Mpertem

the Joyous

Domain Element

Mpertem is the living embodiment of joy, an aspect of the element of light, Lithmor. Emotions, thoughts and memories related to Mpertem include those of happiness, bliss, mania, satisfaction, merriment, euphoria, pride, playfulness and fulfillment. Overall, she encompasses emotions which fulfill and uplift the spirit while her counterpart Siptalis encompasses a lack of joy and emotions which weigh down the spirit. She is the living embodiment of these positive emotions—merriment and bliss incarnate! Mpertem is one of thirteen mental aspects and rules over her own domain, Mpertem's Plane. This elemental plane connects the mind of every creature in Emynea, a collection of the joyful memories, thoughts and emotions of every living thing! Amid the many cultures of Emyena, Mpertem is often seen as the aspect of prosperity, comedy and wealth despite having little to do with these concepts outside of feelings of fulfillment and happiness.

Kaithur

During the Era of Legends, the Erlithmanil blessed residents of Emynea with their magic. Passed down from parent to child, they came to call these gifts Kaithur. Over time, every lifeform on Emynea came to inherit two of these blessings. Kaithur are named by the aspect a caster is connected to and by how they can wield it--how they manifest their connection. Joy magic is fairly common, Lithmor intent on spreading her blessings across Emynea. She especially adores human kind! But joy magic is perhaps most common within the Eluzian Valley and various reaches of Alkelbulan. Additionally, those born with joy magic tend to develop certain personality quirks or tendencies matching Mpertem herself!

Known Manifestations

This is the simplified explanation of these abilities. See Mental Manifestations for more details, limits and functions.

Manipulation	Aura
Mpertem's Manipulation can control and alter thoughts and feelings of joy, bliss, euphoria or others related to Mpertem in those around them, if they are already occurring.	Mpertem's Aura can create emotions related to Mpertem in those around them including joy and euphoria. However, these are temporary and fade after the caster ceases casting
Shadow	Voice
Mpertem's Shadow can craft illusions or hallucinations fueled by Mpertem, drawing from their memories and emotions of joy and euphoria--happy memories and ideas.	Mpertem's Voice can lace their voice with joy magic, inciting emotions related to Mpertem in those who hear them. Even just hearing them speak makes a listener happy or they might find the caster especially funny or charming.
Eye	Sense
Mpertem's Eye can see emotions, thoughts and states related to Mpertem as an aura or color around targets. They can also learn details by staring into a target's eyes.	Mpertem's Sense can sense emotions, thoughts and states related to Mpertem of those around them. They can also learn more details by touching a target.
Diet	Will
Mpertem's Diet can absorb and consume joy, mirth and other emotions and memories related to Mpertem, using it to replenish magic energy, to heal or as sustanance! They are also immune to joy magic, absorbing it instead.	If the caster of Mpertem's Will can incite emotions related to Mpertem in a target, they can inhance and empower their magic! Cracking a joke or bringing a smile to their face, making them recall a happy memory, instilling pride or giving a compliment, any and all of these can dramatically amplify other casters.
Mind	Vision
Those with Mpertem's Mind are able to enter a meditative state, mentally entering a target's Mind Space and leaving their body behind. They can experience thoughts, emotions and even memories stored here which are connected to Mpertem but cannot access the rest of the target's mind space.	Casters with Mpertem's Vision are able to enter a meditative state in which the caster can mentally explore Mpertem's Plane. Unlike Mind Casters, they cannot enter Mind Spaces, only peeking inside as though through a window or in a reflection!
Empathy	Apathy
Mpertem's Empathy can enable targets to experience or share each other's emotions, thoughts and memories related to Mpertem. Casters can even project their own emotions of joy and euphoria onto a target.	Those with Mpertem's Apathy are able to block a target from being able to feel happiness, bliss, merriment, pride or fulfillment! They can also restrict themselves from feeling these emotions for a time. On a smaller scale they can simply muffle these emotions instead. .
Shield	Touch
Casters with Mpertem's Shield are immune to all joy magic and can turn off their own ability to experience these emotions and memories.	Those with Mpertem's Touch are able to inflict strong feelings of joy, mania or euphoria by touch.
Binding	Step
Casters with Mpertem's Binding are able to bind specific emotions, thoughts or memories related to Mpertem and restrict a target's access to them. Only the caster can remove the binding.	Mpertem's Step allows the caster to physically enter Mpertem's Plane, using someone experiencing happiness or joy as a portal. They can explore and traverse the plane or enter mental spaces connected to the plane. However, physically exploring someone else's mind can be extremely dangerous!

Appearance

As a mental aspect, Mpertem lacks a physical body. She exists instead within her plane and within the minds of all Emyneans! She often takes the form of species or symbols associated with joy in mythology--her favorite plants and animals. But like most aspects, she also has a humanoid form she prefers when it suits her. Much like Lithmor, she prefers the features of an Alkelbulian woman with white hair, pink or warm coffee skin and brilliant pink or gold eyes! She is full-figured and often dresses in gold and white wool while any animal features she maintains are prismatic. And wherever she goes, she is often trailed after by hummingbirds and butterflies, feeding on the flowers embellishing her body!

Abilities

Mpertem is the embodiment of euphoria and merriment. These emotions are all a part of her, an extension of her. She can freely manipulate, perceive and draw out these emotions. She can even reach through someone experiencing strong joy, sharing in their experience or even speaking through them! To those seeking her power or guidance, Mpertem can offer visions often laden with symbology and metaphors. She even acts as the source of all joy magic! Mpertem's greatest resources are the many echoes populating Mpertem's Plane, the joyful echoes and containers of memories for each individual in Emynea! These are her loyal children and friends, her plane a friendly utopia free of strife or sadness! They share and reenact the happy memories they contain such as festivities and parties or quiet happy moments occuring in the outside world. Mpertem thrives on these emotions and they empower her--bountiful joy and mirth actually feeding Mpertem and sustaining her. She shares much of these beautiful memories and jubilant celebrations with her sister Rylmar, fueling her intense aspirations and creativity!

Because of Mpertem's constant consumption of happiness, she is wildly optimistic, friendly and naive, often forgetting sadness altogether and putting her trust in the wrong people. Yet there are those who dream of one day residing in Mpertem's Plane, in a place free of sorrow, even striving to pass into her plane after death. Mpertem gladly welcomes those seeking happiness into her plane, but be warned: she won't tolerate negativity or malintent! She won't hesitate to eject visitors who show any sorrow or negativity or any other transgression of her laws.

Personality

Aspects are pieces of the whole mind of their element and so Mpertem embodies a piece of Lithmor's mind. As one might expect, Mpertem is almost always exuberant, fun, mirthful, amicable, big-hearted, charismatic, playful and overall pleasure seeking! She is the kind of person who can befriend almost anyone, immediately behaving as a close friend. After all, she has access to everyone's most precious memories which she believes gives her a clear understanding of people. There is nothing she enjoys more than putting a smile on everyone's faces, drawing out laughter and seeking to eliminate all sadness and strife! On the other hand, Mpertem can be overwhelming and difficult to keep up with. She is also prone to hedonism, especially when in the company of more reckless souls. She loves to party and celebrate anything and everything, never tiring out and losing herself in the fun of it all. This is why she is often lumped together with Fliris, Sonildaz and Ylixa--Ylixa in particular getting her into trouble.

While Zalikar and Lithmor had been married for millennia, Mpertem possibly has one of the worst relationships with her counterpart Siptalis. After all, she readily dismisses, rejects or covers up any signs of despair or sadness she encounters--she wants only joy and merriment! This is especially true within her elemental plane, a seeming utopia where sadness, strife and negativity are a crime. But despite her callous rejection of suffering, there is no better entity for cheering the downtrodden and offering a safe asylum from the struggles of reality! Mpertem adores offering a safe and ideal escape, whole-heartedly embracing anyone and everyone willing to leave sorrow behind.

Mythology

Long before Mpertem or any of the elements existed, humanity had countless legends spanning time and culture. But as nature came to life around them, the people adapted their mythologies and ascribed their own lore to these entities, changing to suit the seeming gods walking among them. Some myths are accurate while others are grudgingly overlooked by the elements. After all, the beliefs of humans are one of the few things these eternal beings cannot control. From country to country, people to people, legend to legend Mpertem goes by many names and plays all manner of roles in local folklore!

Hathor Within the pantheon Netjer Pesedjet, Mpertem falls under the alias Hathor. Hathor is the Masriyyin goddess of beauty, pleasure, sexuality, romance, motherhood, women, trees, poetry, music, alcohol, childbirth, infants, death, fertility, love, marriage, beauty, joy and the sky. She is one of three goddesses making up the Eye of Raet and is sometimes viewed as the consort of Horus. Her main role is guiding souls through the transition into the afterlife, a symbol for both mothers and pharaohs! Hathor is depicted with the head of a cow or at least the ears and horns of a cow. Other symbols associated with Hathor are the red sun disk of Horus and a sistrum, a kind of harp. Some of her titles include Goddess of the West, Lady of the Southern Sycamore and Lady of Turquoise.

Siduri While Lithmor is the primary goddess within the lands of Birit Narim, Mpertem is known as Siduri, the goddess of wine, wisdom and merrymaking. According to legend, Siduri lives by the sea and brews wine. She is often depicted sitting in a garden with golden bowls and vats, covering her face with a veil. She is after all the patron of beer brewers and pub owners, sometimes equateted to Ishtar. She is perhaps most known for offering the great hero Bilgames wine in her tavern. She urges him to slow down and enjoy the pleasures of life!

Charites The Charites, also known as the Graces, are Hellenes goddesses who personify beauty and grace. Each of these Graces is believed to be a different aspect of the gods, especially those of Lithmor, and some compex aspects are split further into different graces. Three famous Charites are Aglaea, Euphrosyne and Thalia, daughters of Zues and Eurynome (daughter of Oceanus). Mpertem is associated with both Euprosyne and Thalia. Euphrosyne is the cheerful one, living a life of exuberance and joy. Meanwhile Thalia is the goddess of mirth, joy, good cheer and merriment. In myth, Charites attend to other gods during festivities, especially Aphrodite and Hera. Charites are normally depicted naked, dancing very closely or in a line.

Laetitia The Quiris people view Mpertem as Laetitia, their goddess of joy, gaiety and celebration. Other characteristics she represents include happiness, success, prosperity, luxury and abundance but she is most associated with holidays and festivals. She is most often depicted on coins holding an anquor or rudder, representing stability. Some older coins may even show Horus suckling on her as she is equated to Isis. Otherwise, Laetitia is depicted alongside greenery and seasonal decorations including wreaths of flowers or leaves and garlands.

Graces	Goddess Of	Aspect
Aglaea	Splendor Beauty	Kalitho
Euphrosyne	Joy Mirth Song and Dance	Mpertem
Thalia	Festivity Abundance	Mpertem
Phaenna	Bright Shining	Rithaldis
Peitho	Eloquence Persuasion	Kanilwyr
Eupheme	Good Omen Acclaim Aplause	Rylmar
Pasithea	Relaxation Meditation Rest	Lothvem
Auxo	Growth Spring	Lithyr
Hegemone	Leader Mastery Autumn	Barnok
Cleta	Glory Fame	Zithvek

Fu Hsing & Fu Shen Fu Hsing Fu Hsing is the Huaren god of happiness and good fortune. He is one of the three stars in Fulushou (Three Stellar Divinities Constelation) alongside Luxing, the god of wealth, and Shouxing, the god of longevity. Otherwise known as Fu Xing, he has come to symbolize career success, happiness and prosperity. He is believed to control destiny, fate, love and success. In fact, his image is often displayed on the front door of homes, offices and shops in hopes of attracting good fortune and prosperity. Fu Xing is depicted as a tall man in court attire, usually holding a ruyi scepter or carrying a scroll of formula. Sometimes he is surrounded by either children or bats, symbols of good luck. Fu Shen He is a Huaren god of happiness, fortune and longevity. Sometimes Fu Shen is seen as the same entity as Fu Hsing but, unlike Fu Hsing, he isn't an entirely mythological figure. Fu Shen was posthumously deified, revered as a god long after his death! He was once a criminal judge which defended dwarves against the emporeror, this emperor forcing all dwarves to become court entertainers. These grateful dwarves began a cult in appreciation, honoring him as a god of happiness! Fu Shen is most often depicted wearing the robes of a Huaren feudal Lord, usually red in color.

Ame no Uzume no Makoto Ame no Uzume is the goddess of dawn, mirth, dancing, revelry and the arts in Nippon--the master of festivities, humor and dancing! Her full title is a bit of a mouthful but no-Mikoto simply means the Great while the rest of her name means Heavenly Reveling Woman. She is also viewed as an inari kami, a rice bearing fox god of fertility, rice, tea, sake, agriculture and industry alongside general prosperity and success. She is almost always portrayed as smiling and wearing loose, revealing clothes which her fellow gods find comical. But she doesn't care, enjoying their laughter. She is most often depicted carrying a huge bronze mirror and a beautiful jewel of polished jade. She is also known as Omiyanome-no-Okami meaning the Great Persuader. Perhaps what Ame no Uzume is most known for is her involvement in the legend of Amaterasu. She is actually the retainer or attendant of Amaterasu, the primary goddess in Nippon. While Amaterasu is reserved and proper, Ame no Uzume is joyful, creative, proactive, open, easygoing and dedicated to bringing joy. She is a surprisingly excellent dipolomat, trusted by Amaterasu. After all, when Amaterasu hid herself away in a cave, the world going dark without her light, it was Ame no Uzume who lured her back out. Ame no Uzume stood atop an overturned bucket, dancing and causing the other gods to laugh. When Amaterasu peeked out, she saw her reflection in Ame no Uzume's bronze mirror and was drawn out by her own beauty. This dance went on to become the Kagura dance, a way for shamans and priestesses to communicate with the gods. In fact, she is believed to have started the Sarume Clan with her husband Sarutahiko Okami, a clan filled with woman trained to perform Kagura. Other arts attributed to Ame no Uzume are noh and kyogen.

Budai The laughing buddha is a nickname for a Huaren buddhist monk named Budai, also known as Hotei in Nippon. He symbolizes good fortune, happiness, wealth and abundance. Originally he was a Zen monk who was known to be jovial, bringing joy wherever he went. He carried a cloth sack which was never empty, his monk name meaning cloth sack. He is depicted as overweight and bald with a pot belly, always smiling or laughing. He is perhaps one of Mpertem's least favorite depictions, disliking taking on a masculine form.

Coco Mama In the lands of the Continent Beyond, the Tawantinsuyu call Mpertem Coco Mama, the goddess of health and happiness as well as the mother of coca leaves. Coca leaves are important in the lives of the Tawantinsuyu, nearly every man carrying a special bag of these leaves to chew on. According to their myths, Coco Mama was once a human woman torn in half by jealous lovers. The different peices of her body went on to become the coca plant. The Tawantinsuyu believe the coca plant brings health and happiness.

Jara Otherwise known as Grihadevi (the devi of households), Jara is a Bharata goddess of the home, domestic health, happiness and prosperity. Specifically, she embodies household happiness and prosperity and she is a guardian of children. Her image is depicted on the walls of houses where she is offered incense, flowers and food. She is even worshipped by the royal family of Bharata Gaṇarajya. Depictions of her are often embroidered into hand woven wool floor coverings with linear diamond patterns beleived to inspire joy!

Asvayujau Asvayujau is the Bharata goddess of good luck, joy, happiness, abundance and prosperity. Alternately, she might be called Svasti, the wife of Vayu, or Ashvini. Beloved, respected and benevolent, her followers believe she can alter the course of destiny, deciding whether people will feel joy or despair or whether events go well or poorly. She maintains the karmic forces of the universe, bringing joy, positivity and cheerfulness to those who worship her and even healing mental illness such as anxiety and low self-esteem. This godess' name can be broken down into asva, meaning horse, yuj meaning to join or yoke and the feminine suffix au coming together to mean She who is yoked with horses. This name associates Asvayujau with speed, power and movement as horses represent energy, vitality and progress. She embodies a perpetual force of good luck and happiness, driving out stagnation and strife to make room for prosperity. In one common myth, Asvayujau relieves a land in the midst of a terrible drought where the people were wallowing in despair. She gives these people rain, a rain which not only revives their crops but instills joy into the people and inspires them to endure their misfortune. She is also believed to travel from village to village in order to drive out curses and sorrow, moving humanity to a brighter future! Asvayujau is portrayed as radiant and graceful, embellished with glittering jewels and prismatic clothing as she rides a chariot drawn by horses. She might also hold a lotus flower in her hand which symbolizes purity and beauty. She is often invoked or outright venerated in festivals where her followers offer her flowers, light oil lamps and chant mantras. Other entities she is associated with are Saraswati (knowledge) and Parvati (power) and is believed to be a manifestation of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity!

Symbols of Mpertem

As Mpertem has been ascribed many identities through mythology, she also has come to be represented by an array of plants and animals! Most of these creatures are her favorite species from across Emynea while others she grudgingly accepts for the sake of her followers. She is known to take on the appearance of these creatures in dreams or visions, often taking on their features such as the wings of a hummingbird or butterfly, golden cow horns, the scales of a koi fish. She especially enjoys adorning herself with plants which signify joy such as lavender, sunflowers, lily of the valley among others. In fact, her plane is populated almost entirely by these plants and the echoes within her plane tend to take on the shape of associated animals!

Animals Birds Mammals Hummingbird Bluebird Duck Robin Finch Chikadee Sparrow Swallow Cow Llama Porcupine Dog Monkey Squirrel Koala Pig Zebra Insects Aquatic Cricket Butterfly Ladybug Dolphin Otter Fish (Especially Koi) Orca

Plants Agricultural Grasses, Creepers & Shrubs Lavender Sunflower Alfalfa Banana Nuts Tomato Tulip Apple Blossom Tuberose Celandine Plumeria Jalap Root Purslane Quince Witch Grass Spicebush Trees & Vines Flowers & Herbs Hawthorn Tree Oak Tree Ash Tree Bohdi Tree Morning Glory Catnip Cylamen Hyacinth Lily of the Valley Marjoram Meadowsweet Saffron St. Johns Wort Alkanet Sweetpea