Description
Sunset Bluff is a small human settlement perched on the windswept cliffs overlooking the sea, about 80 miles west of Seawatch and 50 miles southwest of Cobblefoot. The village consists of sturdy timber and stone buildings clustered around a natural harbor, where fishing boats bob in the tide and gulls cry overhead. True to its name, the settlement is famous for its breathtaking sunsets, when the sky blazes orange and pink over the endless horizon, casting the white cliffs in golden light. The air tastes of salt and sea spray, and the constant sound of waves crashing against the rocks below creates a rhythmic backdrop to daily life.
Background
Sunset Bluff survives primarily on fishing and small-scale trade with passing ships. Its remote location keeps it isolated from the major conflicts and politics of Windcrest Valley, though travelers and merchants occasionally stop here to resupply before continuing north to Seawatch or south along the coast.
Government
Sunset Bluff is ruled by Lady Sylenna Thornbrook, the latest in a long line of Thornbrook women who have governed the city for centuries. Unlike most noble houses in the Kingdom of Solara, the Thornbrooks follow matrilineal succession, passing the title from mother to daughter. The current Lady is said to be the spitting image of her mother—a trait attributed to strong bloodlines.
The Thornbrooks are known for practicing a particularly strict interpretation of the Church of Elandria’s humility laws. All members of the ruling family and their court wear ornate silver veils that cover the lower half of their faces when appearing in public, a tradition they claim honors Elandria’s teaching that “the light within matters more than the face without.” This custom has made Sunset Bluff something of a curiosity among other Solaran cities.
Princess Mariella, daughter of King Aldric IX Solborn, married into the Thornbrook family and now resides in Sunset Bluff.
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The Truth
The entire leadership of Sunset Bluff—including the Church of Elandria clergy—is secretly devoted to Vaelith. The city is the hidden seat of power for The Deathless, ruled by the High Deathlord herself: Lady Sylenna Thornbrook, who has been the same ruler for over three hundred years.
The “humility laws” and face coverings exist to hide the fact that Lady Sylenna never ages. The matrilineal succession is a fabrication—there has only ever been one Lady Thornbrook, pretending to be her own descendants across the centuries.
The cathedral’s underground crypts house a secret temple to Vaelith, and a Tether resides in chambers beneath the seaside cliffs. :::