The Mirrorlands are the name for the Shadowlands reflections of the Caribbean islands, given to them by the wraiths known as Les Invisibles.
Geography[]
The islands of the West Indies make up the bulk of the Mirrorlands; however, any place where the Creole people have settled and make up a great deal of the population are also considered places in the Mirrorlands. These islands and territories are separated by the Abyss, Les Invisibles' word for the Tempest. The area has two seasons, one of which is dominated by Maelstroms that make travel to and from the Mirrorlands extremely hazardous, if not downright impossible. The only way to travel safely from place to place in these situations are by Skinriding the living.
In the middle of the Abyss, between the Mirrorlands and Oblivion, is the Island Below the Sea, which serves as the home of the Les Mystéres and a base of operations for the Loa.
History[]
The original Les Invisibles were wraiths from Africa who Skinrode their enslaved decendents and followed them to the West Indies. They found the Mirrorlands to be extremely dangerous with its Maelstroms and many dangerous Spectres. During the calm times in the Tempest, parties of Les Invisibles, called hunters, went on hunts looking for the sources of the Spectres, eventually finding the Island Below the Sea.
The Les Mystéres welcomed the hunters who found them and offered the art of Connaissance to them in order to protect themselves from the Spectres. In turn, the hunters would continue to send other wraiths down to Les Mystéres. The hunters returned to the Mirrorlands only to find themselves without Fetters, essentially making them Domem. Some of the hunters were forced to return to the Island Below the Sea, while Les Invisibles who stayed behind worked to create a new ceremony, the retirer d'en bas de l'eau, that would give the hunters Fetters in the form of specially-prepared earthen pots.
Strengthened, but still in a precarious position, Les Invisibles began to work on freeing their living relatives by possessing them and teaching them the ways of old. Others, usually younger Les Invisibles, began possessing slaves and inciting revolts. The strategies worked, and the slaves gained freedom, further strengthening the Les Invisibles' hold in the Mirrorlands.
References[]
- WTO: Wraith Players Guide, p. 105-111
- WOD: Blood-Dimmed Tides, p. 50