Holay
The Holayan queendom is an old land first settled by the Vingkotlings and a core area of the ancient Kingdom of the Heortlings. Although Alakoring is still the patron of kings and tribes, the women have a far stronger role, with most of the rites of authority being in the hands of Ernalda Earthmother and the Red Woman. Holay paid tribute to the rising Empire some three centuries ago, but then rebelled as part of an alliance of tribes led by Gwythar Longwise to harry Syllila and break the power of the Empire in the Southern Lands.
When Hwarin Dalthippa, a great Lunar hero, lost her son and then her husband in this struggle, she donned the Red Mask of War and launched the Daughter's Road Campaigns. At Mirin's Cross, she fought a four-day magical battle with the tribes. After the battle ended, a great crystal bridge stood over the Black Eel River, cutting into the courtyard of the great citadel. The Conquering Daughter continued on to ancient Filichet where she accepted the submission of the clan chiefs. Holay again rebelled against the Empire during the years of Sheng Seleris, but rejoined the Lunar fold during the Fifth Wane.
Holay is a powerful nation within the Provinces. Mirin's Cross is the seat of the Provincial Government. It was built as a display of Imperial Might, with soaring Dara Happan sun watch towers, the sprawling Grand Basilica of the Provincial Church and the Overseer's red marble Fortress of Seven Seals. The Holayan capital, Filichet, is more traditional, but almost as grand. Young Queen Phirgia rules through consensus and cooperation when she can. After all, with the exception of the Zaladori woodsmen and the Enjaga (a new tribe formed from the recently conquered Imtherians of the Dog Plains), the twelve tribes of Holay are governed by female nobles, and thus pragmatic and reasonable, if cold and often cruel.
Holay is famed for its fine horses and its many shrines the Redalda the Horse Goddess. There are many temples and shrines to Ernalda, Esrola, Barntar, Alakoring, Vingkot, Red Woman, Hwarin Dalthippa, Hon-Eel, Yelmalio, the Oslir and the Black Eel in those lands, as well as many other gods and goddesses. Although Orlanth is mythically important to the Ernalda and Barntar cults in Holay - the Great Storm doesn't have a cult, isn't invoked, and sacrifices are not offered to Orlanth.
Fyllich Kwan is a medium city along the Black Eel, downstream from one of the few safe fords over the river. It was an important city of the EWF, when it was known as the City of a Thousand Masks. After the Dragonkill, Fyllich Kwan became the city of the Butterfly Princess, whose death led to the southern tribes paying tribute to the Empire.
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