What to find in Ion
Ion - formerly known as The Water Village. It's the settlement built by the first humanoid Water Nyanarrs. It became the cradle of the water element and a small village became a town, then a city. Currently the third biggest city of Gaidinia - right behind Aditone and Bewea, but just as important as the other two.
A city proud of its beautiful architecture and rich history, it can be found in Mezthrain, still inhabited mostly by Water Nyanarrs, but open to anyone and everyone.
Ion
Cerua are whale-like creatures that normally weigh roughly 5-8k pounds. They have six large side fins, a long ribbon-like dorsal fin, and a large muscular tail attached to a long flowy fin. Their skin is tough and covered in strong iron like scales. These creatures tend to be a light pink or gold color with large pure white eyes when found within the wild.
They are known to be gentle and friendly creatures but also rather territorial especially when it comes to mating/calves. They can live up to 10 years. They mate roughly once or twice a year and will only mate with one partner per lifetime. They can give birth to roughly 1-2 calves per litter. Normally females will be the main caretakers whilst the male normally helps provide food and defends their territory. Their scales are often used for protective clothing and decorative Weapons for their strong attributes.
Cerua (pl. Cerua)
Setcu (pl. Setcui)
Setcu is a Flower that can only be found within shallow water and only blooms if given enough Moonlight as opposed to sunlight. It has a light blue/greenish stem with a light blue or green flower. Setcu is inedible but is a beloved flower for its pretty appearance. It is also often added to lotions, perfumes, etc for its beautiful sweet oceany smell.
- The City itself is extremely busy and lively with sounds of joyful chatter and beautiful music that fills the streets throughout the day. Chilly winds tend to blow across the city on most days, tunneling through the large, tall buildings amplifying the wind's strength.
- People of Ion pride themselves on their Music and Stories along with their attire. The people wear all kinds of outfits from all kinds of cultures but all are just as detailed and gorgeous as the one before with the people never forgetting a single detail especially during their festivals.
- Ion has more of an older greek architecture with many of the buildings having large intricate pillars, roofing, and framings normally carved from stone or marble with a wooden interior that is insulated with calcite to keep the stone from multiplying the sun's heat during sunny days. The buildings are also known to have a ton of windows made from mixing sand with certain metals to strengthen them and to create a slight tint to help with the sun.
- Ion is supposedly mentioned in more old songs than Aditone or Bewea is! Perhaps Water Nyanarrs and Thalemimis like to sing?
Interesting facts
The moon controls the tides of Ion so the people of Ion celebrate the different phases and cycles of it. Every year when the world starts to get warmer and the nights get shorter they come together in celebration of The Moon. It is always over a three day period where the moon is at its fullest, and at the height of its power.
When its silvery light shines down on Ion and the tides are the strongest, bringing in the best catches and when the merpeople rejoice that’s when all of Ion also rejoice and pay homage to that silvery orb in the sky. They congregate on the beaches with bonfires, and with bountiful feasts from the waters.
During the day children will spend time collecting seashells the tides bring in and create headpieces combining the crystals from the glowing trees in the forests of Mezthrain and the bounties from the waters that surround Ion. They wear these headpieces to honor the moon and what the tides bring to them. The waters near Ion hold a certain heart shaped seashell. This seashell is clear, almost crystal like, and when the light hits the shell it has a rainbow shimmer. During the Moon Festival it's a favorite to place in the center of their headpieces.
They dance and feast for three nights and two days. On the last night everyone gathers together and sends offerings to the moon with paper lanterns and offerings to the sea in the form of tiny boats filled with food for those that dwell in the waters. After the offerings have been sent they'll gather at the center of Ion where their statues of both Zana and Eiros reside. The last night of the festival everyone stays up until the sun starts showing on the horizon.
Moon Festival
Winter Harvest Festival
Every year there is a day where the night is the longest and that is the day when the Winter Harvest begins. You see Ion has a tree that bears a crystal fruit, this tree doesn’t ripen in the summer or fall like most trees.
This particular tree ripens on the Winter Solstice and its fruit must be harvested within three days of that day or it will be gone until the next year.
The people of Ion gather as the sun sets on the Winter Solstice and wait.
As soon as the first rays of the moon hit these trees a glorious bounty is revealed. What was once simple star shaped flowers become fruit ready to be harvested and enjoyed by everyone.
This festival lasts all three days of the harvest and is spent plucking the fruit then making pies, jams, or just enjoying the fruit all on its own.
There are bonfires to keep back the chill of winter as they work, there is music to keep everyone's energy up, and there is plenty of food and drink. Children run between the trees in games of tag and hide and seek while the older children and adults do the harvesting. Everyone takes part of the harvest and gets a part of the bounty.
The fruit is a sweet one, crisp like an apple but sweet like berries. It looks made of crystals but is soft and easily eaten. Ask anyone in Ion and they will tell you this festival and this harvest is one of their favorite times of the year. They do everything they can to ensure they have enough fruit to last the whole year but inevitably it never does last that long so they are always eager for the next harvest to roll around.
What to find in Ion
