Pouli – City of the Featherfolk

Angela grew up in the Featherfolk city of Pouli. Surrounded by an upbringing of sunshine, tropical fruits, and a culture built on fishing and intercultural relations, she appreciated the heroic stories of her ancestors. Although she was born into the privilege of royalty, she never understood why she had to maintain separation from the other Featherfolk children.

Despite the societal rules, she was close to a young Featherfolk boy named Herman who came from a family of textile makers. Since his family worked in the lowest levels of the towering city, he grew up with little exposure to the sun. His pale skin was a stark contrast to the many bronzed Featherfolk who worked the fishing and agriculture industries. These exports were a main source of trade with the Nanoi dwarves who provided light and strong metals to reinforce the Pouli towers. The fruits were a delicacy sought out by King Therius, the leader of the humans to the north. Pouli merchants would often travel to the city of Kefalayo at the center of Kyriakora to trade these fruits for human trinkets to maintain diplomatic relationships with the humans. Elven missionaries and priests from Xotika in the west set up a church in the lower levels of Pouli, preaching the Goddess Apola’s love for all of Kyriakora’s citizens. Angela’s family attended the services and provided their tithes to the church, and the Apolites provided healing services and sanctuary for Pouli’s citizens.

Herman had run away with the Bards one year after they came to provide Barton Day festivities. The Bards were a nomadic group of people from throughout the continent of Kyriakora. While each member never felt at home where they grew up, they had found family among the misfits of each other. Herman longed to do more than make canopies and clothes, so as the Bards were packing up, he hid in one of their weatherworn wagons among the costumes and props from their latest performance. He ignored the mixed scents of sweat and must until he no longer heard the buzz of Pouli conversations. Only then would he know it would be safe to breathe fresh air again, ready to embark on an adventure outside of the strict roles of Featherfolk society.

Angela looked down on the city of Pouli from her bedroom, leaning on the waxed wooden walls laced with intricate flowing veins of Nanoi silver. Dwarven metal was known to provide reinforcement to the growing towers, even when used in thin construction. The silver veins reminded Angela of the waves rolling up on the beach below or the gusts of wind that lifted her wings when she flew. She instinctively twitched her wings as she imagined the wind against her face during flight. From this far up, everyone looks so small, she thought to herself. The distance caused her heart to ache. Would King Barton have stayed this far from his people?