THE VALRIMIR GUILDS

The Valrimir people have a unique system that has been fine-tuned over thousands of years. Much of the success of the Valrimir's survival hinges upon the high level of cooperation between the cities of Valrifas (The fire caves) and Tronolasti (Earth of FIre, Sky of Ice).

THE GUILD SELECTION PROCESS

Once that a Valrimir youth reaches a certain age, they make a decision regarding which guild that they would like to join, as well as their second and third choices. Based upon the needs of each Guild, an attempt is made to accommodate the first choice of every Valrimir youth, however, based upon their physical or mental talents some seem to be a naturally good fit for certain Guilds. The other factor is that based upon the Guild which a Valrimir's parents have served in throughout their lives, some may be better qualified to serve in a particular Guild than another. For instance, Islon is the father of Akeel. Islon has served with the Lumiskveya Guild since he was a youth, as did his father before him. From the time that Akeel was very young, Islon would take Akeel on rounds with him, and would train him to use a Larnya and to pocket and place the Lumas. So by the time that it was time for Akeel to choose a guild, he had already mastered the art of Bak Rusala (the shallow breath) and could use a Lisfra, and was already taking spent Lumas to the fire cave and retrieving freshly charged hot ones. The Guild Master of each Guild knows the capabilities of each of the Valrimir that serve within their Guild, even those that are in training. So when it came time for Akeel to choose a Guild, it was an easy decision for both Thealt, the Guildmaster, and for Akeel, who wished to serve as had his fathers before him.

Likewise, Trista's mother, Camia has served with the Healer's Guild since she was a young girl, as had her Grandmother and several other generations of Healers which came before her. Camia trained Trista from an early age in the healing arts, and taught Trista everything that she knew. So when it came time for Trista to choose a Guild in which to serve it was a very natural decision for her to be accepted into the healers Guild.

I will discuss in this blog episode the various different Guild groups and how each help to contribute to the success and the survival of the Valrimir people.

THE LUMISKVEYA GUILD

The Lumiskveya (or "bearers of light" are the guild that ensure that the city of Valrifas is kept at a comfortable balmy 60 degrees or so in temperature. This is done through the recharging and placement of what are known as lumas throughout the city. A Luma is a crystalline object that is about 8 to 10 inches in width and approximately 30 inches tall. The Lumas are constructed from a greenish crystalline material that has been found to both hold and emit an optimal amount of light and warmth. The materials for the Lumas are first mined by the miners guild, and then delivered to the Artisan Guild where they are shaped, smoothed, and unique characters are carved into the face of the Lumas describing the locations where the Lumas are to be placed.

The garb of the Lumiskveya is very unique. The Lumiskveya cover their abdomens and forearms with a gauze like material called gritweave, and then they are covered with arm guards made from the stretchy, leathery material made from the hide of the Scammoth. (A large docile mammal that is raised for its milk, its meat and fat, its hide and its bones. Not a part goes to waste! The Lumiskveya also wear a harness that has a large pocket in the front which allows the Lumiskveya to "Pocket" a Luma and carry it to and from the carts. They also use what is known as a "Larnya" which is a long wooden pole which has a loop upon the end. The size of the loop upon the Larnya can be adjusted using a lever. The Lumas are transferred by putting the loop of the Larnya over the top of the Lumas, tipping them over, then moving the loop to the midpoint, swinging them towards the pocket, and flipping them into the pocket. The Luma is then carried to the cart where the Luma is flipped end over end from the pocket into a spot in the cart next to another spent Luma.

Once formed and marked by the Artisans Guild, the Lumas are carted up where they are taken down to the Fire Cave (where Gary was initially discovered and rescued by Akeel as Islon). The Lumas are recharged by the intense brightness of the chamber as well as the heat of the subterranean lake. Only the most experienced Lumiskveya are allowed to enter the Fire Caves, and they must have perfected the art of "Bak Rusala' or 'the shallow breath'. Occasionally they will sip air through an ingenious device called a 'Lisfra' which is a conical shaped apparatus with two concentric rings of metal piping which contains a foul tasting liquid which serves to filter out the dangerous gasses and allow somewhat breathable air to exit the device. Also the Lumiskveya who enter the Fire Caves must be able to hold their breath for an extrordinarily long time as they cart up the hot Lumas and place the cold spent lumas down into the boiling water of the subterranean lake.

The hot Lumas are carted to various locations throughout the city. Each lodge has some narrow openings by the door in which the spent Luma's are gathered and the fresh hot ones are placed. It is the source of heat for the lodge

Some lumas are placed near vent holes so that the air rising up to the city can be warmed and recirculated using natural convection. During the "Light Times" many of the Lumiskveya travel to Tronolasti and help to maintain the sky of ice, at a time when the maintenance of the sky of ice is the most labor intensive.

THE STILARII GUILD

The Stilarii (or ice walkers) are usually easy to identify. They have tanned faces from spending a great deal of time in the sun maintaining the sky of ice.

The typical garb of a Stilarii guild member is a white suit with white boots and white gloves that is made to be very warm in order to protect the Stilarii from the great cold outside. It is said that once a Stilarii enters the world of snow, they become invisible.

While upon the Sky of Ice, the Stilarii strap on to their boots a metal contraption with two blades on each foot and spikes going out from either side. The two blades allow the Stilarii to walk upon the ice, but also to skate upon them, and to quickly turn and place their weight to the uphill side and quickly stop.

Each work day a different section of the sky of ice is reinforced with snow from the mountain, hauled in carts and shovelled and tamped down into place. Measurements of the Sky of Ice's thickness are carefully taken on the clear crystalline rods which extend down through the ice, and occassionally, a new section of rope is added, anchored to the mountain wall, tied around the clear rods, and pulled tight and anchored to the other side.

The Stilarii also help keep the vent holes from freezing closed, and during the dark times, (When the Sky of Ice is pretty much self sustaining, the Stilarii travel to Valrifas in order to help the Lumiskveyas with their deliveries, because during the dark times, the Lumas need to be replaced far more frequently.

THE HEALERS GUILD

If a Valrimir is sick or injured, it is the Healers Guild that cares for them. They are trained from a young age to use herbs and poultices and certain foods to help bring optimal health the the Valrimir People. Trista and her Mother, Camia are members of the Healers Guild. Camia taught her daughter, Trista all that she knows about Healing, which in turn she learned from her mother. That is why Trista was called upon to care for Gary after he was discovered unconscious within the fire Cave.

THE ARTISANS GUILD

The Artisans Guild takes the raw materials and forms it into useful items such as Lumas, tools, and plates, eating utensils and even jewelry.

THE MINERS GUILD

The Miners Guild mine the metal ore needed to make the tools used by the Valrimir in both Valrifas, and Tronolasti. They also mine the Crystal from which the greenish Lumas are made.

THE STONECUTTERS GUILD

The StoneCutters precisely measure and cut the stone blocks needed to build walls, and other structures for the Valrimir people.

THE BUILDERS GUILD

The Builders are responsible for taking the stone cut by the StoneCutters Guild, and using the stone blocks to build new walls, lodges, and other structures.

THE DOMEK

The Domek Guild are the farmers which reside primarily in Tronolasti, although there are quite a few of the DOMEK that also reside in Valrifas, and grow the mushroom like Varna, a staple of the Valrimir diet. In Tronolasti, they grow under the sky of ice crops that range from wheat to rice to corn to oats, and many kinds of vegetables and even some fruits.

THE KRAAGA

The Kraaga are easily identified with their scarlet tunics and robes. They are the confronters, and the ones that escort someone that has violated the Valrimir law to and from a cell to await the Sekraaga or "The confrontation and judgement". These are military age men and also serve as the Valrimir's guards should the need ever arise.

THE VARISLAYA GUILD

These are the ones that take the food that has been farmed by the Domek Guild, washit it, grind it, and deliver it on a near daily basis to the boxes found outside of each Valrimir lodge.

THE COOKS GUILD

It is the Cooks Guild that prepare the food for the various feasts and other gatherings that the Valrimir people enjoy.

THE LEARNED

These are the wise ones who instruct the children and the young Valrimir in the written and spoken language of the Valrimir. The history of the Valrimir, and of Shalrodan in general, and discussions in mathematics, science, and even ethics are commonplace. Once that a Valrimir youth reaches a certain age, then they select a Guild to serve in, and their training and education continue on within the Guilds.

THE ECONOMY OF THE VALRIMIR

While at first glance it may appear that the Valrimir economic system is a purely Socialist in its nature. However, there are a few major differences between a socialist economy, and that of the Valrimir people. In a typical Socialist economy, there is a ruling class that benefits from the production of the working force. They take a large portion for themselves, and whatever is left is distributed to the masses. Whereas, with the Valrimir, everything is assigned based upon the needs of the people but is shared equally. A larger family requires more food than a smaller family does, however, ultimately, a larger family is going to contribute more. Also, in a Communist or Socialist society, the saying is "If one does not work, then one does not eat". However each Valrimir believes that "if they do not work, then someone else will not eat". The Valrimir do not work, they serve. There is a deeply ingrained sense of loyalty to the other Guild members, and to all of the Valrimir people as a whole, and the people serve in order to do their part. To fail to do so, would cause others to have to work harder and longer to do the work that would be required by the one who failed to do their part. This would be unthinkable for any true Valrimir to shirk their duties or to ever take advantage of another. There is probably much that our society could learn from the Valrimir.

Within the Valrimir economy, there also is an element of capitalism that exists. Each guild is given a quota of work that they must accomplish, or goods that they must produce. However, any Valrimir citizen may choose to give of their time to another guild, if they are properly trained in the requirements of that guild, where they are able to keep a small portion of the fruits of their labor. Once that the group has met their production quota anything that is in excess of the required quota is evenly distributed amongst the workers. This encourages a high level of productivity. With these extra items, a marketplace exists in the town square where people are able to barter and trade their goods for other items. Also people are able to barter their services or labor in exchange for goods as well, or vice versa.

For example, one might wonder, "why in the world would anyone choose to become a member of the Miners Guild or the Stone Cutters Guild if it is such hard physical labor"? It is a fair enough question. Once that the quota for say cut stones are met, the Stone Cutters may cut extra stone blocks, which are always highly in demand, say if a Stone Cutter wants to build a new and larger lodge for himself, or for say a daughter or son who are about to become joined, so that they will have a lodge of their own. So a new section of the caves can be cut out, from the rock, and the stone that it produces can be cut and used to create the walls needed to build a new lodge. There is a Valrimir saying that goes something like this; "The Stonecutters and the Builders may have the largest lodges, but the Lumiskveya's are the warmest". I would suppose that by the same logic that those that grow the food, eat the best.

While money is not exchanged, people are always able to trade their services or their goods for say an occasional rack of scammoth meat or extra grain, or some honey or food, or even jewelry. In this way, the most productive, and those willing to work the hardest enjoy the fruits of their additional efforts.