vastekyvyn

Vastekyvyn is a traditional ceremonial panel associated with the Seryl people of the coastal archipelago of Lyria in the fictional world of Alaria. The name combines vaste, meaning protect, and kyvyn, an emblem or token, reflecting its function as a protective symbol.

Description: It is typically a rectangular wooden panel, about 45 to 60 centimeters tall and 3 to 5 centimeters thick, carved and inlaid with materials such as mother-of-pearl, bone, and mineral pigments. Common motifs depict waves, wind symbols, stylized anchors, and ancestors. The panel is finished with a protective varnish and sometimes a cloth backing.

Use: Vastekyvyn is mounted over doorways or thresholds during house consecration ceremonies to invite protection against storms, fire, and malevolent forces. It also appears in wedding processions and community gatherings as a symbol of family continuity and communal duty. Ownership patterns vary by clan; each family carves its own panel or commissions a master carver to incorporate lineage marks.

History: The earliest clear references appear in mid- to late-16th-century annals from the island of Taven, with regional variants across the archipelago. By the 17th and 18th centuries, the craft spread to mainland settlements, and panels became major markers of status within households.

Contemporary status: Today, Vastekyvyn panels are still carved by designated master carvers; some families preserve generational patterns, while others produce reproduction panels for education and tourism. They are valued as examples of material culture and storytelling.