History
The tradition of centering a Song’s territory around a hot spring originates from the Samanayrs’ time in exile. The majority of the Samanayr population made their home in the mountains and northern tundra bordering the human lands and found relief from the cold in the natural hot springs they came across. A hot spring would usually host several Songs.
Besides being a source of warmth and water, the springs could also be used to warm caves if carefully channeled. The Mystics and other magical Samanayrs also learned that most naturally-occurring hot springs are a rich source of elemental magical energy, as if it rises to the surface along with the heat. This feature is less common in magically-created hot springs.
In time, Mystics also discovered that they could force the creation of hot springs if the conditions were right. Magically-created hot springs helped provide some relief when the more easily accessible natural hot springs became overcrowded, although due to the effort involved in creating one they could not be produced very often.
Hot spring claims
Although Samanayrs now have a wide range of environments to call home, many Songs – particularly those with magical Samanayrs – still try to have a hot spring at the heart of their territory. Some Songs will claim a hot spring for themselves alone, while others will group together to share a hot spring, particularly if it’s larger than usual. Most Songs who have claimed a hot spring are welcoming to outsiders visiting or even staying for a time, but others strictly guard their territories and do not allow visitors.
A particularly popular hot spring may come under contention if several groups want to claim ownership, which can lead to disputes and even physical or magical squabbles. This is a rare occurrence but can still result in permanent rifts between Songs and even injury or death.
Some hot springs are not owned by a specific group and are considered open to all Samanayrs. The most notable of these is the Song of the Rainbow Hotsprings, home to the Song of the Rainbow.
Magically-created hot springs
While the population of Mystics has grown in the years since the exile, the practice of creating new hot springs with magic has grown much less common as they are no longer essential for survival. All Samanayrs do acknowledge their importance in a historical and traditional sense and many claim to feel ‘unsettled’ if there is no hot spring nearby.
A Song or group of Samanayrs who would like a hot spring to be created in their area must appeal to the Circle, as new hot springs are usually only created at their behest. A minimum of three Mystics are usually needed to create one, each one specializing in fire, water, or earth elemental magic.
It is not always possible to create a hot spring if the environmental conditions are not right, and the group requesting the creation of one will be urged to move to a new area instead.