Chalice

The Eldritch colony world, which Araelis Mina Jisiensire is now overseeing with her Harat-Shariin family. This world is now considered the principle Jisiensire holding.

Name

Chalice was named during Reese's first holiday on Escutcheon, by Liolesa (at the same time that she chose the name for the Eldritch homeworld). "Your Planet Buttercup shall be known as Chalice,” Liolesa said. “I expect it to overflow with the Goddess’s gifts, Araelis, so work hard to live up to the name, ah?" (Araelis's response: "Chalice. That is an auspicious name.")

History and Composition

Liolesa gave Araelis the assignment of developing Chalice during Reese's first holiday (as, in fact, a gift). "When I choose a new heir she will become the viceroy of our colony. But you will have first choice of everything, and it is to you and your passel of pards that I will look to conduct the in-depth surveys, choose the site for the capital, and make recommendations on the development of appropriate resources. Lesandurel will, of course, be at your disposal for creating all the necessary orbital accoutrements." At the time of the gifting, the Harat-Shar Liolesa had written to were only "two weeks from arriving."

The Harat-Shar that accompanied Jisiensire had a very nearly perfect talent spread (astonishingly, since all the initial volunteers had come from Sellelvi's descendants). There is at least one Harat-Shar pharmaceutical researcher who'd started his career in botany, and his twelve children followed him into his field of study, and on to Chalice: they are scouring Chalice's flora for utility in every field, from cooking to beauty products, to medicine, determined to find a set of exports as quickly as possible.

Natalie Felger also moved to Chalice, with her niece, and resumed her writing career from her new house on a cliff. She is also interfering mightily with Araelis's isolation, and involving herself in the new baby's welfare (which is good for Araelis). Felger insisted that her income be subject to local taxation, since she had no skills useful for building a new colony.

A "handful of Jisiensire Harat-Shar" visited Escutcheon to attend Sediryl's wedding and investiture.

Population

• Chalice was initially settled by the descendants of Sellelvi and "Jisiensire’s sad remains," implying some number of Eldritch went with Araelis. Val says later that Jisiensire had "one village priestess left", who went with the settlers. Urise and Belinor also decamp for Chalice, after Sediryl's investiture, and before Lisinthir's return with his newborn heirs.
• Val also mentions that the Eldritch of Chalice are more willing (with the Harat-Shar's enthusiastic encouragement) to have multiple children: "I’d be surprised if some number of our people didn’t seize the opportunity to imitate their new friends and have scandalously large families. Immediately. Particularly when for many of them it’s been an unobtainable dream for most of their lives."

Landmarks

The first, temporary settlement became the first permanent one: a promontory overlooking a river valley that flowed to the sea, with a mild climate and enough land to expand.