Elemental Compass Rose

The Elementals

From top left to right the symbols follow: Water & Wind. And bottom left to right: Earth & Fire.

This symbol can be seen throughout all of Dena. Ancient runes and glyphs depict the four Elementals throughout history and can be seen embroidered into clothing or etched into door frames. Innumerable amounts of ways are they used to display individual birth signs. Most commonly are they all together in the fashion of a compass rose. The significance of their order in the symbol has been lost through the ages. Some say the dragons knew the reason, for they were the architects of the beginning days. They were the Gods of the Elementals. But these are just children stories now.

A young Masquah flows water between her hands. 

A skilled river Otter toys with an unsuspecting bee.

A now known occurrence within Animal species are special cases of an Animal being born under an element in which they have already spent most of their lives using to their advantage. A bird being born under Wind. A mole being born under the sign of Earth. In the case depicted, a river otter would have an uncommon knowledge of Water. Being generally playful in nature, this particular otter moves an amount of water with him. Making travel across land quite easy. He is able to meld the water into infinite shapes. He can freeze it in any shape, or boil a small area between his paws, or even (if he is truly skilled) turn his water to steam and back again.

Sitting in a whirlpool

A four step example of moving through his water. This being merely one simple example.

A field mouse makes a small torch to see better in the dark.

The mission of Choice

Captain Levi Alexander III is a rather peculiar man. An educated gentleman. A man of geology, biology, physics, and alchemy. Knighted by his King although he prefers the company of his crew. He is well traveled and continues his journey to the furthest reaches of Dena upon his ship, the Meadowlark.

Meadowlark - sails unfurled

The Meadowlark is a one of a kind ship. She runs upon three great wheels, two extend from the starboard side for stabilization (a kind of training wheel) and the third and largest wheel resides mostly in the hull. Only a small portion can be seen protruding from underneath.

View of the aft

Levi's crew, composed entirely of Animals using their Elemental abilities, make travel across the lands of Dena possible. Birds and mice of countless measure, cats, monkeys, dogs, lizards, snakes, chimps, gorillas, insects, and even two sloths. All of whom have their duties aboard this great vessel. Wind pushers fill her sails with the force needed to reach maximum knots. Earth movers work together to meld the land so the ship sails smoothly across otherwise treacherous forests, jungles, and harsh terrains. Trees quickly uproot and hop aside, boulders roll aside or sink into the soil, rock and dirt extend across crevasses providing a brief bridge, and all return to their original place as the Meadowlark glides past... Certainly such a grand ship could only be hosted by a deeply talented crew.

It is Levi's belief that Animals have a more natural connection to their Elements due to their previous state. Before he awoke them all from their Animalia form.

If I may explain...

Upon Dena, there are two forms of Animal families. Animals are intelligent, some more than others, or even more than you or I. They have emotions and feel the same happiness and sadness that we feel. They love their children and worry and hope they grow to be old, fat, and have many children and loved ones of their own. They can be cruel and deceitful to each other and to anyone they choose. They are as varied and complex as the atoms that compose the symphonic waves of life which mold the Universe.

The entire crew of the Meadowlark travel the world with one common interest: Choice.

You see, Dena is still very new to this idea. Animals have only begun their existence apart from what they were, the Animalia. Years ago, Levi (with the aid of his brother who still lives in their home town) discovered the key or... the Link. The Link is a symbol comprised of three rings and when this is pressed upon the head of an Animalia and the proper Alchemy is performed, the Link is connected, and it awakens Animalia into Animals. Levi travels the world, awakening all animals that he so gratefully meets. For it is his greatest joy in life to give the freedom of choice to all those who should be able to choose.

The Meadowlark docks next to a farm

Levi has become notorious for "stealing" man's Animalia

The Tree atop Dela-Mur

Creating a world that is, in many ways, much different from our own can be quite the challenge. Which is why I've taken shortcuts to descriptive writing. Not that I omit said writings... the sketches are merely a bridge for the gap that I leave so widely open. Today I will share some of the key locations in the world of Dena (Deh-nah). 

But to start, Dena is a very peculiar planet indeed. It is divided into two perfectly equally different worlds, the Ever-Dawn and the Ever-Eve. As the names describe, one side is always shrouded in the variations of night, and the other glows through the motions of daylight. Though the planet has an axis and does rotate around a large blue star, it is the planet's atmosphere of each side that retains the night and day. The Ever-Eve can be as bright as our (Earth) nights lit by our full moon, or as dark as a clouded-new-moon night. While the Ever-Dawn consists of a morning sunrise to the twilight of evening. But neither ever wanes into its opposition.

Dela-Mur is a melding of two words of Greek and Portuguese origins meaning divide. 

The Lone Tree

The tree atop the great wall, Dela-Mur. This sketch was drawn on two pages of a journal I keep for basic information regarding the world. The tree, which is much larger than it seems in the illustration, is home to the Masquah. It is the only living object upon Dela-Mur and has resided comfortably there for millennia. It's symbiotic residents which are the Masquah, small lizard-like people with similar tendencies to Native American culture, and the Durja, a hive minded beetle colony which lives among the tree's roots.

As with other animal races in Dena, the Masquah have a stronger and overall natural knack when using their born elemental abilities. For instance, Masquah that have been born under Earth are able to mold the Earth to their will. The extent of this will depends greatly on the user. So doing something like moving a mountain is considered... irregular. But growing trees in mere moments or re-orienting the land around a farm to better suit ones harvest is possible for most Earth movers. 

Tree Drop Dwellings

Among the top-most branches of the Tree hang a great number of simple homes for the Masquah that had been grown from the branches long ago. Never cutting or harming the healthy wood of their home. The Masquah tend to the tree as if it were another member of their tribe. When in truth it might be considered the guardian of its inhabitants.

An Earth teacher instructs a young student in tree growing

Even one that is all but a fledgling at their element is able to grow a tree from a single seed. It comes as natural as breathing to some.

© William J Speer