INT: "So, we hear you have a Næmon. Is that right?"
EGO: *laughs* "It is. They've been with me for... a while now, I don't really remember."
INT: "What species are they? And what's their name, if you don't mind me asking?"

Ego shifts back on the couch, and with a faint shimmer of light, a black cat appears and curls up on their lap. Ego smiles as they settle a hand on that cat's back.

INT: "Oh, a cat?"
EGO: "Is it such a surprise? We do as we please. And I don't mind you asking. Their name is Me."
INT: "Oh, what an... interesting name." 

Ego laughs brightly. 

— Ego in a video series of interviews with Edeia in the Age of Reunion. 

Since the release of His Dark Materials in 1995, the concept of dæmons, animal manifestations of a soul, has slowly infused popular culture. In many circumstances, some might find themselves asking or being asked the question: what animal are you? However, this is not the only case of animals being linked to identity, and this phenomenon sparkled the interest (and whimsy, perhaps), of several Edeia. 

Around year 900, Names formed a collaboration with Kami and Elsyne to develop magical talismans that could be used to manifest an animal form for their soul. The process requires a ritual, which was additionally imbued with magic by Ritual, which a holder learns of once they own one of these talismans. The holder must put the talisman somewhere on their body, enter an introspective and/or meditative state to feel their soul, and then speak the name that comes to them. This name has power; it is written on the talisman with magic, the talisman is absorbed into the holder's body, and the name will give an animal form to the holder's soul. These forms can be called spirit animals, spirit guides, dæmons, Næmons, or whatever else is suitable.  These beings: 

• Must be a real animal on Earth perceivable by the naked human eye, but can be nonspecific (e.g. "owl" rather than "barn owl").  

• Can have unusual eye colors and other subtle magic characteristics.  

• Can change species; it tends to fluctuate in the first few weeks to months, with further changes being rare. 

• Are not truly independent from the host, being a manifestation of the host's will. However, the host does not generally control them directly besides manifesting or dismissing them, and they might reveal the host's hidden emotions. 

• Can have a personality and bond with the host, potentially showing affection or being distant depending on the host's relationship with their "inner self;" interacting with the spirit can be a way to understand and explore themselves. 

• Can be corporeal or incorporeal, and can return to the host (dismissal) instead of manifesting. When corporeal, they can experience pain, which will transfer to the host. They can also take on the host's pain if the host is injured. They cannot be killed, though. 

• Can share senses with their host. 

Note: The names of the spirits are not "true Names" per Names' magic, and their names can shift over time. Names does not hold any more power over these spirits than any other, but if they subsequently receive a true Name from Names, that is another matter.

For this prompt, you can follow this lore or depict your character in more of a "what-if"/AU/non-canon scenario. The characters focused on can be an Edeia or Ideation character. If the Ideation character is not a previous form, ideated character, or of an ideogenic species, please ask first in the questions channel; the character should have a bit of background/lore on a profile that involves the Ideation universe. 

Design Prompt

Design a spirit animal for an Edeia or Ideation character, depicting both the character and the spirit animal. 

If you are unsure of what animal to pick, you can try taking this quiz (or a different one) for your character. 

Art Prompt

Depict an Edeia/Ideation character with their spirit animal, for instance depicting them:

• interacting with each other 

• interacting with others

• working on a task 

Writing Prompt

Create writing depicting an Edeia/Ideation character with their spirit animal. You might explore: 

• Their process of meeting their spirit animal. Why did they want to manifest one? What was their experience meeting for the first time? 

• What is their relationship with their spirit animal, and therefore their relationship with their inner self? Is there affection there, or perhaps denial and distance? 

• How do they and their spirit animal interact with the world and others? 

Edeia may encounter all sorts of individuals throughout their lives. What kinds of significant relationships have they had with mundane individuals and other non-Edeia? 

In this prompt's context, a "significant" relationship involves a longer-term connection as opposed to just one or a few meetings, with one or both of them having a notable impact on the other's life. The connection does not need to be positive and can be unbalanced, though there should be some kind of effort to create and/or maintain the relationship on both sides.  

If your Edeia has a significant relationship with a non-Edeia who later becomes an Edeia, that is permissible to use for this prompt, but you should focus on the relationship while one of them is not an Edeia. 

Design Prompt:
Design a non-Edeia, or a previous form of an Edeia who had a significant relationship with an Edeia before their Actualization. Please briefly explain the relationship. 

Art Prompt:
Create artwork featuring your Edeia interacting with a non-Edeia with whom they have some kind of significant relationship. Please include a blurb that indicates what kind of relationship they have. 

• Background: The background can be simple (e.g., gradient). 

• Part: for two characters - minimum partial body + halfbody; three characters - minimum halfbody; four or more - minimum one halfbody, the rest can be bust/headshot.

Writing Prompt:
Create writing featuring your Edeia interacting with a non-Edeia with whom they have some kind of significant relationship.

I am a weary thing. Before Actualization, I was a feeble thing in body and, perhaps by extension, mind. There were things I wished to do that my body would not let me... but that was alright. My weariness made me rest when I needed it. And once I had rested, I could try to press onwards. I could never accomplish everything I wanted when I wanted, but, yes - that was alright. And now... I rest when I need it, and I help others as well. Weariness reminds us of our limits, and neither are such terrible things. So, then... would you like to join me? There is a peace to be found in a moment of rest.

— Raein, Edeia of Weariness

Edeia are beings who are exactly who they want to be. However, they are not limitless beings - many, consciously or subconsciously, choose not to be. Perhaps it is simply a part of who they are; perhaps it was shaped by experiences in their previous form with their own limitations - be they limitations of the body or mind, be they minor or extreme - or the limitations of others. 

It is Disability Pride Month! A disability is a physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, senses, or activities. Depict your character accepting and/or embracing a disability, perhaps by adjusting their situation to accommodate themself or another, or showing how they have incorporated it into their identity after Actualization. It does not need to be a disability formally recognized by law. 

Design Prompt:
Design your Edeia's previous form, including some indication or discussion of a disability/limitation they have experienced. Have they lost a limb, and did they get a prosthetic (could be modern prosthetics or advanced ones in the Age of Reunion)? Do they experience chronic pain or fatigue? Have they lost vision or hearing? Did they have issues with learning, memory, and/or socialization? How did they learn to accommodate it? It does not need to be a disability formally recognized by law, and you do not need to formally define it. 

• Non-standard requirement: The indication/discussion of the disability/limitation can be in the image or given as a text blurb. 

Art Prompt:
Create artwork depicting an Edeia accepting and/or embracing a disability, whether in their previous form or current Edeia form. If the relevance to the prompt is unclear in the artwork, please be sure it is clear in the blurb.

• Non-standard requirement: Provide a little blurb about the situation, whether a reflection by the character, a summary of what the situation is, dialogue, etc. 

Writing Prompt:
Write a scene depicting an Edeia accepting and/or embracing a disability, whether in their previous form or current Edeia form.

In the spirit of Art Fight this month, I thought I'd make a prompt where you draw others' Edeia! However, please note that using a piece for both this prompt and Art Fight goes against the spirit of Art Fight, and is not permitted. 

Art Prompt:
Create artwork of someone else's Edeia! 

• Options: for one character - partial bodies (thighs/equivalent or more); two characters - halfbodies (chest/equivalent up); three or more - head/bust.

• Fully colored. Shading not required.  

• Full color background but can be simple / blurred / not very detailed

Writing Prompt:
Create writing involving someone else's Edeia! 

Our first general prompt! Draw/write the first meeting between two Edeia (or their previous forms) - perhaps between two of yours, yours and one other's, or others' Edeia entirely. Please make sure to ask the owner's permission to use them in a prompt. You can also use more than two characters if you wish.

You may make two submissions for this prompt, one art and one writing. The art and writing can be for the same scene, and that will count as the two prompts.