High Ostre

High Ostre is the oldest city on Lamaria, dating back to around 22 years before the first calendar was instated during the Gathering of the First. It is considered the capital of Rhoman. It lies on the manmade branch of the Great Tornwater river that feeds the network of canals and irrigations around the city. The city remains to be considered the largest in Lamaria, though the roaming and undefined nature of the forest dominions of the tallmaya and the stretching lakes of the delphynn makes this difficult to substantiate.

The Shadow
The Shadow of Ostre is the first recorded event in Lamaria for those born under the empyreans. Descending from the Heavenlands, Ostre made is first peoples and placed them in the place the girdle of his shadow lay. These two beings he called Gwathredion and irennae.

"He looked out across the land, and saw that the great blazing lamp of sky cast light around him, leaving a shadow of dark from toe to the great clashing tide in the west. And it was upon this shadow his first peoples were created in his image, and he placed them upon the stone and soil in the girdle of the shadow, in the crux of the land."

The Birth of High Ostre
In the 22 years before the Gathering in the First the city was raised from the peoples placed there. For Gwathredion and Irennae were the first, and after a time thought to be around a year Ostre placed others with them. Gwathredion decreed that despite there reverence their new companions placed towards him and his spouse, the prerogative of the peoples was to build themselves steadings, and farms and workstations, and so was erected the first form of the city.

Once this was done, and livlihoods could take over the necessary labour, the people volunteered to assist Gwathredion and Irennae in growing their own halls. And when the halls of the first-placed had been evolved into what was first called the fortress of High Ostre, celebration was called for.

The Gathering In the First
Such a celebration was the infamous Gathering in the First, where the peoples of the shadowed garments, of boot, knee, breast and helm converged and met at the girdle for the first time. And it was here a common language and coin was agreed, and the peoples were equalised so they could thereafter co-operate and live beside each other.

146 - The Filling of Canals
In the year 146, Queen Evebruel II- great-grandaughter of Gwathredion and Irennae- ordered the construction of a system of canals to feed water directly to the city from the Great Tornwater river. It took seven years for a tributary to be dug, but the network would not be completed until the year 210.

Education
Though there are several academies in High Ostre, there are few that give a general education with most schools dedicated to training a particular vocation. The most renowned school in the city is the White-Steel Institute which is famed across Lamaria for the calbre of soldiers is generates

Events and Celebrations
The events hosted by High Ostre range from the upper to bottommost classes. They include athletic contests, social gatherings, memorial ceremonies, and holy reverance.

Communions
Communions are held in five times a year, to commemorate the five cities at the Gathering in the First. The days are marked on the day of year the names of a new city begin when Gwathredion listed the 365 in the Year 0. The days are the Day of Gwathredion (1st January), the Day of Ashildhe (15th April), the Day of Cathrynn (6th July), the Day of Ombre (15th September), and the Day of Ulf (2nd November).

These communions are held in the High Chantry in High Palace, and involve reading the names that of the days until the next communion. After the reading of names, the traditional drink from the relevant city is drunk. In High Palace this is meade to immitate the Godsdrink gifted to Gwathredion by Ostre before his people learnt how to brew. In Crianta this is Lightwater drank from a challice made of the same crystals as the steeping windows of the Alyceus- it is said be trap sunlight that imbues the water. In Steaderstone this is a viscious whisky called Dreadnoose, and some have gone as far as to say that the dhaarls once stole this and took it to Otaerr. In Marketown the drink is a juice made from a drop of all 480 crops the city is recognised for growing. In Westing Vale the delicacy is Voyageland Wine grown from the grapes that grow only by the salt and in the wind that blows in from the sea, and are found nowhere else on Lamaria.

This ceremony is by invitation only, though most chapels throughout the city will host their own, public ceremony. The Kingsguard are expected to attend, and an allocation of Skard and Orthenwick also. The remaining invitations are then issued by the High Priest, and may go to anyone he chooses. These may involve figures of great importance, icons of the current times, personal friends, or people whom he owes favour to.