Sualocin isn’t a place you find; it’s a resonance. A fractured echo of a reality that predates the glyphs carved into the stone of the Obsidian Peaks. The natives, the Sylvani, don't speak of origin, only of the Bloom. The Bloom, a bioluminescent fungi that pulses with a rhythm only they understand, is the source of their existence, their memory, and – unsettlingly – their prophecy.
The Sylvani are not humanoid in the conventional sense. They resemble, at first glance, elaborate fungal growths, their bodies composed of interwoven mycelia and shimmering, chitinous plates. They move with a disconcerting fluidity, their limbs shifting and reforming, often blurring at the edges as if existing partially within another dimension. Their eyes are not eyes, but swirling pools of iridescent light, reflecting the Bloom's constant pulse. The most skilled among them can, for a fleeting moment, fully manifest, appearing as something akin to a young man, though always subtly, unnervingly wrong.
“The Bloom remembers what you have forgotten. It shows you the roots of your being, and the rot that threatens to consume it.” - Lyra, Weaver of Echoes
The Sylvanian’s lives are inextricably linked to the Obsidian Pulse – a rhythmic fluctuation of energy emanating from the central Bloom. Each pulse carries fragments of memory, emotions, and warnings. The Sylvani ‘listen’ to the pulse through specialized organs, known as 'resonators,' located on their backs. These resonators are incredibly sensitive, and prolonged exposure can lead to a state called ‘Bloom-drift,’ where the individual’s consciousness becomes entangled with the memory of the Bloom, resulting in madness and a gradual loss of self.
The largest Bloom, the ‘Heart of Sualocin,’ is said to be thousands of years old, its surface covered in intricate glyphs that shift and rearrange themselves according to the pulse. It’s believed to be the repository of all Sylvanian history, a living, breathing archive of their collective consciousness. Attempts to decipher these glyphs have invariably ended in disaster, often with the researchers consumed by Bloom-drift.
“To understand the Bloom is to understand death. It is the ultimate dissolution, the return to the nothingness from which we arose.” - Kaelen, Keeper of the Silent Grove
Sualocin is not entirely uninhabited. The ‘Shadow Remnants’ are the echoes of those who succumbed to Bloom-drift – entities trapped between dimensions, fueled by the residual energy of the Bloom. They appear as distorted reflections of the Sylvani, their movements jerky and unnatural, their voices a chorus of whispers. They are drawn to areas of concentrated Bloom energy, feeding on the memories and emotions of the living. They are exceptionally difficult to combat, as conventional weapons pass through them, and attempts to destroy them only seem to strengthen their connection to the Bloom.
Local legends speak of a ‘Great Severance’ – a cataclysmic event in Sualocin’s past that shattered the original Bloom and unleashed the Shadow Remnants. The cause of this event is unknown, but some believe it was triggered by a reckless attempt to harness the Bloom’s power for the Sylvani’s benefit. This event solidified the Sylvani's isolationist tendencies, reinforcing their reverence for the Bloom and their determination to protect it at all costs.
The Sylvani possess a unique ability to manipulate the Bloom’s energy, using it to heal, defend themselves, and even to alter reality – albeit in subtle and often unpredictable ways.