The Faewilds

**The Faewilds** is the lush realm of Nature magics, and one of the Abyssal Domains. A sacred home for life and the flourishment of nature itself, the Faewilds is the natural home of all things fae, and dreams.

While the Underworld is considered a domain of creation, the Faewilds is a domain where nature and all things natural is at its purest.

## History

**From A Seed, Brings New Life**

A seedling. Unable to bloom, sat admits the war torn land. The gods, during the war discovered its existence, something about this seed compelled the gods with a desire to protect and neutered it, especially from Erebus. feeling that life remained within this magical seed. As the blood of war settled between the major gods and the elder gods, the seed began to flourish. Erebus felt the magic from the tree, while life bloomed, it felt overwhelming for one god alone, thus, they tasked four of the gods, those that seemed extremely keen on the budding tree. As it grew, the magic within it grew. and it grew. The tree was beyond anything the gods encountered. Life, nature, it felt wild. As the gods went their separate ways, the tree itself went. upon its own will, splitting off from the Tangled Depths, but keeping linked to it. A new realm was born. And the gods took after it. Using primal magics, they built and molded a new land, a new realm! Much like the other domains, it was simple at first, but the gods made it to something of their collaborative vision. And once done, life from the tree flourished, bringing plant life and wildlife with it. From this day forth, these four beings were to be called the wild gods, protectors, and nature incarnate. Once established, they decided to name the tree Sulana, the lifeweaver.

### Exploration and Innovation

Here, in their own little playground, the wild gods would expand, exploring the magic they were gifted in and by Sulana itself. Innovation and creation was the name of the game in these privative years. While life wouldn't exist in the nexus until a millennia, the wild gods experimented and explored. They weaved together the existence of the nymphs, the first fae and sworn protectors of the domain. Faeries themselves came later, along with imps and other fae creature. Dragons were also one of the many creatures born from the magic of a wild god blessing themselves. Shadow and life was incredibly important for the Faewilds. without it, a time cycle would not exist, there would be no day creatures, nor creatures of the night. no life, and no death. All is important, in the cycle of nature. The Wild gods even built themselves cities, all encompasing the four elements, and the four seasons. Creatures known as Animalfolk roamed. All was good in these years. But something brewed with one of the gods, Helios. Every time the god was summoned to the Faewilds, his tone was not like his own, impatient, intolerant of their ideas and just a general hostility. This was one of the many concerns from Erebus. This was to the point where a meeting was called within the void. Erebus confronted Helios, revealing that the light god is disturbed by the concept of death, an end to all things. They believe that an oblivion is coming, nothing will be the same and their friends... Don't even care. Erebus pleaded with Helios, telling them thats the start of life.

"And how much more lives would have to be claimed for this idealized life you seek?" Helios was taken aback by that. "You are my brother, Helios. Back during the war, i remember you telling me your desires to free these people from these dictators who thought this was the right path... but with what you're suggesting, you are sounding just like just like them. This isn't you." Helios was taken back by erebus' plead, The Dawnbringer stumbled on their own thoughts, as if their own mind was fighting with itself, tears formed. "B-but it's not! If you just trust me i'll prove it to you that this will be a benefit to all life!" Erebus scowled. "Then, tell me, how many more must die to be eternal?" This made the god's mind bicker even more. "Now, snap some sense into yourself and--" "NO." their face is carved in half with maddened rage. "YOU, Erebus, is in the wrong." The floor suddenly splits open as pillars of flame gush from the cracks. "ALL WILL KNOW MY FEARS. I WILL PROVE IT TO YOU THAT LIFE DIES WHEN THE SHADOWS RETURN TO CLAIM IT. AND I WILL PROVE IT TO *ALL* OF YOU."

### The Revelation Of A Mad God

The mad god set his eyes immediately into the Faewilds, with it, he let his true colors show, twisting the light within this domain. No longer was the Dawnbringer a light of pure silver, with colors, now sickly yellow as his madness took over. It didn't take long for civilians to peek their heads out and watch the mad god. "Your 'gods' lie to you! Life does not end and renew, life only ends. You refuse to listen and follow me, i know it. I will show you the oblivion that Erebus hides from you! I WILL SAVE YOU!" The Dawnbringer Threatened the innocents who looked on in terror. The wild gods, and the others, entered their domain to stop the mad god, but with their reliance on both light and shadow, the light they're being provided stung. Maddening, overwhelming. The Wild Gods succumbed to his madness. Corrupting into beasts, beast of what they feared. Using primal magics, the gods wrecked havoc upon their own land, and friends. The nymphs tried everything they could to stop this invasion, and along with the other celestials. Erebus, Aion and Helios fought. While this was happening, the nymphs discussed a plan; to put them out of their misery, in hopes of a better future in an after life. The concept alone caused a huge debate on if this means they can come back or they're gone for good, but ultimately its better to put them down than to leave them like this. "I tire of this! If you refuse to listen, I will show you what I mean!" Helios snapped, blasting away the two away before shackling them with sickly golden chains, drawing out his once blessed sword, now dark and sickly. They scowled at Erebus, uttering nothing more than a "You left me with no choice." before plunging it into Sulana. Everyone was horrified at what the once beacon of light did. He heaved, twisting it into the tree. It sparked and flared, The corrupted light seeping into the tree's core. cracks formed before it erupted into hellfire. Helios pulled out his weapon. The runes on it once glowed with their vow. now its nonexistent. Helios felt nothing as they watched the tree they once cared for die. all they could do, is laugh. Their job was done, and with that, they returned to their domain. Sulana snapped and crackled, the core of it exposed from its protective bark. Cracked and in shambles, the corruptive magic that seeped into it caused a violent reaction, causing it to explode. Those who were seeking to try to save it, after their fight with the wild gods, were no more than corpses. Only a few nymphs remained, their people, nearly wiped to extinction.

“Without Sulana, how will this domain even exist?” The wounded nymph looked at Erebus, tears in her eyes. “PLEASE! You must do something!” They wailed, Erebus looked at her, and the burning tree. The once beating heart the tree had, dead. Murdered by their own kin. They glanced around, the leader heaving as they held close the egg, as others scream in agony as their flesh melted off of them, the horrors. erebus couldn't process what Helios has just done, but, they answered her “I-I’m afraid it’s too late, the shadows indeed has claimed it. I never seen this take on light before... I'm at a lost of words, I'm sorry.” The god of the dead seemed quite mournful about this, lowering their head down in remorse, the nymph however, upon hearing this clutched one of the wild god eggs, and could do nothing more than bawl. Mourning for the lost of everything her people sought to protect. Erebus knew only one thing. It terrified them, it’s something they’d hope this’ll never happen again. This was a declaration of war.

### **The Massacre of Sulana, and the Nightmare**

Months after The dawnbringer... no, the destroyer's massacre. Life in the faewilds wilted and withered. food became scarce, everything was dying. It took months for this foul light magic to subdue from the husk of a once beautiful tree. Burnt, dead. Murdered. The few remaining nymphs set it their goal to hide the wild god eggs and protect it for their life, from Helios' eyes. It was a time of great sorrow, and dread. Those that have witnessed this feared only what the destroyer warned. Oblivion. The victims utterly traumatized by the horrors of what happened. Those dying a horrible, unjust death. Without Sulana and the wild gods, the land was truly dying. Chains of shadow began to form on the dying world, trying to drag it back to from which this land came from. But the magic... It had an unusual effect on the land. Those who watched the egg paid close attention to it, for the majority of the time, it glowed a brilliant blue and cyan. but also at the same time, a nasty red and purple. These moments concerned the nymphs, who paid attention to the land around them. Every time this phenomenon happened, they watched the dead tree. it effected it. The very land the fae lived on became nothing more than twisted and corroded. the nightmarish glow, it glowed brighter and brighter. Horrors began to form around. shadow monsters in nature, but not like anything they've seen before! They warped the minds of those who came near. Twisting them into something they're not, like a nightmare they cant wake up from. Alseides, the leader of the remaining nymphs, entrusted her sisters to watch over her egg as she investigates Sulana. What she discovered... disturbed her. The shattered core of Sulana..... lived again. But something felt off... twisted. As she approached the core, she felt a whisper. "For every dream, a nightmare arises. You can hope, but you can never kill it." Without a thought, she left to warn her sisters. Days on, Alseides and her kin would search around the tree for any clues. its cryptic whispers unnerved them. They later discovered that the horrors that roamed the dead land began to flock to the tree. Somethings not quite right. She watched as shadow monsters gathered towards the tree, as if it was summoning them. But just like that, beneath the rubble of the dead tree, they discovered hope. Something glowing beneath the dead leaves of fall, a color similar to the glow in the eggs. She dug it out... another seed. The whispers grew intense as she held it. Demanding her to discard and destroy it. But she didn't. Alseides called upon a meeting, discussing the seedling and the eggs. They only had one conclusion in the end, plant it.

### Hope

Alseides and her sisters escorted the eggs and seed away from Sulana, it was deeming too dangerous and corrosive, they had to move away as far as possible. They were able to find land, and began the process of planting it. And much like Sulana when it was just a seedling, it bloomed and flourished. From then on they protected this small pocket of land from the horrors of Sulana, the tree was surprisingly swift, especially with the eggs of the wild gods near them. The purple and red glows subdued over time, and the bright blue glowed the brightest, along with the tree. Ultimately, enough was enough, and the newfound tree ripped itself from the old land, leaving the decimated old world. With what little it had, the land began to expand and flourish. The eggs shook and quivered. Beautiful magic flowed through, building it into something of a dream. A memory, hazy but there. Until eventually, a crack from one of the eggs. Alseides looked in awe at what happened to the land and the egg. Life returning once more. This convinced her that Helios was wrong in their beliefs. Kneeling down, she watched the egg. And it hatched. A god was reborn. It was Artemis, and she seemed puzzled. "My children," She looked upon what remained of the nymphs. "What happened?... It felt like i was in a dream... and an unescapable nightmare. Why aren't we at Sulana?" They looked concerned, which made the wolf god more concerned. "Please, tell me what happened--" She spotted the new budding tree. "What, happened." Her voice became stern. Uncommon for the god, who was a gentle figure. "... Helios..." "Yes, a friend." "No, huntress. Let me explain." Alseides struggled to utter what happened, she seemed like she was about to break down, which severely concerned Artemis. "My child, its alright." She soothed the now sobbing nymph. "Do not rush." She gave her a warm smile in an attempt to comfort her. "He burned the tree." Alseides sobbed, the information made Artemis aghast. Her head turned behind her... Eggs, Just like what Hades promised. and a new tree. The Huntress' heart sank as the horrors of her came to life. "... that was no mere nightmare then." She murmured, getting up to inspect the new tree. The magic from this felt like Sulana when it was just a seedling " I did not know it could produce another of itself." She lets out a small chuckle, feeling hopeful. As she turned towards the nymphs, she heard something from a budding leaf. Curious, the huntress inspected it, out came a being. She looked puzzled, but not because the tree had a baby, no. The creature felt familiar, It hovered, and glanced at the wolf and her children. "You must be the one who dreamed." The being spoke. it inspected Artemis, "Yes... you're the one! One of the ones who weaved the dreams!" It sounded ecstatic, they glanced over to the other eggs. "Ah, You're the first to pip then." "Who are you?" The god asked. "I do not have a name yet, but i am the one that was brought forth by the dreams of a god and hope from civilians. I am the incarnate of this new tree. Young, but soon we will grow, we will dream a better future for the people of the Faewilds." Artemis and Alseides felt skeptical at first, but the god nodded, "I'll take your word then."

### **Current Day**

The faewilds now as we know it is a landscape of dreams and creation, where life itself roams freely and wildly, with no control. However, below it lies the Corrosive Nightmare, a lower sanction of the Faewilds full of ghoulish shadow monsters and eldritch horrors. Sulana then became the Eternal Nightmare.