Cynosure

Cynosure

(Plane)

Sphere

Demiplane

Alignment

TBD

Denizens

Desna
Azatas
Cynosomas
Chosen dreamer petitioners

Description

Realm of Desna

Source: Nightmare Scenario, pg(s). 51

This article might have further canon details available on PathfinderWiki.

Although from a distance it appears to be a star, Cynosure is in fact a demiplane tied to the plane of Elysium and the realm of the goddess Desna. It manifests on the Material Plane as the brightest star as seen from the Pact Worlds system, where it once served as the pole star of lost Golarion.

Geography

Cynosure's size is thought to vary with each individual's perception; two different persons might spend from a day to weeks crossing the same distance. Under the perpetual starlight are sloping hills, grassy plains where purple flowers grow, and glades and forests of trees with star-shaped leaves and cerulean pools. A crystalline mountain range rises in the west, and smaller crystals are scattered across the landscape. On the Material Plane, it manifests as a blue star equidistant from every point in the universe where Desna is worshipped.

The Black Butterfly's domain is a shadowy mirror of Cynosure, separated but intertwined. Entering it is difficult; portals only open there in mirrors and half-forgotten dreams. Cynosure's Shadow is described by visitors as a space of perfect darkness and silence, where evanescent whispers flit and shadows of lonesome buildings flicker under dim stars.

Inhabitants

Desna frequently invites friends, curiosities, lovers and wards to her home. Although only those invited by Desna can reliably find Cynosure, not every guest is invited; planar drifters also occasionally make their way there. Most visitors reside in the city surrounding Desna's palace before moving on. Those personally blessed by Desna are surrounded by a halo of dazzling motes, which is considered a mark of joy and curiosity that attracts others' attention, but are not treated as a higher caste, since everyone is equal in Cynosure.

At the foot of Desna's Sevenfold Palace is a city, referred to under the demiplane's name or as Butterfly's Rest, built by travellers who decided to settle on Cynosure. With a permanent population of a few thousand and a transient population of 20,000, its architecture, culture and technology are as advanced as any major Pact Worlds city. Magic permeates everyday life and performs most mundane tasks automatically. A few nomadic adventurers live in the wilderness, only returning to the city for supplies. Azatas and messengers live incognito among the population, only revealing themselves when they wish to be seen. The city is a haven for cultural exchange and experimental art. Green spaces are plentiful, all connected to a park near the centre. Uptown is filled with cafés, performance spaces and art galleries; downtown is known for nightlife in addition to residences and offices.

While Desna is technically Cynosure's divine ruler, she exercises little authority and trusts her subjects to not hurt each other. Despite the lack of a state apparatus, the crime rate is low. In the wilderness, ethereal planar travellers and native creatures make tempting targets for poachers. Those who abuse the lack of authority for selfish purposes are punished by Desna's minor heralds by simply being ousted from Cynosure, instead of imprisoned. Criminals who repent for their deeds are sometimes granted a second chance and allowed to return after many years.

Night hags and their agents sometimes try to break into the Somnium Spire and hack into Desna's dream servers. While most attempts fail, a few manage to steal someone else's deepest secrets or step through a portal into their dreaming mind.

The star Cynosure, as it manifests on the Material Plane, is home to the estonars, who claim to have lived in the star since Desna attached her realm to it, and the mysterious star-beings only known as Spheres that inhabit the star's heart.