Driftglass Fayre of Van Anicola

Driftglass Fayre of Van Anicola is an Official GemStone IV Document, and it is protected from editing.

The Driftglass Fayre of Van Anicola

Soon after the winter solstice and the Feast of the Immortals, select members of Van Anicola travel to the Isle of Four Winds. While known for wandering, this sort of travel is virtually unheard of amongst the Vanadre Chiras, and many speak of the Anicola in terms of near-reverent awe for their Chronomage-supported travel to such a faraway locale. Details are unknown, but long ago, the Anicola made arrangements both with the Iyo and the Chronomages for access to select areas across the island. The Chronomages transport those chosen each year to the town of Mist Harbor, and Iyo guards escort the Anicola through the jungles to their camp.

The camp, set deep within the Monsoon Jungle, is reserved solely for the Anicola contingent, and the Iyo ensure that no one else accesses these areas throughout the rest of the year. There is great respect shown between both groups, and this decades-long pact shows no sign of dimming.

Van Anicola come to the Isle for three main reasons: to retrieve caches of driftglass and place new ones, to barter and trade for unique items from the Iyo and the residents of Mist Harbor, and for adventure, as this is off the normal Elanith path of wandering.

Known as the Driftglass Fayre, the Anicola are only on the isle for a week, and originally, it was only open to select Iyo and merchants. In 5125, however, the Anicola decided to allow any who can visit the Isle of Four Winds to participate, and rather than bringing their wares to Mist Harbor, they are opening up a small section of their camp to these visitors. The wares available are an eclectic gathering of Vanadre Chiras items and other items picked up here and there across their travels throughout Elanith. One never knows what the Anicola may bring from year to year, other than being assured that Vanadre Chiras' specialties such as driftglass baubles and zivtika embroidery will be available.

On Driftglass
Amongst the Vanadre Chiras, the Anicola are the preeminent creators of driftglass. Inspired by seaglass (and taking its name from an obsolete term for it), driftglass is created when bits of glass are worn down in river and lake beds. While other cultures may use this methodology occasionally, the best-known source of driftglass comes from the Vanadre Chiras, and more specifically, Van Anicola. Indeed, it is not considered true driftglass unless it comes from the Anicola's special caches on the Isle of Four Winds.

Like its seaglass counterpart, driftglass is not blown. Pre-existing glass items are broken or cut, sometimes into rough figures, and then placed in river beds and lakes. These are left for years, if not a decade or more, as patience, time, and perhaps a bit of alchemical assistance are all required for the original glass's transformation into driftglass.

Across the years, the glass is naturally tumbled by the water's movement, wearing itself against water, rock, and shore until it is polished to a high sheen. Driftglass lacks the frosted nature of seaglass, but the Anicola have perfected their driftglass process; the finished product is pulled from the waters bearing a distinctive moire pattern across the surface.

On Zivtika
Zivtika is a traditional form of Vanadre Chiras embroidery, its name translating literally as "miniature stabbing." While zivtika creates beautiful decorations upon clothing items, its primary purpose is one of functionality - to reinforce clothing to last longer. Zivtika is often shortened to zivka, especially when describing an individual item's embroidery. For example, one might say, "My grandmother gave me a zivka-stitched quilt."

Traditionally, zivtika used cheap white or gold thread on equally inexpensive and accessible dark cloth, or bright red threading if the cloth was pale. Over time, however, as fortunes grew and materials and dyes became more abundant and available, both threading and materials improved in quality and expanded their colorations to encompass the entire spectrum.

Typically using a simple running stitch, those in the van assigned to repairing and restoring garments would patch holes, piece together worn-out clothing into new items, and layer thinner items together to create warmer and more protective garments, and in doing so, would do what they could to make these repairs into works of art. There was no shame in having sturdy, cheap garments, and the Vanadre Chiras found zivtika as a way to combine functional practicality and fine aesthetics with even the most meager of budgets.

Today, zivtika is still performed, but rather than out of true need, most of the time it is focused on the artistry behind it. Garments, accessories, even pillows and blankets, may all be worked in the zivtika style, and the most skilled zivtika artisans find their wares exceedingly popular when brought to market.

OOC Notes

• Created by GM Xynwen, December 2025, with many thanks to GM Gyres for the Vanadre Chiras
• Driftglass requires alter fodder
• Alteration Guidance:
  • When used before the noun, think of it like the term "embroidered" when considering its placement. This means it would come before colors and materials describing the noun. Given that, it can flow better to make it zivka-threaded or zivtika-threaded.
  • When used after the noun, think of it like the term "embroidery"
  • Examples (zivka and zivtika can be used interchangeably in these)
    • A zivka blouse
    • A zivka-threaded blue silk blouse
    • A blue silk blouse stitched with zivtika roses
    • A white linen pillow traced by scarlet zivtika
    • A fitted black linen jacket with colorful geometric zivtika