Beware, beware…
the daughter of the sea
A journey begins
Welcome to the Isles of Antara
The in between
The path between life and death is a river traveled by many and yet truly navigated by so few.
For the souls that brave the journey between the realms of life and death, there's a common tale of warning spoken before their departure. Warnings of a scorned and malevolent spirit that’s said to steal souls and lure them into the endless dark abyss of purgatory to never be seen again, to never truly be laid at rest nor join the living ever again. Threats of this mysterious being reside freshly in the minds of the residents of Sceania, the land of the living, as well as those that dwell on Skeir Pral, the land of the dead. One could only speak of this tale in hope that the traveling soul will remain true on their path and not be swayed to follow the voices of the soulful sea or the shimmering black depths that lie beyond.
These dangerous waters had a name, one earned during the peaceful early days of its creation. Between Sceania and Skier Pral lies the deserted Isles of Antara, an island that resided in the angered starry sea of the in-between..and home to the feared and infamous Starsailor, the traitorous Saoirse.
For there was once a time this stretch of star-ladened seas was calm, blue and golden paths stretching far beyond what the eyes could see to guide spirits onwards to their journey once they left the mortal plane. These paths were intended as a method to prevent the spirits from losing their way whether it was meant for them to reach their final resting place in Skeir Pral, or perhaps a spirit given a second chance to return to the living world. These illustrious paths were surrounded by miles upon miles of darkened midnight skies that tempted every soul to venture into. Marked by bright stars meant as a lure, beautiful and yet unknowingly dangerous for once a soul had wandered from their intended paths, the seas of monstrous darkness was quick to claim them.The call of the starry void claimed many, preying upon the natural instinct the souls had of ‘following the light’ leading to many rapidly disappearing amongst the waves. As a result, the balance was begging to become undone. For a cycle that was heavily dependent on intervaled reincarnation, a continuous cycle of souls traversing between the two realms, balance was quickly thrown into disarray. Death continued as it does, unpredictable and unchanging, souls continuously leaving Sceania and yet only half successfully making the journey to Skier Pral. The souls of the dead were even more so skeptical of attempting to make the journey even if lured with the illustrious offer of reincarnation.
The souls were restless and uncertain which caused a wave of skepticism about their gods. The rulers of the lands knew that fear of the unknown would only lead to their demise for one cannot exist without the other. Balance needed to be restored and fast.
The gods of Sceania and Skier Pral joined their powers, creating a new island in between their lands marked by a glowing golden arch. A safe haven with newfound residents proven to be unbiased and loyal, so trusting that they were given the task to reside on this island forever and perform the one task they had been assigned no matter the cost. With star-like markings scattered across their skin and pelt, they shone brightly, attracting souls like a beacon within such dreary seas. These beings were essentially a guiding light for the souls who needed help traversing the seas between. This led to the era of the prized Starsailers, protectors of balance and the in-between..
​
These inhabitants had an innate ability to know the soul paths by heart as if they'd carved them into the stars themselves. With their mighty star-sailboats, they rode the rambunctious tides, guiding plenty of souls beyond the Isles and delivering more and more to their respective lands without fail. Their light brilliantly fought back the shadowing waves, making the darkness retreat to the edges of their worlds and allowing more of their safe illuminated paths to take its place instead.There came a time where hardly any souls were being lost to the dark tides, the mere mention of the blackened waves soon becoming no more than the odd whisper. Words of hope spread among both communities, there seemingly being a clear path that makes the traverse between easier and more welcoming. The cycle of life and death wasn't anything to be feared anymore. Just something that will eventually happen and no matter where you ended up, there will be a friendly face waiting to sail the tides with you.
Unfortunately it came to be that perhaps the divide shouldn’t have been that easy to cross.