The Astral Plains (Northwest)
Creator: Celestira, Goddess of stars, dreams, and the astral world.
The Oneiroi are charged with the sacred duty of reading the cosmos, protecting the Astral world, and organizing specialized factions aligned with the cosmic pillars. Their primary magical focuses encompass cosmic manipulation, dream walking, and astral charting.
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Geography & Settlements
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They are most known for their many floating celestial islands drift slowly across the sky, interconnected by shimmering bridges and portals. They vary in size, from small gardens to large communities. Enchanted woods filled with ethereal light blanket their plains. Dotting the landscape are moon pools, these are serene bodies of water nestled within craters or nestled among hills, reflecting the full glory of the night sky. These lakes are used for rituals and dream ceremonies. Some use them as wishing wells, fastening starlight into tokens they toss in, sending wishes to Celestira. Architecture is open to the sky, with spiraling towers designed to channel starlight. They sleep during the day and are most active at night.
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The Weavers of Starlight and Shadow.
Their skin appears to be made of liquid night or twilight, a deep indigo or violet base. Across this canvas, constellations of freckles and markings naturally glow with a soft, silvery light, unique to each individual and shifting subtly with their mood. Their eyes are their most striking feature. Their eyes are their most striking feature. They have star-like pupils; that form constellations based on their mood. They come in colors of sapphire, amethyst, and emerald. They are naturally bigger than most eyes. Hair that looks like spun starlight, captured nebular gas, or wisps of dark matter, often appearing semi-transparent and floating around their heads as if in a gentle solar wind. Their voices are soft and melodic, often with a faint, echoing quality, like a memory of a sound.
The Faces of Oneiroi:
The Oneiroi have a dual nature, reflecting both the light of stars and the shadows of dreams. Stature: men grow to 5'10, women to 5'7 at tallest. Flowing and willowy, movements with a graceful, weightless quality to their movements, as if they are moving through water or low gravity.
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They are nocturnal by nature. Their society is most active from dusk till dawn. Their "day" begins at sunset. At dawn, as they prepare to sleep, it is customary to spend a few moments reflecting on one's own dreams from the night, often jotting down insights in a dream journal.
Stellaris: They are the keepers of absolute celestial law and ensure no short-term prophecy contradicts the billion-year dance of the galaxies. They are usually the oldest in their community. Their bodies are living star charts, their personal freckles having expanded and connected into full constellation maps over centuries. They no longer predict daily events; they guard the billion-year constants of the cosmos, ensuring no short-term prophecy violates the universe's fundamental laws.
Those who have undergone the "Sight-Birth," what they call the event during their calling where Seersβ physical sight fails, and their vision is permanently turned inward to the flow of dreams and futures in the Astral Sea. They are the navigators of the now, interpreting the active, shifting tapestry of fate that the Elders' stable sky provides the backdrop for.
Governance:
The Sovereign Conclave: Because their population is split between the high floating crystal islands and the low coastal fishing villages, their laws must account for both cosmic destiny and practical survival.
The Stellaris (Elders): The supreme federal government sits at the highest point of the capital city, Astramira. It does not debate statutes; it charts them. They do not rule daily life; they maintain the Celestial Constant
The Veiled Eyes: Seers who have undergone the Sight-Birth, turning their vision permanently inward to the flow of futures in the Astral Sea. They interpret the shifting tapestries of fate and handle cross-border treaties with the Vespralith.
Celestarium (Astrology Guild) & the Somnariar (Dreamweavers Guild): Govern the universities, observatories, & the astronomical academies. They also oversee the quality control and ethical use of recreational drugs, ensuring their recreactional substances are pure and users are educated about risks and cosmic rhythms.
The Low Shallows are managed by the Fishery Guilds, that handle the fishing industries, the Seaflow Pearl Exchanges, and trade routes with mainland Atheria.
The Waking Vanguard (The Day-Watch): are a specialized branch of the military assigned to the "Day-Shift." They remain awake to handle daytime border defense, harbor logistics, and ensure all diplomatic affair run smoothly.
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Magical Abilities:
Oneiromancy & Astral Weaving:
Their magic is the manipulation of subconscious energy and cosmic light.
Astral Projection
Astral projection also comes with the risk of being permanently stuck in the Astral planes. If that happens, they can plead to Celestira to call them out. If she chooses to, the person awakens disoriented and physically ill for up to 5 days depending on skill and mental fortitude. For this reason it is forbidden to those who are not properly trained.
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Universal Abilities:
Dream-Walking: All Oneiroi can, with concentration, enter the dreams of others as silent observers. They cannot control the dream, only witness it.
Starlight Navigation & Minor Healing:
They can always find their way by the stars, and can use starlight to heal minor wounds and fatigue.
Constellation Crafting: Create temporary or permanent celestial constellations that influence events or emotions.
Specialized Abilities: There are few born with these abilities, but with practice, and higher education Oneiroi can learn these skills.
Dream Weaving: They can shape and guide the dreams of others. They plant seeds of doubt or inspiration.
Aurora Manipulation: Some can generate beautiful, hypnotic auroras that soothe or distract. The higher the skill the more area the aurora can influence. Low-skilled mages typically cover an area of a quarter of a mile outward. Higher skilled mages, like the legendary mage, have been known to reach up to 3 miles They can influence to calm, sooth, cheer up or confuse.
Universities & Observatories
Universities:
The Academy of Dream Arts:
Is a prestigious institution deeply rooted in mystical and dream-based education. It offers specialized programs focusing on techniques in manipulating, sharing, and interpreting dreams.The academy combines classroom instruction with guided meditation, lucid dreaming workshops, and cosmic energy practices. Students engage in both theoretical studies and hands-on mastery, supported by seasoned Dreamweavers and guild mentors.
The Institute of Celestial Sciences:
Astrophysics and star mapping which teaches the practical and magical methods of charting and predicting celestial movements. They study cosmic phenomena, magical technology with enchantments for navigation and charting. This institute works closely with the guilds, observatories and the divine envoy.
Observatories:
Starspire Observatory: Located in Astralis it is the Country's flagship observatory features towering crystal structures and powerful magical lenses to study deep space, star births, and cosmic energy flows.
Grand Astral Watch:
Also located in Astralis, this is a cutting-edge facility tracking star and dream phenomena, integrating dream science with celestial observation technology.
Astramira Celestial Dome:
Located in the capital city, a public observatory that offers stargazing, educational programs, and cosmic ritual spaces where magical and scientific communities converge.
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Hobbies & Lifestyle
Astro-cartography:
The hobby of mapping the night sky. But for the Oneiroi, it's not just about stars; it's about charting the "emotional weather" of constellations, the flow of nebular gases, and theorizing about the dreams of celestial beings. They create stunning, abstract star charts that are works of art.
Journaling & Dreamcats:
At dawn, as they prepare to sleep, it is customary to spend a few moments reflecting on one's own dreams from the night, often jotting down insights in a dream journal. Every Oneiroi has a Dreamcat, whether by purposeful ownership or because a stray decided to stay. They pick their human, and you're pretty much stuck after that. Dreamcats help in the Dreamscape as emotional support. Mystical feline creatures with sleek, shimmering fur and subtle dream-related abilities, along with emotional support, they help ward off nightmares, prevent dream-hijacking, help process memory dreams, and some can even shapes shift in the Astral Realm.
Recreational Substances:
Dreamblossom Nectar:
A rare elixir made from luminescent flowers that bloom only under star showers. Induces vivid, euphoric lucid dreaming and mild astral projection.Used socially for dream-sharing experiences.
Stardust Herb:
A powdered herb harvested from astral plains, inhaled or brewed as tea. Enhances astral sensitivity and deepens meditation but can cause mild hallucinations of cosmic visions. Mildly addictive. Legal for recreational use.
Moonroot Resin:
Legal for recreational use. Extracted from a plant growing in lunar-infused soils, smoked or ingested for relaxation and temporary enhancement of night vision and starlight manipulation.
Laws & Regulations
People enjoy being intoxicated, escaping this terrifying world and sometimes barely make it through the day without. Some do use them for ritual, religious or meditation purposes as well. Public intoxication that leads to the loss of self-control is frowned upon. No younglings are permitted for use. One must have passed their adolescent rites of passage.
Dreamweavers Guild oversees quality control and ethical use, ensuring substances are pure and users are educated about risks and cosmic rhythms.
Addiction is considered a spiritual imbalance; rehabilitation involves extended dream therapy and realignment with star cycles.
It is illegal for those who have not completed the rites of passage, still considered a youngling. Those that cause harm or dissoance beyond reasonable circumstances (eg. holidays, birth anniversaries, festivals, etc...) they will be fully therapeutized.
Gravity-Gardening:
A peaceful, meditative hobby practiced on the floating islands. They cultivate flora that thrive in low-gravity or anti-gravity environmentsβflowers that bloom in floating orbs, vines that spiral into complex geometric shapes, and mosses that form hovering carpets.
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Celestira, Goddess of stars, dreams, and the astral world.
Weaving the Essence she gathered three types of light:
1. Sharp star-shards (clarity),
2. Soft nebula-glow (wonder),
3. Fragile mortal candlelight (mercy).
She braided these lights with strands of shadow (echoes of past dreams) to create a balance, stating that dreams without shadows are lies, but shadows without light are prisons.
Celestira gave the Onerioi a law woven into their being: guide, but not command; reveal, but not decide; comfort, but not cage. She gave them a shard of self-doubt to serve as a safeguard against overstepping their bounds.
Finally, Celestira kept one last thread of light and shadow for herself, binding it to her own heart as a pulse in the Raw Dreaming, ensuring she, too, would be guided by uncertainty and anchored to her creations.
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The Factions of Oneiroi
1. Noctari: The Noctari represent the creative, therapeutic, and subtle power of the Oneiroi, blending dream manipulation with the physical crafting of light. Their magic is the manipulation of subconscious energy and cosmic light. They are also skilled in the use of enchanted dream crystals, astral conduits, and ritual chambers designed to amplify dream energies.
2. Mara Hunters: They serve as the protectors of the dreamscape and the emotional health of the people, acting as a defense against dark entities and a benevolent influence on the collective unconscious.
2a. Nefarious Dream Hunters: Their primary role is to hunt down those who seek to deliver nefarious dreams into the collective dreamscape.
2b. Dream Calming: They calm those that suffer from nightmares or dream-based trauma, providing spiritual healing and support. This aligns with the therapeutic and healing focus of the former Dreamweavers.
3. The Astrael: The Astrael is the dedicated military arm of the Oneiroi, focused on ensuring the Celestial Mandate unfolds without interference. Their doctrine is "The Shield of Prophecy." They are primarily focused on guarding the borders and upholding the cosmic law.
3a. Lancers:The frontline. They wear armor etched with protective constellations and wield weapons of hardened starlight.
3b. Veil-Walkers:The intelligence and covert operations branch. They are in charge of reading the cosmos, protecting the Astral world, and organizing specialized factions aligned with the cosmic Pillars. Their primary magical focuses encompass cosmic manipulation, dream walking, and astral charting.
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From the Thought Book of Rivar Deepwater
A Day in the Lucid Gardens
I arrived at the Bridge of First Light and stepped into Astramira just as the Plains shifted into their version of dusk. It looked nothing like dusk at all. The sky didn't darken; it slowly stirred, like a cat waking from a nap. Threads of starlight drifted like slowβmoving rivers overhead, and the floating island beneath my feet hummed with a soft, resonant pulse. My mother's best friend met me at the Visiting Center. I've called her Auntie my whole life, though we were never particularly close. Serai was an Oneiroi guide and agreed to take me around the city. The bridge that carried me in was a drifting arc of pale blue light. The warmth permeated through my skin so deep my bones felt it. Serai told me it was woven by a StarβWeaver at dawn and would dissolve by the next cycle. I didnβt ask what would happen if I was still on it when it did. We ate dinner at the Inn, and then when I got to my room, a Dreamcat was perched on the windowsill, as if it were waiting for me.
The moment I woke, or whatever counted as waking here. I thought, maybe Astramira didn't have mornings at all. Maybe it simply had beginnings. I opened my eyes to a soft violet glow drifting across my ceiling, a slow ripple of starlight that pulsed in time with my heartbeat. The Oneiroi call this the βFirst Resonanceβ, the moment the city acknowledges youβre awake. It felt like being greeted by a dream. A Dreamcat wandered past my window, its fur glowing faintly. Iβm told they nap on floating moss and pur lullabies when content. Apparently, if a Dreamcat chooses your lap, it likes you. This one purred at me. I took it as a good sign. The walk to the lucid gardens was better than I imagined. The bridges were quieter today. They drifted lazily, as if the city was still stretching.
A Oneiroi child passed me and we locked eyes. It's hard to explain the difference seeing Oneiroi in their own country, under their stars. They shimmered and their hair would float if they didn't braid in weighted beads. Their eyes were breathtaking. You could lose yourself in them for hours. The child's carried more wonder than you'd think possible. She offered me a glowing flower and said it would βkeep my thoughts from wandering too far.β I didnβt ask what would happen if they did. Next, we made our way to the gardens. I'd been looking forward to this all morning. Oneiroic gardens were not like the ones in the Currents. The Lucid Gardens were my favorite. Gravity behaved like a polite suggestion. The path to the Lucid Gardens is lined with floating lanterns that dim or brighten depending on your emotional state. Mine flickered nervously. The lanterns noticed.
We made our way up to the entrance to the gardens and upon first sight I fell in love. The Lucid Gardens are not a place. They are a feeling. Gravity softened the moment I stepped inside. My feet felt lighter, my thoughts clearer, and the air tasted faintly of mint and moonlight. Flowers bloomed in midair, their petals drifting like tiny nebulae. Vines spiraled upward in slow, deliberate patterns. The pools of dream-water caught me completely off guard. I expected to see my reflection. Instead, they reflected my intentions, it felt as though the water could peer straight into my soul. Serai guided me to a hovering stone platform. βSit,β she said. βLet the garden breathe with you.β When I sat the stone rose. She taught me Dream-Breathing, a Oneiroic meditation technique. "Inhale as though you're drawing in starlight," she said. "Exhale everything that no longer serves you." I noticed that the garden itself responded to me. I saw the flowers brighten and could feel the air warm against my cheek. A pool rippled even though nothing touched it. Serai smiled. βThe garden likes you.β I wasnβt sure if that was comforting or alarming. I thanked her and the garden anyway, just in case.
We stopped by a cluster of dreamβorchids, flowers that bloom in response to emotion.
Serai asked me to think of something joyful. I tried. The orchid glowed faintly.
She laughed softly. βYouβre holding back.β
I'd always thought I was good at hiding my emotions. Obviously, the orchid disagreed.
Serai led me to a floating lilyβpond.
The water showed a version of me I didn't recognize, I looked calmer, lighter, and unburdened.
A version of me who belonged here.
βIs that my future?β I asked.
βNo,β she said. βItβs your possibility.β The pond shimmered, and the image dissolved.
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Oneiroi cuisine isβ¦ strange. Beautiful, but strange. Serai got us a variety of new foods. I loved them all, except the Arachno Jelly. That is not for me. I really liked the starfruit slices, they are sweet and brightly colored. The nebulaβherb tea was wonderfully calming. I asked about tea readings and she got a weird look on her face. When I asked what was wrong, Serai told me that the best Oneiroi reader, Selka... something, used to work here but that she left the city years ago. She said can read anything that had something to say. She said Selka was extremely gifted but claimed the stars were silent. Serai said she didn't believe her. "She just had to be different from everyone, ever since we were kids. She was infuriatingly good at Star charting, She took the scholarship I'd worked my ass off for... She was barely into the school year before abandoning it. And me. So I not only lost a scholarship, I lost my sister, my twin." She wouldn't say much more and got very quiet afterwards. The betrayal was painted all over her face. Those constellation eyes almost looked teary. Almost.
I never knew she had a sister, let alone a twin. I'll ask my mother in my next letter to her. I didn't ask for more information. We let the silence settle around us and I could see her lost in some distant memory. I turned the brass rings of my pocket Orrery until they aligned with the sky above us. Pyra hung overhead, warm and steady. Selunaris shimmered in Brightmirror, while Veyra glowed faintly on the opposite horizon. Kalthyr, my favorite moon, wouldn't rise until later. I made a note to stay awake for it. I was getting to the current when something pulled my eyes away from Orrey. It was Serai, as if nothing happened, she handed me a small glowing pastry that tasted like a childhood memory Iβd forgotten. Fitting considering what just happened with Serai. I asked her thrice if she was alright and she replied each time that she was. I didn't ask again. I think she was thankful for that. The delicious pastry she gave me, brought up very vivid images that I haven't decided how I feel about yet, up until the last bite. I didnβt ask how they made it. Iβm not sure I want to know.
As we walked back toward the entrance, a lantern dimmed sharply. Serai stopped. βSomething is shifting,β she murmured. The air grew colder then the flowers stilled and the dreamβwater darkened. I looked at Serai but didn't dare speak. βDo not think of anything you fear,β she whispered. Which, of course, made me do exactly that. The garden pulsed once, a warning she said. I felt it as it slowly relaxed. Serai exhaled. βThe Plains brushed close. It happens.β I pretended I wasnβt shaking but she knew that I was. The Lucid Gardens are as breathtaking as they are terrifying. Everything here responds to emotion not figuratively or literally. You cannot hide from yourself in Astramira. The city wonβt let you. Tomorrow, Serai says she will take me to the Spiral Observatory for a resonance reading. Iβm not sure Iβm ready. But the bridges will decide that for me.
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π Genesis Myth: The Weaving of Celestira
In the beginning, dreams were a wild and directionless force. Celestira hung the constellations like jeweled songs across the black, but observed that the Raw Dreaming wandered without purpose, bringing either violent storms or aching emptiness. Realizing this delicate work required custodians, she determined that dreams needed keepers and guides.
She summoned three lights: the cold, sharp light of distant stars for clarity; the soft, blooming glow of nebulae for wonder; and the fragile flicker of mortal candlelight for mercy. She braided these together into luminous threads.
But a complete dream required a counterweight. "Dreams without shadows are lies," she decreed, "but shadows without light are prisons." She pulled strands of shadow from the Raw Dreamingβholding echoes of childhood fears, lost battlefields, and unspoken apologiesβand wove them cleanly together with the braided light. Thus, the Oneiroi were born as the perfect balance between the two.
Power was easy to give. Restraint was not. Celestira knew that if the Onerioi were allowed to shape dreams entirely to their will, they might smother the minds they were meant to tend. Even mercy, unchecked, could become a kind of cruelty. So she gave the Onerioi a law, not written in words but woven into their very being. βYou may guide, but not command. You may reveal, but not decide. You may comfort, without it becoming a cage.β To each Onerios, she placed within them a shard of uncertainty, drawn from her own heart. This doubt was not a weakness. It was the last safeguard.
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