The Fauna Domain (Le Domaine Faune) is one of two core lands held by the Ephemen—a vast sanctuary where women and womenoid beings live in managed harmony with creatures of all kinds. Here, the boundaries between civilization and wilderness blur, and the Ephemen have transformed the landscape into a fusion of Greek, Latin, Arabic, Persian, and Andalusian aesthetics—what they call "womenization": nurturing the land to enhance its natural vitality.
📊 Domain Statistics
- Willpower: 8 (Strong)
- Ecosystem: Living fauna sanctuary—creatures of all kinds coexist in managed harmony
- Size: Vast (continent-scale)
- Time Flow: Cyclical (follows migration patterns)
- Mood: Lush, verdant, teeming with life, watchful
- Genius: The Great Beast (collective consciousness of all fauna)
- Ruler: Lachesis of the Hunt (one of the Three Parques)
🦁 DOMAIN DESCRIPTION
The Living Menagerie
"Everywhere, life. Lions sun themselves on marble terraces where fountains play. Eagles nest in the arches of Moorish-inspired viaducts. In the agora, wolves and deer drink from the same pool while Ephemen scholars debate philosophy beneath olive trees heavy with fruit."
"The Ephemen have 'womenized' this domain—reshaped it not through domination but through nurturing. They have enhanced the soil, diversified the fauna, and created a paradise where predator and prey coexist in a carefully managed balance. The architecture rises organically from the landscape: Greco-Roman columns intertwined with Arabic arabesques, Persian gardens flowing into Andalusian courtyards."
"But do not mistake beauty for weakness. The Ephemen are warriors as much as gardeners. Their Ephemeral Host—biomachine golems bonded to animal companions—patrol the borders. And somewhere, always watching, is the Great Beast: the Genius that embodies all fauna as one consciousness."
🏛️ KEY LOCATIONS
The Menagerie (Capital)
The capital city of the Fauna Domain—a sprawling metropolis of tiered gardens, marble walkways, and open-air pavilions where Ephemen citizens live among the animals. There are no walls; the concept of "inside" and "outside" is fluid here.
- • The Grand Aviary: A palace of latticed stone where birds of all species roost and where the Parliament of Wings convenes
- • The Terrace of a Thousand Beasts: Central plaza where citizens gather, surrounded by pools where predators and prey drink side by side
- • The Kaliopsis Gardens: Where Ephemen practice the doctrine of abandoning visual appeal—some naked, some clothed, all equal in unadorned existence
ENTRY RESTRICTIONS:
Men and menoid beings: Strictly prohibited from entering the Fauna Domain. Male children under 12 may enter under escort but must leave before adolescence.
Women and womenoid: Welcome if they swear the Sisterhood Bond—a temporary covenant of non-aggression and respect for Ephemen ways.
The Imprinting Pools
Sacred waters where Ephemen Seers perform the Bonding Ritual—the process by which an Ephemeral golem imprints on an animal companion. Without this imprinting, Ephemeral are merely inert statues; with it, they develop consciousness and purpose.
THE IMPRINTING PROCESS:
A newborn Ephemeral (fresh from the Spawning Vats) is submerged in the pool alongside a chosen animal. The Ephemeral absorbs aspects of the animal's essence—form, behavior, instincts—and develops a symbiotic bond. The animal gains extended lifespan; the Ephemeral gains consciousness.
THE WITHERING:
If an Ephemeral loses its bonded animal (through death or separation), it begins to Wither. First, it becomes feral. Then, its form destabilizes. Finally, it becomes either inert stone or a monstrous entity called a Lost Chorus.
The Parliament of Beasts
The rotating council chambers where the Ephemen practice their direct democracy. The location moves seasonally—following migration patterns—symbolizing the domain's connection to natural cycles.
THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS:
Sortition: Citizens are selected by lot (alea) to serve in judicial, legislative, and executive roles. No one holds power permanently; all power is temporary and revocable.
Citizenship: Extended to all women, womenoid beings, and children. All citizens must serve in government at some point.
The Three Moires: Saldia the Esper, Kanakota Fearless, and Fahrani Ixold serve as spiritual and military leaders—not rulers, but exemplars.
Kaliopsis Fields
Vast territories where the Ephemen practice Kaliopsis—the rejection of beauty standards and visual appeal. Here, clothing is optional, ornamentation is abandoned, and all beings are valued for their essence rather than their appearance.
- • Philosophy: By abandoning the male gaze and its standards, Ephemen reclaim their bodies as their own
- • Conflict: Some Ephemen refuse Kaliopsis and remain non-citizens; this is a source of ongoing debate
- • Practice: Sexual labor is freely contracted and respected; emotional labor is valued; bonds replace marriage as social contracts of care
The Abyssal Border
The Fauna Domain lies close to The Abyss, creating a tense frontier where Ephemen Seers and their Ephemeral Host maintain constant vigilance.
THREATS:
The Cult of Anandros: Men in the Abyss who hate the Ephemen with religious fervor. They conduct raids across the border.
The Count's Vanguard: The Ephemen maintain a special division—their own vanguard—to track and oppose the Count, whom they consider their greatest enemy.
Partizan Expansion: The Partizan's colonization efforts clash with Ephemen territorial integrity.
👤 THE GREAT BEAST
Genius of the Fauna Domain
APPEARANCE
The Great Beast has no single form. It manifests as a shifting amalgam of all fauna—now a lion with eagle wings, now a serpent with deer antlers, now a creature composed of a thousand eyes, claws, and voices. It speaks with the tongues of all beasts.
PERSONALITY
Ancient, patient, predatory, protective. The Great Beast embodies the balance of nature—cruel and kind by turns. It tolerates the Ephemen because they maintain the domain's harmony. It would destroy any who disrupt that balance.
RELATIONSHIP TO EPHEMEN
The Ephemen did not create the Great Beast—they woke it. Through their nurturing of the domain, they strengthened its Willpower until the Genius emerged. Now they are symbiotic: the Ephemen maintain the domain; the Great Beast protects them.
⚔️ THE GREAT BEAST (Combat Stats)
Form Shifting: At the start of each round, the Great Beast assumes a new form with different capabilities. Roll 1d6: 1-2=Predator (high damage), 3-4=Swarm (area attacks), 5-6=Behemoth (high defense).
Beast Tongue: Can command any non-sapient animal in the domain. Animals obey instantly—even turning against their masters.
Symbiotic Blessing: If reduced to 0 HP, the Great Beast disperses and reforms in 24 hours unless the domain itself is destroyed.
✨ BLESSINGS & CURSES
Domain Blessings
Beast Tongue
Effect: Can communicate with non-sapient animals. Animals will answer questions and may offer assistance.
Acquisition: Spend a week living among animals in the Menagerie, eating only what they eat.
The Bond
Effect: Form a telepathic link with one animal companion. Share senses and emotions within 1 mile.
Acquisition: Complete the Bonding Ritual at the Imprinting Pools.
Wild Grace
Effect: +2 to all physical checks involving balance, climbing, or moving through natural terrain.
Acquisition: Be accepted as a honorary member of an animal pack.
Domain Curses
Beast Burden
Effect: Feel the pain of any animal within 100 feet. If an animal dies nearby, take 1d6 psychological damage.
Acquired by: Harming an animal in the domain and being witnessed by the Great Beast.
The Prey's Fear
Effect: You are always hunted. Predators target you first; enemies gain +2 to track you.
Acquired by: Disrupting the predator-prey balance of the domain.
Exiled Heart
Effect: Animals react with hostility. The domain itself rejects you; plants wilt in your presence.
Acquired by: Betraying the Sisterhood Bond or harming Ephemen citizens.
👻 CREATURES & INHABITANTS
Denizens of the Fauna Domain
The Ephemeral Host
Biomachine golems bonded to animal companions. They serve as soldiers, workers, and companions to the Ephemen. Each Ephemeral is unique—part machine, part beast, part something else entirely. See the Ephemeral entry in the Expanded Bestiary.
Ephemen Seers
The mystics and diplomats of the Ephemen. They read domain currents, perform Bonding Rituals, and negotiate with outsiders. Led by Saldia the Esper, eldest of the Three Moires.
The Great Beast's Aspects
Manifestations of the Great Beast that patrol the domain. They appear as majestic animals—lions with eyes of flame, eagles with wingspans that block the sun—but are far more intelligent and dangerous than ordinary beasts.
Withered Ephemeral
Ephemeral who have lost their bonded animals and succumbed to madness. They roam the borderlands, attacking anything that moves. Some dissolve into the earth; others become monstrous abominations. The Ephemen hunt them mercifully when found.
🎭 NPCS & FACTIONS
Notable Characters
Lachesis of the Hunt
Role: Matriarch of the Fauna Domain, one of the Three Parques
A warrior-philosopher who leads the Fauna Domain's defense. She believes in the necessity of violence to protect the sanctuary. Older than she appears, scarred by countless battles with Partizan expansionists and Abyssal raiders. She is both hunter and protector.
Kanakota Fearless
Role: Military commander of the Ephemeral Host, one of the Three Moires
The youngest of the Moires but the fiercest. She personally leads the vanguard against the Count's movements. Her own Ephemeral companion is a lion-headed golem named Tawny Guardian. She represents the Ephemen's warrior aspect.
Imprinter Yrsa
Role: Master of the Imprinting Pools
An ancient Ephemen who has performed thousands of Bonding Rituals. She can read the compatibility between Ephemeral and animals with a glance. She is deeply concerned about the increasing number of Withered Ephemeral—a sign that something is disrupting the domain's harmony.
Factions
🦁 The Ephemeral Host
The armed force of the Ephemen—biomachine golems bonded to animal companions. They serve as soldiers, scouts, and guardians. Led by Kanakota Fearless. Threat Level: Very High (to enemies).
Disposition: Hostile to men, protective of women
🔮 The Seer Circles
Mystics who perform Bonding Rituals, read domain currents, and negotiate with outsiders. Led by Saldia the Esper. They maintain the Ephemen's portal network and foresee threats before they materialize.
Disposition: Cautious but diplomatic
🌸 The Kaliopsis Devotees
Ephemen who embrace the rejection of beauty standards most radically. They often live naked and unadorned, focusing entirely on function over form. Some find them extreme; others consider them the purest Ephemen.
Disposition: Welcoming to all who reject the gaze
⚔️ The Count's Watch
A special division of the Ephemeral Host dedicated to tracking and opposing the Count. They believe the Count is the greatest threat to Ephemen sovereignty and seek to contain or imprison him.
Disposition: Secretive, obsessive, dangerous
📜 SCENARIO HOOKS
Campaign Seeds
The Bonding Request
A female party member is invited to undergo the Bonding Ritual and receive an Ephemeral companion. This is a great honor—but it requires swearing the Sisterhood Bond and spending a week in the domain. During that time, the party discovers a Withered Ephemeral plot that threatens the Imprinting Pools.
Border Conflict
Partizan colonists are attempting to expand into Ephemen territory. The Ephemen prepare for war. The party is caught in the middle—can they negotiate peace, or must they choose sides? And what if the colonists are refugees with nowhere else to go?
The Male Child
A young boy's mother dies within the Fauna Domain. By Ephemen law, he must be exiled before adolescence. But he has nowhere to go, and the Ephemen who raised him love him as their own. The party must navigate the complex politics of Ephemen child-rearing and find a solution that honors both law and compassion.
The Count's Gambit
The Count appears in the domain—a rare event, as the Ephemen usually repel him. He offers the Ephemen a deal: access to his portal network in exchange for... something. The Seer Circles are divided. The party may be asked to investigate what the Count truly wants—and whether the deal can be trusted.
🗺️ Quick Reference
| Location | Threat | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|
| The Menagerie | Safe | Capital, diplomacy, trade |
| Imprinting Pools | Moderate | Ephemeral bonding rituals |
| Parliament of Beasts | Safe | Democratic assembly |
| Kaliopsis Fields | Safe | Philosophical retreat |
| Abyssal Border | Extreme | Military patrol, danger |
We do not tame the beasts. We learn their ways, and they learn ours. In sisterhood, all life finds harmony.
— — Lachesis of the Hunt, Matriarch of the Fauna Domain