Planet Zar: Nexus

Population: 000000
Inhabitants: Noulicorn
Other: sddsdss
Other: dsfdsfdss

The result of a series of experimentations by the murdons in order to find a way to set their planet back to rights. Vykeli is home to a magical deer-like creature, the noulicorn, created from genetic manipulation of the moon's now extinct native fauna. The noulicorn were granted a set of magic that allows them to restore and repair the ruined environment of their post-apocalyptic moonscape. Vykeli is carefully guarded by Zar's government and the Heimdall. Visitation is expressly forbidden.

General

Vykeli is one of Zar's many moons that was once lush and living but is now almost entirely dead. "The others" attempted to colonize the planet and in doing so killed off almost all life, polluted the air and the water, and stripped the planet of all its resources.

The noulicorns don't know where they came from, but they know what their purpose is: To heal Vykeli. They have magical powers called 'gifts' that allow them to fix the planet and resurrect extinct species.

Most noulicorns live in the Homewood, the first area to be healed. The homewood is a massive forest that stretches on for miles, filled with trees, clearings full of grass, and winding streams of fresh water.

Surrounding the Homewood are the Barrens, the dead wasteland that makes up most of Vykeli. As the noulicorns heal the world, new areas are created from the barrens, such as the Blackbriar Bog.

To the east of Homewood lies the Ruins of Erli, the remains of the human colony, now overgrown with plants as the Homewood spills into it.

Lastly, there is Grandfather Tree, a massive white oak that grows far out into the barrens. Grandfather trees grants the noulicorns that visit it their magical gifts. It is ancient and no one knows how it came to be or how it survives out in the barrens.

Grandfather Tree

Deep in the barrens on a plateau overlooking the desolate wasteland lies the Grandfather Tree, a massive white oak imbued with magical powers. No one knows where Grandfather Tree came from, only that it is older than any noulicorn and more powerful than the Others who attempted to destroy the planet. It is revered and respected.

Grandfather Tree gifts those that visit it with access to their magical powers.

Homewood

The brightest spot of green for miles, Homewood is where most noulicorns reside. The trees here grow lush and healthy, clearings spot the landscape with fresh, sweet grass, and springs babble their rivers through the twisting natural pathways. There is plentiful food and shelter in the Homewood and it is a welcome respite from the harsher elements of Vykeli.

The Barrens

Desolation as far as the eye can see. The Barrens make up most of the world of Vykeli, a parched desert surrounding Homewood. It stretches for miles, farther than the horizon in most areas, with bare black mountains to the west. The barrens are unbearably hot with no shelter except a few scraggly skeletons of trees. Some small pools of water can be found scattered in the far corners, but they are difficult to find and harder to reach. Alas, the barrens hide the bones of species long past and dead, dry seeds that have scattered to the winds. As dangerous as it is, the barrens are also essential to healing Vykeli.

The Forest of Faces

Located deep within the south-west reaches of the Barrens lays a mysterious, ancient forest. The trees here are thick, but dead, plotting out all light from above. They grow unnaturally, taking the shape of faces etched into their bark and branches. Some appear friendly and unicorn-like and others… Others have the visage of a horn, reptilian beast. Odd blue crystals grow on the trees, pulsing with magical power.

Ruins of Erli

Just outside the Eastern border of Homewood lie the ruins The Other left behind. Their dilapidated colony, long abandoned and slowly being returned to the forest. Metal structures tower high into the sky, eaten away by rust. Their buildings remain in shambles, homes littered with dead leaves now, laboratories covered in broken glass. There are many locked doors here. Many secrets the noulicorns have yet to divine.

Blackbriar Bog

Stinking pops of putrid air break the deathly din of Blackbriar Bog. The water is thick and muddy, squelching as one steps into it, tugging and grasping to pull hapless visitors into its murky depths. The smell is rank, thick and humid on the tongue, unbearable to most. Skeletal figures of long dead trees reach out of the bog with their gnarled fingers, grasping for fresh air long gone. The bog is deep and winding, scattered with a myriad of peat islands where the few skulking creatures that can breathe the toxic air scurry around for life.

Mistfruit Forest

Once a lush boreal forest, now reduced to a wasteland of dead plants. Mistfruit sits atop of rolling hills far to the north-east of Homewood, a vast array of skeletal trees and dead yellow grass that leads down into a gully where the Others have built a massive hydroelectric dam. A river cuts through the barrens, fed into a deep lake on one side of the dam, and nothing but dust on the opposite side. The only growing thing that remains is a mysterious grove of twisted silver trees that are eternally ripe with a strange fruit.

Sociatal Roles

CORE

Core roles make up the backbone of noulicorn society. They are the most common roles, but also some of the most important. Some are solely dedicated to the healing of Vykeli and others of making a functional home for the noulicorns and the other animals residing in Homewood.

Gardener
Probably the most common role of noulicorns in Homewood, especially among botanic, fungus, and solar users. Gardeners keep care plants, tending to newly discovered seeds and encouraging vegetation to expand further into the barrens. Some gardeners prefer to focus on growing edible crops for animals of homewood, providing the population with ample food so new plants aren’t at risk of being eaten. Gardening skills are taught to all young noulicorns born in Homewood.

Expander
Homewood may be the starting point, but all of Vykeli needs to be healed. Expanders prepare the ground bordering Homewood for new plants by tilling the earth and ensuring the soil is rich in nutrients. Irrigation, setting up temporary shade for seedlings, and keeping pests from taking root are all important aspects of this job. Most expanders are atmos, aqua, or fungal users.

Nanny
Nannies, sometimes called foalsitters, watch over the children of Homewood, taking care of youngsters when their parents are busy with their own work or out roaming the barrens. It takes patience, kindness, and a lot of creativity to keep up with flocks of mischievous foals! Sometimes a new parent will temporarily take on the roll of nanny in order to stay safe in Homewood with their own foals and to watch the foals of friends and neighbors.

Sage
Older noulicorns who choose to spend their time passing along their wisdom take up the roll of sage, teachers for the younger generations in Homewood. Sages are revered for their age and experience and are well cared for by the community. The most favored sages among youngsters are those who know how to tell a story well.

Scout
Scouts are the vigilant protectors of Homewood, wandering the borders and marking off dangers as they spot them. Scouts must be strong and agile, capable of outrunning or outfoxing predators. They should be willing to put themselves between danger and those they need to protect. Scouts rarely venture deep into the barrens, but some may be asked to join expedition groups as a protector.

Wanderer
Noulicorns who choose to leave the Homewood and spend most of their time travelling the unhealed areas of Vykeli, searching for signs of life or things to bring back for healers to resurrect. Wandering is a dangerous and often lonely job, but one that is pivotal to fixing Vykeli. Wanderers are widely respected by the noulicorns of Homewood and many become folk heroes after accomplishing great deeds. Others, though… others set out to the barrens and never return.

SPECIALIZED

Specialized roles don't necessarily require any more training than those of the core roles, but their abilities often target specific groups. Some specialized roles are categorized as such because they only apply to noulicorns with a particular gift. Either way, noulicorns who take up these roles are much more uncommon than the core roles.

Artist
While noulicorns don't have the dexterity for many artistic crafts, many love to express themselves with paintings and designs. Artists use their talents to carve images in wood, stone, ice, or sand, and can also create paints and pigments from plants. A noulicorn with a good sense of fashion might work with more handy familiars to come up with interesting accessories.

Banqueteer
Noulicorns dedicated to the art of crafting magnificent meals. While foraging grasses is a large portion of a noulicorn's diet, culture has made food and its preparation important to many. Banqueteers study flavors, cooking methods, and presentation. Some specialize in a particular type of food or drink, such as tea, fruit, or flowers. Many work closely with gardeners.

Bard
Sometimes called poets or storytellers, Bards are integral to the history and culture of Vykeli. Stories are almost always passed long by word of mouth, and bards are those that do it best. A great bard can earn quite the reputation! Bards are especially sought out during festivals, but can typically find work throughout most of the year.

Companion
While healers mend bodies, companions mend minds. They offer respite to the sick, injured, and grieving, comfort to those who need it, and companionship to the lonely. In order to do their job well, companions must be empathetic, good listeners, and able to read others well. It can take many years of study and dedication before a noulicorn can truly call themselves a companion.

Dream Reader
Some noulicorns are superstitious, and dreams can be a source of omens... good and bad. Dream Readers are trained to interpret the meaning of dreams, to offer those who come to them some direction in their lives. Dream Reader is an art rather than an exact science. Dream Readers are not fortune tellers and have no ability to predict the future, they merely help those who need to understand themselves and how to deal with current situations.

Healer
Almost entirely made up of vivify users, healers are those who dedicate themselves to the already living fauna of Vykeli. Mending broken bones, closing wounds, and fighting off infections, healers play a vital role for Noulicorn and other animals alike. Young and non-gifted noulicorns can learn how to help stabilize the sick and injured and tend to them with herbs and potions.

Herald
Heralds are the messengers of Homewood and beyond, dedicated to their craft with swift legs and great stamina to allow them to deliver news as quickly as possible to wherever it is needed.

Navigator
Noulicorns with a strong sense of direction and a desire for adventure may become navigators, although not all set foot outside of Homewood. Navigators are noulicorns who study the stars, recognizing patterns in the sky between seasons, allowing others to travel more safely through the barrens. Some navigators also have a keen eye for landmarks and small variations in the landscape, making them excellent travel companions. Navigators often work closely with familiars to create maps for wanderers and scouts.

Returner
Death comes to everyone, and it is a Returner's job to help them back into Vykeli's embrace. Returner's dig graves for the deceased and cultivate gardens of decomposers over top of them. Their job is solemn but revered. Returners are most often Fungal users, for obvious reasons.

Stonesmith
Industrious noulicorns who craft things out of stones and gems. Often these items are jewelry or tools, but a few find ways to imbue their creations with magic, turning them into useful items for adventuring! Stonesmiths also build infrastructure in and out of Homewood, such as stone dens, dams, and bridges.

Trader
Gregarious noulicorns with a good eye for value may become traders, who travel from various areas of Homewood and beyond with food, goods, or crafts to sell to other communities. It’s not unusual to find traders hunting through the Ruins for interesting or useful objects left behind by the Others. Traders can also work closely with familiars to make objects like jewelry, saddlebags, and cloaks.

RESTRICTED

Restricted roles can only be obtained by ascended noulicorns.

Council
The council is made up of ascended noulicorns who speak for all those that reside in Homewood. They are recognized as leaders, holding each other accountable, and acting in the best interest of Vykeli as a whole.

Lifebringer
A special class of vivify-users dedicated solely to resurrecting the extinct fauna of Vykeli. Not ony do lifebringers resurrect creatures, they also go through the arduous process of determining what should be resurrected and when. Some non-vivify users choose the path of the Lifebringer to lend their wisdom to this council. The ecology of Vykeli is precarious, and every new creature brought back brings new challenges to overcome.

Honorifics

Noulja
A polite term to address a stranger. Gender-neutral. (Example usage: Excuse me, noulja, do you have the time?) A replacement term for sir/ma'am.

Cervos
A gender neutral prefix used to designate respect toward elders. A noulicorn may also use this toward a mentor or teacher, even if they are similar ages.

Lux
A gender-neutral prefix used to designate respect toward Adept noulicorns. Typically only used in formal settings.

Penna
A gender-neutral prefix used to designate respect toward Ascended noulicorns. Most ascendeds prefer to be address with this title, especially by younger and less powerful noulicorns.

Electus
A title representing noulicorns who are official members of Homewood's council.

Ater
Less an honorific, and more a... polite curse word, referring to black horned noulicorns. Many also use it in reference to those exiled from Homewood.

Death

Death is a bittersweet affair for noulicorns. It hurts to lose those they love, but it is an honor to be returned to Vykeli. In Homewood - and many places outside of it - noulicorns are buried in shallow graves. It's common in Homewood for mushrooms to be cultivated on top of bodies, to help them decompose. Friends and families will tend to these solemn gardens for weeks after the death of a loved one. The things that sprout from their graves are considered to have a part of their soul. They have returned to Vykeli and aid her even in death.

Death is an important part of the life cycle, no matter how it comes to someone. It is forbidden to resurrect a noulicorn, under any circumstances. Death is Vykeli's way of reclaiming her children and it would be a mockery to take them from her again. Vykeli needs bodies in order to heal, needs nutrients in her soil so other things can grow. Resurrection, while possible, is to be used only on the species driven to exctinction by the Others.