Niranjan
Once part of the coastal holdings of Kalakeri, the Ashram of Niranjan broke from the mainland in a time of civil war and spiritual upheaval. The ashram’s monks believed the path to peace lay in Ramsana, a philosophy of detachment from worldly suffering. But when their leader—Sage Surabar—transcended mortality, he brought the entire island chain with him into the Mists. Now, Niranjan is a Domain of Dread trapped in false enlightenment, where serenity is enforced, questions are punishable, and silence is a prison.
Once a discipline of peace and introspection, Ramsana is now a twisted doctrine of absolute stillness and silence. Those who speak of pain, longing, or memory are seen as corrupted by the material world—and swiftly removed.
- Followers of Ramsana are taught to cut all ties—to family, name, thought, even selfhood.
- The most devout become Ashless Ones, robed figures who never speak, their faces hidden, their hearts emptied.
- Spiritual transgressions—like questioning a master, grieving a loss, or expressing joy—are punished by forced meditation… sometimes for years.
Sage Surabar, once a mortal philosopher, now rules Niranjan as an eternal guru imprisoned by his own enlightenment. In life, he sought to shed all worldly attachments. In death, he succeeded too well.
- Surabar's curse is that he remembers everything he has renounced—every disciple, every joy, every failure—and must witness his teachings destroy what he once loved.
- He appears as a perfect form, seated in lotus position, golden and radiant. Yet behind his closed eyes, he weeps constantly, the tears flowing unseen into Lotus Lake.
- He can neither speak nor move. He influences the world only through visions, dreams, and unnatural harmony that infects the land like a plague.
Themes and Terrors
- Silence as oppression: The domain is serene only in appearance; true peace is a cage.
- False enlightenment: The pursuit of detachment has led not to wisdom, but to emptiness and erasure.
- Self-erasure and identity: Individuals are reduced to reflections, unable to recall who they were before they “let go.”
- Repression of emotion: Joy and grief alike are forbidden, and all yearning is seen as sin.
Geography
Niranjan is an archipelago of tranquil ruin—verdant islands dotted with crumbling monasteries, steaming jungles, and endless stone steps that climb to nowhere. It is always dawn or dusk, casting the world in perpetual saffron and rose hues. Time passes, but no one feels its weight.
- The Ashram of Silence sits atop the largest island, its prayer wheels spinning without touch, its bells never ringing.
- Lotus Lake lies at the center of the archipelago, its waters so still they reflect even thoughts. Those who drink from it lose their memories piece by piece.
- The Stone Forest is filled with petrified monks, each caught mid-meditation. Some whisper koans. Others weep silently, unable to move.
- The Echoing Steps stretch across islands, worn smooth by the feet of pilgrims who cannot stop walking—trapped in contemplation without end.
Tourism
Few arrive in Niranjan willingly, but many stay forever. The population consists of lost souls seeking meaning, pilgrims from other domains, and dreamers pulled through the Mists by false revelations.
- Monastics fill the ashrams—some faithful, some broken, many mad.
- The Ashless Ones act as spiritual enforcers. They move without sound, erase memories with touch, and meditate in graveyards of dissent.
- Drowned Voices haunt the lakes and pools—souls of those who questioned too deeply. They whisper forbidden truths that drive listeners to silence or rebellion.
- Living koans—enigmatic creatures born from paradoxical thoughts—wander the land, asking riddles that trap minds in loops.
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