The Atma (At-Ma)

The gift of the sleeping goddess

The Fish, not the River, belongs on the Hook!

Old Azturian saying

The Atma, is one of the most important rivers in Ifeya and the sanctuary of the Wavesmooth Atma. Supposedly, it has existed for about 100 years prior to Moonbreak. Originating on the Sunbreak Peak Plateau, the river connects the Djeca Arthaan with the rest of the Rusty Highlands and serves as a natural border, as well as an important trade route between Azhareth and Azturia. Its greenish waters glisten in the sunlight like snake scales, which is where its surname derives from. It serves as the source of Atmas Pulse and is therefore of utmost relevance for every waterweaver in Ifeya.

Geographie

The Atma rises from Dragon's Head Lake on Sunbreak Peak in the northwest center of Ifeya, down into the southwest Emperor Depths, and runs evenly along this stretch, in a way that cannot be explained by any known means. With its course, it marks the boundaries between "The Land of the Free" Azhareth and the Hierocracy of Azturia. Since Azturia has forbidden the creation of any tributaries out of the Atma, it is the only river in all of Ifeya that flows from its source, all the way down to the Blue Emperor, without branching off even once. At the very end, it narrows into the raging fin ridge and plunges down into the Leviathan whirlpool, one of only a few known permanent breeding grounds for the leviathans. Most of the stream can be easily traversed via boat and especially the section between Igijad and Virjda heavily relies on it, due to the spur of mountains from Sunbreakrange, which makes it hard (and dangerous) to travel by foot.

Myths of Creation and Speculations

Historiography knows different versions of the Atma's creation and most of them try to hide their lack of knowledge with embellished narratives. Apart from the fact that it flows downward, the Atma with its other regularities puts scholars everywhere in to the test. Not only the mystery of the flowing scales that disappear inside any container outside of the river, but also the constant temperature, as well as the almost completely even course, brings up more questions then answers. To this day, they persistently try to prove that the Atma is not the sleeping body of the Goddess, reverted to its original form due to the state of rest, but a natural phenomenon. Since all these researches, though zealously pursued, have not been able to provide any recognized counter-evidence to the legend of Djeca, the latter is still considered the original - though incomplete - truth behind Atma's origin.
In the Encyclopedia of Things that Probably Happened [Myths of Creation] one can read that the present capital of Azturia, was once a trivial fishing village a few miles from the Atma and supposedly located on the Njeve, which, by now, is merely more than a creek. One of the residents, while routinely gutting fish, supposedly found some nuggets of gold, which quickly turned the town into a buzzing haven for fortune seekers and gold prospectors, though it crashed down again at the same speed it rose, when the River dried up from one day to the next, just a few years later. Most likely caused by a tunnel collapse within the sunbreak peak, which happens all the time. According to the legend, a brave little girl named Djeca, accompanied by a mandrake, set out to retrieve the water for her thirsty village and climbed to the very top of the plateau for this purpose. There she sang until her voice failed her, hoping that the goddess of water, Atma, would listen to her. She listended indeed, but was curious why the little Human would put such strains on herself. Upon this Question, the girl replied, "The water is no longer flowing down the slope. So it must have retreated to its source because it is not feeling well and has to stay in bed. And my mother says that when someone is sick, you have to sing in order for them to get well. The Water was always there for us. Now someone has to be there for the Water." Delighted at this answer, Atma rested her huge head on the Sunbreak Peak and asked the Girl to sing for her one last time. It is said that Djeca's voice was heard throughout the land that day - and the goddess fell into a peaceful slumber over the course of the Song. Little Djeca was found on the bank of the stream, quite close to the slope of the Sunbreak Peak, a roaring River behind her, and a shrine was built on the Spot. Around the shrine, a city. A second Arthaan, which they renamed Djeca'Arthaan in her honor. The song she sang then entered history as the Hymn of the elders also known as Lullaby of the gods. A group of priests travels to the Sunbreak Plateau every year to sing the Tune for Atma, as a means of showing gratitude towards her unwavering stream so she won't stop flowing. The Djeca'Arthaans Coat of Arms is a testament to this belief, as it shows the Atma in the form of a musical key, bordering both lands. It is said, that

"the scales on the surface of the water which glisten in the sunlight, belong to Atmas infinite body, flowing down the river, nourishing all her children".

"Children" in this case most likely originally referred to the leviathans, which are given a safe haven to breed by the whirlpool at the end of the Atmas course. Because of this, the Emperor Depths are innavigable during the Leviathan breeding season due to the fights for partners and territory between the male Leviathans. Anyone stupid enough to risk it anyway will be eaten, crushed or simply drown because no boat built to this day can withstand the everchanging, raging tides created by Leviathan Battles.

– A painting of a Leviathan ravaging a Ship as seen from the cliff of resting hope. Tourists come to the cliff every year to watch the Leviathans tear Airheads and each other apart.

Atma as Biotope

Quickly! Eat while its still dead!

A local fishermen about the Phoenix-Catfish

Although nothing else was to be expected from the bowels of a water god, the Atma is home to a wide collection of very special creatures. In addition to the Rustpoison Salamanders, the Azharetic Bridge Forest, dozens of plant species, and even more fish, it is primarily home to the Phoenix Catfish. An animal found nowhere else. They never stop growing and they never reproduce. Before their bodies become too large to survive in the river, a new body grows inside them, which then replaces the old one by a slow process of combustion, during which they exist in a kind of rigor mortis. The ash they emit is comparable to volcanic ash and is equally fertile, which affects the growth of the surrounding nature in an explosive way. Especially the leviathans, which breed underneath the whirlpool every year, profit from the peculiarities of this ash. At least this is the most plausible theory why the undisputed rulers of the seas return every year to the grotto system under Azhareth and after only a few cycles are able to leave it again with a healthy child under their mums belly. Since the formation of the Bridge Forest is also attributed to the ashes of the Phoenix Catfish, they - just like the Atma - were declared sacred by the Azturian Rule of Five and placed under protection by penalty. Unfortunately, however, they are considered a delicacy, which is why every now and then there are fishermen who catch particularly fat phoenix catfish in order to cut them out of their repulsive bodies and then release them again. Although no particular harm is done, this action is punishable by a high penalty and anyone caught doing it, runs the risk of being sacrificed to the leviathans as offering.

The Bridge Forest

The Azharetic Bridge Forest (although not actually a forest) is a natural phenomenon, located very close to the Fin Ridge, whose creation is also attributed to the Catfish Ash. About a half-dozen massive trees, each trunk so wide that one would need more than twenty men to embrace it completely, stand motionless in the Atma and represent, via man-made bridges, one of the largest and, at the same time, oldest connections between the two countries. Through its connections, wagonloads of wood, fur, ore, and other materials are loaded every day. Its trunks also serve as a natural dam for the Atma, which at this point is already considerably accelerated by the fin ridge. Some see a blessing of Nejya, the Gooddess of the Woods, in their unshakeable roots, but this is mere speculation. However, like most of the info surrounding these gigantic trees, due to the Arthanian drought disaster still lingering above everyone's heads, nobody feels up to the task of doing some deep research work, eventually insulting Atma in the meantime. So the actual reason for nature to behave like this, remains a secret for the Fishermen to think about on a lazy day.

Religious Significance

As a religious sanctuary, the Atma is one of the most important in all of Ifeya and also has the most holidays, though these vary from group to group, as well as nationally. Regardless of nationality, however, followers of the Five Corners Rule always gather at Djeca'Arthaan on the anniversary of Atma's creation to travel from there to Dragon's Head Lake and recite the Elder Hymn in honor of the goddess. Those who offend the Atma, or are guilty of the attempted capture or killing of a phoenix catfish, are thrown into the whirlpool during the leviathan breeding season to serve as food for the growth of the young. This is seen as barbaric by many, whilst most of Ifeya would claim that it's pretty easy to not insult the goddess that gives life to most of the Rusty Highlands.

View onto the Sunbreakrange from Dragonhead Lake.

The Djeca'Arthaan City Coat of Arms represents the Atma, bordering both lands, fueled by the Elder Hymn. 

Alternative Name(s)

Scalestream, Evergrowing Serpent

Type

River

Unprecise Map of the Area surrounding the Atma. 

Djeca and Atma, re-imagined by an unknown Artist. Found upon clearing an Blackmarket Auction and residing in the Great Library of Djeca'Arthaan since then.