Just to forewarn you, I will watch RPs and check for continuity. This isn't an RP-required shop, but if you choose to RP you need to know everything in this thread.
Also, anything that doesn't break Gaia's PG-13 rule is acceptable.
Also, anything that doesn't break Gaia's PG-13 rule is acceptable.
Meepfeather
What's your 'Once upon a time..'?
[I'll rewrite this bit eventually, but the summary works for now.]
Quote:
The gist of it is that Errais are a very old race, who possess the ability to travel between worlds. Originating in an island chain of a long-forgotten world, they were among the first creatures to walk that world, along with two 'humanoid' races, the Vyine and the Kourai, followed much later by humans. When a war amongst those three races broke out, the Errais refused to take sides; when efforts were made on all accounts to try and force them into choosing, they simply turned tail and left, scattering themselves across the worlds.
Though all Errais possess the capability of world-travel, their individual magic varied widely; these magics were such a part of Errais that they came to be called 'spirits,' and they were anything from animal-related (Falcon, for example) to element-based (Fire, etc.), and everything in between. Some spirit types were so intense that, over successive generations, the appearance of those Errais twisted and evolved, creating the Chaotic (sometimes called Demonic), Angelic, Phoenix, and Forest subtypes. Of all the subtypes, it was the Phoenix and the Forest who were capable of true magic, real spells, but they were also the most rarely seen. There also existed those called the Spiritless, who possessed no magic, no horns, and no wings. They were, essentially, just extremely intelligent horses, aside from their ability to world-walk. Oftentimes they were employed as warhorses, integrated into the stock of one world or another.
But many, many, many years after the Errais scattered, adopting new homes, allies, and languages (over time, they even forgot their own in favor of others), something began to seek them out for their magic, killing them to release and obtain the power of their spirits. In an effort to save what remained of his race, a reclusive Forest type by the name of Alderaen stepped in. Making a deal with a mysterious group known simply as Guardians, who themselves were able to travel from world to world via a place best described as being 'between worlds' itself. Having secured a safe haven for his people to rest, Alderaen set about saving them in the only way he could find -- to seal them away until the evil passed (although many did not come to him, and perished).
So, one by one, using his magic and the power of their own souls, he sealed them each into a pendant like those worn by the Guardians themselves. When this was done, his own magic entirely spent, Alderaen lay down to rest, and slept for a thousand years, until something (or someone) awakened him. Ever so slowly, as his weakened power allowed, he began to free the Errais from their self-made prisons. While they come forth unharmed, one thing is missing -- the spirits that gave them their unique magics; all that is left to them is the ability so core to their being, laid deeper even than their spirits, and that is the ability to world-walk.
Now that they're awake, the Errais are free to do as they will once again. Though some may choose to stay in that place-between-worlds, others might choose to leave, returning to their wanderings, and some may very well choose develop bonds to other peoples, sometimes as a whole, sometimes on an individual basis. So far as anyone knows, the Spiritless were unharmed by the terror that plagued the others, although they have long since scattered and changed in the many years it's taken for the other Errais to return.
Of their long-lost language, only fragments remain -- familial terms, and a few other small things, but otherwise they've even forgotten their true name: the Hiviruli ('those who walk').
Though all Errais possess the capability of world-travel, their individual magic varied widely; these magics were such a part of Errais that they came to be called 'spirits,' and they were anything from animal-related (Falcon, for example) to element-based (Fire, etc.), and everything in between. Some spirit types were so intense that, over successive generations, the appearance of those Errais twisted and evolved, creating the Chaotic (sometimes called Demonic), Angelic, Phoenix, and Forest subtypes. Of all the subtypes, it was the Phoenix and the Forest who were capable of true magic, real spells, but they were also the most rarely seen. There also existed those called the Spiritless, who possessed no magic, no horns, and no wings. They were, essentially, just extremely intelligent horses, aside from their ability to world-walk. Oftentimes they were employed as warhorses, integrated into the stock of one world or another.
But many, many, many years after the Errais scattered, adopting new homes, allies, and languages (over time, they even forgot their own in favor of others), something began to seek them out for their magic, killing them to release and obtain the power of their spirits. In an effort to save what remained of his race, a reclusive Forest type by the name of Alderaen stepped in. Making a deal with a mysterious group known simply as Guardians, who themselves were able to travel from world to world via a place best described as being 'between worlds' itself. Having secured a safe haven for his people to rest, Alderaen set about saving them in the only way he could find -- to seal them away until the evil passed (although many did not come to him, and perished).
So, one by one, using his magic and the power of their own souls, he sealed them each into a pendant like those worn by the Guardians themselves. When this was done, his own magic entirely spent, Alderaen lay down to rest, and slept for a thousand years, until something (or someone) awakened him. Ever so slowly, as his weakened power allowed, he began to free the Errais from their self-made prisons. While they come forth unharmed, one thing is missing -- the spirits that gave them their unique magics; all that is left to them is the ability so core to their being, laid deeper even than their spirits, and that is the ability to world-walk.
Now that they're awake, the Errais are free to do as they will once again. Though some may choose to stay in that place-between-worlds, others might choose to leave, returning to their wanderings, and some may very well choose develop bonds to other peoples, sometimes as a whole, sometimes on an individual basis. So far as anyone knows, the Spiritless were unharmed by the terror that plagued the others, although they have long since scattered and changed in the many years it's taken for the other Errais to return.
Of their long-lost language, only fragments remain -- familial terms, and a few other small things, but otherwise they've even forgotten their true name: the Hiviruli ('those who walk').
Meepfeather
Never required, always fun.
[This section is under serious construction.]
About the Glade plug it in, plug it in~ *shot*
- The Glade is best described as a place between worlds, and not a world itself. Though it is separate, it is connected to all there is - every time, every world, every dimension. How it came to exist is a mystery. It is something very few have heard of, and even fewer have seen. It is home to the Guardians, and now to the errais as well.
Within its boundaries, the Glade is boundless, and forever in the midst of a mild summer. It's a temperate place, with flowers and trees and green grass in abundance. The 'sides' are rocky and frequently dotted with caves. It has day and night and thunderstorms and rain just like any other place.
The errais have their own sort of 'section' of the Glade where they can go about their business without being disturbed or disturbing others. For the most part, unless a Guardian crosses into 'their' territory, they don't encounter each other.
Errais are not the only non-Guardians in the Glade - there are roaming populations of all sorts of animals who, for one reason or another, have become native to the place. They're not precisely wild, nor are they fully tame, but they recognize that the Guardians and errais mean them no harm, and in turn do not harm them (although they might get heckled, errais aren't hunted by anything here).
---Most of these animals are on the small-ish side - there's definitely nothing erras-sized. There are a few wolf packs, various flocks of birds and schools of freshwater fish, rodents, small grazers, and some other social predators. I'll get more details up about them eventually.
About the Guardians
Non-player Characters
- Alderaen ['al-duh-rain]
Therianne ['thair-ee-an]
---Alderaen's mate, Therianne was a Phoenix erras. No one's seen or heard from her since before the Sealing, so it's assumed that she died. Her disappearance was the catalyst for Alderaen's actions.
Cataran ['kat-uh-ran]
---Cataran is a sort of off-duty Guardian, turned treasure-hunter. The woman is from an appearance-shifting race called Chameleons, and when she's not masquerading as someone else, has some strikingly reptilian features - patches of scales, a crocodile-like tail, and membranous wings like a dragon's. She has little clusters/crests of feathers behind her ears that are very good mood indicators.
Doukas ['doo-kuss]
---Doukas is Cataran's partner; they left the active Guardian force together. A common erras, formerly a Gem Spirit, he was among the errais who agreed to directly ally themselves with the Guardians. He pops in and out of the Glade with his partner.
Shavri ['shah-vree]
---Shavri is the quiet, serious leader of the Guardians; if the Glade belongs to anyone, it's her. The woman is ageless, young in appearance but with long hair turned white. She's a small-boned but tall, almost fragile-looking figure. Only Alderaen, Hyksos, and the Guardian Errais are familiar with her; all others know of her existence and who she is, but have never met her.
Beillo ['bay-loh]
---Beillo is an ancient blue dragon who's lived in the glade for as long as anyone can remember - for as long as he can remember, for that matter. His huge, lumbering form is also an arthritic one, so he doesn't move around very much. Stationary though he may be, he's a kind-hearted old soul who's full of advice for anyone who asks it of him...if he can stay awake long enough to give it - he's narcoleptic.
Continuity=Love
This section is especially important for people with 'upgraded' errais, but it'll do everyone some good.
Everything in this incarnation of the shop takes place more than a 1000 years after the existence of the first. Not that there's actually a shop ICly, but...you get what I mean.
As for the upgraded errais whose appearances have changed somewhat - let's say that ICly, they haven't physically changed. It'll just take some of the potential WTF out of our lives.
When the errais were sealed away, none of them had any idea that it would cause them to lose their Spirits. This realization is something every freshly-emerged erras must come to deal with.
Every erras broken from its Seal gets a rundown of things from Alderaen once they've shaken off the after-effects of being Sealed (confusion, nausea, etc., varying in intensity from individual to individual). Obviously, I haven't got time to RP this out with everyone. So, they'll find out details about the Glade (see the section on that above) and that they're free to come and go as they please (but never can they bring someone - say, a human - into the Glade), and be informed of that missing Spirit problem. Every erras is told these things by Alderaen. Assume it happened.
That World-walking Thing
'Running the chasm.'
- Basically, errais are capable of running throughwhat they call the 'chasm' between worlds, and can See and pass through the 'doors' (portals, really) that lead into and out of it. Though it's very rare, some errais are capable of world-walking without using doors - they can make their own temporary ones, essentially, and can even pass straight from world to world without having to run the chasm.
Chasm is almost a misleading term - 'plain' (and yes, I mean plain, not plane) would almost be a more accurate term. It's a flat, utterly endless darkness. The dark/foreboding connotation of chasm is what makes it a fitting name for the place.
The chasm is, bizarrely, actually inhabited by things. Beings (if you can call them that) of pure energy, basically scuttling around doing...no one knows what, really, besides absorbing any other energy-things smaller than them that they come across. No one stays long enough to find out, and how sentient they are or are not is entirely up for debate. Most are harmless or uninterested in travellers like errais, although some might flick out a little tendril of themselves to have a 'feel' (or a 'taste,' who knows what they're actually doing?). It would definitely tickle a little, from static shock to something more intense, respective to the size of the thing.
There is one kind of energy being dangerous to errais, and that's a _____ [no name for them yet, sorry]. Think of them as big, roiling stormclouds with nasty attitudes, hellish appetites, and maybe some tentacles. They engulf anything living (usually other energy-things) that they come across, and something not native to the chasm seems to send out some kind of 'I'm here, come eat me' pulse that draws them in like sharks. Granted, they're pretty few and far between, but if there's one close enough to pick up on a presence...it'll haul a** to get to it.
Those things are why errais run the chasm. The less time they spend in it, the less likely they are to have a problem.
Errais are capable of carrying other beings through the chasm to other worlds, as long as their passenger is holding onto them. If that someone or something is unfortunate enough to fall off and get lost somehow...well, they're goners.
World-walking, or running the chasm, can be a pretty tiring thing, not typically something an erras would want to do more than, say, once every couple of days. If they're really desperate for some reason, they can probably push themselves to a few times in one day, but more than that and they start risking serious problems (up to and including death from exhaustion).
Here is where I'm going to clarify that errais CANNOT bring people/sentient beings from other worlds into the Glade - it's one of the rules they abide by in return for being able to stay there. If somebody brings someone in...their a** is grass.
Communication
When it comes to verbal communication, errais are strictly limited to the sort of sounds horses can make.
Obviously, their body language is similar to that of horses as well, with the addition of wings (themselves useful indicators of mood). Errais who had an animal Spirit may borrow some of their tendencies from whatever animal Spirit they had.
All errais save for the Spiritless type are capable of mental communication - 'mindspeech,' if you will.
Contrary to some types of mental communication you might have encountered in fantasy, erras mindspeech doesn't consist of 'thoughts' everyone can understand. Just like spoken language, it's formed of words, and you need to know the language they're speaking in to understand them.
For simplicity's sake, it can be assumed that the sort of 'default' language is English (or as some might choose to call it, 'Common.')
Errais do, however, tend to have a love for languages (or at least a necessity to know them for their travels), so most are multilingual. They also tend to be quick learners of language.
I should also clarify the kind of 'range' this speech has...which is to say, just about the same as a normal person speaking. They can whisper, talk in a normal 'voice,' shout, scream, etc., all with the same range a human voice has.
There is no 'long-distance' version of mindspeech, no sort of special projection mode or anything.
All the Bits and Pieces
As said in the backstory, errais have their own language - or they used to, anyway. Over time, they forgot it. No one knows what happened (or if they do, they're not telling), but for some reason...they stopped being able to remember it. Everyone except the Forest and Phoenix, that is; but try as they might, they can't teach it to the others, because it just slips right out of their heads as soon as they've heard it.
There are a few bits, however, that they've all managed to hold onto, all familial terms.
Mother - haanee (also used for 'grandmother' and 'aunt')
Father - (also used for 'grandfather' and 'uncle')
Sister
Brother
Child
Daughter
Son
Cousin - (often employed as a friendly term for non-relatives)
Capabilities
Errais cannot fly. Period. Their wings are too small, and they lost the magic that let them fly despite that. Now they're grounded, tough luck for them.
Human-level intelligence, pretty much. Anything from idiot to genius within that.
Physically on a level with horses...we'll say warmblood to light draft.
World-walking, as described above.
Age Before Beauty
Social
About Those Spiritless
