(Pronunciation: Dee-kah-ya-yell-ee)
Fast Facts
At the farmost northern edge of the Keesal, nestled between two large Tribal Land enclaves is Dicayayeli, a town built in a trade of salt, pine byproducts, great art and the medicinal airs of the sea breeze. Natives of Dicayayeli are called Dicayans (Dee-Kai-uhn)
Governance
Dicayayeli is a walled town on the small side of medium, with around 3,500 inhabitants (though this swells considerably in the Peak Season to almost double) as such it is presided over by a Kes of the Fourth Countenance, who is responsible for the town itself and the outlying villages in and around The Break. The current Kes is Radamel Kerimoglu, he is a kindly man of around 60 years of age and is considered widely popular amongst his Sekufi. The Kerimoglu family have held the position of Kes for 3 generations and have worked hard to diversify Dicayayeli away from a simple salt farming town.
Economy
The main export is Sea Salt. Cranes lower huge buckets into the surf at the base of the cliffs and haul sea water back to The Pans, a tiered, semicircular arena with wide, shallow metal dishes which are placed in the sun. Over time, the water evaporates leaving behind salt deposits. The workers in this industry are broadly referred to as Salt Farmers, though the workforce breaks down into Gatherers (those who collect the water), Panners (those who attend to the evaporation pans) and Loaders (who fill barrels to be exported.). Colloquially, Salt Farmers are called Crinklies due to effects of the saltwater on their skin.
Dicayayeli is also known for the export of pine products, particularly pine nuts, dried pine needles and pine resin. Due to being a great distance from Tepui, metal is rather expensive and so Dicayayeli is home to many fine woodworkers who produce a wide assortment of furniture, decorations and crockery and cutlery for use in the home. Generally speaking, homes in Dicayayeli will have an iron stove and cooking pot and a serving spoon made of iron or steel and most other utensils and containers will be wooden. This is true from the Kes down to the poorest of families.
A rejuvenation of the town has also seen it become a very popular destination for wealthy Keesal, so much so that during peak season of the summer months the town’s population near doubles. This is partly aided by a belief in Keesal society that clean, sea air is invigorating for the soul and cleanses the body of toxins.
Culture
Music, Art and Performance have a huge influence on the culture of Dicayayeli. It is an oft repeated joke to visitors that Dicayans have interwoven the disciplines through their own micro-culture because “If you don’t keep your hands and feet busy in the winter they’ll freeze.” The town has become a haven for artists and is a popular destination for performers of all kinds, particularly during that peak season and around the week long Crystal Festival, that celebrates Dicayayeli’s connection to the sea and salt. The town opens itself up to all manner of touring performers, who occupy every available tavern and street corner and The Pans are cleared to create a great amphitheater overlooking the sea. Lanterns made from hardened pine resin are placed all about the boardwalks and on the final night a grand procession takes place through the town, led by the Kes who carries a salt lamp, once the procession arrives at The Pans, the Kes gives a thanksgiving speech and flings their lantern into the sea below, then each person follows suit with a lantern they gathered on the walk before everybody returns to their homes or accommodation for a great feast, songs and painting each others' faces, arms and hands with bright colours.
Other popular past-times in Dicayayeli are hunting and log-wrestling. The Slippery Limb is the Premier spot for log-wrestling and is renowned as a popular meeting place for people rumored to be operating outside the law.
The people of Dicayayeli are generally considered to be warm and friendly with a sense of humour that is often self-deprecating in nature, there is also a reputation for some good-natured practical jokes, particularly aimed at out-of-towners and exploiting their perception of the Keesal custom of not lying. Trousers and overcoats or cloaks are the norm in Dicayayeli and only the elite of society will don robes, usually only for very grand occasions such as the visit of a higher Kes or during the procession for the Crystal Festival. The necessity for trousers is borne out of the climate, even in the height of summer the temperature is relatively cool beneath the great pines that the city is built around and a good sea breeze will find any gaps in one's provisions against the climate.
Law and Order
The Arm of Justice is the Law Enforcement agency in Dicayayeli (as it is throughout the Keesal.) They maintain a garrison that is over-sized in comparison to the size of Dicayayeli but this is due to the towns position sandwiched between two large Wild Lands enclaves. The distance from Tepui affects even the soldiers of The Arm at this distance. On patrol around the town they will carry a shield and wear leather armour, in the event that they are required to undertake military action, a stockpile if more robust, metal armour is kept at the garrison. In either case the standard footsoldier carries a spear and a bow. Metal weapons and armour are more expensive this far out and nobles and particularly successful merchants are the only ones who would be able to afford them, occasionally the armaments of former or fallen adventurers come into the possession of city merchants and these are quickly snapped up.
As with any urban environment there are unscrupulous characters and Dicayayeli is no different. The Black Crystal is an organization that works to run illicit substances into the lower reaches of town, they also run a racket in metal items often using violence to come upon them.