Isekai Hell: See of Fae

Thu May 02, 2024 1:35 pm

Isekai Hell - See of Fae

A southern country sandwiched between the East and West Empires, the See is home to the most Fae in the known world. It unsurprisingly models itself after a religious nation with many temples, shrines, and holy sites throughout its many forests. It's people are very devout and link magic, nature, and themselves together in a balance that serves as worship to their deities, which happen to be the strongest and oldest of their kin: the great primordial spirits. Their cities are built in, on, and around nature rather than clearing it out of the way. It gives their nation a very distinct feel and style compared to most other nations aside from Widersia. Any persons, places, things, or events of note may go here so long as it came from a graded roleplay that was deemed acceptable to add to the canon for the See of Fae.

Current Situation

See of Fae is currently at war with the neighboring East Empire nation. Fae See nation has a vast military power advantage despite their fewer numbers. Suppliers of basic supplies, mercenaries, and adventurers are needed in large numbers. General acceptance of Fae has turned into open persecution and execution within the East Empire nation. Additionally, Humans from the East Empire nation are met with scorn by the other nations or indifference at best, seen as being starters of the war. The war risks dragging other nations into the conflict and reigniting a continental war after a 50 year peace. The Fae, although initially defending themselves, are not clearly dominating in the war and seemingly pressing for defeating the East Empire if not conquering it outright.

Country - See of Fae

Formally known as the See of Chearon, the See is one of the oldest nations in the 2nd continent. Supposedly founded and formed by the ruling primordial spirits, the nation is one of the few to survive consistently when disaster sweeps the other nations with spoken word records that go back thousands of years while most other nations only have a few hundred years of history or less. Due to its age and ability to pass down wisdom through the ages, in addition to the average member of their populace living for hundreds of years, the See is populated by the greatest number of skilled workers in the world. Arguably, they have the best craftsmen in the world too, but that title has been recently hotly contested by a neighboring nation.

The nation is ruled over by their Pope, the Spirit King, with absolute authority. The equivalent of a living [god] on the mortal plane, the Spirit King is generally inactive as it pertains to the day to day activities of his people. Beneath the Spirit King are his cardinals, each taking on an element or aspect of the Spirit King faith. They act as the mouth pieces of the king and relay to the most devout of the Fae clergy guidance and blessing that may benefit and best shepherd the Fae nation's people.

The land of the See is filled with many resources but predominantly the bounty of nature from its forests. Fruits that won't grown anywhere else in the world. Medicinal herbs so potent but so hard to cultivate elsewhere. And an abundance of fauna and other mysterious yet to be discovered by the rest of the continent at large. More than the Humans of East Empire have their eyes on the nation of the See. Their ability to export living wood as hard as steel and lighter than mithril is no small feat among other such products only the See can provide.

Despite their old age and vast wisdom, they can feel especially dated and conservative in their views of the world and their role in it. Their faith is paramount followed by the wellbeing of nature and their people. The rest of the world could burn for all they care and it has in the past without them lifting a finger to aid.

Population - 500,000
This large country has the most Fae in the world. However, that is not much. Fae rarely reproduce and when they do it is in small numbers. Additionally, their long development phase makes it difficult for them to regain their numbers in the face of any disaster. The war from 50 years ago wiped out many of their number and they have yet to replenish the number of adult Fae from that time. The See of Fae is one of the few countries in the world that permits the murder of Humans without garnering a murder title. In the same way humans feel nothing over swatting a mosquito, the Fae have long since believed all other sentient races are inferior to the point of barely being more than the insects that crawl underfoot. Humans rarely live in the See or last long if they do. Beastmen capable of living with the abundance of nature are much more welcome and do live in the See in great numbers although not to the point of eclipsing the Fae. While generally indifferent to most matters beyond their borders including slavery, the beastmen have been able to find shelter from the Empires on either side that indulge in that trade. Constructs are not particularly welcome in the See but they are not turned away. Regarded as a lesser form of Fae that will never reach its true potential, Constructs that escape the East empire find themselves in a very treacherous land but at least they are free of Humans for what remains of their existence. Monsters are abominations that are destroyed on sight but there are some that find their way into the Fae and lurk within its depths.

Capital - Bishri
A port city and part of the major trade route by sea and on land into Widersia, The Republic, Ryke, and The Duchy, Bishri has a location in trade rivaled only by Ryke. Located on the northern edge of the See on the Continental Lake's south east coast, the only thing holding it back is the national stance of being reluctant to trade beyond its borders except with those it trusts or has strong enough reason to. Although none of the great spirits reside in the city exclusively, the each have temples dedicated to them and their deified peers. It is a city sacred to the See people beyond almost any other site. Said to be the place with their great spirits first ended their voyage and disembarked in the 2nd continent shortly before the founding of the See, every street, stone, building, and statue is said to be holy. Even the water that laps against her shores is now claimed to be blessed. It is so holy that no creature is permitted to enter the city unclean and no shoes or head coverings may be worn.

Security
Most Fae have the means to appraise as their endless curiosity prevents them from sparing anyone or thing privacy. On the same coin, most Fae also have means of fooling or blocking Appraisal, so it can be a particularly difficult place to know anything for certain and much more likely to lead to misunderstandings and extra hardship, situations that the Fae sometimes revel to see others in. Despite the general vibe of peace and easy going that the Fae exude most of the time, the likelihood of dying at any moment is just as high if not higher in the Fae See.

Travel
While the predominant form of travel is on foot there is a another option: Portals. Magic portals cover the world. Most are hidden away in dungeons, deep forests, and treacherous mountains, but a few towns and all major cities have one. The most portals in the world have been found within the See of Fae. Portals allow for travel between any 2 portals instantly. However, they are limited in size, can act as borders between some nations, and can only warp an individual to another portal location they have already been to. Due to the constraints of its use and potential for abuse, most portals are heavily guarded although it is impossible to guard them all in the See. Portal travel is free within the See nation.

Factions
Major groups of individuals working together to influence events in the See and beyond are listed here. This is not a complete list, but can give a starting point to those interested in involving their characters in such things. Among those not listed, there are whispers of various criminal and monstrous groups as well:

Nobles/Church/Religion: The ruling class also happens to be the head of the Religious faction as well in the See. The pope is simultaneously the king and the religious leader for the nation, both handling the faith and spirituality of his people as well as ensuring their safety and wellbeing in a more worldly capacity. In line with that form of governance, the See Fae has the largest religiously controlled military in the world. While the Pople has ruled since anyone can remember, the Cardinals are occasionally replaced. Cardinals are typically always clergy that have ascended to a spiritual state comparable to the divine. The upper ranks of the clergy all began has humble priests and temple staff.
Adventurer's Guild: Present but nearly non-existent. The people of the See have few worries for this world, so jobs are scarcely put in and Humans, the most likely to be adventurers, are far and few between. Typically they get Adventurers from other nations on special cases to resolve particularly troublesome situations.
Merchant's Guild: To the Merchant Guild's despair, the nation is reluctant to trade anything with anyone, so everything traded typically requires approval by members of the church overseeing the wellbeing of the nation and her resources. While the Merchant Guild is more influential than the Adventurer's Guild, it is only by a little bit. The one edge it holds onto despite external trade being stunted is internal trade is booming with more and more exquisite products being produced by the skilled crafters within the nation.
Criminal Faction: While treated not much differently from monsters if discovered, there is a criminal element within the Fae Nation. In additional to religious outcast, you also have Fae the are born of and/or revel in violence and destruction and go out of their way to sow seeds of it within and beyond the Fae nation where possible.

Religion - One
All Fae worship the King of Spirits and his Cardinals as living [gods] on the mortal plane. Their tennets are predominantly about caring for the world and their fellow Fae. While there is no pressing to completely suppress the chaotic or whimsical urges inherent to Fae, there are many verses of their faith that encourage Fae to find the most productive outlets for their most chaotic and destructive tendencies. Overall, it leads to a populace of Chaos that always teeters on the edge of collapse but never does and it works fine for the Fae to leave things at that. It's not uncommon for many Fae to hold the opinion they are superior to the other sentient races, but that believe is reinforced by their religion which calls upon them to guide the other races and make the hard decisions best for the world when times require.

Economy
Internally, the Fae do not have a currency of any kind. They typically barter, exchanging goods for service or service for service and goods for goods. Encouraged to live communally to have the least impact on the land as possible, the Fae that do so typically leverage the resources of the entire commune to do their trades which are for specialty goods needed by the commune as a whole. Churches/temples are the first taken care of during times of abundance and are the first to aid their congregations during hard times.

Bestiary

The world is filled with hostile creatures and other antagonistic forces. Here are a few lists to hint at the types of creatures one might find in the wilderness of the world. While variations between monsters and their capabilities exist, most are Graded based on their overall capability. (list will grow over time...)

Forests of the Sea of Fae:

Plant - Fairy Flower

A magical and extremely expensive flower. It is rumoured to have the souls of fairies dancing around it.

Location - Refara's Sound
A town on the southern coast of the See, nearing the eastern bay, Refara's Sound is a retreat that provides exotic luxury and wild beauty to its citizens and visitors from all over the continent. It boasts many eateries, inns, artisans, and entertainers who make a living off visitors' gold – an uncommonality compared to the surrounding settlements of the See.

The city proper rests atop a large cliff overlooking the bay, while a smaller section below provides housing for the locals. Refara's Sound is governed by Lady Shaylan, a haughty Sphinx unafraid of wielding her perceived social superiority over others for the good of her city. Her assistant, Hajira, is a level-headed, hard-working woman with an apathetic outlook toward most things that aren't related to Lady Shaylan and her interests.

Refara's Sound:

Lady Shaylan:

Hajira:

Location - Curse Cleansing Pool
Legends tell of a place hidden within the southwestern wilds of the See - a natural spring that rests amidst ancient ruins. It calls to those beset with curses, and should they enter the spring, it may cleanse them under the light of a full moon. There are records of those successful, and while the results vary, all claim the cleansing has strengthened them in some capacity. On the other hand, there are no records of those who failed. Simply put, they are never seen again - as if they vanished into the woods. To this extent, much remains unknown about the power this spring holds.

Curse Cleansing Pool:

Location - Wmgroth

A settlement located in a boreal forest in the southern parts of the See. An active location for commerce in the See with a market square abundant with merchants. An enormous tree is forged with dwellings out of giant mushrooms toward the centre of Wmgroth, spread out from the centre are more private dwellings. The majority of Wmgroth residents are wealthier than the average person.

Security in Wmgroth includes appraisal orbs, a wooden wall with a protective dome conjured with magic over the settlement, as well as [Treant] wall guards. The wall contains four primary entrances in all cardinal directions.

Gate:

Beyond The Gate:

Center Market:

Monster - Nose-Dive Birds

An avian [Monster] native to the See of Fae; notable for their unique method of attacks in which they dive straight at their targets from the air, commonly in groups. Despite their fragility, they hit hard with their suicidal onslaughts.

Location - Applegrove

A small town on the outskirts of [Bishri], providing lodging, storage, and services for those trying to enter the holy capital. Infrastructure conforms to the natural landscape, being built into and around the lofty trees, streams, and large rocks heavy with moss. The population is mostly dwarves, elves and halflings—although other Fae aren’t unheard of.

Location - The Matron’s Henge

A magic stone ring that lies within Bishri proper. It is attended by a druidic circle led by an [elf] named Zephirin. They perform numerous magical rites for the church. The ring itself lies within a natural, shallow pool in the center of a copse of trees. The Matron's Circle are adorned in the shades of the earth. They occasionally take on members from other Circles for apprenticeship, before returning them to their home Circle.

Location - South Bishri, Airship Port & Customs Gate

The city's major airship dock, residing in the southern end of Bishri. It mainly receives commercial and industrial vessels from [Widersia] and the [Grand Duchy of Roran], but it has several small docks for private or small commercial ships. Passengers and cargo are subject to inspection and approval by customs agents. Anything that is deemed 'unclean' is outright denied or forced to undergo a cleansing ritual.

Construct - (Rogue) Scout Fullers

Fullers, originating from the [Kingdom of Rotia] built for exploration and reconnaissance; they are very lightly outfitted compared to the sturdier more regal versions. Much of the armour and weapons were stripped to decrease weight and resource cost, but they come equipped with cloaking devices, small threat & pest deterrent systems, smoke screens, and claws and stake drivers for manoeuvrability. They also have self-destruct systems that begin when they are considered inoperable, to prevent secrets or pilots from falling into enemy hands.

Recently, the corrupt animated remains of one were encountered in the See, though how long it was there and what caused it to stir remain unknown.

Corrupted: