House Sheyla
Structure
House Sheyla is managed by a loose group of officials known as the Sheyla Council. These officials are appointed by Lumina's dukes to handle the affairs of the House. The Council is based in Lumina.
Relationship with the Kaelic Temple
While they are not technically the same entity, House Sheyla works closely with the Kaelic Temple. The Sheyla consider themselves the "chosen people" of the gods, and so generally follow the directives of the gods.
Physical Traits
Appearance
Sheyla are fair of skin and generally light of eyes and hair. They are most commonly blond, but occasionally display other Imperial hair colors such as brown, black, and red.
Their aging is dramatically slowed, giving them features that come across as "ageless;"
Magic
Sheyla are born with innate healing abilities. Specifically, they can touch someone to increase their natural healing processes, sealing wounds in seconds, but at a cost of energy to both subject and healer.
This natural healing ability makes them slow to age and gives them exceedingly long life--up to 200 years, if they treat themselves well. Drugs and alcohol are processed too quickly to feel much effect except in high concentrations (specialized "Sheyla" brews are straight-up poisonous to everyone else).
However, one side effect to this is that their bodies naturally resist foreign invaders, leading to Sheyla women experiencing a difficulty in conceiving children.
History
Not much is known about the Sheyla people before they landed in Ipse, as there are no known written accounts of their people prior to the Exodusian period. Accounts from eastern Pele indicate that they appeared on Pele first before their landfall in Estana, shortly after The Awakening and with healing abilities already intact.
Following Sheyla landfall in Ipse, the Sheyla people integrated with the local city-states, primarily offering their services as healing priests. Their ability to heal allowed them to prosper.
Sheyla history is closely tied to Lumina, so see the Lumina entry for more.
Culture
Religion and Customs
See: Kaelic TempleSheyla are considered the "chosen people" of the Kaelic gods, blessed with their healing abilities by Tahayne herself.
Gender Roles
The Kaelic Temple teaches that men and women have specific spheres. Morality, education, and the arts are the province of women, whereas matters of war, labor, and money-making are the province of men.
Men
It's not a strict social taboo for a man to be an artist or a teacher, but it is strongly believed that a woman will just be more adept at these roles than a man. A man who aspires to such roles is considered less "manly." As such, proper "manly men" are stoic and not given to frivolous expression. They are expected to be fairly selfless and to define themselves by their jobs far more than by their individuality as people. It doesn't often work like this, but the paragons of proper manliness are usually known for their works and deeds more than for who they are as people.
There is one thing that men are not allowed to do, and that is become Temple administrators... the Order of Temple Matrons is entirely matriarchal... again, it is believed that women are best suited to be moral guides, so men aren't even allowed admittance. It is a point of some bitterness among many male parishioners that the Temple will gladly send men off to die for the Temple, but not allow them to be the ones making that call. (It's less an issue now than it was a few centuries ago, though, since the Kaelic Temple is now subservient to the patriarchal imperial throne.)
Women
A girl from House Sheyla can expect to grow up with heavy ties to the Temple, even spending at least a few years in service to it. It's not uncommon for a Sheyla girl to go into the Blessed Maidens (essentially, an order of nuns) for a couple years, then leave when they wish to get married. 'Romance' is a concept that is valued (though hardly required) in a Sheyla marriage, and women of House Sheyla often have a reasonable amount of agency in choosing their partners, if they choose at all. (Though it should be noted that only men can inherit land in House Sheyla, so no marriage=no land!)
Sheyla women do, however, have a form to power that men do not: the Temple itself is generally matriarchal. Most of the high priestesses of the religion are Sheyla women who never married, but rather continued serving the Temple.
Type
Geopolitical, Great house
Demonym
Sheyla
Parent Organization
Location
Related Ethnicities
Current Empress Anya Prismodian hails from House Sheyla
Comments