Spyndelmere

When you hear of the land of Spyndelmere, it sounds like a storybook tale has come to life. The land is full of green hills, winding dirt paths, dark enchanted forests, crumbling towers forgotten by time, gallant heroes, and wise beings with sound advice. The land is also full of stories. The tales of Spyndelmere’s four founding heroes twine together at the origin of the nation and promise happiness ever after for its citizens. In these first adventures are the origins of Spyndelmere’s knights, rulers, enchanters, wanderers, and unexpected heroes. From them, modern residents have gleaned a vast array of traditions that honor the past and assure the continued happiness of their children and grandchildren.

Even though the rulership in the Compass Rose has grown stagnant and the Knight’s Mark has not illuminated in some time, it is still possible for townsfolk to pretend that the Thorn Trees’ shadows are not growing longer, and the sea is not rising on the stones, and that a strong heart will still win out over darkness. The creeping sense of discomfort is not too strong yet, and surely will lead only to another great adventure for ready heroes, full of tricks and turns, with a fine and satisfactory end. Somewhere among the orphans, tailors, apprentices, and sheltered noble children will be the ones who come along and make everything all right again.

### Geography, History, and Climate

The footpaths and forests of Spyndelmere are interconnecting and vast. The Waxing Crescent forest lines the northern coast of the land, and provides the greater share of Spyndelmere’s lumber. This forest is characterized by its sunny glades, flowering meadows, and idyllic trails, and is generally regarded as a friendly forest so long as one stays on the path.

On the southern coast, the Lockfall forest looms dark and grim over the nearby villages. Some lumber is gained here, but the prevalence of Thorn Trees and the ornery nature of the woods themselves have encouraged the locals to find other means of gaining resources. For all that it lacks in exports, the Lockfall is infamous in Spyndelmere for hosting a vast number of difficult-to-find components for casting and breaking curses.  Mushroom gatherers and woodcutters live along the edges, but no Purposed folk live in the deepest parts of either forest.

In the high, uninhabitable parts of the Mistbound mountains lie mysterious valleys, fathomless lakes, and openings to the caves beneath. The sharp craggy eastern peaks soften as they roll westward, where villages begin to pockmark the landscape.

Spyndelmere’s only big city is the capital, known as Thornwen. Embervale Castle sits as its centerpiece, a city itself within its walls. Those who call Embervale home know not to poke in the shadowed corners or to get lost in the maze of hallways. While they're supposed to be empty, wailing can sometimes be heard from the dungeons far below. The center spire is off limits to all but the most trusted. It is within the ancient halls of the castle that the current members of the Compass Rose and their families reside.

Alongside Embervale Castle is the stalwart Brumesward Citadel. When a Mark of the Knight appears on someone they go to Brumesward for the basic training they will need on their Path. Paths for knights are highly personalized, depending on the new knight’s age and many other factors. The old fisherman who found the Rainbow Scaled Sea Slime may not want to disrupt her daily life, while the street urchin who is hit by a careless cartsman and whose mark comes after the bruise heals may have wished for nothing more.

The history of Spyndelmere begins with stories. Long ago, there were four adventurers who would end up bringing great prosperity to the land that would become Spyndelmere; Ignatia, Skylar, Nira, and Ferris. These four adventurers were the original members of the Compass Rose. Those who are said to be kindred of the Rose bear one of four marks related to the heroes of old known as the Mark of the Knight. The likenesses of the Original Compass Rose and their stories are immortalized within the Fernfallow Halls, along with others of great renown from the stories of Spyndlemere’s colorful history.

### Politics, Government, and Economy

From the lofty halls of Embervale Castle, the Four Regents of the Compass Rose watch over the land. Their emblem, a golden compass with a pink rose bloom at the center, tells the people that they are there to guide them in the right direction, even when hope seems distant and the way unsure. Regents are not chosen by the people but by the magic of the land itself, for when their Knight’s mark burns bright, they know their time as Regent has begun and when the light fades, they must step down to make room for the new Regent. While the Regents tend to the stuffier parts of ruling, their children and grandchildren, the Princes and Princesses of the realm, wander the halls of the castle and do what they can to aid the people with daring deeds, tall tales, magic stories and of course balls and tournaments.

Most towns are guided by the gentle hands of the local Compass Coriander, who yield to the Compass Iris. Appointed by the Regents of the Rose, the seats of the Corianders and Iris are filled with others who bear the Mark. These officials are on hand to tend to marriages, disputes, and minor magical mischief such as the baker who accidentally cursed the delivery boy with biting shoes so he would move faster. Of course in Spyndelmere, sometimes the magical mischief is out of control, and the Compass may call to rally the garrisons of the Knight’s Guard.

The Guard is composed of those who bear a Knight’s Mark and those who do not. A Rally Call is rare, and would usually only be heard when one of the morphoses is causing a stir. When a wildling bull knocks down a barn, or a free-fire sets light to a tavern, the Knight’s Guard will be on hand to battle and to give aid.

It is considered an honor to have a Knight’s Mark, certainly, but there is no social class division between those who have marks and those who do not. Many qualities are honorable in Spyndelmere, including the Knight’s Mark, great wisdom, proficient curse breaking, and a well-known family title such as the Shadowseekers. In fact, social hierarchy in Spyndelmere mainly consists of the nation’s belief in good noble royalty and steadfast, gallant knights.

Travelers to Spyndelmere come away remarking on something that the residents themselves hardly notice - their habitual, ingrained honoring of traditions. Some traditions, such as always walking a complete circle around any cluster of exactly seven dandelions, are known and common across the whole country. Others are localized to particular places based on which of the many tales are important, and which are less known.

Notable People:

Regent Berkeley Evers: Berkeley is the longest-serving regent in Spyndelmere's history. He bears Nira's mark, and it illuminated when he broke the Depthless Goblet at age twenty-four. Sixty years later, the glow has not faded and he still sits on the Compass. Berkeley is a compassionate, involved leader who has been forced to cut back on his activities due to age.

Regent Sage Ashfall: Sage is the youngest Regent on the Rose. Sage’s mark, the one born by Ferris, illuminated only a couple of years ago. She bears the family title of Ashfall along with her siblings from their paternal grandmother, Linden Ashfall. Linden was also a Regent of the Rose and had hoped Sage would follow in her footsteps one day.

Louis Wenform: Embervale castle has always been the place where the ruling bodies of Spyndlemere resided. But there came a time when there was more needed than the castle and the grounds. And when that time came, someone was needed to step up and help tame the lands around the castle and plan the emerging city. Louis Tinker, as he was then known, decided to use some of his contraptions to help tame the wilds around Embervale. They were so effective that in short order the plans for Thornwen were laid and he was granted the title “Wenform” because without him and his devices the city could never have been built.

Agnes Shadowseeker: One of the great titles and places in the Fernfallow Halls, given in the last century, was to a woman originally known as Agnes Fletcher. She and her brother Oliver traveled into the southern forest with other Knight Guards in search of some pigs that were taken by unknown monsters. It is said the creatures she fought were twice as tall as the tallest man, with fur the color of fire and eyes that were cast over with shadows. They were able to breathe lightning from their gaping jaws and had hands large enough to snatch away a large swine in one grab. The stories say she climbed atop a monster while Oliver distracted it and pierced it through the eyes with her daggers, collapsing the monster swiftly. The other monsters fled further into the forest after this, leaving behind most of the swine. It was at this time, unfortunately, they also kidnapped Oliver. While many of the swine and Oliver were never found, a whole herd worth was returned to their owners deftly. For this heroic deed and the loss of her brother, she was given the title and name of Agnes ShadowSeeker. This name has been passed onto her family and many know that those who bear the name ShadowSeeker should be held in high regard.

### Everyday Life

Growing up in Spyndelmere, children often remember living in a plain, ordinary town wherein their own role as the Miller's Daughter, Orphan, or Hedge Witch's Son was unique. Traveling around, it seems impossible that any plain, ordinary towns truly exist, so it may be that this is all part of the magic of the realm. On a map, it seems clear that the great forests line the northern and southern edges of the country, and yet living in Spyndelmere it is known that following the mushroom path can get you there in short order, no matter your starting point.

The common folk of Spyndelmere often settle into a comfortable, happy routine. Jane Weaver’s day at the loom or market is very different from Sam Hunter’s daily trek into the forest looking for wildlife. In these routines, time is left for their dreams and aspirations. One common tale is that of Lilane Forestfell, descendant of Reese Forestfell the defender of Darkstone Manor (the one in the south), who spends her days studying sword play hoping that she will find the Path or that her Knight’s Mark will appear. Most towns have their local wise people for odd cures and prophecies and because it is Spyndelmere, it is assumed that these wise ones spend their days gathering herbs or studying things only they can see.

One of the highest regarded professions are those of the mushroom farmers and gatherers; two very different but equally important jobs. Mushrooms are well known and liked within the community, for they represent the ability of the community to grow even when they have been struck down by daily life. Many enjoy eating a variety of mushrooms, and even those who do not will still adorn themselves with representations of the valued hearts of the country.

While Cremini mushrooms are farmed, mushroom gatherers use swine to find the wild fungi that appear sporadically within the land and its forests. A well trained swine is hard to come by and they are able to find mushrooms that can be sold for great value to Princes and Princesses of the land or exported. As such, it is a sign of great opulence to have a swine in one’s household, and even more opulent for the swine to be a pet rather than a service animal.

Much like mushrooms are an integral part of the land, so too are the varieties of tea. Mushrooms are an ingredient in many teas, alongside various herbs and other elements. Spyndelmere teas are known to be used for something as simple as a beverage or as mystical as the gateway to another world.

### Current Events

Rumors have been heard in taverns and inns across Spyndelmere.

"Be careful when walking in the forest, we’ve heard rumors that there are stranger than usual things going on. Some have whispered they were hit by multiple falling branches when there was no wind. Others can’t seem to find any hunting."

"Oh, we know that only two of the Regents are active. One is said to have been called by the Path and hasn’t come back yet, one caught some kind of illness. But the two sitting Regents are doing a fine job, we aren’t worried."

"Morphoses are all around, more than usual, keep a sharp eye for the portents of mischief."

"I just came from the west. I heard a loud heartbeat near this little village. When sunup came, I investigated. It was completely abandoned, as if the townsfolk had got up and left in the middle of the night."

### Notes for Players

Spyndelmere players should expect plot that is steeped with tropes from western/european fairy tales, plus a few outliers, but without any of the specific characters of those tales. In addition, a concerted effort has been made to ignore or change the poor stereotypes and gender roles that sometimes accompanied those early works. In Spyndelmere, we firmly believe that we can conjure the wonder and optimism of fairy tales without relying on the negative ideologies and suppositions that have too often gone hand-in-hand with the genre.

Players are encouraged to make up local traditions and superstitions for their home in Spyndelmere.

In the links below are the most commonly told versions of the founders’ tales.

Ignatia's Tale

Ferris' Tale

Skylar's Tale

Of note, while Nira is an essential and honored founder, the specifics of her tale have been lost to time.

### Cultural Plot and Themes

Growing up or living in Spyndelmere means coming to terms with the idea that anyone you are speaking to could be an enchanter, a monster, a transformed animal, or a charmed inanimate object. Most of them are just people, of course, but you just never know. That is why a greeting of looking a person in the eye for a few seconds followed by a head bow is commonplace. Similarly, any unfamiliar objects might have a consciousness of some kind. Most don’t, but one can never be too careful.

Curses, personal villains, and family secrets are welcome aspects of character histories and are likely to be encountered as part of cultural plot.

There will also be plot elements regarding the slowly growing sense that something just isn’t quite right, something that threatens the things that make Spyndelmere unique, and make its inhabitants assured of a happy ending. Some elements of Spyndelmere plot may be laced with despair, obstacles, and hardship, but there will always be an underlying torrent of optimism, and the option for a happy ending.

### Costume and RP Themes

More than any other culture, those in Spyndelmere purposefully dress in a way that sets expectations for others, using dress as another language. Their villains tend toward sharp edges and malevolent insignia, their heroes toward shining armor, and their urchins toward raggedy neutral clothing. Even when dressing to deceive, Spyndelmerians can’t seem to help but leave at least one clue as to their true nature.

One common element in Spyndelmere costume is an homage to mushrooms either by imagery, texture, or the familiar colors and patterns of favorite mushrooms.

Spyndelmere heraldry is not often worn but does appear sometimes on banners, flags, bags, and other carried items. It consists of symmetrical mushroom-lined paths leading to the profile of a bridge over water. Above the bridge is a castle framed by paired ivy vines.