Castle Naerytar of the Order of the Starsisters

This castle is home to the Order of the Starsisters. Starmistress Aideth, third to take that name, is the harsh mistress of this stargazing order of diviners. There are about 40 women in the order now, and they have perhaps 10 or 12 guards, and as many servants. They were once quite isolationist but in the last ten years or so have become more communicative with the surrounding communities. They have sent emmisaries to the Grippli, the Szathair (such as can be managed with so unstructured a people) and the human villages in the region. They have apparently promised protection and leadership for a small return in taxes and a promise of obedience or fealty. Exactly how much response they have received and how much support they have garnered is unclear. However, they have also approached Mound and its leaders, suggesting an alliance between the two groups - but they have NOT communicated with Greenvale's leadership.

Things known about the group by outsiders:

Leader: Starmistress Aideth is from Greenvale, came here as a child. She is devoted to her order, is strong-willed and authoritarian.

Motivation: protection of the Order, the women who belong to it, and the divinatory capability they have; religious devotion to their goddess Talaia

Influence: within 30 or so miles of Castle Naerytar, they are very powerful, but their influence fades rapidly outside their immediate reach.

Reputation: somewhat negative - people fear their divinations, as they so often come true, and are often negative. People also fear that the women will seize their girl children and take them as potential prophetesses.

Age: the group has existed for at least fifty years. Some claim this site has been a divine location for ages, sometimes abandoned but always eventually restored.

Size: small. Only about 100 people live in the castle or the small village nearby. About 40 are true members of the order, and the rest are their guards, family, servants and followers.

Stability: fairly good. But the order remains very opaque to outsiders. Internal stresses are well hidden by the group's outer facade of emotionless coldness.

Enemies: presumed to be an enemy of Greenvale, but unclear if this is merely a misperception

Allies: Grippli? Szathair? Mound? Local human forestdwellers? Nobody really knows

Resources: wealth from adventuring group members? Sale or trade of a small but steady supply of potions - mostly of invisibility, gaseous form, flying, levitation and other forms of movement or concealment. It is believed that the Order has become moderately to very wealthy over the years, as they spend little and earn a moderate amount. All sales of potions is done in Saltmarsh or Mound, never at their home.

Other: The starsisters are known to have made overtures to many local communities. Unfortunately, these groups are hard to find, shy of outsiders, and reluctant to discuss their business. Thus the influence over them of the Starmistress and her people is unknown.

Mode of Leadership: authoritarian, but unknown how the Starmistress is selected. Ranks in the group are Starmistress, Starmother, Starsister and (those who follow but are not actual members) Starfriend. Spouses are sometimes called Starbrother.

Known group members:

Starmother Bathilde - this member of the Order arrives in Saltmarsh, Southgate and Edgeton about once a year each, and the larger towns of the Baronies of Pintar and Eldon at least twice each year, selling potions, herbs and other rare but popular herbal concoctions. She is usually accompanied by an apprentice and a guard.

Starmother Sunlaeda - is widely known as well, but not for selling - instead she is known as the "taker of children". It is rumored that if she comes to a village or town, soon at least one young woman will vanish, stolen away or lured off to be recruited into the closed Order of the Starmistresses, never to be seen or heard from again. In truth, she comes to villages and towns in and around the south-east of Greenvale, perhaps once every two or three years, stays for a few days, asks questions about random people and events, then leaves. She is always accompanied by at least two guards and two apprentices. She sometimes invites a young woman without family or friends to accompany her back to Castle Naerytar, but has never been seen directly speaking with any child or girl who later disappeared. No child or girl has ever disappeared while she was in a town or village, either. Most disappearances she is accused or suspected of causing happen within a few weeks or months of her passage.

Starmaiden Aelfwynne - is the current prophetess of the group, a young woman barely into  adulthood, who drinks of the enchanted waters and then utters strange and twisted phrases based on what she sees in the deep well at the heart of the temple. The starsisters say that she sees the reflection of the heavens in its depths and can read the fate of the known world.

Identification of members: The women of the Order of Starsisters typically are identified by the black robes and silver star jewelry (always very plain and simple) that they wear. Many have star tattoos on their wrists and ankles; the meaning of these marks is unknown to outsiders, but almost every senior member seems to have them.

Initial Contact: Anyone arriving at the Castle will be met by Starsister Valdis. She guards the gate, and is the first line of defense for the castle. She will be called to the gates by the guard, and will question each person who wishes to enter; she insists on having a name and a reason for coming from each person who desires entry. Of many, she will ask one or more seemingly random questions. Those whom she denies are welcome to stay in the village, but unless they answer her questions to her satisfaction, they will not enter. Those who are permitted entry will be escorted by her to either an audience room (if they are seeking divination) or to private quarters (if their stay is to be lengthier). Starsister Valdis is a tall, handsome woman of middle age, with large strong hands and a tough look to her. She has silver-blonde hair and blue-white eyes. Her voice is surprisingly deep, and musical. She is dressed in black and silver chainmail much of the time, and she carries a black-hilted rapier.