A panoramic view of Paso Nogal park from the top of a hill, showing forest with mountains in the background
Entrance sign to Paso Nogal park
Shadowed Hills is a secret Faerie duchy hidden outside San Francisco. Shadowed Hills is located in the area around Mt. Diablo. It is the largest Duchy in the Bay Area, and is one of the largest political entities in the Kingdom of the Mists, though it has few political aspirations itself.
Knowe[]
The knowe held by Sylvester Torquill, who is one of the most beloved nobles in fae society. He runs his household with kindness and love, and is pretty much fatherly toward changelings, where most full-blooded fae are disdainful toward fae with human blood. The knowe was built by Sylvester with help from his brother Simon and features some rough carpentry in the older sections due to their somewhat indifferent skills at the craft.
In the mortal realm, the knowe entrance can be found in Paso Nogal Park, Pleasant Hill, California. Entering Shadowed Hills from the mortal world requires a complex sequence of steps including walking up the largest hill in the park, crawling under a cluster of hawthorn bushes, running six times counterclockwise around an oak tree surrounded by mud, and knocking on the surface of a nearby stump.[1]
The Summerlands entrance passes through Luna's gardens and has lighter security, at least for those with open invitations to visit. Shadowed Hills is famous among the fae for its roses, which are tended by Luna. Her gardens include roses made of ice and glass as well as the traditional varieties. It neighbors Amandine's tower and, beyond that, a forest that hosts a colony of pixies.
The building itself is like a giant labyrinth with a sense of humor: "halls bend back on themselves and loop in long, impossible curves; doors you’ve seen before lead places you’ve never been, and doors that weren’t there yesterday take you right back where you started." [2] Many of the windows are ringed with garlands of silver and pale blue roses, and it has a checkerboard marble floor. There is an extensive armory, which is drawn from in times of impending battle.[3][4]
The knowe recognizes Toby and responds to her requests in times of great need. It shortens her path to reach the Ducal family's private rooms when Luna is poisoned, and again permits her entry to the private rooms when Sylvester is in danger from Simon. [3][5]
History[]
“You walk into the Summerlands, you find the place you’re going to stake your claim, and you mark it. You go into the mortal world, and you find the place where you want the intersection to occur. You gather your magic and your strength, and you cut a hole between the worlds for the sake of what’s to come. Then you build. You build a beginning. So much of the beginning has to come from your own hands.” - The Brightest Fell, chapter 6
The knowe of Shadowed Hills was built by Sylvester with the help of Simon, while the gardens were built by Luna. Since neither of them were good carpenters, the oldest part of the knowe is built rather shoddily.
Characters[]
Current[]
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Duke Sylvester Torquill | Duke of Shadowed Hills |
| Duchess Luna Torquill | Duchess by marriage |
| Rayseline Torquill | Sylvester and Luna's only child, but not named as heir to the duchy |
| Connor O'Dell | Selkie ambassador from Saltmist; in an political marriage with Rayseline for several years |
| Sir October Christine Daye | Knight errant and sworn to Sylvester's service, as of A Killing Frost she is exiled from the Duchy |
| Etienne | Seneschal/second in command; temporarily demoted to Captain of the Guard while his powers were nullified. Sworn knight; acted as Toby's knight-master and provides instruction to Quentin. |
| Quentin | Blind foster since age 12. As a page, serves as messenger and door guard. As a squire, serves under October Daye. |
| Jin | Ellyllon healer |
| Grianne | Third-in-command; temporarily seneschal while Etienne's powers were nullified. quiet but chatty for her species, knew Rayseline better than most (OSS ch 11) |
| Melly and Ormond | Hob servants; adore Toby and help her when she seeks sanctuary in Shadowed Hills. |
| Garm | Gwragen guard with impressive illusion abilities.[6][4] |
| Tavis | guard, Bridge Troll |
| Manuel Lorimer | Accepts hospitality and serves in Shadowed Hills after being rescued from Home. |
| Archibald | Knight of Shadowed Hills, elf-shot in Late Eclipses. |
Former[]
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Simon Torquill | Sylvester's twin brother, formerly allied with Shadowed Hills. The knowe might still acknowledge him as an ally. |
| Spike | Rose goblin; switched loyalty to Toby and became her pet when she gave it a name. |
| Meriel | Meriel is a Hob who used to work in the kitchens until she was fired for playing sick. |
Book References[]
- ↑ Rosemary and Rue
- ↑ Rosemary and Rue, ch. 12
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Late Eclipses
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 One Salt Sea
- ↑ The Winter Long
- ↑ Late Eclipses Ch 10
External References[]
- Paso Nogal Park: https://pleasanthillrec.com/Facilities/Facility/Details/Paso-Nogal-Park-10
- Pleasant Hill: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleasant_Hill,_California