- The Beginning
- Lore
- Geography
- Systems
- Extras
- Credits
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Western Mists
The western regions of the Rift are pulled from a realm whose life force must have been a misted, ethereal creature. A film of fog covers the entire west, with various landmarks bulging out of the unearthly vapor. At its magical heart is the Green Labyrinth, waiting to cause unwary wanderers to be hopelessly lost. Low hills roll in the southwest the give way to a freshwater inlet. Strange things hide just beyond sight in these mists, so it’s best to pay close attention to the fluorescent radiances all around.
Reszo the Wolf God
Reszo the Wolf God was ripped into the Rift along with the Green Labyrinth. This creature, wreathed in the mists of the realm from which he came, survived the renting passage into this wild land by being as shifting as the mists of his home and filled with wise, mystical learnings. This god quietly breathed wisdom into the very air, much like the slow and steady accumulation of knowledge. Every step of his dark grey body shrouded the West in a thick fog; though, his very presence inspired new thought and ways of thinking to survive and understand this misted realm. His calm, yellow eyes a watchful mentor for the life that slipped through his fog.
However, these mists were his downfall. Eventually they clouded his his sight that was already cracked and fissured by the vicious yank into the Rift. He was left to the shadows his mists cast, no longer illuminated as his wisdom slowly fled. The lovely rich grey of his coat darkened to a flat black; the mists of his footsteps morphed into dark, ominous shades. His inspiration of new ideas mutated, twisting into repulsive mutations rather than enlightened logic. So Reszo and his Western Mists fell to the Helovian gods.
Lands
- Green Labyrinth - The Green Labyrinth began as the home of Reszo and the heart of the west. It encompassed all that the wolf god held dear: wisdom to navigate the twists and turns, mists that shrouded your vision to let you know that you did not know all. The bamboo’s thick reeds hid many surprises (amusing and deadly), as well; a reminder of the land from where it came. Though perhaps amusing at first to get lost in the winding maze, without heeding the wolf’s wisdom, such a place could easily turn as dangerous as ignorance. When the Helovian gods took this heart, the bamboo maze was replaced with a swirling, tumultuous mist-storm. The mists contorts to vengeful, haunting spirits whenever a trespasser dares to brave them.
Pulled into the Rift: Year 723
- Ennunyenda - A small cave system was pulled into the foothills of the west’s mists. This was a place of whimsical delights, as the air was saturated with opium and other gases of its origin, robbing many of their sensibility and inhibitions. Yet, despite being small, one could easily lose their way and mind in the deep, narrow caves while drugged with euphoria; and the longer anyone spent here, the more likely Ennuynda is to begin robbing you of your memories. Beware spending too much time in these caves, for their depths hold dark secrets of many a Riftian yending trip gone wrong.
Pulled into the Rift: Year 870
- Siren's Summit - A place clearly pulled from another realm, this giant mountain rises from the mists alone and incongruous with the surrounding swamp-like land. Truthfully, this is a long-extinct volcano with a thick, but curiously young, pine forest around its slopes that hide impressively large obsidian stones whose runes have been nearly polished away. There is a unique biome of pine forest abutting the surrounding swamp land; however, the true oddity is the perfectly round lake that sits at the base of this mount. It is home to a creature that was pulled into the Rift from its homeland by mere happenstance: Sirens. These creatures are equal parts friendly, curious, and dangerous. Take care when sipping from the lake’s waters, said to be the purest and sweetest in all of the Rift.
Pulled into the Rift: Year 1107
- Uwaritace - Stark, barren branches sprout out of the mists in the northern reaches of the west. What was once a great, elegant, and incomprehensibly massive tree is now a blackened husk. Pulled into the Rift from Dorobo while burning, this sorrowfully ominous landmark cast the entirety of the Rift into smoke-filled haze that brought tears to these and mourning to the soul. All felt the murder of the ancient mother, the Rift too late in its rescue to save her from the inferno hatred had ignited within her. Though dead, there is still something spiritual and soothing about her trunk, roots, and branches. And, somehow, all who pass through her shadow know her name: Uwaritace.
Pulled into the Rift: Year 1168
- Solanis - Pulled from a small realm brimming with earth elemental magic, this lush and painfully vibrant forest sprouts in the far reaches of the west— just before land gives way to realms lost to shadows. In place of most trees, giant ferns grow, thriving in the west’s misted, moisture laden air. Many (perhaps too) colorful creatures are found solely here, brought from Solanis’ realm when the Rift sucked it free of its bonds to the other elemental magics. This is a land rich in power even for the Rift— it seems something magical is around every vibrant leaf. Even at night, this colorful place does not grow dark, for many creatures and plant glow with colorful lights.
Pulled into the Rift: Year 1170
Flora
- Dragonfly Willow - A relative of the weeping willow, this unique tree lives only in Solanis. The leaves are paired up, looking like dragonfly wings. They are a vibrant green until they fall off, at which time they turn to various shades of purple and maroon. They flutter around the forest to spread the seeds of the tree— often giving unsuspecting travellers a start! Seeds are paired up with the leaves and glow a faint green light at night. (Sarah)
- Deviltree - Black-barked, oak-like trees with gemstones hidden in the cracks of their bark. Touching the gemstones will reveal that they are not gemstones, but gem fairies. The sap of the Deviltree is rich and juicy, with mild intoxication qualities, making it favorite of rowdy Riftians. However, getting to the sap without upsetting the fairies is extremely difficult!
- Fugaxia - A very rare and very beautiful flower that blooms only when it hears the sirens’ song— and closes when the song ends. The flower has extremely potent healing properties, but is incredibly difficult to harvest due to the circumstances. It grows on the shores of the lake below the Siren’s Summit. The sirens are very protective of it, as they use it to place a protective coating over their eggs and nourish their newborn young. Beware getting caught with one by a siren!
- Giant Fern - The undergrowth of Solanis is populated with a vigorous species of fern tha successfully out-competes small trees for space. These ferns grow rapidly in their first few years, reaching an average maximum height of 10 feet with one or two magnificent specimens reaching 13 feet. Like all ferns, this species reproduces via spores. The giant fern’s spores are a deep black in colour and are released in vast quantities after each Drench before the ground freezes. It’s unwise to inhale these spores, as they are known to root within the nostrils and lungs of those who make that mistake, and a skilled healer will be needed to remove the young fern before long.
- Glowing Stones - A kind of lithops, growing wherever the ground is rocky enough. They tend to glow at night, as if sprinkled by shimmering dust. They come in a wild variety of colors: blue, white, green, red, amber, yellow, purple, pink… They are very chewy, almost rubbery, to eat, and offer little nutrition.
- Mourning Flower - A white, low-growing flower that spreads out like a carpet surrounding Uwaritace. When its petals are hit by raindrops, they emit a soft weeping sound that—when compounded by the many flowers—can grow deafening in Drench. They bloom in Drench and during mild Freezes. Few ever step on these sad blossoms, but it is said that those who do sink into a deep depression for many days after. Due to their mournful effects, not many harvest or investigate these flowers.
- Solar Flower - These bright flowers are round and about the size of the average hoof. Each flowerhead sports 75-100 small, vibrant petals that are every shade of yellow imaginable. Beneath the trees in Solanis, these flowers shine with a brightness that rivals the sun itself. Indeed, each flower is akin to a miniature sun — they provide light for their fellow plants and are hot to the touch, so it is not recommended for those of fair coats to spent too much time in their light lest a sunburn occur! (Sarah)
- Sunweed - A hardy, moss-like plant. It tastes bitter, but is good for purging bowels and has mild antiseptic qualities. It grows in abundance during the Scorch, but can be more difficult to find during the Drench and Freeze. It grows throughout the Rift, but is believed to originate in the bogs around Siren’s Summit.
- Vena Lily - A species of water lily that originates from the siren’s lake but can also be found in other bodies of water around the Rift. These plants have dark red lily pads connected to each other by vein-like roots that crisscross beneath the surface of the water. Towards the end of Scorch, these pads grow a black lily. Any beneficial or poisonous qualities of the flower remain a mystery, as any who try to harvest it inexplicably become tangled in the veins of the lily pads and drown before they are able to extract the pads or flowers.
- Yenda Puffball - Appearing like a regular puffball, growing on the slopes outside of Ennunyenda, but it is an adjunct to the caves’ illusionary properties. Stepping on these innocent-looking plants will release a small cloud of hallucinogenic gases, whose effects last about 5-10 seconds per puffball. However, when combined with Ennunyenda’s natural gasses, it can often have an elongated and compounding effect. Stepping on the Puffballs doesn’t kill them, as they recover within a few days, ready to release more gases. They’re a fast-growing menace, and on occasionally mild Scorches, they even grow on the slopes of the Siren’s Summit.
Fauna
- Beaked Bear - A distant relative to griffins, this species of bear is common in the forests of the West and is mostly spotted at night. The head of the bear resembles that of an owl and feathers fade into thick, coarse fur that covers the rest of it’s body. Although they can come in a variety of colours, a mottled brown and black is the most common as it enables them to camouflage in the dark. The darker and more twisted souls have reported that consuming the eyes of a Beaked Bear will give one future-sight...however, not many have tried such a delicacy. They are curious creatures by nature, but their curiosity usually involves taking a bite out of whatever has peaked their interest so beware if their attention turns to you!
- Cervavo - Affectionately called the “Peacock Deer”, these gentle creatures are the sweeter and more curious cousins of the Rift Deer. Though their population waxes and wanes due to their deliciously sweet meat, this species never seems to go extinct from its home in Solanis. Found in an array of greens and blues, with plumed tails and brows as bright as the Solanis forest they live in, these docile creatures are known to be rather idiotic. Perhaps that is what endears them to many Riftians. Aside from decorative plumes and delicious meat, these creatures have little magical value.
- Ennuyenda Cat - Found most commonly in the caves where this strange species of cat received it’s name. A dark grey, panther-like body with feathers that grow along its back from its head to part way down its tail. Hard spikes line the cat’s shoulders and an exoskeleton face mask obscures its features. In the darkness of the caves, markings on the forelimbs and body of this cat glow an eerie green. Naturally a skilled hunter among the rocks, the true trick of this creature is its ability to transform into smoke at will - allowing it to seep through cracks in the stone. (mar)
- Foliava - This bizarre creature is native to the forest of Solanis but has since spread throughout the western regions of the Rift. Part plant, part animal, it has no eyes but can sense other life forms and is quite adept at navigating, though mistakes are still occasionally made. About the size of a small horse, these creatures feed are capable of photosynthesizing through their skin but also feed on nectar from flowers. They have developed a fondness for the sap of Deviltrees and can often be seen in some numbers using their long tongues to dart past the sleeping fairies.
- Galeae - One of the more dangerous beasts in the Rift is the Galeae. Intelligent, strong, and prone to violence, these thick-limbed creatures find their home surrounding Uwaritace. Gorilla-type bodies are coated in a thick, armor-like skin and vibrant colors paint their ventrum. Females sport cooler colors while males are in the warmer palette—though it is only lead males that sport massive, colorful, metallic-looking shields on their brow. They live in bands of 3-6 females with one lead male and occasional submissive males. They are opportunistic omnivores, though their favorite treat is gem fairies. If you are a brave enough hunter, it is said the brow-shield of a Galeae will defend against any magical attack.
- Gem Fairies - Similar to their smaller leaf brethren, the gem fairies have rather grouchy tendencies. Their small, hummingbird-like bodies appear to to be composed of gemstones and they live in the cracked trunks of Deviltrees. Beware touching or being too noisy around them, for they will attack with their viciously sharp claws and beaks! Only the Galaea, gem fairies’ natural predator, is brave enough to routinely subject themselves to their attacks.
- Harpax - These predators are the size of mountain lions, but that is where the resemblance between them and any known species of feline ends. Their bodies are hairless and muscular, built for hunting in the forest of Solanis. Large feathers sprout from their shoulders and can be flared to help leap from tree to tree. Their head is dominated by a hard, black exoskeleton that protects their brain from damage and shields their eyes while hunting. Like the forest they are native from, these predators are splattered with vibrant colours. Horses are their favoured prey and it is strongly encouraged that you keep an eye out while wandering the deceptively peaceful world of Solanis.
- Leaf Fairies - These small creatures appear to be made entirely of young Dragonfly Willow leaves and, when not in motion, are nearly indistinguishable from the plant. Mostly nocturnal, their small bodies (never larger than three inches in length) give off a soft and beautiful glow. One may entice their beguiling little bodies into motion by humming, singing, or playing music; however, don’t underestimate them because of their size! The moment the music stops, they become incredibly territorial grouches who wish only to tear out hair and dissuade intruders from their "homes". (Goatfairy)
- Loricatrunc - These solitary giants are a rarity. Found at the base of Uwaritace, they seem to act as guardians of the dead mother tree. Mostly standoffish and disinterested in any other life, beware if you irritate or anger them! Their rage knows no end until the focus of their violence is smashed to pieces beneath their plated trunk, spiked tail, and many sharp tusks. They communicated with calls too low to be heard; however, travellers will always know when they are communicating as one can feel the call rattle through bones.If you dare, the dark grey ivory that form their tusks and facial plates is said to be some of the strongest and most beautiful in all the worlds.
- Magnus Metus - Found only in the very dark, shadowed, misted depths of the Green Labryinth is the Magnus Metus. Its pale, flesh-colored skin is soft and thin, preventing it from ever venturing outside the moist air or darkness. Eyeless and jawless, this terrifyingly large creature (ranging 2-4m tall) is an ambush predator that waits for hopelessly lost souls to venture close enough to its massive, bone-crushing claws. Rotating teeth at the end of its long snout core out chunks of flesh for it to swallow whole. They are solitary creatures, and nothing is known about their breeding habits...would you like to be the one to study them?
- Palubov - Also known as the Swamp Bull, this creature lives in the bogs surrounding Siren’s summit. They are an always male, generally darkly colored bovine species with grossly elongated neck. Thick hair masses along their body, and two horns sprout from their brow. However, their most dangerous feature are two short tusks that sprout from their lower jaw, as they are razor sharp and coated with their saliva. Palubov saliva is infamous throughout the Rift. Though incredibly dangerous to obtain, in small doses it increases libido, induces (reportedly) the most pleasurable intimacy, increases virility in males and fertility in females. However, imbibe too much and it will cause black-out rage in males, and a lustful stupor in females. The latter is the beast’s natural use of his saliva: it will ambush and charge an unsuspecting female of any species, stab her with his tusks, and then impregnate her with his seed. Though a difficult pregnancy, it usually lasts only one season, and the always-male calves are born able to fend for themselves.
- Pavo Cat - these brightly coloured felines are a common site in the forest of Solanis. The males of this species are vibrantly coloured, with their front half being cat like, but bright iridescent blue in colour, and their back and hind legs are covered in rich green feathers. Like peafowls, they sport long, feathered tails that can be fanned out for intimidation or mating displays. The female pavo cats have smaller tails, and are less vibrantly coloured but have more variety in their coat and feather combinations - black and white are the two most common colours for the females. They are agile hunters and hunt the small creatures that are found in the forest.
- Pinus ambulo - The ‘walking pine’ is found roaming between the swampy land surrounding the Siren’s summit and the pine forest on its slopes, this giant creature somehow manages to hide in plain sight. Though fearsome when first seen, it is actually a gentle giant that eats mostly insects and plant life (though will feast on the occasional small bird). Some think it to be a distant relative of the great turtle who supports Floating Key, as the older specimens may sport large amounts of growth and life on its limbs and back. Anything fashioned from its woody and stoney flesh will often grow a sentience of its own.
- Sceletus - Found on the slopes of Siren’s Summit, these gigantic creatures are very few in number and are generally willing to ignore the small animals that populate the forests unless they are hunting. A pale, skeletal form that walks at a slow lumbering pace, they are most commonly spotted at dawn and dusk when they seem to emerge from the mountains to hunt. They have a swan-like neck but in place of a beak sport long tentacles that they use to gather their prey into their mouth. A flapped-slit over their mouth is used to spit their venom, which is a paralytic and may be absorbed through the skin. Some braver warriors have used this venom to coat their weapons...but gathering it is quite the feat.
- Screechers - A plague in the West, these bat-like creatures are no larger their distant vampire bat cousins. Unlike their distant family, Screechers are flightless—though they do rely on their voices for feeding. However, it is in an entirely different manner: when these nearly blind creatures sense the pulsing blood of their next meal, they emit a loud and high-pitched screech (thus their name) that renders their prey immobile for a few, long moments. The pale creatures’ long limbs then leap into action, it’s curved jaw and hook-like teeth plunging into the largest and shallowest vein they can find. Their long proboscis-like upper lip secretes an anti-coagulant, which allows it to freely slurp up its blood meal. Though usually not fatal, some larger species have been known to open vital arteries during vigorous feedings.
- Siren - These creatures live only in the lake beneath the Summit of their name, coming from a world entirely alien to the Rift. They possess neither neon glow, nor any bright markings. A long, slender, agile tail sports a tell-tale dorsal fin that provides the only warning before the swift creatures strike. Not that this warning is particularly useful because, true to their lore, the siren’s whale-like song can lull an unsuspecting or feeble-minded traveller into an impressionable trance. But these are curious creatures with tentacle-like hair and intelligent, dark eyes that one may even consider beautiful (even when not trapped in the siren’s trance). Yet it would take a very brave and curious soul to converse with those sharp, jutting teeth...
- Specotes - These gentle giants roam the forests and swamps of the West in small herds. They resemble rhinos, but with a fish-like face, and are semi-aquatic - their hide is incredibly thick and hard, almost impossible to cut through. Despite Uwaritace’s death, they make an annual trek to gather beneath her branches to nest and raise their young. They are herbivorous and typically peaceful, but be wary of them when they are in their nesting area because they are fiercely protective and will not tolerate intruders. On the rare calm night, they use their extendable throat to bellow low, sad tunes.
- Swamp-Stalker - A large, boar like animal with tusks that curl up and over its head. It's skin is slimy and covered with moss, which gives them a foul odor. They are highly aggressive, and use their long claws (think, giant sloth) and pointed teeth to maul any creature that comes too close for comfort. They have long and pointed ears, and hide in thickets below the mire in wait of prey. Horses are generally too large to be predated upon, but they will defend themselves viciously when threatened. (Valda)
- Vulviper - As if siren’s weren’t enough, this small but crafty predator calls the lake in Siren’s Summit its home. The head is distinctly fox-like, but scales take the place of most of the fur and the front legs are claw like. The tail of his aquatic creature is snake like, with a small line of coarse fur that trails down its spine. Although deadly on land, the Vulviper prefers to hunt in the water. They have been known to do tricks and perform for watchers in order to lure them into a sense of safety before they attack.
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