~Page 7 - The Oracles~

There is a surprisingly small amount of information on the Oracles.

Confirmed to exist, but preferring to keep to themselves, the Oracles live somewhere in the vicinity of the Barukin Isles. Sisters, and perhaps daughters of Lady Celeste, Goddess of Elemental Balance, the Oracles are known to possess great insight and terrible powers, though those powers tend to be divided elementally between them.

For the Oracle Nani, who has been known to travel the world and seek out people whom she claims the 'spirits' have spoken to her about, her affinity lies in Earth and Fire.

And for the Oracle Alai, she remains hidden in one of the islands, away from mortals as much as possible. She holds sway over Water and Air.

Aside from their great knowledge, insight, and foresight, their personal lives remain a mystery, and no one knows quite when the Oracle Nani will arrive to speak with them about their "choices". It can be said, however, that no one is thrilled when she shows up.

~Page 6 - Sae'ala~

Among the more primal tribes of Rembrant, it is whispered among the sages that there is a sentience to the Land, and that the Land is where the Gods and Goddesses originated from, rather than Mother Din creating the world as we know it.

Because of the God Wars, however, the Land was being ravaged, and as such, needed a guardian who could handle the Gods and Goddesses, sealing Them away harmlessly in another world, in Their own island in the sky, or perhaps within the leylines of the world itself - it is unknown.

Wherever They were sealed, however, it had to be done by a champion, or avatar, of the Land, known as the Sae'ala. The Sae'ala would bare the heavy burden of immortality, for the sake of watching over the land of Rembrant and the people. The burden could be passed on to another, but only if the Land deemed it the best course of action.

These, however, are the tales of ancient tribes, passed down from generation to generation.

~Page 5 - Harlequins~

Woe to the traveler who encounters a harlequin.

These chaotic beings are very tall, the males usually standing at about 8 feet, while the females range between 6 feet and 7 feet in height.Their clothing, while playful, is believed to be a cultural choice. Their pale skin appears to be painted with unusual shapes and patterns playing across their bodies. But their skin is, in fact, not painted. It is their natural skin, and no two harlequins are alike, their markings unique to the individual.

Their nature is malevolent, and they prefer to toy with their victims, often inducing insanity. Variations on harlequin patterns and behavior has been noted by those who have survived, for while some can induce insanity by merely making eye-contact, others prefer to elongate the process. A common factor, however, is that those who have gone insane often become the puppets of the controlling harlequin, doomed to obey their twisted will.

Another common factor of the harlequin is, like a lich, their soul exists outside their body, usually in a trinket or item of great symbolic importance for the harlequin. Unless the vessel in which the soul is contained is destroyed, the harlequin is very much immune to death, regenerating and returning after "dying".

Only three types have been documented in Rembratian history so far: The psychic, the 'child', and the mime.

The psychic harlequin uses the mind primarily, and has a great control over its victims after inducing insanity. Insanity is usually induced through maintained eye-contact, so great care must be taken around the psychic to never look them fully in the eye.

The child harlequin is a harlequin that has not come into its full power. They seem more content to play with their victims, than to bend them to any force of will or use them for any elaborate schemes. Child harlequins specialize in illusions and seem to be incapable of causing insanity in their 'toys'. They are, however, still deadly, as their illusions sometimes manifest into physical results.

The mime is perhaps the most dangerous of the three. Color is drained from the world around this harlequin, and a deafening silence will replace any and all sound. Further more, those within the radius of this silence are reported to have experienced an overwhelming depression, and if the mime touches its victims, they fall into a comatose state that is usually permanent. The mime was the last recorded harlequin to attack Rembrant, during the Darkness that spread through the lands at that time.

~Page 4 - Star Nymphs~

Legend states that the star nymphs once walked with mortals, and were themselves also mortal, before the Lady Lunai was forced, after persecution from Lady Celeste, to remove Her children and place them in the skies, to watch and guide from afar.

These creatures were only legend, until one nymph 'fell' from the sky, and became the Ancient known as Esylana, ruler of Valanice. An interview with the queen, however, did not reveal much, as she doesn't seem to remember much of her past life as a star nymph. Only that she was once one.

What she was able to share was that star nymphs' bodies are far hotter than any other mortal's body, and as such, great destruction can occur if they land upon the surface again. Her proof of this came when she first died, as her body returned to its original form, before exploding and taking with it a great swathe of land.

They are silvery beings, slender in form, and hot to the touch. Aside from these details, and the knowledge that they 'watch', not much else is known about these distant entities.

~Page 3 - Mys~

There is a great deal of discussion among scholars as to whether or not the existence of the mys is a real thing, or simply the fancy of mothers who tell their children whimsical stories. But there are those who would swear, up and down, that the pranks they are usually blamed for are not of their own doing. That the bookshelf fell on its own, or the tea-set just crashed to the floor without anyone so much as even looking at it.

These scholars blame the presence of a mystical creature they call the 'mys'. The mys are described as small, kitten-like creatures with feathered wings and long tails with bells on the end. These bells can be heard when the mys are nearby, about to cause mischief of some sort, and it is said that most pranks and mishaps can be traced back to these troublesome creatures.

Ancient documents and carved stones in caves by the sea show what some scholars believe may be the legends of when Lady Pan-Pan, the Goddess of Youth, walked among mortals, along with the mys, Her pets. A common belief is that if such creatures exist, they are the 'children' of the child-like Goddess, and that She loved Her pranks so much, She manifested them into living beings that could enact Her playful will.

However, the mys are still a 'mystery', and actual proof they exist has yet to be found.

~Page 2 - Unicorns~

Unicorns are known to be, in physicality, a horse with a long, usually spiral, horn sprouting from its forehead. They are generally white in color, though there have been documented variations on this, as accounted by those who have managed to survive an encounter with a unicorn.

Unicorns are omnivorous, and extremely territorial. Unless it is mating season, you will never find more than one unicorn in any one grove or the surrounding miles of said grove, alive. Male unicorns are easily discernible by the 'beards' that grow from their chins, and they are commonly referred to as "bearded unicorns". The longer the beard, the older the unicorn is, and usually, though not always, more dangerous.

Mating season usually occurs once every five years, and during that time it is not uncommon to hear the high-pitched, musical neigh of unicorns seeking a mate. Males are particularly aggressive during this time, and it is best to stay away from notoriously sunny, flower-filled meadows at this time. Females give birth to one foal per season, though there are occasions that twins will be born. If they manage to survive to adulthood together, it is because one wandered off on its own and survived; the territorial nature is embedded at a very young age.

Hunting patterns for the unicorn, regardless of gender, usually entails a beguiling scent of sweet, fragrant fruit, or flowers, as well as the unicorn feigning innocent helplessness as it grazes passively in fields, or drinks from pools and streams. If the unwary prey gets too close, however, the unicorn will immediately turn and attempt to impale the unsuspecting meal on its horn. Once the prey has fallen, the unicorn finishes the job with its hoofs, which are sharper than even its horn. Pulping the prey into nothing but a bloody mess ensures the unicorn can eat and digest its food with ease, before finishing with a light grazing.

It is not uncommon for parties to go out and hunt the unicorn, not just for its meat, but for its horn as well, which is known to have amazing magical properties. However, sadly, many hunting parties do not return in one piece, if they manage to return at all.