Dusphoros
From Seattle Nwod
Contents |
A Ruler Broken
The area in Arcadia which now houses Dusphoros was a relatively simple kingdom in the times before. Its ruler, a True Fae whose name is no longer remembered, ruled it happily (for it, anyway). At one point, however, he acquired something very unique, you see: a magic-user from a strange island in the Real gifted the Fae with a piece of Quintessence - the very essence of magic. The Fae became enamored with its new toy, and its kingdom slowly grew to represent it's imaginings of the realm where the Quintessence came from. At one point in time - those magi who know of this realm say it occurred as the Ladder shattered - the fae lord himself shattered into five separate beings, each representing a path which the magic of the Fae Lord's toy channeled itself through.
A Utopia Gone Wrong
Dusphoros is an amalgamation of various Greek styles mingled with the mad designs that come from the mind of a True Fae. It is divided into five areas, with a huge cathedral which houses the Quintessence which shapes the realm. Each area has a different flavor to it, and each is ruled over by one being that sprung from the original Fae Lord.
The District of Thorns
The District of Thorns consists of buildings that seem to have been grown from marble than carved from it. More so that usual, time flows oddly in this district, and the residents of the area find themselves drawn to others with little rhyme or reason, their fates tied together by the whims of Skolops, the ruler of the district.
Skolops appears most often as a figure split down the middle. On its left side it is a man in the prime of his youth, strong and virile; on the right it is a wizened old woman, her skin wrinkled and worn. It wears the garb of an oracle, and often spouts barely decipherable prophecies which always seem to come true in the end.
The residents of the District of Thorns are often tied to the streams of fate and time that flow throughout the area. Those who find themselves tangled in the threads of others often emerge from Dusphoros as Oracles, while those who learn to map the time streams emerge as Tellurics. Also prevalent are Gamemasters, who have honed their sense of the Wheel of Fate to such a fine point that seeing multiple moves into a game is a snap.
The District of Demons
The District of Demons is a dark place, where alleyways twist and turn on their own volition, rooms change places within houses (or even between houses), coming and going with no real pattern. The buildings are cramped, with more rooms inside than the structure should allow. More horrifyingly, the memories of the denizens are often taken whole-cloth from them and replaced with those of another, mainly due to a twisted experiment underway by Aristera, the ruler of the district.
Aristera takes the form of a bald female, skin as white as snow and eyes pitch black. Her form is slight, almost transparent, covered in a flowing black dress that warps around her in ways that hurt the eyes to watch. She is behind the moving buildings and warping of minds; due to her machinations, few Changelings of this District emerge with their memories intact.
The residents of the District of Demons soon realize that the demons of the realm are their own, and their seemings reflect this. Those who embraced the changes in their minds eventually learned to read the memories of others, becoming Mnemosyne. Others learned from the breaking of the mind, becoming Moonborn. Also common are Pathfinders, who became saturated with the space between the buildings and learned how to easily move between them.
The District of Night
Compared to the District of Night, the District of Demons is brightly lit. One walking into the district is caressed by the living shadows, soothed and calmed by their inky blackness. Only certain lanterns lit with ghostfire cast any sort of light in this dark place, revealing buildings made from precious metals and unusual materials under their silvery glow. Here, Skia, the ruler of the district, walks the streets, singing soft lullabies to the Changelings she considers her children.
Very few of the district’s denizens have seen what Skia looks like, as she is surrounded (some say made up of) the shadows which cover the district. Those who see her under the glimpse of a ghostfire lantern see a stunning woman whose skin glimmers like gold, with long flowing copper hair and deep ruby eyes. However, her body is cracked in numerous places, and shadows pour forth from the cracks, quickly covering up her imperfections.
Shadows are plentiful in the District of Night, making Darklings of all kiths common. Shadowsouls are also common, allowing the darkness to envelop them rather than truly permeate. Metalkin are often seen here, usually as parts of the buildings which make up the district; both they and Earthbones are sometimes seen as living statues in the dark.
The District of Angels
The District of Angels is full of joyful noise, although always a little bit off-key. The streets are paved with gold, lanterns shine brightly, and beings of light move everywhere through the district, leaving no shadows in their trace. Coursing through the glass buildings of the district are elemental forces of various sorts: one may have flames of multiple colors burning in delightful patterns, while another has lightning arcing between the walls.
The ruler of this district is Keraunos, who takes the form of a four-armed man with brilliant white wings. His eyes burn with divine fire, turning those who displease him into piles of ash. He bears a sword of fire which he uses with exceptional skill, and is able to affect the very forces of nature. His voice rings out like thunder, and the residents of the District of Angels all pause when he speaks.
Those who live under Keraunos’ burning gaze are often blinded by the light that fills the district; to adapt to the glare, some take the light within themselves, becoming Bright Ones. Others come to embody the fiery power of the district, becoming Firehearts or Levinquick. Some are unfortunate enough to be chosen as target practice for Keraunos’ displays of power; while most perish under the blaze, some learn to block his blows, becoming Spellturners.
The District of Totems
The Denizens of the Kingdom
Dusphoros is filled with numerous Changelings, each taking aspects of the district where they dwell. The magi who have found their way there usually gravitate to the district of their former path, while humans who arrive in the realm can end up in any realm. The kiths listed below are the most common, although others do occur.
- The District of Totems
- Wizened Planeswalkers; Beasts of most stripes; Darkling Mirrorskins; Elemental Woodbloods
- Planeswalker Blessing – Spend 1G; character exists in both Twilight and Material OR Shadow and Material for one scene, able to affect and be affected by both. Character sees the material through the left eye and the Twilight or Shadow through the right; -1 on rolls during the scene due to widely differing views.
- Wizened Planeswalkers; Beasts of most stripes; Darkling Mirrorskins; Elemental Woodbloods
