Dernere

Located on the farming planet of Xyan, this town is heavily associated with the Celestial of food. It is known for offering shelter and safety to anyone who requests it, particularly if they reach the statue of Felicia in the center of town.

Anyone who manages to touch the lip of the bowl Felicia holds must be granted refuge. It does not matter who they are or where they are from. If they touch the bowl, they are under her protection.

— Saying from Dernere

History

Dernere is a very old town, one of the first built on Xyan. The exact date of its founding is unknown, but the town's legends say it was built many years after the Celestial War and carbon dating of the oldest buildings places it around 4000 BPC. Since its founding, Dernere has been known to honor and even worship Felicia, the legendary Celestial of food. It is uncertain why Felicia specifically was chosen, but many believe the planet's farmers offered her portions of their harvest in exchange for protection.

by Lilliana Casper

The town has rarely been modified and only individual buildings have ever been destroyed. It is located on a stretch of prairie and surrounded by fields. No storms or natural disasters have damaged it and despite areas of Xyan being known for bandits and raiders, this town has never been attacked.

Somewhere around 3000 BPC, a group of sculptors decided to build a statue of Dernere's patron. A museum in town had several artworks and sculptures of her, but these sculptors wanted to do something bigger. They purchased a plot of land in the center of town, studied previous sculptures obsessively, and spent months planning. After their preparations were complete, they started work. With the help of magic, they constructed an enormous statue of the Celestial leaning down and offering a bowl to the people on the ground.

Almost immediately after its completion, stories spread that Felicia had directly enchanted the statue to alert her when someone touched it. The stories all claimed the same thing: if someone in need of assistance touched the edge of the bowl the statue held, they were under her protection and the town must do everything to protect them and keep them safe.

"Please, someone, help me! Please, just help me, please!"
"It's alright, it's alright! We'll take care of you. You touched the bowl, everything's alright now."

— A refugee and a Derneran

When interplanetary travel became more widespread, people who heard about the stories often journeyed to Xyan and Dernere to see the statue and explore the town. However, as the legends of Eternals and Celestials began to fade into obscurity, tourism drastically decreased. The denizens of the town are unaffected and continued to hold true to their beliefs, certain even to the present that Felicia watches over their settlement.

Infrastructure & Districts

by Lilliana Casper

Dernere is a simple town with low technological levels and basic housing. Most of the buildings are built from stone and wood with simple lighting, heating, and plumbing. The roads are cobblestone. There are no official districts, although important buildings like the bank, hospital, jail, town hall, and library are situated close to the center of town. Other businesses tend to be located near the center of town as well, while residences are placed farther away. Plenty of space for grass, gardens, and play areas can be found between the buildings, as very few are placed closer than fifty feet apart from each other.

Founding Date

Circa 4000 BPC

Alternative Name(s)

Felicia's refuge

Type

Large town

Population

Approximately 4,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Dernerans

Industry & Trade

Dernere is a very small town on Xyan, which is already considered a second-class planet. As such, very little trade occurs between it and the rest of the galaxy. On Xyan, Dernere trades often with other towns and villages, exchanging various food products back and forth. The town's main industry is vegetables, especially carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

It's alright, just sit down. The harvesters came back a little while ago and I have some fresh cucumbers I can slice.

— A Derneran

Felicia's Protection

Everyone who visits or lives in Dernere knows about the statue of Felicia and the promise of sanctuary. However, many debate its morality. Could someone rightfully pursued by the law touch the bowl and gain sanctuary? Why are the denizens required to protect them? Why touch the bowl (specifically the lip) rather than any other part?
But it is not the statue that grants sanctuary, it is the Celestial herself. When the statue was completed, Felicia chose to enchant it with magic. When someone touched the bowl—a symbol of her generosity—she would be alerted and could place a protection spell on them. Knowing that people can often be devious, she placed an additional spell on it: only those in true danger could reach the bowl at all. It is uncertain what wording she used or the exact rules, but the result is the same: only those who desperately need help can touch the bowl and claim the promised protection. All others will not be able to.

I safeguarded it, of course! What, do you think I'd allow anyone to touch it? If I'm going to protect whoever touches that bowl, I'm going to make sure they're worthy of it.

— Felicia defending her spell