| The Veiled Chorus | |
|---|---|
| Nation | Kastalshire |
| Type | Monastery |
| Deity / Philosophy | Lliira |
| Leader | Masque-Mother Ysabet Noctel |
| Leader Title | Masque-Mother |
The Veiled Chorus is a famous bardic monastery and retreat high in the mountains of Lyricast, known across Kastalshire for its permanent masquerade. Once inside, true names, titles, ranks, and family crests are set aside. Everyone wears a Mask and chooses a temporary name.
The monks teach singing, acting, dance, political theater, rhetoric, disguise, courtly manners, and bardic magic. Some students come to become great performers, while others come to learn how to survive court, sway a crowd, or destroy a rival without drawing a blade.
Masque-Mother: Masque-Mother Ysabet Noctel
An elegant older human woman with silver-black hair, a permanent half-smile, and a different Mask for every conversation. She is warm, theatrical, and impossible to read. Ysabet knows more secrets than most royal spymasters, but she treats them like music: powerful only when played at the right moment.