Noxaria
"Welcome to Noxaria! A realm where the air is thick with despair, the ground weeps shadows, and every corner whispers, "bad choices were made". Charming, really!”
Domain of Damnation
Noxaria, the realm of Zinxa, Goddess of Death and Undeath, is a place of unrelenting despair and darkness. Nestled in the deepest layers of the Underworld, this bleak and foreboding domain was forged from Zinxa's dark ambition to defy the natural cycle of life and death, reshaping the Underworld into a place of raw power and endless torment.
Zinxa, twin sister to Siona, was created when the first mortal soul passed into the afterlife. But unlike her sister, who honored the natural balance, Zinxa saw an untapped reservoir of power in the souls entrusted to her care. She believed death should not mark the end but a transformation; one that would bent the power of souls to her will. Zinxa's defiance introduced undeath to the mortal realm, warping the natural order and giving rise to dark magic. It is within Noxaria that Zinxa's vision takes its most terrifying form. Here, souls are reshaped into eternal servitude, becoming an extension of her unyielding hunger for power.
A Realm of Decay and Despair
The landscape of Noxaria reflects the insidious essence of its ruler. The ground is a desolate stretch of blackened stone, jagged cliffs, and bubbling pits of acid that release noxious fumes into the air. Zinxa's power saturates every inch of the domain, making the land itself feel alive and hostile.
Towering spires dominate the skyline, their slick surfaces weeping a viscous black substance known as the Tears of Memory. These liquid streams are said to be the fragmented memories of souls Zinxa has already consumed. The closer one draws to Her throne, the louder and more oppressive the whispers become, drowning out all other sounds.
"Those whispers? Total mood-killers. And those spires weeping that disgusting black slime? Really ties the whole eternal despair aesthetic together, don't you think?"
These echoes serve as both a warning and a tool, preying on the psyche of wandering souls. They conjure illusions of past failures, missed opportunities, and unfulfilled desires, breaking the resolve of all but the strongest spirits. The echoes are a manifestation of Zinxa’s belief: only those who can endure the weight of their own regrets deserve to retain their individuality.
Above, the sky is a roiling mass of storm clouds, churning with dark energy. Unnatural lightning streaks across the heavens, illuminating the shadowed terrain in brief, eerie flashes. These storms are not mere weather; they are the manifestation of Zinxa's hunger, ever restless and brooding.
The Heart of Devourer’s Domain
At the very heart of Noxaria, deep within the obsidian spires and swirling storms, stands the throne of Zinxa, the Devourer of Souls. This dark, imposing structure is a sight to behold, its design as twisted and oppressive as the goddess herself. Carved from a single massive slab of black stone, the throne exudes an aura of raw power and unquenchable hunger.
The throne is positioned on a raised platform, surrounded by a vast emptiness that seems to swallow up all light. Tendrils of shadow writhe from its base, stretching across the floor like dark veins. The air around the throne is thick with the scent of decay, and the ground beneath it is littered with the remnants of souls long consumed. In the dim light, you can almost hear the faint whispers of those who came before, their essence forever bound to the Devourer’s power.
The throne is the nexus of Zinxa's dominion, the place where her power over life, death, and undeath is absolute. From here, she watches over the souls she claims, observing their suffering, their regret, and their ultimate demise. Some say that the throne itself has a sentient quality, feeding off the souls that come and go, its presence growing stronger with each soul devoured.
The Devourer's Hunger
Zinxa's insatiable hunger for power is both her defining trait and her eternal curse. Since her sister, Siona, excluded her from the sacred process of soul judgment, Zinxa has been forced to take matters into her own hands. Her exclusion from this divine role was meant to limit her influence, but Zinxa devised her own means of acquiring the energy she craves.
Zinxa intercepts wandering or unclaimed souls as they traverse the Underworld, dragging them into Noxaria to become her sustenance. In this domain, there are no second chances or lessons to be learned. Those who fall into her grasp are consumed, leaving behind only whispers of their former selves to haunt the air.
Praying on Souls
The most vulnerable souls are those that have yet to reach their judgment. Upon their arrival, most souls wander across the Bridge of Entropy, their essence still uncertain, unsure of what awaits them. Some of them approach Astralyn with hope, others with fear, but all share one thing in common: they are at the mercy of the forces that control the afterlife.
Zinxa's Netherwolves, spectral creatures that prowl the edges of the Bridge, are her most potent agents in snatching these souls. The wolves are swift and relentless, watching for any soul that lingers too long or strays from the path to judgment. With their ghostly jaws, they pull the struggling souls into Noxaria.
Upon arriving in Astralyn, souls enter a state of reflection, where they try to reconcile their past actions before they are ready to reach Siona's judgement. There is no time limit for this process, however the longer they remain in that state, trapped in their own self-reflection and unable to move past their regrets, the more vulnerable they become.
The longer these souls remain stuck in an endless loop of remorse and contemplation, the more they risk becoming prey for Zinxa. As time passes, their inability to resolve their inner turmoil weakens their spirit, making them increasingly susceptible to the dangers of Noxaria. Gradually, many of these souls wander too far from Astralyn, lost in their thoughts, until they unknowingly stumble into the perilous landscape of Noxaria.
Once they cross the boundary into Zinxa's domain, the Harbinger Ravens- Zinxa’s watchful spies- take notice. The ravens’ whispers carry news of the souls’ presence, and when Zinxa's attention is drawn to them, she claims the souls for herself, feasting on their sorrow and consuming them to fuel her dark hunger.
Zinxa's Most Heinous Act
Perhaps the most grotesque act committed by the goddess of undeath is her predation of the newly forged souls. These are the fresh, untainted souls, pure in their essence, who traverse the Bridge of Entropy on their way to be born into the material plane. These souls are the embodiment of potential and purity, and they are the ones that Zinxa craves the most. Their untapped power calls to her, and she will stop at nothing to claim them.
These newly forged souls, untouched by mortal life, have not yet experienced the weight of sin or regret. They are unblemished, radiant in their purity. However, before they can be born into the world, they must cross the Bridge of Entropy. It is here, at this critical juncture, that Zinxa's hunger is most ravenous. Her wolves strike swiftly, dragging these precious souls to Noxaria. The act is gruesome, for it is the ultimate theft: stealing the very potential of a soul before it can even begin its journey.
A Final Word from Your Guide
"And there you have it, Noxaria: the realm where regret, despair, and a whole lot of soul-sizzling acid await you. If you’re feeling a little charmed by all the gloom and doom, well, I don’t blame you- Zinxa really knows how to throw a party. But hey, don’t get too comfortable. If you're planning on wandering through, just remember; if you can't forgive yourself, someone else will make sure you really regret it. Enjoy your stay in Noxaria... and, uh, maybe try not to linger too long, yeah? I don’t do soul retrievals either."
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The Pure of Heart
"Zinxa’s like the worst dinner guest- swooping in and eating everything in sight! I guess that’s the one thing you can count on in the Underworld: there’s always someone trying to ruin a perfectly good soul’s day!”
All written content is original, drawn from myth, memory, and madness.
All images are generated via Midjourney using custom prompts by the author, unless otherwise stated.
I love the layout as much as I love the content...that image-flipping trick is amazing, I need to go figure out how to do it heh
Thank you so much <3 If you'd like I could send you some basic guidelines for the flip-card thing with a discord DM. I'd love to help!
Come visit my world of Kena'an for tales of fantasy and magic!
Or, if you want something darker, Crux Umbra awaits.