“Rumors are told of the once peaceful Velfawn domain, a beautiful kingdom that fell due to the greed of malicious hands. Though the kingdom has since fallen silent, many have reported strange happenings at night, yet many have not truly beheld what lies beyond the bizarre shroud the once treasured domain casts”

Ever since the ruin of the Velfawn domain, many of its former citizens and allies have witnessed strange phenomenon plaguing the once tranquil area. While many of these occurrences are bizarre, some have described the happenings as mystical, and in some cases divine. As there have been many eye witnesses to these strange happenings, rumors have spread about the fallen kingdom. But what is true, and what is merely an illusion? Well, that is what we are here to discover!

Velfawn Sanctuary: A treasured location that consists of the remnants of the ruined Velfawn domain combined with the surrounding forest. A once cherished kingdom brought to ruin by the greed of the now destroyed Felstra fortress and its king, the sanctuary is viewed as a treasured memorial to the late king and queen of the domain, with many kingdoms considering it a sacred area. As vegetation has since taken back the kingdom, the once peaceful domain has become one with nature; combining with the nearby forest to create a lush and sprawling sanctuary of flowers and plants. For this reason, various kingdoms and citizens have come to refer to the area as the “Velfawn Sanctuary” rather than just former kingdom. During the day, the sanctuary is a serene and undisturbed expanse of nature that holds a bounty of flowers, fruits, and vegetables, much of which is utilized by travelers making their way through the lush forest. However, during nighttime, the forest gives way to strange phenomenon that hardly anyone can properly explain. During certain nights, a dense eerie mist shrouds the entire sanctuary, so much in fact that those unfortunate enough to be in the forest at this time find themselves losing their way completely until daybreak. In addition, on nights where the mist is densest, travelers claim to hear strange child like voices within the mist. However, the oddest occurrence would be what people claim to see in the mist’s embrace. Many have reported seeing the visage of a beautiful woman attempting to console or lead travelers through the forest; with some saying the woman is the spirit of a beloved queen who once ruled with compassion.

Well, while many outsiders can speculate as to what causes the Velfawn domain to be shrouded in such mystery, despite being a location that many used to call home; WE have the benefit of knowing what is truly happening. The reason for this? Its all because of Selene, the former queen now turned goddess of life and fertility; as much of her power is causes these strange happenings. But why is this? Well…

The reason for the lush and expansive forest is due to Selene’s presence as she outputs a great deal of life energy, causing flowers and other forms of vegetation to grow more rampant than it would in normal conditions; such as causing the flora in the kingdom to overtake the various structures and become one with nature in such a short amount of time. The mist is a result of Selene wanting to shroud her presence to everyone except her intended target; so much in fact that the mist will continue to follow and conceal her even when she’s no where near the sanctuary! The reason this is during nighttime is due to Selene being the most active during that time. The voices that people hear are a result of Selene’s surrogacy, as the voices are all of the children that she helped bring into the world; and due to the amount of offspring she has given to people, the voices are somewhat indistinguishable. The reason for this is due to Selene feeling a form of motherly connection to the children she has nurtured, even if they are not truly her own. As such, these voices have sentimental value to Selene as she can hear the laughs and joy of the children she gifted to others. However, with all of this being said, there is one secret that one else knows about! In the very heart of the Velfawn Sanctuary, lies a large oak tree surrounded by a serene pond with luminous flowers decorating the outer edge. While the pond is normal looking during the day time; during nights in which Selene is active, the body of water will glow dimly and act as a gateway to Selene’s divine realm. This is another reason for the aforementioned fog, so that others will not find her place of dwelling when she is not present.

As Selene has so much attachment to the place she once called home, she wanted to make sure that even if no one continued to live there, people would still be able to enjoy its beauty, just as she and her husband before her had. This amazing piece was done by the ever awesome  atryl featuring Selene basking in the misty confines of her treasured forest, sporting her new attire. I hope you all enjoy!

*TRIVIA: Selene shares the distinction of having a nature-based domain alongside Calista. These fit heavily with their themes; however, the difference is Calista’s realm used to be part of the mortal world, which it no longer is; and part of Selene’s realm is STILL a part of the mortal world.