The Land of Tahlea

The land of Tahlea is a realm of stark contrasts. To the outside world, it is a frozen, unforgiving tundra where survival is a daily struggle against the elements and icy creatures. Yet, buried within this harsh landscape is a lush, hidden valley where the vibrant and mysterious city of Nightshade thrives under a perpetual canopy of night. This duality defines the Tahlean people, who are as complex and multifaceted as their homeland.

Tahlea's history is shrouded in myth and fragmented legends. The time before the Great Upheaval, known simply as The Time Before, is a romanticized era of immortality and perfect bliss. The Tahleans secretly long for a return to this lost paradise, a collective belief that underpins their culture and ambitions.

Approximately two centuries ago, a rebellion in the south of Tyras spiraled into all-out war. The conflict reached a stalemate in the central forests when a series of cataclysmic events occurred: ash rained from the sky in the north, black mud spewed from the earth in the south, and strange ice-crystal structures appeared, awakening ancient spirits that possessed those who gazed upon them. This event, the Great Upheaval, brought the war to a halt as the ruling nobles retreated to deal with the chaos.

The war left the southern rebellion in disarray, and a new opportunistic mentality, along with strange memories of a lost age, took hold of some of the people. Through a web of deceit and misinformation, the two warring factions were led to a peace meeting in the forest. However, a conspiracy between the lowest House, Solanaceae, and the highest House, Faeryn-Shol, resulted in a mass assassination of the nobles. Only House Faeryn-Shol was mysteriously absent, and it was later revealed they had orchestrated the event to end the war and establish a new border.

This treachery gave birth to two distinct Tahlean peoples. The mortally-minded Tahleans, believing the forest was cursed, fled to the icy wastes where they were taken in by House Issian, becoming the Ice Nomads. Those who stayed, seeking a future not bound by the past, became the Forest Folk, establishing the City of Nightshade at the very site of the assassination. The contract between the conspiring Houses became the foundation of Tahlean society, where the binding word and clever deals are paramount.

Social Culture & Beliefs

The central pillar of Tahlean philosophy is the unbending sanctity of one's word. Breaking a contract or a promise is the ultimate evil, while honoring one, no matter the cost, is the highest good. Death is not an excuse for failing to uphold a contract; it is merely a tool, and sometimes, a consequence of being outsmarted. This worldview drives the Tahleans' litigious nature and their reliance on meticulously crafted contracts, especially when dealing with outsiders.
“Your life is your word; this is one thing all people of Tahlea agree on. If your word is good, your life is valuable. If your word is broken, your life is forfeit. A contract made must be honored. Death is not an excuse for not honoring a contract. Your word, once given, is law. You need no other law than this. Never forget what we have fallen from, or we will never again know what it is to fly. Good and evil are words used by people to justify things. Promises and power are what count. Breaking an oath is ‘evil’. Betraying a contract is ‘evil’. Honoring and keeping these is good. If someone tricked you into a contract, then they’re smarter than you and you owe it to them to fulfill it as they are your better and you have been bested.” -The Lord of Nightshade
The Ice Nomads are direct and plain-spoken, though they often hide their true meaning. The Forest Folk are the opposite: talkative, eloquent, and fond of poetic metaphors.
The common tongue is Chrossian, but Tahlean, a melodic language, and "Dark Tahlean," a beautifully complex language composed entirely of profanity, are also widely spoken.

Tahlea is a society built upon a complex and chaotic network of contracts. The ultimate power resides in who holds the most contracts and who is most skilled at manipulating them. House Faeryn-Shol sits at the center of this web, expertly pulling the strings. Political conflict is a sport, with assassination and intrigue preferred over open warfare.
The legal system is based on arbiters who enforce contracts, and a breach can lead to severe consequences, including death or indentured servitude.

Tahlean society is a paradox of pleasantries and ruthless calculation. The Forest Folk of Nightshade are welcoming and full of social grace, but their smiles are often a sign of aggression. Vulnerability, especially in the form of love or affection, is seen as a weakness to be exploited.
Marriage is a contractual arrangement for strategic advantage, and divorce is considered a breach of contract, making assassination a more socially acceptable option. Funerals, however, are deeply important. Even the most despised Tahlean is given a memorial statue, so that citizens may publicly deface it as a final act of spite.

The Tahleans' primary profession is deal-making and contract negotiation, with an entire industry built around their legal prowess. They are the barristers and bankers of the world, creating and controlling the universal currency, the Tahle. As they can simply buy whatever they need, they have little interest in technological production. They do, however, have a reputation for being the world's most deadly assassins, using their vast knowledge of poisons and herbs.
The Tahlean diet is varied, with both the Ice Nomads and the Forest Folk relying on local resources. The nomads hunt the icy beasts of the tundra while the Forest Folk enjoy the bounty of the Sylvan River valley.

The City of Nightshade is a living city, with buildings that seem to grow and shift. The materials are primarily Frostwood from the Blackheart Forest, giving the city a unique, organic feel. The aesthetics are a blend of carnival and ballroom, with fine silks, flowing scarves, and eclectic clothing from other cultures. This vibrant and chaotic style masks the true nature of the city's inhabitants.
Art is often intricate and symbolic, with many pieces hiding deeper, often darker, meanings.

The Tahlea People

Incarna

The Sidhe are the most powerful of the Tahleans. They are the rulers of shadowed courts and keepers of dangerous elegance. Sidhe create influence through cunning diplomacy and binding contracts. They are creatures of sharp mind and sharper ambition, masters of manipulation who reign not by strength, but by the art of control.

Appearance: They possess long, pointed ears and black horns that can be either spiraling and ram-like or long and gazelle-like. Their skin is marked with swirls and runs of black or silver. Many have bat-like wings, though some have black, shimmering, feathered wings.
Lifestyle: The Incarna are the ruling class, living within the City of Nightshade and other powerful enclaves like the Hidden City of Nymf. They are resistant to poisons and have an unusual ability to shake off intoxicants. They are the master manipulators and politicians of Tahlea, amassing power through clever contracts and maintaining their position through a blend of ruthless calculation and social grace.

Mortals

Mortals in Tahlea are the most vulnerable and lowest on the social ladder. The Ice Nomads live a stoic, practical life, wandering the tundra and avoiding the schemes of the Forest Folk. The few Mortals who live among the Forest Folk are usually bound by a contract, either by being tricked or in hopes of one day becoming a Risen. They are at the mercy of the Incarna Houses and their complex web of alliances and betrayals.

Appearance: Mortals appear as regular people, though the Ice Nomads dress in warm, practical white and grey furs, while the Forest Folk dress in vibrant, fine silks and scarves.
Color Palette: The Mortal color palette is a range of greys, purples, and reds, with specific tones shifting based on their region. For the Ice Nomads, this palette is dominated by muted, cold tones. For the Forest Folk, the palette is richer, with vibrant purples and deep reds.

Risen

The Ffolk are former Mortals reborn through the dark art of Malifemancy, a distortion of life and spirit rather than true undeath. They embody Tahlea’s obsession with immortality and the sanctity of contracts, appearing as semi-corporeal spirits, some serene, others maddened, forever tethered between life and the spectral plane.

Appearance: Ffolk frequently appear as humanoids with exaggerated traits. Larger eyes, long ears, sharper teeth, and glittery complexion are all common traits among Ffolk.The appearance of the Risen with improved Vestments depends on their specific form:
- Shade: The most fortunate of the Ffolk, having earned immortality by fulfilling a contract with an Incarna House. They serve as spectral reminders of obligations kept, bound to continued service through cleverly written contracts. Shades often appear as translucent ghostly figures often with tattered clothing or chains complementing their exaggerated features—large eyes, long ears, sharper teeth, or glittering complexions—emphasizing their otherworldly nature becoming a translucent and ghostly humanoid.
- Dullahan: Drawn to sites of death and misfortune, Dullahan are seen as harbingers of ill tidings. Frequently seen atop their ghostly steeds, their heads have become completely detached from their necks. Many wear them on their belt or carry them in their hands.
- Anku: Perhaps the most insidious of the Ffolk, Anku are almost completely indistinguishable from normal people, only revealed by a single bone or small group of bones (hand, limb, etc) that shows through their skin. Known to be servants of death and keepers of contracts, it always pays to keep your word to one of these mysterious Ffolk.
Lifestyle: The Ffolk are bound to the physical world as products of Malifemancy, not Necromancy. Some act as loyal servants or guardians of powerful Houses, while others, maddened by betrayal or broken contracts, roam in a state of eternal rage. Their presence serves as a constant reminder that in Tahlea, even death does not absolve one from the consequences of their word.

Key Locations

Nightshade: A city in the Blackheart Forest that lives in eternal night. It is a center of wealth, culture, and contracts, home to the Bank of Nen and a vibrant but treacherous society.
Revel: Built by drunken partygoers in one night during the celebration of the first Revel. The city still stands as the best place to celebrate the holiday that shares its name and any worthwhile events as well as commence serious business dealings. Those seeking a new beginning will often look here as well to start their new chapter.
Hidden City of Nymf: A sprawling oasis in the frozen tundra, hidden by illusions and accessible only to those who have been guided there. It is the stronghold of House Issian.
The Former Site of the Stones: A mysterious location in the ice desert where obelisks covered in strange writings protrude from the snow. They are said to have effects on Wraiths and are a source of a runic language used by the Tahleans. The stones no longer stand as the Chronossi have been awoken and are now roaming Eldross.
Bank of Nen: The most secure vault in all of Eldross. It is located at the bottom of the poisonous black pool known as Maevyn’s Promise and is guarded by walking trees.
Sylvan River: The lifeblood of Tahlea, this enormous river runs through the land, feeding the lush valley and giving life to the plains.
Maevyn’s Promise: A horrifically poisonous black pool that serves as the entrance to the Bank of Nen. It is the source of the most potent poison known in Eldross and is used by Tahlean assassins.