#crystalspine forests

[void-lore]

I do not remember the time when the behemoths of old wandered the Void. Some do. Some remember. Moretta, who prowls the border lands. Salis, deep inside the first crystalspine forest, residing now among their shattered remains. The Collectors surely remember when the behemoths walked the Void- they probably remember the Void before the behemoths as well.

What I know is that the Void used to be much bigger than it is now, infinite expanses of nothing, populated with eight crystal behemoths, or sometimes twelve, or seven. I have heard that you could not see one side of them while looking at the other. I have heard entire cities could have been built in a single eye socket, and that Ravener’s Ridge, the towering mountains that sometimes split the Void in two, is what remains of the tenth behemoth’s spine, and that the leviathan seas at the eastern edge formed from their footprints in soft soil.

I used to wonder how anything so large could survive, what it ate, how it moved without collapsing on itself, but I think the Void was a less savage place in their time. Not pleasant, not kind, but not as hungry. Not as vicious. I cannot help but wonder if they existed because of that fact, or if it was like that because they existed. I suspect it was the latter.

I am told the Void was not divided back then, not shattered and shifting, not splintered at its core. That the behemoths were able to wander infinity in slow, lumbering strides, and that communities of all sorts formed and fell below them, between one step and the next. They did not consume or create anything, but consumption and creation followed in their wake. Moretta says that when the constructs brought the behemoths to the ground, creation ceased and the Void began to consume itself. I asked her, once, how something infinite could become smaller. I will spare you the answer.

One of the Collectors will speak of the behemoth’s return, for the right price. I should not have paid it, but I needed the information. It told me that the behemoths that wander the crystalspines now will never stop growing. That, if the Void can contain the constructs within the fifth forest, behemoths will once again freely travel the Void. It told me not to hold my breath, as if it mattered whether I did, because the Unraveller would not allow this to pass, that he would find a way to outwit the Void and release his creations once again.

A long time ago, I would not have believed the Collector, but I have seen the small constructs now. I have witnessed a loop gate snare a void beast. I have seen the rotting corpses of leviathan dragged to the shore of their seas.

The behemoths were his first. They will not be his last.

[kedreeva]

How many gods are there out there? Are they immortal?

Of these type, there were three in your world, now just this one. The total number in their home is variable depending on which direction you enter a crystalspine forest from, and what time you are attached to, and where the forest currently is, and which one you are entering, as well as a few other variables. They always exist, which is not quite the same as being immortal.

[rainbowbeast-fr]

25 Unique Fish Dishes (for fish-eating dragons)

This is a portion of a descriptive list I’ve put together for myself for roleplay purposes, lore blurbs, etc. The original intent was to have a d100 list, but I ran out of steam pretty early on, haha. Thought I’d share it, just in case it proves helpful for anyone else! 

 Aether Gumbo: An iconic and heavily seasoned soup dish from the Crystalspine Reaches, it incorporates aether hermits, a type of magical crab native to Arcane waters, alongside a dark roux and a slew of herbs and vegetables. The arcane nature of the meat causes the gumbo itself to sparkle and shimmer. 

Harpy’s Roost Maeun-tang: This Wind Flight specialty is a spicy fish stew, utilizing anchovy broth, sea bass, and red chili pepper paste, alongside a wide variety of spices and vegetables, to create a soup that packs quite the punch! Servers will often allow customers to choose which fish will be cooked from a well-stocked aquarium.

Tiger Shrimp Bruschetta: This appetizer, consisting of freshly grilled bread with diced tomatoes, basil pesto, immaculately cooked tiger shrimp, and fresh mozzarella, is served at only the fanciest business parties in the Shifting Expanse, and is sure to please any Tempest Spire CEO. Now get back to work! 

Steamed Royals With Garlic Sauce: Royal oysters, hunted like truffles by trained amberwing waveskimmers, can turn quite the profit; not only are their pearls worth quite a bit, but when steamed and drizzled with a nice, buttery garlic sauce, they make for an excellent-- and pricey-- meal.

Popcorn Megashrimp: Popcorn megashrimp, made from skittering megashrimp breaded, fried in oil, and peppered with cajun seasoning, are perfect for those rare occasions during which the Colonel’s XXL popcorn shrimp buckets are simply not enough. 

Boston’s Devilsnap Chowder: Said to be a recipe originating from a dinner guest of the Lightweaver herself (perhaps even pilfered from her royal kitchens), this creamy chowder uses devilsnap clams, bacon bits, and a variety of veggies, alongside milk and flour (as a thickener) to create a meal that’s both filling and delicious. 

Nebula Float: Often served in a tall glass and garnished with a cherry, this drink consists primarily of a soft drink such as root beer or cream soda, and is topped with a nebula floater, a particularly sweet type of jellyfish. Especially popular on hot days in southern Sornieth. 

Emperor Roll: Named for one of the most fearsome beasts known to dragonkind, this delectable sushi roll calls for battered tempura shrimp, avocado, cream cheese, and spicy mayo. A plate of these is sure to keep any fish-eating dragon happy!

Angelspine Hors D’oeuvres: A small, savory delicacy consisting of raw, lightly seasoned angelspine meat, or uni. It has the texture and consistency of a firm custard, and is often served on platters at high-profile gatherings and dinner parties, where the urchin’s own golden quills are used in lieu of toothpicks. 

Sand Sucker Jelly: A seasonal treat from the Sunbeam Ruins and Shifting Expanse, these leeches only come to the surface during annual floods, after which many are caught, ground up, and fried into a savory paste. Often spread on toast or crackers for a quick (and tasty) snack. 

Tetra Tetrazzini: Diced ruby tetras imported from the Gladeveins, when tossed with forest mushrooms in a buttery cream sauce and splashed with a bit of sherry, make a fantastic topping for any pasta dinner. Top with almonds, fried onions, or breadcrumbs to really impress your date.

Drunken Scarlets: When not cracked over coatl tummies and eaten raw, scarlet mussels can be cooked in a flavorful white wine sauce for a quick and crowd-pleasing meal. Serve with a lemon wedge and grilled bread for extra class! 

Hand-Tossed Anchovy Pizza: Regardless of what other flights might say, nobody does pizza better than the dedicated chefs at the Emberglow Hearth. What could possibly be more delicious than a pizza with hand-tossed dough and freshly made sauce, cooked on an all-natural open hearth furnace? Adding anchovies fresh from the Blacksand Annex, of course. 

Star-On-A-Stick: A popular street food in coastal Fire Flight cities, vendors sell these deep fried starfish by the dozen on busy days. The crispy, oily exterior and soft, meaty interior are definitely an acquired taste if you’re not from the area. 

Fallen Star Soufflé: A savory soufflé made from whipped egg whites, white wine, roasted red peppers, and meat from the fallen star starfish, alongside other ingredients. The rarity of the fallen star, compounded by the difficulty of preparation, makes this quite the expensive treat. 

Tidelord’s Fingers: This traditional summer food from the Sea of a Thousand Currents is made from whitefish, which is battered and then deep-fried. While certainly not very healthy, they’re the favored snacks of many water-dwelling dragons. 

Snakehead Ehomaki: A maki sushi delicacy often eaten by Wind dragons at the start of spring. Though this recipe calls for a wide variety of potential ingredients, one should traditionally only fill the roll with seven. The golden snakehead eel is the central ingredient of this ehomaki. It’s considered especially good luck to eat this dish facing the year’s lucky direction. 

Ragesquid Calamari: Fried ragesquid is a staple of seafood restaurants all across Sornieth. However, their natural purple coloring oftentimes doesn’t survive the battering and frying process-- so chefs often use dye to give the calamari its distinctive purple color. 

Steppes Rangoon: These appetizers are a staple of Wind cuisine restaurants, despite not actually having originated from the wind flight. They consist of crab meat, cream cheese, and seasoning, which are then wrapped in a wonton wrapper and either fried or baked. 

Pickled Vampires: A favored snack from the Scarred Wasteland, plaguelings will often kill and ferment recently-fed wetland vampires, a type of leech, in a salty brine. They make for a satisfying, if bloody, treat. Non-plague dragons are noticeably less fond of these. 

Luminescent Caviar: Also referred to as “Glow Roe”, this food is scavenged or farmed from the bioluminescent fish native to the Tangled Woods. Though they’re not quite as flavorful as regular caviar, their aesthetic appeal ensures that this dish is just as, if not more, expensive. 

Black ‘n’ White Crab Cakes: Named partially for the Blacksand Annex and partially for the White Reaches crabs native to it, these pan-fried delicacies are served hot and are a favorite of many coatls. Add ashfall prickler hot sauce for an extra kick! 

Mirrorlight Anchoïade: This dip, at one time, was quite popular in the Sunbeam Ruins, though it’s since fallen out of style in favor of olive tapenade. It consists of filleted anchovies, olive oil, garlic, and white wine vinegar, alongside hints of lemon juice and other seasonings, and it makes for an excellent (though quite smelly) snack when paired with veggies or bread. 

Dumpling Squid Dumplings: A delectable treat consisting of ground dumpling squid and vegetable filling, wrapped in a thin dough, sealed, and then steamed. They’re especially delightful with a tangy sauce. Also referred to as jiaozi.

Glowstar Special: Because the Glow Star loses its luminescence the moment it leaves the water, this savory dish, consisting of smoked, seasoned starfish and kelp noodles, is prepared and served entirely underwater. This task becomes significantly more difficult when one is not in the Water Flight. 

[the-chattering-tower]

I’ll focus on tabs and lair expansions after the fest, but in the span of a week or so I got not one but two (2) new subclans, so here’s what we’re looking at right now:

The Chattering Tower

main clan

situated in Arcane on the edge of Starwood Strand, where the forest doesn’t yet cover the sky and the spires from the Crystalspine Reaches still jut through the land

Mostly a vertical town built on and into said gigantic spires, with rooms and corridors carved into the crystal, terraces attached on the side and numerous bridges connecting the different spires. A few homes are built around the base of the spires, for those who can’t or just don’t wish to participate in the vertical life

Houses living quarters, shops, workshops and even gardens to some extent

Gets its name from the countless flower pots, trinkets and thingamabobs clattering against the spires in the wind.

The Library (still needs a Cool Adjective)

in-lore place for flight reps

Situated a short walk from the Tower in the properly forested part of the Starwood Strand

Houses scholars and their students, as well as anyone who wishes to learn or is simply seeking shelter

Opens its gates once a month during the elemental festival to allow its residents to reuinite with their loved ones from Outside. No one’s obligated to stay or leave, and no harm will come to you as long as you don’t intend to harm others either

Leaving gifts for those inside in the Library’s garden while the Library is closed will result in the gifts disappearing the moment no one is watching them, and being mysteriously delivered to who they were meant for inside

The Library loves all its precious, curious children and doesn’t wish to resume its slumber anymore

Lovely Little Beach Town That Needs A Name

situated on the shore of ??? flight territory (Earth, or maybe Light? Not sure yet)

The whole thing came to be bc I needed to put Lyra and Penny somewhere, and they have such a nice, beach-y vibe, and now combine that with the inspiration from @golden-lionsnake‘s Wonderful Pile Of Beach Children and you’ve got me making a small vacation town by the beach

Goddamn I really need to get down to concept arting these places. The town is built on a lovely little beach nestled into this crescent of rock that runs into the water, making the town only accessible by flight, the tunnels weaving through the rock, or very tedious hiking. The locals do their best to make the tunnels a safe and pleasant place to travel through

Some of the town is built on stilts, and curves around the bay formed by the rock walls, creating a safe place to swim on the inside and solid docks for boats to land on the outside. Buildings here are mainly shops, specialising in trading for the freshest catch and supplying anyone heading out to sea with anything they might (or might not) need

The town lives almost entirelly off of tourism (they’re not exactly a Huge Well-Known Place, but they always have people coming there on vacation) and trading with seafarers who stop by every once in a while

Funky Travelling Circus That Also Needs A Name

Trickmurk Circus Why

Your typical loud, colourful and all-around eye-catching and curious circus, travelling mainly in the crescent of Shadow/Light/Lightning territory, with a few occasional stops in Fire, Water and Earth

The way they travel makes no sense to the naked eye (or even to the clothed eye), because someone on the team knows how to create temporary folds in time and space, allowing the whole caravan to cover entire flight territories in hours and pop up in Wispwillow Grove a mere two days after providing refreshing entertainment to the tired workers of the Lightning Farm

*slaps roof of circus* this baby can fit so much found family feels into it!

Idk much else about them yet tbh bc they’re my newest subclan and all I have so far is a ringmaster and possibly an arcobat

[avalonianrising]

Okay! Some SFW Agravain stuff, now that my fingers aren’t going to fall off.

Inspired by this...crazy-ass dream I had this morning, that I couldn’t get out of my head all day (my dreams, as I’ve stated before, are very very very vivid). Arthurian themed dreams have been following me around since I was a kid (hence my nickname), so I couldn’t...really ignore this guy. I just couldn’t. Anywho! Going under the cut to save room, and for some slightly sensitive topics!

Agravain

Named for Sir Agravain, from Arthurian legend (as I’m sure you’ve noticed, all the Paragon Foundation members are named after literary characters). He was kind of a...like, a conundrum, I think I put it earlier. Sometimes, does heroic stuff--”a fine knight,” but also “arrogant, and full of evil words.” Always found him wildly fascinating, and man, did this dude in the dream remind me of him.

Part of a treasured three-knight group who protected their land and its people fiercely. Highly skilled, highly trained, living in a castle among the Focal Point--to properly watch over the land. Was desperately in love with the head knight, who was already mated to his second in command. Bitterly jealous, but suppressed it out of true love and respect for their friendship and company.

Sent out on a mission one day to look into a clan who had begun talking about terrible ‘shadows’ that were starting to abduct people left and right. This would be around the forests around the Crystalspine Reaches (always imagined them much thicker than they seem on the map!), so it put everyones’ minds at ease to send them in to take care of it.

When they got to the clan, it was gone. Like, no one was left--so they set off to a nearby (but fairly well-hidden) valley to investigate. Found an insane amount of what would amount to wights there--and they were spotted almost immediately.

The attacks only stopped when they saw someone running toward them. The wights stopped, but the second in command was already dead on the ground. The man who had approached was a necromancer, who explained that these wights had been the members of another neighboring village--and that he’d been acting as a ‘shepherd’ to them in their unlife, in some odd attempt to give them another chance. Agravain and his beloved leader were too shell shocked to even begin to ask questions.

But the knight did blurt out for him to bring his mate back. Agravain protested--heavily--knowing just what would happen, but he was too upset to see reason. Demanded the necromancer do what he was told, or he was to die where he stood. His wish was granted, and he naively believed that he could handle what was to come.

Now a wight, the second in command was incredibly hard to manage, and had to be tied up to be handled. Still coddled, and spoken softly to, in hopes that some part of him was there. He was not, and Agravain knew he never would be again.

After seeing something he shouldn’t have (and knowing, then, that his leader would never look at him as he did his mate), he took it upon himself to free the poor creature from his suffering. Just before first light, he took the snarling (and now very decayed) man to the cliffside near their camp: and tossed him over.

Needless to say, the head knight (whose mind was now in ruins) was livid. Instantly attacked Agravain--a knock-down-drag-out fight that the necromancer barely managed to break up. The second in command was still partially mobile at the river’s edge, now dragging his upper half feebly across the rocks. The necromancer finally put an end to his suffering, despite the protests, laying the man to rest in the river’s current.

Agravain, trying (and failing) to grasp the reality of the situation, asked what they should do now. (Theoretically, they needed to bring the necromancer back to the palace to account for his crimes.) But he hadn’t noticed him walking back up to the cliff’s edge. It only took a moment, and he was gone beneath the waves.

In his grief, the Guardian struck down the necromancer, which immediately caused the wights that had been lurking about to fall with their master. It took him ages to make it back home--and when he did, he was immediately taken in for questioning. Detailed questioning.

Was found to be a ‘failure,’ and a ‘traitor.’ Stripped of his knighthood, and set to be hung in the morning, he escaped the prisons that night. Slayed everyone in his way, disappearing into the dark.

No one’s really sure how, or why he made his way to the Paragon Foundation. Is still wanted, with a high bounty, but doesn’t seem to care anything about it. Only a select few could probably recognize him anyways--aged a lot from the stress of the situation (with some of his hair going snow white, despite his relatively young age).

[isidoro-rising]

Was doing some world building for my clan and decided to show some ‘notes’ my tinkerer dragon, Ruth, would have made  for the transportation  method between huge parts of the clan. Since there’s a mix of territory in the forests, and the mountains of the Crystalspine Reaches. Since not all of the dragons in the clan are able to reliably reach all locations, Ruth created two tele-portals. There’s a magic circle at the base where the dragon stands (the symbol is ‘Pillar’ for stability which also creates the symbol for ‘time’ and time on it’s side which in my headcanon as ‘space’.) The dragon channels their  magic and the mirror/portal  changes colour depending on their flight.

[shardclan]

Lutia paused at the height of the Reedcleft Ascent, and lowered her hood.

The air smelled of bamboo and starwood and stray floes from the frigid southern sea. From up there, she could see Starwind Bay and the vast maelstrom Tunannu, whose power was matched only by the Vortex itself. The air was full with the sounds of both--one a howling song in the clouds and the other a crashing roar from below the waves.

The borderland stretched out at the bottom of the Ascent. The open fields characteristic of the Windswept plateau gave way from reedy grasses to a vast field of starfall blossoms. If local energies popped just right, one would go up like a firecracker, leaving a spattering of pink crystal and a faint stink of ozone behind. Beyond the field, the Starwood Strand stretched east to west, beautiful and glittering. Even from so high up, it looked like it went on forever. Point Crystal Port was like a tiny bastion at the northwest corner of the mainland, seeking refuge from the fickle forest by reaching out into the sea.

Beyond the starwoods, the Crystalspine Reach curved in a protective semi-circle that reached toward the Focal Point. In the cold and dark seasons, the waters were low. Rising and reforming glaciers in the south meant that long lost shores appeared as sandbars allowing safe passage between the many islands. Where the waters were deepest, sometimes the roofing of ancient structures appeared. They were remnants from when the area was still the Northern Icefield, covered in salt and slime and seaweed.

Hatchlings were warned away from them, and even the Arcanites with the biggest and brightest stars in their eyes were wary of investigating. There were things in those deep waters that predated the Icewarden--that maybe even predated the First Four. Creatures once trapped by the northern glaciers might be free and waiting. At the very least, anything alive down there had fed on the strange energies of the Arcanist for centuries now and who knew what forms or powers they might have.

But such secret paths were likely already hidden. Soon Greenskeeper's would pass and the bright seasons would be fully underway. The Icewarden would be weakened by the rising elemental power of the southeastern deities and all through the times of Brightshine, Thundercrack, and Flameforger's, the western sea level would rise. The waters would not lower again until well after the next Riot.

A chill breeze blew at Lutia's back. It couldn't permeate her thick tundra coat, but she shuddered none the less. Heavy tears dripped down her snout and she knelt to give her tumultuous feelings the time to pass.

In spite of how hard she had tried to steel herself, she hadn't been home in four eons and the memory of her lost life was in everything the saw and felt and smelled. Her entire childhood had been spent on those sandbars and in lesser starwood forests at the base of the crystalspines. She had been there from the start, and seen the clan grow and climb all the way to the heights of the Observatory. And much like their reigning deity, they had climbed up to the very top only to be blasted back into the dirt.

Only instead of the Shade, Lutia was the calamity they had released onto themselves.

She wiped her tears, and faced the present. Far west in the southern stretches of the Crystalspines, the Chalcedony Seat was waiting. Here, on the edge of her homeland, she could feel it thrumming in the leylines like an alien heartbeat. She had activated it in rage and left it sorrow, and she prayed the damage wasn't too great.

[tiguidou-rising-archive]

Birthday WishRising

So I’ve been seeing this posts crop up every now and then and BF told me I should put one up and a good friend confirmed it afterwards too... Soooo why not? My birthday is on January 24th, so just about 2 weeks from the moment I post this

Under the cut cause when I start making lists I tend to go overboard (I’m sorry mobile users)

Hoarding Habits Everything in this guy’s bio. There’s a bit, he might take a bit to load. 

Familiars Anything not in my Bestiary. I compiled a list here, sorted alphabetically and color coded.

Apparel Silks, in Celadon, Crimson, Golden, Night Sky or Soft Pink. Wolf Capes Barbarian. Brutal, Furious or Ruthless gladiator pieces Cats, Birds, Pixies Skeletal Chimes, Will o’ the Embers, Leafy Gladeboughs Cobwebs, all colors except blue New NotN apparel The I can dream List: Boneyard Tatters, Metallurgist Forgetools, Electrician Powerpack, Windbound Plumage

Genes Bogsneak, Coatl, Ridgeback, Skydancer, Snapper, Spiral, Wildclaw Bar, Cherub, Metallic, Petals, Poison, Skink Alloy, Butterfly, Hex, Toxin Contour, Glimmer, Runes

Skins and Accents

User made Grand Eyeconic Runes - Imperial Male Pink Lace Bouquet - Coatl Female Imperial Rogue - Wildclaw Male Arcane Infusion - Imperial Male Thrall of Shadow - Skydancer Female Autumn Rebirth - Wildclaw Male Lightning Supernova - Imperial Female Scare Tactics - Mirror Female Mother of Monsters - Pearlcatcher Female Peacock Dream - Imperial Male Hunger - Guardian Female Little Pink Flowers - Tundra Female Raptorik Shaman - Skydancer Female Dysphoria - Ridgeback Female Zephyr Shaman - Wildclaw Male Kagyua Coatl F - Coatl Female African Breeze - Skydancer Female Forest Finch - Imperial Female

And a whole bunch of other ones I forgot to write down that I will probably end up adding at some point.

Festival Coldsnap - Snapper Female Faerie Lights - Fae Female KingSunglass - Pearlcatcher Male Glowing Methane - Snapper Female Crystalspined - Fae Male Other Monies (treasure and gems), for gene projects and lair expansions! -whispers: every little bit counts- Art is the greatest gift in the world!!!! Most of my dragons have gijinka forms but 3 have feral forms Aoloa, Berend(not designed yet) and Dvarapala.  Lair Reviews, I don’t think I’ve ever had one and it would be nice to know what others think of my dragons. Even if my lair is all over the place right now… I should fix that. Vistas! These are the ones I own, its not very many. Just happy birthday wishes really. It’s nice to know there’s someone out there that cares enough to drop a message. I think that’s everything. I might add things if I think of anything else.

[void-lore]

Deep in the fifth Crystalspine Forest, travelers may find the Constructs. 

They are smaller than the behemoths of the other forests, but this makes them no less deadly. Powered by unspeakable means, the Constructs shamble on metal-and-glass legs through the crystallized ribs and spines and long bones of their flesh bearing ancestors. In their glass chests burn cores the colors of a dying sunset or a fresh cut lawn. Those who are very unlucky may find themselves hunted by the two whose cores burn black. They will not ask questions. They do not know the term mercy.

A clever human might ask who made the Constructs, and the answer, for once, is simple- the Unraveller. A crafter, tinkerer, hunstman; he seeks to dismantle the Void, to control it or consume it, to make it his or to tear it to pieces. What does Void dissolve into, when it is gone?

If stories may be believed, it was the Constructs that burned down the real forests that used to stand where the Crystalspines now lie. It was the Constructs that brought the ancestral behemoths to the ground and laid their bones clean to the suffusion of light that permeates the Void. Only the Void itself, contracting on the raw nerves the Constructs had exposed, was able to contain them, and only at great cost.

Now the Constructs are confined to the fifth forest, trapped there by the ever-shifting boundaries of the Void. Make no mistake- they are waiting. They travel tirelessly through the forest looking for the edge, seeking to return to the being they still call master and consuming everything in their paths.

Thankfully, the Constructs do not know that the Unraveller has abandoned them to their endless fate. When they eventually escape, they will realize it.

What does Void dissolve into when it is gone?

Someday, the Constructs will find out.

[void-lore]

Further into the Void, or further out of it, are the Crystalspine forests. Depending on where you reach them from, there are eight of them, seven on nights a new moon would shine if it existed there. Twelve if you are unlucky. Mostly there are eight, and no one counts, just to be sure.

Some say that the Crystalspine forests are proof that the Void is collapsing in on itself. They say that it is endless and infinite and dying. They say that the Void was bigger, once - if such a thing may be said of a place which would dizzy an ouroboros - and that it was once filled with creatures so immense as to be unfathomable. The Crystalspine forests are what is left of them, the faceted, shimmering bones of denizens long gone.

They are not as long gone as some would have you believe, but it takes time to grow to that size. The behemoths which wander those forests are their descendants, a hatch from so long ago in the future that none left remember their advent.

They are made of the same crystal as their forests, their legs so similar to the trunks they walk amongst that they are often mistaken as inanimate when they fall still. In each of their bellies twists a burning core, a small sun- this is where the light in the forests comes from. Stick to the shadows, for once. The cores will burn blue or purple, except in the fifth forest- their cores are orange or green or sometimes black, if they were built instead of born. Avoid those ones. It’s better you do not know why.

Do not look up while in any of their forests, or you will find a maw full of obsidian-shard teeth stretching down, surrounded by ten thousand jaundiced eyes, all fixed upon you. It is too late then. Do not run- there is nowhere to go. Do not look away. Do not blink.

Answer its questions. As long as the eyes are yellow you will be ok. Red is dead. Void-black is worse. If you answer wrong, you will know it by the eyes. You will know it briefly, anyway.

[void-lore]

From their shore, the mirror flats look very much like an endless expanse of clear, perfectly-calm water, reflecting the space above flawlessly. For those who rely on vision to navigate, the effect quickly becomes disorienting, the world above and below exactly the same. This disorientation is the easiest way to reach the underneath, if you seek to go there, and the easiest way to be lost to the underneath, if not.

Almost nothing else exists within the mirror flats. Not landmarks nor structures, nor flora nor fauna. No water wells from the ground, and no wind stirs the air. not even debris, brought from other places, mars the mirror-like surface of the flats. The flats are not made of glass or metal, nor water or salt or any substance a human might recognize. It is said the flats could hold the weight of all of the behemoths of old, and yet the unwary traveler may slip through the surface.

Traveling the flats is a gamble at best, and a poor decision in any circumstance. Once you are out sight of the shore, any direction is as good as any other- it is surrounded completely by the mirror bog, where shards of the flats break off to travel the bog, sentient and hungry. You cannot follow them- the mirror bog may only be reached through the second crystalspine forest, after all. Any shore you might reach is random until you set foot upon it. Every shore you might reach takes seven days to travel to, if you reach a shore at all.

If the flats are kind, then you may encounter their only denizens. Twisters, small, coiling creatures with sail-like frills and no eyes, inhabit the air above the flats, watching over those who attempt to make a crossing. Once you have passed out of view of the shore, they may come to you, and you may request their assistance, their guidance, for the right offering. If you happen to have what they desire, they will lead you to the shore you need in exchange.

If you do not have what they desire, well. The flats are not necessarily kind to you.

[void-lore]

To one side of the second Crystalspine Forest lies the Mirror Bog. It is never the same side, but it is also never the north side, when north exists. You can only get to it from within the second Crystalspine Forest, which is fortunate, all things considered.  Do not wander the Mirror Bog. You only have so many steps. The number is different for everyone.

Unlike the bogs of your world, this one is not made of peat and sluggish water and biting insects. This bog is made of shards of reality, liquid and sharp and reflective, like a churning layer of crushed mirror. You may ignore the shadows you see pass beneath and through the bog’s surface- your own should not leave you to join them unless you have offended it.

The scraggly trees that reach gnarled hands to the sky have no substance- they are merely a reflection of something that has never existed. They will call you to them, soft songs that will sound like the gentle rattle of wind through summer leaves they never had. Do not touch them, and do not attempt to shelter under them. Their roots are hungry.

There is a way out, if you are careful enough to count your steps.

At the center of the bog lies a dock, attached to nothing and leading nowhere. If you manage to reach it before the whispers find you, climb onto it at the middle. Walk to the end, and step off. If you have chosen the correct end, you will find yourself on a small, wooden boat. Probably wooden. At any rate, it will take you out of the bog. This may or may not be a blessing, depending on where it takes you.

If you are incorrect... well. Perhaps you had best choose correctly.

[void-lore]

Along the north side of the Golden Plains, or what is usually the north, runs a river of molten rock and blue flame. What you find across the river is a toss up on any given day. The vast majority of the time, it leads to the Wastes, though sometimes it is the third Crystalspine forest or the edge of the Mirror Flats. Sometimes it is just the Golden Plains again, but from a different direction.

Should you want to cross the river, watch it before you try. Looks for the eddies that swirl the surface from time to time. Avoid those. Be aware that the surface flows faster than the underneath, but that the underneath will drag travelers to the bottom. It is not the current that does the dragging, but try not to worry too much about what else is down there. You will burn up long before you puzzle out what’s gotten hold of you.

[void-lore]

Do not try to find a map. There are no maps of the Void, or at least none which are accurate beyond the drawing of them. Nothing in the Void is ever in the same place for long. Maybe the core of it, if such a thing exists. It doesn’t, most days.

That is not to say a way cannot be found. Some places, some landmarks, are usually relative to others. The mirror flats bleed into the Crystalspine forests. The screaming rocks are always in the southern desert, even if the southern desert is not always in the south, even if south doesn’t usually exist. Traveling left in the howling wood will always lead to the golden plains. You’ll wish it didn’t, but there’s no way back- going right in the golden plains could lead anywhere.

No one travels the Void trying to get somewhere. You travel the Void until it arrives where you need to be, if you have managed to survive that long. A map won’t save you.