Elsewhere
a.k.a. The Malev Archipelago
Before anyone could do anything about it, a mysterious new force took up residence there, and all the islands where surrounded by a shifting veil of dream energy. The islands, already dangerous and unknown, took on an even more mysterious bent as dreams, imagination, and reality all blended together in perilous and highly unpredictable ways.
This new island nation also received a new name: Elsewhere.
It's proximity to the United States has many nervous, and with good reason as Elsewhere's ultimate goals remain unknown and it has become in the eyes of many a "wretched hive of scum and villainy" as many villains will take refuge there or use it as a launching-off point for their own schemes. Elsewhere has been called one of the most dangerous locations in the world, and only the most bold or foolhardy venture there.
Infographic
Geography
Elsewhere is a place where dreams and realities collide, so the cartography of the islands seems to shift according to no understood pattern.Although it has dozens or hundreds or lesser islands, it originally had eight major islands, but now it's down to six. Since each island has a governor that oversees it, Prodigy has theorized that the reason for the two islands' disappearance is that those two governors fell out of favor with whomever is in charge, although nobody knows who that is.
Each of the major islands is practically a reality unto itself:
- Idyll (governed by Verite) - A magical realm akin to A Midsummer Night's Dream.
- Parley Key (governed by Machinator Cortex) - This is the "neutral ground" tropical island resort. It is unique among the islands in that it exists mostly outside the dreamscape reality-warping effects that engulf the other islands. The only place where Parley Key intersects that effect is on the edge of the island at Veilwater Falls.
- See: Parley Key
- Another island is rumored to have a 1960s era casino. The name of this island and governor is as yet unknown.
- Another island is somewhat bigger than the others. It's believed that this might be where the ruler of Elsewhere resides, but this is unconfirmed. The name of this island and governor is as yet unknown.
- Nothing is yet known about the other two major islands in the chain.
- Nothing is yet known about the two islands that have gone missing.
Government
See: Elsewhere Ruling CouncilThe Shifting Veil
Most of the islands of Elsewhere are surrounded by "the shifting veil," a barrier of otherworldly magical energy which admits passage to the dreamscape that exists within. At greater range, this effect seems to be mostly harmless, such as on much of Parley Key, which exists outside the effect. At that range, individuals experience intense lucid dreams, but otherwise seem to suffer no ill effects.Closer in, and the effect appears to become at the very least disorienting, and perhaps even dangerous as the dream world starts to intersect on the real world.
Countless heroes and villains have made this passage, suggesting that there are likely no lasting ill effects. However, it is rumored that to linger too long within the bounds of Elsewhere risks getting lost within the dream, and many who have ventured there have never returned.
Prodigious Girl's Interaction with the Veil
During her visit to Parley Key, Prodigious Girl visited Veilwater Falls on that island and inadvertently crossed the boundary. In so doing, she somehow triggered a massive, violent, and uncontrolled energy release from Elsewhere's big island, threatening the entire island chain.Prodigy theorized that her power mimicry ability in some way had a negative reaction to the veil's energy, causing an escalating feedback loop where Elsewhere was essentially feeding upon itself. Exactly how or why this happened, or if the heroine has some other unrevealed connection to the island chain is unknown.
Denizens
Location
North of the Bahamas and east of Florida in international waters. It is approximately 500 miles from Faraday City.