the pomander of memory
welcome to our museum and shop! The Pomander is a cultural centre for duskwights, with exquisite dioramas and displays of duskwight and gelmorran history and antiquities. entry is free, and all shop proceeds go towards c.a.v.e.d. - Cultural Awareness and Various Educations for Duskwights. ALWAYS OPEN! Come visit with friends!
mateus lavender beds ward 19 plot 19
about us! this is an immersive roleplay venue that can be visited anytime! you can find everything you need to know about the proprietors and what to do inside if someone isn't manning the building! feel free to contact Lynienne Charbonneau on Discord (maddie.biscuits) for inquiries about using the space for roleplay events and anything else!
ETIQUETTE All standard roleplaying rules and etiquette apply. Keep in-character (IC) and out-of-character (OOC) separate, no erotic roleplay (ERP) inside the venue. If there's an issue, communicate with others OOC and adjust your roleplay so that everyone has a good time. This is a museum - please be on your best behavior. LORE We've done our best to make the museum as lore-compliant to the game's canon as possible, with a few non-canon embellishments here and there. Not everything may be perfect, and we do not expect or want anyone to believe we are authorities on Duskwight lore, nor expect everyone to roleplay with what the museum displays as lore. This is just a fun venue to explore. If you like any ideas inside, please use them! GIL This venue never requires real gil or items for any of our services, be it tours, the shop, cocktail nights, etc. It is roleplay-only. In-character, entrance to the museum is always free, and on some nights, cocktails or special items are free in-character as well!
ROLEPLAY All roleplayers are welcome, whether you are brand-new to it or a seasoned veteran. All characters are welcome too, whether you are a more canon-friendly every-day adventurer or an esteemed Warrior of Light, etc. We only ask that you engage genuinely with your friends and staff with the venue and enjoy what we've built! SECURITY Rabble-rousers and thieves who try to roleplay getting into fights, stealing things, or breaking/destroying items in the museum will not be acknowledged - ICly this venue has regular security staff and aetheric wards on the displays and shop shelves! It's just not roleplay we want to encourage or engage with at this venue, please respect our wishes OOCly! EVENTS We like to sometimes do events, such as standing-room cocktail nights, pop-up shops, tour nights, and music nights! If you'd like to use this space for an event with your friends or free company, reach out to Lynienne Charbonneau on Discord @ maddie.biscuits to ask, or if you see no one inside, help yourself to the space!
our pride and joy - the museum! this information page is an IC pamphlet all characters receive when entering the venue! this page can give you a guided tour through all our paintings, displays and dioramas, or you can try your hand guiding your friends through the museum yourself! remember, we're not lore authorities- some info may be incorrect or playfully embellished, so don't take it TOO seriously!
"L'amour dans les Ténèbres" "Love in Darkness" is a personal fountainpiece designed by Lynienne Charbonneau and crafted by Nivie Rothbart. It is meant to evoke and embrace the danger and darkness of the underground and the sinister perception of Duskwights, while also juxtaposing this with a beauty and sympathetic warmth, of strength and love forged through hardships, of everlasting friendships and the kinship of the Duskwight clan.
"Gate to the Underdark" Above our hearth in our lobby is a painting meant to depict an entrance to Gelmorra's once-grand and resplendent underground halls. While much of old Gelmorra's architecture can be seen in pieces and eroded with time above-ground, especially in the North Shroud, the closest to preserved throughways and ancient homes of Gelmorran nature remain deep underground, and without preservation, reclamation, and cataloguing, these fine works of stonemasonry may eventually be completely lost to time.
"Excavations" A painting depicting Duskwights expanding the natural cave systems beneath the Shroud by torchlight. While several tunnels and caves exist all throughout and under the Twelveswood, intrepid refugees of the War of the Magi who were forced to flee underground still sought to terraform their new homes. Several deeper chasms were arranged with tiers, buildings and connecting stairways and bridges, while others had ward-protected light shafts that allowed underground farming and brief retreats to the land to hunt (while avoiding the ever-pursing Elementals).
Gelmorra The Sixth Umbral Calamity saw the downfall of Amdapor and the Great Flood, due to the fury of the Elementals. Amdaporians fled underground, to the network of caves beneath the Black Shroud, using warding magic to keep themselves safe from the Elementals' wrath. Eventually, this populace of Amdaporian refugees founded the grand city of Gelmorra. This would form the origins of the Duskwight clan, who at this time enjoyed a resplendent life and culture beneath the ground, including nobility. Many of their artifacts, magic, language and more are now considered lost to only precious-few existing Duskwights to this very day.
The Schism A schism occurred in Gelmorra's history, seeing many elezen and hyurs decide to concede to the Elementals and seek their favour, longing to return to the surface. However, the remaining elezen did not want to court with their centuries-long enemies, who had made victims of all of them despite the long time that has passed since the War of the Magi. This conflict of ideology saw a rift, and in as short as a sennight or less, more than half of Gelmorra's total population had entreated with the Elementals and left for the above-ground world. The elezen left behind became the first Duskwights who held sole dominion over Gelmorra, while the others would go on to establish Gridania above-ground.
The Palace of the Dead With so much of the population suddenly gone, Gelmorra began to fracture. Long-maintained wards were left to stagnate and fade, and underground water and gardens no longer had the hands to tend to them. Food began to grow scarcer as months past, and all matter of monster, beast and lingering voidsent from the War of the Magi still prowling the Shroud and its many ruins started to invade the cavern networks, terrorizing the remaining Duskwights. The Duskwights were eventually forced to either burrow deeper, or trickle to the surface. While some Gelmorran ruins can be seen today, or had been re-purposed into cellars, prisons or crypts, such as the Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak or the Tamtara Deepcroft, some of the original halls and thoroughfares of Gelmorra are now known as the Palace of the Dead, due to a necromancer corrupting them. Deeper reaches of Gelmorra are currently unknown to all but the deepest Duskwights, would rarely or never come above-ground.
"Drowned Nautilus" Some underground caverns beneath the Shroud had natural lakes and river-systems running through them, allowing for non-stagnant freshwater for the people of Gelmorra, as well as subterranean-aquatic beasts still yet unknown to exist to us in the modern era. This painting depicts a Gelmorran cavern under the Shroud, long-abandoned and flooded, before being drained by tectonic shifts caused by the Seventh Umbral Calamity. What was left behind were giant fossils and shells, belonging to unidentified creatures. Whether ancient Gelmorrans hunted, tamed or were terrorized by such horrors is unknown.
Gelmorran Artifacts Most relics retrieved from the Palace of the Dead show that ancient Duskwights were skilled stonemasons and goldsmiths. Being so deep underground, mining operations may have been common in search of rare minerals, ore and gemstones. Gold and silver ornaments and decoration for homes, containers, and more can be found in various states of wear in the decrepit halls of the Palace. We've collected a number of pots, urns and decorative jars in good condition, refurbished to show the intricate filigree, gilding and gemstone inlays. Please mind the protective ward - no touching!
Wall of Pomanders Pomanders were ancient Duskwights' unique magic - containers of intricate creation, filled with special crushed herbs and minerals to create incense or fragrance, and infused with now-lost magic. Shattering a pomander would create a mist-like aetheric burst that would either envelope the user, or stretch out to ensnare foes. Magics contained in the pomanders could bless one with strength, increased speed and dexterity, aethersight, fortune, steeled impregnable skin, cause sleep, poison, pox, and all manner of transfiguration magic, take the form of voidsent, beast, or toad. Our collection is defunct of their magic, but authentic in their Gelmorran origin, sourced from the Palace of the Dead on various excavations.
Gelmorran Insrtrument Did you know?: Before viera began to venture to Eorzea, Duskwight were considered to have the best hearing of any Spoken races. While viera hearing is without equal above-ground, Duskwights still excel in the auditory department when in enclosed spaces. Centuries underground and in caverns have trained Duskwight ears to be keenly sensitive to acoustics - a pin dropped at one end of a tunnel can be heard by a Duskwight at the other end, echoes amplified, and sound bouncing off walls around them. As such, Duskwights have always loved music - their Gelmorran auditoriums had no need to amplify their orchestras and choirs. In the modern day, Duskwights enjoy harsher sounds, like 'rock' music performed by drum and guitar by bards. their lyrics expressing their rage and anguish at their social plights and celebrating their rebellious attitudes.
"Dark Dealings" A gloomy painting of a post-Gelmorran Duskwight bandit base. While living situations varied, many Duskwights would form communal habitats or 'colonies' beneath the shallower portions or fringes of the Shroud. Many Duskwights families could be living together in very close-quarters, sometimes with little privacy, sharing goods and food stolen or foraged from the Shroud. Tensions and sickness could run very high, and one hovel with children could be located right beside a primary camp for a bandit group. Growing up Duskwight after the fall of Gelmorra was a brutal, arduous life.
Post-Gelmorra Emerging from the ruins of Gelmorra, Duskwights found themselves in an unenviable position. The strict rules of the Black Shroud and their disdain of the Elementals made finding solace among the boughs and trees difficult. Elementals still persecuted them, and the Duskwights did not want to bend the knee to their will. This made living in Gridania a near-impossibility. Instead, they lived on the fringes of the Shroud - in dark hovels, caves, and very shallow tunnel networks. Foraging and hunting for food was difficult, and trade with land-dwellers even harder, as how the Duskwights chose to live was scrutinized by then-Gridanians. Left with little recourse, many Duskwights turned to poaching and banditry to feed their families, while some others still in the deep depths would only surface to raid Gridanian caravans for supplies, spite, or both.
A Cycle of Bad Blood These actions that many Duskwight were forced to take, or having done so willingly in revenge for the perceived betrayal of the now-Gridanians, was noted by land-dwellers and their Wood Wailers, and soon, innocent and well-meaning Duskwights would be unfairly branded as miscreants and criminals. This cycle of bad blood and persecution drove the rift between Duskwights and Gridanians even wider. Until the upheaval of the Calamity, it seemed a yoke that no Duskwight could escape. However, the Seventh Umbral Calamity saw the weakening of the Elementals, and the demand for adventurers. Many Duskwights took this opportunity to stake out an honest living, and slowly by surely, more and more began to trickle above-ground and into Gridanian settlements.
A Hopeful Future While many Gridanians of hyur, Wildwood elezen or other descent are still untrusting of Duskwight, and while many Duskwight continue to live harsh lives on the fringes, or commit criminal acts, the years since the Calamity have show that change is always possible. Duskwights have begun to spread across Eorzea, seeking education, artisanal skills, and all manner of noble and respectable pursuits. The ruins of old Gelmorra in the Palace of the Dead are also trying to be preserved, and old Gelmorran customs, artifacts and culture important to the Duskwights reclaimed and preserved. It is this establishments sincere hope to see Duskwights, Wildwoods, and all persons of Eorzea and beyond form a peaceful and co-operative society together as the Seventh Astral Era forges onward.
"Mushroom Splendor!" Did you know?: As patrons of the underground and caves, a dietary staple of Duskwights is mushrooms! Various fungi and lichen form the bedrock of their diet, as mushrooms can grow in low-light and damp environments. Duskwight eyes also prefer the dark, and luminescent fungi often created a natural, gentle light source to move about the dark without need for a torch. Of course, the most well-known staple of the Duskwight diet is mun-tuy beans. These Twelveswood delicacies only grow in and under the Shroud, without need for light or water. Their savoury taste and ease of cultivate helped many a Duskwight fill their bellies. However, while considered a Shroud splendor by many, some Duskwights have gotten so used to the taste of mun-tuy, they're sick of it now...
welcome to the Cave Creatures Emporium! lynienne charbonneau runs an eclectic shop out of the pomander, ranging from duskwight gifts and trinkets, potions and reagants, drinks, food and more! as per our rules, no real gil or items are ever required, but you are welcome to trade them if you personally desire. ic proceeds go to c.a.v.e.d! FREE SOUP AND STEW KITCHEN IN THE VENUE YARD FOR ALL!
food and drink
MUN-TUY MUNCHIES A bag of roasted mun-tuy beans, lightly salted. Tasty! STUFFED SHRIEKSHROOMS High-protein, locally-harvested shriekshrooms, blanched, hollowed and stuffed with minced onions, garlic, herbs and coated with shredded cheese. Baked through to gooey perfection. CRUNCHY DIREMETE LEGS Meaty, succulent diremete legs, basted in buttermilk, double-breaded with our garlic-herb mix, and fried in truffle oil. Served with a tomato-mushroom salsa for dipping. ELEMENTAL'S SCORN A platter of tiny cupcakes! Moist and delicious - pumpkin pasty flour, vanilla icing, topped with a chopped candied apple puree and a cinnamon dusting. Ancient Duskwights would have to sneak above-ground to get ingredients like this!
O NOBLE GELMORRA Served with square ice cubes and a single, blue flame on the surface to caramelize the sugars. Grenadine, blue curacao, and sharp vodka creates a mysterious, purple-hued drink. MHACHI MAGIC A jet-black drink with a swirl of ruby spirit, served in a chilled martini glass with a blackberry. Raspberry liquer, black vodka, luster dust for a scintillating sparkle. AQUA AMDAPORI A pure-white drink with a shimmering sugar-encrusted rim. Lavender liquer, chilled milk, white-chocolate spirits. ON THE FRINGES A cocktail with warm, earthy hues. Vodka, caramel liquer, a dash of almond essence and Fullflower Comb honey. SYLPHLAND SLURRY Crushed ice, absinthe, elderflower liquer, and a dash of pineapple juice and spritz of lemon. Decorated with a tiny purple flower from the Sylphlands.
potions and parts
HEALING Basic to strong healing potions and elixirs, to ease pain, promote injury recovery, and replenish aether. AUGMENTATION Tinctures of strength, magic, dexterity and more - concoctions to temporarily amplify one's abilities or create abilities where there were none to start! MEDICINES Cures for illnesses and status ailments, ranging from eye drops, anti-venoms, tablets, powders, pin-pricks, throat sprays, salves and more. POTION OF SLEEP Puts the imbiber into a deep sleep lasting a maximum of eight hours and no more. No dreams or nightmares will occur during the rest. POTION OF NIGHTSIGHT Allows the imbiber to see in the dark for several hours. Eye drops recommended for when the effect fades to help with dryness. POTION OF SOFTSTEP Makes the imbiber's movements near-undetectable. Even the largest roegadyn's footsteps will be quiet as a mouse. Lasts for an hour. Side-effect: hunger. POTION OF WATER-BREATHING A thoroughly-tested potion that allows the imbiber to breathe underwater for up to two hours. Has a fishy smell that lingers. POTION OF TOAD Turns the imbiber into a small toad or frog. Colour and shape of creature varies. Last only for a few minutes before changing back. Clothes will be intact, but imbiber will be covered in slime.
TWICE-FERMENTED MUN TUY BEANS Technically alcoholic, and having a smoother taste than raw mun-tuy, this concoction is also a natural truth serum, though the effect only lasts for a bell or so. Brewed into a drink! BOTTLED FLARE Shattering this potion causes an aethero-chemical reaction that rapidly spikes the temperature of the shatter radius, creating a burning white light of scorching heat. Have a burn salve handy. BONES Various monster and beast bones, cleaned and bleached, sold in a pack or individually. Inquire for a specific bone type. HUMOURS Various monster and beast fluids, including ambiotic fluid, digestive enzymes, venom, cerebral fluid, saliva, urine (seriously), bile, blood, mucus, and more (unfortunately). Inquire for a specific type. Or don't. Please. EYES Big jar of jellied eyeballs from various monsters and beasts. Inquire for a specific type of eye or just buy a weird jar full of eyes. As a treat. ORGANS Preserved and dried organs from various monsters and beasts. Can be used in cooking or as reagants. Includes livers, spleens, hearts, stomachs, brains, kidneys and more. Inquire for a specific type. EXTERNALS Various monster and beast feathers, horns, antlers, scales, furs, hairs, hooves, claws, teeth and more. Ask for a specific type.
herbs and FUNGI
FRAGRANT HERBAL BUNDLE Also available individually. A bundle of fragrant herbs and flowers, good for perfumes, incense or aromatics in cooking. TOXIC HERBAL BUNDLE Also available individually. Poisonous plants ranging from mild to lethal, wrapped in wax paper before handling. MEDICINAL HERBAL BUNDLE Also available individually. Select herbs with medicinal properties to soothe pain, burns, reduce fever, and more. SYLPHLAND HERBAL BUNDLE Foraged and traded with local Sylphs, glittering and luminescent herbs and flowers from the Sylphlands. Includes still-writhing ochu vines. AMDAPORI MOSS A collection of tightly-packaged moss and mold collected from within Amdapor City and it's keep.
TRUFFLE BUNDLE Exquisite truffles foraged from the Shroud's earth, dangerously-sought in boar territories. Makes excellent cuisine. TOADSTOOL CAPS Harvested from toadstool seedkin. Comes in red, blue and purple variants. Stalks available upon request. GELMORRAN LICHEN Foraged in the ruins in the North Shroud, this variety of lichen carries up a fusion of corpsewax and ancient minerals from underground, infused in the fungi. MOONSHROOMS Very, very carefully harvested from deep in the Sylphlands. Bioluminscent, they glow with the collected radiance of the moonlight they spore under. AURUM MORELS These reek to high-heaven, but are so packed with minerals and coalesced aether it's worth harvesting them.
trinkets and gifts
REPLICA POMANDER A decorative pomander, made to emulate the authentic Gelmorran antiques. Packed with an earthy blend of herbs. Unfortunately, it has no magic. BAIE DE RONCE A purple-black perfume in an elegant spray bottle. Smells dark and alluring, with a hint of fruit aroma. Through thorns and bramble, for forbidden fruit... Baie de Ronce. LA PIERRE A slate-grey cologne in a svelte and sophisticated bottle. Smell of the earth, with a dusty lingering scent. Touch the stone, be the stone... La Pierre. CAVERN COSMETICS A lipstick, rouge and eyeshadow kit, made in-house with alchemy. Comes in a choice of earthen and shadowy tones, ranging from blood red, gloom purple, oaken brown, ashen white, slate grey and night black.
GEMSTONE BAG Twinkling pale gemstones and minerals, meticulously collected from underground cavern systems. Small and shimmering, the pile can fit in your palm. YAFAEM SALTS Raw or refined salts from the flooded Yafaem Saltmoors. Said to have ashkin-repellent and curse-removing properties. Not for use in cooking. WEBBED COLLAR NECKLACE A choker that fans out over the collar, of delicate sterling silver chains and dripping with obsidian and pearl gemstones. Resembles a glittering spiderweb. LIL BEAN THE BAT A medium-sized plushie of a common Black Shroud bat that lives in the dark canopy and in underground caverns. Massive felt ears, big cutesy eyes and a soft, squishy body. The wings have velcro patches so they stick together for a hug!
trading post
PICKLED AUROCH HEART Received in a trade. A massive, many-ponze heart of an auroch, pickled for longterm keeping. Good for foods or a reagant. PICKLED TY'AITYA HEART Preserved in a jar, potentially has ceremonial or magical uses in X'ak T'el. PAINTED SNAKE SKULL Received in a trade. A polished and cleaned adder skull, decorated with red Xaelic war paint. BAG OF GOBBIE-DOES Received in a trade. A bag of random goblin trinkets - metal ball bearings, marbles, springs, rubber bouncy balls, a stress-ball shaped like a bomb... ASSORTED SILKS Received in a trade. A spool of assorted silks, including hewn from diremite silk, vanyan silk, astral silk and more. CERULEUM-POWERED HEATER Received in a trade. Portable and able to heat a room on cold days! Runs on refined ceruleum. BLINK STONE Received in a trade.This curious stone blinks in and out of existence for several seconds at a time.
ALLAGAN COINS Received in a trade. A bag of good-condition coins from the Third Astral Era - gold, bronze and silver pieces. Great for collectors! ASSORTED MATERIA Received in a trade. Spellcasting, strengthening and demi-materia in a bundle, good for augmenting armor, arms, or creating artisanal crafts. WOODEN MALLET Received in a trade. Hit a nail, a chisel, the Griddy, or someone in the head with it! SCARAB BRACER Received in a trade. A bracer with a jeweled scarab and Xaelic inscription, imbued to help the wearer climb better. PRESERVED VIOLETS Received in a trade. Alchemically-preserved to never wilt, these violets make excellent decoration for house or clothing. ENCHANTED COMPASS Received in a trade. A simple brass compass, enchanted to point one towards their heart's desire...though whether that's treasure of just a good sandwich depends on the user.
Cultural Awareness and Various Educations for Duskwights or c.a.v.e.d. is the name of the fictional in-house charity the venue operates around! it aims to help duskwights find safe and comfortable homes in the shroud or elsewhere, as well as promote heritage remembrance and knowledge, artisan and adventurer educations, job aid, feeding those in need, etc. inspired? why not donate or volunteer to a real-life charity you like some time! this is fiction, after all!
our mission
Lynienne Charbonneau and Nivie Rothbart met by way of mutual employ at a free company named The Halcyon Assembly. While both began to enjoy their new lives above-ground and a growing list of privileges and opportunities they had never experienced before, it dawned on them that such luxuries could not be afforded to all of their clan. Each having grown up underground in harsh, dangerous and often life-threatening conditions, Charbonneau and Rothbart decided to found C.A.V.E.D. as a starting point to help the rest of their kin reach new heights and break the yoke of systemic prejudice many Duskwights face.After receiving all proper zoning through the city-state of Gridania, land purchase. and repeated inspections by the Order of the Twin Adder, The Pomander was finally built, and serves as the primary centre and headquarters for C.A.V.E.D.'s cause.The original goal of C.A.V.E.D. is a lofty one, but can be broken down into these points:• Promote Duskwight culture and historical awareness through free, public education at The Pomander• Inspire and uplift the voices and lives of other Duskwights they meet• Encourage Duskwights to pursue artisan educations, adventuring training, and other fields to help those who need it to break out of the cycle of crime and banditry• Foster a healthy, trusting and optimistic bond with Wildwood elezen and Gridanian hyur through the public-facing venueIt is our future hope to graduate C.A.V.E.D. to C.A.V.E.S.: Cultural Awareness and Various Educations for Shroudfolk, in order to assist Keepers of the Moon, Ala Mhigan refugees, and Allied Societies within the Shroud. Resources and a small team keep the focus on Duskwights for now, but the future holds many possibilities, and with time we hope to further our cause!
learning can be fun! while we are a small venue at the moment, we sometimes like to run roleplay events! things like guided tour nights, cocktail evenings (standing room only), field trips, manning our shop, or more can take place here! if interest spikes, we may make a discord one day, but for now, we want to keep it relaxed!
| EVENT |
|---|
| Cocktail Night! |
| Kraken's Cove |
| Nothing yet! |
| Nothing yet! |
| DATE |
|---|
| June 15 |
| November 17 |
| n/a |
| n/a |
| TIME |
|---|
| 9PM - 1AM EST |
| 8PM - 12AM EST |
| n/a |
| n/a |
| LOCATION |
|---|
| venue |
| crescent docks [Balmung] |
| n/a |
| n/a |