The Lashunta from Castrovel (va-vara-varru)

@lashunta.bsky.social

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Enamored with Castrovel from Paizo's Pathfinder. I post articles, and also art that inspires my worldbuilding. All articles posted here: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/castrovel-28from-paizo-s-pathfinder-setting29-verrix

Anon we stood under cooler twilight and a mild shower. Oshis, Theiess, and Krastaes stood watchward a few strides outward. The El Gatestead waited almost empty. Ess and I matched Oshis’s and Tarami’s stead while I bade Raeonyl stand afoot with us, bethinking a more trucesome mood. We took lead stead further in the yard merely to make room for our fetchhost coming through. Almost straight across the gateyard rose the Havenbough - which some name the Kyonin Gate - greatest of all the many aiudara ringing the stead, and our goal. A lone warden stood before, who wore a mask over long dark gossamer. Although the mask showed a mouth, its eyes unseen bestowed a fiendish mood. It made me wonder how the wearer could see. Kaure and Mirae followed, and then Her Highness Lady Ovele, and afterward our riders, who stood at their shota’s heads in a broad row to match us. Her Highness rose from her litter while the footwarriors came through. She marksomely took stead six strides ahead of me and bore no weapons, unlike us. After the korasha shaped two sharp shieldwalls on our sides, I watched the first shieldhead coming through the elfgate, almost too big to fit through the stonebough, and which the drivers and beast-tamers must surely drive to walk through the weirdness. Slowly came the next, and then followed the stockgrooms, whereafter we all gathered on the elfgates’ other side. Both shieldheads knelt, as they had also started this gatefare. Master-Captain, Lady Efadi, Lady Araeul, and Lady Iadafe clove Ovele at the fore. Their antennae’s flutter hinted a swift rede for our next deed, foregiving the Elves let us stand here with little lead. Bywardly, Lady Ovele again strode forth until the gateyard’s midst. After a halt, she began an Elvish greeting song. Anon, Less’s thought sought me. ~Ea hisha,~ - “There are others,” he warned. His aim drew my mind to a near gatebough to the right. Looking near, I beheld a shape standing right behind the boughshaft. Like the...
Art by Tomasz Ryger - a woman with a moon-disk headdress stands within a pool surrounded by buildings. Before her reclines a dragon-like beast with horns, claws, and a tail. Blood covers its scales and stains the water. The woman stretches her hand, which drips water upon the beasts limb while her headdress glows.
Lashunta Word of the Week Nerea (/ne.re:a./; common): onslaught; attack; invasion This typically refers to an action by a group or military formation, as opposed to an individual action. Within the context of today’s Chapter 49 of _A Castrovel Adventure: Part 6_, it jokingly refers to the highly confrontational style of Lady Vaeol’s Retaea oathsister Vosaeth (a raider accidentally turned diplomat). Etymology: ~Ne~: in; into + ~Rea~: battle Related Terms: Nereassi: to attack; invade Nereaza (common but declinable): attacker; invader Nereo (neuter): act of attacking/invading Nereanta: hostile
Art by Kloir - a giant tree with a forked top rised over a glade. Within its fork, a screscent moon shines between its limbs. At its base glow a multitude of fire lights. Among its limbs and within the glade, glowing motes float. In the foreground along a streem, a walker bears a lantern.
Art by Bastien Lecouffe Deharme - a woman stands in a vast hall, surround by piled treasures, swords, and shields. Golden coins float upward from the floor.
Against the last deedtide, His High Lordship Ilrune-Lysanthir Tassarion came at the forespoken belltide. We outriders stood against the wall with our shieldbearers while, in a beck to elven wont, Her Highness Lady Ivassil shared tea from shed cups. After the highlord-ambassador had sipped three times and sat a fit breathtide, the High Matron blessed him coming and Sovyrian’s goodwill. ~O’lanya-ruae kam-mi leirya ollaelya-shyeli,~ - “We hope this time welcomes our boon,” she hinted. His High Lordship answered he too so hoped. Then he said the Everward Hall would giftfully reckon our beseech, but that one thing outstood. At the high lord’s word, awkwardness ruffled the alderwives and ambassadors. Her Highness Lady Ovele bespoke wonder since when they had stayed in El, all had athought the thing settled. All aring the gatherhood, antennae hummed until at last Lady Ivassil nodded to the Sovyrian Ambassador. High Lord Ilrune-Lysanthir lowered his eyes in mild thankfulness to the High Matron, though whether any true thankfulness held him I could not read. Then he spoke my name. I strode from the wall, hailed, and asked how I might serve. His High Lordship bade that, since I stand under ban-doom, when we come through to El, I should ready to stand guilt-trial under my ereshriven sin. I answered I should wait the Everward Hall’s idleness, then bowed and strode back. High Lord Ilrune-Lyranthir nodded to Lady Ivassil and the ambassadors, and outquoth our business happily fulfilled. All rose and traded bows, whereafter the Sovyrian ambassador lissomely withdrew. Soon as he left, the tightness wafting among all antennae grew almost hurtful. Even Lady-Elder Nardual frowned breaking Elven unreadableness. Her Highness Lady Valahi asked whether we had forsoothly witnessed Sovyrian’s forsakenness of the troth they had heard even yesterday in El. Lady Ovele yaysaid, and that not since the woetide had she ever beheld Sovyrian’s will so shifty. ~Sta shivushta?~...
Art by Sergey Musin - a female warrior standing guard with a spear. She wears a wrapped bandeau and hakama-style leggings. She stands in profile, glancing at the viewer. In the background, a mountain slope is half-hidden in mist, on which rises an elaborate woodwork tower.
Lashunta Word of the Week Tozudaeal (/to:zu.da:e.al:/; animal): swordbulb; Castrovellian mushroom native to western Asana. The Castrovellian swordbulb is a ferny mushroom whose feathered fronds sweep upward, resembling a swordblade’s curve. It is common in marshy and swampy environments under the Darkfloor and heavy canopies, making it ubiquitous in much of Western Asana, including the Yaro Valley. Lashunta cultivate it as an ornamental growth in groundyards, as well as for herbal properties. Because it naturally occurs at the base of trees, including the venerated milktrees, and a common lashunta funeral practice is to bury their dead at a milktree’s roots, it has become associated with graves and is grown to ornament them. Its fronds also have thorntips that produce a mild anesthetic, which is called ~bushi-karae~ - death’s kiss. Although used for medicinal purposes, a few people have an allergic reaction causing paralysis, thus adding to the plant’s superstition and symbology as associated with death and funerals. Among lashunta, it is customary to gather swordbulb bouquets and adorn new graves with them. Furthermore, as was portrayed in today’s Chapter 48 of _A Castrovel Adventure: Party 6_, it is presented as a token to an alraune when one offers their life to the intelligent, carnivorous plant.
Art by Godwin Akpan - woman stands with bindi-like jewels in her hair midline, jewels in her braided lock, and around her neck. She holds a glowing sphere, seeming liquid-covered in her hand. It hue matches her eyes and the bindi jewels
Art by Jenna Dela Grotaglia - a regal woman wearing a crown like headpiece and and off-shoulder gown sits on a thronelike seat with a round back and carven armrests. Willow bought drape over her head. On both sides flowers bloom.
I sought a stead I had heard: the Zhiassa Idleyard beyond Ship’s End, nameworthy for its fairness, which swiftly proved when I walked under its glowrose-laden boughpaths winding through carefully groomed and craftily outset myrrhblossom orchards. Yet I had also learned another whit: here dwells the world's only tame alraune, something that had oldly stirred my reckfulness and now outwilled to see. I had heard many tales of these wise, witsome blossomworts, even so smart as a soultree and quicker, and have stronger soulmight than a harpy jasmine. They are plighty, since they bethrall and missway wretches to yield lives and so become the Alraune’s food. Along the idleyard’s boughpaths, I came upon a glade wherein grew a great shrubwort with a lone broad blossom amidst, dark purple-red almost elfblood’s hue, and ringed with bramble-limbs that quivered quickly, rather as I had ereseen harpy jasmines. While I reckfully halted (since I had gotten warning not to near and fall within the alraune's mightreach), I heard song from the glade's far side. Then I saw a throng coming in mindshare. They sang a gravesong, though they bore no body. Yet on a litter rode a crone, who oddly bore a swordbulb, which is rightly a mourning token. Her shoulders the other mourners clutched while sobs broke their song. Then a wifelike body, no legs but starting at the waist and growing green and rosy breast, arms, head, and hairy rosy-red, lifted from the purple-red blossom. While I watched, she spread arms and added her throat to the song. At same time, a sweet smell cloyed the loft. The mourners (aswhom I guessed as the crone’s children and grandchildren) helped the old wife from the litter beside the alraune's stalk and bobbing half-body, almost within her bramble-limbs. They upheld her while she tottered near the werewort. Under our watch, she yielded the swordbulb to the alraune.
Art by Joon Ahn - giant gnarled trees with person approach its base.
Art by Silentfield (artstation). a lone person to the left approaches a tree with glowing leaves at the center, which stands in a grove set with smaller trees and hanging beard moss.
Nike/Victory of Samothrace, 2nd Century BC Greece. Currently in the Louvre, Paris.
Art by Dariusz Kieliszek (artstation) - a female warrior with head sillhoueted by a dark disk. She wears a golden robe over her left shoulder and bears a feathered spear in her left hand. From her back's right side two hafts emerge, as if weapons hanging from her back.
Painting by Hilda Koe: two girls in nightgowns approached by small naked goblins offering fruits. One girl cowers, while the other raises her head curiously.
Art by Tea Me - a gnarled trees grows from the end of a larger drooping bought amid a swamp. On the bough's end, a person sits contemplatively.
Art by Sergei Musin / Samice - a firelit plaza surrounded by temples, set with a raised stone dais on which two columns stands. Atop the dais's broad stairway front two people stand, seemingly handling a rop tied to both columns. Above them, between the two columns, hover a black disc or sphere.
Art by Piotr Dura - a forest glows with ancient gnarled trees, ferns, and mossy stones. Afar, a figure stands atop a stairway, right before a round pointed arched. Beyond the arch show an astrolabe-like engine in which light shines.
By @riza_amrullah. lotus-pickers laying out stalks upon the water, from above.
Lashunta Word of the Week Reqoe (/re.xo:e./; spiritual): awkwardness; slight; faux-pas This word get illustrated pretty significantly in today’s Chapter 47, in which Lady Vaeol recounts the ambassador from Sovyrian, representing the elves, fails to show for an appointment with the high matron of Qabarat and all three ambassadors from Son, Mahyat, and Hanazhyana. Given the circumstances, none doubts the deed as intentional, given the complicated politics among Qabarat, Sovyrian, and the lashunta Upper Yaro cities. Related Terms: - Reqoassi: to break etiquette; insult - Reqoaza (common): offender; rude person
Since we see her less than two months out of the year on Castrovel, we worship her whenever we can.
A female archer wearing a helm with her long ponytail emerging from the back, wearing a breastplate and a short skirt. She bears a bow in hand, an arrow quiver on her back, and a knife strapped to her left thigh.
Our watch over the foreyard, however, yielded no hint of Sovyrian’s ambassador. After a farthingtide’s wait, Her Highness Lady Ivassil beseeched we withdraw inside and share tea, to which the ambassadors yaysaid. So we came to an elfyard by the High Matron’s hall, where Her Highness selfly brewed tea. After the whole ritetide, we sat with light talk and waited, whereunder I reminded that, after the strife I had wrought in El fourteen years ago, and then the strife ereyesteryear here in, neither Qabarate lady likely much beloves me. After a belltide, Lady Ivassil beshrove Sovryian’s lack. ~Mi ivoe reqoe,~ - “Here befalls awkwardness,” she deemed. She then called a thane and bade the elves’ word sought. Then she beseeched us to noonmeal, undercraving we eat while awaiting the ambassador. So yaysaid, grooms set a mealboard and thewed spearfish matched with simmered catcorn and fresh treecheese. Befitting the moottide’s earnestness, we drank winewater. While we ate, Lady Irye Her Highness’s wandbearer incame, knelt, and by their antennae’s hum shared thought. Lady Ivassil then likewise did with Lady Ovele while we toyed food. At last the High Matron sat straight under our mindfulness and told she had right heard the Sovyrian ambassador would surely not come, and furthermore had gone through the elfgate back to Sovyrian. At our wonder, Lady Valahi asked what the elves’ deed foreboded. Her Highness answered she could not truly say. I asked whether this berecks yesteryear’s deed when Sovyrian shut the Loskialua elfgate without warning after our homecome, since I sorely reminded the shamelessness. ~Di hiadeni doloshya-shyalya,~ answered the High Matron: “They would not be so reckless again." Though I witted Her Highness’s anger, it happily aimed not at me.
Art by Dean Spencer - amid a jungle full of fronds and fallen trees, a tyrannosaur-like megafauna, with mouth gaping, chases a spear-wielding warrior.
Art by George Frederic Watts: Selene & Endymion (1872) The moon in form of a woman hovers over a sleeping man.
Art by Georg Janny: Nymphen, 1921 - a waterfall streams from a cleft in a cliff. From a crag at its base and upon the cliff face, women upward toward the spring.
Art by Antonio Munoz Degrain - a pool amid trees lit by a cloud-hazed moon. On its far bank, women gather and dance.
Artist Unknown - two women kissing amidst blooming flowers. One wears armor; the other an off-shoulder lady's dress.
Art by Herbert James Draper (Helcyone, 1915) - a woman stands up on a rock over a pool, surrounded by other bathing maidens.
Lashunta Word of the Week Ka-Nintalu (/ka:nin:ta.lu./; animal); sixangle-glass; sextant The primary root is ~Kau~, which is the animal gender of ~Kavo~: glass. In the animal gender, it means ‘lens’: a reference to the optical aperture which typically provides a low degree of magnification. Other morphemes: Nina (common): angle Tal-: six As a comment, words like this get one really thinking of technology’s impact on language. Even in Pathfinder’s Age of Lost Omens, lashunta have a fairly sophisticated level of advancement, requiring creation of words like this. By way of comparison, think of how many words English has needed to invent in the last hundred years, merely to keep up with the pace of technical and scientific innovation. A closely related word is ~Nemizamo~ (neuter): star-measure; astrolabe.
Art by Raven Invicta - https://twitter.com/PirateInvicta - two female knight wearing plate armor lean together against a wall. The one leaning forward tries to kiss the one leaning backward, who looks conflicted.
Lady Kaolishyel thewed tea, by which beck we read this moottide happened with the High Matron’s knowledge but not her stallsome blessing. After a couth breathtide, Lady Kaolishyel began by asking the three ambassadors whether our cities wholly foreset upon the farfetch. When they yaysaid, the lady-matron told that, on her bequest, Lady Ovele had lately come back from El, where she had learned some rede of the Elves and their aiudara elfgates. Then she beseeched Her Highness the ambassador tell. Her Highness Lady Ovele thanked the lady-matron, and if her eye shortly hung on me, it stayed too soon to read thought. She told El and the Sova had indeed heard the woetide’s word, and that the elven gatewardens had bewared ripples within the elfgate network. Furthermore, the elves now stand full-wary, since Hoshiasa loomed as not the only threat. War on Qolaryon had lately weighed, and which had beplighted the elfgates from Kyonin. Quoth Her Highness, an eldritch threat had threatened that otherworldly queendom, and to which Sovyrian had loaned strength, lest the Sovyrian Stone be meddled. I asked that, if the elfgates are so bethreatened, how Her Highness had safely come through. I got another sharp eye, though Lady Ovele shrove: ~Muzi eaemnizi,~ - “The ask is fair.” She answered the elfgates had indeed shut after the woetide, and had so stayed for the next month. Yet after inseech and trial, the gatewardens had deemed the elfgates can be brooked, though they shun any tide when the weirdstroke’s ripples may beweigh. Thus bound meanhood has again flowed, though no tradefare. Lady Nauve then asked how likely, if our farfetch follows the elfgate through to Sovyrian, the Sova may let us through to Kyonin. Lady Ovele answered it outstays foresight. Our farfetch has gotten much talk, she shared. Although some elfladies and elflords uphold, some warn we may make further meddlesomoness upon Kyonin and the elfgates, while some even gainsay Lashunta should not...
Art by Sweeper3d - a giant orrery of curved brass bands and a central glass sphere stands amidst a garden under a colonnaded dome. Vines grow up the columns while rosebes bloom along a central path leading to the contraption.
Art by Jennifer Hom - two prone armored female warriors grapple on the ground. The one on top has retained her helm and visor, hiding her face's upper half. She has exposed the lower warriors face, grabbing her hair, and almost kisses her. The lower warriors clutches an arrowshaft sticking into the upper warrior's armpit.
Art by AncientFear (DeviantArt) - torse pic of Maximus from _Gladiator_, shirtless and removing his helmet while flexing under a domed colonnade.
Lashunta Word of the Week Honeremnassi: (/ho:ne.rem:na.si/): to meddle; interfere; bother Word Formation: ~ho-~: against + ~ne-~: in + ~remna~: midst; middle + ~-ssi~: verbalizing participle This word factored into the phrase uttered by Lady Vaeol as part of today’s Chapter 45: ~Aslanta o’lemi honeremna narutheiura,~ “The Aslanta/humans busily meddle with worldgates.” Related Terms: Honeremnaro (neuter): a meddlesome deed; the act of meddling Honerenmaza (common): a meddler (declinable by gender)
Art by John Black - a humanlike figure embedded in a crescent moon within the night sky.
Lashunta Inspirational Memory - 3 years ago Artist is Bob Kehl - https://www.deviantart.com/bobkehl ~o'Dini-Heili~ - In Celebration of Pride So this pic's original title is Dwarven Princess. Yet I took it as one of my inspirations for Kaure, Lady Vaeol's maidenmate. Kaure is a female Korasha, one of two marginalized cross-clade subgroups in Lashunta Society, along with male Damaya. Just add antennae, and change her hair and eyes to mossy-green. Kaure's mother disowned her in adolescence when she didn't sprout supermodel-tall like a Damaya, but instead filled out and got Korasha-strong. When she entered Militia Newlinghood, she succeeded in psychically binding a Shotalashu steed. However, her drill instructor forced her to give it up, threatening to kill it, along with the sentence: ~Korasha di lasha,~ - "Korasha do not ride." Instead, she became a stablehand. Even worse, some more predatory males couldn't resist the temptation of a female disenfranchised from the Matriarchy. She eventually got justice and had them banished from the city, although it took a court case to have her female rights validated. In Lashunta Society, where females rule, ~Korashe~ (female Korasha) have to fight to be recognized as female.
Against shyness I strode to the hall’s fore and climbed the deck. After bowing to Master Aeos and then to the hall, I told I know mainly what the lorekeepers know: twenty thousand years ago under the Warrior-Queens, the Aslanta, heralds of a wonderful empire that had overwalded Bluequeen and had fared among the stars and other worlds, had first come to Greenmother. They had sought trucebond with Son and had settled a colony here at Qabarat’s stead, and thus had first owned the Redqueen Elder Gate, since they had understood such lore. We had learned from the Elves that the same Starfall woetide that had made them flee Bluequeen to Sovyrian had also forwrecked the Aslanta homeland, and their empire had fallen. Yet even today on that world they are the Elves’ matchsome foes and samely wield elfcraft. They also worship Manright instead of Wiferight and own many great he-queendoms. Then I told of meeting Brand and the Aslanta troop fourteen years ago, who had come through the Hoshiasa Gate and had gotten stuck here after their elfseer died. They had called their world Qolaryon and themselves hyumanza, and for them the name Aslanta (~Azlant~ as they spoke) merely meant the elder empire long erefallen. Under reckful wonder and kindliness, and furthermore our soultree’s forebodesome rede, we had helped them go back to their world and had bewon the Elves to let them through the Kyonin Gate. The hyumanza had also shriven they had been sent by a master-elfseer full knowledgesome of worldgates, since he had learned the Hoshiasa Gate’s workspell. Then I told that ereyesteryear, as some here might already know, Qabarat’s Inquisition had led both me and Master Aeos to Loskialua on Forbidden Ukalam through the elfgates. While there, an elven starlore warden had told that six years ago an Aslanta fetch had also brooked the elfgates to come straight there, since the aiudara network outstretched that world as well, and eyesomely without Sovyrian’s leave. From this deed, we must,,,
Art by George Marnero - a boat with covered roof floats upon a waterway, whose far side is a steep Cliff, and whose near side is covered in water lilies. A lone person stands at the boats prow, wielding a pole.