Bestial Tides

"Note: This is player-created lore. Ping @Sylverwing on the Discord if you have questions."

Located approximately three days west of Kairos by ship, the Bestial Tides is home primarily to shifters. Its lands are split into four sections, each ruled by one of four clans: Broin, Conaill, Díomas, and Mathún.

Clans
Each clan of the Bestial Tides is comprised mostly of a specific category of shifters.

Clan Broin
The members of Clan Broin are physically and spiritually connected to sharp and insightful animals, such as corvids, owls, rodents, elephants, primates, and procyonidae. They are known for their falconers, hunters, and school of magic. Their primary flora and fauna are cattle, ducks, pigs, herbs, berries, mushrooms, and nuts. They are also known for their honey and tree syrups.

The most spiritual of the clans, the Maiden of the Forest always comes from Clan Broin.

Clan Conaill
Mostly populated by canid species such as wolves, hyenas, foxes, and jackals, or other species known for their strong bites such as hippos and crocodylidae, Clan Conaill is one of the two main warrior clans. They are focused primarily on unit-based combat. In addition to their warriors, the clan raises horses, rabbits, and chickens, and grows wheat, corn, and soybeans. They are well-known for their mining of ore and gemstones, as well as their metalwork.

Clan Díomas
Clan Díomas is the home of those who are quick-footed and quiet, especially felis: leopards, tigers, panthers, lions, and leporids are common. They function as the main spies of the clans. Their primary flora and fauna are water buffalo, camels, sugarcane, cotton, and lentils, and they specialize in glassmaking.

Clan Mathún
The residents of Clan Mathún are connected to strong-willed and tough creatures, such as bears, boars, badgers, mountain goats, gorillas, and buffalo. They are the other main warrior clan, considered to be the clans' primary fighters even more so than Clan Conaill. In addition to their warriors, they are known for raising goats, sheep, and draft horses, growing roots such as carrots and potatoes, as well as leafy greens, and gathering lumber.

Clan Mathún is also home to the Bestial Tides' Sovereign of Beasts.

History
The original founding date of the Bestial Tides is unknown, its records lost to time and conflict.

Clan Wars
Suspected to have been caused by border disputes, the Clan Wars lasted from 1638 to 1938. The reason for their end is said to have been the revelation that external threats were more of a danger to the clans. The end of the Clan Wars also saw the clans seeking help from the resident fey, who offered it in exchange for worship, political favors, and fulfillment of their requests.

Prosperous Years
With the help of the fey, the Bestial Tides saw nearly four hundred years of peace and prosperity, from 1938 to 2337. During this time, the island experienced no conflict, its leaders working together in harmony to provide for their subjects.

Death of Lady Nerissa Kazama
In 2338, peace was finally broken when the Maiden of the Forest, Lady Nerissa Kazama, was killed by Lady Winifred von Laurellac of Clan Mathún in an altercation caused by a breach of ancient fey law. Lord Degare De Bellamy of Clan Conaill also died in the conflict, and Lady Winifred was blamed as an accessory to his death. Though Lady Winifred was not put on trial due to her young age, her right to the Bestial Tides throne came under scrutiny, and she was no longer allowed to leave the premises of Clan Mathún's palace. Lady Miyu Kazama of Clan Broin and Lady Isabella van Freitas of Clan Díomas were placed under surveillance due to their involvement in the incident, with their chances of succession also in question.

In 2341, Lady Miyu and Lady Isabella were deemed worthy of succession and their surveillance ended. The next year, Lady Winifred left the Bestial Tides to hone her skills as a knight.

Line of Succession Solidifies
In June of 2344, just before the start of season 4, Lady Winifred returned to the Bestial Tides to receive her knighthood. In October of the same year, she left for New Gork to prove herself as a worthy successor to the Mathún throne. She spent nearly a year in New Gork, finally returning home in June of 2345, accompanied by several foreigners and tales of her exploits on the continent. Due to her performance, she was named crown princess soon after.

Trial of Lady Miyu Kazama
In 2346, Lady Miyu Kazama, the successor to Clan Broin, was put on trial for multiple occasions of abuse, misuse of enchantment magic, and unlawful scrying against Lady Winifred. She was sentenced to life in prison, her right to succession revoked. As the rulers of Clan Broin had no other living children, their line of succession was uncertain.

New Generation
The next decades saw a major shift in rulership on the island. In 2350, Lady Winifred married Lady Kiasra. Four years later, in 2354, she was crowned as Bear Queen. Her first act as queen was to change the crown ruler's title to the Sovereign of Beasts, in order to move into a new age and expand equality in the Bestial Tides. The next years saw more coronations: Queen Isabella van Freitas of Clan Díomas in 2355; King Faolán De Bellamy of Clan Conaill in 2357; and Sovereign Nao Kazama of Clan Broin in 2361. This new generation also saw one of the most important political decisions of the recent centuries: led by Queen Winifred, the Bestial Tides began separating fey from politics, due to the extent of their demands and limits of their reciprocation, and the unjust laws thereof. In the words of Queen Winifred: "A debt no one can recall is no longer a debt."

Though this period led to multiple assassination attempts against Queen Winifred during these years, for the most part, peace was restored to the Bestial Tides.

Government
The form of government in the Bestial Tides is a federal monarchy. Rule of the island falls primarily to the clan council and their chosen clan leaders.

Clan Council
Made up of one member of each of the major noble families, the clan council is responsible for voting on new clan leaders and discussing current issues. With seven major families per clan, the council is usually made up of twenty-eight members. Once the Maiden of the Forest comes of age, she also often takes part in these meetings as the ambassador of the ancestors and forest spirits.

Clan Leaders
The leader of each clan is the person primarily involved in decision-making for their clan, and for the island as a whole. They are chosen from among the children and relatives of the current leader by the clan council, from the houses Kazama of Clan Broin, Bellamy of Clan Conaill, Freitas of Clan Díomas, and Laurellac of Clan Mathún.

The current leader of Clan Broin is Sovereign Nao Kazama.

The current leader of Clan Conaill is King Faolán De Bellamy, alongside his wife, Queen Muirgen De Bellamy.

The current leader of Clan Díomas is Queen Isabella van Freitas, alongside her spouse, Sovereign Aengus van Freitas.

The current leader of Clan Mathún is Queen Winifred von Laurellac, alongside her wife, Queen Consort Kiasra von Laurellac, and spouse, King Consort Aaru Zarakaas-Rivessi-Laurellac.

Sovereign of Beasts
Formerly known as the Bear King/Queen, the Sovereign of Beasts is the "ruler of rulers," and is a position given to the leader of Clan Mathún. Along with being the leader of all the clans, they are the person people usually go to when dangerous accidents and attacks occur. They are usually one of the strongest people on the island.

Nobility
In addition to the seven major houses of each clan, there are several minor houses such as merchant families. The nobles of the Bestial Tides often throw galas and balls, both standard and masquerade. One of the most common types of these balls are the debutante balls thrown for young nobles around the age of 15, which signifies their transition into higher noble society.

Noble titles are very important in the Bestial Tides, formatted as Lord/Lady [Name] [Last Name], Noble of the Bestial Tides, [titles earned due to achievements or personality], [title based on their crowning achievement, skillset, or core identity].

Layout
The Bestial Tides is divided into four main areas, each one belonging to one of the clans.

Broin
Located to the east of the island, the capital of Broin is surrounded by large deciduous trees. The people of Clan Broin use the trees for shelter, much like the creatures they often take after. With rope bridges and wooden platforms, they fill the canopies with the hustle and bustle of any other city. Much of their architecture is wooden, with curved roofs extending past the walls, supported by posts rather than the walls, which are often thin. The architecture also frequently features sliding doors and tiled roofs. The palace of Broin is located in the center of the forest, in the largest tree the forest has to offer.

While some Broin towns look very similar to the capital, others which aren't in forests are built on the ground. The architecture is the same, however, regardless of the town.

Conaill
The capital of Conaill is located on the southern side of the island, and is entirely underground. It is made up of winding tunnels and caves similar to a warren or burrow. The capital boasts a network of underground rivers, and therefore a decent amount of boat travel. The only way to get to the Conaill palace is by boat.

Many of the clan's smaller towns are comprised of tunnel systems as well, but a few have built wood and stone houses aboveground.

Díomas
Built in the western deserts of the Bestial Tides, the capital of Díomas is a sprawling cityscape of clay houses and ever-shifting tents. With a fountain at the center and tunnels built as ventilation, the heat is always manageable, and often pleasant. The smaller towns of the clan are built around oases, by the river that leads to the Brentrior Forest, or along the coast.

Mathún
One of the most fortified locations on the island, the northern capital of Mathún features tall stone walls around both the palace and the clan's center of trade and housing. The buildings are well-insulated, capable of withstanding the bitter winter temperatures.

In addition to smaller settlements in the territory, there are a number of nomadic groups who travel up and down the mountains based on the seasons.

Brentrior Forest
Located at the center of the island, the Brentrior Forest is the home of both the Maiden of the Forest and many of the island's fey. Entrance to the forest is heavily restricted, and any who do not have standard permission to enter must be accompanied by one who does. At the center of the forest is a great willow tree, the central point of religion on the island.

Eolassil, Institute of the Arcane
Eolassil is the largest magical institution in the Bestial Tides, and is located in the capital of Clan Broin. Its students are primarily clerics, druids, and wizards, but it accepts bards and sorcerers as well. Classes are separated by school of magic and by source of magic, to allow concentration on one's own preferences and abilities.

The school is connected to the Clan Broin library, where students can reserve personal study rooms, and has a temple room with a large statue of the willow tree alongside the masks of important figures. The school also has housing for students who do not come from Broin's capital, which is separated by age and magical source.

Attendance at Eolassil typically starts at the age of 15 and lasts for four to five years. Additional schooling is offered after this for another four or five years, but this option is taken almost exclusively by wizards, as most clerics and druids are brought into the ranks of the Druidic Grove of the Willow Tree's leaders or the charge of a noble after their first years of schooling.

Flora and Fauna
The Bestial Tides boasts a wide variety of flora and fauns due to its range of biomes.

Megafauna
In addition to normal flora and fauna, the Bestial Tides is home to a large population of megafauna, such as large elks and wolves. These megafauna occasionally cause problems for merchants and farmers, and must be monitored by the Sovereign of Beasts and the island's rangers.

Flora and Fauna of the Clans
The main flora and fauna found in Broin are owls, mice, lizards, deer, otters, maple and oak trees, and other life often found in deciduous forests.

The main flora and fauna found in Conaill are rabbits, foxes, elk, bison, stiff grasses, and other common prairie life.

The main flora and fauna found in Díomas are cacti, roadrunners, burrowing owls, lizards, snakes, ironwood trees, and similar desert creatures.

The main flora and fauna found in Mathún are reindeer, muskox, moose, bears, lichens, coniferous trees, and other plants and animals found in cold climates.

Elementals
Many elementals also call the Bestial Tides home, though they are often thought of as spirits rather than elementals. The people of the Bestial Tides believe they are physical manifestations of the spirits of the island. Those who hunt them are required to pay the utmost respect to them by using as much of their bodies as possible and giving an offering and prayer to the spirits.

Fey
The fey of the Bestial Tides live primarily in the Brentrior Forest, and are a subject of great worship for the citizens of the island. Each clan is ruled over by one of the seasons: Broin by autumn, Conaill by spring, Díomas by summer, and Mathún by winter. Each of these seasons has two fey royals, with the exception of winter, which has three. In addition to the struggle between each season's respective royals, the seasons often argue with each other. The main source of argument is the winter fey's greater number of royals, especially from the summer fey, who dislike the cold.

Autumn is currently ruled by Garbhán, Lord of the Mousey and Meek and Wredys, Lord of Burning Leaves.

Spring is currently ruled by Caewys, Lady of Rolling Thunder and Ruaidhri, Lord of the Everblooms.

Summer is currently ruled by Aodh, Lady of the Sands and Olawirn, Lord of the Longest Days.

Winter is currently ruled by Barrfhionn, Lord of the Cold's Wrath, Dubhán, Lady of the Darkest Nights, and Lorccán, Lord of the Wild Winds.

The fey often think of the clans as pawns in a game, making bets, deals, or dares on what should happen with them and causing chaos on each other's lands in hopes of appeasement from the mortals.

Religion
Main article: Druidic Grove of the Willow Tree

The people of the Bestial Tides worship their ancestors and the spirits of the forest, taking the form of fey and elemental worship. Most residents have small shrines in their homes. The most important figure of their religious following is the Maiden of the Forest, chosen from among the young girls of Clan Broin when the former Maiden dies. The Maiden acts as a mediator between the living, the dead, and the spirits of the forest.

The stars and constellations are also very important to the Druidic Grove of the Willow Tree, as they are thought to tell stories of the past and help guide those still alive into the future.

Some subsects of the religion worship the Tuatha Dé Danann, but such worship is uncommon, and few know of it

Festivals
Main article: Festivals of the Bestial Tides

There are many celebrations in the Bestial Tides, celebrated both by each clan separately and the clans together. Many of these festivals honor their ancestors and the spirits of the earth and woods. The annual celebrations include the Festival of Spirits, the Summer Tourneys, the Hunt of Giants, the Nights of the Hallowed, and the Winter Solstice. The Bestial Tides also craft totems and hold coming of age ceremonies for children at the ages of 10 and 15 respectively.