Lore: Losomn
Reason: Still writing this (newtc and kbsfnk)
Losomn is a fractured world comprised of two distinct halves; one inhabited by the Fae, and the other by the Dran. The assassination of the Fae's guardian accelerated the gradual decay of the Labyrinth, resulting in a cataclysmic collision that merged the two.
The Dran[edit | edit source]
The Dran half of Losomn bears a striking resemblance to the ancient Earth city of London, particularly during its Victorian era. What was once a flourishing society of intellectuals has descended into a state of disrepair.
Culture[edit | edit source]
Prior to the world collision, the Dran were a hard working[1] and intelligent[2][3] people, though they were divided by class.[4]
The invasion of the Fae has taken its toll on the Dran,[5] many of whom have descended into paranoia and mistrust. Madness reigns in the streets as the normally placid Dran are forced to bear witness to the deaths of friends and family members at the hands of the "visitants" as they refer to the Fae. Most Dran are either unwilling or unable to see the Fae as they attack others, and treat those awakened Dran as a threat to society[6], sending them to the Morrow Asylum.
In certain areas of Losomn we can see evidence of older magic, such as the Ritualists that plague Forlorn Coast, or the Hewdas Clocktower with its ability to temporarily halt time. The Oracle sits in her orphanage, watching over the Dran as a whole and protecting their minds from the madness of the Fae incursions. All the while she slowly stitches the worlds together, using the actions of the Traveler as a guide for her needlework. Eventually, the worlds will mend, and the madness will become just another part of the everyday life of the Dran.
The Fae[edit | edit source]
The Fae side of Losomn consists of various castles that have replaced large sections of the city. With the only entrances taking the form of sketched golden doors, the Fae relish their newfound freedom from The One True King. Discovering a terrifying hunger for the Dran, the various Fae soldiers become nightmares, both literal and figurative as they kidnap the local citizenry and remove them to their castle. All is not well within the Fae court itself as the power vacuum left by the previous ruler is filled by a pair of Imposters, both claiming to be the slayer of the previous King. Nimue languishes in guilt over her part in the One True King's assassination, and the world of the castles are rent into two sides of a coin.
Culture[edit | edit source]
The Fae are characterized by an intense bloodlust which drives them to kill anything and everything around them. This bloodlust is not uncontrollable, and under the right restrictions can be suppressed. As a direct result, the Fae's Guardian, the One True King has ruled over them with an iron fist in an attempt to prevent his subjects from murdering each other constantly.
This doesn't stop the Fae entirely, and eventually led to the One True King's own demise at the hands of the Imposter King. What he was never able to understand about them is that this restriction simply shifted the Fae's immediate desire from blood lust to freedom. Indeed the One True King's own son, the Red Prince became a driving symbol of freedom within the Fae court.
In other parts of the Fae world we see the Fae breaking off and forming a culture all on their own, outside of the One True King's control. These are the Sarillians, and the live under the understanding that the Fae should be free to live out their blood lust and learn to control it themselves.[7]
It's notable that for the Fae, their bloodlust is simply the basest level of their impulses. When controlled the Fae are observed as living life far more fully than other races. They feel emotion deeply, and this is true for everything they do.[8]
History[edit | edit source]
The notable history of Losomn begins with the world collision, an event that slammed both worlds together. This event, which took place on 17 Rejull 560[9] and brought on by the assassination of the One True King, was orchestrated by Nimue at the behest of the Imposter King. The One True King, normally invulnerable to the attacks of the Fae, was instead put to sleep through the use of a special dagger created by Nimue. The Imposter King, who was at the center of the event, was split in two[10] becoming the two kings Faelin and Faerin.
From that date on, numerous changes began in Losomn. Giant, graceful castles appeared across the city. Beautiful auroras flowed across the sky, highlighting the flying Fae. The Dran who saw the change were shattered, subconsciously avoiding acknowledgement. Those who did acknowledge it were aggressively dealt with, leaving a massive schism in the Dran population as numerous Dran were hunted down and killed by both the Fae attackers and the sleeping Dran. The fortunate ones were able to escape, but even then the great sewers beneath the city saw no quarter as otherworldly magic seeped in, corrupting its denizens into larger and more dangerous forms.[11][12]
Some of the Fae took to their freedom with gusto, prompting the Fae's goddess of dreams, the Nightweaver, to succumb to her baser instincts and become a goddess of nightmares. Preying on the inmates at the Morrow Sanitarium, her presence causes chronic insomnia as her victims try in vain to stay awake. Dr. Morrow, the head of the sanitarium, eventually succumbs to her influence and is locked away by the rest of the staff.
Watching over the Dran is the Oracle, a kindly grandmother who runs an orphanage for those who are less fortunate. Able to see the relationship between the two worlds, she works tirelessly to stitch them together. With each event the player completes, another patch appears in her quilt, drawing her slightly closer to completion.