Cord is a communalist city run under the direction of the church and its leaders. The monastery is at the very top of the peak. The little plants that can survive the arid climate are allowed to grow unobstructed. Rooftops and alleyways are often utilized for gardens. The only river of the region originates within the plateau caves.
The central religion revolves around three deities, represented by a butterfly, a moth, and a dragonfly. Clergy choose one to focus their studies under, each being associated with different traits, and don a living mask of their chosen creature. The head of the church represents all three deities and is the major authority figure over the land.
The clergy live and study at the monastery, as well as two religious icons they’ve kept secluded since birth. The Icon of Virtue is given offerings by the townspeople to usher in blessings, and the Icon of Vice is given offerings to forgive past sins. Featured in Circling.
Juniper is a cowboy and descendent of outcasts, living in the desert. She wears ancient preserved leathers and rides a bike made from the exoskeleton of a giant extinct scorpion. Rash and energetic, Juniper is a force of chaos.
Mallow is a follower of the moth. She is calm, graceful, and well-loved by the people of Cord. She possesses the ability to walk in people’s dreams, though this has the downside of making real life feel like a dream too.
ALTAR
“ALTAR” takes place in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world where the majority of megafauna are extinct. Since their extinction, animal traits and magical abilities have mysteriously become more and more prevalent in the remaining human populace.
The only city, Cord, sits on the central plateau. The majority of the population lives there under the direction of the church.
The desert is regarded as a wasteland. The only people who venture past the plateau are the outcasts, and the clergy on individual pilgrimages. There are a few outcast outposts built along the river, but none large enough to constitute a town.
The huge whirlpool of sand to the east of Cord is The Churn, where all dead things eventually return to, pulled by an inexplicable force.
The unlikely duo venture to The Churn, a whirling pit that nothing returns from.