This past week I redesigned my Sherry & Tapas Experience because I realised, if I offer it to larger groups only (6-10 people) and keep it down to two stops, as I have been doing with Katie’s Bowland & Bay groups, then I can just about manage it. It’s still a long painful hobble getting to the first bar, but a short distance to the second one, and from there I can grab a taxi right out front to…
I met Katie & Paul back in 2023 when Katie (a twitter/insta pal) looked me up while they were in town and we spent a lovely sherry-filled afternoon together. Since then we have been doing twice-yearly Bowland & Bay Sevilla Getaways together and this week they were back for more.
Katie runs her adventure food company Bowland & Bay out of Lancashire UK and offers fab foodie experiences both…
I recently brainstormed about Leander Territory (AKA Drako and Sherry’s home) and came up with a few ideas that I would like to share! LONG ASS POST BTW!!! And lots of rambling in very Pancake fashion….
[[MORE]]Firstly, Leander territory’s position on the map. I plan to actually draw up a reference for this, but for now I’ll just put it in writing!
Leander is a Dukedom situated in the southeastern Sacred Gwenhwyvar mountains, across from the Viscounty of Kleiman (formerly Duscur territory.)
Terrible image quality aside, in regards to past relations with Duscur and the Leander House before the tragedy, it was tenuous but not hostile! The previous head of House Leander, Duchess Celine, was instrumental in advising King Lambert to consider diplomacy with Duscur, which was seen as very shocking to many other Faerghus nobles.
Celine’s policies were unpopular with many of the nobility, especially the lower nobles, as she strove to provide education and alms to the ‘lower class’, often being outspoken against overspending done by her peers as well as inequality when it came to education, seeing Duscur as an ‘opportunity’ for research in regards to agriculture and cultural growth.
Celine and her husband Desmond were among those killed during the first massacre alongside the king, leaving their only living child and heir, Drako, to be cared for by his grandfather, Bertrand.
I actually plan to do a whole ‘nother post regarding the Leander family and how it’s fallen in popularity over the years, despite being a Dukedom with big ties to the royal family and one of the richer territories
SO for the actual point of this post, and that was kind of writing down an idea for how I think the environment is like in Leander (if that makes sense?)
Unlike Gautier territory, which is ALSO in the mountains, Leander’s climate is a lot more temperate [In relation to most Faerghan territories… it still gets harsh winters and remains chilly most of the year, especially near the actual mountain range]
I think the main Leander family (Drako, Bertrand, Sherry) live in a fort that was built basically IN the mountain, carved out hundreds of years beforehand with great help from mages. Leander Fortress overlooks all of the villages in the territory from on high. The fortress is where Sherry has been secluded for the latter half of her life for her protection. …Most people, aside from those who also live in the fortress, have never seen Sherry until she enrolled at Garreg Mach.
In regards to the landscape, I am NOT very well learned in geography and research on biomes but I tried my best to research what a region like Leander’s would be like. I’m unsure if it would be similar to like, the alps? But I imagine lots of valleys, not a lot of trees in the valleys but a few dotting the edges of the territory. I think a lot of houses would end up being made of varieties of stone, with mining being popular especially for those who live near the mountain range. Growing seasons are short for crops, and sheep farming is especially popular!
Leander’s main export are precious minerals and ore mined from the mountains, as well as magical research in general, being one of the most mage-heavy territories, other than Fhirdiad, which has the ever popular School of Sorcery… Yes, for DECADES the Leander family, specifically Celine, wanted to have a school of sorcery built in their territory specially for magical innovators and medicine, but never got to have it done before her death.
Drako does have uncles, aunts, and cousins that live near the fortress, but none of them carry the crest of Leander, with him, his grandfather, and Sherry being the only current possessers of it. Despite this, Drako shows no rush to find a wife despite his grandfather’s prodding, preferring to hide away in his study, away from other people.
Bertrand is quite popular with the people, but Drako less so, being seen as cold and uncaring to his people’s struggles due to never meeting with them. He is seen as strange with his interests in lesser known magics and medical research, not at all like his diplomatic and eloquent mother, Celine, who was known for her talkative and warm nature.
Pre-timeskip, many are distrustful of the Leander family, especially due to the secrecy surrounding Sherry, and Drako’s refusal to connect with his people… Despite this, his grandfather supports him and his wishes, but puts a lot of responsibility on Drako’s shoulders to try and help him grow as a leader.
I redrew my Academy Sherry!! I’ve been practicing a lot more with digital art and I think i’ve improved somewhat. I wanted to wait until I did a redraw of her War Phase outfit to post this but I’m too proud of how this one turned out to wait!!
(The wings behind her represent her love of wyverns, particularly her personal wyvern and closest ally, Jill!)
Nameh de Maman
My Cherzi,
You will be happy to know that we are now (at last!) in possession of the deed for this land that we have worked our entire lives. I do not know exactly what made the satrap change his mind, but he accepted your father’s offer in the end, and for a significantly lesser sum than the ridiculous one he was previously demanding. Perhaps he grew a heart? Ha ha!
As for the other thing…
I know you worry. But you must understand: this is our land, our home. We cannot leave it behind. Especially not now! A life of work, sweat and tears…it is unconscionable. Yes, the last few harvests have not been as bountiful as in the past, but things will improve. I know it. Please do not think we are ungrateful. Your generosity has gotten us through these tough times, especially after the stroke has made it difficult for your baban to work. We keep you in our thoughts (and prayers, sorry!) every day, chiot.
…But we are old. We cannot travel such distances anymore, and you are a very busy woman! It is natural that you worry; that is simply the way of love and it cannot be helped. It pains me too, to be so far apart from you, but I sleep easy every night knowing that we raised a strong, kind girl, and that you are safe and happy, even with the ocean between us. And though I know you have little love for Seleukia, we will always be here should you be able to visit (it is really not so bad these days).
We will see each other again, my Cherzi, of that I have no doubt. But do not sacrifice your happiness for us.
Many hugs and kisses,
Maman.
Karazond, Seleukia. Harvest 4th, 1986.
While she doesn’t really care for makeup (she has naturally rosy cheeks + makeup makes her face feel weird) Sherry meticulously cares for her hair every day! Some may see it as frivolity, but for Sherry’s very curly hair, it’s an absolute must.
She uses various creams and herbal remedies to keep her hair shiny and brushes it every morning to keep it from tangling up and enjoys hair accessories!
Pre-Timeskip, Sherry brushes her hair out and braids it into pigtails to keep dirt and whatnot out of it during training and especially when she’s riding her wyvern.
Post-Timeskip she still makes sure to brush her hair everyday but instead puts it up into a ponytail to save time during the War.
Although she’s become used to having white hair, Sherry does feel insecure about it and actively misses having her original hair color. Before the experiments, Sherry’s hair was a deep red, same as her mother’s, something she took great pride in even as a child.
Losing that is yet another thing that’s placed her apart from other people, making her meticulous care for her hair therapeutic in a way: she has to look herself in the mirror each morning and remind herself that yes, she’s still herself despite changing so much.
Slightly off topic, but something I want to emphasize with Sherry is that she’s quite ‘girly’ and enjoys fashion and cute things while also being very active and focused on physical training!
