Jhelom
Jhelom is located on the northern tip of the Valorian Isles, surrounded by scant jungle and rocky beaches. It is very much of a fighting-town and mercenaries offering their sword, experienced and untrained ones at the same time, are covering the streets. Very much a frontier town, Jhelom also is the city of Valor, which is reflected by its main population, the fighters.
To aid the mass of mercenaries and fighters many shops offering supplies have sprung up along with many training facilities. The only thing Jhelom is missing are luxury items, and those are not needed after all.
Fine arts are not very well renowned, maybe due to the lack of an educated audience. The only exception are the many dances that are practiced and developed in Jhelom as varieties of different unarmed martial arts and equestrian events the town is very proud of. Located on the Valorian Isles Jhelom is well known for its fabulous horses and it is only understandable that the population of the city is very proud of its prized horses and horsemanship.
The attitude towards magic in Jhelom is indifferent. While not directly looked down upon the arcane arts are not practiced or actively developed – the few persons that settled down in Jhelom to sell magical supplies, just like potions and enchanted weapons, can earn their living with their goods, but only scarcely an inhabitant of Jhelom feels the urge to develop magical skills in any way.
Jhelom has never been rich of raw materials, and they have scoured their continent years ago. This leading to a dependency on other towns and the necessity to import the raw materials needed did not (and does not) make the government entirely happy. And so, years ago, the rulers of the town decided that they would rather find a new spot to produce own raw materials than paying other towns to ship them to the town of Jhelom.
So the government of that time financed an expedition to explore the below the southern continents. What they found was a continent they later should name the “Lands of the Dark Unknown.” A colony, New Jhelom, was established to prove for Jhelom’s needs, but the merchant’s were quickly overwhelmed by the colonist’s and soon they found it hard to exert control. So the merchants decided to cut their losses to a minimum and abandoned the colony, which soon became a secondary hideout of pirates. Today the colony is an independent state of pleasure and is named Nujel’m.
Jhelom is ruled by the retired leaders of the militia of Britannia. Differently to most other towns duels in Jhelom are favoured and often practiced. The city has even built a special duelling arena where public fights can be watched. Duels are used to avenge crime, settle insults, to up your skills and for sheer entertainment. Most of the celebrations and festivities honoured by Britannia include sparring matches and displays of puissance and daring in Jhelom, as well as presentations of riding expertise.
The only ethical code in Jhelom that really has a meaning is to watch your back and to watch the back of your friend – and maybe they’ll watch yours.
The First Time, by Drylia Haithiel, Expert Fighter
Today is the day, and although I all the admonitions of my mentor and friend Serian are spooking around in my head I feel nervous. Being nervous can kill you, and although I will not be killed if I lose the fight I want to win. A sweating hand can be the reason for a slipping grip on the sword, and nobody, not even the strongest fighter, can attack properly if he does not hold his weapon tight.
Today is my day and I fell adrenaline rushing through my veins and thudding in my ears. I know that all I can do is fight, fight for honour but more for coin. The years of training have left their marks everywhere on my body and I know that no man in the world will look at those scars and adamant muscles with delight. Today I have the option to earn a good amount of money by doing what I always did: fight others and win. It does not make a difference to me if I fight to survive or if I fight to entertain some better-off merchants. I fight because this is all I can do – it is all I have ever learned and seen.
My thoughts go back to the past, to all the years of learning and the remembrance of the usual training-routine calms me down. And then, suddenly, I hear my name. “Drylia Haithiel, enter the arena, please!”
While I am walking through a dim corridor my hands automatically check the buckles of my armour and shield. The grip on my sword gets tighter when the wooden planks of the corridor make place for the tough, compressed earth in the arena. I enter the duelling pit and the first time I will fight myself and not only watch others from the safe distance of the tribunes.
My steps make a grinding noise on the floor and through the visor of my helmet I can see the spectators. Some are clapping, some are shouting. Generally they do not seem to be interested in my person too much. I have seen the crowd crying for blood before, and I have seen how the atmosphere got heated when one of the famous fighters entered the arena, followed by the breathless and overwhelming suspense when metal met metal the first time.
I am not famous, and the crowd does not know me nor love me. But maybe one day they will, one day if I have fought many battles like this one – and if I won them all. Today was only the first time, the starting signal. It is hot under the helmet and suddenly I am totally calm. Concentrated I watch the door that will release the opponent I will defeat today – for the very first time.
