ABRAXAS MODS (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
abraxasmods) wrote2023-06-13 09:56 am
abraxasmods) wrote2023-06-13 09:56 am
Entry tags:
THE FEYWILDS ◎
The Feywilds
Jump to Section
Climate
Oversized fungi, overgrown woods
Population
None (deserted)
Economy
Isolated
Military
N/A
Magic
Seelie Magic (Non-Arcane)
Technology
None; magic only
Fashion
Florals, elaborate accessories and styled hair, emphasis on colors
Travel
Travel to allied territories (the Nether and Nocwich) are acceptable for short periods.
Dangers
Fey-unique creatures and wildlife in the Duskwoods and the surrounding forests, as well as dangerous plants and environmental hazards.
Overview
View Recent Status & Notable Events
◎ In the spring of 20,078, the Vermilion Court invited the Summoned to visit, the first outsiders to enter the Feywilds in hundreds of years.
◎ During the recent Great Quakes, the Fey have abandoned the Feywilds and returned to their home world, Faerie. No one has seen them over the past few months.
◎ During the recent Great Quakes, the Fey have abandoned the Feywilds and returned to their home world, Faerie. No one has seen them over the past few months.
Abraxas was once home to a large number of Fey, divided into the Seelie Court (Fey who mingled freely among the other territories of the world and could be persuaded to lend a hand to certain causes) and the Unseelie Court (Fey who valued their secrecy and generally behaved malevolently towards outsiders). Fearing the magic of the Unseelie Court, the Thorneans drove the Fey to near-extinction many centuries ago. Those that remained settled in burrows underground, re-emerging in the unclaimed land left behind as the eternal night of Nocwich began to recede.
While not as populous as they once were, there were enough Fey to hold control of this region. They merged into one single court - the Vermilion Court - and never ventured outside of the Feywilds. These days, the Fey have all vanished. Word has it that they have given up on coexisting with the humans. With Abraxas offering them nothing but loss, they have returned to their home dimension of Faerie and have not been seen since.
◎ The Vermilion Court
The Vermilion Court was the union between the Seelie Court and the Unseelie Court. Having merged centuries ago, the Fey now consider themselves as one. The name Seelie Magic is retained to describe their magic while the Unseelie's hostility to outsiders and preference for isolation was adopted into their ways due to Thorne's aggression. All Fey are part of the Vermilion Court. The Court does not refer to only the royal members but is rather what the Fey have chosen to call themselves now that they are no longer divided between the Seelie Court and the Unseelie Court.
Without the Vermillion Court or, indeed any of the Fey, the labyrinthian lands have been left for the wilds to consume.
Without the Vermillion Court or, indeed any of the Fey, the labyrinthian lands have been left for the wilds to consume.
Regions
Most of the regions around the Feywilds are full of vast entangled woods and thorny vines. Various mushrooms and other fungi cover the ground and trees, or else grow to giant heights, giving the impression that other lifeforms have shrunk beneath them. Trees are so dense that many areas are perpetually in shade. There are many ponds and small lakes, most with some sort of footbridge to ease crossings. While much of the land seems dark, there are also huge, beautiful flowers nearly everywhere, in shades of deep scarlets, violets, and golds.
City of the Vermilion Court
The most heavily populated region, the City of the Vermilion Court has been moderately cleared of foliage and flora to make room for a variety of buildings: residential dwellings, stores, and workshops. Unlike other territories in Abraxas, the Court's isolated nature means there are no inns or any services dedicated to guests or visitors.
Nor is Fey architecture designed for those who are not of the Fey, who are short and slight in stature. Buildings are low to the ground, and anyone on the taller side may need to duck when entering doorways. Structures are also merged into the surrounding nature as much as possible while furniture makes use of what's already grown in the environment: stumps for seating or stairs carved into tree trunks.
The Court is particularly noted for their lavish, ethereal masquerades, which take place twice a year, coinciding with the full moon in summer and the new moon in winter.
Nor is Fey architecture designed for those who are not of the Fey, who are short and slight in stature. Buildings are low to the ground, and anyone on the taller side may need to duck when entering doorways. Structures are also merged into the surrounding nature as much as possible while furniture makes use of what's already grown in the environment: stumps for seating or stairs carved into tree trunks.
The Court is particularly noted for their lavish, ethereal masquerades, which take place twice a year, coinciding with the full moon in summer and the new moon in winter.
◎ The Vermilion Palace
The Vermilion Palace is home to the royal family and their attendants. This includes advisors, the High Priestesses, and commanders. Called the Mestr, the King's main counsel, Lord Kythros, has served multiple kings before the current monarch. Mestr's are looked up to for their loyalty and ability to ensure the smooth transition between kings and queens.
It is the only building in the City of the Court that's large and obvious. Even then, it's fairly unimpressive by castle standards - especially compared to the elaborate towering structures in Thorne. Leading up to the masquerades, the Palace is often abuzz with activity as decorations are put in place and preparations are made.
The Vermillion Palace is now abandoned, with all valuables removed, leaving behind only dusty furniture and wild growth.
It is the only building in the City of the Court that's large and obvious. Even then, it's fairly unimpressive by castle standards - especially compared to the elaborate towering structures in Thorne. Leading up to the masquerades, the Palace is often abuzz with activity as decorations are put in place and preparations are made.
The Vermillion Palace is now abandoned, with all valuables removed, leaving behind only dusty furniture and wild growth.
The Duskwoods
The Duskwoods refer to the surrounding overgrown woods. A thick canopy of trees shadows much of the forest in a perpetual dusk-like state, lending to its name - though sunlight does stream through a few rare spots between the leaves. At once beautiful and foreboding, the Duskwoods encompass the aura of the Fey: mysterious, full of hidden secrets and dangers, and yet wonderfully rewarding for those who respect it and its inhabitants.
Be confident with your footing and sure of your path. It's easy to get lost in the tangled forest.
Be confident with your footing and sure of your path. It's easy to get lost in the tangled forest.
◎ Wildlife
Many creatures present as massive versions of familiar wildlife: caterpillars as big as your leg, frogs as large as dogs, snakes fifteen feet long and wider than a man. They tend to have additional changes, such as extra eyes, wings where they don’t belong, rows of razor sharp teeth. Most are aggressive and dangerous, and should not be approached - but understanding how to keep out of their territory and avoid being seen as a threat will keep you safe.
You can learn more about individual creatures in the Feywilds section of the Bestiary.
You can learn more about individual creatures in the Feywilds section of the Bestiary.
The Fey
The Fey who were of the Seelie Court once spread out through Abraxas, but Thornean conquest of the continent decimated the Fey's population. They've reclaimed some of the land that was once under Nocwich's eternal night, leading to violent conflicts with Luna and Ikorr in the past. Up until the arrival of the Summoned, the Vermilion Court has never invited outsiders into their home. They remain adamant that no Abraxan natives set foot across their borders, and have only thus far met with the Summoned alone.
Currently, the only native Abraxan in the Feywilds is Elizabeth - a figure who appeared long ago alongside Oliver during the Summoned's initial escape from Thorne.
Currently, the only native Abraxan in the Feywilds is Elizabeth - a figure who appeared long ago alongside Oliver during the Summoned's initial escape from Thorne.
◎ People & Culture
The Fey, a race of innately magical creatures who strongly resemble humans in appearance, but are actually a separate species. Their most distinct feature are their pointed ears. Many who come from other worlds that have elves might see the resemblance. They are smaller than the average human. The tallest of their kind reaches around 5'5", but most barely break a height of 5 feet. Their lifespan is extraordinarily long - an average of 2500 years in age.
Delicate and slender, with spindly extremities, their hair and irises have a greater range of color than human Abraxans. While white, black, and blond hair are seen, they can also have muted shades of pink, blue, purple, and orange. Their eyes are disproportionately large. In particular, their pupils are often dilated to adapt to the dark forests, turning their irises nearly fully black and masking the true color. Contrary to popular belief, they are wingless, though Seelie Magic is capable of creating thin, translucent wings to carry them at swift speeds when needed.
Delicate and slender, with spindly extremities, their hair and irises have a greater range of color than human Abraxans. While white, black, and blond hair are seen, they can also have muted shades of pink, blue, purple, and orange. Their eyes are disproportionately large. In particular, their pupils are often dilated to adapt to the dark forests, turning their irises nearly fully black and masking the true color. Contrary to popular belief, they are wingless, though Seelie Magic is capable of creating thin, translucent wings to carry them at swift speeds when needed.
◎ Religion
Based on the lunar cycles and the nature around them, the Faerie religion is mysterious and unknown. As the Fey have no need to record their religious practices, there's nothing written down about it. The only thing that's known is that they observe the years using the lunar eclipse, which occurs infrequently - an aspect that contributes to the sense of slow-moving time in the Feywilds.
◎ Language
The Fey speak an ancient language that Abraxans simply call Fey or the Fey tongue. The Fey call it something else in their native speech that most find impossible to pronounce. Their language is explicitly tonal-based and heavily contextual, and is spoken rapidly. To outsiders, it sounds as though they use only a few distinct "words" over and over. Sometimes, an entire conversation may seem to use only one phonetic sound, giving it an animal-like chattering quality.
They Fey interpret their terms directly into the Abraxan common tongue rather than attempt to represent the Fey language phonetically. Names, locations, and creatures, therefore, seem to take on literal translations that aptly describe the thing they refer to - for instance, The Amaranthine Pond for a purple-hued pond and the Grinning Longhorn for a large-antlered deer with a toothy smile.
They Fey interpret their terms directly into the Abraxan common tongue rather than attempt to represent the Fey language phonetically. Names, locations, and creatures, therefore, seem to take on literal translations that aptly describe the thing they refer to - for instance, The Amaranthine Pond for a purple-hued pond and the Grinning Longhorn for a large-antlered deer with a toothy smile.
Images
The images below are for your reference, but all players are invited to build on the details provided to construct their own descriptions and vision of the game's setting. Don't feel as though you have to adhere only to what's displayed!
return to