Alias: General: The Muse, Weaver of Dreams. Untermensch: Illunabar.
Domain (Portfolio):
Domain: Beauty Beauty is basically what makes something “special”: the harmony and complexity of colors, sounds, aromas and taste. The rarity of gems. The perfection of cycles. The nobility and glory of gods and mortals. The closed box and the curiosity it creates. The problem and its solution. Tragedies. Comedies.
Beauty (Stories) A Story is an exaltation of the mundane narrative through a structure. Saying a random flower grew and then bloomed doesn’t amount to much. A flower struggling against blizzards or drought until it finally blooms, creating a solitary dot of color in the middle of barren lands, inspires. Ilunabar has a deep interest in creating said structures just to see them unfold. Sometimes she does so by inspiring someone to follow their dreams, or helping a mentor to meet an apprentice in need of guidance. Other times she does it by making a boy fall in love with a girl, who happens to be his long lost sister, who also happens to be terminally ill and of course, lives with a family who has a long lasting blood feud with the boy’s family.
Beauty (Colors) Colors are a common interpretation of reflecting photons that most mortals use as their main sense, despite the fact its known image can lie, to the point even the natural evolution of animals is capable of reproducing its lies in the wings of butterflies and in the fur of arctic creatures. Of course, just random bits of color are not "beautiful", it all needs harmony, the construction of the image, the structures that will make said colors inspire a myriad of feelings.
Beauty (Aesthetic) A concern, if not zeal, with the nature of beauty, art, and taste and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. Overall, the aesthetic is both the study of beauty as well as the collective of notions and approaches to the search for it, along with all the rules, concepts and patterns that are born from such ideals. In a more practical take, the aesthetic is the very mental structure behind the way mortals perceive beauty, and it was only just, even if somewhat tyrannical, that such important aspect of life was managed by the goddess of beauty.
Also Glass, Flowers and Jewelery, will write on that later :3
Alignment: Neutral, the struggle of the many forces of the world is what interests her. There is no need for a hero without an evil force, and a dark overlord just stomping everything without a single struggle against the forces of good is just boring mindless destruction. Similarly, artists often like to create patterns and harmony out of the chaos, however once things start to settle down you will often find artists wanting to break the established rules.
Personality: Ilunabar is very passionate about her domain, she can talk about the patterns found in the wings of a butterfly with the same burning zeal that a crusader feels for his religion. However trying to talk to her about anything that isn't related to that can be a bit frustrating as she will likely space out thinking about whatever idea she has in mind.
The goddess believes that the sentient mind is the perfect, rules-free, canvas and that all struggles in the word come from people trying to bring those ideas into reality. Due to that, she prefers to not directly change a mortal's mind but instead guide the person into what can be an interesting situation and see how they react. She also will rarely harm anyone, but in her world view the fault is always at the one who press the trigger, not on the person who gave the murdered the gun, so often she will facilitate misdoings for the sake of narrative while not blaming herself, after all, it was the person's choice.
She does not have a long-term plan, her main objective is simply to furnish the universe with what she consider beautiful. Furthermore, scheming and rivalries with any sibling would consume too much of her precious time and creativity, so she prefers to keep down any greater ambition that crosses her mind, especially her musings about the strings that generate a song that no musician's harp can compete with, the strings of fate.
Description: The Goddess of Beauty, an idealistic artist always willing to do what it takes. She doesn't care if she will sing about the glory of heroes or about their downfall into tragedy, she just wants to sing. For her, there is beauty in all of the other god's domains, on one side that means she won't create rivalries, on the other, it also means she will be poking her nose on other's work, should that be welcomed or not. (Of course, the player will be following the rules of the RP)
Always thinking about the next project and far too immersed in her own mind this goddess comes out as unreliable for the more practical deities. Furthermore, Ilunabar's overly dramatized worldview can come out as childish, outright delusional or, at least, hard to follow for most.
From her mortal worshipers all she expect is that they will live fulfilling and interesting moments, she will bless those who try, but the ones who pray to her expecting a miracle will only win her scorn.
Name: Meimu (Maiden of the Flowers, The White Rose, The Diva of Petals)
Description: Usually quiet and reserved, Meimu was born from a white rose and her main mission is to create beauty from nature. She prefers Elegance and Refinement over raw and emotional beauty. When close to her “family” she is far more open minded and will speak about her true feelings. She is very moody despite her seriousness, and often will do radical changes in her work.
Name: Notte (The Mirrorwalker, Nightsky Singer, The Diva of the Night)
Description: Brash and lively, Notte was born from Ashling Glass, her main mission is to sneak around and capture rare stories. She prefers Movement and Liveliness over the still beauty. A trickster by heart Notte loves to tease those close to her, however, she also knows that some people should never be played with. Despite her chaotic nature, she is very serious about keeping her objectives in check.
Name: Piena (The Diva of Steel, The Curator)
Description: Aloof and observant, Piena was born from the many written plans of Ilunabar, her main mission is to oversee the creation of art, making sure no task is left unfinished and no detail is left unseen. Her main joy from art comes from the satisfying feeling of seeing a complex project being executed to the end flawlessly. Not exactly a creator herself, Piena prefers to simply lead what is around her into its full potential.
Name: Chronicle (The Quiet Dancer, Living Orgel, Dreamweaver, The Diva of Brass, )
Description: Mysterious and eccentric, Chronicle was born from an overflow of resonating energy within the Dreamweaver during the creation of the Pictaraika. As such, the basics behind this Diva are a secret even to Ilunabar. Always lively and playful, usually at the expense of others, this Diva oddly doesn't speak and instead communicates by writing.
Personality: On one side, she was born with a burning wanderlust, and is easily bored if she stays for too long in the same place, yet, on the other, she is a simple person, often turned away by what is far too otherworldly. Usually prone to hide and combat her own emotions, having the hunter's mindset that "showing fear is bad".
History: Born in a quiet village, she quickly took up to her mother and adopted brother in the hunting profession. Said brother had a lot of visions in his dreams and talked about many marvels, this made Susa want to see what lies beyond the horizon, at first out of curiosity, but eventually this developed into a more complex feeling.
The adopted brother's vanishment was what triggered her journeys, where she went from village to village hunting and trading her craft for shelter and food. All went well until the Phantasmagoria, that broke her leg and left her stuck in a village.
Then came Lifprasil, who not only cured her but asked Susa to follow him. This opened a whole new world to Susa, of gods and beasts. Soon after it came the Aimless Time, the destruction of her hometown by the hordes of chaos and the battle.
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Abilities: Along with the typical super-strength/agility/senses that come with the heroic package, Susa has a shamanistic connection with nature and is a master of the bow and arrow.
Personality: A very stern person with strong convictions. While she does understand the world is complex, she believes justice has no time to wait for its complexities, that peace is worth fighting for even if that means a greater sacrifice.
History: While most angels are born with colorful hair, Makeda's was black instead of her family's blonde. And meanwhile angels are more polite than the average mortal, it didn't stop gossiping and mean ideas to run around. This created a paradox on the angel's mind, on one side she didn't like the society she was born into, on the other she desired to show everyone that she could be a paragon of its values.
During the first chaos war, Ilunabar noticed her odd behavior and picked she up to be her heroine.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Abilities: She is able to manifest more dense energy than a typical angel, making Blunt weapons her main power.
Gender: Female (?)
Race: Change Eater
Appearance: Always changing, as most of her gooey sister. Due to Ilunabar's influence, she usually keeps a humanoid form, but she is often changing colors and overall shapes of her "outfit". Usually going for a comic book or Tokusatsu outfit, except, you know more Jvan, with bones and stuff.
Personality: An innocent starter in a very harsh world. Chroma can be described as youthful, often having a strong and delusional sense of justice that doesn't allign itself with the world surrounding her. Her perception is heavily effected by Ilunabar so sometimes she has no notion of what she is actually doing, outside of that, she is very diligent hero of justice.
History: Born from one of Ilunabar's projects, she was created in the dream town of Iridia, a place alien to anyone living in Galbar. There she was raised to be in love with a very childish take on the concept of justice and good. When finally ready, Ilunabar took her to Galbar and from there she started to travel with Salassar, Lakshmi and Susa.
Alignment: True JUSTICE
Abilities: She can rapidly shift her body to adapt to any combat situation.
Gender: None
Race: Dream System
Appearance: This hero takes two forms which are linked to each other. One is a necklace with a cabochon cut purple gem linked by a gem made of a graphite black colored metal. Inside the gem, there is the figure of a griffin. The second is the actual being, which is somewhat similar to elementals except it is a flux of dream energy. Whenever it is not just a streak of purple colored energy crossing the obsidian libraries of Magnato (The Tower, part of Pictaraika) it takes the shape of a holographic Griffin.
Personality: Since it is a system, it has an overall aloof nature, often referring to everything around it as mere data. The only emotion it truly has is a feeling of extreme sympathy to the Vascogne, especially the current head of the family and owner of the necklace.
History: The Griffin was tailored to be the crown of the Vascogne family and his purpose is to not only keep the entrepreneur spirit of the family alive but also to help them to succeed through the use of the archives and simulation dreams that exist within Magnato.
Alignment: Lawful Neutral, though can do good and evil based on what the current head of the Vascogne wishes.
Abilities: The Griffin has full access to Magnato, previously known as the Tower, a zone in te Pictraika which consists of many obsidian libraries and other dream systems. Trough it, the Griffin is capable of storing data and simulate scenarios. The mental connection of the wearer and the system is fast, and one minute of discussion between a Vascogne and the Griffin can go by in a single second of real time. The Griffin is also in full connection with the body of the necklace wearer, giving the moral certain abilities like night vision and improved reflexes.
A group of skilled artists who are in direct contact to the Divas and Ilunabar. Their mission is to spread culture and beauty, most of the time traveling from town to town, telling tales and playing songs on the way. However, at times, they are commissioned higher projects, such as monument building.
The Wanderers
A group created by Susa in northern mesathalassa. Originally a group of skilled hunters, who after meeting the original great huntress again turned its focus on exploration, self-improvement and map making. Could be described as similar to a guild.
Innkeepers
After the horde displaced most established tribes, most travelers, and hunters going trough the wilderness of southern mesathalassa started to gather at fortified keeps. These keeps, in turn, became a collective, with a communication link created by a secretive proto-written language. They keep and share information about all the guests.
The Halagan Shamanistic Tradition
The main branch of Shamanism in the human side of Mesathalassa, with its roots in the cavernous mountains of the center of the region (called Halagan by humans). While having a deep root within the Slough worship of all Shamans, they also incorporate aspects of Teknall's Chippers (Village-based service), Astarteic magic, Elemental worship and more recently, Dream communication with Jakketerreng. (The Hunting Ground region of Pictaraika)
The group has strict rules, the most well-known one is that its members must not have sexual relationships and never have children. They cooperate with the Innkeepers in exchange for access to their archives.
--Grand Parade -Salassar-Madori Denomoritore (Alive) A Quara who was the first to perform a "parade" for the Grand Parade as he traveled across Mesathalassa with Susa, Lakshmi, and Chroma.
--Others -Grinder (Alive, old) A Hain who rules a town said to be close to the Gilt Savanah. His govern was an autocracy formed by inventing bread and holding the information as a secret. With Gerrik's visit, that changed.
Mesathalassa
--Fibeslay -Bard Fiberslayer (Alive, old) Hain, The current mayor of Fibeslay, a lover of the arts who is stricken by nostalgia.
--Southern Human Wildlands -Livina (Alive) Human, Susa's trainer and currently the Innkeeper of the Saen region.
-Marcelo (Alive) Human, Susa's ex-boyfriend who disappeared a long time ago but has now returned, secretly a Victor.
--Vascogne Family -Marel Vascogne (Alive) The first Vascogne to receive The Griffin, an unmatched entrepreneur.
Description: Crafted with a twig from Slough and a string from the Codex this harp was used by Ilunabar to make dreams something beyond a bunch of electrons in a person's mind. After the Codex was used to create the universe the Harp became bound to Ilunabar but most of its divinity are gone. It can be used to create music and to channel Ilunabar's powers but it doesn't hold any extraordinary powers.
During the creation of the Pictaraika, the Dreamweaver exploded with energy and evolved into the odd dreamlayer called the orgel.
Appearance:
Description: A ring imbued with Ilunabar’s powers so Meimu could create more diverse flowers. Once that mission was complete the Ring crumbled into dust.
Appearance: A simple band of silver and copper
Description: A simple guide to Galbar which bases itself on the book of creation but instead focuses on what has transpired since the creation of the world.
Originally a garden gifted from Jvan to Ilunabar. An odd Island formed in the Fractal Sea, a mix of Jvan and Ilunabar's design. The patterns of the mountains formed spirals and ultimately surrounded the whole place with sharp rocks. This was a land of odd mushrooms and fibers but at times gentle (or apparently gentle) forests too, where the vertebrate life that ruled most of Galbar was shy if compared to the many outlandish species that lived here, in fact, even for Jvan's creatures this was an odd land, even a continental Fiberling would have an uncanny feeling when seeing the Fiberlings from here, whose hairs were dyed in the odd Beyond Colors.
The region of The Pass was created thanks to the exaggerated showcase of might by the god Toun and its crash against half of the world. While most of the plateaus and valleys were simply wiped out or submerged in water, the Ironheart Ranges proved to be harder to subdue, and the power merely caused a small bit of it to crack and collapse.
This created The Pass, the link between the white sea and the sparkling sea. At first, the place was a mess of collapsed rock and troubled waters, later, as the sea currents of Toun's sea started to bring a lot of the biomass destroyed in his tantrum, the decomposed remains of half a world started to get stuck in the many rocks between the two seas and right before even the mortal eye a fertile land was born.
The tectonic failures under the bits of what was once a bit of Teknall's range created a myriad of geysers and hot springs that when in contact with the cold sea on both sides gave birth to large clouds of fog. This, along with the fertility created the best scenario for large plant life to be born, and it did so magnificently with vivid forests, swamps, and mangroves.
Ilunabar's push was merely a refinement that brought more flowers and sculpted remarkable landscapes across this gorgeous land: Shalanoir Forest, thanks to her latest invention The Muse felt like these names will be only used by a few, but even so, she looked forward to seeing how mortals will interact with this living jewel.
Three distinct regions were formed, and as the region stabilized their features became clear.
The shores to the East are rocky and still reek of Toun's misdoing, large vein-like caves were born further inland, and the forest life managed to grow far higher in the maimed mountain side than on the west. It's a rigid land full of outcrops and odd formations as well as many hills and mangrove forests.
In the middle is The Pass, this is where the jungle is at its thickest with the sky being fully hidden by the treetops. While there is an abundance of rivers, the many rocks, and trees as well as the chaotic nature of water in the region makes the crossing from one side to another hard, the exception being a river that only forms at summer nights with its path lit by a luminescent plant similar to reed. This river probably will end up getting called Starcross or other variants with the same idea, the nightly nature, and the star-like reed is very memorable even for a god.
The west is where the land finally settles down, which brings gentler shores but sharper peaks. While the East has clear entrances for the ocean water, the passage to the Sparkling Sea is erratic at best, creating floodplains, especially in the south, this is a prime place for civilization, as not only the lands are fertile, but the access to the sea will create many trading opportunities.
Plane
Description: Dreams have existed ever since the Dreamweaver was crafted, after the birth of the universe, dreams it became a possible energy, like electricity or magic. But it was only after the creation of a plane for dreams, Raka, that they turned into a natural occurrence to all sentient beings.
To dream doesn’t mean being teleported into Raka, the person’s mind connects to the plane, sometimes just as a spectator feeling things, other times with a temporary body that might or might not be a copy of his own.
Injury or death in a dream means little, however, some mental trauma might happen. Another disease caused by dreams is called Ilunacy when a person is so connected to Raka that she starts to lose the sense of what is real and what is not.
Appearance:
If one were to look into Raka the main feature of the plane would be the tourbillon of colors where dreams happen along with the few dreams that were intense enough to temporarily create floatings islands, globes, boxes and all sorts of weird things. Ultimately however it all dissolves in the storm of emotions spiraling up around the tower called Arpeggio.
The flow of dreams changes as it flows up. In the lower and most chaotic parts it is like a messy cloud of colors. In the middle, it starts to take a flow and its looks changes to one of an impressionist painting. Finally, in the upper areas, it starts to crystallize.
The “final” destiny of the flow is the “roof”, a crust formed by the crystallized dreams. It is not a still thing, however, the mass moves like living stone and slowly forms towers that try to “reach” the Arpeggio’s core.
Holy Sites and Portals
Deep in a cave inside Arcon, a link between the distant planet and Galbar was created. The link is small and of hard access, needing someone to make the quartz resonate with the mirror stored in Galbar. When the link is no longer needed Notte cuts the link and both the Quartz and the Mirror go dull, no longer reflecting anything.
Description: At first, Raka was a bit underwhelming, dreams flowed randomly and some conglomerated into crystals who would float aimlessly. While Ilunabar wanted dreams to be free from any laws except the ones it decides to set that didn’t mean that she couldn’t organize the dream realm itself and guarantee a better variety and quality of dreams.
She started to analyze dreams and noticed patterns, ultimately dividing those by consistency, closeness to reality and control over the dream, in a scale of 7 harmonics. Dotty, Reave, Mirage, Fantasy, Solitude, Labyrinth and Simulacrum.
There was a clear flow from the potential of the chaos to the stillness of the logic, so Ilunabar decided to use the flow. She created a tower which would work as the guide for the flow of dreams around so they would follow the scale.
Ultimately the energy would become so still that it would crystallize in a crust called “the roof”. The Arpeggio, however, pull them back, in a spiral that eventually will reach a “reactor”. The reactor condenses the energy and forces different rules to clash, eventually, so many paradoxes are happening that the logic breaks into pure chaos, which moves inside the tower until it reaches the bottom and is released back to the flow. Ilunabar has jokingly called it “The Tounelic Effect”
Appearance: At the top, one would see the odd moving towers spiraling out of the roof until it reached the reactor, formed by a spinning ring and a few crystals. From there on until the lower part we have a plain looking tower until the bottom, with a few rings of crystal across the way to help Ilunabar to collect data.
If one could look from far away at the flow of energy the Arpeggio creates they would see something like this.
Description: Located where the Darkened Spirals used to be, The Pictariaka is, at its core, is a rift between Reality and Dreams. To take full advantage of it, a massive complex of dreamlayers and dreamscapes was created, where the power of the Raka is "dammed" and at the same time used by the many locations in it.
The site is seen on both Reality and the Raka as a funnel. In Galbar-side, the topmost section of the funnel are the mountains that previously encircled the Darkened Spires.
Everything inside the Pictaraika is neatly divided into layers and dreamscapes.
=1st layer=
The Shrine/ "The Shrines" 16 different buildings carved into the mountains surrounding the area. They vary greatly in style and use, the actual link between said temples has yet to be revealed.
=2nd layer=
The Sea / "Iarapahira" The flooded area within the circle of mountains and at ground level. Currently formed by a sea permanently under the night (Julkofyr's darkness).
The Forest / Unnamed The water of the Sea is heavily infused with energies and when it goes west and meets the land outside the Pictaraika, it heavily influences the zone to be more "dream-like", for good or for worse.
=Unknown layer
The Orgel When Pictaraika was created, the Dreamweaver accidentally transformed itself into this odd music box-like dreamscape of brass and strings. This also works as Chroma's workshop, but its use is unknown.
=3rd layer=
The Gardens / "The Botanical Gardens" Meimu's workshop takes the form of a massive collection of gardens, ponds, greenhouses and such other buildings. Each with their own name.
The Index / "Anukramanika Akhanda" This imposing facility is the workshop of Piena. In its white halls, there is the space for countless exhibits, from sculptures, to ethnic maps, to the living memory of languages, to domes that simulated the sky of Arcon and Galbar. But diligent planning and staffing will be needed to do such things.
=4th layer=
The Palace / "Arkadia" An idyllic land in the exact middle of the Pictaraika. Home to Ilunabar, and there are plans to build up this dreamscape, but so far, its lush forests are left untouched.
=5th layer=
The Carnival / "Em'Ef" Notte's workshop, an illusory town in the frontier between concrete and shapeless, with its scenic streets invoked both the idea of a nostalgic land lost to time and of a utopia that had yet to be. Most of the structures are hollow, but others appear to hold some purpose, like a carnival, a park, and a tavern. Some wandering dreamers can be observed talking and enjoying these facilities, though every single one was speaking in different languages and incoherent mumbles.
The Tower/ "Magnato" Magnato can be considered something akin to the Griffin's nest. A tall structure decorated in glass and lit in magenta colored lights. The Griffin stores all the information it receives in the countless obsidian tablets that are stored in the many libraries of the tower.
=6th layer=
The Hunting Ground / "Jaktterreng" This dreamscape takes the shape of primeval wilderness, where the flora is tinted in unnatural shades of vivid or pastel colors. Across the land, the dreams of animals flow trough in the personified form of phantasmal beasts, some stayed alone, but most circulated the forests in the form of a herd, pack, flock, swarm or shoal. Some of these beasts are almost invisible, while others were colored in solid, shadeless tones.
=7th layer=
The Purger / "The Quiet Forests of Paja" A black forest under a bright white sky, this is the barrier between Dreams and Reality. Also home to the links between Mirrors and mirrored versions of real buildings.
Descendants from the Furl, these odd creatures look like a mix of reptile and mammal. Capable of creating a variety of images in the membrane/patagium between their arms and hips, these intellectual and aloof creatures were blessed by Ilunabar trough Piena's intervention. Their full potential has yet to be explored.
Visual inspiration:
A fiberling weaved into (usually) a wooden structure. It's a very limited yet durable creature. The commands it can perform is built into the knots, strings and wooden objects weaved together. They are not Slough-born creatures, thus incapable of change.
Fauna: Sirenian Colored Fiberlings Very similar to any other Fiberling made by Jvan. This one, however, prefers humid areas like rivers and seas and is colored on a beyond color, Sirenian, which creates an uncontrollable desire on the viewer. The fiberlings feed on the fisherman and sailors of the region.
Flora: Eçarana A mind booster similar to Guarana. Except this one makes the mind get a bit ahead of itself, often getting lost into vivid daydreams based on their vision. The more it is consumed, the more intense the effects become.
Description: Thanks to Ilunabar dreams became an energy of its own, it goes far beyond a single person's mind and often two or more persons can share the same dream while sleeping. Things composed of Dreams are entirely built on emotional energy instead of matter and logic.
Description: Dream energy that interacts in specific and distant places of the atmosphere creating soft waves of colors. Usually confined to polar regions but might travel to far locations if particularly strong. Sometimes images will form inside the veil of light and one might barely see objects or persons in the night sky.
Words no longer are simply copied from the gods, instead, they are free to organically develop among mortals, and just like any other organic thing, they grow, die and change, until one day two languages of the same root are so distant that only a few words are understood between the speakers.
Events
Also known as the Nights of Phantoms, the Chaotic Twilight. The Phantasmagoria was a worldwide event that took place in Galbar whose main purpose was to: A)Showcasing Ilunabar's power, since recent events made her a bit annoyed B)Inspiring all intelligent creatures so they could form civilizations and create more interesting art. For the duration of a night, all of the planet was left under a colorful night, illusions walked freely among the earth and the line between dream and earth was thinned out until it could barely be noticed.
Inspirations to Mortals (FP stuff in general)
Tradition, Xenophobia, and Folklore The concept of cultural roots from the inheritance of knowledge, and the aversion to those who do not share said roots.
Flour and Bread Making The concept of grinding down grains and it's transformation into bread trough fermentation and baking.
Pottery Crafting using clay.
Fur Drying / Leather Making The preparation of fur into the more durable leather.
Trapping Setting up traps to hunt animals.
Eloquence The art of persuasion and talented speak
Herbalism Study and lore of Herbs and their many uses.
Herbalism: Poison The knowledge about the uses of poisonous plants.
Herbalism: Fruit Lore The knowledge about edible fruits.
Fruit Lore: Winemaking The concept of fermenting fruits into an alcoholic beverage.
Trade The concept of exchanging goods of similar value
Sewing The craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread
Binding & Weaving A method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth
Wood Carving Shaping of wood by scraping away portions of it
Bead Making The production of beads, a sort of small decorative objective
Painting: Petroglyphs The act of carving images on rocks
