Mystifea
Mystifea is a universe of divine design, shaped by a distant Creator and populated with mortals, angels, and eldritch entities. Its vast landscapes and layered dimensions harbor ancient conflicts and mysteries, where mortals strive for meaning, and divine servants battle relentless cosmic threats.
Geography and Realms
Mundane
The Mundane plane is Mystifea’s physical world, inhabited by mortals, their protectors, and creatures both wondrous and terrifying.
The Roots of Mundane
Beneath the surface of Mundane lie the enigmatic Roots, home to the:
- Dwarves, a diminutive but industrious species standing only four feet tall.
- Deep Elves, tasked with containing the Unnamable Things, eldritch horrors banished after their invasion from the Void between universes. These horrors are nameless in all records, as naming them is believed to grant them power.
The Roots remain a place of eternal darkness, where Dwarves and Deep Elves form an uneasy alliance to protect the world above.
Space Between Places
The night sky, referred to as The Space Between Places by the Moon Elves, is believed to connect Mundane to celestial bodies like stars, planets, and the moon. The Moon Elves, ever curious, have built their cities on the highest peaks of Mundane, though they keep their findings shrouded in mystery.
Heaven
Heaven, perceived by mortals as the Sun, is the domain of:
- Angels, celestial beings charged with maintaining order in Mundane and combating Void incursions.
- Celestials, other divine entities inhabiting this radiant realm.
The Angels rule with a totalitarian grasp, outlawing Void worship and branding those who seek its power as heretics.
The Farlands and the Ocean
The oceans of Mystifea are vast and treacherous, harboring both wonder and danger:
- The Farlands are whispered lands beyond the known seas.
- Ocean Creatures like whales, sharks, and giant squid inspire awe and fear. Some legends speak of Kr’ethen, a colossal octopus guarding a portal to another universe.
The Void
The Void is a chaotic dimension where Mystifea’s natural laws cease to apply. Often overlapping with Mundane, it spawns beings and phenomena that defy comprehension.
Void Beings
Viewed as demons by mortals, Void Beings grant immense power to those who seek them. However, these gifts often come at a high cost, driving mortals to madness.
Void Elves
A sect of Elves known as Void Elves broke away from their kin to live where the Void intersects with Mundane. Though stronger and more capable than most mortals, they remain distant from human affairs unless provoked.
Void Cults
Outlawed and branded heretics, Void Cults worship the Void and its beings. These groups are often led by deranged individuals whose interactions with the Void lead to catastrophic consequences.
History of Mystifea
The Creation
Mystifea was created by a detached Creator who waged war alongside his Angels to banish the invading Unnamable Things to the Roots of Mundane. The Void, a chaotic byproduct of creation, was ignored by the Creator, leaving the Angels to combat its growing influence.
The Elves
As the Creator’s first mortal creation, the Elves were divided into three groups:
- Deep Elves: Guardians of the Unnamable Things in the Roots of Mundane.
- Surface Elves: Protectors of humanity.
- Moon Elves: Dreamers who seek the stars and the secrets of the cosmos.
The Dwarves
Discovered by the Deep Elves in the Roots, the Dwarves proved to be invaluable allies despite their small stature, aiding in the eternal struggle to maintain balance.
Trivia
Mundane’s Oddities
- Root Luminescence: Bioluminescent fungi glow in the Roots of Mundane, believed by Deep Elves to whisper the voices of the Unnamable Things.
- Dwarven Ale Lore: Dwarves credit their robust health to Glowbeer, a bioluminescent brew made from algae in the underground rivers.
The Void
- Void Riddles: Scholars driven mad by the Void speak in cryptic riddles that reveal advanced magical formulas when deciphered.
- Void Echoes: Haunting melodies can be heard in regions where the Void overlaps with Mundane.
Cultural Fun Facts
- Elven Politeness: Interrupting someone is considered so rude among Surface Elves that offenders must apologize with flowers and a formal poem.
- Angelic Bureaucracy: Angels meticulously log every prayer, mortal deed, and Void incursion in The Eternal Ledgers.
- Mariner Superstitions: Mariners refuse to eat fish with odd numbers of scales, believing it invites oceanic curses.
Strange Creatures
- Whale Bones as Relics: Ancient whale bones are often mistaken for ruins of forgotten civilizations.
- Octopi Myths: Kr’ethen, a colossal octopus, is said to guard a portal to another universe beneath the Esparian Ocean.
Miscellaneous Mysteries
- Moonlit Runes: Mysterious runes sometimes appear on mountains under the moonlight, baffling even the Moon Elves.
- Starfall Races: Moon Elves hold an annual race during meteor showers to catch fragments of fallen stars.