Valley of Aram

VAASA


Formally named 'Salma Vaasa', it is an elvish word that directly translates as 'magic eater'. A more apt description would be 'conscious eater'.

Looking akin to an oversized dog with large humanoid forearms and a smaller, secondary set of also humanoid arms, these dogs always have unnaturally coloured eyes, lacking sclera, with tails often longer than their bodies. Usually naturally coloured, particularly intelligent specimens - though they are all far more intelligent than the average beast - have been known to exhibit any colour under the rainbow.

Naturally denizens of various demonic planes, these creatures possess the ability to Step between planes and realms to hunt for their favoured dining: fey of any sort. But their appetite does not stop there, as anything with a morsel of magic will do.

Due to the weakened walls of the dimensions around Aram, these creatures slip more easily and commonly within the city, especially attracted to the elven quarters. Rifts are often left in their wake, another sign of the weakened walls: an inability to naturally heal from such an intrusion.

A Grim Fate

The denizens of Aram have found a gruesome reality. When a Vaasa feeds, it does not simply kill its victim. In fact, it often does not physically harm the quarry at all, aside from the need to keep it still. Instead, it leaves empty shells behind. Living, breathing, but without an interest in a single thing, these beings stay where they last truly lived, never to move again. Attempts to gain their attention is met with only a dull, unseeing stare.

Victims usually die from exposure, lack of sustenance, or animal attack - whichever comes first. Though - with heavy hearts - many have taken to ending these existences quickly.

Vaasa are kill-on-sight.

More Information

RIFTS AND TEARS - PLANAR WEAKNESS

The walls between planes in Aram and the land surrounding it is weak. Tears form and threaten to form rifts. When a large rift forms, it becomes permanent: an open doorway between the mortal plane and whatever other plane has happened to intersect.

The citizenship of Aram - humans, elves of all ilks, and any volunteers otherwise, along with trained packs of blink dogs, organized through a joint effort directed by the academies and temple - patrol for the tears. Leaving a special team behind to close the rift, the rest of the patrol sets out to hunt any threat that may have come through before it can do any harm. In the instance of Vaasa, these hunts are only marginally successful.


Very occasionally, lost and disoriented people are found with no idea where they are. They are brought to the temple and reoriented. Sadly, there is often very little to be done to return these accidental travelers to their home - their very being here was one huge coincidence.