Vale of Scyllina
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A small nation resting in grassy, mist-prone hills around an offset inland sea.
The Vale of Scyllina is a small nation that rests comfortably in grassy, mist-prone hills surrounding an offset inland sea. As the lattice reconnected cultures, the Scyllinari gained a new appreciation of how fortunate they were to live in a place of beauty and safety like the Vale. The soil and grass are ideal for farming and husbandry, the river and salt sea make for good fishing, and the unusually beautiful natural resources have brought good trade and wealth to the nation. The Vale is known across the lattice as the exclusive source of Dapplevein lumber, Vericulum ore, and Marieri filets.
The Vale is infamous for its ferocious, cutthroat, merciless court of nobility. Most of those who become embroiled in the dangerous game of wealth and power do so by choice, with only a few being thrust there by circumstance. The courts are known among the easygoing population as Fraemori Lux, or “Monster Silks.” Their ambassadors are known in foreign courts as adept, razor-sharp, and possessed of a discerning talent for finding opportunity.
Geography, History, and Climate
The Vale of Scyllina is defined on the southern and western edges by mountains, and on its northern border by impassable volcanic wasteland. The Estri sea takes up a large portion of the northern land. Towns in the Vale range languidly over several hillsides with single houses and small clusters connected by dirt paths or pavestone roads. The city of Iliax in the north was built upon the ruins of an old civilization once the remains of a Lattice Threshold were uncovered and repaired. The city’s expansion exploded upward and outward when the Leaping Hare canal was dug from the sea to the Node, allowing ships to port through to the Myos Islands sea gates.
There are other such old cities scattered around the Vale, though none have risen to contemporary greatness in the same way as Iliax. The only other notable city is Gladior, an industrial hub near the heart of the nation that grew to support the goods coming out of the mines, forests, fields, and waters on their way to the Node in Iliax.
The Vale is commonly understood to have an active spirit population, and most notably they have established relationships with the Vale’s unique regional spirits, often engaging them as allies and protectors. There are twelve widely recognized regional spirits, each with their own territory. A spirit’s territory does not always directly align with manmade political boundaries.
The twelve spirits of the Vale and their regions are shown on the map of the Vale below.
There is no unifying heraldry within the Vale. The closest thing they have is the proprietary trade stamp that features an entwined V and S, surrounded by a fish, a leaf, and a veined stone in honor of their three premium exports. Although there is no national heraldry, there is a dizzying array of guild marks, trade stamps, and house heraldry that are vital to the financial and status games that are played by the elite.
The Twelve Regional Spirits
| Region | Spirit | Known Seemings | Demeanor | Mask |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yagritte | Goodwin | A gentleman who prefers to dress in white. His clothes are usually of good make, but rumpled as though he had slept in them. He has short spikes of soft, white, feathery hair. His eyes are sometimes large and black. |
Goodwin is a gregarious, joyful spirit who frequents taverns, bars, and parties in his area. He loves people and treats anyone within range of his boisterous voice as a lifelong friend. He almost never leaves a pub or an event. Instead, he will drink, eat, and toast until he eventually nods off, and then will fade out. | White Owl |
| Steggio | Consallow | Dressed always in dark and somber clothing, Consallow is assumed to be in mourning. Sometimes they are reported to have a foul, fetid scent. They are always to be found with a veil that covers their eyes, and a scarf, collar, or kerchief that covers their mouth and nose. |
Consallow is known to speak only rarely. Most of the time, he stations himself at a corner, or the top of a hill, or the edge of a field, and he watches. At the behest of the Elite Courtier of this region, Consallow will sometimes agree to share their breath with a sleeping target, which will result in the target’s death. However, if Consallow does not approve of the request, they will choose a different target on their own recognizance. |
White Featureless White Face with a Black Veil over the Eye Area |
| Alda | Stycke | Stycke most commonly appears as a jovial mastiff, overexcited and drooly. Their fur is reddish-brown. Rarely, Stycke will appear as a lanky young human with reddish-brown hair. |
Stycke loves children and sometimes forgets to appear for adults, giving the impression that children are playing with an invisible friend. Stycke is very protective of the people of their region. They will guard doors and patrol communities at night. Hackles raised, they appear at the side of lone pedestrians in their region who are under threat. Stycke can speak, but adults will only hear barking. |
White Mastiff |
| Lumani | Madam Sharpe | Madam Sharpe has always appeared as a woman. She is typically well-dressed, with hair piled high on her head. She favors skirts that are high in the front and low in the back, and she carries a dueling sword. | Madam Sharpe appears often at courtly functions and philanthropic endeavours. She is known to be keen-eyed and always manages to disappear from a place before the trouble arrives. She claims her sword is that of a fallen friend, and so she carries it in memory. |
White Hare |
| Bracci Costi | Blayne | Blayne is a roguish character who, upon observation, has obviously been caught and punished for previous crimes. He wears looped chains and sometimes has a missing hand or a scar on his neck. He typically wears villager’s clothing. | Blayne loves a good story. He is often found in places such as campfires, fishing holes, tailor and beauty salons, and other places where strangers are likely to share stories with strangers. Every once in a while, he will be found sleeping in an unused bed, and it is best to chase him off with a broom. |
White Opossum |
| Glent | Serrah Churrah | Serrah alternates between appearing as a young man and a young woman. They are always dressed in simple, homemade clothing. Sometimes, they are heralded by the smell of flowers or stew. | Serrah is attracted to large windows, and sometimes doors or gates. They will sit or stand near them, and gaze through. Sometimes they will embroider or crochet while they wait and watch. Serrah does not initiate conversation, but will sometimes share what they see with those who ask. |
White Cat |
| Vindrea | Anneliese | Anneliese can appear as a small spider, or as a regal middle-aged woman wearing a lot of lace. | Anneliese is a harsh, imposing woman in most of her appearances. Her advice is always on point, but she may present it in a misleading way if she dislikes you. Despite her apparent distaste for everyone, she does not keep to herself. Anneliese will offer unsolicited advice to people regarding situations she does not have any business even knowing about. As far as anyone has found, her sympathy is given only to the starving, so an Elite Courtier with her mask will typically fast for as long as they can before calling on her. |
White Spiderweb |
| Graelli | Mister Phlox | Mister Phlox is most often seen as literal flowers, only sure to be him because they were not there moments before. When he does take a human form, he will either be covered in a carpet of flowers, or will be wearing a gentleman’s coat with a flower design. He usually smells of freshly turned soil. |
Mister Phlox is a gentle, peaceful presence who prefers to be outdoors. He is drawn to places where people touch nature, and especially to gardens. Mister Phlox abhors the cutthroat court of the Vale, so it is unclear why his mask is represented among the Elite. |
White Mask Covered in Flowers |
| Stacia | Maven | Maven appears as an older woman with a kerchief covering her hair. She is sometimes spry, and sometimes decrepit. A bird rides on her shoulder, staff, or hat. | Maven is unique among the regional spirits because she is always visible, and seems to move about as if she were a physical being. She lives in a house, goes to a market, and otherwise interacts with the world as any person might. Those who have been in her house describe a cauldron that, no matter how bright a light is shone inside, seems to have no bottom. Maven has been known to take in orphans on occasion, and will always take in any stray animal that makes its way to her. |
White Wings |
| Grandi Costi | Brackish Ben | Brackish Ben has never been seen. He has a soft, watery voice. | Within his region, Brackish Ben is known as a water spirit. He loves money and is attracted to coins and other valuable things being tossed into water. He prefers pools and ponds but has been known to appear in running water and even in bowls. He loves stories of adventure, especially ones that feature a great hoard, or unexpected windfall. If pleased, Brackish Ben is willing to grant simple wishes. |
White Cuttlefish |
| Iliax | Ilia | Ilia is a suave, silver-tongued courtier with long, flowing hair and bright eyes. Ilia claims no gender and typically dresses in pants, a cumberbund, and an embellished bolero jacket. | Ilia is an odd spirit in that every time their Elite Courtier’s Mask changes hands, they forget their entire past and must start anew. Ilia is far too graceful to betray whether or not this too bothers them. Most of the folk of the region live to see several Ilias though, and may treat them with pity, impatience, or indulgence. These occasional resets can bring changes to Ilia’s personality, turning suave into slick, or indifferent into cruel. They can be found at estate balls, high-end shops, and expensive eating establishments when they are not out strutting the streets of Iliax. Sometimes, they can be found inebriated in an alley. |
White Winking Fox |
| Vilapone | Cicero the Spearman | Cicero is an older man with greying hair. He is usually seen in a well-fitted but plain jacket, pants, and worn boots. He is never seen without his bow and quiver of blue-fletched arrows. | Cicero is a curmudgeon, and a weathered man of the sea. Sometimes, he comes to towns to sell his catches. Other times, he will meet folk at the edge of the water, and either invite them fishing or ask to go out in their boat. Though he prefers to spend most of his time relaxing with his line in the water, he will sometimes demonstrate how he got his name. He is rumored to be such a deadly marksman that he can use his bow and arrows for spearfishing, and in every village in his region there is at least one person who will swear that they have seen him prove it. |
White Kingfisher |
Politics, Government, and Economy
It is entirely possible for Scyllinari who do not live near a city to go their whole lives without ever seeing a national official. Most of the day-to-day civil functions are tended to by local governors and civil servants, who likely have second careers as millers or coopers. Because the Vale lacks external threats, it has developed a curious system of governance that has tripped up many visitors. All of the trade routes including land, water, and lattice are owned and maintained by members of the court, and the taxes and tolls on these form the greatest share of their income. The powerful trade guilds, some of which have members in the courts and some of which do not, have a monopoly on the ships and caravans necessary for moving the Vale’s precious cargo. The natural resources and the rate at which they may be depleted varies greatly, as these may be owned by citizens, courtiers, guilds, or village collectives, each of whom may have absolute say over the disposition of those resources. All other determinations of what is legal and what is not is made on a regional basis.
This maze-like system seems to only be understood by the courtiers in power, and only fully understood by the twelve mysterious masked courtiers who stand at the apex of the Vale’s dangerous politics. It is their ability to understand and manipulate this writhing mass of etiquette and influence that keeps them in power.
Because the Vale relies heavily on trade to maintain its lifestyle, they put a lot of work into diplomacy and international outreach. They have been the money behind many charity, refugee, and peace operations, though they have been criticized for rarely taking a stand against an oppressor, always looking to make friends without making enemies.
Everyday Life
Most Scyllinari quietly spend their days at the work of their village or homestead, with occasional flurries of activity when the trade caravan comes through, or when there is a festival. To the average citizen, the ongoing events of the Scyllinari court are so outlandish that they are simply treated as gossip fodder, and it is a rich, neverending buffet.
Outside of the courts, there is very little attention paid to social status. Scyllinari citizens are more than happy to leave that tedium to the Fraemori Lux and to spend their own time on their family, hobby, and communities. There is a bit more of a status show in Iliax and Gladior, but beyond their boundaries even the Vale’s other cities have more of a small-town disposition toward community and neighbors, generally up to lend a hand toward a friend or the betterment of the town.
Due to the regional governments and generally peaceful lifestyle, problems and issues in a citizen’s life tend to be local ones. Overly ambitious courtiers, cheating traders, spoiled wine, and poor weather dominate the short list of Scyllinari complaints. With education available to all and enough wealth to allow for free time, there is a great deal of art produced in the Vale, most notably mosaic and painting. Many inhabitants inside the courts and out will make or commission vibrant murals on the walls of their buildings.
Within the courts, social status is the entirety of a person’s existence, and those with experience in the courts seem to have the ability to sense one another’s social value, even to fractional degrees. While most courtiers are as merciless as their reputation suggests, they do follow a certain set of unspoken rules in their pursuit of power and wealth.
Assasination, kidnapping, and other criminal acts are a known and accepted part of the race, but no true master of the courts would wield them against those who are not associated with the game. By the strange rules of the elite, it would be acceptable to target a rival’s spouse for kidnapping, but not the foreman of their village. While the first act might be ignored as a fair play, the second would be pursued by all applicable laws because the foreman had no choice in his association, and it was considered a breach of etiquette.
If there is any one thing that unites the courtiers and the commoners of Scyllinari, it is the lively spirit population. Spirits within the Vale are remarkably visible and extroverted. Some are minor, attached to a popular bakery or pub. Other spirits may attach themselves to a particular family through its generations. And all citizens know their regional spirit, be it through shady deals they make in pursuit of power, or because of its carousing appearance at the festivals in its honor.
Current Events
As the chronicle begins, the Vale of Scyllina has just undergone the greatest turnover of its elite twelve in the history of the nation. Six of the twelve have turned, and no one is yet certain who is behind those six masks. Even those outside the courts are whispering about what changes this may bring as they cement their place at the top. The six who have turned are Ilia, Mister Phlox, Consallow, Goodwin, Cicero the Spearman, and Serrah Churrah.
In the west, there is great concern as the starfly migration patterns have been unpredictable, and the Dapplevein lumber that is the area’s lifeblood is in peril awaiting their arrival. Several towns are beginning to feel the unusual press of hardship and insecurity. The local governor is pleading for aid, but the land belongs to a missing courtier, and no other has come to offer aid.
Some years ago in the north, in the foothills of the volcanic wasteland, a small city reported that their ground was falling away, revealing the roofs of long-buried buildings. Similar events have occurred across the Vale, mainly in the north. Perhaps the most notable instance was the sinkhole that opened up beneath the intended venue for the 124 Midsummer Masque, swallowing the building and delaying the festivities while new venues were arranged. Notes for Players
Cultural Plot and Theme
Players from the Vale should choose if they wish to be involved with courtier plot, by their character’s choice or unwilling involvement.
Courtier plot will be full of back-alley plots, two-faced NPCs, dangerous allegiances, and most importantly, a handful of people trying to use a bad system to do something good. Those who enjoy working behind the scenes to make big things happen, espionage, and conversational wargames will likely enjoy courtier plot.
There is much more to the Vale though, and other plots will involve the mystery of the ancient cities, the helping of good people in need, and the wild world of spirits who want to be involved with mortal affairs.
Costume and RP Themes
The typical Scyllinari citizen changes outfits during the day, having a different set of clothing for work and for relaxation. They also boast of being the first civilization to wear pajamas or sleepclothes to bed, as they were the first to be able to afford such luxury. Players who wish to represent their culture through their costume may choose rich or patterned fabrics in comfortable but beautiful design. Corsets, bodices, and suits are commonplace even among the Scyllinari commoners.
Vericulum Ore comes in a range of green to clear, and can be represented with stones that look like malachite, mossy agate, moonstone, quartz, aventurine, chlorite, jade, etc. Vericulum ore is unique to the Vale, and while it is an opulent purchase for outsiders, many citizens have items and accessories made from it.
Those who work in trade and export may sport the stamp somewhere on their items. It is a V and S intertwined, surrounded by a fish, a veined stone, and a leaf.
If you are a courtier in the Vale, then you are accustomed to being judged by every aspect of your outfit at all times. Courtiers are often accused of being vain, but one button out of place may be the reason they fall from power. Court fashion changes with the times, but costumes are expensive! No player would be expected to provide multiple fancy costumes in a weekend. If you’d like to represent a courtier look, consider silky sheens, lots of buttons, over-the-top jewelry, fabulous hats, parasols, and canes.