Nalizaro
Those hoping to host should read through this...I know it's long and I ramble, but even I had to start with the basics!
What is Nalizaro?
This is a question many of my visitors have asked me. To truly explain what it is I shall explain what a Lunaris is, and why you should fear them. Lunaris are the living threads that form the many worlds and realms around us. A Lunaris finds a speck of dust or anything really, and breathes life into it. It stays with its creation until it grows with people and creatures, then it chooses whether it wishes to stay guarding that realm, or whether it abandons it.
We're really fickle creatures, and if a realm left to grow doesn't turn out in a way we like, we abandon it. That's not to say everything dies, but usually the realm is claimed by one of the many other gods out there. Though Nalizaro is my realm, I am an ascended, which allows me to claim other realms and keep them under my protection, but because I choose to stay as the guarding Lunaris of Nalizaro, I am the only line of defense between the influence of other god's and their pet Lunaris.
Guarding Lunaris?
When a god ascends this is because they have claimed enough influence over realms. Most gods were mortals at one point or another, but overcame their mortality by great force or great leadership, or even finding and pleasing the local Lunaris -wink wink- +just kidding it's mine+. This only happens in realms where the Lunaris stayed to nurture that realm. Once the god ascends, their home realm is protected by the Lunaris so no other god may cause harm to that realm. That doesn't necessarily stop them, a powerful enough god with a powerful enough Lunaris might wage war. The loss of a realm is the loss of a god, and though immortality means you cannot die, it doesn't have anything on ceasing to exist.
Now I know you must be worrying: "But Great Lord Takaku if a god wages war with you you'd have to fight that god and their pet Lunaris!" And you're right! I would, I have, and each time my realm doubled in size. Why? Because I eat their pet Lunaris, then I go to their realm...and well...puppies! Let's think about puppies for awhile.
There's no puppies in Nalizaro...
Once a god and their Lunaris is destroyed, their realm and most loyal minions explode into particles of dust and bits. Large bits are claimed quickly by Lunaris as they make for a good start of powerful realms. Many fights break out over the bits and pieces, they're very important, and god wars are often raged over the remnants of a realm. I don't bother with the bits and pieces, I love my realm, fear not I'd never make a replacement!
Those pieces claimed by gods are used to make more realms within their domain. So for example, the god of dreams owns her own personal realm of nightmares and ever changing babbles of visions. She personally doesn't have denizens, at least none that us other gods have ever seen or found, but she is a neutral god, very powerful and very widespread. She touches nearly every realm outside her domain, but inside her domain is thousands of realms created by her Lunari (yeah plural I'll get to that...). Those realms are full of her loyal followers who provide her the power to stretch beyond her domain and influence those of a realm in a different domain so long as that realm isn't protected by a Lunaris. More realms, more followers, more power. Larger realms, larger amount of followers, larger boost to power.
So, what happens to the denizens of a realm whose god has been destroyed? Nothing good, but the other realms in that domain are claimed by other gods and repurposed. Obviously the closer a god's domain is to the old domain, the faster their influence spreads into that area. I currently encroach on the edges of...hmm...I haven't really checked recently, perhaps ask Alphamai? She deals with all the politics. I do know, that I have claimed realms on the edges of other domains, and this often causes some hiccups here in Nalizaro, but let's face it, if that god really didn't want that realm lost they would've protected it better!
So, Nalizaro?:
Nalizaro was a speck of dust, my only companion in the prison my people put me in...
Sorry went to a dark place there for a moment...where was I? Ah! Alright, So, Nalizaro started out as a speck, which means it's a small realm. I walked the barren wastes of my world, wondering what I should do, what I should create. I waited many years for people to spawn, but I'm cursed...I won't talk about that...dark place n' all. Once I broke free from my prison, I went in search of friends. Obviously, the hundreds of Lunari I slaughtered in my escape chased off the prospect for Lunari friends, and searched realms. I carried Nalizaro with me, safe from the influence of other gods as they had no interest in a barren waste with no followers.
Tired in my journeys, I took my small bubble of a realm to a massive realm settled in the center of the galaxy. This realm had no god, it was created by a long dead Lunaris who created it with its dying breath (My guess it was killed after stealing a large bit of a destroyed realm). A game was being played between gods, whoever could claim this realm would receive a huge power boost, not to mention a prime spot to slip into the domains of other gods to steal away their realms. I was no god then, but here I met my first follower. A knight found me on the outskirts of a town, admiring an apple tree.
He saw my blue skin, the scales, the jagged wings and knew what I was. He told me of the circumstances of the realm, how the religious wars had ravaged the lands for thousands of years. He spoke of an evermage that kept the peace, but the mage was gone, and once again the people were on the verge of war and destruction. He asked I become the protector of the realm, to claim it, protect it from the gods.
I told him no, I had no wish to deal with the mess another Lunaris had made. I was exhausted, angry; told him I spent my life locked away, no one came to help me, why should I help him. His response? The odds were in my favor or else I'd still be trapped. He left me standing there, saying he had a side to pick and die for, not deal with a lost cause. I ran into him a few more times after that, I wanted to, but I didn't actively search...the odds were on my side. So, I realized my talents, what I want has a good chance of happening, and if they don't happen something weird happens instead. The last chance occurrence, was because he called my name.
He was at the end of the his rope, he knew his realm would fall into chaos, and it was his fault. He told me the story of the evermage, what he had done to her, how she could be saved, how he believed this was the evermage that could end the wars. He begged me, but I told him I was no god, and I didn't have the influence over this realm that the other gods did but if his odds be good, it would work out.
By uttering "if my odds be good" I gained my first follower, and his hope made him loyal to the belief I would save his people. I cannot truly say I did save it as I leave the credit to Alphamai, or as she was known there, the Evermage.
Alphamai?
Alphamai is my most loyal follower, she is my keeper of the day. She deals with the politics, my army, and most other issues I can't be bothered with. Statistically she is -technically- the cause of death to 90% of my guests. Worry not, if you die in my realm you become a denizen and live forever! Plus, only a third of those deaths were done by her hand personally; the rest were done by the creatures of the day. Her story is written elsewhere and told differently depending on who is telling it. One bit is always told the same:
When her time as Evermage was over, her life lived, her wars won, she pledged her soul and being to me for saving her realm. She was my first real denizen, not a living doll sculpted to mimic life, but the first true denizen. A week after her arrival, she asked about the keepers who ran the days and nights of Nalizaro. The current keepers were pieces of me, ripped from my being to provide companionship, and killing one would release that power to be claimed. She pulled out a bow, shot, and killed my keeper of the day.
This is no small feat mind you, that thing had the power of a Lunaris child, which even the strongest of mortals couldn't kill. But Alphamai retained her evermage abilities, and inside her heart lies a dormant deity.
And as such, if she's going to keep a deity in her chest then she can handle the deity duties. I've asked her multiple times to get rid of the thing but she can't be bothered. Excuses excuses...that woman tries me sometimes.
Keeper of the night?
Merin is my current keeper of the night, he eats people. That's all you really need to know, oh! And that 80% of people roaming at night in my realm die. Those numbers include denizens too...I don't know why I thought that'd be comforting. Thinking it through; if the people living here for thousands of years can't handle the night how will you? Think about puppies again! And how my realm doesn't have any to snuggle with for comfort while you're waiting for the night monsters to kill you! On the bright side that means no puppies are harmed at night! There we go!
Is there something for quick reference to remember this stuff?
Sure! HERE YA GO
So what are the story restrictions to hosting a Nalizaro story?
Keep to the journal basics for myself, Alphamai, Merin, and their creatures. If Alphamai or Merin were to die in your story, obviously their stuff wouldn't apply anymore, but please don't start a story with them dead. You can add creatures, they do it all the time! Within reason...my land would look sad and empty without grass.
When it comes to your characters doing the role-play, they are never Nalizarins. They could be followers of me from a different realm, but playing a denizen just isn't fair. Is their character from Zelda? Dragon Age? Pokemon? Then they're from a different realm/domain and likely to have been dragged here by me! You're the host, as such you're me! And therefore if their character doesn't interest you, you wouldn't bring them to Nalizaro.
Lunari?
Ah you were paying attention. I did say I'd get to that didn't I? Alright, story time. Long ago when I was locked away, I made my realm from a speck, filled it with dolls/puppets, and spent all my time there. In my boredom, I fell asleep and had vivid dreams. Goddess Nevera took pity on this poor trapped Lunaris and blessed me with dreams to help escape the madness that was captivity. I dreamed for centuries, and when I awoke, I vowed to break free.
Skip ahead to now, though I am a god, Nevera is my ally. I will never touch her people, will never bring them here, and most certainly avoid trespassing on her domain as much as possible. She is a neutral god, fights no wars, harmlessly blesses the populace of many domains with dreams and nightmares. As such, she has attracted the admiration of many Lunari who protect the outer reaches of her domain.
Basically, if a god were to go to war with her domain, his pet Lunaris would have to fight just to get into the front door of her domain, not to mention winning against all 8 then actually fighting Nevera's personal Lunaris. That Lunaris protects the largest realm known to all, and what power it holds is unmeasurable, and there's the whole bit about the assumption her realm was created out of a large pile of Lunari bones. I've killed my fair share of Lunaris, but even I wouldn't consider facing him.
Well I just did consider it, because you can't say you wouldn't consider something without actually considering it. The result is: No. Nope. Nah I'd rather be covered in large spiders carrying smaller spiders. I actually like spiders, but I just went with a relatable pile of nope most can understand and relate to.
Anything else?
Most definitely, but I don't wish to spoil the ending.
Your journey starts here.
Welcome to Nalizaro.
Those hoping to host should read through this...I know it's long and I ramble, but even I had to start with the basics!
What is Nalizaro?
This is a question many of my visitors have asked me. To truly explain what it is I shall explain what a Lunaris is, and why you should fear them. Lunaris are the living threads that form the many worlds and realms around us. A Lunaris finds a speck of dust or anything really, and breathes life into it. It stays with its creation until it grows with people and creatures, then it chooses whether it wishes to stay guarding that realm, or whether it abandons it.
We're really fickle creatures, and if a realm left to grow doesn't turn out in a way we like, we abandon it. That's not to say everything dies, but usually the realm is claimed by one of the many other gods out there. Though Nalizaro is my realm, I am an ascended, which allows me to claim other realms and keep them under my protection, but because I choose to stay as the guarding Lunaris of Nalizaro, I am the only line of defense between the influence of other god's and their pet Lunaris.
Guarding Lunaris?
When a god ascends this is because they have claimed enough influence over realms. Most gods were mortals at one point or another, but overcame their mortality by great force or great leadership, or even finding and pleasing the local Lunaris -wink wink- +just kidding it's mine+. This only happens in realms where the Lunaris stayed to nurture that realm. Once the god ascends, their home realm is protected by the Lunaris so no other god may cause harm to that realm. That doesn't necessarily stop them, a powerful enough god with a powerful enough Lunaris might wage war. The loss of a realm is the loss of a god, and though immortality means you cannot die, it doesn't have anything on ceasing to exist.
Now I know you must be worrying: "But Great Lord Takaku if a god wages war with you you'd have to fight that god and their pet Lunaris!" And you're right! I would, I have, and each time my realm doubled in size. Why? Because I eat their pet Lunaris, then I go to their realm...and well...puppies! Let's think about puppies for awhile.
There's no puppies in Nalizaro...
Once a god and their Lunaris is destroyed, their realm and most loyal minions explode into particles of dust and bits. Large bits are claimed quickly by Lunaris as they make for a good start of powerful realms. Many fights break out over the bits and pieces, they're very important, and god wars are often raged over the remnants of a realm. I don't bother with the bits and pieces, I love my realm, fear not I'd never make a replacement!
Those pieces claimed by gods are used to make more realms within their domain. So for example, the god of dreams owns her own personal realm of nightmares and ever changing babbles of visions. She personally doesn't have denizens, at least none that us other gods have ever seen or found, but she is a neutral god, very powerful and very widespread. She touches nearly every realm outside her domain, but inside her domain is thousands of realms created by her Lunari (yeah plural I'll get to that...). Those realms are full of her loyal followers who provide her the power to stretch beyond her domain and influence those of a realm in a different domain so long as that realm isn't protected by a Lunaris. More realms, more followers, more power. Larger realms, larger amount of followers, larger boost to power.
So, what happens to the denizens of a realm whose god has been destroyed? Nothing good, but the other realms in that domain are claimed by other gods and repurposed. Obviously the closer a god's domain is to the old domain, the faster their influence spreads into that area. I currently encroach on the edges of...hmm...I haven't really checked recently, perhaps ask Alphamai? She deals with all the politics. I do know, that I have claimed realms on the edges of other domains, and this often causes some hiccups here in Nalizaro, but let's face it, if that god really didn't want that realm lost they would've protected it better!
So, Nalizaro?:
Nalizaro was a speck of dust, my only companion in the prison my people put me in...
Sorry went to a dark place there for a moment...where was I? Ah! Alright, So, Nalizaro started out as a speck, which means it's a small realm. I walked the barren wastes of my world, wondering what I should do, what I should create. I waited many years for people to spawn, but I'm cursed...I won't talk about that...dark place n' all. Once I broke free from my prison, I went in search of friends. Obviously, the hundreds of Lunari I slaughtered in my escape chased off the prospect for Lunari friends, and searched realms. I carried Nalizaro with me, safe from the influence of other gods as they had no interest in a barren waste with no followers.
Tired in my journeys, I took my small bubble of a realm to a massive realm settled in the center of the galaxy. This realm had no god, it was created by a long dead Lunaris who created it with its dying breath (My guess it was killed after stealing a large bit of a destroyed realm). A game was being played between gods, whoever could claim this realm would receive a huge power boost, not to mention a prime spot to slip into the domains of other gods to steal away their realms. I was no god then, but here I met my first follower. A knight found me on the outskirts of a town, admiring an apple tree.
He saw my blue skin, the scales, the jagged wings and knew what I was. He told me of the circumstances of the realm, how the religious wars had ravaged the lands for thousands of years. He spoke of an evermage that kept the peace, but the mage was gone, and once again the people were on the verge of war and destruction. He asked I become the protector of the realm, to claim it, protect it from the gods.
I told him no, I had no wish to deal with the mess another Lunaris had made. I was exhausted, angry; told him I spent my life locked away, no one came to help me, why should I help him. His response? The odds were in my favor or else I'd still be trapped. He left me standing there, saying he had a side to pick and die for, not deal with a lost cause. I ran into him a few more times after that, I wanted to, but I didn't actively search...the odds were on my side. So, I realized my talents, what I want has a good chance of happening, and if they don't happen something weird happens instead. The last chance occurrence, was because he called my name.
He was at the end of the his rope, he knew his realm would fall into chaos, and it was his fault. He told me the story of the evermage, what he had done to her, how she could be saved, how he believed this was the evermage that could end the wars. He begged me, but I told him I was no god, and I didn't have the influence over this realm that the other gods did but if his odds be good, it would work out.
By uttering "if my odds be good" I gained my first follower, and his hope made him loyal to the belief I would save his people. I cannot truly say I did save it as I leave the credit to Alphamai, or as she was known there, the Evermage.
Alphamai?
Alphamai is my most loyal follower, she is my keeper of the day. She deals with the politics, my army, and most other issues I can't be bothered with. Statistically she is -technically- the cause of death to 90% of my guests. Worry not, if you die in my realm you become a denizen and live forever! Plus, only a third of those deaths were done by her hand personally; the rest were done by the creatures of the day. Her story is written elsewhere and told differently depending on who is telling it. One bit is always told the same:
When her time as Evermage was over, her life lived, her wars won, she pledged her soul and being to me for saving her realm. She was my first real denizen, not a living doll sculpted to mimic life, but the first true denizen. A week after her arrival, she asked about the keepers who ran the days and nights of Nalizaro. The current keepers were pieces of me, ripped from my being to provide companionship, and killing one would release that power to be claimed. She pulled out a bow, shot, and killed my keeper of the day.
This is no small feat mind you, that thing had the power of a Lunaris child, which even the strongest of mortals couldn't kill. But Alphamai retained her evermage abilities, and inside her heart lies a dormant deity.
And as such, if she's going to keep a deity in her chest then she can handle the deity duties. I've asked her multiple times to get rid of the thing but she can't be bothered. Excuses excuses...that woman tries me sometimes.
Keeper of the night?
Merin is my current keeper of the night, he eats people. That's all you really need to know, oh! And that 80% of people roaming at night in my realm die. Those numbers include denizens too...I don't know why I thought that'd be comforting. Thinking it through; if the people living here for thousands of years can't handle the night how will you? Think about puppies again! And how my realm doesn't have any to snuggle with for comfort while you're waiting for the night monsters to kill you! On the bright side that means no puppies are harmed at night! There we go!
Is there something for quick reference to remember this stuff?
Sure! HERE YA GO
So what are the story restrictions to hosting a Nalizaro story?
Keep to the journal basics for myself, Alphamai, Merin, and their creatures. If Alphamai or Merin were to die in your story, obviously their stuff wouldn't apply anymore, but please don't start a story with them dead. You can add creatures, they do it all the time! Within reason...my land would look sad and empty without grass.
When it comes to your characters doing the role-play, they are never Nalizarins. They could be followers of me from a different realm, but playing a denizen just isn't fair. Is their character from Zelda? Dragon Age? Pokemon? Then they're from a different realm/domain and likely to have been dragged here by me! You're the host, as such you're me! And therefore if their character doesn't interest you, you wouldn't bring them to Nalizaro.
Lunari?
Ah you were paying attention. I did say I'd get to that didn't I? Alright, story time. Long ago when I was locked away, I made my realm from a speck, filled it with dolls/puppets, and spent all my time there. In my boredom, I fell asleep and had vivid dreams. Goddess Nevera took pity on this poor trapped Lunaris and blessed me with dreams to help escape the madness that was captivity. I dreamed for centuries, and when I awoke, I vowed to break free.
Skip ahead to now, though I am a god, Nevera is my ally. I will never touch her people, will never bring them here, and most certainly avoid trespassing on her domain as much as possible. She is a neutral god, fights no wars, harmlessly blesses the populace of many domains with dreams and nightmares. As such, she has attracted the admiration of many Lunari who protect the outer reaches of her domain.
Basically, if a god were to go to war with her domain, his pet Lunaris would have to fight just to get into the front door of her domain, not to mention winning against all 8 then actually fighting Nevera's personal Lunaris. That Lunaris protects the largest realm known to all, and what power it holds is unmeasurable, and there's the whole bit about the assumption her realm was created out of a large pile of Lunari bones. I've killed my fair share of Lunaris, but even I wouldn't consider facing him.
Well I just did consider it, because you can't say you wouldn't consider something without actually considering it. The result is: No. Nope. Nah I'd rather be covered in large spiders carrying smaller spiders. I actually like spiders, but I just went with a relatable pile of nope most can understand and relate to.
Anything else?
Most definitely, but I don't wish to spoil the ending.
Your journey starts here.
Welcome to Nalizaro.