Maelstrom Campaign - Major Nations: Alkyon

It is said that all the wonders of the world are to be found within the gleaming spires of the Alkyon cities. The Alkonians are renowned as a nation of merchants and famed as a rich and prosperous people. There are those who think that this means that the streets are paved with gold, that wine flows from the mountain springs or that meat and fish will grow on trees, as if the Alkonians grew rich merely by having the good fortune to be born here. In truth, Alkyon is not a land blessed with abundant mineral wealth but hard work and diligence. Its citizens are adept in the manufacture and design of all manner of goods and it is from this craftsmanship and honest toil that the wealth of the Alkonians has been gleaned.

The cornerstone of Alkonian life is the Volery, an institution that foreigners tend to misconstrue as being guilds by another name. A Volery specialises in one or more spheres of endeavour: banking, engineering, providing soldiers, actors, musicians and countless others. As with a guild, membership of a Volery is usually for life and it is extremely rare for someone to leave their Volery. Each Volery is led by a single Archon who is supported by an array of senior members. The structure of the Voleries is ancient and dates back hundreds of years. It has proved so successful that almost all of the trading houses have adopted it, perhaps because some of them began their life as Alkonian Voleries.

In Alkyon, the practice of hereditary monarchs is viewed as being one step away from rule by brute force. The land is governed by a Plutarch with a body of advisors. The Plutarch and his advisers are selected every two years in a complex form of auction in which attendees first purchase votes, that are then cast as they choose for the different positions. In practice this means that the Plutarch and his advisers are almost always drawn from amongst the wealthiest and most successful Voleries. The voting process, like so many aspects of Alkonian society, can be bought and sold by those wishing to invest the money in influencing such things.

First meeting
Upon mooring at an Alkonian harbour you will be required to pay landing fees to the harbour authorities. The landing fees are set by each harbour master, so if you feel you are paying over the odds it can be profitable to keep sailing to another port. From the port your probable destination is one of the great white gleaming buildings that will serve as home and workshop for the members of a Volery.

If however you are not a merchant, there is still a great deal more to experience and see. Their cities are well known for their tall buildings and impressive works of art and architecture. Contrary to popular belief, profit is not the sole thing that drives Alkonians to work so hard, rather it is an enduring need to prove themselves. Most measure their success in terms of profit accrued for themselves and their Volery, but some already wealthy notables have sought martial prowess, patronage of the arts, or even sartorial elegance as their personal pinnacle. As a result, there is always something new to experience, be it a fine brandy, a new play, or a day at the races.

The pursuit of excellence is what drives the Alkonian people in all things. Alkonian society, whilst appearing fluid to the point of anarchy to an outsider, is lawful and ordered to those who are born here. There is a great deal of competition between Voleries, as well as within them and this produces inevitable political machinations, although violence is almost unknown. There is a subtle, ever-changing, hierarchy that follows each act of accomplishment, but any Alkonian that brings something truly unique to the society can be assured of lasting distinction.

Fashion
Alkonians tend to dress in finery and robes indicating their status and wealth. Dark colours are preferred as they better highlight subtle braiding and embroidery. Alkyon is a cold country and their traditional heavy robes, with the weight of the material hanging from the shoulder, are the standard garment. In recent times, fashions have changed and young successful Alkonians are opting for a heavy shirt with a stylish coat over it. Cloaks are always popular with those who have to go abroad in bad weather but cannot afford a carriage. High collars and large ruffs are never out of fashion in Alkonian high society.

Religion
Unsurprisingly, the Merchant is the primary religion here, and there are massive churches raised in His name in every town and city in Alkyon. Khalid Mhaines is the current Preceptor, the head of the Church of the Merchant in Alkyon, which gives him command of great wealth and resources. It is said in Alkyon that the Preceptor wields as much power as the Plutarch, if not more, since Khalid Mhaines only has to justify his actions to God.

The Teacher is also popular and His shrines can be found in many Voleries. The other Gods are less favoured; even amongst the Voleries that dedicate themselves to work as mercenaries, devotees of the Merchant and even the Teacher are still more numerous than the followers of the Smith. Still, the Alkonians are unlikely to take offence at any particular act of piety.

Trade
According to the official law, any transaction above the trading threshold must be conducted in Alkonian Gold and Silver Ducatto. A few of the larger Voleries have their own money changer, but many Alkonians are happy to carry out an exchange in any currency, provided of course, that they believe they can make some additional profit by it.

Iron ingots, bolts of wool, bales of flax and every other bulk commodity sells well in Alkyon, the Voleries have an almost insatiable desire for such things. It is unwise to bring worked goods to Alkyon unless they are the product of some particularly notable artisans. Adventurous traders will seek to find fine Flembic wines, Rukh jewellery or exotic works of art, which can fetch a fabulous price from the wealthier members of a Volery if you can find the right buyer.

In many parts, Alkonian auctions are common when selling goods. Here the seller simply names a price and then gradually reduces this until a prospective buyer makes a bid, at which point the item is sold. If the price falls too low then the vendor may withdraw the lot. Alkonian law imposes harsh penalties upon those who bid but are unable to pay, often an offender may find his goods seized and sold to cover the debt.

And so it began......

Dawn breaks, war looms, the evil Lord is gathering his armies to wage a campaign of destruction upon the free peoples of the world. It is up to I, Sir Maximilan Pegasus to stop him, with my trusted band of adventurers we must gather the enchanted sword of Tek, the Shield of Way-Lem and the amulet of Subsidence and together we shall slay this abomination! “TIME FREEZE” And bam, the fantasy world fades away, the enchanted sword of Tek in my hand is a rubber sword smothered in coloured ribbons with a laminated card cable tied to the hilt, I look down and I’m wearing plastic armour and unflattering heropants, and the magical world of my imagination washes away to reveal a field in Wigan, but you know what? It’s larp and I’m a larper, it’s what I do.
I started larping when I was 17, I’d never role-played before, I’d never played D&D or Warhammer, never played WoW or any form of online game, I’d never even read Lord of the Rings, I feel somewhat privileged that I hadn’t done any of those things, I think it gave me an untainted attitude towards what larp could be, I had no preconceptions about saving the maiden fair, slaying the dragon or smiting the liche, to me it was just a new thing to try.
It was cold, really cold, 10am on a September morning, the rain was battering down and I’d been given a faux fur tunic, a mouldy old sword and been pointed towards a man and told, “You’re monstering, there’s the ref he’ll tell you what to do.” I obeyed, I played wave after wave of zombies, orcs and various line monsters and to be honest, was cold, bored and hungry. That is, until lunchtime, the teams switched sides, I got into the kit I’d scrounged up, as with most first timers, a black trenchcoat. I took the mouldy old sword, stood with my fellow adventurers and it hit me, I’m a god damn hero!
Pow, there it was, a new larper was born.