Unreviewed Maurius

[Mishel]

MAURIUS

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OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To create an updated version of Maurius.
• Image Credit: Sora
• Canon: N/A
• Permissions: N/A
• Links: Maurius

SETTING INFORMATION

• City Name: Maurius
• Classification: Large Village
• Location: Monastery
• Affiliation: Jedi Enclave of Monastery
• Population: Moderate
• Demographics:
  
  • 28% Mirialan – Still the spiritual and healing backbone of the community; many serve as herbalists, breathworkers, or lorekeepers.
  • 14% Kiffar – Rooted in traditions of stewardship, memory, and stonecraft. The descendants of early Lotus founders, like Dru Rikkaws, continue to guide village rituals.
  • 10% Human – A mix of native-born Maurians, pilgrims who stayed, and settlers from across the Core and Inner Rim.
  • 9% Echani – Scar World survivors and Force-mystics, many aligned with nearby Yundrasa; known for kinetic empathy and silent martial stewardship.
  • 8% Zabrak – Often serve as miners, scent-masters, or rune-chiselers within the Hollow or Clayseal Guild.
  • 7% Kalee – Practitioners of physical memory and endurance-based ritual work; often involved in goat herding or tunnel carving.
  • 6% Keshiri – Arrived during the Scar World migrations; bring songweaving, rockwork, and healing breath traditions from the Outer Rim.
  • 5% Cathar – Involved in Skyhorn patrols and food production; known for thermal tracking and seasonal migration traditions.
  • 4% Tintinna – Revered for fermentation artistry, warm communal energy, and musical integration into healing rites.
  • 9% Other – A blend of pilgrims, bardic Jedi, Sacred Lotus remainders, and seasonal visitors. Includes Ithorians, Anx, Selonian herbal migrants, and the occasional Neti gardener.
• Wealth: Medium - Maurius thrives via sustainable trade in medicinal goods, spiritual relics, cheese and dairy, windwool, handcrafted ritual items, and alchemical supplies. Though not wealthy in credits, it is resource-rich and spiritually prosperous.
• Stability: High - Governed by a rotating Council of Stewards, composed of senior herbalists, monk-guardians, bardic mediators, and former Sacred Lotus members. The community is tightly bonded and interdependent, supported by pilgrim traffic and strong cultural norms of cooperation.
• Freedom & Oppression: Open, spiritually guided, and mutually governed. The people of Maurius enjoy spiritual, artistic, and cultural freedom, though they adhere to seasonal ritual codes and community expectations of respect. Religion and Force philosophy are deeply entwined with daily life.
• Description: Maurius is a peaceful, mist-draped settlement tucked into a carved terrace overlooking the Brightmoon Gorge. Stone buildings ringed by medicinal herb gardens cluster around sacred pools, ceramic-roofed lodges, and torchlit communal spaces. The air carries the scent of wax, rain, and woodsmoke. Meditation bells, traveler chants, and the flutter of windcloth banners define its rhythm. A hub for wandering Jedi, Bardic pilgrims, herbalists, and former Sacred Lotus practitioners, Maurius has grown into a sanctuary for both healing and heritage—spiritual without being doctrinaire, and quiet without being forgotten.

POINTS OF INTEREST

• The Hollow Mortar – Cliffside apothecary and alchemical archive run by a Kiffar family. Specializes in tinctures, salves, and spirit-aligned remedies. Carved partially into the cliffside and marked by a spiral chime of goat horn and dried silverflower, The Hollow Mortar is Maurius’ revered apothecary and alchemical den. Equal parts herbal archive, potion kitchen, and healing lore sanctum, it is run by a family of Kiffar herbalists who trace their roots back to the early Sacred Lotus days. The shop smells of old scrolls, steeped rootwater, and mountain resin. Colored tinctures glow faintly in carved crystal vials, and healing powders are kept in lacquered bowls behind locked glass. Everything here is made in rhythm with lunar and seasonal cycles, blending tradition, Force-awareness, and ecological science.
  
  • Hornmeal Poultices – Ground Skyhorn goat horn mixed with frostvine and silverleaf sap. Used for swelling, joint pain, and spiritual shielding.
  • Mountainmilk Salves – Clarified cream blended with ghost garlic oil and crushed mirrorpearl. Used in emotional detox or burn treatment.
  • Veilstep Draughts – A bitter infusion used to induce deep meditative states or recovery sleep.
  • Spiritfire Dust – A red mineral powder burned in small bowls for focus during Force healing or rites of separation (end of grief, letting go).
  • Ridge Resin – Sticky sap used in binding salves or to craft incense sticks for anxiety, storm fear, or post-combat grounding.
  • Pilgrim’s Paste – A portable herbal compress stored in waxed cloth, used for cuts, fatigue, or motion sickness.
• Fenatro Ascendant – The original Fenatro Brothers herbal shop has grown into a hill-clinging greenhouse complex, where Jedi herbalists and local healers cultivate Force-attuned plants. These include:
  
  • Skyroot – An herb that anchors adrenaline and slows spiraling thoughts
  • Mindsedge Petals – Used in clarity teas and focus salves
  • Frostvine – A cooling herb used in skin balms and protective oils
  • Moonstem Reeds – Used in musical instruments and breathwork straws for post-trauma recovery
• Sky-Root Terrace – Suspended over a cascade-fed cliffside and protected by a Force-guided wind-barrier, the Sky-Root Terrace is a terraced alpine garden complex used by Jedi healers, Sacred Lotus alchemists, and crop-spirit whisperers. It’s arranged in petal-like rings around a meditation pond, reflecting the rhythm of the moons.
  
  • Skyroot – A silver-veined tuber that slows adrenal surges and helps ground overextended Jedi after combat or long hyperspace jumps.
  • Breathvine – A fragrant trailing plant used in trauma breathing masks and clarity sashes. Often burned in Stoneveil Hollow.
  • Glasspetal Fern – Translucent leaf used in emotional mapping rituals; changes color when touched by distressed Force sensitives.
  • Moonstem Reeds – Used in musical healing instruments and breathwork straws to slow panic or hyperemotional outbursts.
  • Gladeberry Thorn – A rare fruiting vine with emotional stimulant properties; used in truth rites and memory recall teas.
• Stoneveil Hollow – An underground meditation and breathwork chamber carved into a natural geode formation. The air is cool, laced with silver-root incense, and the walls shimmer with threads of raw Mirrorcryst. Jedi pilgrims and recovering Force-users use it to stabilize emotion, reflect on trauma, or release lingering fear through rhythmic breath rituals.
  
  • Mirrorcryst Flakes – Used in focus jewelry, crystal braiding, or embedded in walking staffs for Jedi rites.
  • Silver Breathstone – A rare stone that stores residual Force-sound; sometimes carried by bardic initiates as memory beads.
  • Hollowdust – A fine mineral dust laced with calming mineral signatures; added to ritual incense or grounding powders.
• Orchards of Stoneveil’s Reach: Scattered along lower terrace cliffs and along protected glens are cold-resistant wild orchards cultivated through guild-run grafting traditions and Force-attuned agricultural rituals. Every tree is tagged with a silver cord, denoting its origin and elemental signature.
  
  • Mountain Cherry (Veilcherry) – Tart, blood-red, often dried or infused into vinegar compresses. The bark is used in calming teas.
  • Apristone – A golden-fleshed highland apricot variant with thick skin and a slightly resinous core. Used in preserved tonics or eaten sun-dried.
  • Skycrack Apple – Cracks at ripeness, letting cool air sweeten the flesh. Ferments well with garlicroot oil and salt.
  • Windnut Tree – Walnut relative with pale, soft shells and lightly spicy kernels. Used in butter, milk, or protein-rich paste.
  • Bloomfig Shrubs – Hardy fig-type plants used in chewable herbal tonics or spirit-chaser breads for post-mourning rites.
• Cloudherd Creamery – Tucked into a wind-sheltered alcove near the Skyhorn Co-op, the Cloudherd Creamery is where Maurius’ prized goat milk is transformed into rich, nourishing dairy products. The creamery is partially carved into the mountain rock, where cool, constant temperatures provide natural refrigeration for aging cheese wheels and yogurt fermentation crocks.
  
  • Skyhorn Butter – Pale yellow and soft, sometimes whipped with frostvine or garlicroot oil.
  • Veilcheese – Crumbly mountain cheese with a sharp bite, served with turnip flatbread or dried fruit.
  • Herbal Yogurt – Thick and spoonable, blended with moonberry, mintstem, or honey salt.
  • Pilgrim’s Spread – A smoked cheese preserve, long-lasting and served on the road in waxed leaves.
  • Meditation Milk – Lightly spiced warm milk used by Jedi and monks before breathwork or healing sessions.
• Skyhorn Co-op – A series of multi-family goat pens and cliffside grazing fields, operated communally by herders from Maurius and nearby nomadic families. The Skyhorn goats are native to the Seven Guardians Range, bred for their rich milk, wool, and uncanny ability to scale near-vertical slopes.
  
  • Mountainmilk – Thick, nutrient-rich, and used in soups and yogurts.
  • Windwool – Soft, durable fiber woven into prayer robes, tent lining, and ceremonial braid-cords.
  • Hornmeal – Ground from naturally shed horns, believed to carry medicinal properties when used in poultices.
  • Bell-kits – Baby goats are ritually gifted to young children during spring rites; their neck bells are often engraved with a family sigil or protective blessing.
• The Deepward Hollows – An ancient mining network at the southern edge of town, expanded and reinforced over the past few decades. While some caverns are still hand-worked, others now use low-impact tech from old Sacred Lotus designs and Maurian ingenuity.
  
  • Mirrorcryst: A translucent crystal that reflects thought and mood when attuned. Used in meditation chambers, Jedi trials, and ceremonial jewelry.
  • Iron-slate: Flexible, magnetically stable stone used in tools, shielding plates, and artisan work.
  • Saltglass: Veined mineral that melts to form smokeless flame-glass used in lanterns and Force-sensitive scent burners.
  • Sacred Blue Coal: A slow-burning, odorless fuel used in shrines and spiritual forges. Emits a pale blue flame believed to purify negativity when burned.
  • Greyvault Salt – Dense, mineral-rich, lightly purple. Used in wound poultices, salve preservation, and ritual cleansing baths.
  • Echo Salt – Crystalized near Mirrorcryst deposits, it amplifies vibration slightly. Used in sound-based meditation tools, bardic flutes, and candle wax.
  • Hearthsalt – Warm-hued cooking salt with subtle clarity-inducing effects. Used in ceremonial broths and fermented dishes.
  • Glassbrine Shardlets – Translucent salt/mineral hybrid flakes used to seal fermentation crocks or incense jars with natural lid-binding.
• The Cloudcell Vats: Hidden in natural limestone hollows behind the Creamery, the Cloudcell Vats are sealed clay cisterns used to ferment and preserve sacred food. Cold fermentation, salt-sealing, and controlled root ventilation are combined with Jedi breath techniques and Force-guided temperature adjustments (usually by monks-in-training).
  
  • Pilgrim’s Kimja – A local kimchi/jam hybrid made with frostvine stems, apristone, ghost scallion, and veilcheese crumbles.
  • Windmilk Vinegar – Lightly sour vinegar made from semi-fermented goat milk. Used in sauces and poultices.
  • Stoneveil Pickles – Preserved root mix aged with meditation incense and hearthsalt. Often served after a rite.
  • Saltfruit Kraut – A fermented Skycrack-apple and snowonion blend, traditionally eaten during the Deep Months.
• The Diatom Inn: Expanded highland inn for visiting healers, Jedi, and pilgrims. Features communal dining and rest chambers.
• The Scriptorium of Melted Wax: Memory archive and scrollwork den producing “emotional imprint wax” for Jedi and ancestral rites.
  
  • Wax-It-All (Annex) – Candle and tea shop fused with the Scriptorium, famous for memory wax tablets and aromatic votive casting.
• Miner’s Pick Tavern: The town’s storytelling hearth and meeting house. Hosts bardic nights, traveling songs, and civic gatherings.
• Sven’s Boarding Home: Located along the winding ridge path overlooking Ashgarden Hollow, Sven’s Boarding Home has served as a long-term lodge for pilgrims, herbal apprentices, recovering Jedi, and traveling monks for over forty years. Built partially into the mountain itself, the structure combines reclaimed stonework with warm cedar interiors, its windows offering peaceful views of the terraced root gardens below. Though modest, the lodge is comfortable — quilted mats, soft windwool blankets, and candlelight scented with silver-thistle or garlicroot oil give the space its quiet charm. What truly sets Sven’s apart, however, is its legendary volcanic-heated sauna, used by locals and guests alike for spiritual detox, post-field recovery, and trauma release rituals. Now overseen by Vela Kaarvik, granddaughter of the original founder, the boarding home remains a quiet cornerstone of the Ashgarden district — a place of rest, renewal, and stories told in steam.
  
  • Hearth-Sauna: Heated by natural steam vents and infused with herbal blends like frostfire garlic & birch or scallion-lavender. Commonly used in breathwork therapy and bardic vocal preparation.
  • Ashwood Honey Wraps: Offered by resident attendants for muscular release or grounding rites.
  • Full Moon Suppers: Communal story and stew nights featuring root vegetables, smoked windnut, and fermented glowskirt bread.
  • Lodging: Primarily long-stay, with rotating apprentices from the Clayseal Guild and visiting pilgrims.
• Ashgarden Hollow: Nestled in a naturally warm trough beneath a cooled lava shelf, Ashgarden Hollow is a sunken field-and-terrace complex where Maurius cultivators grow root vegetables, sulfur-tolerant herbs, and rare fermentation crops. Subterranean steam vents, geothermal pockets, and composted goat bedding from the Skyhorn Co-op help keep the soil loamy, warm, and alive — even when the highland snows fall thick around it. The Hollow’s steep walls are carved with Jedi breath-marks, and the terraces are decorated with woven windflags to encourage circulation, both literal and spiritual. Beneath each row of garlicroot or ghost scallion is a prayer pebble, placed during planting by local apprentices.
  
  • Frostfire Garlic – Violet-skinned and pungent. Distilled into Garlicroot Oil or powdered for incense and stew bases.
  • Snowonion – Pale, sweet when roasted. A core ingredient in mourning chutney and healing broths.
  • Ghost Scallion – Slightly numbing. Used in spirit-walking brews and bardic preparation rituals.
  • Lavayam – Red-skinned tuber with smoky flavor and high starch content. Roasted in stone ovens and often used in fermentation starters.
  • Ridge Mushroom (Glowskirt variety) – Cultivated in volcanic crevices. Mildly bioluminescent; believed to stabilize dreams when consumed before sleep.
• The Clayseal Guild, a small artisan circle of preservationists and alchemical brewers. Clayseal members are trained to listen for fermentation bubbles through the Force and track the progress of pickling jars with scent wards and heat glyphs pressed into the lids. Here, they monitor:
  
  • Pilgrim’s Kimja
  • Windmilk Vinegar
  • Saltfruit Kraut
  • Lava Yam Brinecakes (fermented starch cakes sealed in saltglass jars)
• Skyreach Roost, Maurius Platform: Handles regular thranta flights between Maurius, Khutuun’gal, Baruungat, and Jedi enclaves. Only open during fair weather. Visitors often greeted by song or silence.
  
  • Carved into a natural stone shelf above Brightmoon Gorge, the Skyreach Roost of Maurius is a weather-dependent thranta platform used for spiritual couriers, healer-travelers, bardic riders, and supply drops from Khutuun’gal, Baruungat, and beyond. Due to regional customs, repulsorcraft are restricted, making this one of the only highland airpaths remaining. The landing area is demarcated by windchime totems and prayer flags that change color with the seasons. Incoming thranta are met by herbalist-apprentices or bardic observers, who note the mood of the wind or scent of the cargo to inform local calendars and ceremonial preparation.
    
    • Rider’s Washbasin – A half-moon fountain used to ritually cleanse boots and hands before entering the settlement.
    • Thranta Ration Rings – Dried herbs and soaked skyroot loops fed to thranta to keep them grounded and calm.
    • Sky-Loom Bell – A large bronze wind bell rung only when a sacred message or spiritual emissary arrives.

SECURITY
Medium: While not a militarized settlement, it can defend itself.

• Steward’s Circle Watch – A rotating group of local guardians trained in non-lethal restraint, staff combat, and herbal sedatives. Most are retired Sacred Lotus members or Force-touched pacifists.
• Skyhorn Patrol – Mounted perimeter riders on orbaks and goats, often double as couriers. Use windchime alarms and mountainhorn calls to signal terrain-based threats.
• Signal Chimes & Wardstones – Strategically placed Force-attuned chimes and warded stones near caves, roosts, and pass trails that resonate when disrupted by hostile intent or sudden presence shifts.
• Thranta Roost Monitors – Skyreach stewards observe airspace during open landing periods; flight paths are closed during solar eclipses or poor Force-weather readings.
• Stoneveil Hollow Alerts – A Mirrorcryst vein in the Hollow has been known to hum or pulse in response to major psychic disturbance within the mountains.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Maurius began as a mountainside village — a halfway point between healing and hardship, nestled in the crags below the old Sanctuary of the Sacred Lotus. Its streams, stone, and silence once supported a subsistence life: goatherds, root farmers, ore miners, and those who had nowhere else to go. It was a place to rest, work, and remember who you were.

Forty years later, Maurius has not grown large, but it has grown deep. What began as a survival outpost is now a living sanctuary of breathwork, fermentation, memory, and herbal wisdom. The original Order of the Sacred Lotus may have vanished from the wider galaxy, but its influence endures here — in compost-heated gardens, mirrored breath-chambers, and thranta-shuttled pilgrims seeking something quieter than heroism.

The village mines have evolved into reverent spaces, yielding Mirrorcryst, blue coal, and saltglass, all used in spiritual practice and Jedi recovery. The old rice-milling outpost has become part of a fermentation network stretching from Baruungat to Leonasa. The community raises goats not just for milk and wool, but for ritual purposes — bells are blessed before being worn, horns are ground into poultices, births are tied to star cycles.

Where once Maurius housed “a few shops, a tavern, and a longhouse,” now there are:

• A revered apothecary of lunar-timed healing (The Hollow Mortar)
• A breath temple buried in a geode (Stoneveil Hollow)
• A goat-and-garlic-root farming guild steeped in seasonal rites (Skyhorn Co-op & Ashgarden Hollow)
• And a boarding house where steam is used to heal what words cannot (Sven’s Boarding Home)

Dru Rikkaws, the Kiffar steward mentioned in the original records, is now believed to have passed into ancestral memory — her warehouse is still intact, but now functions as a community hall and archive, often cared for by her descendants and spirit-keepers trained at the Scriptorium of Melted Wax.

Through it all, Maurius has remained what it always was:
“A place to get your bearings and move on.”
Only now, many choose to stay — or at least to return.