Idoaclesia

Idoaclesia is the name given to the Dream City of Underlight during the Shades of Truth Era.

"The Hota didn't destroy our City. We were besieged by a being known as the Lost Name and its forces, they called themselves the Dominion.

There was a temple that believed in a "Great Purge" in which the City would be destroyed and reborn. To prevent the City falling into the Lost Name's hands, the priestess Varwyn called on the Great Purge to come early...and the City was destroyed by a great earthquake.

But instead of it being "reborn" in the way the Temple initiates had expected, we eventually found ourselves here in Underlight.

The Origin Story

as told to Cuero by Igteus, Seneschal of the Sect of the Prudent, and in part by Zar’tenya, the Murderess

The dreamers of the City of Idoaclese were not the first. Millions came before in the thousands of years of history that precede the records we have today. Yissen Knights, Gods and Goddesses, tyrants and kings reigned long before Idoaclese, the father of our Awakening, trod the halls of Threshold and gave birth to our age. Some of those entities will appear in these histories, though the majority will not, for their influence is lost or inconsequential to the story we ourselves have lived.

For us, it began with Idoaclese, an unremarkable man who did a remarkable thing: found the way back to the City, and opened the door for others to journey alongside him. For years he walked the City alone, learning its mysteries and growing in knowledge and strength. But finally, another came… Zar’tenya, a Dreamseer. For all Idoaclese’s hunger for knowledge, Zar’tenya had equal appetite for power.

Idoaclese took Zar’tenya under his wing. Teaching her things he knew and discovered along the way. But not everything. There were some things he learned that he believed no other dreamer should know. Infuriated by his reticence, Zar’tenya prodded incessantly for the forbidden knowledge, spouted endorsements of her responsibility and character until finally Idoaclese conceded, and offered taught her Dreamstrike, the power to remove a dreamer’s link to the City of Dreams. Convinced there was nothing more to learn from Idoaclese, and paranoid that he may one day use this power against her, Zar’tenya killed her friend and mentor in cold blood.

Now, during this time others had achieved Awakening. Two most notably rose to prominence, Igteus and Gharod, both Gatekeepers, and called dreamers to them through the founding of the first houses: The Sect of the Prudent, and the Emancipators of Men. Their views and values lay in stark contrast, and thus continued the bloody history of Idoaclesia, a City full of constant struggle and conflict.

The Beliefs and Initial History of The Sect of the Prudent from upon Lambent

told by Igteus to Cuero, Master Templar of The Sect of the Prudent, and Bortami, Master Acolyte of The Sect of the Prudent.

This history spans from inception to the coup of Bortami against Cuero.

The Sect of the Prudent held their members to five basic tenants: Righteousness, Virtue, Honor, Discipline and Devotion. Equipped with those five tenants, the essential pursuit of The Sect was to achieve Salvation, defined by the universal acceptance of the Sect’s ways by the entirety of the City, including the absolute following of the rules and orders of the leaders of the Sect.

The leadership was divided into two distinct paths: the Templars and the Acolytes. It was the duty of the Templars to be the military wing of the Sect, following the orders of the Master Templar absolutely. Succession came if the Master Templar proved incapable in battle in terms of personal prowess or faulty military strategy. Conversely, the Acolytes spread the beliefs of the Sect and convert non-believers. Succession came if the Master Acolyte proved incapable of securing additional converts.

Notable members: Bortami, Cuero, Ash (leaders); Eros, Ashton (guardians); Shadow, Dashia, Zalarius (initiates)

For a time, Igteus, first Seneschal (Guide) of the Sect of the Prudent simply watched the multitude of dreamers that followed Idaoclese’s first Awakening. He was searching for his Masters, and found two in Bortami, Fatesender and Master Acolyte, and Cuero, a Seer and Master Templar. While they were exceedingly different individuals, both had an intense drive for self-improvement and a lust for power.

Both were thrust into a world of competition with Igteus pitting them against each other to impress and advance. At the time, the Sect of the Prudent was locked in war against the Emancipators of Men, who being primarily in personal freedom (more later) and would not be compelled to join the Sect’s unyielding ideology.

In those times, swords and slow flame were the only means of combat, there were no chakrams to be found and wars were bloody, visceral displays ruled by the most prolific swordsmen. Among them, and ranked in order with much debate, were Sylas Prium (“Sylas and the four Darkmares” below), Kereal, Ash, Cuero and Kira Windveil. Most of the battles took place upon Trinity, the home of the Emancipators, due to The Sect’s aggressive military expansion. The majority of the battles came down to who had the most Dreamsoul and could endure the swordplay the longest, but the heroes of these battles were generally listed above.

The Rift of Leadership and the Betrayal of Cuero

Now there came a time when the bond that was borne of common purpose and leadership between Bortami and Cuero began to fray. Bortami became more reclusive, talking in hushed groups of Acolytes and in whispers in Threshold. The fervor in his voice began to die down when he combatted Emancipators with words, and those words eventually became whispers to the enemies of the Sect, and Cuero became suspicious. An idea was planted in his head and took root: Bortami was a traitor, and planned to betray the Sect. Cuero took this information to his most trusted Templar Ash, a Gatekeeper. He told Ash that he planned to take his suspicions to Igetus and for Igteus to be the final arbiter and judge Bortami.

Unfortunately for Cuero, Ash was not only his most trusted Templar, but also Bortami’s. Bortami had poisoned Ash’s mind with a lust for the Grey crest of the Master Templar of the Sect, and Bortami was prepared to whatever it took to achieve that promise. Instead of acting honorably, Bortami without warning removed Cuero’s leader’s crest. Cuero, in his naivety, thought only a Seneschal could remove another Ruler’s crest. Once removed from the Sect, Cuero was a pariah. Those not of the Sect had no voice to Igteus, and Bortami got away with the dishonorable deed without repercussion. Additonally, Ash achieved the status of Master Templar in payment of his treason. In the aftermath of the betrayal of Cuero, the only leg the Sect had to stand on – Honor – was broken. While they were violent and oppressive, they always were crystal clear in their intentions… they never lied about what they wanted, did, and planned to do. However in one instance, that reputation was shattered, and the Sect never returned the vibrancy of the first days. ~Cuero/Sevlen

The Emancipators of Men and the Death of Delosian

I do not claim to know much about the Emancipators of Men, and for that reason I am relying heavily on the involvement of the remaining Idoaclesian dreamers for their input. However, the Emancipators championed freedom for all and combated those who prohibited or impeded that goal, such as the Sect of the Prudent. Their first Seneschal was Gharod, a Gatekeeper, who was a student of Idoaclese alongside Igteus. While both followed their Master’s teachings, they interpreted it in vastly different ways. The stark contrast of interpretation resulting in a war that did not end until the Emancipators finally outlasted the Sect of the Prudent.

Their first guardians were selected as Midrain, Kira Windveil and Sylas Prium. Kira Windveil eventually came to be their first Ruler. Notable members: Krodoc (last ruler), Chaste (last guardian), Sebastian (last guide), Yuitau, Nathan, Naphtali, Kereal, Elle, Jaden, Richard Church, Cronides, Jade, Oliver Sand, Mays

One of the most notable stories from the Emancipators of Men is the deaths of Gharod and Delosian, both at the hands of Zar’tenya. Gharod had a memorial erected in his honor at the Ambuscade on Illapse. The reason these stories are so significant, besides the tragic loss of life, was the way their deaths served to unify the Sect of the Prudent and the Emancipators of Men against a common enemy. The only other common enemy came later in the form of Bashir (below).

Delosian was a prominent dreamer in the Emancipators of Men, loved and revered by all he met. He fell in love with Zar’tenya, who at the time was not known to be the murderer of Idoaclese. As time went on, it was clear that something about their relationship was off. Delosian became increasingly erratic. It seemed he only desired to please Zar’tenya and fell out of touch with his housemates and the goals they set forth for him. By the time his housemates understood the severity of his doom he was beyond saving. They found him slain, his soul essences crafted into a necklace that Zar’tenya still wears to this day. It was the first known tragedy of our City, and the first time that knowledge of Dreamstrike—death in the City—was understood to be a possibility.

~Cuero/Sevlen

Sylas Prium and the Dance With Death

When beasts came to the City of Dreams, we were armed with only swords and flame, and so were they. The problem with fighting a beast with a sword comes with their chitin carapace that is upon their front. Being required to strike an opponent and collapse them from behind is difficult when you’re only armed with a sword.

Sylas Prium was among one of the greatest swordsmen in our City. To me, this story solidifies his legend, and places him in the top spot in my mind. This story was told to me by Sylas Prium mere moments after the duel took place, and the heads of his attackers served as proof:

One day, Sylas was checking his locate and noted Tzra’zik dreaming. Tzra’zik was the most powerful beast of our City. Wildly intelligent and capable of ordering the other beasts around, we named him their leader. When Sylas Prium saw him dreaming, he pursued, and upon catching up to him, found that he had walked into a trap: four beasts, not simply Tzra’zik. Unable to escape, he had only one option: fight!

Sylas quickly depleted his resources for flame, nearly collapsing one beast before all four turned to engage him. The following half-bell were a blur for him, and his describes being so completely exhausted that he simply gave himself over to the adrenaline and sword training in an effort to survive. When the fighting was through, Sylas was discovered at the edge of consciousness, badly wounded and so exhausted he could not make a clear sentence… but in his hands were four beast essences… his opponents had been conquered, and he emerged victorious.

Many doubted his story until it was finally corroborated by hidden sources and the beasts themselves, but it forever marked him in our mind as the greatest swordsman in our City.

Sylas’ Death to The Apparatus of Lost Caves

While many who knew Sylas Prium figured he would die in combat with beasts or Sect or both, his demise came from a far more unlikely source. Deep in the caverns of the Lost Caves, hidden within a Vault, was The Apparatus. The Apparatus was a naturally occurring device discovered and mastered by Augh Essul, an Elder Dreamseer and first known Dreamsmith and Master Forger in Idoaclesia. A mysterious individual, Augh Essul guarded his secrets carefully, not out of jealousy, but in an effort to protect the denizens of Idoaclesia from the extreme dangers that come from wielding the Apparatus without knowledge or equipment. Out of all of Augh Essul's students, Em’et was likely his most prolific, journeying once with Augh Essul, Cuero and at least one other to Augh Essul's hidden workshop on the façade of Evernight Stronghold, where at the time no dreamer was capable of going by normal means.

Sylas Prium was not one of Augh Essul's chosen students, nor was he well-versed in the knowledge of how to use The Apparatus. While he aware of the dangers of misuse, Sylas Prium attempted to use The Apparatus without supervision, believing himself capable of producing powerful talisman without assistance. Unceremoniously, and without much audience to speak of, one of the most prolific swordsmen of our City, a man revered by his allies and feared by his enemies, died in a Cave to the extreme energies of the Apparatus because of arrogance.

~Cuero/Sevlen

The Cult of Bashir was established by Ra'as, first Chosen of Bashir, in Edgeward Stronghold

One day while traveling the City, Ra’as heard a voice speaking to him. It promised him things beyond his wildest dreams in extreme for simple service and supplication. He followed the voice to Edgeward Stronghold, and there it was given a name: Bashir.

Ra’as was an incredible orator, able to stir up emotion and garner support with a few words. Dreamers flocked to support this new power, most enticed by Bashir’s ability to grant spheres and powers to those that served him. The Emancipators of Men and the Sect of the Prudent stood by on the sidelines, suspicious of this entity calling itself and god and demanding its followers to engage in ritualistic bloodletting to empower it.

Bashir was known to recruit in whispers similar to how Ra’as was recruited, using this tactic to gain key members to further his goals. Sala Erosa, Sevlen, and later Anyasha were known to be recruited by this method… each saying that the voice compelled them more powerfully than anything they have ever known.

Notable members: Ra’as (first Chosen), Anyasha (second Chosen), Sala Erosa (Voice of Bashir), Sevlen (Sword of Bashir), Gromnir (Sword of Bashir), Terelius Ignium, Canis Aird’righ, Jade, Grey, Raein, Mercury, Hans, Dashia, Gosu, Perunda.

After charades as appearing as a woman and occasionally a man, Bashir eventually appeared as its true form: a horron. On the evening Bashir appeared as a horron, all of his faithful were expelled from the City, and when they returned they, too, were beasts of varying strength. The evening was spent on the offensive, terrorizing the Emancipators of Men and the Sect of the Prudent who had engaged in their slaughter for weeks without mercy. This form became known as “The Perfect Form,” and was a principle goal of many of the ritualistic bloodletting that followed. Once the faithful achieved this form they did everything in their power to appease Bashir to grant it again, and in that way Bashir kept them hooked.

The Variant Walkers: Soraya and the Death of A’kmar Ralnora

It is important to note that Bashir’s greatest strength was his ability to wield Dreamstrike, and grant it to his Chosen. One day early in the struggle against Bashir, two members of The Sect of the Prudent materialized, claiming to have traveled from another variant (that is, another version of the City) in pursuit of Bashir. Their names were Soraya and A’kmar Ralnora, and they called themselves Variant Walkers.

Armed with two skilled fighters, I led (still as Master Templar) A’kmar Ralnora, Soraya, and the rest of the Sect to the Barrows to confront Bashir and Ra’as. Unbeknownst to us, Bashir had empowered Ra’as with a talisman capable of slaying dreamers with Dreamstrike. We were facing a slaughter, the Sect of the Prudent being turned back by Bashir’s power to attack with arts we had never heard of.

Sensing our demise, A’kmar Ralnora pushed further, shouting for us to flee. I told the same to the Templars of the Sect, who retreated. Facing Ra’as and Bashir, A’kmar Ralnora charged with his spear, aiming to finally slay Ra’as. Ra’as prevailed, murdering A’kmar Ralnora in the small path preceding the Edgeward Stronghold. I scooped up his soul essence and fled, determined to honor his sacrifice by giving his remains to Soraya.

Upon hearing the news, Soraya became enraged, and would have hurried off to a similar fate unless the Sect had interceded to stop her. She was never the same after A’kmar’s death. She never recovered her love of life, and replaced it with an intense hatred for anyone not of the Sect.

The Death of Ra’as

We learned during those times that Bashir was an ancient entity locked in an eternal struggle against the Yissen Knights, whose sole purpose was to vanquish the being. Their own lifespan was tied to Bashir’s, making their age incomprehensible, with Kal’lankissa, Elder Dreamseer Teacher, referenced as being more than 40,000 years old, and Prayenth, Elder Soulmaster Teacher, a similar age.

In an effort to combat Bashir, the leaders of the houses were enlisted to obtain Dreamstrike in order to slay Bashir by the Etchen. The leaders were warned that with great power comes great vulnerability, as obtaining Dreamstrike requires a dreamer to expose their soul essence, which, if destroyed, causes the death of the dreamer.

While I do not entirely remember the circumstances for acquiring the soul essence of Ra’as, I obtained it, and was effectively in control of whether Ra’as lived or died. It occurred to me, briefly, that I could have him do my bidding until I lose control of the essence, but instead I made my decision brief: I sentenced him to death, and crushed his soul essence underneath my boot.

Instantly, a wail emanated from within Ra’as, and he was sucked as if through a portal out of our City and ceased to dream.

While we found out later that his demise was temporary, without his dreaming to guide the Cult, they lost a substantial amount of their power and influence, or for months lingered a hair’s breadth from closure. When Bashir was ultimately defeated by the Yissen Knights and dreamers, and the thousands of fragments scattered throughout the City to become what we know as the lesser beasts, the Cult was finally abolished. ~Cuero/Sevlen

The Emergence Academy and the Great Sinking

Much of the origin story of the Emergence Academy will need to a collaboration with the people who were there for it. Below I tell merely one story of many. The following beliefs were sourced by the public scrolls but the original author is unknown:

The Emergence Academy was founded upon these ten principles:

First: Science, experimentation, and research.

Second: The fundamentals of solid, dream wide Diplomacy.

Third: The notion of Free-thinking and the attempt to handle situations with an open, clear mind, after viewing scenarios in as many angles as possible.

Fourth: The desire to re-shape the Dreamscape in a way that it alters, enhances, and betters the Dreams of tomorrow. Respect the past, but focus on the present and on the future.

Fifth: We believe in the Weave. The Weave being the Dreamscape *itself*, its energies, avatars, planes, and elements. We are all a part of the Weave in some way.

Sixth: That the body of the House has an opportunity to relay ideas, concerns, comments on House administration for consideration to the Cause's leadership.

Seventh: The concept of unity, as a well-oiled, and functioning machine free from stagnation.

Eighth: A House that takes stands on pressing issues that may affect the safety, and preservation of the Dreaming.

Ninth: A safe-haven for the Newly Awakened to come, and to grow and learn about the Dreaming.

Tenth: A Cause committed to intellectual excellence, and the spread of knowledge through experience, and by example.

Notable members: Rulers: Shae and Vampyro, Guardians: Angele Valorian, others Members: Kelosinna, Vill Valorian, Lunk, Parthos, Abbra, Pune, Syrra, Harley, Yarven Kreen, Krodoc, Cuero. Guides: Ethan, “Granny” (name unknown)

The Great Sinking at the Hands of the Sect

During the time after the expulsion of myself from the Sect of the Prudent, its ways became more violent, and more terrible. I became an outlook for non-Sect to voice their grievances because it was believed I would overthrow Bortami and reclaim my position as Ruler, righting the path of the Sect and installing a more diplomatic outlook toward the Dream. I knew that this goal would never be achieved. Once you’re out of the Sect, your voice does not matter.

Still, I used my influence to collect the secrets of the Dream, and in some ways, found my true calling as Secret Keeper during those melancholy days after my expulsion. One rumor that got to my ears was that the Sect of the Prudent was building a bomb to destroy their new enemy, the Emergence Academy. The one thing that the Sect despised more than open hostility – which they received from the Emancipators of Men – was complete neutrality – which they received from this new foe The Emergence Academy. For a time, the EA was mostly passive when it came to matters of the City. They were content to hole up in their stronghold and perform experiments and engage in discussion about art and plane creation, and the improvement of the City. In the Sect’s eyes, this was a waste of time, because time spent without action is time wasted.

When I heard of the bomb being created by Bortami and presumably Ash (the name I heard at the time), I immediately brought this knowledge to Shae, and we devised a way to try and locate and dismantle the bomb prior to its explosion, which we knew was imminent. Unfortunately, while Shae frantically searched her stronghold for the weapon, and I search the Basin plane, we realized we were too late. For me, it started as a rumble at the top of the Basin that became more violent and louder the closer it got to me. I looked for a place to take refuge, but I could hear how fast it was coming.. I was going to be directly in the blast. It hit me hard, and for a moment I assumed everyone at the stronghold, namely Shae, was dead. The blast flung me across the room with such impact my connection to the Dream was severed. On my shard, it took me a moment to collect myself before I could re-enter the City, and when I traveled back up the Basin, the damage was staggering.

The pristine stone of the Basin was chipped, the vegetation scattered everywhere and barely clinging to life. But when I reached the top, I realized I was no longer traveling upward, but instead down. Down into a subterranean cavern dripping with water. Meandering through this tunnel, which seemed to me almost like a sewage drain, I emerged at the submerged facade of the Emergence Academy. The bomb that went up above had ripped the plane askew, plummeting the entire facade below the lake above, but somehow intact… albeit barely.

In this moment, the City came together, and knew that the Sect of the Prudent must be destroyed. Even the faces of the Sect, so frequent to gloat after a triumph, displayed a moment of pause upon entirely, the result of their catastrophe momentarily shaking even their stoic demeanor. We endured their taunts, and then I, and the leadership of the Emergence Academy, entered into talks about how the time has come to shirk the mantle of presumed pacifism, and begin the talk of complete annihilation of the Sect.

~Cuero/Sevlen

Duos of Death ~ A History

Post by Cuero » Sun Feb 17, 2019 6:54 pm

The secrets of Idoaclesia are often jealously guarded, or faded from memory. This is one such story, as best can be remembered. Tehthu.

What comes to mind when a Lyran thinks of that name? All of the invocations that can be attributed to that darkmare could be attributed to my former partner, and sometimes ally, Tzra'zik. Don't stop reading if you hate darkmares... my relationship with Tzra'zik was one of necessity, not one of desire. I was a recent exile from Rulership of the Sect of the Prudent, a militarized, radical house.

I sought revenge... I sought meaning in these new dreams of mine, and Tzra'zik was there, recognizing my need for purpose and gave me one: destroy his enemy Hotax, and in return he would destroy Bortami, the one who betrayed me.

For background, we didn't have one Tehthu, but two. Tzra'zik and Hotax. Idaoclesian dreamers had it rough... we found ourselves on a perpetual turf war between gods, Ancient Ones, darkmares, planeswalkers, and anything else you could imagine. Hotax was a leader of the Hotaii, our division of darkmares who never interacted with dreamers. They came, they collapsed and got collapsed, and they left. Hotax was the most ruthless, the most violent. Tzra'zik was different, he was smart, calculating, and knew how to exploit weaknesses beyond a simple claw or chakram.

Together we set a plan, a pretty simple plan... take a bomb into Hotax's lair deep on the edge between the Rifts and the Dark Awakening and blow the bastard to smithereens. Few knew of our plan beyond a few brave souls willing to lend their ingenuity toward the crafting of a bomb. It was easy to enlist dreamers to help destroy Hotax, and none knew I was working alongside Tzra'zik save one, Shae. She didn't approve, but she knew I needed a cause... and this was better than others I could be pursuing.

With Tzra'zik's help, I found this lair. I planted the bomb, and activated it, but as I turned to leave, Hotax was waiting. He knew!. Needless to say, after a brief struggle I was collapsed, and purged to the Path of Madness in Threshold Caves. But upon my landing, I heard the boom. Felt it resonate outward in a rush from deeper inside the Caves. The bomb set off. Had Hotax been destroyed?

Many came to me. Restored my coherence and we waited, our senses honed toward tracking any movement from Hotax. We felt him coming. Five rooms over, four, three, two, then one. He entered. He looked a mess, a claw hanging haggard from a mangled bone. His robes ripped more than usually, his maw, forever twisted into a scowl looked more fearsome without his lower jaw. He lunged with a bone-rattling roar.

Tzra'zik emerged at the last instance, and the two fought, and Hotax was pushed back. But when the sounds of chakram fire and clawing ceased, Tzra'zik approached me, and in dreamer's tongue told me 'Well Done.' The secret was out, I had no choice but to embrace it, but not before Tzra'zik turned to Bortami, held up a claw that still dripped of Hotax blood and snarled at Bortami, "Next."

~Cuero/Sevlen

Em'et and the Apparatus

by Em'et

My first experiment with the Apparatus was a very long time ago, when I was first sphere. I decided I wanted to create a Prime Artifact for the Valley, as I wanted to open that house for myself. So I came to the conclusion that I needed something to work with.

The Apparatus seemed so perfect. No one had touched it in ages, and the tools were ready; I had a patron who was willing to lend me the tools. So I decided to take my first jump into the waters of the Apparatus, after studying the tools and Augh Essul, (their previous owner and creator) for quite some time.

For my first experiment, I decided I would try something I thought would be rather simple. I found a level zero FateSender chakram, and decided I wanted to try and raise the power of the chakram to my level of FateSender, 19. The attempt was a disaster; the chakram exploded in my face. My next attempt wasn't much better, but I needed to do something good. I had to be sure that the chakram I was using would not detonate, because my patron was threatening to take away my access to the tools. I needed a success. So I tried again; and again I was met with failure. However, I managed to pull the experiment off safely. My patron was pleased, so I was given a green light to continue.

I decided I was tired of toying around, and moved straight on to the Prime Artifact. What a mistake that was. My first attempt was an utter failure. The Unformed Talisman I worked with exploded in my face, and my avatar was completely torn asunder. I had no form to return to. Some friends of mine worked together, and I was soon healed. Not long after I had my body restored, the Teacher Hoyt sought me out. The many pieces of his broken Master halo had been brought together, but they needed to be re-forged. Eager for success, I took the job.

It was my first perfect forging. All went without a hitch, and Hoyt was restored to his position as Master Teacher of Will. I was very pleased with the result, as was he. My experiments flew by, after that point.

The re-forging of Master Teacher Hoyt's halo was really the turning point of my career as forger. I began to see how things work, and how I could make them work. I next attempted to create a Paralyze Alteror. This was along the path I had desired to take since learning Paralyze; I am working my way toward creating a Paralyze chakram. My first attempt at creating a Paralyze alteror was met without success, though I did not give in. The elements just didn't seem to want to work together that dream. I made another attempt, a few days later, and was met with success, after the introduction of a new element.

Since then, I've moved on, and have begun the plans for a Paralyze Charm. This was my latest introduction to the City. My experiment with the Paralyze Charm went smoothly; The creation was completely successful, first try. This was my second perfect forging.

Perhaps my greatest feat with the Apparatus, however, was not the creation of any simple talisman. I decided that I wanted to further my control of the Apparatus. The two tools of Augh Essul that I had weren't enough; I decided to create my own tool; my own legacy. I began this undertaking with much planning and work, and it took me several experiments to accomplish. But when I was done, I completed the Moderator; a tool which would help me safely conduct experiments with the Apparatus.

Since then my experiments have become safer; nothing is ever truly safe, but there have been less explosions, less blinding, less loss. I have forged a second tool of my own called the Mind Net, which greatly expands what can be done with the Apparatus.

With the Mind Net, I am able to control what happens in areas that the Apparatus is connected to, even if I am not present myself. It was through this Mind Net that I worked with Pamelar to create an Unformed Talisman font in Threshold Pits; these talisman are now known as Elemental Masses.

Working with Pam had opened my eyes to new perspectives; I needed a partner in my works. So I took Pam on as an apprentice for working with the Apparatus. The methods are a closely kept secret between the two of us. I taught her all I know about the Apparatus, and she helped me learn new things about it I had not yet discovered. Though she has less practical experience with the Apparatus, I trust her using the tools as much as I trust myself.

Manifestations

by Em'et

The Manifestations were released in the Idoaclesian City through unknown actions on Mt. Illapse. A week before the Manifestation "Crae'tor Talis" was ever seen, a large "Body" of darkness was seen escaping Illapse Stronghold.

Not long after, Crae'tor Talis appeared. A "manifestation" of the darkness in the element of Insight. He claimed his purpose, and that of the Manifestations, was to balance the Dream between Light and Darkness, and that the Dream had fallen into favor with Light instead of Dark. He alluded to the actions of a past group of Dreamers called the "Lightbringers." These Dreamers, according to Crae'tor, worked with the Manifestations and later betrayed them, locking up each of the four Manifestations and then the larger body of darkness.

Crae'tor made claims that the Manifestations were eternal, that they always had been in the City, and always would be, though how much of this claim is true is not known. Through circumstances unknown to me (though it seems evident that Dreamers helped the manifestations) the second Manifestation was released from her prison, Nysis Awara. This Manifestation followed the element of Lucidity, and spoke very little. She sniffed dreamers, and seemed to follow Crae'tor directives.

Crae'tor advertised the idea that the Manifestations were all one entity -- what one thought, the other thought, and that they simply had separate bodies, not separate minds. But again I would stress that what is known of them comes only from their words; little of this ability was demonstrated.

The beginnings of the faction known as The Dream Walkers seem to be involved with the Manifestations, making some sort of deal in the release of the third manifestation, Glut'ton Plox, in the element of Will. This Manifestation was an orator for the now trio of free beings, the most frequently seen, and most frequently available to speak about the mission of the Manifestations.

Throughout this time, areas of the Dream were growing dark. The Manifestations were spreading a blackness across the Idoaclesian City in various areas, what they called "unbalanced shadows" of their true power; when they were fully awakened, they claimed that they could balance those shadows to create a balance between light and dark, an intermediate shade instead of the absolute blackness they spread at that time.

The Emergence Academy fought against these shadows, believing them to be harming the Dream. Notably, Shae and Angele worked together against the Manifestations -- And Angele went as far as to design and create the Tower of Light, with help from her Emergent allies, inside the Basin Stronghold, in order to destroy the Shadows, and perhaps destroy the Manifestations themselves.

There were many battles between Dreamers and Manifestations, though no clear victor ever emerged. Most of the time, it was the Emergence Academy against the Manifestations, though occasionally other parties involved themselves.

After some time, the Manifestations worked with Dreamers again (probably the Dream Walkers, but this is speculation on my part; history is unclear) to release the fourth and final Manifestation, Ser'en Ires, the embodyment of Resilience. After this one was released, the Manifestations had acquired enough of their old strength to balance what darkness they had placed, and did so all across Mt. Illapse. Small, white circles of energy -- appearing as if white halos -- could be found in shadowy areas on the Mt, showing where the pure Darkness used to be.

The Dream Walkers, having released each of the Manifestations, then placed each Manifestation inside one of the four main power conduits of their generator room. There is some controversy over whether or not the Manifestations volunteered this service -- the Dream Walkers claimed that they went willingly, and the Guardians of the Flame claimed that the Manifestations were betrayed, and imprisoned against their will.

When the Manifestations went into the generator, their old home -- Illapse Stronghold -- exploded. The entire Stronghold was ruined, inaccessible. Not even the facade survived.

After some time, and attempts to speak to the Manifestations, Eros (ruler of the Guardians of the Flame) and a few others managed to enter the void to speak to the Manifestations. Eros' account of this describes Crae'tor giving him secret instructions, codes for their release from the generator room. A week or so after this incident, the Guardians came in force to the Dream Walkers house, and attempted to free the Manifestations -- in Bortami's haste to get things done before interruption, he poured a bucket of lava over the control panel.

This caused the Temple of the Dream Walkers to literally fly, and it founded itself atop Mt. Illapse, where Illapse Stronghold once stood. It also released (or killed?) the manifestations. We are not certain of their true fate, but their implements seem to have been dropped -- Crae'tor's staff, in particular, which he used to cause Darkness throughout the Dream, was recovered as an artifact of the move. Nysis' Book of Darkness was also recovered, and two unknown artifacts of the other two manifestations.

It also became clear that when the house lifted and moved, it's connection to the Palisades was damaged. Vagabond, former Ruler of the Dream Walkers, was on a mission in the Palisades at the time. His Soul essence was recovered, demonstrating one of two things: He had died in the Palisades with the lift off of the Temple, OR while in the Palisades he had learned Dreamstrike and thus had his Soul Essence removed to house the art.

That second option becomes less and less likely, as time passes. He has not been seen since then, and it is widely believed that he is deceased.

My personal belief about the Manifestations is that they were released and crippled. Perhaps the "larger body of darkness" exists out there still, but the Manifestations who represented it are destroyed. That seems most likely; the body is probably hiding itself, having been betrayed by Dreamers after trusting them twice -- first with the Lightbringers, and then again with the dreamers of Idoaclese.

~~Em'et Etormkim, on Idoaclesian Histories