Rhienhold’s mother (Droween Azureine) was the only daughter of a successful family of Dragonborn. A family of rare book and map dealers in Galek. She is deceased.
His Grandparents (Otto and Martasa Azureine) are alive and remain in business as owners/proprietors of “Azureine’s Rare Pages”. Rhienhold’s relationship with them is difficult due to the circumstances of his mother and father’s deaths. But they love each other. Rhienhold’s position as an Associate Professor of Cartography at Galek Geophysical Institute and numerous well received cartographic publications has brought them pride. His adventuring in the far South, and tabloid notoriety in conducting recovery operations from the Mists in the South is viewed mostly favorably by his grandparents, but enrage his Uncle. His mother’s younger brother Yuri - Rhienhold’s Uncle - remains unreconciled with Rhienhold over the death of this sister. Rhienhold carefully schedules his frequent visits with Otto and Martasa when Yuri will be out. His mother, and family are Draconic’s of mixed Silver and Blue Heritage.
Rhienhold’s father was “Ezrin Shiplost”. An Emerald Draconic. He came to Galek as a recent immigrant. A complicated and mostly unwelcome Dragonborn. Ezrin’s various troubles in his life prior to Galek are vague, he would simply say: “I was a soldier in a troubled place and time.” He claimed he wished to seek a quiet life, but that was likely just a lie. A quiet life certainly eluded him. An extremely powerful and gifted psionic, Ezrin worked with various Gamblers and Fixers on games of chance, and unsavory blackmailers seeking dirt, he used his psionic skills to offer advantages to his employers. After Droween’s Murder and his death - possibly by suicide, some local authorities came to believe Ezrin not just an opportunist and hussler, but may have been the noted war criminal and torturer Ezmeck the Breaker, famed and feared for his use of psionics to destroy wills and seduce young draconic women
Rhienhold was conceived from “A fine Romp. A tryst of wanton fun, and I have no regrets” as his mother would confided to friends. Ezrin used his psionic skills, and a few drops from a potion of unbounded passions, to convert the poetry-devotee and bookish Droween into “An unbounded love beast, if only for a week.”
Rhienhold, like many Gem Dragons was born almost transparent, and even before he was born was able to enter his mother’s mind and communicate with her directly, clearly and lovingly.
They were extremely close. She recited Poetry to him, in his mind throughout his youth. Which was, perhaps, an error on his part. He grew up so deeply preferencing psionic bonds over all others.
So, among his eloquent, witty, bookish, always discursive and laughing Azureine family, Rhienhold was silent. Reserved. Even taciturn. An extremely gifted student, he preferred the written word to the spoken word, and maps and illustration over both- and he preferred direct psionic mental exchanges over speaking. He proved to be uniquely gifted in corrective cartography, taking the rough drawn maps of explorers, and redrawing them while looking into the minds, using his ability to riffle the images of their minds to record better and more accurately maps of where they had been and what they had seen and done.
He became sought after and respected for his ability to gently extract experiential, locations, events and relevant information from the insane, criminal witnesses and even survivors of madness induced by exposures to the Southern Mists.
And the Mists fascinated him. The Mists became first a fascination. Then an obsession. Today of course, they are his life. He published his first thin volume examining the Mists based on his theory they are a poorly understood form of living creature, akin to a colony of molds, with rhizomes, fruiting bodies and he believed the ability to enter into congnitive minds and re-organize the ganglia and neurons - turning previously “normal” creatures into hosts conducting tasks for the living Southern Mists.
At just 11 years old (Draconic’s do mature quickly) he was invited to collaborate on research exploring his theories with several leading scholars and was eventually invited to take a teaching position and the Galek Geophysical Institute. Today, when in Galek he lectures on Cartography and contributes to research on the effects of exposures to the Southern Mists, though much of his time is spent at the Edges of the Mists in the far south.
It might have been a happy and adventurous life. But for his father.
Just as Rhienhold’s skills and world view were expanding, he became personally obsessed with finding his father. His mother and family made it clear his father was “very much a Wandering Dragon” He had made no effort to contact his mother, nor him, ever, though Rhienhold was certain this was because his father, likely didn’t know Rhienhold even existed.
While his mother slept, Rhienhold used his growing skills to riffle deeply through her dreams and memories. Eventually finding his father’s name, seeing his features, demeanor - and to be fair - seeing more details about his parents brief affair than any twelve year old should see. But, he was well versed in poetry. Including some of the more carnal in nature.
Over the next few months Rhienhold used his spare time to conduct an ever widening search for his father. He eventually found a mobster and gambler who knew “Ezrin” (who now was going by the names “Enright” and “Exarcos”) very well. The Mobster was also looking for Rhienhold’s father. “Exarcos” owed The Boltward Syndicate a considerable amount of money.
The details of the story at this point are unclear. These points are known.
Rhienhold tracked down his father.
His father refused to believe Rhienhold was his son.
Rhienhold tried to use his Psyonics to prove it was true.
His father viewed this an attack, and used his considerable skills to overpower Rhienhold and confirm he was working with The Boltward Syndicate to find him.
His father nearly killed his son. He would have killed him, but the very same Boltward Syndicate had followed Rhienhard - and moved in to kill or capture Ezrin/Exarcos, but he escaped.
Rhienhold, gravely wounded, physically and psyonically was dumped by the Syndicate at a local infirmary. He survived. But his mental recovery, if in fact he has recovered, took weeks, and for many days his mother and family were in panic - unable to find him. They did. And worked to bring him back to health. He was unable or unwilling to speak for months. Communicating only psionically.
Over Rhienhold’s objections and warnings the Azureine Family worked with the authorities. They wanted justice. But justice didn’t find them. Ezrin/Exarcos did.
He came intending just to kill Rhienhold. Rhienhold knew his psyonic print too well, he had found Ezrin once, and would be able to find him again.
But as the fates would have it, Ezrin arrived on a night the family was hosting a weekly poetry reading and salon. For War Veterans.
The resulting Melee was horrific. Two of the Veterans/Poets and the beloved by all Droween were killed. Rhienhold was gravely wounded - again. His grandfather suffered two broken legs, and a complete broken heart. It was months of recovery before he could walk. And years before he could read poetry again. He still breaks down in tears at her memory.
Ezrin/Exarcos was found dead, three days later in Booklover’s Square. Having obviously fallen from a great height. Some speculate friends of the dead veterans killed him. Others believe he tried to use his spectral wings to flee his warrant for murder. He was already wounded from the battle, and was never very good at using them.
The death was ruled a suicide, which was the preferred choice by the Oligarch Authorities for such deaths, as their corporate interests can then minimize any benefit payments which might result from insurance or liability claims.
Rhienhold, blamed himself.
For all of it.
For his mother’s death.
For his father’s death.
His poet friends’ deaths.
His grandfather’s horrific injuries.
His failure was complete.
He dragged himself forward as best he could. Never sleeping. Never speaking. Barely eating. He developed the compensating horrific habit of chewing on his own fingers. He began to chew them so often they began to rot. His habit progressed from obsession to self-mutilation. His entire left hand became a mass of blood, scabs, puss and rot which he chewed and licked without ceasing. He would wander the city at night, gnawing himself to death.
His Uncle and Grandmother fought. His Uncle demanding he be expelled from the family. He was a bastard. He was cursed. He was mentally dangerous. He had killed his mother. His Grandmother steadfast in his defense, though at this time, still wheelchair bound. Rhienhold said nothing. He could hear all their thoughts. And he saw, deeply and truly, his Uncle was now Broken too. And that was Rhienhold’s fault as well.
Rheinhold had resolved to kill himself. He understood he was doing is slowly. He decided to get it done.
He gathered his notes and journals from so many unfinished interviews with survivors of the South Mists. He took them to the University, he planned to leave them, there, and throw himself from the Tower of Seeing.
But on that day at the University he had visitors.
Lyowyn Mossbringer, the extraordinary FeyWild’s Druid of Dreams. Her partner Lucinda Grimfold - one of the greatest warriors of the age, and Cookie the Otter, accomplished thinker and adjuration master. They were standing in his office doorway. Staring at him.
Cookie had read his monograph first. Made the others read it as well. They had discussed it at length in his recently published work. Cookie the Otter had convinced Lyowyn they just had to go meet this Psionic Dragonborn - who he believed was right. And if he was right, Rhienhold might be able to help them.
The three famous and powerful citizens stared at the young, and very broken Dragonborn. They stared at him as he chewed on his own fingers and lapped at his own blood and puss.
Lyowyn charmed him and made him tell her everything.
Lucinda had heard about the horrible incidents. One of the dead warrior poets had once served with her.
Cookie placed a warding on Rheinhold’s own hands which made them taste so horrific to himself, that to this day he can not pick up a piece of toast without smearing it with distaste. He developed the habit of eating everything with the tip of a tiny knife.
They took him back to their home. Lucinda called on the family at Azurine’s Rare Pages and assured them Rhienhard was unharmed, but very unwell. His Uncle was the only one there, and was, as he often is, unpleasant. Telling them “My Nephew is Born of Rot, Has Brought Rot to our Home, and May he Chew himself apart and Rot FOREVER!”
Lyowyn cast spells to make Rhienhold sleep. He had not slept in weeks. He went under into a deep land of dreams and stayed there for a very long time. Cookie served as his nursemaid, and became fascinated and very fatherly toward this strange young Dragonborn, who - had never had a father, and just like Cookie himself - had clearly suffered irreparable family trauma. They were two children who had both witnessed the killing of their Mothers.
In a sense Cookie and Rhienhold are brothers. From the sad and lonely brotherhood of creatures who witnessed their own orphaning.
Cookie believed Lyowyn should take Rhienhold as a student. But Lyowyn said no. She was certain no Dragonborn would ever be a worthy Druid in the Feywild Dream traditions. It just wasn’t possible. Lucinda ruled out making him into a warrior. While many Dragonborn were in the ranks of the loyal orders, Rhienhard was very small and slight for a dragonborn, and obviously not well suited to mentally coping with Carnage.
But all three of the life-friends agreed there had to be a place for someone so young, and clearly gifted in strange ways.
And then something, Otter believes the Southern Mists themselves, intervened. While entering his third day of sleeping, his gnawed left hand became scabbed over completely, but for a strange and rising black node. The node rose for hours. Otter watched it, certain it was important and confident his adjurations would protect the sleeping boy. And then the Node became a Boil. The Boil developed a whitehead. The whitehead ruptured and from the rupture came Mist. Tendrils of Mist. Otter called his life friends to watch. And they watched as the Mists writhed like snakes up the young Draconic’s arms, around his neck and then slid, every so slowly and gently into his sleeping mouth and nose. Each inhale he drew in more. Until like ants marching from a hill to a feeding source the black boil eased and shrank and withdrew.
It happened in less than a minute. From Rupture to Inhalation to Easing. The three of them watched entranced.
And then Rhienhold awoke, his eyes were no longer a clear white but a fawn brown. The color of an earthy color of fungus. And as they watched his scales and frills darkened from their nearly clear and pale whitish color to a earthy fawn. And to no ones surprise the scabs on his left hand fell away. And clean brown draconic scales, laces with fascinating patterns which looked like spore prints of frilled and gilled mushrooms, or swirling grey patterns of Mist. These patterns at first covered each plate of his chewed hand from which the Boil of Mists emerged.
Over the next few months this unique partnering spread to cover his entire body. His plates and scales are like no other Dragonborn. Though he remains an Emerald Dragonborn in his heart and mind, on his surface his appears like a Maori, with intricate tiny prints in dark browns and blacks overlayed on a background of fawn. His head frills end in clear tips which often emanate slight clouds of mist. The mist often plays about his head.
And he was obsessed with being with the mists. Of mapping the mists. Of serving to help the mists be understood, and welcomed, and free.
“They are here to preserve us. Preserve the true cycle of us. Preserve the balance for us. Bring us Treasures. Take away the surplus when we have excess. Provide us with surprise when we are wanting.”
And over the next three months the three friends helped prepare him as best they could. Lucinda gave him basic martial training. Lyowyn as best she could shared with him traditions of DruidCraft, though it was clear he love Feywild Life and his obsession with Spores, Rot and Cycles were vastly different. And Cookie the Otter and Rhiehold became, quite simply, brothers.
Helping each other understand themselves, more than providing anything more practical and compelling.
Rhienhold resumed his work with the University. Resume his work interviewing an psyonically entering those who had survived encounters with the Mists. And after a year, with little fanfare and almost no support he told his University colleagues, his found friends, his brother Otter and his beloved Grandparents he would simply have to leave them now, and travel as far south as can be traveled.
He was certain the Southern Mists were not, in themselves evil. No more than a fungus that consumes a fallen tree is evil. No more than the bacteria that infects a wound is evil. The Southern Mists are a living creature with needs, and perhaps wants and ideas.
Nearly 6 years have passed. Rhienhold is, without anyone being able to argue the most accomplished cartographer and studier of the edges of the Southern Mists. He maintains frequent and robust correspondence with Cookie the Otter, and they consider each other true brothers, though they have not seen each other in many years.
Living at the edge of the mists has made Rhienhold even more suspect of any spoken communication. Though he has developed a strange affinity for Knolls, and their gross barking language. Knolls, somehow have developed a symbiotic relationship with Mists. And so, for that matter has Rhienhold. He can enter them for days at a time, understands them and brings them feedings and offerings. They likewise will allow him to recover the lost belongings and artifacts of those they Mists have welcomed home to their cycles.
To the villages in the south Rhienhold has become a strange and legendary figure. A true folk hero. When loved ones are lost to the Mists, mentally or physically, Rhienhold is called to do what he can to re-unite them. Or recover what is left. And he does so.
Rhienhold continues to publish detailed monographs, maps and his “findings” about the Mists. But they have become increasingly confusing works. Some even describe them as “insane ramblings of lunatic with a Mist Rotted Mind.” Rhienhold points out that it is very very difficult to translate the psyonic connected exchanges between a Draconic of Mixed Heritage and a Continent Spanning Airborne Super Fungus.
“I don’t really have any words to capture the thought process of the Mists. But the Mists do think. In a sense. Or perhaps it’s better to just say that they experience what is happening, both in the past and present, both here and in other places and planes, at all times, all at once. I do my best to stay at peace an in the good graces of HIM. HE needs me for somethings, but I can not really understand what. Yet. But he may also just be waiting for the right moment to absorb me. Which if fine too. It has been a free ride. I paid nothing to get on the ride. I will be charged nothing to leave. And I am enjoying our blasto-vations/conversations in the between time-spaces, It-We are fine/not fine with the confusion others have with out relationships. It/they/we are complicated.”
While his writings have become increasingly difficult for anyone to understand, his cartographic work and maps of the Misted South are much in demand and without equal.
Cookie the Otter of course insisted he become a member of the Company, and personally requested I write a Practicum for first time travellors into The Mist. It is attached below and available by folio at the Tempest Company Library.
The Southern Mist
A Practicum. Best Practices and Guidance. V2.1.3
Including personal observations and illustrative occurrences.
By Rhienhold Azurine
Asst. Prof. of Cartography
Galek Polytechnical Institute (GPI)
Requested Revision by:
The Tempest Expeditionary Company
The Southern Mist is located across the southern reaches of Amura including on nearshore southern seas.
In rare instances, The Mist will travel into the mid-continent, though it is notably less vigorous at it transits further to the North.
The Mist is not a meteorological nor, strictly speaking, a magical feature of the region. The Mist is a living being. Though it’s nature, origins and purpose remains an important and ongoing area of study.
In any encounter with The Mist, adventurers should think of, and when possible address the Mist as a singular form. It prefers in psionic exchange the pronouns Them/They, and if you have encountered Them in the past, even on the opposite side of the continent, They will recognize you and have an opinion based on your past interactions. As is well documented, The Mist is a highly psionic, but extremely low intelligence (as we understand intelligence) entity. They are best thought of - and dealt with - as a geographically massive, pluralistic, living megaswarm organism. My own research, and to be blunt my life experience, points to The Mist being a massive, immortal, airborne fungus.
This author, has a decade of often-symbiotic life with Them and a decent working relationship. I have worked with numerous newcomers to best understand The Mist, and the majority of my students have survived interactions with Them.
To begin you understanding, please mentally envision a continent scale murmuration of mobile, active fungal spores.
I would like to acknowledge my colleagues in the Ornithology Department of GPI for permission to share this brief example of bird murmurations including illustrative entity/predator interactions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-mCuFYfJdI
OVERVIEW of THE MIST - The nature of it, and it’s Mumurations.
They (The Mist) are not good, nor evil. Nor are They any alignment as we understand it. The Mist does hold opinions, dreams, has a sense of self preservation, a fungal understanding of “transactions” when transforming between life+death. of macabre humour and a sense something like divine awe. They have no any conception of our ideas of Justice, nor would find any purpose in it.
As a Psionic I have often linked/bonded/exchanged with Them. They have no opinions, nor even thoughts per se, of our civilization, nor politics. But they do have an omniscient awareness of what occurs within Their Body/Murmurations. They can be hyper aware of all movements within Themselves and will become highly agitated by specific emotional and magical conditions which I discuss below.
Please set aside any mythical or previous ideas you have about The Mist. Properly prepared, it iis very possible to coexist and explore within The Mist Body/Murmuration provided you do nothing which provokes it’s Immunilogical/Destructive to Minds reactions. You should consider The Mist’s reactions to you, as similar to our own bodies Immunological reaction to an invading poison or pathogen.
My key points for exploring within The Mist safely: I cover all these point in detail below.
1 - I believe you must be a native to this world to safely enter Them.
2 - You must be patient. You must invite/welcome Them to enjoy your body/mind/company, and wait until they reciprocate without expressing any fear, nor love. Nor any strong emotion. You must calmly and fairly face The Mist and mentally consider it beautiful and your equal in “value”, whatever you hold as your value.
3 - While within the Mist, you must remain calm, or joyful/gleeful - any fear, love or strong disagreement will induces what I have addressed as “a re-ordering” or “atomizing” immunity response from The Mist. They will attack your nueral systems, emotions and thoughts from inside of you, until you are emotionally neutralized. Unfortunately this often results in destruction of your mental capacity.
4 - Carry nothing Infused/Created with Arcane Magics. To Them it is some form of Poison. They will “atomize” the Arcane Magics and unfortunately if you are a living entity who is “attuned” to an Arcane magical item, They will defend Themselves against the magics of the item and continue into your attunements- often causing catastrophic psionic injury or even death to the Magic items’ biological partner.
5 - Earthly Magics, and Divine Magics stemming from our native governing Gods seem to cause Them glee.
PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS - as observed in the field.
SPEED / MOVEMENT :
The Mist moves at a rate of 25ft/turn or less. If one remains calm, and carries no Arcane Magic Items you can easily walk away from Them. They are likely to have noticed you are near but will not care.
They can, “reach out”, Their Cloud-Limbs as much as 300’ at rates of over 75’ft/turn especially in pursuit of Fear-Foods (more on this below)
I am informed by airship operators They can reach heights greater than airships.
I am informed by a trusted Drow colleague They DO NOT continue past the first few meters of any underground entry/cave. I believe this to be true, as they are somehow dependent on sunshine. They are most active from late morning until dusk. They become nearly dormant with little movement from near Midnight to Dawn, during which time They dream.
Wind. They will use the wind to travel. Gaining 5ft of movement for every 10ft of wind. I have from experience learned winds over 30ft “disorganize/confuse” Them. I regularly keep prepared simple Wind Warding spells, which when used will prevent Them from organizing any attack or action for the Area of Effect. BUT, Magical Wind Effects, while effective does tend to anger Them.
Natural wind gusts of 30ft of more also confuses/disperses Them, and they will shelter, hide or dissipate in these conditions.
DENSITY / VISIBILITY / SENSORY EFFECTS
Once invited in, The Mist Murmuration the visibility will be 25-100’ during daylight, but less than 10’ in darkness. The use of Godgiven or Earthbound Magical Light at night can be extremely helpful and does not awaken the Mist. Arcane Magical Light is not recommended, having variable results.
Creatures with Darkvision, such as myself can see 50-200’ in daylight and 30’ or so at night.
I am not aware of any creature with Truesight surviving entry into The Mists. Truesight must be some form of Planar Vision and will trigger atomization from Them.
Sounds are deeper, and muffled. Having similar characteristics of a heavy fog.
Psionic Effects. This is perhaps the most difficult to understand for non psionic creatures. Every thought and feeling, especially thought-feelings of Fear, Hate and Love in the Murmuration are intensely, sometimes painfully, amplified. Both to The Mist, yourself, and any other psionics nearby. If you are a Psionic communicator it can be deafening and in extreme cases debilitating. Once you develop a tolerance for the experience, it can also be exhilarating.
(Note: I wrote an entire volume of my findings regarding psionics and The Mist: A Field Study of Psionic Capacities, Interactions and Possible Rewiring of Nueral Capacities by R. Azurine and P. Murtizher - GPI Press)
If you are Psionic you can develop a partnership/pairing experience with Them, and They can present you with information about movements of other creatures. I found my range of Psionic awareness in harmonic alignment with Them grows with each visit. I often can “hear/see/aware” of mind-feelings at extremely long ranges within The Mist, though I am unable to understand what They use as a sense of direction, thus far. After years of practice and exchanges. Initially my experience with others Thought-Feelings was just they were incredibly LOUD and difficult, now I enjoy it in a manner similar to visiting the an Oceanside Beach with very loud breaking surf.
This psionic awareness of the Mist for the Mist itself I believe extends across the entire South of the Amusa. I believe it is extremely similar to what my colleagues in the Forestry/Botany believe is true of the Fungal/Rhyzome networks which extend - and actively communicate across great expanses of forest.
An important note. During my last trip into the Mist, I was barely noticed by Them. They were putting all of their awareness on an extremely large disturbance, which I am certain was a family of grouping of extremely large beings. Something/things of massive scale. While I could not tell in which direction these large creatures/things were - I could tell from the perspective of the Mist I was very “close” to these large entities. But again, I don’t know if that means 1 km or 500 km.
A final note on Senses. You will know The Mists are Present. You will see them and “hear” them in your mind where they make/share a constant white noise of thoughts even among the non-psionic. The Mists can not disappear. The Mist becoming invisible is untrue. A myth. They often however disperse themselves very thinly as a haze near the edges of Their Murmurations, which I believe They often do when first exploring visitors or places.
When scared, Yes, I believe the Mists can be scared of things. When scared, they on rare occasions will “Hide”. By Hide, they will first appear to withdraw/dissipate, leaving only a thinner/hazed remnant. This remnant tendril haze will then attach itself to the gaps in stonework, edges of tree bark or undersides of furniture, grasses and leaves. Perhaps to study/understand what is coming? I am unclear and it is an area I plan to continue studying.
When hiding, The MIst resembles a sheen of spilled milk or beer. They can not hide in isolation of Their main body, nor do they can Hide for very long. Of note, other biological creatures can feed on them when they are in their “Spilled Milk” Hiding form. You can often detect Them when hiding, as They will attract ants, flys and other insects. I have tasted Them in this form. It is somewhat like a medicinal alcoholic elixir. I find it modestly refreshing. They have no taste nor smell while in Cloud Mist form.
MIST DEFENSIVE TACTICS / MAGICS / EFFECTS / REACTIONS
Again. The Mists will NEVER attack you. They will DEFEND themselves from perceived threats. Threats, from The Mists thinking include strong emotional states, hostile psychic states, other planar origination or arcane magical fields.
Unfortunately a large number of Non-Mist creatures regularly engage in (or just permanently are by nature) perceived by Them as a threat.
I also believe there is some truth the emotion of Fear, is somehow a food source for Them,
Here is how They will react:
- The Mist extracts Arcane Magic from any inert object infused with such Magic. This process begins immediately. Even a heavily warded and powerful item will be drained of magics within 24 hours. Often less.
- IF the object is attuned to a user, the MISTS will first enter the users psionic pathways, disconnect them, and de-atomize the magical pathways of use. This “attack” commonly does extensive psychic damage, and in extreme cases will de-atomize all neural materials from the living entity, leaving a brainless and oddly tasteless pile of organs meats and bones. Yes. I have on occasion been in circumstances where consuming the remaining meats and organs of fellow explorers in the Mists has been necessary.
- Druidic Magics and Clerical Magics of the Gods Native to this world seem to “amuse” or even “pleasure” The Mists who emanate what I believe is a “cheering/laughing” psionic response to these earthly/godly magics
- Arcane Magics seem to initially work, and instant spells of Arcane Magic seem unaffected. However, any spell requiring Arcane Concentration will quickly become treated like a magical item. The Mists will attempt to atomize the mind of the caster, breaking the concentration quickly has - in all but one case I am aware of - ended the defensive reaction. However They will remain alert to that Caster, and react more swiftly each time they attempt concentration spells. When I am guiding Arcane Casters, I STRONGLY encourage them to only prepare instant and non-concentration spells. IF they have Nature Spells, they will find they work exceedingly well and often induce cheering/applause response from Them.
- Planar and Patron Magics are extremely unpredictable. They often “fail” or are reported to be “vastly underpowered”. Though I am told they often perform normally. I believe it must be related to the Plane or Patron from which the Magic is derived and what relationship-balance The Mist has with said Plane or Patron. This is an area which is poorly researched.
CREATURES FROM THE PLANES BEYOND OUR OWN.
By public report, it is extremely dangerous for any being NOT from our plane to enter Their Murmurations. For beings associated with the Feywild and Shadowfell it seems complicated and situational. The Mists seemingly view them with greater scrutiny and less “patience” than natives of our plane, but the same rules do seem to apply. But violations of Their Rules of Conduct are met with immediate and catastrophic attacks.
I do not know of any Tiefling, nor Assimar who has survived entering the Mist.
My experience personally is limited to two Tiefling researchers. I explained to them the risks and strongly discouraged them from their interests. I will explain in some detail.
I had given them both the opportunity to touch the mists which now cling to my frills at all times. The Mists had refused to engage them. Hiding in my nostrils and between my back scales. I told them this reaction was rare, and indicated the Mists would NOT welcome them. They insisted on going anyway.
We travelled to a hilltop I commonly use to sit in meditation, and ask the Mists to examine and welcome visitors or guests I am bringing. The Mists were at first very far off, and highly agitated. The normal white noise of their psionics was disordered. In retrospect I know understand they were angry.
Normally a tendril of Them will eventually come up the hill, surround us and explore the new guests. If everyone remains calm and welcoming, we will then rise and join with the tendril as it reenters the Mumuration.
In this case my only memory is of a very aggressive and very fast moving Tendril flying toward us, Cannonlike. I should have induced a Windward, but until that time I had never needed to do so on a “Welcome” Hill.
I was stunned by the impacts and crushed by a psionic stunning unlike any I have experienced in my adult life. I remained in a stunned state for apx. 30 minutes. When I recovered, The Mists were again far in the distance, still clearly angry. My two fellow researchers were completely stripped of brains, magic and neural capacity. I surgically removed their horns to return to their kin, and Composted them both on the Hill.
From their composting arose two very strange - and I have since confirmed other-planar flowers.
From my perspective my two Tiefling Fellows were solid and thoughtful beings. Though clearly the Mists did not agree. I have heard similar accounts of three other Tieflings and an Asimar who were not in my company. All destroyed completely. Some of my colleagues believe that the Tieflings simply over-reacted and failed to remain calm when the Tendril came at high speed. This is possible, and I have guided others to the Mists who I have seen panic and were also de-atomized of the neural capacity. But this was different. I don’t believe They deatomized the Tieflings due to a Fear Reaction. I think it was some form of interplanar disapproval.
Many folk-stories of the Mists sending out armies of undead exist. None of these are born out by facts. In most cases the “Undead” are likely beings who reacted with Fear to the Mists. The Mists partially consumed/destroyed their neural capacity or brains in trying to remove the fear. The resulting semi-brain-damaged individuals may be mistaken for Zombies or undead.
In some cases, the Creatures being expelled by the mists are likely Extra-planar visitors who may have transited into the mists from another plane entirely. This is an effect which is currently under substantial study.
OTHER PLANAR CONNECTIONS/SOURCE OF THE MIST
I will preface this section by making it clear, gentle reader, that my opinions offered here are my own, and are dismissed - even jeered - by others who believe my claims speculative and even inflammatory in nature.
I believe the Mist exist across multiple planes of existence, and somehow can be used to transit between planes. I also believe the Mists have been this way AND have been in place doing this since BEFORE the creation of our world. I believe the Gods who forged our world needed some form of portal in which to bring the components and elements here for our own creation. The Mists are associated with this Godly World-buidling Portal, or perhaps they are the remnant of that Portal. Or the Mists remain surrounding some portion of the Portal which remains today within the Murmurations of the Mists.
Whether I am correct, it has been documented on some occasions that other Planar entities have emerged - often severely damaged and enraged - from the Mists. I believe the Mists may be invaded by HUNDREDS of such extra planar monstrosities, but the Mists are only able to fully fight off a limited number. A few battle through the Mists into our World.
My work on the process of death and decompostion of corpses within the Mists offers some of the best documented evidence of this connection.
When a creature with other planar connection dies OR if I take the corpse remains of a creature of another plane into the region of Mists - and I then conduct the right of Decomposition upon the corpse. The remains do not only sprout moss, molds and flowers of OUR plane, but will have at least one, and often more than one Alien / Other Planar (?) Botany Specie.
This is not true for extraplanar species who I have decomposed outside The Mist. Nor will extraplanar botany appear when I decompose losses from our own World.
I have confirmed this finding with the use of multiple corpses.
I would like again like to thank Prof. Elise Stefanik Alien Botany Specialist in the The Botany Department at GTI for help in this area of research. Likewise Dr. Mitch McConnell for his understanding of otherworldly and eldritch horrors.
DIVINE NATURE/WORSHIP of THEM.
Again, my opinion here is disputed. However, I will note I am one of the few non-Knolls accepted by the Mists as a “resident” and as far as I know the only Psionic Druidic Acolyte of the Mists. They have guided me on 5 major explorations and welcomed me in over a dozen minor visits to The Murmurations. My connections to the Mists are personal, real, and possibly unique.
The Mists, as they slip into the edges of their nightly dreams (Yes. The Mists Dream), They sometimes enter a strange worshipful state. In this state, they seem to be waiting for something important to come (or re-emerge?) from The Place.
I do not know where The Place is, though They seem to be at times trying to tell-show me. And I don’t know what/who will/did (?) emerge/re-emerge.
And this experience is why I believe the Mists are experiencing existence not only here on Amusa in our Plane and in our Time, but on multiple Amusa’s - or other places not named Amusa - from other Planes and/or Times. I recently published an admittedly poorly reviewed book attempting to translate some of my psionic exchanges about The Place with Them into the common tongue. I will share one excerpt. The psionic concept of Tototototo is important as it is the calm and thoughtful interface of Them. Like a Cleric who pauses midsermon with a drawn out Amen.
“Totototototo The Place Totototototo To us-we, when we once then for-with Tototototo Then-Past-Now totototo Forward-back to when-if totototo.”
I hope in coming years to deepen my understanding of the Mist. Their exchanges. And if They Allow, to visit the Place.
The KNOLLS and the MISTS -
Knolls are famous for their fearless natures. And I have found numerous Knoll Tribes with complex symbiotic relationships with Them. They Knolls will build villages within the edges of the Mumurations, and then conduct raids from the Mists. They will bring back living (and terrified captives) who the Mists will neurally de-atomize, feeding as the Mist does on their fears, leaving the meats and organs for the Knolls. Any revenge party who pursues the Knolls becomes wracked by fears as it approaches the Mists. And they are then themselves consumed. It is a fascinating though grisly symbiosis. From time to time whoever, something will Panic a group of Knolls, and then the Mists atomize them. I have encouraged Arcane Spellcaster who know Fear Spells to prepare it. Once in the Mists, it can be cast upon any attacking Knolls and the Mists will then destroy them.
The Bounty of the Mists.
As a final note, I want to emphasize for those who can remain at calm and peace within the Mists, it is a place of great beauty and bounty. The Magic absorbed by the Mists is returned to the land and amazing Botanical Wonders exist. You can find both GoodBerry Bushes, and likewise the mimicking plant BadBerry Bushes. One Berry from a GoodBerry Bush will feed you on your visit to the Mists for a day. One Berry from a BadBerry Bush will cause you to both Vomit and Panic, which will then feed you to the Mists. I will work with any party planning on travelling into The Mist to make be able to identify which is which.
The Mist is a fascinating but poorly understood entity, covering a huge portion of Amura.
They can be a worthy and powerful guide and allie.
They can, if not treated properly be swiftly lethal.
Rumours of Great Treasure
For generations there has been rumours of lost fortunes and cities in the Mist. I have thus far found no such places, though I have found complex ruins obviously built by creatures vastly larger than us. Entirely Stone. Doorways 30’ tall etc. My maps of this areas are available in the Tempest Company Library. I have also found a massive Temple and Festival Center for Knolls, which I believe is used seasonally for massive “County Fair” style gatherings. I have been to the location twice. Once it was empty. Once it was lightly in use by a group of Knolls who I passed through un-noticed.
I have proposed to Authorities that if the correct time of full occupation could be determined. A huge portion of the Southern Knoll population might be exterminated in a single blow.
I am personally interested in discovery more the fortune, and do hope to one day find The Place the Mists seem to believe so important.
Thank you for your interest. I am available to take questions from fellow members of the Tempest Company. However, as I will be conducted a research journey in to a section of the Western Mist in the coming month, it may be best if my beloved Brother Otter consolidate any questions and I can answer them upon my return.
- Respectfully.
- Rheinhold Azurine. - Cartographer of Lands in the Southern Mists - Asst. Prof. Galik Polytechnical Institute.
