Houses
This section is dedicated to the great houses of the city, Past and Present. Included in the entries will be current and past members, along with beliefs. We'll do separate entries for houses when beliefs change in dramatic fashion.
Alliance of the Eclipse (Lyran, Koi)
Open Soul Cleansers. Plane: Lambent Flats. Purpose: Study and Diplomacy
The Alliance of the Eclipse is an OpenSoul, Enlightened House.
The Alliance is a house of study dedicated to better understanding the Dream. We seek to shape a brighter, safer future for the City through innovation and ingenuity.
Individual dreamers experience the Dream in different ways and through different methods, thus each connection to the City is different. A person may have a weaker or stronger connection to the city at any given time, and thus the effects the city has on an individual may vary depending upon this connection. The stronger this connection is, the more likely the dreamer will feel some effects of the City outside the dreamstate. The shard of that person, however, is not likely to be affected in any way outside of the individual.
While most houses manipulate essences as acts of faith, we cleanse essences as a form of refining. The Cleansing removes the chaotic energy, and leaves the primal components available to strengthen the Star, which then powers our equipment and our house projects.
While lesser mares may contain trapped souls, we do not believe that the soul is kept within the essence. Any soul is released upon the mare's collapse, leaving behind only the essence of the mare.
Precepts
Darkmares and Datoken are an awakened creature and sentient. Their awakening process is a mystery and is suspected to be corrupted. Be this by design, or accident is unknown. However the faction intends to research the process.
The Alliance believes that those native to their city (Lyran) have a rich and varied culture that must be preserved. Likewise, the Idoaclesians have their own culture and history. It is through realizing this that the Alliance believes strongly in understanding the variance in realities. Embracing them each as unique mysteries to be investigated, not merely brushed away. The same may be said for any other 'mysterious stranger(s)' heralding from another reality.
It is important to understand that as members of Alliance of the Eclipse we take nothing for granted. We are not a people to stop asking why or how. Question the world around you and fully explore your potential that we may understand the deepest secrets of our existence and relation to the great mysteries.
Tenets
The Alliance of the Eclipse abide by the tenets of Truth, Honor and Understanding. The three circles in our emblem symbolize these.
~By Inzoum
Current Ruler: Inzoum
Current Guardians: Anasina
Current Initiates: Xanthicus, Fangx
Past Rulers: Tamarisk, Fin Marda, Winter Valentine, Daymien
Past Guardians: Maal, Xanthicus
Past Initiates: Apothos, Dina,
Dreamers of Light (Lyran/Koi, Merged)
Illuminate Imprisoners. Plane: Mount Illapse. Purpose: Warrior house, Saving the Unawakened
An ancient house, one of the first to be founded in the city. The Dreamers of Light was joined by members of the Order of the Sable Moon to form the Order of the Light.
House Beliefs: Illuminated and Imprisonment. DoL believed in Imprisoning the Chaos of the mares to free the soul of the unawakened Dreamers from the clutches of the mare which hold and torture them. By Imprisoning the Mare, the soul is then free to have the chance to awaken to the Dream. DoL is Illuminated as they believe that the Dream and Cloudsbreak both interact with each other.
Emergence Academy (Idoaclesian/Koi)
Enlightened (Illuminate) Cleansers. Plane: Basin of Stars. Purpose: To Achieve Nirvana
The Emergence Academy is an institute of free-thinkers and paragons of the trade; teachers and students. The EA was founded on Science, experimentation, and research. It offers multiple paths for everyone to walk, in our desire to re-shape the Dreamscape in a way that alters, enhances, and betters the Dreams of tomorrow. We are a cause committed to intellectual excellence, and the spread of knowledge through experience, classes, and lastly by example. Our trade of work includes, but is not limited to: Blacksmithing, Planesmithing, Locksmithing, Military and Mediation. We are a neutral-based house, but will head to war in defense of our home or City, should there be a city-wide threat. Preserving our City is our first objective.
~Beliefs~
Our beliefs will be ever-changing, as our needs change. Our core beliefs will remain, but there will be room to adjust the charter on an as-needed basis, after a majority of us has voted in favor of said changes. We must keep current, and move with the City, rather than against it.
Nightmares:
They are beings of Chaos – these are something that the City can learn to use to their advantage, whether it be for combat purposes (mind manipulation of the beasts), to leather their hides for armor, or any number of things. Although dangerous to tangle with the chaos, it needs to be evaluated further. As dreamers before us attempted, we wish to discover all of the weakened areas of the dream, close off the known areas, (such as spawn points, the DA, the Rifts, and entrances from the Lightless) and collect them for our use, or learn to destroy them, if there comes a time when this is a necessity.
Essence Manipulation:
The Emergence Academy is OpenSoul and neutral toward essence manipulation. Illuminates, FreeSouls, Imprisoners, Banishers, and Cleansers are all welcome. Our Prime, the Heart of Phoenix, is universal and has a function for each manipulation method. We do not judge a dreamer’s past, but only their potential for the future. Our home is all-encompassing.
Leadership:
At least one of the Knight’s positions will be rotating, so that each trusted and loyal member will have the ability to join leadership for a set amount of time. If we are a teaching house, we are to teach the basics in leadership skills. It is a life-long skill that will raise the bar for each of our members, as they learn the finer aspects of leading, as in diplomacy, team-building, resolution of disagreements or house/city conflicts. Current leaders must make the decision on whom to choose, out of the members who wish to be in the Knight’s Rotation.
Gathering of the Entranced (Lyran)
Enlightened (Illuminate) Cleansers. Plane: Basin of Stars. Purpose: To Achieve Nirvana
The Gathering of the Entranced believed strongly in the concept of Transcendence, believing that the dream was a higher plane than the waking world, and that beyond the dream lie a realm known as Nirvana. The Gathering of the Entranced believed that cleansing helped those thow had been tained by the mares to achieve the awakening.
House Calenture (Koi Era)
We are an OpenSoul house, meaning that we do not let the beliefs of Illumination or FreeSoulism determine our membership. We Banish the essences of nightmares as we feel it is the most effective way to deal with the chaos. We stand for defense of the City be it from without or within.
~ Arlyana Jax
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Calenture: Purpose
House Calenture is a self contained warrior based house that holds as its purpose two main objectives, both of equal importance. To Defend the City of Underlight from hostile forces, and to Banish the Nightmares from the city.
Calenture: Beliefs
House Calenture banishes to ensure the safest possible removal of the mares chaotic energy, and harnessing what's left. While imprisoning traps all of the energy in the city, and draining pulls it into the avatar of the drainer. Cleansing is also risky as it is difficult to ensure that the tainted energy has been adequately neutralized.
Calenture: Souls
As an open soul house, we do not concern ourselves on an overall level with questions of the Soul or Illumination. Our members are welcome to believe as their personal beliefs direct them, though as a banishing house, it is expected that our membership adhere to that philosophy.
~Arnaya
Current Rulers: Thunderman, Arlyana Jax
Current Guardians: Arnaya, Uthanatos
Current Initiates: Kelos, Frey, Kailee, Jones Shaw, Wolflancer, SN!IPER
Past Rulers: Clarity, Aileron
Past Guardians: Hikari X, Kaihan, LadySilver, Snow Angel
Past Initiates: Cianne, Restel, Shreeve, Aikido, Dakkoth, Xererth, Redbee
Open Soul Banishers. Plane: Evernight Plateau. Purpose: Protection of the city
House Calenture (Lyran Era)
Freesoul Banishers. Plane: Evernight Plateau. Purpose: Protection of the City
Keepers of the Eternal Shadow (Koi Era, Closed)
We believe:
1) The Dream to be an alternative state of conciousness; a World between that of the Material & the Spiritual, which is a stepping stone to achieving Balance.
2) The Dream has an effect on both worlds. We do this for our own Spiritual evolution.
3) Order is the positive & Chaos is the negative forces. For us, both are relative to our existance. The shadow is the combination of the two. To achieve trule Balance, one must be open to experiencing the extremes of each...and both.
4) Orbits, Spheres & Arts are all products of our own experiences.
5) The Lesser Mares are products of malicious will & aid in dispersing inBalance. Their Essences are given to the Shadow to maintain equilibrium.
6) We desire the whole dream process to be an experience of constant evolution, creation & expansion. Our beliefs form the fundamental structure of our Dreams. To lose perspective would be to unravel the City’s fabric.
~By Purple Lace
Open Soul Drainers. Plane: Umbric Planes. Purpose: Mysticism and philosophy
Keepers of the Eternal Shadow (Lyran Era)
Keepers of the Eternal Shadow was a Dreamstriking House, one which DreamStruck essences, for some strange reason. She states that she does not know of the illuminate/FreeSoul polarity of the House yet, but I suspect heavily that it will be Illuminate. In their History, they speak of the Shadow, which they keep. Apparently, they convert 'mare essences into some sort of nutrition for the Shadow, which is contained in their Ruler areas and in turn, the Shadow provides the House with guidance. The Entropy Coalition had some roots in KoES, but not enough to be fully associated with them. The group that wishes to open up the Keepers of Eternal Shadow call themselves the Shadow Alliance. This group is dedicated to the study of KoES' history. They are hoping that once they discover the true beliefs of KoES that they will find them acceptable, and can use them. The leader of this group is Sabriana, she says that she is apprenticed to the houses current ruler Lord Xenus. She says that he also is seeking to regain the history of KoES because he lost his memory after the great loss. Sabriana says that the members of the SA are forbidden to engage in random violence and dishonorable acts. She also says that the true beliefs (FreeSoul/Illuminate) will come when they find out more information about the houses history. In my search for what the KoES used to do with essences I was told that they used to feed them to an entity called the Shadow, via an artifact called the "Shadow Sphere". I was told that the reasoning behind this house was that of balance. The City is made up of a balance, everything chaotic and to some "evil" on one side and everything organized and of the "light" on the other. The SA believes that this balance must be kept even or fatal consequences will occur. They believe that the city is dangerously tipped towards the light, and that it is their job to ease it back to a delicate balance. I also heard from a very reliable source that this house maybe a house of assassins and that it's underlying purpose is evil.
House History - Thanks to Sabriana
Freesoul Drainers. Plane: Umbric Plain. Purpose: Mysticism and Dark Study
Monastery of the Shadow (Koi)
Beliefs and Teachings of the Monastery of the Shadow
As penned by ~ Synteny - Guardian
Welcome ~ The Monastery of the Shadow is a place for those who wish to improve themselves,
feel wanted regardless of desires or reputation, find friends and family, and to make the city a better place for all.
The Shadowkin follow the teachings of the Shadow: Balance, Knowledge, and Amelioration.
~ The Shadow Explained ~
The Shadow is a force that exists in the city. It was created when Light and Darkness touched.
It keeps both from destroying the other, and maintains life and balance in the dreamstate.
Just as the shadow exists because of, and works with the forces that created it and all the teachings of the Shadow;
Balance, Knowledge and Amelioration work together to support each other.
You cannot fully realize one of the beliefs without the others.
~The Shadow Teaches of Knowledge~
The gathering of knowledge from all and any source.
The preservation of knowledge, both that which you have gathered, and that others have gathered.
Destruction of knowledge is abhorrent. Also the use of knowledge is in support of Balance and Amelioration.
~ The Shadow Teaches of Balance~
Balance and peace within yourself, Balance in your actions, and Balance and safety in the city.
There are many ways to break down balance.
The Shadow itself is a being of pure balance; Existing between Light and Dark,
being of both but of neither, and yet cannot be without both.
~ The Shadow Teaches of Amelioration~
The act of improvement. Always improving ourselves according to our personal goals.
Supporting the improvement of friends and family according to their personal and group goals.
Also, always striving to improve the state of the city around us.
Umbric Plains House of Mystery
Order of the Light
Open Soul Imprisoners, Purpose:
Order of the Sable Moon (Koi Era, Merged)
The Order of the Sable Moon is another old Lyran house that saw a rebirth in the new city with a different focus. The most recent incarnation was founded Kaer Gerroz as a draining house focused on personal advancement and acquisition of power. The Order of the Sable Moon recently merged with the Dreamers of Light to form a new group, The Order of the Light.
Open Soul Imprisoners, Purpose: Advancement of Membership
Order of the Sable Moon (Lyran Era)
A Freesoul house dedicated to learning and study. The imprisoning of Maren Essences was more than just a means of powering the house, it also supplied them with research material for the intention of understanding the mares. Though not a "Mare Hugger" house, they were known for being willing to speak with the mares and would welcome non-hostile maren individuals (On the condition that the mares were not trying to use the house as Sanctuary after attacking elsewhere).
Free Soul Imprisoners, Purpose: Study and Knowledge
Peace Corpse (Koi Era)
Open Soul Banishers, Purpose: Mercenary and Personal Advancement of members
Union of the Covenant
The Union of the Covenant was a strongly Free Spirit house, dedicated to the ideal of Lady Justice.
FreeSoul Drainers, Believers in Justice. Home Plane: Edgeward Barrows
University of Underlight (Defunct)
Opensoul Cleansers. Plane: Lambent Flats. Purpose: Study and Teaching