The Ruins of Nevermore

Once upon a time, a long time ago, before thought and life and while the earth itself was nothing but a primordial ball of plasma floating through space, there existed the Cosmic Source, floating through space, bringing color and life to all it touched. This Source, perhaps drawn to Earth for its inevitable destiny, settled into the primordial soil. There it stayed, civilizations long forgotten rising, and falling, around it. And from them, The First Pantheon was born, unearthing this artifact of infinite power and transcending to reality. Before the first modern human was born, these gods ascended, and created the dimensions that define them, and from this their Descendants.

The Black Palace
The Bloody Ballroom
The Mirrored Museum
The Iron Pit
The Ratway
The Weeping Ward
The Crystal Cavern
The Copper Coliseum
The Web of Will
The Azure Aviary
The Purple Plateau
The Valentine Vale
The Winged Halls

These are the Thirteen Realms, dimensions of infinite power and unlimited possibility, and the Ruins of Nevermore is where they touch Earth, where the Cosmic Source, now a part of every Descendant, fell in the first place. Since man could first walk and experience emotion, they have enjoyed the energy gathered in this place. The power of the Cosmic Source has stayed here, in some fashion, and even those unattuned to the spiritual powers of the universe have felt the difference. To many, it was the place to go to meditate and explore their spiritual side; to others, it was simply a beautiful, isolated area of a country too dedicated to the crowd to be isolated.

In reality, this is the only place on all of the Earth Realm where the Thirteen Gods can show themselves. Ancient treaties amongst each other prevent interfering and their dimensions are locked to most, save for at Nevermore. Here, some small fraction of their Realm maintains a connection to the place of its birth, and so it is here, many years ago, Blanche decided to make a permanent home. What, after all, could be a more fitting residence?



The Ruins of Nevermore is, perhaps, one of the most beautiful places in all of France, if not the world, helped along by the helpful energy of it’s provisioner. The land owned by Blanche and maintained as such is one hundred square miles on the Atlantic coastline, governing hills, beaches, multitudinous caves, and perhaps most importantly, The Courtyard. The biomes of Nevermore inspire certain emotions; the beach, for example, can cause those to indulge in vanity, or lust. The caves can cause them  to indulge in acts of recklessness or curiosity. Each biome reacts in different ways.

And each is a crown jewel in the collection of Mother Earth.

A mix of magic, natural beauty, and inherent reinforcement from the lingering energy of the Cosmic Source has rendered The Ruins of Nevermore to be nearly immune to natural degradation, looking the same now as they did millions of years ago, though admittedly more tame than the wilds of then. The combined efforts of its magical resilience, Blanche’s hard work, and it’s isolation has prevented it from suffering the effects of modernization. Natural mountain paths wind their way through the hills, unexplored cliffs and valleys dive far beneath the surface, and the crystal waters of the beach remain unspoiled by man. Only a very select few individuals are ever allowed within Nevermore

THE COURTYARD

At the very center of Nevermore lies the Courtyard, the physical and spiritual center of The Ruins of Nevermore. A section of flat land, some of the few in Nevermore, stretches to the hills to the north, the wood to the southwest, the craggy land and spire to the southeast, and the beach to the northeast, a total section of land about 100 miles  squared. Unlike the rest of the natural wonderland that is Nevermore, the Courtyard is paved, but it is quite unlike any paving seen by modern man. Made of rocks that glimmer with a thousand colors, each step sends dappled light scattering across the ground; the effect is even more pronounced for a Descendant, sending light scattering across the ground that shatters into a thousand different shades.

At the very center of the Courtyard is the Circle of Thrones, and is quite what one might think it is. Twenty-six thrones, arranged in thirteen sets of two in a circle, all face each other. They are all stone save for one, a curved violet armchair to the west of the center. Each throne has inscribed on the top a sigil, the one for the current Descendants. The Thrones are arranged around a hole, dug deep into the ground, deeper than the most powerful light can reach. But anyone can tell it is a source of great power, great energy. This energy has suffused the land, protecting it and preventing it from falling under the same degradation of most of the land around The Ruins of Nevermore.

Each one of these thrones changes depending on who touches it; it is different for every Descendant, even amongst the same Emotion, but it always reflects maximum comfort for that individual, shifting size and shape to fit their body perfectly. Though currently cold stone thrones emblazoned with the symbol of their Emotion, once a Descendant claims their place in Nevermore, it will change.

The Courtyard is semi-sentient; the magic it emits prevents it from being detected by any form of technology or magic; even walking through the gate, one will only find a stretch of empty wood, as if it exists in an alternate dimension. This protective power also extends to the buildings and features around Nevermore; though they can still be damaged by the force and magic of the Descendants, they will rapidly regenerate, broken trees and crumbling cliffs fading as if thousands of years of rot and erosion happened in an instant and new ones exist. The only exception to this are the Towers; they are invulnerable to all damage as long as the Descendant is living. The Courtyard reacts to the will of it’s Master, that being Blanche, and can even warp time around itself so years pass by in the blink of an eye.

Current Thrones: None

THE TOWERS

Towers is what the housing for the Descendants is called. 26 separate buildings, currently dilapidated, surround the perimeter of the Courtyard, broken up by the paths leading to the various Features. Abandoned long ago, filled with broken boxes, vestiges of furniture and the trappings of wealth, it will resume its former glory when a Throne is claimed. At that point, a Tower will spring to live, shaping itself to the perfect abode for that particular Descendant. Even the outside’s change, often making an odd collection of housing in this semicircle. Just as the thrones, the Towers take on the shape most appealing, and most fitting, for the Descendant, from a 4th century African hut to a post-modern smart house. It can be molded and shaped to the Descendant’s will even beyond this, though will always serve as their abode.

Towers are safehouses for the Descendant; it is where they are suffused with emotional energy, where peace and prosperity reign. To make it comfortable, the insides react to their needs; food will appear in the cupboards, alcohol (for the legal) and drinks they wish for in the cupboards and fridge. From the moment they touch the Throne, they share a psychic connection with the Tower; even from a distance, on the other side of the world, they can direct The Tower to prepare a meal for them, or make the bed. To them, it is the perfect abode, everything they wish for. It even has Wi-Fi!

All Towers may spawn a single portal to a place outside of Nevermore, though without the Master’s permission, non-Descendant souls still cannot enter. This portal takes the form of an old stone door which can appear at will, and will always open up through a doorway of the building of choice for the Descendent. Though they cannot enter, non-Descendants can see through the door into the Descendants Tower.

Current Towers: None

THE BEACH

Following the Northwestern Path will lead the curious to a pristine beach with white sands. Crabs crawl in tide pools, the ocean laps on the beach, leaving debris of seaweed and fish spawn. The beach is flawless, clean, yet the sand sparkles with pinks and silvers amid the golden-white. Each sparkle inspires thoughts of lust and vanity, the wish to indulge in the baser desires. Though subtle, it is ever present; never enough to be at the forefront of their mind, but inhibitions are lowered, self-esteem at an all-time high at The Beach. The beach extends to the fence line all the way through the to forest and is rimmed by cliffs, dotted with caves, through which the Northwestern Path cuts through.

THE CAVERN


The cliffs by the beachside are lined with holes, all of which lead into a cave system colloquially called “The Cavern”. Mysterious, ever-changing, and downright frightening, The Cavern holds the bones of Nevermore’s last ruler deep within its bowels. How far down no one knows, as The Cavern constantly shifts and twists its tunnels, making mapping impossible. Within the black rock of the walls glitters gemstones, yes, but also motes of yellow, black, and cyan. From the  moment of entering the Cavern, feelings of fear, of grief, and of hate flow over people, as if entering the domain of some terrible, horrible beast. These feelings persist until breathing free air again, only growing more terrible as one enters deeper into The Cavern.

THE WOOD

Through the Southwest Path lies The Wood, a darkly lit forest full of mysterious creatures from otherworlds. Deer prance about, unafraid of human presence, but so do fairies and elves, flitting like ghosts from flower to flower and tree to tree. The tracks of unknown creatures cross the ground, as if pacing, and the tell-tale burn marks of a dragon mark trees deep in the forest. Trees thicker than a grown man grow deep in the forest; ancient ones, they house spirits of terrifying and horrible power. Motes of green and violet flicker in The Wood, filling all those walking amongst their branches with empathy and kindness and the will to go on. No path exists through the deep woods, the Southwestern Path dissipating against the first tree, and only game paths present through the rest of The Wood.

THE HILLSIDE

To the north is The Hillside, the colloquial name for the rolling, uphill area beside The Mountain. Wild as wild can be, the few scraggy trees that permeate the area are covered in thick sap, bees the size of a grown man’s arm feeding from it. Creatures from history feed here, the leathery wings of some dinosaur flapping overhead. Traveling through The Hillside is dangerous; creatures infused with the power of the Cosmic Source live throughout the entirety of Nevermore, but it is here they are at their most dangerous. Creatures lost in time coming from The Mountain to feed and breed, massive insects capable of piercing steel and hide and flesh and bone make this their home. Motes of blue and red nonetheless flicker amidst the craggy land, inspiring those who come here to see more, with the foolhardy notion that it could not be dangerous.

THE SPIRE

A massive spire of rock and ice, The Spirestretches towards the sky. It is large enough to be noticed for miles around, and yet is unspoiled, its peak covered in the ice of centuries past. No footsteps or taint of human civilization lives here, only the monstrous creatures that call such territory home. Dozens of miles around, many creatures hide in The Spire’s many nooks and crannies. Cold and wind and ice lash every available surface, freezing what they touch with below-zero temperatures and turning everything into a precarious climb. But as dangerous as it is during the day, it is even more so during the night, when the creatures come out to hunt. Motes of bronze and white glitter amidst the snow, a beautiful irony of humor and life amidst all the death.



What is the purpose of Ruins of Nevermore?

Once upon a time, it was the castle of Shiwa Kodomo, known as The Nevermore King. But when he created his Eternal Manor, Nevermore rejected him, and has since waited to be claimed. Only recently did Blanche unlock its secrets, and now it awaits the first arrival of its new Master, to serve as the base to overthrow the Betrayer