Hiraeth Creature #1168 - Ani-Adun“Across the far reaches of Tethys, at the ends of the known w

Hiraeth Creature #1168 - Ani-Adun“Across the far reaches of Tethys, at the ends of the known world, hides an island shielded by cliffs that welcome no outsiders. Wind and waves grow furious and restless around this sleeping landmass draped in the skeletal remains of shipwreck after shipwreck, as if the natural world senses some kind of harrowing wrongness of this place, unable to keep its composure. Under the light of the Moon, the land takes on a ghostly shimmer while the waters turn an abyssal dark, as if the the whole island is some kind of lost ghost waiting for closure— an unhurried fairytale that has no clear beginning, middle, or end. Known as the Harbour Lands, very few seafarers have managed survive the unruly seas and breech the windswept walls to explore this place. The little we know comes from the records of a vessel known as the Sunrise, whose crew survived in the flooded catacombs of this land forgotten by all. In an attempt to reach the surface of the Harbour Lands, a grand labyrinthine complex must be navigated. Overgrown sanctums turned into artificial wilderness, and many strange beasts and oddities found themselves living in and protecting this place. The more the crew immersed themselves, they began to feel like it was very much alive, the ornate masonry acting as skin around veins of aqueducts, and the flowing water and howling winds creating echoes of voice between bones made of polished stone. Every inch of the land felt painted in the silver glow of the living soul. From this surge of raw life seeping into the foundations, the Ani-Adun, unintentional trickers, were born. Made of stone and plant, they heave themselves out of the overgrown walls, dislodging parts of it and creating new tunnels or collapsing architecture. Their presence and patrols around the Harbour Lands constantly create and close new passageways. Parades of them meandering about make some tunnels impossible to travel through until they pass. The crew had mixed reactions to witnessing these creatures, some seeing them as endearing while others regarded them as oddly taboo. Each Ani-Adun has the same odd face of what looks like two large, empty eye sockets and a small mouth that appears in awe. Though incredibly heavy and made of solid stone, they can easy meld together, making some Ani-Adun colossal in size. These monolithic figures were often found wading within deep waters or sleeping in large pavilions, their mossy wings reaching up and curling around the ceilings of the more expansive caverns. Their slow but ever-shifting nature could be seen as both a blessing and a curse, as they constantly ensured the paths of the Harbour Land catacombs would be moving, creating lucky openings or closing off vital entries. Something truly powerful has made the Harbour Lands its vessel for the very walls to be sprouting to life.” -- source link

More pics about