The Queen of Dreams and Shadows
(a.k.a. The Midnight Queen, She Who Walks Unseen, The Crown in Darkness, Mother of the Hidden Ways,)
The Queen of Dreams and Shadows is the undisputed sovereign of The Old Faith in Balgrendia. Her name is spoken with reverence in the hush of twilight, her presence felt wherever shadows stretch too long or sleep grows too still. She is not a gentle goddess. She is the mistress of spite, the shaper of unspoken laws, and the silent architect of fate.
To live in Balgrendia is to live beneath her shadow.
She rules the secret paths, the half-seen truths, the forked-tongue bargains spoken under moonlight. Her dominion is over what lies beneath the surface—the double meaning, the smile that hides the knife, the promise twisted in dream. She is the patron of masks, not because she wears one—but because she removes yours, when it suits her.
Although not seen in centuries, the shadow of her presence looms large over Balgrendian peoples, who continue to pay homage to her and observe the old pact, fearing her return more than they fear her absence. All remember the warning given "If you cannot share the land, the land will have none of you"
She demands not just worship, but loyalty. Not just gifts, but submission. Her favor is a cloak—but one that weighs heavily on the shoulders.
Her offerings are never meant for beauty. They are keys. She opens doors only for those who bring the right ones.
The Keepers are not advisors. They are enforcers of her will, conductors of sacred obedience, and watchers in the dark. They guide those chosen to walk her path—and punish those who stray from it.
To live in Balgrendia is to live beneath her shadow.
She rules the secret paths, the half-seen truths, the forked-tongue bargains spoken under moonlight. Her dominion is over what lies beneath the surface—the double meaning, the smile that hides the knife, the promise twisted in dream. She is the patron of masks, not because she wears one—but because she removes yours, when it suits her.
Although not seen in centuries, the shadow of her presence looms large over Balgrendian peoples, who continue to pay homage to her and observe the old pact, fearing her return more than they fear her absence. All remember the warning given "If you cannot share the land, the land will have none of you"
The Obsidian Throne
Where other gods are distant, she is present—woven into the rituals, oaths, and silences of daily life. Her shrines dominate every Sacred Grove, a circle of dark stone and silver-rooted trees, where a single black mask rests upon a dais. No face gazes from it, but when you look upon it, you feel watched.She demands not just worship, but loyalty. Not just gifts, but submission. Her favor is a cloak—but one that weighs heavily on the shoulders.
Portents of the Queen’s Presence or Favor
These signs are not sought—but when they come, they are interpreted with a mix of fear, reverence, and awe:The Moon Walks the Wrong Sky
When the moon rises at an odd angle, glows dimmer than it should, or is seen in a place it should not be—this is said to mean the Queen has turned her gaze directly upon the land.Shadows That Refuse to Fall
If a figure or object casts no shadow at dawn or dusk, it is taken as a sign that the Queen walks near—or that a vow has been made (or broken) in her name, and she is listening.The Silent Flock
Birds circling without song, or a murder of crows roosting in silence, signal that the barrier between worlds is thinning. The Queen may be walking the dreams of those nearby, or claiming a name soon to be forgotten.Rituals
Rite of The Nocturnal Bloom
The Nocturnal Bloom is a sacred spring rite held under the full moon during the spring equinox in Balgrendia, honoring the Queen of Dreams and Shadows through a series of solemn, mystical rituals. Villagers cloaked in dark robes process into a shadowed grove, laying offerings of bone, obsidian, and feathers to appease the dark fae and the unseen forces of the forest. A sacred flower, the Moonpetal, is offered in moonlit water as the druid invokes the Queen’s grace, seeking permission to sow and reap under her watchful gaze. Couples and farmers dance masked in a Circle of Rebirth to invoke fertility, while the Embrace of Thorns calls for blood sacrifice as a symbol of hardship endured for growth. The rite culminates with signs from the Queen—often subtle, never guaranteed—followed by a foraged feast beneath the stars, binding the people once more to the veiled will of the night.The Cloaked Path
A solitary rite performed when seeking her direct guidance. The follower dons a veil soaked in dream-herbs, then walks blindfolded through the woods from dusk until dawn. If they return unmarked, they were not chosen. If they return changed—the Queen has spoken.Offerings
These are small gestures, made alone and in silence, often at dusk or dawn. While not part of formal ritual, they are ways common folk show reverence—or seek protection from her regard.A shard of mirror turned face-down beneath a threshold
Symbolizing the surrender of self-reflection in favor of unseen truth. Said to draw the Queen’s attention away from the household, offering a night free from strange dreams.Three black seeds buried in a crooked line
A secret offering, given before a difficult journey or decision. The seeds represent hidden choices, and are meant to invoke guidance through uncertain paths.A whispered confession to a mask, then burned
Some keep a simple clay mask hidden near the hearth. When burdened by secrets, the confession is whispered to it and then destroyed in fire, trusting the Queen to carry it away.Her offerings are never meant for beauty. They are keys. She opens doors only for those who bring the right ones.
Twilight Keepers
Her priests, called Keepers, hide their idenity behind wooden maskes, carved into the shape of woodland spirits, and wear robes of flowing black. Their voices are rarely raised, but when they speak, it is with authority that brooks no questioning.The Keepers are not advisors. They are enforcers of her will, conductors of sacred obedience, and watchers in the dark. They guide those chosen to walk her path—and punish those who stray from it.
