by
MARCO GONZÁLEZ
Fantasy Artist
For inquiries, or to see more of my work, please refer to the links below.
Welcome to Anima Deprived, a dark fantasy worldbuilding project in progress.The story of Anima Deprived takes place in the lands of Havnil, an old realm turned to ruins in a distant past thanks to the greed and negligence of its people. Now, everything as far as the eye can see is a twisted version of what it was, and the memories of its previous dwellers linger on within the flesh of those who remain under the Imperfect Eclipse.
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This is a tale of decay, of greed and ignorace, of oppression and deceit; of how collective lunacy, avarice and frivolity lead to the collapse of evrything worth protecting. It is also a tale of futility, of how the will of mortals may bring unexpected results, or none at all. But overall, it is a tale of resilience and hope in a world drowned by the consequences of the action and inaction of those already one with the soil.
† FEATURED
† Characters
01. Shenza: The secluded one
The Secluded One: The nameless wanderer that wakes from their slumber in The Ashen Cloister upon being summoned by the Faceless Ascetics receives the epithet of Shenza, or Bloodless Vessel. As the result of an Anima Shard fused into their body, Shenza holds some sense of self, though the persona they relate to speaks from ages past and is no longer in the flesh.
Shenza's body has inbuilt Soul Cavities, sockets intended for collected souls to connect to the Anima Core. The knowledge hidden in the tomes of the Grimoires of the Fallen is needed to create a Sigil Slab, which acts as a key to process the souls of those defeated by the Anima weapons and cast them as spiritual energy to enhance their weilder's capabilities.Also, by focusing the energy of the Anima Shards, they are capable of casting a wide array of weapons that echo the nature of their ancient soul, as a link to their past life before the beginning of the Endarkenment.
The Secluded One receives their name from being bound to a White Vessel, an inanimate, artificial body used to summon souls from the dead. Though they possess only vague memories, a faded voice from within brings images from past lives. Only the bursting energy of the Anima Shard has brought a spark of life onto Shenza, who will from then strive to recover their true self. While engaged in this journey of self discovery, Shenza will take a shape that relates to the memory of their soul. Which of the twelve paths will they take? Which one holds their true identity?
02. Dusk People
Also known as the Vestigial People, they are the last living descendants of the denizens of the kingdom of Havnil, now living as nomads mostly within the desolate region of Dustview. They settle intermittently in the few areas where the influence of the Dark Sun has not reached yet or where it is still weak.
02.1 Idris of the Red Star
A member of the Dusk People and leader of the rangers. Skillful and daring, she is always on the lookout for possible threats to her comrades, and uses her knowledge of the terrains of Havnil to secure valuable resources. A harsh life has turned her into an experienced, tough and respected leader, but she would still rather wander the barren lands in solitude as much as her responsibilities and sense of camaraderie would allow.
03. Shades
The Shades are the inhabitants of Havnil, the Kingdom of Dust. They are the remains of the people and creatures who used to live in the Kingdom before the arrival of the Dark Sun. Their appearance vaguely resembles what they looked like in the past, and their memories, now foggy, are constrained and bound by the will of Albyaer. Even though some of them now share scraps of common consciousness and knowledge, there are quite a few, known as Void Crawlers, whose sense of self has been consumed entirely.
03.1 Fallen Ascetics
Originally a powerful foreign cult, now they are a semi-organized sect of Shades whose main labor is summoning the dead back to life by channelling the souls of the deceased into artificial bodies, called White Vessels. Normally, these bodies need to be strong in order to hold newly inserted souls, but not enough to prevent the flesh (if the clay-like mix of bone and tissue can be called flesh) from being eaten as soon as possible. They believe they need to eat these soul bearing bodies in order to regain some sense of self, or at least avoid losing what they have left. There are two major issues with this method, however. The first is that they only end up mixing different bits of souls within their own bodies, which become corrupted. The second, probably more vicious to outer eyes, relates to how each soul is consumed by multiple individuals at a time, hence being split into several pieces, each one sharing a body with other previously devoured soul fragments. As a result, the members of the Fallen Ascetics lose their minds, yet retain the bare minimum to keep pursuing their futile tasks and mindlessly collaborate with each other in doing so. Their leader, Valgart, commonly known as The Gorge, is an enormous being who dwells in the underground areas of the Refectory, a massive hall within the Ashen Cloister. When Valgart took possession of the Refectory, the Fallen Ascetics were already there, with barely any purpose and a different name.
04. Soot Frames, the exalted ones
Fragmented parts of Albyaer’s body and soul, Soot Frames represent different pieces of the Dark Sun’s identity and ancient memory, and as such, stand as its carnal fragments in charge of sustaining and fostering the Endarkenment across Havnil and beyond.
04.1. Valgart, The Gorge
Valgart of the Soot Frames, also known as The Prelate (later, The Gorge), is the only one of the Exalted Ones who has seemingly abandoned their responsibilities to satisfy their own greed. Their role was originally to retrieve and chasten the souls of the dead, usually in the form of Anima Shards, in order to bring the new land under the Dark Sun to a blank, purified state. These souls would later become the seedlings of the new realm. However, after finding out about the wonders hidden in the souls, a furious envy possessed Valgart, followed by an unquenchable thirst.
04.2. Eyriff, The Mirror
Eyriff of the Soot Frames, also known as The Mirror, is the only Frame able to decipher the mysteries of the soul, allowing visitors to find, in their own reflections, pieces of memories from times past, lost to time or madness. However, Eyriff knows little about themself, incapable of grasping any more sense of self than regular Shades. Still, their experience has made them kind and patient, yet rather neutral.
05. Albyaer
The Prophet of the Endarkenment, as well as its true self and deviser; a powerful entity that deceived the kingdom of Havnil by promising prosperity, wealth, youth, beauty and, overall, eternity. Life beyond time, bliss beyond measure, riches beyond meaning. A power so great that no other nation would dare stand against it. And all thanks to the prophecy of the Dark Sun, Albyaer’s grand design.
Props
† Items
01. The Anima
The Anima Core is the artificial heart that contains the Anima Shards of the Bloodless Vessels. In other words, it houses the soul that provides Shenza with a sense of self and consciousness, and the ability to link to a past life. That's the power of the Anima. Therefore, its role is vital not only in building its host's individuality, but also in honing their inner strength and skills. Within it, existence shines, faint yet unwavering.
02. Effigies
Effigies are handcrafted representations of classical Havnilian archetypes, thus their variety in shape. They also come in different materials that can be imbued with a myriad of properties. Eyrin from the Dusk People, being the sole bearer of the ancient Elarin tradition, is the only remaining inhabitant of Dustview able to forge these effigies, given the proper materials and tools. However, be aware that only the right wielder can use each of them to their full capacity.
† Environment props
01. Sun Altars
The Umedili, or Sun Heirs, were a pre-Albyaer Havnilian creed. Among the many vestiges they left behind, Sun Drops and Aurora Shrines are probably the ones the Dusk People are the most thankful for, as they stand as a symbol of hope across the barren lands beneath the Imperfect Eclipse. Shenza, too, can find use in these artifacts. The energy of the Sun spirit they still hold, however feeble, is enough to provide a secure spot to rest, especially for weary travellers. Additionally, Aurora Shrines are fabled to allow certain individuals to travel great distances in the blink of an eye, though reliable sources are hard to find.
02. Echo Altars
The Umedili, or Sun Heirs, were a pre-Albyaer Havnilian creed. For reasons known only to those in their ranks, they forged a few kinds of altars to celebrate and communicate with the Void. Even before Liv-Anar erupted, most of these artifacts had already been lost. However, Nameless Cenotaphs and Void Memorials can still be found, spread throughout Havnil, and allow certain individuals to unleash their latent power. Moreover, Void Shrines are also said to bring forward their user’s true connections with their own soul. Still, most records verifying this peculiarity are either lost or unintelligible.
† ENVIRONMENTS
ALBYAER'S GRASP
Albyaer's Grasp marks the road towards Liv-Anar, the most unreachable stronghold of the Soot Frames, commanded by Lahras, the Silent. Its misshaped geography echoes Albyaer's own ambitions and self-developed physiognomy. Its dry, reddish soil holds little to no life on its surface, but a great will breathes and waits beneath the dusty landscape.
AGNARA
Agnara is the name received by the southern highlands that stand between Havnil and the rest of the Saakir continent. Even though it was always considered one of the driest regions within the realm, now its dusty soil is one of the few that can still harbor life, however little it may be. After the beginning of the Endarkenment, the Dusk People have made it their home, clinging to the vague hope brought by the Sun’s waning light and the remaining underground rivers.
† STATEMENT
Anima Deprived was born out of the necessity to tell a story about decay and misery, but also about how hope can be found deep within despair. About how life is ceaselessly brought to an unjust, cruel world, and yet, somehow, it thrives. Birth opens up a myriad of possibilities, but no one can choose the state nor the guiding principles of the context that shapes their life and, more often than not, the effects of their actions remain imperceptible and futile. An endless chain of actions and consequences lay the soil on which our souls interact with reality and with each other, and breaking a single link might not make a remarkable difference; not in the great scheme of things, where purpose and meaning are frequently but an artifice. But a ripple is still a ripple, and coincidences can be benevolent too.It also stems from a constant search for purpose and self-identity. While a huge portion of our life is spent, willingly or not, on defining who we are, we are usually not taught nor encouraged to actually understand how everything from everyday details to intertwined systems shape not only our routines and quality of life, but also our inner selves. Finding oneself is not (and should not be seen as) a linear road with an unequivocal end, however, and this makes the journey all the more personal, unique and unrepeatable. Wounds and traumas, joys and victories, connections, losses, truths and lies bring forth who we are, as well as how we relate to others and the world around us. Should this body of experiences ever be replaced by a void, what would move us forward? What secrets about ourselves would we find in this journey of rediscovery?This is also a story about how, regardless of riches and technological or material development -whatever shape that may take-, we should never abandon what makes being human worthwhile. If progress means giving up our compassion, empathy, community, creativity, deliberation and our collective hope, all the ways we can honestly communicate with others and our inner selves, then we cannot speak of progress, but rather merely deviation. If in the quest for speed and ease, comfort and contentment, as well as any other means of pampering (and thus, blinding and numbing) our souls, we rely excessively in what is presented to us as magic, otherworldly innovation, in sources of empty delight and vapid satisfaction, or in seemingly convenient yet unmistakably detrimental ploys or devices, we may end up burying the very essence of our humanity. No amount of wealth and possessions can measure up with the personal and shared experiences we build throughout the limited time we are given, with the product of our hands and minds, nor with the persisting and sublime beauty and weight of the natural world. Wonder is a miraculous feeling. Time is a precious gift.A world that values commodities over community, immediacy over processes, and craving over necessity, cannot and will not endure the burden it places on the shoulders of those who uphold or suffer its core values. But in the face of oppression hope can always flourish, just like love and creativity can thrive in an age of apathy. That is not to say frivolity does not hold a righteous place, but rather that it should not direct the development of our days. It should not be the filter through which we scan and assess the world. If we stand on the shoulders of giants, let us -at least aspire to- become giants ourselves for those who are yet to come.(in progress)