several different wings, all of which fulfill particular roles in and out of Threadfall. In the midst of the Pass, Threadfall roles trump all other. Thread is fast and easy for dragons to miss, so Igen's wings tend to fly like a layer cake: high altitude on the top to take the initial barrage in a rough'n'dirty dissipation of the biggest clumps, mid altitude to take on the bulk of what remains, and low altitude to perform the precision work of catching the strays before they can hit ground.

Look at the Wings

Igen Wings

High Altitude

…. high above the rest, these heavyweights take the first full force of impact ….

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Whirlwind

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Sirocco

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Sandblast (NPC)


Mid Altitude

…. stuck in the middle with you, these methodical midweights take down what the high-fliers missed ….

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Arroyo

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Parhelion

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Vesper


Low Altitude

…. just when they thought all hope was lost, here they come to save the day ….

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Mirage

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Oasis

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Tumbleweed (Idle PCs)


Decomissioned

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Hogback (NPC)

Igen Weyrfolk

The Weyr

Igen Weyr proper is a collection of riders and weyrfolk who interact in a variety of ways. Most all of weyr function is devoted to keeping hundreds of dragons and their riders fit and flying. Look no further for information about both sides of that mark.

What To Remember When Playing Weyrfolk!

  • We are in a Pass. And you are at ground zero of having to interact with riders on an extremely regular basis. They're going to expect a little respect, a little consideration. Weyrfolk get to see regular reminders of just how dangerous a rider's life is, and just how much riders are putting on the line: you WILL see injured riders and injured dragons, and you'll see the empty seats as Thread claims lives. Sassing a rider - especially a highly ranked rider - can be a risky proposition.
  • There are benefits and drawbacks to being Weyrfolk. The biggest benefit is that the Weyrfolk, working directly for the Weyr, benefit directly from Weyr tithes: they can easily get free food without having to do anything extra for it, they get their clothing provided for it, they get their basic needs met. Moreover, Weyrfolk have security: a Bazaar job might dry up very suddenly, but the Weyr's not going anywhere, and it looks after its own. The chief drawback is limited mobility; there are only a tiny handful of 'ranking' positions open to non-riders working directly for the Weyr (Head(wo)man, Guard Captain, Head Cook, Head Nanny).

Notable Career Paths

Igen Guard

Once a laughing stock and an embarrassment, the Guard is… very gradually… starting to improve. VERY gradually. It's been a hard process. There are still a number of stinkers in the force, though some things - like any bribe-taking that extends past a cup of klah or a piece of pastry - have gone from generally accepted to harshly punished.

  • The Guard have gone through a few different captains in the past couple of turns, as the leadership try to find one they actually LIKE. The current leader is Guard Captain Ladivos. As the Guards are non-riders, Ladivos answers primarily to the Senior Weyrwoman and her staff (the Jr. Weyrwomen, the Headwoman, etc.)
  • Until the beginning of the Pass, the Guards were male-only. At the request of the Weyrwomen, female recruits are being tentatively worked into the group.
  • The Guards wear simple brown uniforms while on duty, complete with (very limited) leather armoring on the chest, arms, and legs. On their shoulders they wear the Weyr's black-and-yellow insignia, with stripes to indicate their rank.
  • They have the option to live in the Guardhouse barracks, although some (especially those who are Igen natives) prefer to live at home with their families.
  • The Guard's principle duty is to patrol the Bazaar, although they are stationed elsewhere in the Weyr as well: any place with a large number of people regularly passing through may have a guard.

General RP Hooks for Weyrfolk

If you snag one of these, put your name after it. Repeats welcome!

  • Temp
  • Temp
  • Temp

Igen Crafters

Crafting In A Desert

Working in a desert environment like Igen can present its challenges and opportunities - and certain crafts find it more hospitable than others. The energy (competition, hazing, thievery…) produced by proximity to the Bazaar can also be a bit daunting for newly arrived Apprentices expecting more structure and respectability.

What To Remember When Playing A Crafter!

  • Stamps still have meaning. Despite the competition inherent in having the Bazaar and all of its exotic goods so close nearby, Craft-stamped goods have managed to retain their value. They still manage to sell at a higher price than strictly Bazaar-goods, even the ones that are bargained to be sold out of the same stall to show approval.
  • Selling your trade outside of Craft-approved locations is punishable. Besides competition, the Bazaar can provide other temptations. However, it still remains true that selling your Craft-quality goods outside of a Craft location - meaning it hasn't been sanctioned by the posted Maser - can be punishable by demotion and even exile from the Hall. Doesn't mean people don't do it! But just remember to be covert, or it could come back around to ICC.

PC Crafters


Igen Crafts

Harpers

Notable Igen Flavor: The Weyrharper is Kithak.

Healers

Notable Igen Flavor: The Weyrhealer is Jhothulos.

Herders

Notable Igen Flavor: The Weyrherder is Sinashal.

Miners

Notable Igen Flavor: The Weyrminer is Hebal.

Smiths

Notable Igen Flavor: The Weyrsmith is Grabak.

Tanners

Notable Igen Flavor: The Weyrtanner is Daeven.

Vintners

Notable Igen Flavor: Igen likes their booze, and there is always room for a solid vintner. Journeyman Eollyn has established Corks and Works in the Bazaar, and previously Mayte was snatched from their ranks to ride for the Weyr - and then later transferred. The Weyrvintner is Sietros.

Weavers

Notable Igen Flavor: Weaving in Igen can sometimes take on a different, almost ignored, feel - thanks to the Bazaar and its own cultural and fashionable wares. Weyrweaver Jiarema doesn't necessarily push for much more than Weyr garment repair. Currently, tapestry specialist Merid has been delayed at the Weyr due to an injury. Somehow, this has been blamed on the Weyr, despite that it apparently occurred at the time of the Crafter Convention. Ceris celebrated a recent promotion to Jr. Journeyman. Apprentice Paloma and Jr. Journeyman Esmenet are also new arrivals.



Text under collapsibles from Game Staff NPC Areas page.


Kurkar Hold

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Leadership: Lord Jairab and Lady Sytrenne

Coverage Area: Igen Weyr

Political Alignment: Liberal

Reputation: This place was once scary, dark and full of criminals. It became slightly less so since Igen Weyr first attempted to create true ties, but that's most of what the Igen protectorate thought of it until fairly recently. A forgotten scion of the Rokuul blood, Jairab, returned to Kurkar and, through means still speculated upon by many, turned the place into something…respectable. There are still many dark corners for shady dealings to take place, but guards won't necessarily look the other way. Jairab and his Igen-blooded Lady, Sytrenne, encourage honest labor and bustling trade as they continue to grow their Hold, hoping to see it elevated from Minor to Major in the next handful of Turns.

Colors: Orange, Tan, and Black

Keep an eye out for more to come!

Much has changed from what "The Underground" once was! Though if you look closely, echoes remain. You can find the original plot page here and the room descs over at Igen Room Images.

The Bazaar

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The Bazaar is the center of trade at Igen Weyr, boasting a wide variety of shops, stalls and carts through its central square and meandering side streets. It has the reputation for being a place where anyone can find anything, for the right price, and while many of the businesses are entirely legitimate, who knows what shady dealings go on in those twisted alleys. Colorful as it may be, there is the pervading sense of 'buyer beware'.




What To Remember When Playing Bazaarfolk!

  • We are in a Pass. While the Bazaar used to rule the Igen roost (in fact, if not theory)… the pendulum has swung rapidly back towards the Weyr now that Thread is falling. This means that open disrespect for riders, once tolerated, is a bad idea. Your character doesn't have to like it, but they're going to have to face it. With Pass tithes coming in, the Bazaar needs the Weyr more than the Weyr needs the Bazaar… although the Bazaar will always find its way.
  • The Bazaar is shady, but not lawless. The Bazaar is patrolled by the Weyr-appointed Guards. Certainly, they are not, historically, very competent… and the area definitely has a little more tolerance for rough'n'tumble aspects… but open and flagrant lawbreaking is a good way to get arrested, maybe even exiled, possibly even executed if it's severe enough. While Igen allows a greater degree of shadiness than most Pern games, ALWAYS remember that ICA=ICC will apply to you.
  • Please bear in mind the limits of game canon in terms of what types of businesses exist in Igen. Stores selling Craft-type goods are typically affiliated with Crafts, although not exclusively - though without a Craft stamp, goods sell for less. Businesses requiring vast amounts of space are not plausible; the Bazaar area is only big enough to house about two thousand people, and space is at a premium. If you aren't certain your business idea would fly, please shoot a message to *igenstaff for clarification! Thanks!

General RP Hooks for Bazaarfolk

  • Vitus Steen has put out word to hire workers to build roads within and without the Bazaar. Raised slightly up off the ground, supported by mud and gravel, and topped with pavers, these roads are intended to last the trial of time - and Igen's frequent sandstorms. Purportedly a work of charity for the Bazaar's benefit, the project is being pushed by Steen with Tlatoani support. The hiring is indiscriminate - any with two working hands will quickly find marks in them should they wish to put a little of their time towards the endeavor. - Contact: Midra / Vitus updated 2016
  • Word is scarce, but it is out… a guardsmen— made of Bazaarfolk? Confidence over the Weyr-run guard has lifted an inkling since the past, but what changes could it mean if the Bazaar governed itself… ? - Contact: Gottfried updated 2023

If you snag one of these, put your name after it. Repeats welcome!



PC Businesses

PC businesses are those owned and run by PCs. Whether or not their spaces are available for public scenes is at the discretion of the owner and designated below. If a room is open to the public, it means that anyone may play there whether or not the owner is online. If a space is not public, that room is private and should not be used without the owner's permission.



Eateries



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Dustbowl Cantina

Business: Bar
Owner: Topiltzin
Staff: Avedis, Alder, Mecatl (NPC bartender)
Formerly PC Staff/Former Staff: Atzi, Atticus, Chel, Nayemi, R'ku
Location: Central Bazaar
Public: Yes

The Dustbowl Cantina has been an Igen fixture for at least two centuries, if not longer. A large establishment, it is the de facto (if dusty) crown jewel of the Bazaar's various bars and eateries. The Dustbowl sells spirits, cold drinks, and food, but perhaps its biggest draw is the prospect of free entertainment. Sometimes that comes from musicians and other performers. Rather more often, it comes from fights.

Traditionally run by a much-respected elder of the Tlatoani trader clan, the bulk of its workers come from the same family. The Cantina is technically held by the clan as a whole, but working out who will actually run the place tends to be a complex and highly political process. Since its destruction and closure in the early 12th Pass, after the subsequent reopening and proprietor Jharlodar's retirement (presumably more related to age than the incident itself, though nobody's saying), relatively-young Topiltzin in his mid-thirties stepped up to the plate to fill the shoes left empty.

Supposedly, it closes — it never seems to — and there's just about always someone behind the bar.


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Corks and Works

Business: Wine and spirits
Owner: Eollyn
Staff: Taselle (NPC), Karrigon (NPC)
Location: Bazaar Sidestreet
Public: Yes

Day or night, this shop is well lit on the inside, by day with Rukbat's beams, and by night by the grace of many glowbaskets that are very liberally used to maintain lighting. When a chance is gained to look about the shop, one easily sees why - there are shelves upon shelves of wine here. The perimeter of the wine shop is lined by shelves four high, and each shelf is carefully stacked just short of bursting with wine of various vintages, regions, sweet or bitterness, and even more importantly, price. But lo, wine is not the only thing to be found on the shelves here - one wall is dedicated to other liquors, from ale to brandy to vodka, and many in between. A carefully written sign nearby says, 'if you don't see what you're looking for, let us know!' There are also a couple of shelves on the wall of the main door, dedicated to things not of vintner make. Although they are bare at the moment, a portable chalkboard plaque says, 'Sienna's Cheeses'.

Even the wall behind the counter has wine bottles on it, but it's the counter itself that is more of note. Approximately four feet high, there are wine bottles underneath as well - empty ones this time, as if to display the wines that have passed through here in the past. Many of which are highly remarkable in either name or vintage. The top of the counter is typically kept clean and polished to shine. A heavy book for keeping track of sales is atop the counter, as well as a stylus for writing with, and an inkwell. One of the shelves behind the counter has been reserved for clean wine glasses, and there is a tub for dirty glasses beneath it; next to it are small clothe bags with the shop's name embroidered into them, for the customers who buy more than a single bottle of wine.

In the middle of the room is a circular wooden display with spaces for wine bottles to be inserted, while the card on the little shelf below tells the name of the vintage or wine of the sevenday. A table and chairs are sometimes brought out from the storeroom to the front room, when there are particular customers about, or when there is a particular event going on. The shop itself is manned at all times, even during the night, sometimes by the feared Eollyn herself, and sometimes some of her apprentices.


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Miss June's Bakery

Business: Miss June's Bakery
Owner: Journeyman Baker Cahia
Staff: Cahia (owner), Hiela, and a few other rotating folks
Location: Bazaar Sidestreet
Public: Yes

A bakery specializing in hand pies and bubblies, it's run by Cahia (formerly owned by Miss June) and has been open for over 20 turns.


Ravene's Bakery and Sundry

Business: Bakery
Owner: Ravene (NPC)
Staff: Various street urchins working for food and a place to sleep when it's cold.
Location: Sidestreet
Public: Public room

Ravene's Bakery and Sundry is owned, and run by Ravene an Oldtimer Baker Journeyman who when faced with the choice of being run out of the craft she loves or being forced South, found a perfect solution. One that allowed her to remain a baker, if not within her chosen craft. She opened a bakery, and sold small knick-knacks to go with. Ravene is a firm believer of no one goes hungry. If you don't have the marks for the goods, there is always a chore that needs doing to pay for the food, klah, or whatever. A habit that Ravene has is one of giving street urchins shelter, and in return many of them do chores, and why not? Ravene feeds them, and often their families if they have any.

OOC-Ravene is always available as an NPC.


Steen's Spirit

Business: Vintner's Shop
Owner: Ramita
Staff: NPC, but contact Ramita if interested in vintner apprenticeship or shop-work
Location: TP Room
Public: Yes

This building serves dual purposes as both distillery and shop. The front half has many bottles mainly of infused vodkas (Ramita's specialty is peppery variations, but also fruit and other concoctions are on display) and gin. There's a small sitting area set up for tastings, though the bulk of the space is behind the shop counter where the stills are busy fermenting away.

Notable Drinks:

  • Dragon's Breath Vodka: Frequently sold as shots at the Pit, this concoction of the hottest peppers the Bazaar has to offer may make the drinker feel like they're breathing fire.
  • Desert Spring Vodka: Nowhere near as hot as Dragon's Breath, this vodka is just spicy enough to feel a bit of tingle (think Szechuan peppercorns)
  • Igen's Rose Gin: Made in rather small batches due to rarity of said wild desert roses. Notes of rose, berry and citrus.
  • B & B Gin: Includes blackberry and basil

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The Tea Room

Business: Cafe-style tea and nibblies; whole-sale tea and accessories
Owner: Daria (NPC)
Staff: Denuab
Location: Bazaar Sidestreet
Public: Public

The creatively named Tea Room offers a serene and comfortable establishment where people may sit (or recline) and sip refined beverages from teeny tiny teacups- pinkies in the air are optional but encouraged. They presently stock Fortian tea blends (similar to Earl Grey and English breakfast teas) but are slowly adding more exotic blends to the menu, as trade routes are established with Istan and Bollian concerns.



Goods & Services



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Grayden's Stall

Business: Second-hand junk, small bits-and-bobs, some imported herbs and spices, must be more than meets the eye?
Owner: Grayden
Staff: Grayden and, er, Grayden - sometimes whoever he can pay to stand around for a while
Location: Off to the side of the central bazaar
Public: NPC

So. Grayden's stall doesn't seem to have a lot to interest the average customer, but he does have some pretty loyal repeat business, by the looks of things. People who put in special orders seem to find him reliable at getting specialty items on the cheap. Window-shoppers might sometimes find a good bargain, but it's not a very busy place even on the best of days. Indeed, the proprietor is often found dozing in the shade - ready to wake if someone tries to pull a five-finger discount, but not likely to give most customers the best of his attention.

OOC: Clearly, Grayden operates less than on the up-and-up. You may have heard that he can procure things cheaply (and not necessarily legally).


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The Merry Marksman

Business: Conversion of barter goods or promises into Akzhan tokens, used for shopping and gambling throughout the Bazaar
Owner: Azrael Akzhan
Staff: Huseyin, proprietor; Members of the Akzhan family; hired muscle
Location: Igen Bazaar
Public: Public
Wiki Code:

[[f>image caravan:akzhan/merrymarksman.jpg class="img img-rounded"]]

The Merry Marksman exists to ameliorate the problems with a bartering culture, whether that is by providing tokens for easy gambling or allowing trade to flow between those who don't want to barter with specific objects. Akzhan tokens are effectively a form of IOU that may be bought with barter goods or advanced based on the stock value of a customer; the Akzhan then guarantees them. Theoretically, they can then be exchanged at the Merry Marksman for goods of equal value. Still, in effect, the tokens now operate as a shadow currency in the bazaar and hold value in their own right.

The Merry Marksman is a large building on a key thoroughfare in the Bazaar. The front room contains several chairs for waiting patrons, while behind the large desk in one corner, a staff member assesses deposits for their token value. Further rooms lead off from a long corridor piled high with barter goods. Hired muscle is always present to protect the stock, and some men are better at discretion than others.

OOC: Huseyin is rarely front-of-house at the Merry Marksman, but the assorted Akzhan men who man the front desk are free to be NPC'd.


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Rosie's Daughters

Business: Prostitution, cards, dice.
Owner: Rosie
Staff: Fasai (Trainer & Specialist), Layla (New Trainee)
Location: Off the Sidestreet
Public: Yes

Rosie's Daughters has existed in the Bazaar since there was a Bazaar, though it was only forty Turns ago that Rosie herself took over the operation and changed the name. Since then she has established herself as the place to go when looking to indulge in the fleshtrade, or to enjoy a game of cards or dice with a pretty young thing on your knee. Because of the nature of her business, Rosie is even more upright and law-abiding than her peers. Her girls (and the occasional boy) are expected to pay back the cost of their acquisition, training and upkeep after they debut and promising young people (particularly males, whose presence in the brothel is unacceptable by her rules and certain moral restrictions) are often shipped off to affiliated brothels throughout the Igen coverage area, and sometimes beyond.


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Wild Hearts, Runner Auction & Ranch

Business: Wildly sourced runners - semi and well-trained, ranch experiences, tours of the Steppe
Owner: Tiergney
Staff: Deliya, Joseia, Judah, Katiegh, Lukasz, Prue, Siveli, Thattik
Location: Southern Telgar Steppe (Ranch) and Bazaar Sidestreet (Auction House)
Public: Combination

Tiergney's team rounds up a group of wild desert runners to bring them back to the Bazaar to auction off for cheap prices. These are wild, unbroken, untrained runners with no known lineage, perhaps poor conformation, unknown temperament, and estimated ages.

The auction house is located on the outskirts of the Bazaar, and it consists of a sprawling stone stable, office, and tack room that is box-shaped, with a large arena within. The stalls for the staff's runners are kept separate from the stalls of the runners who have been trained and are currently for sale. The wild runners are kept in a series of pens until auction time, though if injured or ill, they may be moved to stalls.

The best runners from the round-up are taken back to her cothold in eastern Igen's territory to be broken/trained, eventually being sold in the Bazaar for a higher price, specifically for those looking to begin their own breeding line.

Wild Hearts Ranch also offers round-up day trips for the wealthy or those willing to pay who looking for the fun thrill of participating in a runner round-up, as well as overnight stays out of the cothold for those looking for a more immersive ranch experience. Be warned: they may even make you do the chores.



Spectacle



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The Pit

Business: Gladiatorial Combat
Owner: Vitus
Staff: Beris, Sezris(NPC), Sephus
Fighters: Meiar(NPC), Quellek
Location: Bazaar Sidestreet
Public: Yes

Generations ago, the Steen family was actually the Steen Caravan. They were like any other Igen traders, a tight-knit conglomeration of family that roamed the landscape peddling their wares and otherwise making a living however they could. Perhaps they had a reputation for being all too willing to leap into a brawl (and often came out on top) but for the most part, they were unexceptional.

What did finally make them exceptional was the foresight of their then-leader, known in family annals only as Father Steen. When the seasonal cluster of traders' tents at Igen Weyr became a Turn-round thing, the patriarch opted to stake his clan to land rather than the road and met with the then-Weyrleaders in private conference. What came of that meeting was residency for his entire family and a large patch of soil in the Bazaar's heart. For sevendays, he put his sons to digging out a huge pit in the ground and building whitewashed adobe walls around the hole. When they were finished, Igen's first official and professional gladiatorial arena was christened as…The Pit. Of course it was.

The family remade itself as business owners instead of trail peddlers. Where before they'd sold goods, now they sold the sweat of brow and back. Those who sought training as professional combatants were offered contracts of service for periods ranging from one to five Turns. Some of these went on to become minor celebrities around the Weyr, winning fame as victors or scooping up employment with the guards as a result of their tutelage under the Steen men. Matches were held that earned the family a great deal of money and though it was rumored that some of the rivalries that led to grudge matches under the Pit's white roof were orchestrated by the family, people still flocked to the galleries to cheer on their favorites.

All the while, they were cementing their reputation as foundation members of Igen's burgeoning Bazaar community. They gave generously to those in need, led regular initiatives to improve the Bazaar, tithed regularly to the Weyr for the honor of taking up their little hole in the ground, and generally became well respected by their peers.

It is a legacy that continues to this day. While it might be true that they have their hands in some illegal dealings in and outside of the Weyr, no can argue that the Steens haven't become a fixture at Igen, as much a part of the landscape as the Star Stones. Theirs is a name that carries weight.

OOC Note: Basically, the family runs a business that is a cross between the gladiatorial training centers/arenas of Ancient Rome (mostly without the slavery) and the World Wrestling Federation. They've been there since the start and fully intend to be there for generations to come. If you're interesting in app'ing into the family or the business, just @mail *iws!


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Racetrack

Business: Home of Igen's runner racing. Gambling and other vices catered to on race days. Attached stud farm breeds distinctive Akzhan runners.
Owner: Azrael Akzhan
Staff: Ysdidu, proprietor; Members of the Akzhan family; assorted others including jockeys, bartenders, and working women on race day
Location: Outside of the Weyr proper, towards the Western Road (Old Azkhan House - Nineveh's TP Room)
Public: Public
Wiki Code:

[[f>image caravan:akzhan/racetrack.jpg class="img img-rounded"]]

The Racetrack has been a fixture of Igen Weyr for several centuries, though it's a little walk from the Weyr proper towards the steppe. The grand sweep of the oval course is overseen at one end by a wooden tiered seating structure. Races take place regularly, and the annual championship draws crowds from as far away as Keroon Sea Hold. The desert track is famous for providing a demanding and treacherous race, and seeing runners and riders risk their necks is all part of the appeal. This doesn't stop people from bringing their children along, and race days are a curious split between a family day out for some and a chance for others to misbehave with serious consequences. Gambling, drinking, and whoring are all encouraged in the few adobe buildings that cluster at one end of the track — and the guards are far enough away that it's usually privately hired Akzhan muscle that keeps the peace.

Behind the Racetrack are the training grounds, used to prepare jockeys and the runners bred by the family. Akzhan stock is famous across the northern continent for its speed and stamina.


Tunnelsnake Fighting Ring

Business: Bloodsport. Tunnelsnake on tunnelsnake… maybe a little something on something else from time to time, too. Cheap booze and a barter stall.
Owner: Tharrier Sersang
Staff: The Sersang family, Reilan, various NPCs
Location: Bazaar Sidestreet
Public: Public

If you're one of the lucky few - the lucky men - to make it past the security that's always posted on the door, then congratulations: you're into one of the biggest boys' clubs in the bazaar. The front of the Ring looks just like the entrance to any other residence in the area, and once you're in, you're faced with the conversion counter. Trading in your goods for betting tokens before entering is a must; there'll always be a Sersang or two - notably Theibbet or Thirsby - to value whatever barter goods are handed over in exchange for the little clay marks that serve as currency within. There's no takesy-backsies, either - use it or lose it. Those words are engraved into the back wall of the token counter.

Carry on down a dark tunnel, and you'll suddenly find yourself in a courtyard between buildings, where the sun streams down and the crowd is likely thick and noisy. Fights take place mostly in the early evening leading on to late night and the wee hours, when the press of bodies and the flare of torches keep punters warm in the cool Igen nights.

The ring itself isn't huge, being roughly 4m in diameter, which means there's often jostling for standing space in the 10-deep tiers around it. It's lined with sand, occasionally fresh, often battle-stained, and there are two hatchways in the clay-built walls that surround it, through which the fight's opponents are forced.

On the edges of the ring, beyond the tiers, there's a hatch in a wall where punters can buy cheap alcohol. There's always nearly always a girl or three - the only ones in there - milling around selling booze from trays on neckstraps… and maybe selling a little something extra, if the price is right. Those who try to take advantage will likely find themselves tossed out by the ring's security.

OOC: The tunnelsnake fighting ring is a public area, though bear in mind that women are generally not allowed past the security at the door. That doesn't mean they can't dress up as guys to sneak in, though! ;)



In Memoriam



igenthenightflightburnt.jpg
The Night Flight (Destroyed)

Burned down completely during a fire on seventh day of the first month of the eleventh turn of the 12th pass (Log: Eggs 'n Embers).



NPC Businesses

NPC businesses are ideas that we might like to see, or have had mentioned as existing, but that are not currently on camera or run by any PC. Anyone interested in taking over an NPC business, or starting a new one, should contact Igen's staff.


Eateries / Klah Stands


Business: The Bistro
Owner: The Auvergne
Location: The Auvergne Quarter
Public: Yes
Blurb: Known to locals as 'the Auvergne cafe', it predates all but La Salonne; it has a place for those interested in charcuterie and wine, and a bakery built-in that sells the most whimsical mille-feuilles.


Business: The Creperie
Owner: The Auvergne
Location: The Auvergne Quarter
Public: Yes
Blurb: The offerings are very tasty. Sometimes the line winds 'round the block.


therise.jpg

Business: The Rise
Owner: Zershul
Staff: Margra
Location: Bazaar Sidestreet
Public: Yes
Blurb: A breakfast and lunch stop, The Rise is not as fancy as Fresh Grounds but has delicious food nonetheless. With a more modest location, it is run as a to-go establishment rather than a sit-down restaurant. Open for breakfast and lunch only.


Bars and Taverns


Business: The Wher
Owner: Estok
Staff: Hired muscle and girls.
Location: Deep Bazaar
Public: Yes
Blurb: The Wher is where you go if you're looking for somewhere a little more dive than a traditional dive. Located not too far from the midden, it's a place that deals in cheap booze, card games and girls. Although there are worse places to be found when really looking, most of the scum of Igen filter through this place periodically.


gillys_place.jpg

Business: Gilly's
Owner: Unknown
Staff: Gilmarven, his widowed or single daughters
Location: Bazaar Sidestreet
Public: Yes
Blurb: A rooftop bar open only after sunset, they have a small space and small menu, specialized to the Bazaar. Word-of-mouth brings the patrons to the correct door, which will lead up to the space.


Goods & Services


Business: The Cattery
Owner: The Auvergne
Location: The Auvergne Quarter
Public: Yes
Blurb: Felines. Avoid at all cost if you're allergic. (They're fancy cats. Look like miniature Southern felines. People are weird.)


Business: The Feathered Fool
Owner: The Auvergne
Location: The Auvergne Quarter
Public: Buyer Beware
Blurb: Parrots. Avoid at all cost if you don't want to be heckled.


Business: La Salonne
Owner: The Auvergne
Location: The Auvergne Quarter
Public: No
Blurb: A leisure house of some repute; what precisely goes on past the room of repair and the outer accouterie is between the Auvergne and their clients.


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Business: The Roost
Owner: "Wherry" Wren
Staff: None
Location: Bazaar Sidestreet
Public: Mostly
Blurb: A hoarder's dream of forgotten junk and difficult-to-sort treasures, there is never a ton of business at the Roost, but if you need that one specialty thing… it may be here. Notably, the Bazaar's orphans also seem to congregate.


Business: The Ware's House
Owner: The Auvergne
Location: The Auvergne Quarter
Public: Yes
Blurb: A hole-in-the-wall off the cloth corridor that sells the strangest products: from fancy smoked salts to not-quite-perfect Auvergne handbags, and so many other random things. Nefarious business? Maybe on restdays.


The Tlatoani sprawl includes:

Colloquially the "junk shop"; they also perform "retrieval" services for a finder's fee.
A small perfumery and soap shop, which is very long and skinny.
A biltong shack. It's literally a shack. Please be careful and don't kick the walls. Never open in the morning.
The pool hall.


In Memoriam


Business: Fresh Grounds (Destroyed)
Fresh Grounds burned down completely during a fire stemming from the leadership flight of the twenty-eighth turn of the 12th pass).


Weyr-Based Bars

Last Call

The "riders only" bar located on a high ledge above the central bowl, Last Call is technically open to anyone who can get there — meaning you'll see the occasional crafter or other non-riding associate who was given a lift, but is generally a space open to any dragonrider. It's an eclectically decorated place in a space that was meant to be a rider's weyr, stocked with beer on tap, darts and card games.


The Whirliebird Lounge

Also located in a weyr above the central bowl, the Whirliebird was started by then-Weyrleader W'rin and several of his wingriders in an abandoned weyr (rumor has it greenrider Sienna and bluerider Shea found a dead body in it while clearing it out for wing use). Much smaller than Last Call, the Whirliebird is a hanging-out space with drinks, snacks, a comfortable chair or two and even a small working wing office operating on an honor system: take one, leave one.


Trader Caravans & Old Igen Families



Families

These deeply rooted establishments have a firm grip on the very foundation of the Bazaar and its inner dealings. Often, they make deals and marriages amongst themselves to further strength alliances, and consider themselves as essential to Igen as blood.



Akzhan

  • Colors: Red and gold
  • Leader: Azrael
  • PC Members: Ca'elian (Estranged)
  • Reputation: The Akzhan haven't left the Bazaar in hundreds of turns, but they still consider themselves a trader clan. For a time, it was considered the Old Akzhan were well-blooded and above board in their dealings; the New Akzhan were once extremely wealthy but have since been disbanded, the fractured political factions of the once "new" Akzhan absorbed into the whole of Azkhan. Now, with Yanskar gone and his heir gone, only a boy Patriarch, newly crowned, remains to lead the Clan Akzhan.
  • Businesses: The Racetrack (runners, racing), the Merry Marksman (money exchange), the Lucky Snake Inn & Boardinghouse (fancy Inn & cheaper rooms to rent by the day).
  • OOC Contact:Azrael

Auvergne

  • Colors: Green and gold
  • Leader: Davien
  • PC Members: Niaeri (Davien's sister)
  • Reputation: The Auvergne quarter has high walls and resultant levels of privacy. Rivaling the Weavercraft (and indeed having many "retired" masters in their employ), the Auvergne's main business is to outfit the highest echelons of Pern's socialites. As old as the Tlatoani, they frequently consider anything less as, well, lesser. The Auvergne have several businesses in the bazaar, and are newly headed by Violet line heir, Davien, following the death of Old Jerome.
  • Businesses: La Salonne (luxury house and main couturiere)
  • Wares: Textiles, clothing, handbags, fine foods, leisure baths.
  • OOC Contact:

Steen

  • Colors: Red and white
  • Patriarch: Essau
  • Council Members: Shemeir and Kamen
  • PC Members: Caireann, Ezra, H'rik, Nasrin, R'em, Ramita
  • Reputation: They haven't considered themselves a caravan for quite some time, but all the same, the Steens are a familial fixture in the Bazaar. Wealthy and well-established, the Steen name draws fear and respect alike. The family is well-connected and values blood ties immensely, taking great care in arranging marriages that bring value to the Steen name.
  • Businesses: The Pit (fighting ring), The Tea Shop (tea, incense, experience), The Menagerie (exotic animals), The Omni (social and event hall)
  • Wares: General mercantile endeavors.
  • OOC Contact: Always looking for new Steens! There are a number of openings for established and non-established chars alike listed on the Adoptions page. Contact Nasrin or Igen staff for more information!

Tlatoani

  • Colors: Bronze and deep purple
  • Leader:
  • PC Members: Ixtli, Topiltzin, Yavos, Tezca (retired PC), Jharlodar (retired PC), Leilani (retired PC), Sacitca (retired PC), Meztli (retired PC), Chel (retired PC), Atzi (retired PC), N'thu (former), R'ku (former)
  • Reputation: The Tlatoani are powerful and influential for traders who never leave the Igen area, and you don't want to make them angry, but provided you play nice with them they'll be wonderful friends to you.
  • Businesses: Dustbowl Cantina (bar & bar adjacent), Tlatoani Junk Shop (not its real name), Cuephoria (the Pool Hall)
  • Wares: Antiquities, art, other decorative items, hats, gloves. That's the above-board bits, anyway.
  • OOC Contact: Casla or Igen Staff


Caravans

The caravans of Igen fuel its doings with their comings and goings — though some go less often than others. There is a permanent grounds for any caravan that no longer travels, though their rules and regulations remain amongst themselves.



Djazik

  • Colors: Navy, gray/silver, and gold
  • Leader: Djazik the Sixth (NPC) and Djazik the Bovine
  • PC Members: Ahrani, Ciprys, Harlow, Pavelu, Sinjin, Chel (former), Dystia (former), Sz'rkos (former), Z'kul (former)
  • Reputation: No one's entirely sure how long they've been around, but they have a tendency to collect other entertaining caravans along their routes. They stop at Holds and Halls; historically, they've avoided Weyrs for a myriad of reasons. Generally, they're perceived as up and up, good people on the whole; if there's any swindling to be had, it's not by the Djazik themselves.
  • Wares: They are an entertainment caravan, though they tend to pick up plenty of crafters (knotted and non) who sell their wares at the assorted stops along the way. Specializing in unorthodox entertainment, they feature feline tamers, firelizard trainers, fire eaters, and so much more.
  • OOC Contact: Ciprys, Harlow, or Sz'rkos

Imani

  • Colors: Orange and gold
  • Leader: Rhimell
  • PC Members: Moanna (retired PC)
  • Reputation: A young clan, formed within the last sixty turns by a small group of traders, many have heard of the desert tribe, but they are rarely seen outside of the places where their desert routes intersect with other clans and holds. Never making camp in Igen's bazaar. They are best known for their dyes, inks, and pigments, but also for their entertainment, provided one can manage to see a performance.
  • Wares: Books, cloth, trinkets, dyes, inks, paints, brushes and all varieties of entertainment.
  • OOC Contact:

Rivern

  • Colors: Gold and blue
  • Leader: Tezca (retired PC)
  • PC Members: Fayze, Iaela (retired PC)
  • Reputation: Ruthless, ambitious, and profit-driven
  • Wares: The Rivern are focused on making money from a variety of services; debt consolidation, real-estate, venture capital, but their bread and butter is water transport up and down the Igen River to the Southern continent. With roots in the Bazaar (offering discounts on stall locations for merchants using their transport services), the Rivern are a loose confederation of ship captains who are in a primarily financial arrangement under the Rivern banner. It is a mercenary 'family' united by profit and mutual protection rather than blood.
  • OOC Contact: Fayze

Sarabi (formerly Wherz)

  • Colors: Sky blue and blood red
  • Leader:
  • PC Members: Siraji, Lykhaistia
  • Reputation: Oldtimer caravan brought forward by N'thu of the Tlatoani. Small, eclectic; extremely interested in forming business connections; relatively welcoming but a little strange, even for Oldtimers; mix of traders and craftsmen and musicians. Over the approximate decade since coming forward, have shed any lingering shady association from the Oldtime; known for an unconventional family vibe and propensity for picking up semi-talented strays.
  • Wares: Non-harper hall approved musicians for hire; leatherwork: small, personal, with a distinctive artistic angle, as well as a small but flourishing trade in Oldtimer-style riding straps and their gear; small-scale mobile Smithcrafting; in more recent turns, minor focus on selective runner breeding and re-acquiring a reputation for racing.
  • OOC Contact: Dystia

Tajir

  • Colors: Black and copper
  • Leader:
  • PC Members: Kepi
  • Reputation: Secretive. Little on the shady side. They did not talk about who they traded with outside of Igen, though were known to have good wares and glows to sell upon their return.
  • Wares:Various crafting items to be traded/sold along with regular glows and the occasional true blue glow before the stand-off.
  • OOC Contact:


Moved On

These families or caravans once had a claim within the grounds or walls of Igen, but have since decided to try their dealings elsewhere for a time. They are always welcome back, when fate should turn that way.



Reika

  • Colors: Dark brown and forest green
  • Leader: Forin
  • PC Members: Syrai
  • NPC Members: Onari (retired PC), F'in (retired PC), Zarrah (retired PC), Zh'ain (retired PC), Naomi (retired PC), Kona, Kalfor, Dalynn
  • Reputation: The Reika were once viewed through the veil of suspicion, given the circumstances of their arrival. However, wagonmaster Forin and his family have gained a reputation of fairness and good business, and the man himself is respected (warily, because he does have a bit of a temper). Some of this is also due to one of Forin and Kona's sons, F'in, Impressing to bronze Rhakanth, as well as former caravan guard Naomi Impressing to brown Aionedyth and daughter Onari weyrmating to bronzerider Zh'ain.
  • Wares: Practical, sturdy gear for the road and for the rider - leather (straps, saddles, bags, sheathes, etc.), cookware, tools, utensils, rope, yokes, reins, runnershoes (farrier services offered), knives (and the odd sword).
  • OOC Contact: Syrai