Thyule

You walk the twisted street under a strange and alien sun. Small spirits scurry from place to place, scampering underfeet as they chase the feelings and imaginings that are their food. You rub shoulders with Elves, Goblins, Trolls and Gnomes. A Satyr plays a flute and dances for orbs. Some are themselves, others have a fish or book for a head and face. Or trail smoke, their true form and nature concealed. You turn and cross a street and find yourself in the blinding light of the Bright District. Thus it is to walk the streets of Thyule.

"The Fae peoples refer to a citidel city state in the Dreaming or maybe deep in the The MIsts as Thyule. It is said to be surrounded by a wall of thorn pierced by four gates. It is a shining city of the impossible, where one may walk through a door and appear elsewhere exiting an entirely different door. It is not safe however, as things prowl and hunt the streets as night sweeps over them. Magic is in the air and none ever die. A few mortal scholars have claimed to visit the place but all have suffered the madness, visions of spirits and delusions of those who have eaten or drunk Fae Chimeric foods. This place may too have been of their fever dreams."

Bozu Fahan, the Demon Book of Fae.

Imperial year 929, 28th of the 7th Yellow Jade Emperor.

Thyule is a city state in the Dreaming. The Fae sometimes call it lesser Arcadia. It is divided into districts that represent the radiant poles of the dreaming. It's citadel is the Hold, or rather the entire city is the Hold, but the citadel is it's own piece of the Hold.
Near - Far: The near is a misty wavery vision of mortal reality. The far becomes foggier and indistinct until all is shadow and light under a pale light that is neither sun nor moons. The normal rules become less and less reliable the farther away one goes until you become lost in the mists or wash up on some realm of consolidated importance.
Light - Dark: One end is bright light, the other darkness.
Warm - Cold: One end is hot and the other cold.
Radiant - Close: One end is without clear boundary, radiating outward the other is tight, concealed, restricted and confined. Open grassy plains or worming through tight tunnels or narrow paths in a thicket of thorn.
Dream - Nightmare: Fantastical pleasant to fantastical painful, terrifying and disturbing.


The Realm is a Hold and has some unique qualities. The Fae races don't really die. They become whisps that may reform. If reduced from this stage they are Shades. Mortals die and become shades. There is a mirror realm called "the glimmer" where shades dwell. The Glimmer is where the unshattered city exists in concentric circles around the Citadel - Light, Warm, Close, Naer and Dream spreading out into shades and grades leading to Dark, Cold, Radiant and Far Nightmare.


The city is twisted around upon itself in strange ways. The districts wrap around like a mobius strip in action, but seem perfectly flat and continue form any direction. The surest method of travel between the districts are the Portals, gateways between locations. Bridges do exist- that span over swirling rivers of fog and mist, or sand or other substances that flow across the wastes between the edges of districts and the next, or the outer Hedge of Thorns. There are Defects - areas even more warped and full of hazards.

The sky is dark and starless at night, illuminated by a single moon with a ring.
Attempts to step into the Mists deposit one in the Near district. Astral travel sends one to the Radiant district. Umbra into the Glimmer

Demographics

Predominantly Fae. But some mortals and many Chimera who may seem like fae or mortals or something else. There are Hobgoblins and the Hollows, which seem like people but a negative contrasted kind. Fae Whisps haunt places like wraiths and ghosts, and a few inhabit chimera and assume a form of life. The fae are wrapped in glamor, assuming various forms and appearances. The Lares exist here - Fairy , Brownies and their dark side selves. A few grey skinned, tall thin beings with large black almond shaped eyes may be found. These are the Alts. They are believed to have built Thyule. Summoned by Nyodajakeen the city was given form it is said. They come from and perhaps have mostly gone back to another realm. Spirits roam manifested and can't fully vanish, only assuming vaporous forms.

Demons, angels and other immortants dwell here. A few of the personae are:
The Firewitch: Sidhe, she wears red, orange, and yellow and performs dances. She can travel between any two fires or pull a fire elemental from any fire equal to the size of the fire. She has telekinetic power over fire and flame and can move it, direct it, expand or shrink it. She is Rank 4 (heroic), Magic 4. She is frequently accompanied by the Purple Piper who plays tunes to her dancing.
The Angel of Tempus: White skinned with a diamond shaped head, 4 eyes with a larger central forehead one, humanoid body with 4 wings covered with eyes. It glows like sunlight. It smells for fresh water and flowers. It offers shelter and aid or retribution and justice. It is a patron of the Knights Order and the Makers. It helps the weak and protects the innocent.
Erbereon: Dwelling at the edge of Nightmare Erbereon is an artificier half in and half out of Shadow. Erbereon makes black powder that burns bight and fast, that explodes when contained ( 1d6 per 1/2 cup). Erbereon also forges and crafts 6 shot revolvers (rate of fire 2) 2d6.

Government

Each District has a Mayor, a Lord protector and a Count. The Neighborhoods have Regulators or Regulars.  These make the District councils. The High rulers of the citadel are the Perfects. It is assumed they are Sealie, Unsealie and Grey. The law enforcement and investigators are The Hunt. They wield fear and iron. The Arcana observe and control the flow of the Suns of the the poles. They are keepers of lore and secrets. Finally the Unknowable, the secret church that teaches hidden truths. One is that the whole of the city, and it's residents, are themselves and reflections of themselves- houses and buildings have hidden rooms. Chimeric reflections of what others and oneself thinks you are. and play these roles. The Rejects are deniers who refuse rules and limits, courts and alliance.

Assets

The currency of Thyule are gossamer Orbs. Much of it works in a reverse manner from mortal currency. A performer or troupe gathers a crowd and sings, performs a play or music, tells jokes or such. The restaurant serves delicious foods. They then collect the emotional gossamer orbs spawned from the audience. Likewise memorials and speeches, bars for the wallowing in misery and pains, dances and parties are held to spawn orbs for the host. Everyone can draw a few orbs of their own emotions. Or small gatherings are held amongst friends or acquaintances. Orbs are exchanged for goods and services.

Guilds and Factions

The Gods of Thyule are The Passionate, The Intuitive, the Thoughtful and the Emotive. Joy and pains.

The Makers Guild: Builders and creators.

Horde ( sometimes Hoarders): The Gods are dead. All is lost and there is only Thyule. Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow is destruction. Even if we need to make it so. Gather to themselves comforts and treasures.

Concordants: Traders in lore and information. Their leader is a demon - Molauk. Molauk deals in lies fed by hooks of greed, righteousness, self interest or aspirations.

Knights Order: Pure shining host ideals. Chivalry, honor, justice, charity, valor, hospitality, loyalty and respect for order and vassalage

Masks: The Masks faction build identities around masks. All identity is just a mask, and these masks are roles one holds at a given time. Masks are made of many materials and styles to reflect the role the wearer is assuming at a given time. The Masks also say that Names give you power over someone, so they avoid names in favor of Mask titles. They may also manifest metaphor and figurative statements - they are an open book, wear a heart on their sleeve, a smile like the sun, etc.

Free Spirits: The Free Spirited assume anthropomorphic animal seeming. Birds, mammals, reptiles, insects and even flowers and plants. A few assume geological stone or statuary appearance. Or furniture - a lampshade head. It is more fun. It is casting aside expectations.

The Hunt: Thyule doesn't prohibit any drug, herbs,or magics.  Dueling and fights are common. Killing is prohibited- and Wisps or Shades may report their killing to The Hunt.  The hunt will track down and retaliate, reducing the killer to a Shade.  The most extreme cases may be destroyed by cold iron.  The Hunt also patrols for Monsters from the wastes and other threats.

History

Once the city was unified with the districts sharing aspects of all the cardinal points of the Dreaming. In the Gods War, long ago it was fractured and split. Invaders came- ravenous slavering creatures. The Alt ruled and were the better part of the city back then. A thing came from the Rift, the emptiness beyond. This outer thing pushed into the city and broke it into the districts and filled the between with wastes.

Points of interest

The Crystal Dome visible above the citadel, sealing the black void of the sky from the Citadel district itself.
The painted ceilings of the Close and the Clockwork Guard, a mechanical being that acts as a guard in the district.
Bridge of Tears: the bridge is between Dream and Nightmare and a flow of candy sweets, honey, blood and tears passes under to be lost in a waste of blue light and webbing.
Hobgoblin's market at the Citadel: a host of goods, produce, flotsam and jetsom, treasures and oddities.

Tourism

Thyule is difficult to get into or out of.  It is a Hold in the Dreaming.  One can hope to find it by focus and wandering in the Dreaming.  Fae with Trods skill may navigate to the Hedge surrounding Thyule and must then find a way through.  There are a few doorways into and out of Thyule. They shift and change apparently at random. There are magical "keys" that allow passage as well.  Most residents don't leave and few from outside can get in.

Geography

The Citadel is said to be the Truest part of the city and the source. Everything else is Dream.  Indeed there are bridges to each district and the citadel. And Portals between them. But they don't have directions in relation to eachother- aside that the matched poles are opposite eachother.

The Districts represent extremes of the Mists cardinal poles and is ruled by a Sun and a Moon.

Near: near is a misty wavery vision of mortal reality of the Citadel.

Far: Is shadow and light under a pale light that is neither sun nor moons. The normal rules become less and less reliable the farther away one goes into the Far. At it's extreme is the hedge and beyond is Chaos.

Light: Brilliant glaring sunlight covers this district. Buildings are gleaming white sandstone. Residents wear headgear and glasses to limit the light. It is said that there is a path here to the Gleaming. What the Gleaming residents call "The doorway of Light". The white sunlight shines high in the sky in the day and drops to circle the horizon in the night.

Dark: This district is engulfed in perpetual night. Not even the moon shows in the sky. Faint stars can be seen in the dark skies. There are no stars in the night skies of other districts.

Warm: The district of Brass. It is hot here. Flames may dance in the streets. The sun is red and the moon is blue.

Cold: This district is wrapped in ice and snow with subzero freezing temperatures at times. The sunlight bright but weak. The moon is icy white.

Radiant: This is a district of wide lands, grassy plains and mansions that both seem to extend to infinity. The yellow sunlight is pleasant as a spring day, as are the moonlit nights.

Close: is tight, concealed, restricted and confined. Worming through tight tunnels or narrow paths in a thicket of thorn. Much of it is enclosed galleries, halls and passages, rooms and gardens or plazas. The sky is painted on a ceiling. And prop sun and moon rise and fall by pulleys and ropes that run themselves.

Dream: Pleasant and fanciful districts of flowers and candies.

Nightmare: fantastical painful, terrifying and disturbing. The moon may be red as fresh blood or dark red of old dried blood. It may be green or yellow or even violet, but rarely white. The sun flickers and strobes - sometimes red, others yellow and occasionally sickly lime green.


Between the districts are wastes. The wastes are full of hunger, hate, fear and wrath. The Outer things dwell in the waste, and creep out to trouble the city. Thye are half-formed and desire destruction.

Events in Thyule:
On change of location, encounters, and when wounded play a card. Strength is rated by number or rank.

• Diamond: Theme of secrets and stories. Books. Flame- physical, mental or emotional.  Reversal.
• Spade: theme of visions, images or perception. weapons. water - tears or currents.  Flashes of insight.
• Heart: notions and ideas. gears and connections. wind- breath and spoken word or song. Impusle or urge.
• Clubs: Mysteries. Caves or passages. Reflection. Loss.  inner truth. Earth. Lost in darkness or confusion.

Diamond and Heart are sunlight/ sealie.
Spades and clubs are night/ unsealie.