What is the Veil?
- It is the gateway between worlds, serving as both the barrier and the entryway to a land beyond mortal comprehension. Conjured into existence long ago by a timeless magic, it is said to physically manifest in the mortal realm no more than twice a year, during the Summer and Winter Solstices. By way of the balance, that which comes from such an ancient and powerful alchemy, it is during those two fleeting periods that the Veil’s stalwart bonds weaken, forcing worlds to collide.
How does it open?
- At the onset of the Summer and Winter Solstices a rift is created, like a wrinkle in time, bridging the temporal gap between realms just long enough to trigger the Veil. At the point where the magic is weakest, the Veil is visible - though faint, like a shimmer in the air - and retains just enough power to facilitate travel. Ethereals and mortals alike may pass through the gateway and into either plane… but only when the timing is right. Some say the Veil’s flickering presence is the manifestation of a balance being tested - blink and you might miss it.
Can creatures from Kells enter the Veil?
- Anyone can step through the Veil, but only an Ethereal can cross into Irithyll without restriction. Its gateway responds only to the pure and living Ethereal blood, and will reject all others; no exceptions. Because of this, mortal inhabitants of Kells are magically blocked from passing into the realm beyond the Veil by an invisible, wall-like barrier, unless an Ethereal is willing to speak on their behalf. In doing so, the Ethereal becomes their guide, and in many ways becomes responsible for the mortal’s future actions.
What happens if a wolf from either side gets stuck in the wrong realm after the Veil closes?
- The Veil is a gateway with two known keys: one is that of the Ethereal, their blood a unique footprint upon its threshold, while the other is time. Time is the skeleton key, the one who can open and close the gates at will… and when time runs out, creatures become temporarily bound to the plane in which they are left inhabiting. Until the following cycle can release them, Ethereals and mortals succumb to similar fates only… on opposite ends of reality.
Ethereals who remain in Kells become, in many ways, mortals themselves. They are temporarily stripped of their powers, cannot create families with their fellow Ethereal kind, and cannot return home until the gates reopen. Once they have returned, all facilities that were lost will be restored… unless they have stayed away too long. If the connection with Irithyll is not restored within a year, the Ethereal’s magic will weaken until it fades away completely.
Alternatively, mortals locked within the land of Irithyll quickly become overwhelmed by it’s alien beauty and fall into a pure, chaste state. Until the Veil is reopened, these individuals are too enamored with the realm itself and lose all desire to procreate within it. If they dwell too long beyond the Veil, the slower passage of time in Irithyll will begin to stretch their lifespan - they may return to find that many years have passed in what seemed like only moments.
Can an Ethereal use it’s powers in Kells while the Veil is phased into existence?
- Yes. When the veil opens during the Summer and Winter Solstices, magic flows freely between the realms. During this time, Ethereals venturing into Kells have access to all their innate and supernatural abilities. Once the Solstices end and the Veil is once again closed off to the mortal plane, the magic tethered to it leaves Kells as well. Ethereals left behind are forced to partake in the balancing act of the mortal plane, losing connection to their powers and thus becoming something akin to ‘mortal’ themselves.
Can Ethereals Mixbreed?
- Yes, but they will only ever have 2 pups max.
So can I only RP here two times a year?
- No, this place stays open forever, and is it's own standalone world. It only crosses into the world of Kells two times a year.