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CHARACTERS/CREATURES

Akridai (Ack-reh-die) – very powerful, elite Druik enforcers who wield their power at the discretion of the Elders and the Elder Laws.

Alette Vawn (A-let Vawn) – a.k.a. Letti. Younger sister of Seryn Vawn. From Evergryn.

Alweo (Al-weh-oh) – Seryn’s chestnut stallion.

Ancients – powerful gods who created the mortal realm and gifted magic to certain mortal bloodlines.

Asteria (A-stare-ee-ah) – The Ancient of Stars.

Augur (Awe-grr) – A revered female of the Perilous Bogs who offers prophetic counsel to those who seek it.

Breena Cadell (Bree-nah Kah-dell) – friend of Seryn Vawn. Lives in Pneumali City, but originally from Pyria Island. Possesses red, fire-related magic.

Caelora Aundyne (Kay-lor-a Awn-deen) – a half-borne Druik that was in the final Winnowing trial with Seryn and Kaden. Her combined lineage hails from both Haadra and Pyria Island. She has a violet-colored aura, which manifests as lavender water that turns into flames on contact.

Chasm spider – giant, cave-dwelling spider beasts with camouflage abilities.

Derya Atwater (Dair-yah At-water) – friend of Seryn Vawn and her chambermaid. Lives in Surrelia, but originally from Haadra. Possesses blue, water-related magic.

Draumr (Draw-mer) – warriors in the Elders’ warrior legion, the Order of Draumr. Uphold laws and order within realms.

Druik (Drew-ick) – one who wields magic. Lives longer than non-magic mortals/humans.

Elders – extremely powerful, chosen/ascended Druiks granted extra celestial powers through the Ancients’ Ascension ceremony and rule the mortal realm as an Oligarchy. They hail from divine lineage from one of the five founding bloodlines :

Aerides (Air-id-eez) of Pneumali

Celosia (Suh-low-sha) of Pyria

Lotus of Haadra

Nightshade of Perilous Bogs

Oleander (Oh-lee-an-dur) of Evergryn

Current Elders:

Endurst Guust (En-derst Goo-st) of Pneumali – possesses yellow, air-like magic.

Lucan Craven (Loo-can Cray-ven) of Evergryn – possesses green, earth-like magic.

Marah Strom (Mar-ah Strawm) of Haadra – possesses blue, water-like magic.

Melina Harrow (Meh-leena Hair-oh) of the Perilous Bogs – possesses smoky, memory-erasing magic.

Ryboas Ash (Rye-bow-es Ash) of Pyria Island – possesses red, fire-like magic.

Eliz Wynt (Ee-lie-z Win-t) – friend of Rhaegar and fated khorda of Keethan Wynt. Keethan and Eliz are recruitment scouts for the Korax and recruited Rhaegar for the rebel cause.

Elysium (Eh-lis-ee-um) Tree – the oldest and most sacred, banyan-like tree in all of existence. A source of life-giving ember. A place to pray or offer oaths to the Ancients.

Emmet Larkin – Gavrel and Kaden Larkin’s father. Husband of Hestia Larkin. Died shortly after his wife was culled.

Fates – three powerful sister entities who write, alter, and determine the destiny of mortals, realms, creatures, and Ancients alike.

Gavrel (Gav (like have)-rel (like fell)) Larkin – Seryn Vawn’s neighbor and friend. Brother of Kaden Larkin. Elite Commander in the Order of Draumr. Has a rune tattoo on his right hand that grants him some ember and enhanced strength/stamina.

Gideon Vawn (Gid-ee-on Vawn) – Seryn and Alette Vawn’s father. Husband of Maya Vawn.

Half-borne – Druiks born of two lineages and display mixed ember abilities.

Harbinger starling – starling-like birds that deliver missives across the realm.

Hestia Larkin (Hess-tee-ah Larkin) – Gavrel and Kaden Larkin’s mother. Wife of Emmet Larkin. Was culled when Gavrel was eighteen turns old and Kaden was thirteen turns old. Possessed green, earth-like and healing magic.

Horai (Ho-rye) – the Ancients of Hours. Twelve Ancients who once guarded Aion, the Surrelian capital.

Iben Burlam (Eye-ben Burr-lamb) – librarian and begrudging friend of Seryn Vawn. Lives in Surrelia, but originally from Evergryn. Possesses brownish, earth-related magic.

Jace Barden (Jay-s Bar-den) – Otherwise known as Magister Barden. He arrived in Evergryn several decades ago. He teaches the students of the region.

Kaden Larkin (Kay-den Larkin) – Seryn Vawn’s best friend. Brother to Gavrel Larkin. Possesses green, earth-related and healing magic.

Keethan Wynt (Keith-an Win-t) – friend of Rhaegar and fated khorda of Eliz Wynt. Keethan and Eliz are recruitment scouts for the Korax and recruited Rhaegar for the rebel cause.

Korax (Core-ax) – The rebel group fighting against the Elders and their Laws. The leader is Neoma Skiya (i.e. Nightshade) from the Perilous Bogs.

Mare wyrm (Worm) – Nether Void, leech-like creature that tricks you into thinking it is your loved one. Once they have you in their slimy hold, they suck the life and magic out of you.

Marek Skiya (Mare-ick Skee-yah) – Member of the rebel group called the Korax. His hidden lineage hails from the Nightshade bloodline of the Perilous Bogs. Grandson of Neoma Skiya.

Maya Vawn – Seryn and Alette Vawn’s mother. Wife of Gideon Vawn. Disappeared when Seryn was seven turns old. Has some sort of magic related to the Perilous Bogs, where she was originally from.

Morpheus (More-fee-us) – the supreme Ancient of Dreams. Presides over Surrelia.

Neoma Skiya (Nay-oh-ma Skee-yah) – the leader of the rebel group called the Korax. Her hidden lineage hails from the Nightshade bloodline of the Perilous Bogs. Grandmother to Marek Skiya.

Oneiroi (Oh-knee-roy) – the dream Ancients. Siblings. (Also see Morpheus, Phantasos, and Phobetor).

Order of Draumr (Draw-mer) – the Elders’ warrior legion.

Pegasus (Peg-ah-sus) – Surrelian winged, horse creature. Mortal-bred horses that were gifted wings by the Ancients once they reached Surrelia. Very rare.

Phantasos (Fan-taz-ohs) – Ancient of Illusions (and surreal dreams). Wanders across the realms and likes wild landscapes.

Phobetor (Foe-beh-tore) – Ancient of Nightmares. Presides over the Nether Void.

Pixie – mischievous, winged creatures that are as big as a mortal hand. Reside in Surrelia in the Reverie Weald. Skilled at finding portals in Reverie Weald.

Rhaegar Hale (Rag-ar Hail) – friend of Seryn Vawn. Gavrel Larkin’s second-in-command in the Order of Draumr.

Scion (Sigh-on) – descendants of one of the five founding bloodlines. The only type of Druik that can undergo the Ascension to become an Elder. Only one exists at a time.

Selene (Suh-leh-nee) – The Moon Ancient. Her true love was a mortal named Endymion. He was put to sleep eternally so she could visit him every night for eternity.

Seryn (Sair-in or like the name Erin) Vawn – Our main female leading character. Alette is her younger sister. Gideon and Maya are her parents. Has some sort of mysterious magic that hails from the Perilous Bogs. Has lived in Evergryn her whole life.

Somneia (Som-nee-ah) – the Elders’ covert network of spies.

Tyche (Tie-kee) – the Ancient of Luck.

Wyvern (Why-vern) – Surrelian creature that lives along the cliffs in the Reverie Weald. Massive, reptilian-like creature with wings, feathers, scales, and two forelegs. It can spray poisonous spit. Protects the Mirage Orchid.

Xeni Reed (Zen-ee Reed) – friend of Seryn Vawn. Girlfriend of Alette Vawn. Warrior in Gavrel’s elite Draumr unit.

PLACES

Aion (Ah-ee-own) – Capital city of Surrelia.

Ceto (See-toe) – Capital city of the region of Haadra.

Evergryn (Ever-grin) – Northern, wooded region of the mortal realm. Magic that hails from here is earth-related and often shades of green and brown.

Haadra (High-druh) – Eastern, water-ridden region of the mortal realm. Magic that hails from here is water-related and often shades of blue and aqua.

Hallowed End – A sacred place at the edge of Helos where Seryn opens a portal that leads into the Stygian Murk.

Helos (He-low-s) – Capital city of the Perilous Bogs region.

Insomnis Sea (In-sawm-niss Sea) – fabled dream realm sea that surrounds Surrelia.

Lochs of Haadra (Locks of High-druh) – A series of three large, brackish lochs that border the Haadran border.

The northernmost loch between Haadra and the Ourea Peaks is Lotus Loch.

Below that, Inksalt Loch borders Haadra, the Ourea Peaks, and the Perilous Bogs.

Aerides Loch, the southernmost loch that borders Haadra and Pneumali.

Midst Fall – the mortal realm

Nether Void – Ancient nightmare realm. Phobetor presides over this realm. It is a terrifying, dark realm where those who pass on may live out their eternity in eternal suffering.

Ourea (Oo-reh-ah) Peaks – Mountain range that borders the easternmost edge of Evergryn and westernmost edge of Haadra.

Perilous Bogs – Western and center, swamp/bog region of the mortal realm. People avoid this area and not much is known. Magic that hails from this area is mysterious and can manifest in many different ways and is often shades of black or iridescent.

Pneumali (New-mall-ee) – Southern, desert region of the mortal realm. Magic that hails from here is air-related and often shades of yellow and orange.

Pyria (Pie-ree-ah) Island – Southernmost, volcanic island of the mortal realm. Magic that hails from here is fire-related and often shades of red.

Reverie Weald (Rev-er-ee Wheeled) – a beautiful and neon-colored forest that separates Morpheus’ land and palace from the rest of Surrelia.

Stygian (Sti-jee-uhn) Murk – a colorless portal realm or limbo between realms where time slows and travelers easily get lost while their will to survive and exist is drained.

Surrelia (Sir-el-ee-ah) – Ancient dream realm. Morpheus presides over this realm. It is a beautiful, vibrant realm where those who pass on live out eternity.

TERMS

Aether (Eth-er) – the pure, invisible essence that permeates space and time throughout all the realms. The fabric of the universe.

Aetherbind (Eth-er-bye-nd) – the seam that holds the aether and everything within it together. The very thing that keeps Kosmos in check.

Ascension - the ritual in which the Scion metamorphoses into the new Elder.

Dark Reaping – in the event that the Primevals are unleashed, they would destroy every living being in Midst Fall. Without worshippers, the Ancients demise would soon follow.

Dormancy – the process the mortal realm is mandated to undergo from every Autumn Equinox to Spring Equinox in order to preserve resources.

Ember – magic that was gifted by the Ancients to Druiks and is inherited through bloodlines.

Fated khorda (Core-duh) – a Druik’s mirrored or twin soul.

The three sister Fates helped the Ancients weaken Druiks so that mortal ember would not become overwhelmingly powerful.

It was believed that Druiks were born with half their soul, the other half cleaved from them and gifted to another—Druik or human.

Hollowed Stars Prophecy – The prophecy warning of the end of Midst Fall once various omens come about, and potentially how to prevent this. The Korax believe it is the path to saving Midst Fall.

Prophecy/Song:

Behold the call of the end,

When lo, the Aetherbind’s seams do bend.

As withered roots the earth doth take,

The battle ‘gainst the curse shall break.

Dark beasts through veils shall creep,

And dreams shall rot in mortal sleep.

Unless the stone of light shall fall,

Within obsidian, night devours all.

Lest rise Dark Reaping from the scars,

Make haste with hollowing of the stars.

Earth harvests breath and misted pyre,

And flame be quenched by blackened fire.

One shall be two, and two turn three,

To break the curse o’er land and sea.

When the final threads are fully weaved,

Only then shall Khaos be cleaved.

So speaks Kosmos.

Khaos (Kay-ah-s) – Unstable, chaotic nothingness. The opposite of Kosmos, which is balance and order.

Proverb: “What binds, protects. What breaks, devours.”

Kollao (Kah-lay-oh) Ceremony – the ritual through which a Druik is bound to their fated khorda and becomes whole in soul and magic. Their life is also bound together.

Kosmos (Caws-mows) – Fates’ most precious gift to all living things. It is balance and order. Life and death. Ancients and mortals. Dreams and waking. If it isn’t maintained, then everything spirals into Khaos—unbalanced, chaotic nothingness.

Proverb: “What binds, protects. What breaks, devours.

Nightbloom Sundering – A monumental war that spanned nearly a century and crossed multiple realms. The conflict erupted when humans were first gifted ember, leading to chaos throughout Midst Fall.

The empire collapsed, and the Druiks, left unchecked, unleashed destruction upon the realm.

Seizing this opportunity, Phobetor killed Morpheus’ wife.

In response, Morpheus infused dreams into the slumbering, banishing his brother’s nightmares.

This rivalry ignited a war across both the dream and nightmare realms among the Ancients.

After nearly a century of turmoil, the Fates finally intervened, as the Aetherbind had become vulnerable.

They threatened the release of the Primevals, which would trigger the Dark Reaping.

Primevals (Prime-evils) – the first beings that ever were and always have been. The very personifications of creation itself. If released, would cause the Dark Reaping.

Turn – one year

Winnowing Trials – a Surrelian festivity at the end of the Dormancy where Druiks and Draumrs can compete to win a grand prize.

Weeding – first trial of the Winnowing Trials

Wilting – second trial of the Winnowing Trials

Winnowing – grande finale trial of the Winnowing Trials

Withering – the progressive decay of the land in Midst Fall.