There is much more to Figments than I've written so far, but here is a basic overview. They are very special to me.
Figments are a closed species and belong to me, WanderingRae.

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Forms of the Figment

Foreword ________________________________________________________________________________________

Defining a Figment is about as easy as defining consciousness. Is it perceived because it exists, or does it exist because it is perceived? For sake of convenience, I will keep my explanation of Figments simple, but please keep in mind not all explanations will touch on the full truth. I highly encourage anyone who wants to know more to ask questions, if they dare go down that rabbit hole.


Anatomy of a Figment ________________________________________________________________________________________

The stuff of dreams, the stuff of nightmares, real or imagined, Figments are the manifested Essence, the energy that marks all these experiences and more. A Figment in its natural, unbound state is an Ephemeral Figment comprised solely of its own Essence. Ephemerals are not self-aware in the beginning and do not gain a sense of self until they have been bound as a Masked Figment and experienced Incarnation.

Figments are most vulnerable in their Ephemeral form. Their Essence must be sustained through proximity to experiences similar to what first inspired a Figment's manifestation. Whether these experiences are actual happenings, memories, or just imagined does not matter as much as the intensity of the experience. Without such, they can fade away as easily as a forgotten memory.

It is fortunate, then, that the very presence of a Figment has a chance of inspiring a sense of that Figment's Essence, so long as there is someone or something to notice it. A creepy forest, a calming library, or a lonely alley are places likely inhabited by at least one Ephemeral Figment.

The same is true of a Figment that has been bound to an object or Anchor. An Anchor limits a Figment to the location of its Anchor, but it also gives a Figment greater permanence. A Figment with an Anchor is still inspiring and has the added advantage of being more easily noticed via observation of its Anchor. A creepy doll, cherished photograph, or even an inspired painting.

Anything can be used as an Anchor, but some Anchors are more advantageous. A Figment Mask is a mask designed to be used as an Anchor for an specific Figment. Only a Masked Figment has a chance to become self-aware. Only a Masked Figment has a chance to Incarnate.

An Incarnated Figment is the result of a Masked Figment being worn, whether by a human or beast, and channeled through the mask-wearer, or Vessel. Wearing a Masked Figment draws-out whatever part of an individual that resonates with the Mask's Essence. This personality merges with the personality of the mask, resulting in a unique persona. The merging of personalities is also reflected in the total physical transformation of the Vessel while the mask is worn. The same mask worn by two different individuals will never result in exactly the same Incarnate.

Through time spent Incarnated, a Figment learns how to move and think like a physical being and develops a sense of its own agency. Once a Figment gains this level of self-awareness, they generally will not loose it, even if they return to their Mask form. Even if their Anchor is destroyed and they become Ephemeral again, their consciousness will make them more like a spirit than the mindless energy form they began as.


Classification of a Figment ________________________________________________________________________________________

The Essence of a Figment is classified by its Locus, Mien, and Focus:

The Locus of a Figment is determined by its relationship to natural/industrial locations. On one end of the Locus spectrum are the Wylder Figments, energies of the wilderness. On the other end of the spectrum are Urbanites, Figments derived from highly industrialized areas. Where the line blurs (and it can get quite blurry) there are Fringe Figments.

The Mien of a Figment is determined by how an experience is perceived, either positive or negative or in between. Experiences perceived as positive are generally classified as Reveries. Experiences perceived as negative are Nightmares. Everything else, be it neutral or ambivalent, is classified as being Betwixt.

The Focus of a Figment is the most superficial classification and describes more or less the theme of a Figment. The Focus can be general or specific. For example, a Wylder might have a general Focus of plants, rivers, insects, etc. or a more specific Focus such as roses, crayfish, or monarch butterflies.

All three influence how a Figment is perceived, the design of its Mask, and how it manifests as an Incarnate.


Final Notes ________________________________________________________________________________________

How Figments are bound and who designs the mask specific to a Figment is largely unknown. Certainly no newly bound Figment can recall as they lack the awareness. But there are whispers of a Mask-Maker and many a wild rumor among Figment kind.

What is known for certain is that the presence of Figments is not bound by time or location. They occur anywhere and everywhere, through all time and across all realities. Real or imagined.