Sayil

All walks of life are welcome in Sayil, for its residents know: all life is equal in death. Sayil is the only place where you can find members of every species in equal measure. The bounty of its swamps and rainforests are enough to sustain all and then some: life-giving water feeds bursting blossoms, curious creatures, and fungal formations alike. Yet amid all this life thrives thickets of ghosts, dancing with colorful lights toward the sea.

Geography

Sayil is a small country located on the south of the continent. It is primarily rainforest and wetland.

Architecture

Lots of bamboo and thatch, but stone in big, permanent settlements.

Notable Locations

There are a wide variety of landmarks within Sayil, from its swampy mangroves lush with life to the colorful canopies of its rainforests. A selection of some of its most well known ones are as follows.

Lapua

Capital city. The location of the Macatio Complex, a mecca for academics wishing to study magical mysteries and life beyond the living.

Graveyard

For the lost dead.

Floating City

A town floating on a lake.

Stilt Towns

A town built far above a swamp.

Bullfrog

Bullfrog is a young settlement near the northern border of Kimarel. It's small and still finding its footing, but it's located in a lush valley with a river, and the residents are enthusiastic and welcoming. It was founded by an ianthina named Rer, alongside Alaric and his family, Azuriel and her family, Fury, Amorous and Abyss, Tangy, Sir Manny Mackrel, Pip, Mihail, Zee, and Tauriel-ithil.

History

Founded by an ignii who objected to the original occupation of Dolsia, who believed all species could co-exist. Later got into a war with Eniya, who initially refused to recognize their independence.

Technology

The home of magical study.

Politics

Noncentralized. Those who fill certain positions wear makeup marking their station. Warriors wear red, and mediums wear skull paint.

Justice System

Community votes.

International Relations

Attempts to make peace with everyone. Welcomes all immigrants. Interspecies relationships are the most accepted here.

Economy

Wealthy with resources.

Cuisine

Sayil's lush landscape lends itself to the cultivation of a wide variety of foods, including but not limited to: cassava, persimmon, taro, rice, quince, watercress, lotus, wapato, cranberry, and lots and lots of chiles. Typical Sayilan cuisine is sweet and spicy, with rich fruit-based sauces. Fish is the favored protein, though hunted game isn't uncommon. The typical Sayilan comfort food is some sort of stew over rice.

Religion

If you are plagued by a ghost especially determined to finish their business, then you need an exorcist, and you want one from Sayil. Sayilan exorcists are widely respected as the most skilled in Enchiron. The most elite of these exorcists are known as Purls (ex. Purl Mary), for they have proven themselves to be apart of the very fabric that separates the living from the dead. Many Sayilan exorcists choose to be marked with a circular tattoo upon their back, between their shoulder blades. Stylization varies from person to person, but the tattoo is thought to increase a person's connection to the spirit world, at the cost of increasing their susceptibility to possession. They also wear skull facepaint.

In olden days, Purls were far more feared. They were known as Abscesses and considered the be the half-dead, or married to death itself.

Culture

Making peace with death.

Fashions

Sayil favors light and loose clothing. It is hot and humid in the rainforests and swamps, so people typically wear the bare minimum to keep the bugs off. White, light clothes with really bright accents and overall colorful patterns are popular in Sayil. They'll use light bases with heavier decorative edges, or take the time to dye the whole thing via various methods. They have lots of sources of dye in the forest. They use very light cottons, linens, hemp, and silk.

Holidays

Lantern rite.

Religion

Sayil was founded on the principle that all are equal in death, and this cultural preoccupation has evolved into a fixation on the concept. Many religious scholars here seek to understand the afterlife, and Sayil is where worship of the Heart-in-Hand first began.

Death

Celebrating their memory.