Proposed New Realm - With Inhabitants

[Gossamer]

So one thing I think Mizahar kinda misses that the real world has is demons and demonic things, or even a Hell type situation. I think adding a hell would be kinda tropish and stupid. But what if there was another layer of realms, not within the current realms but outside the current layers.

The current system is sort of the Ukalas is the core shining light of the world where the Gods dwell. Surrounding that is the Chavena... a sort of beautiful space full of fractal-like cords that attach the mortal realm to the Ukalas. There's a sort of good image of it in the Dreamwalking Writeup:

What if there was another layer out past the Mortal Realm that Mortals and the Divine have little information on. I picture it being something like a place of excesses... excess emotion, excess activity, exaggeration of features, and a place of no real substance.

Instead of Hell housing Demons, it would be an Insidious Realm housing Insids. Insids would be crafty treacherous creatures that constantly seek a way out because they covet what the mortal realm has and even further than that what the Chavena and Ukalaks are.

If we started Isids in Mizahar, we could gain all kinds of swears, oaths, and have some readily available unique type creatures to occasionally cameo into the game. We'd also have another realm for the real adventurous explorer types to explore... and die within.

What do you think of this idea?

[Crylon Stonecraft]

Sounds like it could be interesting. I am curious though what the mechanism of travel between this outer layer and other layers would be. There are some (somewhat vague since most involve getting a God to help, or using a gnosis like with dreamwalking) ways to get between the Ukalas, Chavena, and mortal realm in game, though by their nature rare/difficult. You mentioned the Insids trying to get out of their realm and into the mortal realm, or the Chavena/Ukalas. How would that work? And how would a person get from the mortal realm out into this outer realm? Just wondering on what the intended mechanism for that would be. It reminds me a bit of the Void, except in that case its a realm of emptiness full of random bits of stuff, whereas this is another outer layer with more specific things due to its distance from the Ukalas. Could be interesting, and not something for the unprepared to venture into. Crylon Stonecraft

[Gossamer]

Thanks for the response, Crylon.

You just assume it would be a place of emptiness. What I actually stated was that it was a place of excesses. That means it wasn't actually real substance, so everything they exist in can be torn apart or altered daily... a sort of chaotic place. Maybe they want more solid, stable environments.

I would think travel would be perhaps by magical means like travel between the known realms are now... or they escape by random indefinite and non-permanent tears or holes that form in the walls between worlds due to violent or magical happenings, wars, extreme states of whatever like emotions etc, or they themselves find a way out creatively.

They could even be able to only partially escape.... existing in Insidious but linked to the mortal realm by whatever means and trying to fully get out.

Just a few thoughts.

[Gemma Parker]

This is a really interesting idea that has a lot of potential for interaction with the PCs, which I assume is the point. It would be neat to have a twist on the classic inter-dimensional invasion, where groups of high level PCs have to fight to defend their homeland and innocents. It might also be a chance for the Evil aligned or maybe even neutral to make deals, alliances, and grabs for power. It also wouldn't necessarily need to be developed all at once, since it would be a new discovery for the people of Miz, so it could basically be infinitely expanded upon as needed, which makes it very practical from a development side.

Finally, it would also give lower level idealistic PCs additional motivation to work hard, seek alliances, etc.

I can't see a real negative, other than maybe people wanting to use Insids as PCs or make halfbreed Insids or something, but if you don't want that you can just say no. But there's lots of positive. Great idea!

Edit: I just read the other two responses and it sparked a potential deity plot for some of the Evil gods to try to open a rift or enable the Insids to come in, maybe in exchange for something or just to cause chaos.

[Asterope]

Ooh, I love this idea! I know Hai has been used to replace 'Hell' by some people, and I've done it once or twice myself. I think it would be great to have more terms than that available, and ones that are more accurate.

There's definitely a lot of opportunity there for RP, with players having the potential to discover the new realm. I imagine travelling there would make for some fantastic and very dangerous adventure threads. Insids that somehow make their way into Mizahar could also be a whole new category of monsters.

Gemma brings up an interesting point about more 'evil' aligned deities probably having an interest in such a place and the creatures there; you mentioned that even the divine wouldn't know too much about it though, so I'd be curious about how far that extends, and how, if at all, deities could manipulate such a realm.

It may also be interesting to consider if there are deity-like beings that exist there. Beings that have a lot of power and control, and are more intelligent than just basic monsters, but aren't quite gods.

It could also serve as a place of banishment; depending on how much the deities know and their level of influence, could they send beings to the Insidious Realm? Though I imagine you would REALLY need to piss a deity off for that to happen lol.

I'm just spitballing whatever thoughts come to mind after reading the basic premise; there's definitely a lot of potential and possibilities here!

[Kamilla]

I think this is a very interesting idea, particularly the part about it being a place of ‘excess’. I think that, like Goss said, since it’s a place of excess, these rifts or tears that act as gateways should only be opened in places of extremes, be they emotions, suffering or even debauchery and if that were to be the case, there could perhaps even be powerful Insids who embody one particular excess more than others, OR maybe even powerful ones born of specific tragedies/events. Example: Hekk, Born of The Valterrian or Vekk, Born of The Vantha Genocide.. so perhaps each tragedy/event creates an insid of power equal to that event. It could also give the Insids motivation to create more events of excess in the mortal realm, perhaps being able to feed off of it and grow more powerful(or just using them to create more Insids) This also creates a fun little philosophical element where the state of Miz effects the population of the Insid realm. I also think that since it’s a realm beyond the mortal realm, it would be cool if even the gods themselves couldn’t gain access to it, unless they somehow orchestrate or cause a situation in the mortal realm, that would create an entrance. Leaving Mizahar as compulsory middle ground. This way any gods hoping to deal with the realm would probably need to get their followers to create the right circumstances for a rift or tear, be it torture, sacrifice or whatever else kind of excess OR directly influence Mizahar themselves. This way, the realm would actively encourage more interactions between the gods and the mortal realm, especially PCs. That being said, the spot where Ivak lost it and caused the Valterrian should probably be the site of the largest tear/rift. Perhaps the insids might have motives of their own that threaten even the gods? Evil or not. Overall, I love the idea of cults forming around the worship of insids instead of the gods and the conflicts that might cause, especially if the Insids have some sorts of boons, magic or other tempting things of value that they could offer mortals that would make it hard for even ‘good’ aligned people to turn down without at least some contemplation. Basically, I love it and I’m in. -Kam P.S: As for the realm itself, I think it would be interesting if it were a place where emotion was as tangible a force as anything physical, since the realm itself is made up of excess. Perhaps people(or beings, including Insids since they are excess) experiencing heightened emotions in the realm would cause the immediate surroundings to distort, crack or behave differently.

[Gossamer]

Thanks for the feedback. Everyone had great points.

[Gillar]

Revisiting this idea...So much potential with this. I immediately thought of Rhysol dipping into this realm, playing around a bit without fully understanding the repercussions. He is one of the most powerful deities yet a realm like this, separate from the realms well known to the gods, would still be rather unknown to him as it would possibly be on a level on par with the concept of Lhex. Still, its very nature would draw him to it.

A chaotic realm that could even cause problems for Rhysol would allow for new threats as well as opportunities for all PCs as well as providing amazing story potential for STs. It creates great options for Seasonal Events across Mizahar.

[Rohka]

I have questions and ideas!

I first wondered if ‘djed’ would follow the same laws in this realm. What if it didn’t? What if this realm can create djed? And that’s why it’s a place of excess? Somehow, this realm has the ability to create something from nothing. And THAT could be an ability that the Gods would want to discover.

I also love Kamilla’s idea of tragedies/events creating incredible Insids. Ties in with Asterope’s idea of deity-like beings that exist there. Tons of motivation for evil and/or chaotic-aligned PCs to create meaningful events in their storylines, to spur recognition.

With the concept of Lhex, Gillar… why not Tanroa too? It would be an awesome way to play with the idea of time, and what ‘excess’ means in relation to Tanroa’s philosophies regarding the timelines of the Mortal Realm vs the Insidious Realm. Time can’t possibly be following the same laws that djed follows, right?

I like Crylon’s reference to the Void. Made me think of the other Worlds that are known to exist too. Would other Worlds know about the Insidious Realm? Would the Insidious Realm’s version of the ‘Void’ be the same as the Mortal Realm’s version? I think it would be cool if it was.

You could also tie in Aquiras’ story into the Insidious Realm. He’s an ancient God, who probably could’ve known a little about it, and since he rests in “in the fold of dimensional space between Mizahar and the Void,” there’s potential that he could be in the Insidious realm/dimension, perhaps?

Speaking of ancient gods, could Harameus know about this realm too? If it’s a realm of no real substance, Goss, then a God like Harameus would probably have been interested in how things transform in this realm - how ‘everything [the Insids] exist in can be torn apart and altered daily’.

This is a super fun area of potential, thanks for writing about it!

[Gossamer]

Thank you for the ideas folks. The more I ruminate on this, the more I love the idea of formless disembodied sentient creatures that are emotion-filled and want bodies, want flesh, and seek it any way they can get it.