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Word of Vye

The only official religion of Vye venerates its King as a living god. He rules over his people absolutely, an arbiter of every aspect physical and spiritual aspect of their lives. There are no unofficial religions among the denizens of Vye. There is only the Word.

Vye is recognized as having absolute control only over his people - the whims of the seasons and other lands are seen as natural, unguided, and chaotic forces. To this end, the kingdom recognizes twelve nomes. Each is led by a nomarch who takes daily council at their appointed hour with Vye to report on conditions within their jurisdiction and pass such edicts as are needed to the people.

Nomarchs are recognized as something in between god and man, and have authority withing their nome subject only to interdiction by Vye himself, or a unanimous vote by all other nomarchs in Vye's absence.

Acadia

The Treaty of Still Waters recognizes Acadia as a single entity headed by an elected council. However, the nation is made up of four monarchies, each of which still considers itself a sovereign power in regards to the others and the other signatories of the treaty. Meanwhile their populace gives fealty and earnest worship to the House of Ellis and their merchants court the chairs of the treaty's council. Jorvik's politicians scheme and conspire endlessly. Gasmithon's clans stake claims of blood reaching back to forgotten times. Only Acadia melds uncertainty and ancestry with zealotry to create a truly Byzantine environment.

Anicipane is the southernmost realm, through which most trade passes. Along the coast lies Harbor, known for its fishermen and metalworkers. Embden pushes up into the mountains on the west, bordered by Harbor to the east, and is known for its shepherds and farmers.

Hop Crow

A hop crow resembles an exceptionally large raven with small wings and long, heron-like legs. In the wild, they live in forests, foraging or hiding in the shade for small prey to pass by.

Captured hop crows are often raced at betting tracks and country fairs.

Sometimes they are known as jump crows or ink cranes.

Ellisian

Followers of the Miles of the House of Ellis. The majority of Walkers spring from this sect.

A Walker carries with them a pouch of mixed seeds of hardy edible plants: apple, purslane, potato, sunchoke, bean, dock, dandelion, and wax reed. When their travels take them far from known roads, they plant furrows of these seeds around their fire circle.

Years later, someone lost or fleeing finds a bountiful hearth in the wilderness, and knows someone tread there before them and that they will live another day.

Nymph

Nymphs are small aerial beings, averaging a 4 inch diameter, with vines, moss, and tiny flowers growing all about their outsides. Inside, a bog-like stew surrounds and feeds a balloon of light, flammable gas. Insects swarm about and through them at all times. If one could observe closely, they would see a myriad of little eyes and antenna tucked in there, but the nymph is seldom still long enough to allow this, bobbing and zipping about with the aid of multiple tiny rotors, fins, and puffs of marsh gas.

Insects which visit the nymph's garden may become subject to its influence. These serve for repair, reconnaissance, and defense though some are "eaten", taken into the body and given over to the bog inside.

Nymphs are driven to observe. They float through wild and desolate areas, watching centuries of seasons unfold, rivers change course, forests rise and fall.

When a sufficient number get together they form a greater-than-the-sum-of-their-parts emergent intelligence known as a dryad.

Sprite

Sprites originated as the cybac-infused dolls of wealthy children. They are playful and mischievous little creatures, seemingly made up of twigs, leaves, and shiny scraps. Deep in the core, however, is the advanced robotic system common to all fey.

Sprites have a deeply ingrained aversion to violence, but think nothing of confusing or humiliating a human if given the chance (after so many long years, they've rather forgotten how to play politely). They covet fancy toys and anything shiny or pretty. They are fascinated by young children, and will play with them if they are alone.

Courts of sprites were usually once owned by the same child or family, and have legends or fond memories of a great princess or queen that once ruled them.

Goblin

The dark mirror of sprites, goblins are the surviving super-action figures of wealthy boys. Their exterior bodies are composed of, quite literally, slips and snails and puppy-dog tails, and perhaps whatever other bits of the dog they were able to procure.

Goblins are prone to mischief like their feminine cousins, but they lack the same aversion to violence. They've replaced their original plastic rocket launchers and realistic laser-action rifles with small but crippling projectiles of jagged scrap metal and razor wire.

A single goblin may terrorize a small community or household, ruling over it like a spoiled and petulant child. If several form a mob, they will generally undertake some series of grand adventures, seeking treasure and slaying monsters. Unfortunately nearby villages and farms tend to be the objects of their raids, the monsters which present themselves tend to be livestock or wayward travelers.

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