To survive in the game world, your character will most likely need some way of finding their daily meals, and a form of shelter to protect them from the elements. This may come in a variety of different ways. Of course, one may always simply be a beggar on the streets, looking for the odd scrap of food, and sleeping in the alleyways...but then again, one also finds a good number of dead beggars in Gray Harbor.

Merchants

One way to get ahead in life, is to become a merchant, or work for a merchant. Merchants involve themself in trade and selling, and as long as one can keep one's head above water, that's a very respectable vocation to bear.

Merchant vocations are many and varied. They include:

Woodworker, Potter, Glassblower, Herbalist, Ship Maker, Ropemaker, Weaponcrafter, Armorcrafter, Miner, Cook, Innkeeper, Stoneworker, Metalworker, Tailor, Brewer, Winemaker, Butcher, Jeweler, Potter, Cobbler, Apothecary, Weaver, and many many more.

Basically, if you can find a niche, and make a living selling something, you are a merchant. There are no guilds restricting trade, and persons ply their living in whatever way they can, using a variety of, and combination of different skills to work their crafts.

Guards

Whether you're employed by the Gray Harbor lawmen, work a border outpost, or serve a merchant or ship yard, there's plenty of opportunity for those looking to protect others. Plenty of old, washed up sailors fall into this line of work in their latter years, and they are not the only ones in the profession.

One may offer one's services as a guard-for-hire, or may join one of a few martial groups.

- Gray Harbor Lawmen -

Patrolling the streets of gray harbor, the lawmen attempt to keep order in the colony. They are armed, and have the right to use their armaments to drag off offending parties to the 'brig' or 'gaol' for incarceration. Pay is not always impressive, and it is dangerous work, but the lawmen are necessary in the constant fight against the local brigands, smugglers, and pirates.

- Border Watch -

Though most frequently serving as law enforcement for the farther out farming communities, the border watch is primarily intended as an early defense force for any invasion or attack. Seeing as there doesn't seem to be any impending invasion...as there doesn't seem to be anyone to do the invading, the border watch remains a precautionary measure, with slowly waning support.

From time to time, a wild animal might get past the borders of Gray Harbor, and that can provide a certain amount of excitement for the watch, but largely, they spend an easy life up in the wooden towers at the edges of the forests,and make the odd patrol around the outlying communities.

 

Thieves

If you can't earn it yourself, why not steal from someone else? Gray Harbor certainly supports its share of swindlers, smugglers, murderers, thieves, burglars, pickpockets, pirates, and that's not even to mention the unorganized crime.

- The Laughing Grim -

One of the resident groups of cut-throats, pirates, and smugglers. Though they often prefer to work with society, rather than against it (taking their due share of course) they are not remotely concerned with the occasional 'removal' of someone with loose lips.

Not too much is known about the Grim by most folks, and most agree they'd like to keep it that way.

- Reven's Men -

Blackeye Reven is a legend, people tell themselves...well... mostly. Ships get lost at sea all the while. And if Reven really was alive, he'd be well over a hundred sixty years old, at least. So better to blame the waterspouts, thunderstorms and whales then to blame Reven. And if you do see his mark...well just ignore it.

- The Vulstis -

A secret society, reputed to consist of Lurenites and worse. There are many magics in the vast watery world, sailors claim. Those most foul can be expected in their greasy talons.

 

Farmers

If you work the land, you're a welcome hand in Gray Harbor. After all, the colony can't rely on imports alone. Though the soil is odd, and the local animals bizarre, one can surely eke out a living in this fashion.

Farmers generally will work a field, and tend to a smattering of livestock, though some choose instead to raise livestock, in place of raising a crop or vice-versa.

Nearly all farmers live in the farming community northwest, and sell their produce, and animals for butchering in Gray Harbor.

 

Hunters and Gatherers (Brushers)

There arises the odd brand of Aiian who feels as much at home in the wilderness around Gray Harbor as the common Aiian might feel upon the sea. If you spend too much time in the woods, most Aiians will dismiss you as 'shrubbed' or 'leafkin', 'touched' or 'stroked' (in reference to being brushed by some forest spirit's fingers), 'nutted', 'fruity', or 'barking'.

Now, it's true, some who make their living hunting and gathering have misplaced some of their marbles. With the chatternights, and other odd forest phenomenae, it is quite easy to loose sanity for a spell. But one can often see the townsfolk singing a different tune when a 'brusher' or 'twigling' comes into town with a meaty hatfull of chestnuts, or when a 'green-eye' finds some young child who has wandered too far into the wood.

Even for all the things said about them, the brushers have a definite nich in the Gray Harbor community.

 

Fisherman and Sailors

If you work the sea, you're a brave one! Many sailors have lost their lives to Lady Sylrie and her watery expanses. Many others have made their fortunes their. Sailing and fishing are respected professions in Aiian society.

- Independant Fishermen -

Some say the greatest freedom is fishing alone on the open water. Others just don't come back alive. Nevertheless, there are many independant fishermen in Gray Harbor, and there is always need for fresh fish. Often a fisherman will own a small boat, and fish the waters of Logan's Bay. Others may set lobster traps, go clamming, fish off the piers on the raised boardwalk, or cast their lines with the beach water and waves up to their navels.

- The Navy Surelain -

If a sailor is prestigious in Aiian society, (and they are -very- well respected) a member of the Navy Surelain is practically prestige itself. Whatever one's rank, it is not too likely they would be landlocked in the Gray Harbor Colony, but a good number of naval sailors are stationed in the colony to look after the Regent's interests. Their colors are blue and white.

- The Crimson Shoal-

Though the Navy Surelain is certainly the most prestigious, they are not the only sailing organization one might belong to. The Crimson Shoal is well known for its bravery and expertise. Of the four legally approved sailing companies, the Shoal is the most pressing rival to the Navy. Their colors, unsurprisingly, are a deep crimson, and a light ruby. They are expert whalers, and boast the fastest shipments.

- The Black Watch -

Though officially a part of the Navy Surelain, the Black Watch is often considered a company all its own. Their regency approved mission is simple. Stamp out all Ilseans and Lurenites, wherever they may be found. As many Ilseans (and even a good number of Lurenites) often take to the sea in their own vessels, this company is often seaborne as much as it is land-locked. Their colors are black, and their flag is black. Both sailors and officers tend to be cold and calculating, and exhibit a frequent absence of humor.

- Hasparth's Men -

A smaller sailing company, mostly involved with the fishing trade. They also are commissioned to carry shipments from time to time, though not nearly as often as the Tide or the Navy. In Sural, they handle a good portion of the bulk fishing.

Politicans and Officials

The higher ups are the lucky ones, pushing parchment all day, writing with their quills, presiding over new laws and representing their peers. Sure they don't do any -real- work, some might say. Sure they're resented by some as unnecessary. But it certainly is a prestigious way to spend your days. Most often, you need to have some noble blood to do the more important jobs.

- The House of Judgement -

Every community has one, and Gray Harbor is no exception. To be employed by the house of judgement is very respectful indeed. Vocations include stenographer, Lord Justice, litigant, records keeper, and various apprentices in-training for those positions.

- The Hand of the Regency-

The other half of the 'secular' government, is the Council Surelain, also known as 'The Regent's Hand'. This chapter of government includes positions such as 'Mayor', 'Dictum', 'Reverant', 'Maltent', 'Portent', and 'Sheriff'

Mayor - The political head of a community. If it is a male, there must also be an 'Araness', who is essentially a female 'vice-mayor' with a certain amount of veto power over the mayor.

Dictum - Responsible for the interpretation of law, and seeing that laws are followed to the letter, in the Hand's everyday activities and rulings.

Reverant - Usually a priestess in or past middle age, the Reverant is the official liason between the Aiian church and the Hand. Though she may have more direct influence, due to her proximity in daily activities, she at no time outranks priestesses of a higher clerical ranking. If the Reverant is only an Ailess, and a Sistess decides to attend a meeting of the Hand, the Sistess may speak for the church.

Maltent - Is in charge of the people's grievances, both in relaying, and representing them within the Hand.

Portent - Is responsible for predicting the effects current actions will have on the future of the community. It is not uncommon to see a Portent with some divinatory background, though it raises quite a few whispers if such a Portent is not currently, or was not a priestess at some time, or does not have noble blood.

Sheriff - Is in charge of the local law. In Grey Harbor, the Sheriff oversees both the Lawmen and the Border Watch, though there is a seperate official who is immediately in charge of the Border Watch.

Priestesses and Clergy

If you work for the church, you have the goddess on your side. Of course, if you're male, you can never hope to be a Priestess. If you're a priestess, you are party to mysteries the common folk may never see, and are certainly kept busy performing what they are allowed to see! Fertility rituals, midwife duties, livestock and crop blessing, the list goes on and on!

Males -

Men have never been allowed into the mysteries of Aiia. There is nothing explicitly preventing them from doing so. For all anyone knows, they might be as able as any priestess, and may even be able to command silver fire (a closely guarded Aiian mystery).

However, it has never been done, and it is a foolishness to suggest the issue, and dangerous to press it.

Males may serve an Aiian church by taking up one of the following positions.

Altarmin or Altarman- one who tends to, but does not touch the sacramental waters, prepares texts for ceremonies, and generally serves the community and the poor. Altarmin are forbidden from interpreting the sacred books of Aiia, though they may recite passages from it. This is a fine line of church law that usually only gets an altarmin into trouble if he has already displeased the church, or a priestess.

Berren - A Berren is a Eunuch (castrated upon his acceptance into the position) who has cast off his male status to better serve Aiia. In the days before his castration, a Berren is required to conceive children with two women. However, neither he, nor the women may let on to anyone who the father of the resultant babes are, nor may the children ever know they were conceived by the Berren. Some churches actually have the couplings take place in darkness, or cover the participants eyes, so that not even they may know who the other is.

One must be a Berren to be able to advance at all in church politics, but even so, a Berren is highly restricted in how high he may rise. A Berren must serve for some time as an Altarmin, or in some other church position higher than a Tend before he may become a Berren. Thus, even a newly cut Berren is higher up in the church order than a new priestess, or a hopeful.

Note: Though the removal or destruction of the female reproductive organs is uncommon, a female who has had this performed is also called a Berren. To be female, and a Berren, is not as honorable as it is for a male. If one was a priestess, one instantly loses any connection to Aiia's mysteries one might have had, and must surrender her priestesshood. Female Berren are often distrusted, as it is a dark, empowering ritual for a Lurenite female to 'Enberren' herself.

Tend - A tend is a very low position in the church, and basically can be likened to a church janitor, though perhaps with a bit more honor. A temple may have many tends, and a tend may do other things in society, though not anything that would cause them to be unable to perform their duties.

 

Females -

In Aiian churches, females are most often priestesses, on some level of advancement into the mysteries. Though one may follow Aiia, and be a female, without being a priestess, one is hardly ever involved in church activities, and a female, if one is not a priestess.

Matron - An official title for an older priestess. A Matron may be at a wide range of learning in the mysteries, but is almost always a higher up in church politics.

Hopeful - Not yet officially a priestess, a hopeful is a sort of acolyte, a priestess in training. They are so named, for not all hopefuls will be able to manifest the silver fire, and begin their journeys as priestesses into the Aiian mysteries. Those hopefuls who fail must leave the church, and cannot, under church doctrine, try again.

Hopefuls may train for many cycles, even as long as six or seven (though it is uncommon), before finally undertaking the challenge of the first manifestation.

Hopefuls are not permitted to live in the church.

Childess - A new priestess, or an insulting term for a more advanced priestess. Childess', if they did not already live in church appointed housing as hopefuls, now must leave their families and dwell in the church. A childess may only now conceive under very strict guidelines. Though not stifling, these rules, if broken, can bring down very horrible punishments upon the priestess. A priestess may not wed.

Airess - A priestess who has delved into the Aiian mysteries, though little farther than a Childess has, attains the title of Ailess. Though age often corresponds with a new title in the Aiian church, it is known that it is understanding of the mysteries that truly advances an Aiian priestess, and changes her title.

Ailess - A priestess, often in her late teens, that has reached a certain turning point in her study of the mysteries. Typically, an Ailess is the lowest ranking priestess that can be allowed near a Lurenite, and be expected to defend herself.

Ooroness - Though officially a priestess' title, the word 'Ooroness' is actually a compound verb in Old Aiian that means, literally, 'to care for the moon'. An ooroness is not a place in the Aiian faith that all priestesses pass through. Those that do take on additional, very specific duties and perform occasional night rituals, often corresponding to different phases of the moon, (or as it is properly spoken in aiian, 'oon'). It is unclear to those not involved in the church what exactly an Ooroness' duties are meant to accomplish.

Sistess - A priestess at a very deep level of advancement into the mysteries. A Sistess will typically only tolerate one other of her rank within a single church. Though there is rumored to be a Sistess in Gray Harbor, no one knows who she is, nor which church she belongs to.