Leunbrund

Yo. I'm back from GIV and settling in for the summer. The insanity of the past two months should hopefully be dying down;;; Thanks to all of you who have lingering rps with me who have been so patient through the apartment move, a sick cat, the summer employment search, a new roommate (hi bud!), weekend trips, and the past two weeks of pre-during-post camp craziness.

Looking forward to seeing a few of you in the upcoming week. I'll be hitting you up for meal and sleeping arrangement stuff very soon, so stay tuned.

    

***Edit: ONLY THREE DAYS LEFT!


Yes it is! If you like roleplay, have enjoyed a lot of the work that I've produced over the past twelve months, and are into historical settings where the people turn into monsters at night, you should give us a look!

As a newly-appointed mod (!) for the group I really look forward to seeing all kinds of cool characters in my inbox! Flood us with all the awesome ideas inside your brain! Applications are open until the end of September, at which time we will be selecting at least 30 new members to be part of our community. See you there~

Finally getting around to doing this. Uhhh I do a lot of talking about this guy, so if the facts listed are already like, really well known to people, let me know and I'll give you something else.

The Rules

1. Post these rules.
2. Post 5 unknown facts about your SH character.
3. Tag 3 other characters.
4. Post their names along with their creators' avatars.

Marron O'Taite

1. When he first came to the city, Marron wrote letters to his departed sister as a means of coping with the changes happening in his life. He still keeps some of them in his nightstand drawer, though he has long since stopped writing.
2. Though he has no real desire to leave the City and the magic that he has found there, if he could go back, just to visit, he would love to see the Chesapeake Bay again. The smell of salt water brings him back to childhood.
3. He has a weakness for Indian and near-eastern street food.
4. The Puddle sometimes leaves gifts for people he likes. Pebbles, obols, flower petals, discarded bits of this and that which he finds pleasing; anything that reminds him of that person after dark.
5. Doesn't like to talk about his dreams.

The waters of the Uferlos have been a highway for the people of Sybal Heim as long as anyone can remember. As the city has grown, what was in bygone days an informal collective of service-minded individuals has ballooned into a complicated transportation system with its own rules, regulations, exclusive clubs, and branch of government.

The Association for the Regulation of Passenger Watercraft

All public transportation in Sybal Heim is ultimately governed by the Public Transportation Authority in Kardia. However, more important to the aspiring ferrymen is the Association for the Regulation of Passenger Watercraft, or ARPW. This branch of the PTA regulates craft creation and registration, professional licensures, legal disputes, and educational resources pertaining to life on the water, both public and private (think of it as a Department of Motor Vehicles, except for passenger ferries). Each District has its own ARPW that answers to the Public Transportation Authority, and while the law is the same for all districts,  each office has its own internal politics and flavor.

Merchant and fishing boats are not governed by the ARPW, or even the PTA for that matter. Registration and legal procedures pertaining to their ownership are handled under a branch of the Office of Commerce.

Guilds

Although it is very possible to be your own independent business as a ferryman (of whatever discipline), it is difficult to do so successfully without at least some contact with the ARPW. Even though the city has less than 50,000 residents, it is still a fairly large governmental group that can be intimidating, and even difficult, for a small business owner to deal with on his own. As a result, most ferrymen, particularly those who work independently but also those who run their own businesses, pay for membership in a Guild.

These Guilds vary in size and discipline, but  all register with the ARPW, and function in much the same was as modern labor unions. Members of a guild typically pay an annual membership fee, and register their craft through the Guild offices. In return, members have access to a number of important perks which makes the tithe worthwhile. These often include, but are not limited to:

 1) Access to a larger customer base. Guild branches function as a hub for customers, who can formally reserve transportation at these centers, and have the option to request particular drivers. In turn, Guilds pass that work on to their members, who keep the fare

2) Legal protection. Should a guild member ever experience trouble with the authorities or with customers (licensing disputes, right-to-moor disputes, underpayment, etc) the Guild acts as a strong-arm on their behalf. Guild lawyers are often skilled and well-paid, and perform a variety of tasks running the gamut from simple legal advice, to court representation when necessary.

3) Insurance. While not all ferrymen are required to have insurance, the policies available through Guild offices are exponentially better than those available to someone working on his own.

4) Access to education. As well as being a place where ferrymen can gather to practice their trade, many Guilds were originally formed as a means to preserve a particular tradition. Guild connections can help an aspiring boatman find a teacher to get them started, and may even offer grants for such students to purchase their first craft upon graduation.


One of the most famous Guilds is based in Ambrotos, though it has offices in all the five Districts, and a member base hailing from every nationality. At some 500 registrars, its members are famous throughout the city for their sleek black crafts, elegant rowing style, and a romantic reputation that inclines them to private tours over day-to-day transportation. These skilled tradesmen are in high demand at all times of the year, but see their greatest custom during the spring and summer months, when residents are more likely to take tours to other districts for a day, and during the holidays, as more people are on the move shopping for and visiting loved ones.

As a Guild they are also one of the largest, and most bureaucratic. They are fiercely protective of their traditions, and jealously defend the use of the title 'gondolier' from anyone who has not been brought up through their closed apprenticeship system. While there is no law forbidding independent craftsmen from creating and selling gondolas, the Guild aggressively slanders all those whose watercraft are not given their Certificate of Authenticity-- the seal of which is, of course, required by the appropriate paperwork, license, and a healthy sum of drachma. And since the only individuals who are likely to have the training to steer a Gondola have been trained by the guild, and are being recommended sellers by Guild contacts, it is in the best interest of any potential squerarioli to get in good with the Gondoliers in order to better market his product.

Contrary to popular belief, not all gondoliers actually sing, but those talented for the craft are known to charge extra for a serenade.

It doesn't really feel like it here, but Spring is in full swing, and Summer isn't far behind! That means the tulips are coming up, the birds are flying back, and my schedule is beginning to thaw out! Here are a few things you can expect to see from me over the coming months!

Weekly Streams
I've got a Picarto channel! Streams happen between 2pm and 5pm on Saturdays, Eastern Time, and occasionally crop up during the week. Swing by to watch some draws, listen to music, and tell me how your week has gone!

PAX East!
Speaking of streaming, while I'll be online as scheduled this week, next Saturday, April 23rd, I will be attending PAX East in Boston! Therefore, Saturday's anticipated stream will be rescheduled for Wednesday, April 20th between 7pm and 10pm EST. Hope to see you there!

No Coins for Charon
The story is heating up! Check out the comic on tumblr or Smackjeeves today!

Open Commissions
While I am virtually always open to commission negotiations, this summer I am updating my product line and prices! Keep your eyes peeled for a Journal post like this one, or send me an email at deanna.vaida@gmail.com. I look forward to working with you!

And...Patreon?
The word has been floated for a while. Although I don't know that I would consider opening a personal Patreon, I am considering putting one together for No Coins! Pages could be churned out a lot faster if I didn't have to seek other sources of revenue in the meantime. Is there interest in this...?

Kisses and Blessings,
Leun