HighTide



HighTide is an island city-state located off the eastern coast of Averon, on the northernmost continent of Alathra. It was created on May 22, 2021. HighTide serves as the regional authority of the Seastone Isles, a collection of islands and icebergs located between Averon and SlavonGrad. The city, and by extension the isles, are overseen and ruled by the Sealord. The current Sealord is the founder of HighTide, Cody29797. Additionally, the city has a symbolic ruler, a sea turtle called Lord Theodore Estermont. HighTide is a founding member of the Free Cities of Alathra, with Sealord Cody29797 serving as Chancellor of the FCA.

Currently, HighTide is in its infancy stages and lacks any massive developments. Its most notable attraction is the Tidefort, a large white tower that looms over the entire town. It draws in visitors from all over Alathra to gaze at its magnificence.

Residents

 * Cody29797 (Chancellor, Sealord of HighTide)
 * GreatLemi (Steward of HighTide)
 * KIX_6116
 * Mrblack4123
 * Gongasm
 * Helix_8ea
 * bofamnutz
 * FastPencil86
 * CodywonX
 * Sheepboi121
 * ARiaMARS

The Sealord
The Sealord oversees and rules the Seastone Isles. The current Sealord is the founder of Hightide, Cody29797.

The Shellmaster
Shellmaster is an honorary title bestowed onto the Sealord's most trustworthy subject. The Shellmaster oversees HighTide and its subjects in the absence of the Sealord, as well as ensuring the safety of all the Chelonians. Outside of the Seastone Isles, the Shellmaster might be referred to as a steward, as they fulfill much of the same role. The Shellmaster is however distinguished by their perplexingly well-crafted scuteplated armor (with no turtles being hurt in its production). The current Shellmaster is one of HighTide's most prominent architects, GreatLemi.

Shellherder
Breeders, caretakers, and collectors of scute, the shellherders basically do it all. Shellherders owe their allegiance to the Shellmaster and are distinguished by their green scute helmets.

History
Before the arrival of Cody2979 and his daring accomplices, the Seastone Isles were inhabited by indigenous Villagers.

Origins
As a relatively remote island, HighTide is isolated from the mainland of the northernmost continent of Alathra. While maritime trading seems to be prevalent between the cities of HighTide and Uhovia, the city of HighTide has managed to develop its own customs and traditions distinct from that of the mainland. Much of this culture is inherited from the various indigenous peoples of the Seastone Isles. Prior to the arrival of Sealord Cody29797, the natives of the island spoke a regional dialect of Animalese, distinguished by its excessive amount of words related to turtles and turtle-adjacent activities. The dialect is currently endangered and is only spoken semi-fluently by various scholars and clerics.

The Sea Turtles (Chelonians)
Many visitors are astonished by how well the local residents treat the native sea turtle population on the island. Chelonians, or 'turtles' as they are called in the common tongue, are considered sacred beings in Tidian culture and should be treated as such by anyone who wishes to earn favors with the people of HighTide. These gentle reptiles are the national symbol of HighTide, and are therefore sometimes given symbolic positions of power, like the renowned Lord Theodore Estermont.

Only under certain circumstances are Chelonians allowed to be put to death, like under the ancient ritual of Testudo Sacrificium. In accordance with the ritual, the essence orbs of the deceased Chelonian are carefully entombed under the soft sands of its birthplace. To prevent any unnecessary pain or discomfort, the gentle creature is put under anesthesia with a splash potion of weakness before being sacrificed. Fully completing a Testudo Sacrificium has been shown to be remarkably difficult. If done incorrectly, the essence orbs might be wrongly absorbed by the practitioner of the ritual, preventing the Chelonian from ascending to a higher plane of existence. It is believed that if the essence of a Chelonian resides within the material body of a human, that person needs to perish before the essence is able to ascend. Because of the serious risk involved with performing a Testudo Sacrificium, the ritual is usually reserved for professional practitioners like shellherders and clerics.

The Constitution
As the capital of the FCA, HighTide is obliged to follow The Constitution of the Free Cities of Alathra. The constitution was first drafted by Lord MylesDon of Duskenspur on May 30, and outlines the basic laws of the Free Cities, including:


 * Autonomy of each town without interfering with national laws
 * The requirement to contribute to daily upkeep payments
 * Military obligation during times of war
 * National citizenship for all town members, which entails:
 * Freedom of movement between national territories
 * Equal rights in each town
 * Compliance with local laws, including switch/building permissions
 * The responsibilities of the Chancellor, mainly to consult with the lords of the other member-towns

Laws relating to desecration



 * Anyone who kills a turtle in cold blood on the Seastone Isles may be imprisoned in Tidefort Tower for an indefinite amount of time, though this has yet to be enforced by the Sealord Cody29797.


 * Any literature or art depicting violence or mistreatment of turtles may be confiscated by the city guard. The owner of any such media may be given a penalty or a fine, depending on the grotesqueness of the work.


 * The 4×3 block painting by the name of "Kong" is one of the works of art that is strictly forbidden inside the borders of HighTide, as it depicts a genocidal maniac who sets turtles aflame for entertainment. Anyone who finds a copy of "Kong" should throw it into their fireplace or immediately send it to the city guard for confiscation. In the eyes of Tidians, "Kong" is the most profane and grotesque painting you could ever decorate your home with.

The Submarine Volcano Incident (20th of June 2021)
The daring baker by the name of Arda (ARiaMARS) had just set up shop in the early days of HighTide. His new bakery, "Coral Cakes", was well received by the local residents. Despite the great approval, Arda could barely scrape up enough resources to maintain the bakery. When he went out to collect some materials from the Lazurite Caves, he saw that one of its branches led out to the ocean. Arda was terribly afraid of the sea, but he saw a huge vein of iron that he could not resist. The instant he dived into the water, he felt an incredible force pulling him down. It was a submarine volcano that had been asleep for decades, and it had been awakened by the young Tidian baker. Arda shouted for help, but no one heard his screams. He felt water filling up his lungs, but that was when he heard that the Shellmaster, Lemi (GreatLemi), had come to the rescue. He quickly gathered Arda’s mining equipment and took the weight off him, helping him swim up to the surface of the water. Arda had never seen such a good swimmer before, and he had no clue how Lemi escaped the unbeatable force of the volcano, or how he heard his screams through all the layers of the dark deep ocean. When they managed to land safely on an iceberg, Arda glanced up on Lemi’s face and a beam of light reflected from Lemi’s Shelmet caught his eye. At that moment he knew that Lord Theodore Estermont had given him a second chance of living. Many miracles had happened that day that showed Lemi that Arda had a special connection to the Chelonians. The day after the rescue, Lemi decided to make Arda a one-of-a-kind Shelmet and bestowed onto him the title of shellherder.