Lantria

## Background

The god of the surface, or so her followers believe. In truth, Lantria is a hive mind of Dalan subdued to the original Lantria's will. She can see through the eyes of everyone in the hive mind and take control of any of them at any given time.

## Objectives

To enthrall all creatures, Dalan and human, in the creation of a perfect world where none can harm each other and all work toward common good. Only Gourn stands in her way, so she and her thralls must destroy all traces of Gournite from the world and kill Gourn himself.

## History

Long ago, a Dalan mage named Lantria discovered she could use magic to bind others to her will. She first used this power sparingly and only in service of the greater good, but over time began to realize that people could not be trusted with agency. Unknown to others, she grew her influence by expanding her hivemind, aided by the discovery that she could wield all of the magic of those in her hivemind combined as her own. Given the affinity of Dalan for magic, she quickly amassed enough power to stage a coup and seize control, and many of the remaining humans went insane from her voice overriding their thoughts. Lantria knew she could end their suffering if she could only master control over humans the way she could do for Dalan.

Gourn, a human warrior and the greatest general ever known, recruited a following - not through magic or mind control but by bringing people together for a common goal. They sought to create a world where humans could live free of Lantria's influence - though it was a losing battle as many of them went insane from Lantria's attempts to strengthen her ability to control humans. With the help of his friend, Lasakor Pentilus, and the Dalan separatist Worina Jendan, Gourn discovered a mineral that could protect them from Lantria's influence - Gournite. However, before they could execute their plan to reclaim the surface from Lantria, they were betrayed <TODO by who?>, leading to them having to escape below the surface. Gourn and his followers created a layer of Gournite just below the ground spanning the circumference of the planet to protect them from Lantria's influence. Only a handful of Dalan made it before being enslaved by Lantria.

The human mages who traveled with Gourn helped him forge the layers - which are made entirely of solid Gournite and there is no known way to destroy - sealing humans further and further below the surface, with fewer and fewer Dalan making it through.

## Abilities

Lantria forms a hive mind with those connected to her. Only the Dalan are affected - Dalan hear "Lantria's Call" as she tries to integrate their minds into her collective. The presence of Gournite weakens her ability to maintain control over nodes of the hive mind, which is what causes the Call to grow stronger as Dalan advance to the upper levels.

Lantria can also influence the minds of humans, but much more subtly. They cannot join the hive mind completely, but they can hear her voice in special circumstances

Lantria can draw from the magical strength of every Dalan, granting her monstrous power when she chooses to wield it.

## Relationships

Boorhaeve uncovered Lantria's true nature on an expedition to the upper levels, but was low enough (and has little enough Dalan blood) that he managed to defy the Call and return to the lower levels. Through great effort he managed to discover how to replicate the hive mind process himself, while using his human blood to enhance his connections rather than weaken them through Gournite. He began to replicate it on the smugglers of Gradir - Lantria is mostly unaware of how much Boorhaeve's power has grown.

Gourn is Lantria's greatest foe. A champion of individualism and freedom, he devised Gournite as a means to protect the Dalan from Lantria's hive mind and worked to spread it further and further up. He aims to raise an army of Gournite-clad soldiers to destroy Lantria's hive mind, but they must first make it to the surface.

Kalentia Velos is Lantria's attempt to create a secondary node in the deeper levels that can operate despite the presence of Gournite.

## Present

Lantria begins to grow the ability to influence pure-blooded Dalan in Gradir due to Altrand's relentless excavation of Gournite making the concentration of Gournite low enough for her magic to take effect.

Lantria first reaches to Sabine, who seeks out Boorhaeve's help to sever the connection. Boorhaeve does so but enthralls her himself in the process, using her as a pawn to sow chaos in Gradir to pave the way for his eventual takeover.

Eventually Lantria reaches to Kalentia, who is blinded by zealous devotion and listens to her every command. Boorhaeve discovers Kalentia through Sabine and decides to integrate her into his hive mind by intensifying her desire to break free. Her zeal proves too strong, though - she does not acknowledge Lantria's grasp over her agency and succumbs to it, using her power to escape. Boorhaeve realizes he cannot sever Kalentia's link and urges her to escape, knowing that keeping her closer to Gourn's location in the depths will expand Lantria's influence dangerously.