Tag: loc-rhyl
Tea Lodge Network of Rhyl
Posted on October 28, 2025 in Steel-Realms
Tea Lodges of Rhyl manage family finances, arrange travel to Kaald, some marriages intertwined, refuge seekers, tea, and said to span race. Maple syrup from freelanders and Kaald. It experienced a renewed influence and power in the events of Tea House Revival of CY 9126 – 9130.
Symbol: A simple yellow tea cup; “Nothing happens in the north that is not discussed over tea.”
Areas of Influence: The Lodge Tradition in Rhyl is strongest in the east of the The Grand Duchy of Rhyl. In Rhyl, the ancient Tea Lodges will be found in the areas outside of The Rhylan Grants and old kingdoms that were located inside the forest along its edges. Mostly this consists of the areas to the east of the plateau all the way to the mountains and up to North Gate Garrison.
The women of the Tea Lodges of Rhyl have a disdain of the culture around the War Brides of Rhyl and you will not find many in their ranks.
Criminal Activity? Some believe the Tea House tradition is even leveraged as a smuggling channel – though what it would smuggle is dubious… the efforts of The Red March make for severe penalties – not to mention extreme ethical quandaries.
The Bitter Leaves
In fact, the Tea Lodge members include a band of smugglers who call themselves The Bitter Leaves, an old organization and technically part of the Criminal Presence in Rhyl. They are located in the east of the duchy, but their network is the entire duchy; They avoid direct clashes with other criminal elements. They handle refuge seekers into Kaald (through a secret route!?), girls seeking to avoid arranged marriages, a few rare foodstuffs and trinkets for the wealthy, and money and supplies from clandestine fundraisers. They never use the Bank of the Silver Stacks.
The Order of the Green Garters
The Order of the Green Garter is a women-only order nominally of camaraderie and accomplishment within the Tea Lodges of Rhyl. Long has it been said it is involved in marriage, politics, and even revenge through its agents of the Garter Blades – they often train young noble women to fight. There’s rumors that those men who try to abuse their position often find themselves in compromising positions or worse. There are Rumors they are tied to hag activity historically. These agents of the Tea Lodges of Rhyl gain some of the Witchwood each harvest to enhance their… powers of persuasion.
Active Lodge Locations
- Tea Lodge of Alstaad (Northgate)
- Tea Lodge of Fortun
- Tea Lodge of Fortun
- Tea Lodge of Red Spring
- Tea Lodge of Redmark
- Tea Lodge of Rhylan (capital)
- Tea Lodge of Saltmarch
- Tea Lodge of Sheffet
- Tea Lodge of Ten Stacks
- Tea Lodge of Twin Springs
Lodge Tradition in Rhyl
Posted on October 28, 2025
The Lodge Tradition in Rhyl is still somewhat strong in The Grand Duchy of Rhyl. It carries on the ancient traditions in the The Cunning Lodge Tradition.
Egalitarianism in Rhyl: The blending of so many influences has created a decent level of egalitarianism in Rhyl, maintaining the ancient Lodge Tradition in Rhyl. While political power has gradually slipped from its more gender-balanced days of dominion times that refugees brought, Gladnorian cultural influence is slowly pushing patrilineal succession as a standard, but general human rights have not suffered too much patriarchal obstruction.
East vs. West Culture: The east is more matrilineal – inherited directly from the Dominion Age refugees. Emphasis on the tea houses. Even though Rhyl is going more towards patriarchy in the west, the women still control the purse strings of all the great peerage family titles. Tradition is on both sides. The tea houses are where business deals and often marriages are arranged.
Hunting Lodge Tradition
Hunting Lodges have become more of a status symbol than anything else. The formal lodge tradition left over from the fallen East and the migrants that moved into Rhyl can still be found in eastern Rhyl. They are often used for anything but hunting, despite the abundance of game in the forests of Rhyl. Even those not near the forest often have old actual hunting lodges. The lodge tradition makes them a point of gathering for men. Much like the Tea Lodges for females. They exist independent of a manner or Villa where privacy can be better maintained and assured.
Places & Things of Interest
Trishin’s Withering
Posted on October 27, 2025
Trishin’s Withering marks the spot in the town of Tranmere where a priestess of Merkaine died,, carry the holy fire of the The Red Sunset Beacon to its beacon at the top of the White Stairs in the Rime Peaks. This is a pilgrimage site for the elemental goddesses, especially Merkaine.
There is a covered enclosure over the site where the blood spilled on the ground. A small sputtering deep red fire burns on the stained ground, inextinguishable by normal means.
Boar’s Rest Cemetery (Tranmere)
Posted on October 27, 2025
The Boar’s Rest Cemetery was the town burial place for Tranmere originally. It had no name other than “the cemetery” for thousands of years as the common cemetery for the town as it grew. It spread organically, and trees and scrub have since been planted on it to mark the edges – though in places it spread wider.
The cemetery expands over about 11 square acres and a little beyond on the south side of the road west to the tablelands. It is well maintained, even in winter. The entrance is a small arch with a hymn to Gaia and a plaque that speaks of great consecration and great deeds. There are several small 4′ square stone posts scattered over the area with engraved symbols on them – you assume these are the famed ward that covers the sanctified ground. Most of the cemetery is a rolling open area no more than 2-3′ elevation difference and 4 mausoleums that stand out, near where the cemetery entrance is.
[I] > The graves remain uncovered in snow, and the grave soil appears fresh all the time from the warding effects that prevent the dead from rising.Deserter’s End: As a large number of deserters and those who had to be put down by the knights of the Boar’s Lodge of Tranmere were laid to rest here, it took on its current name.
Family Mausoleums
Mausoleum of Tywind
The Tywind Family of Tranmere was of the first settler families.
Mausoleum
Mausoleum
Mausoleum
Donner’s Hill
The cemetery does have caretakers that live on Donner’s Hill – a low rise of about 20′ that is 75′ x 120′. The Caretaker’s Lodge is home to a family of (3 generations + helpers) caretakers, groundskeepers, and undertakers. There is a body preparation room with a carriage. There is a covered gathering place and an indoor gathering room that holds about 25.
Chronicle/Facts of the Locale
Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/availability & Meticulous Record Keeping may improve usability; Any attempt to know more than what's Pervasive will require a reference, source, knowledge, check, or access to someone who can get or provide either of these. Specific Lores may increase the chance of knowing specific elements.
Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty
Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore
For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.
Burial It is well known that the cemetery is warded against those that are buried becoming undead. These wards are done through the ward posts and the constant sanctification of the soil itself during every ceremony for burial.
Rhyl General Events
CY 2330’s Fall of East / Rise of the Dark Lands (Orrishai Abandoned); Refugees flee – some cross the Tolkisson Mountain Range into the ‘Lands of Rhylan’ that would become the Kingdoms of old Rhylan and finally The Grand Duchy of Rhyl.
CY 5580 Fall of Dundaria in the North – Frostfang spreads, the Lich Lord power rises. Horses of the undead, fortunately disorganized (at first), sweep south and west from the heart of old Dundaria.
CY 5980 The Kingdoms of old Rhylan united settled as a single Kingdom of Rhyl to fight the Lich Lords drive south. After centuries of warfare between territories and races, the common cause of the threat to the north secures a lasting peace.
CY 6514 The Grand Duchy of Rhyl is created by the High King. In exchange for the resources and organization that can be brought to bear against the now organized undead armies, the lands become part of the High King’s domain.
CY 7007 The area of North Gate Garrison freed & The Red March created; Money, supplies, and manpower flow into the north to fight the Lich Lords.
Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.
Boar’s Lodge of Tranmere
Posted on October 27, 2025
The Boar’s Lodge of Tranmere is one of the few offices of the order for The Home Garden Marshals. It is an old place, and one of the larger edifices of the entire town of Tranmere. It has a walled compound, stables, dorm, front office, and jail. There are usually 1-2 knights of the order located here, with at least 2 squires and several pages each to assist in tracking down the wayward souls of their charge that have fled their duties on the Autumn Wall of North Gate Garrison.
Boars Head: This black boar head is a massive carving, looking out at the southern road spur.