Mandala is a place of wonder and darkness, of symmetry and order as well as boundless chaotic edges. For if one was to look down upon Mandala as a plane (which one can, because it is beautiful) the sight would remind the eyes of a complicated Mandelbrot fractal.
It is a Nexus, albeit an artificial one, made for those who admire the soul of art and beauty. For those who create order from chaos, who meditate on the meaning of all life by concentration on a mandala pattern. It is not all sunshine and laughter however. In fact, no sun penetrates its dark recesses. It is lit by itself, by the traces of lines connecting every world to every other world within it. Doorways glow softly like portals or archways, like pools of water in moonlight, or even like black holes.
The doorways have guardians - some sentient and some created for the purpose. The Sisters of Mandala, hundreds strong, are the only permanent inhabitants of this plane of reality. They find it peaceful and enjoyable most of the time. So when the place was invaded or threatened by another outside force - looking to capture and use their Mirror of Light for evil purposes - the Sisters were unprepared.
All but one.
Her name is Mikirim, and she is one of the eldest of the Sisters. Having been drawn to life by the First, and having brought others into being simply by drawing them out of nothingness and willing them to be. Mikirim therefore has a strong sense of honor and a powerful will, but she is not without fears.
Her greatest fear is for Mandala itself: for she and her Sisters are part of it, and if it were to be damaged, they would all suffer or die. But she also fears to close the doorways and portals leading in and out of Mandala. Those are the life and breath of creative energy, the focal points of magic, where muses are sparked and born. Shutting them means shutting off whole worlds from learning or discovery.
But they have only had to close those portals once. When that Mirror was nearly stolen - an invasion force turned away by Mikirim and her companion the Mistress of the Outside (before the Mistress was known as Misota the dragon rider, actually). It was difficult, and Mikirim lost parts of herself she never imagined losing that day.
She lost... her fears.
Now, drawing upon her own powers and energies again, she opens a new portal. Some worlds overflow with creative energies, while others are sorely lacking. Mandala can bridge those - and she intends to do so. But she also desires a companion, something not of Mandala's unique energy. Something that she did not directly have a hand in creating.
She met up with Misota and got a chance to look at the beautiful dragon that she'd bonded, in other words she wants to find a dragon to be her companion. After all, dragons are frequently known to be guardians, they traditionally guard their own hoards. Whether she would find a hoard loving dragon or one she'd never imagined, Mikirim is eager to learn.
So off she goes....
Mikirim is...
Immortal, ageless, older than most planets.
Tall, perfect and well proportioned, with pale skin and shining white hair, pinkish eyes, and fashionable clothing.
Her powers include creating portals between worlds and universes; knowing exactly where she is in relation to everywhere; creating life from fractal-drawings; self-powering golems drawn that way (when sentience is not needed); telepathy and empathy; detects lies and hidden agendas in spoken words.
Her skills include fashion, architecture, and nexus weaving.
She has never been a true 'mother', as all the inhabitants of Mandala are female and she's very rarely been around men of any species. Should she wish to, she may bear any male of any species offspring, though they will appear humanoid until they desire to change. (And will likely be female in any case.)
Rainglow was his name, and he was the color of the evening sky. Moonlit, indigo, glowing. He approached Mikirim with confidence but caution. She might not wish the first to approach, to become her friend. But she did - embracing the long-eared kit as though a long lost friend.
Together they had conversations about almost anything: human politics, magic, how to best create an illusion, and when to cast it. Rainglow made it easier for her to handle the long distances between she and her sisters. Would they be jealous when she returned to Mandala?
Oh, jealousy was not a good word for it - they were not afraid, but they were curious. They were sensibly intrigued. Mikirim urged her sisters to find their own friends, distant dragonries awaited! But few would do so - not everyone has what it takes to become a dragon's bond, even among her kind. So she would remain a bit elite, as she always was before. But never looking down upon her sisters: she explained to anyone who wished to know where this beautiful Nightmourner had come from, and how to get there.
Perhaps some day, Mandala would grow its dragon population! But for now...
There was a portal which had been blocked up for a while, and it was causing others to be broken as well. Something on the other side, the "real world", was causing this, and Mikirim intended to find out!
Name: Rainglow
Gender: Male
Species: Nightmourner
Size: Medium-Small
Colour: Black-Blue
Abilities: Verbal Speech, Physical Magic, Illusion Magic, Narcotic Magic, Bioluminescence
Personality: Creative, Thoughtful, Diplomatic