[hider= The Frozen Tears]
Domain Name: 
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[center][color=6ecff6]Frozen Tears[/color][/center]
[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujPAlm_DHo0&ab_channel=Vingnir[/youtube][/center]

Description:
Have you heard the rumors of the silver plated city? 
[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/310568770764537869/915889069152690176/Silver.jpg[/img][/center]
That sounds like nonsense, something made up while freezing to death way out there on the Frozen Steps. No one could live out there is no food, no water, its cold, and the winter is often in hospitable. Why would anyone plate their city in silver that seems impossible. 

As impossible as it seems, in the deep of the tundra, is a temple carved from the face of a mountain, surrounded by cube shaped stone buildings that have expanded from a preexisting cave. It's relative known that the mountain has a large deposit of ore inside of it, though no one has ever been able to reach it and the only people who live here is an ancient clan that pre-exists the current monarchy. 

There isn't much to see out here. Past the evergreens and the valley of ice, it seems impossible that anyone could make a living out here. Though the people make by with hunting in the tundra, fishing in parts of the frozen sea, and trading for outside resources. 

If you ever crossed the tundra and found the Silver City, you would be gifted with a sight behold. What appears to be a gate or a Temple, made from the mouth of a cave. On the sides of it, seemed to be silver plating, with pictures carved into the silver siding. The stone that makes up the city is smoothed to the point that it shines like the silver that decorates the outside of the city. 

Location: Bastion Mountains of The Realm of Drevilna Under Ownership of the Great House of Vyapult - Frostmark

The Silver City - or so it has been named by the monarchy - was once the destination of a long since past King. He heard of the silver in the mountains, and declared the silver for himself. Quickly sending out navigators, survivalist, and trackers in order to map out how best travel the tundra. A navigator wrote in their letters to the King:

[center]The land treacherous, the cold unbearable. The land is held by people. When we reached the mountains where the silver is known to be, we found a group of people. Who say they have claim to this land already.[/center]

The king pondered to himself, who could have already claimed this land, began to scour through known records at the time of which House lay claim to the mountains with Silver. When he saw there were none, he wrote a letter back declaring:

[center]As King of the Frozen Steps, tell the settlers there that they are trespassing on my land, and that they will hand over the mountain to me and their mine.[/center]

The navigator responded back, a month later, with the simple note - From the People of this Land:

[center]Take it if it wants to be taken.[/center]

The King was furious with such a disrespectful response, and sent out a small band of soldiers to cross the tundra and take the Silver City back for himself. The King greatly underestimated the weather, not realizing the people who lived in the Silver City had extensive knowledge of their own land, the environment, weather, and seasons. They long before predicted a great blizzard before the King did. His soldiers caught in the first winter storm, unprepared with flimsy tents that didn't insult them well, lack of resources like food and drink once they got lost in the storm, many of them perished before they could step foot on the mountains the Silver City stood. And the ones who made it were too cold, too weary, and too hungry to battle the people of the Silver City.

Who did nothing, but wait. They fed the hungry soldiers, and gave them somewhere warm to rest and sleep. Strange to the soldiers, how they had heated pools of water, and how they kept the inside of once was a cave - now a city - so warm and heated. When their strength returned the People of the Frozen Tears guided the soldiers back to their Kingdom. 

The King upon his soldiers return, realized the only way he was going to obtain the silver in the mountains was through the people already harvesting it. He offered the People of the Frozen Tears a place among the Great Houses, in exchange for their hospitality for bring back his soldiers and returning them after the seasons first bout of bad weather passed. The People of the Frozen Tears would return this information to their Echo.

Eventually after a few lengthy talks with the Echo and the King, in exchange for fur, silver, and knowledge, the Echo and his bloodline became part of the Great House with one further condition, the King couldn't send any of his people to the mountain to mine the silver themselves. The Echo worried about disturbing their Deities. It seemed for the People of the Frozen Tears, the mountain was alive, and a Deity. The city they built, was inside the carcass of this Deities fallen brother. The King reluctantly accepted. 

Major Holdings: Silver City, The Frozen Step [the mountains], a Silver "Mine" [if you can call it that]

Reputation: The Frozen Step is mostly known for it's inhospitable living conditions. In the winter time, the land is said to take hold of any living life freezing it to death. Some rumors state the Frozen Steps have killed a man by suffocating him with cold, but that could be superstition. Of the few good things it is known for, is the fur that comes from the People of the Frozen Tears who trade with the other Kingdoms for other resources such as shells or security, or items of interest, and the silver that comes from the mountains. Though even that never seems to be enough. Some people think the Echo and the People of the Frozen Tears are hoarding and keeping all the silver to themselves. And vaguely hiding behind their "pagan dogma" to keep the silver: "The Silver belongs to the Mountain Father. The Silver must stay in the mountains, and we only accept what the Mountain Father offers"

Despite growing tensions about the silver in the mountains, the People of the Frozen Tears have offered few bits of their knowledge to building in the cold. Though they still refuse to completely give away how to navigate the tundra with ease. Some argue that the Echo shouldn't be apart of the Great House. However, nothing has changed despite uproar about their lack of sharing.

From the Varan's perspective initially, he was about as fond of the Frozen Tears as his parents were - which is to say, no more than was necessary to ensure smooth bartering with their Baron. At the point of him entering his majority and taking the seat of Grand Duke, though, he had started to realise that their connections may be closer than he realised. With that in mind, and after significant research, he has come to find that the clan is not at all as savage as he believed, and that in fact many of Drevilna-under-Vyapult's technological advances are sourced from the Frozen Tears. Merta in particular is quite an interesting fellow to have as a vassal, not to mention amusing when it comes to conversation. and it strikes him, too, that an ally like Merta could very well be a great asset in handling what is to come.

Wealth: Mining and Fur Trading mostly, *Minor Pickled Vegetables and other Dehydrated Goods - The People of the Frozen tears are still known for a mixed economy based on a Gift economy and a barter economy. They trade fur and silver, for spices and herbs that couldn't grow in the tundra, even vegetables that they store or pickle for later use. *They are known sometimes to also trade their pickled vegetables, and dehydrated meat and animal fat for goods as well. 

Strength: Natural Defenses - Weather mostly and inhospitable climate. Though when they do have to defend themselves, they do have a small clan of Hunters who use the environment to their advantage when needed.[/hider]

[hider= The Echo]
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Name: Mertavoda - Merta

Title: The People of the Frozen Tears call him - Echo 
Vassal to House Vyapult 
Lord of the Silver City -according to the Marble People
Duke of the Frozen Tear

Age: 28

Description: 
White paint obscures fawn colored skin that acts like sunscreen, with black painted lips, and black surrounding his or her eyes. At first it is hard to tell if this individual from the mountains is man or woman. They are considerably pretty, with a long oval face, and long eyelashes. His eye color a deep shade of blue, and his hair, long and black. Shining like a black birds feathers in the sunlight. Standing at 5'6", it was not his height that was intimidating, but his gaze is. It is said that you can feel Merta's gaze through you, as he stares at you with his rich blue eyes. He is often seen dressed down in comparison to the monarchy, and probably dressed a bit more garish, in a cloak made of black goat fur, something he claims to the Great Houses he earned according to his people's traditions. His tunic is also relatively understated, despite also being a color of ebony, it is accentuated with golden embroidery in odd patterns and symbols only really understood by his people. While he also wears jewelry of silver, and shells that have been leafed with gold. Woven into his hair are bits of colored rope, mostly of gold, and silver.

[hider= Hates Standing for Paintings][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/310568770764537869/915913267724050452/Gear.png[/img][/hider]

Claimant: Sharles - "I fear what may come if the other takes the throne, while my people try to remain neutral in the Great House affairs despite our role in it. I believe the Deities would like me to act, in order to secure the future of my Kin." 

House Info: 
[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/310568770764537869/915922505909272627/text-1638443331157.png[/img][/center]
[center][color=6ecff6]Hall Echo a.k.a House Echo[/color][/center]
[hider= Our Banner][center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/310568770764537869/915921633024307200/sym.png[/img][/center][/hider]
Motto: To be cloaked, but not declawed 

Reputation:
"We can't have an up starter Pagan Heathen as one of the Great Houses, simply because some past King's failed to take their resources. We shouldn't have to deal with his mistakes. Especially considering they do not even follow the Church. They have their own "gods". I do not understand why some folk fear them. I hear they don't even have an official army. It's not that hard, just storm the mountain, take it by force and take their silver."
-A Minor Noble 

To some they see Merta, as an unworkable, dogmatic pagan zealot. Who hoards his wealth in the mountains, refusing to meet the demands for silver, for unknowable reasons. Or maybe really some do not want to know the reasons why the People of the Frozen Tears and their leaders of the past have not met the demands for the silver. Most see their culture and their religion, as an upset to the status quo and world order, they also see their claim as a great house through a vassal of the House Vyapult as illegitimate considering that their leaders of the past, the people, and Merta himself do not have any claim to noble blood. 

It's difficult to get some to side with Merta and his people when they believe their mountains are alive. And that the Seasons are Deities themselves. They do not believe there is a singular God, but instead multiple beings whom they worship. It is said their language was given to them by the Mother of the Sea for example. And the Mountain Father lead them to the caves, which they believe to be carcasses of Deities from the past, in which the Silver City was carved. They say that Winter has fury, blizzards, and chilly breathe, the wind. Which further alienates them from the other noble house, due to their rejection of the Churches religion. There is also fear that Merta may be working with the Twilight Choir, seeing as his people are unwilling to assimilate to their culture or religion.

While some simply see Merta as a mentally handicapped, idiot, appointed a positional role he is not qualified for. For some Merta is known as completely deaf, only speaking in written letters, sign language, and universal hand gestures. Sometimes because he cannot hear himself when speaking too low, especially in louder spaces, he has been known to talk loudly and with odd pronunciation. 

"The Echo is both the representation of the People and the Deities he or she serves. The Echo can hear and displays the knowledge and ability to speak for the Deities. Thus the title of Echo when one is earned their role. The Echo speaks for their Deities and speaks for their People, they are extension of their voice."
-An Explanation of the role of the Echo

"Merta is young, but he does us people well. He is the closest Echo to the Deities, than those of the past. We have faith that he knows how to navigate the Marble People's politics."
-Voices of the People

To his people Mertavoda is young, but devoted to his People and his Deities. He honors the traditions of his people of the past, but also intends to innovate in areas that are needed. Ordinarily in the past, despite their claim to the Great Houses by being a vassal to an actual Great House, they have remained mostly neutral to the trouble. Though Merta feels a storm is brewing, a more violent, and dangerous cause is slowly beginning to well up and that his people cannot remain neutral forever. He is trying to carefully place a role of his People in the Marble People's politics, but he wants to remain as distant as he can to avoid war. The People of the Frozen Tears have no concept of war, they never had Warriors, merely Hunters, and Surveyors. He seeks the aid of the King of the House of Vyapult in his efforts to do so. 

To his people his Deafness gives him clarity. They say that because he cannot hear the voices of the outside world, it means his ears are more attuned to the spiritual one. Giving Merta the ability to hear their Deities more clearly. It has earned him favor among his people, whose own written language is symbolic, part gesture, part pictograph, part alphabet, and part universal. 

Ambitions: 
"Remaining neutral to the events that happen around us, is like stagnant water. Eventually over time water that is stagnant begins to no longer grow. It becomes toxic, undrinkable, and unable to flow." 
-Mertavodah the Echo of the People of Frozen Tears 

Politically speaking Merta is not an ambitious leader, he doesn't necessarily seek more power, he simply seeks security that he and his people can continue the practices they have done so for millennia. He rather not have any part in the Marble People's politics. He wants no claim to their Marble power, though some might think he does. 

In the end of the day all he wants is peace. He doesn't mind trading with the other parts of the realm, rather he wants to do so on their continual terms. To them the Mountains are alive, the Silver they obtain is the silver exposed. To cut deep into the Mountain is to wound the Mountain. They do not force the mountain to give what it hides, only they take what the mountain exposes. This belief extends throughout their practices. They do not hunt beyond their means, and what fur they trade is leftover. In some aspects this is why the other realms are so upset with the People of the Frozen Tears because they are not turning over large quantities of goods. 

Aptitudes: 
-What people probably do not understand or realize, is how imperative and probably important is to keep Merta at their side. Considering that the People of the Frozen Tears have had to learn how to adapt to the harsh weather of the Mountains and the Tundra below them, Merta is naturally skilled in all areas his people are taught at a young age. They are adaptable survivalist, who survey their land and are able to figure ways of staying alive during harsh weather. They can identify all the foliage native to their landscape, can navigate the tundra with ease and seemingly unaffected by the weather. Track animal prints, and read weather patterns. Not only that, but the people are deeply understanding of rocks, rock formation, minerals, uses of ore, and map the movement of the steps of the walking mountains. The people call them The Steps of the Mountain Father.

-Adaptable, all though it is given that Merta is adaptable as his people are trained to be. Merta is also adaptable in the way he approaches the Marble People and their politics. Merta is innovative, adaptable, and is willing to study the Marble Politics, as long as it guarantees the safety and security of his people. Merta is also personally adaptable simply due to the fact that he had to adapt his environment to his Deafness. His adaptability goes well beyond his knowledge given as a Child of the Frozen Tears.

-Perceptive, while it is a given that his people are perceptive, able to read weather patterns, track animals through their scat and footprints. Merta has had the most experience out of all the past Echoes before him with the Marble People and their Politics. While he may not fully understand all of it, it is not easy to fool Merta. He may feel something is slightly off about a given situation, though he may not always call it out.

-Playing dumb, Merta is aware of the way some outside of his people perceive his deafness and his odd pronunciation of words. They see him as stupid. Mentally deficient. And Merta uses this to his advantage. He rather have the Marble People underestimate him, so he can understand their given political landscape. He is still learning how to navigate their political field after all, and any slight advantage that allows him to observe and learn is useful. When involved with those who do not know him well, he plays up his Deafness, his gullibility and naivety. Allowing him to assess the situation better.

-Hunting Expertise, strange to some that Merta is trained in the use of hunting weapons. Some may see his disability as inhabiting from doing any normal task. However, to this claim Merta has explained to those people that he has eyes, and a nose, and that his taste, sight, and smell haven't faded just because his ears work slightly funny. A skilled archer. Merta also has some knowledge and use of daggers and knives, mostly used for skinning animals, but he does keep it on him as a form of defense as well.  

Vulnerabilities:
-Deafness, it is no secret to some that Merta is Deaf. All though how Deaf he is a mystery to some. Some say he is completely deaf, only communicating in written form, universal gestures, and a strange form of signed language that he uses among his people. Though the reality is that Merta is only partially Deaf, due to a head injury as a child that damaged his already poor hearing. Merta is Deaf to certain pitches and range of tones, which makes understanding some people at certain tones considerably hard for him, he may not always be able to hear low tones, and low pitches. He can hear the world at murky at best, unless people are talking directly to him or are at a distance or range that allows him to hear them clearly.

-Stubborn and Petty, there is sort of a joke that some day Merta is going to cause a war he doesn't want simply because he can be stubborn in his ways and slightly petty. Merta is not as Deaf as some people think he is and Merta has intentionally forced people to go through an entire written exchanges with them 
because he claimed he couldn't hear them, simply because Merta didn't like their attitude towards him. He also refuses to revoke any of his spiritual beliefs in front of any of the noble houses who may be more friendly and supportive of their Church. 

-Uneducated in the Monarchy's Politics, it's not really unknown that Merta and his people being so remote and further from the rest of the grand houses means they do not have much interaction with the monarchy. Despite Merta being the Echo with most knowledge about the Grand Houses and how to deal with them, doesn't mean he knows entirely how everything works. Its why he is so intentionally obtuse and vague, in order to slow down the conversation and be able to assess the situation where he needs to be. 

Additional Info: 
The People of the Frozen Tears -

They are small nation that survived take over, simple due to how remote and inhospitable their land actually was. For a long time people thought nobody lived out there in the mountains or near the tundra. Because of this the People of the Frozen Tears have a completely different written and spoken language. It is part symbolic, part pictograph and part alphabet, thought things do not directly translate outright to their actual meaning. The word the People of the Frozen Tears uses for the mountain range directly translates to Ice Cry, though it is understood as the Frozen Tears by the people. Because of this the people often have a form of complex signed language. This helps them stay and communicate while hunting in the tundra, where speaking may not often be an option for them. 

Their Spiritual Beliefs -

The People of the Frozen Tears have their own spiritual belief outside of the Twin Faith. They believe that the land they live on is sacred and living. That the Earth beneath their feet is as living as those who live on it. Due to this they believe in taking care of the land and often practice in traditions that honor Earth, Nature, the Seasons, and their Resources. For example, they do not hunt outside of their means to feed their population, all though they do not go out and hunt often either, often preparing meats they have stored or dehydrated, with pickled vegetables. Which they pair with bread like crackers and fruits and berries. Which they often also store and dehydrate in similar ways to the way they dehydrate their meats. Soups are made out of warming these dried ingredients to flavor the broth, with animal fat. Nothing is wasted, all parts of the animal have some sort of use. 

The People of the Frozen Tears leave offerings to their Deities after large hunts, especially for banquets for the few celebrations they have. Often, there is a meal of celebration when an important child is born into the clan. Or to honor and unite a couple. They even believe in leaving offerings in exchange for the silver that exposes itself from the natural movement of the mountains, believing leaving stones will be returned to the Mountain Father who will return the stone back as silver. They celebrate the Solstices when Summer and Winter turnover. And have had hosted dinners for a few guest who have visited. 

They also believe in offering gifts of sincerity when they visit others. 

Gift Economy -
The People of the Frozen Tears do not really exchange goods through a barter system, though they understand the concept. But considering how relatively close and tight knit the clan is, often times they exchange gifts as favors which is understood to be paid later. They have only really dabbled in the Barter system due to the influence of the other great houses and their trade. Though the People of the Frozen Tears hold onto their gifting system. Probably the reason why the People of the Frozen Tears are so unsure why their neighbors are upset they are not providing resources when they are receiving gifts in exchange for their gifts.

Misc Information:

Diet of the People of the Frozen Tears-

Because they live so near the tundra and choose to traverse through the tundra to hunt, the People of the Frozen tears rely on the meat of mountain goats and fur to keep themselves warm. While the People of the Frozen tears often rely on hunting for meat, deer from the forest, goat from the tundra and the mountains, and fish from the nearby rivers and lakes. They also incorporate what they find in the forest in their diet as well using pine needles to make herbal drinks, and incorporate in their foods, as well as used for medicine. While also eating tree bark. The People of the Frozen tears also preserve a lot of their meats and vegetables [something incorporated in their diet via the trade they do with the other nations]. Often burying their Summer Meat and Fat into the ground, which ferments over Fall, and Freezes in winter for consumption next year. They also rely on drying out their meats, fish, berries, and vegetables, and reconstituting them with boiling water into soups. With flat like cracker like bread to eat alongside their meals.

An Echo is Chosen by the Deities-

Partially Chosen. Partially Born into the role. The Echo is always often chosen from among who can see into other worlds or so the People of the Frozen Tears believe. Those born without a sense in the Mortal Plane, are born with sense in the one we share with the Deities. The First Echo couldn't see in the Mortal Plane, but saw into other Worlds to Deliver the words of the Deities. The Second Echo lost an arm, but could touch the Words of the Deities with his new arm. The People of the Frozen Tears do not see the people who have lost one sense as lesser, instead they see them gaining a new sense and a new knowledge. And those who are not chosen to be Echoes, are still taken care of with respect and dignity. 

The Rites of an Echo-

Before one is chosen or bestowed as an Echo, one must complete a rite to show their knowledge. They must show they understand the words of their Deities. While not every Echo in the past has had a sense of another world, they have shown an extensive intuition. They must display the Knowledge of the Mind, the Knowledge of the Land Mother, and the Knowledge of the People's Mind. It is entirely possible for an Echo to be born from an Echo parent, it is not a guarantee that they will show the Three Knowledges. Or pass the Rites. Which is a Great Hunt, lead by each candidate. A Hunt shows the Three Knowledges, you must understand the land, must know what weather is to come, must navigate the land without getting lost, read not only the stars, but the way the moss grows on the tress. You must know the strength and weaknesses of your people. The success is not in the Hunt, whether you accomplish the Hunt or not doesn't prove whether you are meant to be an Echo. But how you use the Three Knowledges. 
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