Court of Blight
Deep in a forgotten grove shrouded by perpetual twilight lies the Court of Blight, a domain where nature's inevitable decay is both revered and ruled. It is a realm shrouded in shadow and dampness, where the air is thick with the scent of rot and the oppressive weight of inevitability. Here, the golden hues of fall have long since faded, leaving behind a landscape of withering trees, blackened leaves, and stagnant waters. At its center stands the Eldest Oak—a towering, withering tree with bark as black as coal and drooping branches cloaked in lichen and moss, embodying the melancholic beauty of time’s relentless passage. Overseeing this somber court, the Eldest Oak imparts its ancient wisdom and silent laments through a singular conduit: Gossamer, the sole being able to hear its quiet, mournful voice. The Court of Blight serves as a stark reminder of nature’s darker cycles, balancing ruin with renewal, and holds profound relevance as a guardian of the inevitable decay that shapes the destiny of both the fey realms and the mortal world.
In this dismal domain, every corner of the forest bears the unmistakable mark of blight. Once vibrant groves now lie choked with fungus and pestilence, their twisted boughs and gnarled roots echoing the sorrow of ages past. The very earth is softened by decay, as spores drift lazily through the air and pools of stagnant water mirror the gloom of a sky perpetually heavy with foreboding clouds. Fey denizens who dwell here are as much a part of the corruption as the trees themselves; many bear the visible scars of pestilence—pale, mottled skin, eyes that glimmer with a forlorn light, and an aura of melancholic resignation that seems to whisper of ancient, incurable sorrow.
The court’s artisans craft their works from the remnants of life—rotting wood, decayed leaves, and bones—turning them into objects of unsettling beauty. The fey here wear garments spun from cobwebs and tattered moss, and their jewelry is adorned with the dried husks of insects and the skulls of small creatures.
Though the Eldest Oak stands as a silent, immovable force of decay, its influence resonates throughout the Court via Gossamer, a delicate yet resolute fey whose ethereal presence holds a deep connection to the ancient tree. In the quiet hours of dusk, when the mists rise and the boundary between life and death blurs, Gossamer is said to wander the rotting corridors of the forest, conveying the silent decrees of the Eldest Oak. This somber emissary—cloaked in a tattered plague doctor's uniform and carrying the weight of unspoken laments—ensures that the will of the ancient tree is honored, guiding the court’s denizens in their ritual observances of decay and renewal.
The Court of Blight finds patronage in the goddess Caena, whose dominion aligns naturally with the somber themes of this realm. Her favor imbues the court with a sense of purpose, as the inevitable dissolution of life is not merely an end but a necessary prelude to transformation. This affinity with decay is further deepened by the court’s close alignment with the Court of Carrion and Decomposition, with both realms celebrating the beauty found in rot and the fertile promise hidden within decay. Here, the cycle of life and death is unbroken and revered, a perpetual dance of deterioration and subtle rebirth that reinforces the stark truth: from decay, new forms of life, however twisted, may eventually emerge.
In the Court of Blight, the harsh reality of nature’s decline is embraced rather than shunned. Every withered leaf, every creeping fungus, and every muted, sallow gaze from its denizens speaks to the inevitable march of time and the inexorable pull of entropy. It is a realm where beauty and decay are inextricably linked, and where the silence of the Eldest Oak—broken only by the soft, mournful whispers of Gossamer—serves as a constant reminder of nature’s unyielding, unalterable truth.
Demography and Population
The Court of Blight, ruled by the Eldest Oak, is home to fey that embody themes of decay, disease, and the dark side of nature. There are no real settlements, but there are still houses and homes built by autumn eldarin who reside within the realm. The fey beasts that reside in this realm tend to be vermin, carrion eaters, or beasts wracked with pestilence and disease. Corpseblooms, fey who resemble walking, humanoid plants covered in wilting flowers and decaying leaves roam the forests. Festerlings, tiny infectious fey dwell in the wounds of the dying. Spore wisps that resemble spores floating within the miasma draw people to disease and infection. A few of the trees here have plague dryads within them that resemble sickly versions of their sisters and can summon disease-carrying insects.
Laws
- Law of the fallow field. The aid and cultivation of healthy lands are forbidden.
- Law of the sickened heart. Healing is forbidden within the realm.
- Sin of cleansing. No cleansing of object or person may be administered.
Where blight spreads, strength is tested.
Type
Court, Noble
Leader
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Parent Organization
Location
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
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