Duat-Kur (DOO-aht KUR)
Dark Realm
Duat-Kur, the Realm of Shadows and Reflections, lies between The Mortal Realm and the divine. A land of endless dust and wandering, it is shaped by perception, harboring the twisted echoes of human existence. Here reside the Twin Cities—Carcosa and Dis—anchors of suffering and mirrors of humanity’s truths and falsehoods. Duat-Kur is neither wholly a place of punishment nor redemption but one of stasis, where the interplay of light and shadow defines the essence of all who enter. In this realm, death is not an escape—those who perish are reborn, forced to die and suffer endlessly.
The city is populated by people, reflections of mortal souls created by their first dark thought and shaped by others' perceptions.. These people are trapped in an endless cycle of self-loathing, pride, or despair, often reflecting not their true selves but the distorted narratives imposed on them by the Mortal Realm.
The shadows of Dis are the ultimate expressions of mortal sin and perception. Consumed entirely by hate, fear, and despair, they prey on the people of Carcosa and Dis, as well as any who venture too far into their domain.
The Twin Cities: Carcosa and Dis
Carcosa – The City of Shadows
Carcosa is a city of eternal twilight, where time flickers like a faltering candle. It is a labyrinth of decaying grandeur, blending remnants of every age of mortal civilization. Towers from forgotten empires crumble beside neon-lit ruins, while streets shift and twist, obeying no logic.The city is populated by people, reflections of mortal souls created by their first dark thought and shaped by others' perceptions.. These people are trapped in an endless cycle of self-loathing, pride, or despair, often reflecting not their true selves but the distorted narratives imposed on them by the Mortal Realm.
Day and Night:
By day, Carcosa seems alive but is filled with conspirators, manipulators, and predators who prey on vulnerability. By night, the boundary with Dis fades, turning Carcosa into a hunting ground for twisted creatures of shadow.Dis – The Womb of Decay
Beneath Carcosa lies Dis, a festering underworld where humanity’s darkest impulses take physical form. Dis is a place of endless suffering and grotesque transformations, populated by monstrous reflections of mortal cruelty.The shadows of Dis are the ultimate expressions of mortal sin and perception. Consumed entirely by hate, fear, and despair, they prey on the people of Carcosa and Dis, as well as any who venture too far into their domain.
Geography
The Endless Dust
The lands beyond Carcosa and Dis stretch infinitely, covered in gray ash and dust. The surface shifts subtly, forming dunes or jagged plateaus, but no true geographic landmarks remain for long. Wanderers, broken and fragmented, drift aimlessly here. Some are barely sentient, reduced to shadowy remnants of what they once were.The Cradle of Echoes
Scattered across the wasteland are the remnants of failed civilizations. These ruins reflect cities and structures from the Mortal Realm, long forgotten by humanity but etched into Duat-Kur’s fabric. Notable Features:Ecosystem
Dust and Storms: The air of Duat-Kur is thick with omnipresent dust, occasionally swirling into blinding storms. These storms are said to be echoes of forgotten thoughts, whispers on the wind, or fleeting memories of those long lost.
The realm exists in perpetual twilight, with no sun, moon, or stars to break the gloom. A faint, shifting glow illuminates the horizon, giving the illusion of a setting or rising sun that never arrives.
The realm hums with a faint, unsettling resonance—half-heard whispers, distant wails, and the occasional echo of laughter, which quickly fades into silence.
The realm exists in perpetual twilight, with no sun, moon, or stars to break the gloom. A faint, shifting glow illuminates the horizon, giving the illusion of a setting or rising sun that never arrives.
The realm hums with a faint, unsettling resonance—half-heard whispers, distant wails, and the occasional echo of laughter, which quickly fades into silence.
Localized Phenomena
Time in Duat-Kur flows differently than in the Mortal Realm or Tír na nÓg. It is not linear but fragmented and subjective, shaped by the thoughts and perceptions of its inhabitants. Hours might feel like days, and the past may seep into the present through echoes or visions.
History
Duat-Kur was not formed intentionally but rather emerged over time as a natural byproduct of mortal thought and perception. Each dark thought, forgotten memory, and lingering regret adds to its fabric, making it both eternal and ever-evolving.
Duat-Kur exists as a borderland realm, suspended between the Mortal Realm and the divine realms like Tír na nÓg. It is tied intrinsically to human perception and memory, a place where the echoes of mortal thoughts, actions, and judgments accumulate. The Twin Cities—Carcosa and Dis—act as anchors, but the realm itself stretches infinitely into a vast wasteland of dust and shadow.
Duat-Kur exists as a borderland realm, suspended between the Mortal Realm and the divine realms like Tír na nÓg. It is tied intrinsically to human perception and memory, a place where the echoes of mortal thoughts, actions, and judgments accumulate. The Twin Cities—Carcosa and Dis—act as anchors, but the realm itself stretches infinitely into a vast wasteland of dust and shadow.
Alternative Name(s)
Irkalla, Kur, Duat, Xibalba, Sheol, Naraka, Mirror Dimension, Limbo, Mot,
Type
Dimensional plane
Location under
Characters in Location
Related Plots
The Psychoangeloi, guided by Hermes and aided by a network of sympathetic shades, traverse the dangerous labyrinths of Carcosa and the depths of Dis. Their mission is perilous, for the Arbiter views such rescues as a threat to Duat-Kur’s integrity. Using artifacts of divine origin, such as Hermes’ Caduceus, and their unparalleled knowledge of the realm, the Psychoangeloi smuggle these enlightened souls to the realms where they rightfully belong—be it the divine sanctuaries of Tír na nÓg or other domains of peace.
Though the Psychoangeloi are few, their efforts serve as a reminder that even in the darkest places, there is a spark of hope, and that justice, however rare, can transcend the boundaries of perception and fate.
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