World State December 2024

[labyrinmods]

• Visium World State •

Tracker Result: Negative

The magic is not enough. HIS magic is not enough. The whole of Visium practically feels like it's being torn apart, ripped at the seams and Vaeros finds himself at a loss. Promises given and laid out before him are falling apart, shredding in his fingers and dissolving before his eyes. His own contract, golden lettered and unforgettable... shatters. As he flies through the air, spending what magic he has in an attempt to still the wild magic and keep it in check, he watches the natives, his people, running through the city and begging for his help, begging for the Dreamers' help.

It just is not enough. For a moment, the darkness clouding his mind clears and he comes to one realization. It is not enough but—


Perhaps with a sacrifice.


With a solemn cry from the beak of the white owl, Vaeros pulls all of the magic he holds within himself and spins it to life, weaving a golden net that is cast over the most important parts of Visium—Somnius and his people. The net latches, catching the ground and sealing all natives and dreamers within its bubble.

Take this remaining shred of my power and continue to dream. Find the Truth. I am sorry.

The bird screeches again and as it swoops through the air one last time it bursts into a dusting of golden glow, ceasing to exist. Making the sacrifice needed in contradiction to his own contract, Vaeros passes from the realm.

In the same moment the Crystal, still outside the protective net, explodes with power. The power within it and from it ricochets through the land, but it does not penetrate the barrier made by Vaeros. Dark purple crystal erupts everywhere, overtaking land not protected by the barrier. Tall spires of dark purple crystal grow, shooting high into the air and stretching across every inch of ground. The labyrinth is consumed, lost in the crystal growth and the forest is replaced by spires of crystal, shards sharp and glittering. The beach is lost, the grotto solid and no longer cavernous. Vaeros' castle is no more, A tall spire of crystal growing over it like barnacles.

Etched deep and dark, far beyond the world's crust, the cracks that had already formed turn into ravines, criss-crossing through the land and chopping it into pieces. The barrier around Somnius holds, but these deep ravines cut from cliff to cliff, separating the city and the places dreamers live from the rest of the destroyed and crystalized land.

YOUR FAULT. ALL YOUR FAULT! SELFISH! LET HIM DIE, TOOK OUR LEADER, AND DID NOT CARE ENOUGH TO STOP IT! SO WE DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU!

Natives shutter themselves away from dreamers after the destruction is over and the barrier dissipates. Their homes and their town are stable and safe but the rest of their home is beyond saving. They can continue to make a life for themselves here, but it will be difficult. Their way of life will change, and they have no more interest in tolerating dreamers. Dreamer businesses are not patronized, and dreamers are not welcome in their businesses. The cold shoulder is as frigid as the temperatures that come, stark as the white snow that falls and thickly blankets every inch of the island.

The sun does not rise. Stars native to the land twinkle in the constant dark, the moon high in the sky as it reflects light down on the blindingly white snow on ground and rooftop. Stranger constellations appear, splotched through the sky. They may be familiar to some, strange to others in a painterly mix of all possible skies. How long will this last? Only time will tell.

What Does This Mean?

Vaeros

• You read that correctly. Vaeros is dead, gone from the world of Visium. Since there was not enough help from the dreamers to protect the whole of Visium, in a show of the last shreds of his true persona and sanity he sacrificed the magic holding himself together to protect what he could from the fallout and backlash of out of control magic.

Dreamer Contracts

• Contracts remain ironclad, but as of now seems to be no way to complete them or break them without Vaeros. Dreamers are stuck indefinitely in this world with no seeming way to return.

Time, Space & Stars

• For the rest of the month, Visium is enshrouded in perpetual night. The stars move in the night sky every night, showing different constellations native to Visium but also to those of dreamers' homeworlds. They do not stay for long. The weather drops, temperatures frigid and snowfall heavy enough to blanket crystal fields and Somnius alike in a blanket of snow.

Avaliable Locations

• The only locations available are Somnius (the town) and the areas that are considered Dreamers' residential locations. Everything else is lost to the crystal explosion and growth. The labyrinth and Vaeros' castle are completely overgrown and blocked off by large crystal spires and spikes, the forest is crystallized, the beach is blocked off by walls of crystal spikes, and any other location is lost similarly even if not directly mentioned, replaced by dark purple crystal spears.

Native and Dreamer Relations

• The natives want nothing to do with Dreamers, blaming them for the loss of their leader and the destruction of their home. They will not speak, they will not conduct business with them and dreamers are not welcome in any Native-run locations. This includes the Church of the Moon and to some extent the Healer's Conclave. Dreamers can visit the clinic and use it to treat wounds and illnesses, but they will not be tended to or helped by natives. No Dreamers are allowed to conduct business within the healer's conclave.

Crystal Status

• The crystal remains in its exploded state but it does not glow, it does not hum, and it does not respond to wishes or requests. It is simply there. No modifications to the crystal remain, though the network will continue to function as normal.

Myrta

• Myrta is nowhere to be found until midway through the month when she mysteriously reappears. She takes no questions but she is up to something, perhaps to assuage the somber and tense mood that has settled throughout the area.

Special Event

• Although Myrta does not seem willing to answer any specific questions, she is occasionally seen throughout town, apparently preparing for something. On December 15th, this will culminate in an event hosted to celebrate the end of the year and boost morale. The event will again focus on the connections between dreamers and reflection on the year past.