Mu Ayo

A mu ayo ("drink of joy") is a western Taggaran wielder of euphoria who captures the energy in lockets, then uses it to create either art, music, food, or other sources of joy and pleasure. Started as a method to carry the community through hard times - storing up happiness to use for later, essentially - it developed into an integral part of some cultures. It spread around the world quickly once cultural exchanges began, being adapted in many ways in many different societies (see variations below). It became especially popular in Gamayaran, where "mu ayo" literally means "you come on", leading to rampant wordplay.

Becoming

To become a mu ayo, one must be able to sense the energy of euphoria. To do this, the mu ayo must undergo a ritual wherein they open their metaphorical hearts. This ritual may vary by culture, but the basics are that the mu ayo sits in a circle of people under a full moon (any moon), each of whom speaks of their problems. The mu ayo then asks questions until they feel they fully understand the problems. At this point, they go into a meditative trance, and those in the circle wash the mu ayo in clean water from head to toe, removing the mu ayo's clothing (if any), then shaving their body (if need be), so that they are laid bare literally and therefore metaphorically in their emotional state.

In their trance, the mu ayo will take in the pain of those in the circle as each one pours water over them. When they come out of the trance, they will have until the next full moon of the moon they were sitting under to address the pains of the people in the circle. They can address the pains by solving or healing them or by taking the pain from them (via the rerin muse skill listed below, which they may only use under a new moon). If the latter, that pain will always follow the mu ayo.

If they fail, they may try again at the next full moon (and there is no limit to how often they may try) after their hair has regrown. If they succeed, they will have the ability to sense euphoria and capture it, to engage in rerin muse at any time, and the ability to infuse euphoria into certain works or actions. They will also be unable to grow their hair back.

Hairlessness

Their inability to regrow hair is a reflection of their bare emotional state and ability to take on the emotions of others. If they are of a species that does not grow hair, sometimes this is replaced with other physical loss (scales, feathers, etc.) or alteration (smoothing of crystal crags, for instance). The physical downsides to these changes remain present (less ability to be protected from cold, inability to fly, altered ability to refract light, etc.). In some cultures, it is considered inappropriate for a mu ayo to cover up their hairlessness with wigs, etc., but in others it is considered standard to their role.

Creating Joy

Euphoria is generated by any resonant response to pleasure, joy, delight, happiness, or other positive emotions within the realm of joy. Small amounts are created with almost every form of pleasure a mortal experiences, but usable amounts are only created - and even then, only briefly - via moments of collective joy. Parties, celebrations, ceremonies, and so on generate the most euphoria. Any kind of celebration will work, from birthday parties to orgies, from weddings to harvest festivals, from religious celebrations to holidays, from regular parties to celebrating accomplishments.

Synthetic

Some prismatic mages can create euphoria by applying radiance to stagma. This synthesized euphoria is not as potent as euphoria generated through genuine emotion.

Storage

The use of euphoria requires capturing and storing it after it is generated. There are two main methods of doing this: gourds and lockets. This is done only with willing participants. Those who contribute to it will find their own positive emotions slightly lessened (never to the point of losing it entirely) by contributing, but it will be stored to be used later when needed. The mu ayo must ask and receive permission before offering them the gourd or locket.

Gourds

The first is to capture it in a gourd, usually a calabash, by passing the gourd amongst those at a celebration and having them laugh (an unforced, genuine laugh) into it, then covering it with a liquid (usually water). A single gourd may hold the euphoria of up to 1,000 people (power of 22). If the euphoria is not captured, it will dissipate within seconds.

Lockets

The second method is to capture it in a locket. This is done by pressing the opened locket to the chest (above the heart) of those taking part in a celebration and holding it there as they laugh or express joy in some way. A locket holds the euphoria of fewer people, but keeps it more potent (the euphoria of 100 people is a 22 in power). Originally, lockets were simply small gourds, wooden ornaments, bone or stone pieces, but as time went on, they developed into shadon lockets.

Limitations

When warriors or ruling classes attempted to co-opt it, they found that it was nearly impossible for them to wield it, as those who would use it for oppression, cruelty, or violence simply could not do so. This is because when someone's misery is part of a circumstance that produces happiness or pleasure, it counteracts the euphoria created.

Sharing

Once captured, the euphoria within a container is essentially a battery that the mu ayo can draw from to spread joy. There are four methods:

Smiling

A mu ayo wearing a euphoric locket can uplift others simply by smiling at them, a skill called rerin muse. If they hold eyes with someone while smiling, the other person's worries and pains will wash away. Once the target begins smiling, the mu ayo releases their gaze. If a target is unwilling, the mu ayo will almost always be unable to lift their spirits. Once a person smiles back, the mu ayo will be able to sense the source of their discomfort, sadness, or pain, and thus be able to help them address it, if possible. Usually this takes the form of a complete understanding of the whys and hows of their emotional state. If they cannot help directly address the issue, they can take some of the pain unto themselves to help the person survive it.

Drinking

Euphoria captured in gourds can be mixed with liquid (usually water or alcohol) and drunk in order to fill someone with happiness. This will, regardless of the liquid base, often lead to intoxification if done in great enough volume, but a few sips is usually enough to dispel depression, grief, shame, or pain. This is the most common form of spreading euphoria, but it does not give the mu ayo insights into the target's troubles.

Sex

A mu ayo who engages in sexual acitivty with someone(s) who has drunk the euphoric drink or while wearing a locket will form an intense emotional bond with their partner(s). The experience usually fills all participants with euphoria and allows them to use rerin muse to spread joy and help others through painful experiences. If they follow this up by using rerin muse on one another, they can ensure a mutually agreed upon result of the sexual experience (i.e., if they were trying to get pregnant, trying to avoid pregnancy, trying to form a relationship bond, etc.). It is a method used to start happy partnerships.

Expression

A mu ayo may also share euphoria via various kinds of expression: painting, dance, musical performance, acts of kindness, clowning, etc. These are all variations on the drinks or rerin muse mentioned above. For instance, painting is used by mixing paint inside the gourd. Dance and clowning have the same effect as sharing smiles. And so on.

Inventory

Mu ayo have minimal inventory:

Lockets

Shadon-metal lockets are commonly used to capture euphoria for personal interactions between the mu ayo and targets. They are often shaped like something significant to the culture of the mu ayo.

Gourds

Calabash gourds (or any gourd, really, but calabash works best) capture euphoria and naturally cause it to mix with any liquid put inside.

Drinks

Drinks made within euphoric gourds can sometimes have extra effects if different fluids are used:

• Alcohol: intensifies euphoria but also causes intoxification quicker.
• Blood: if the blood is not willingly given, it will kill the euphoria and the gourd. If it is willingly given, it makes a potion that can imbue permanent euphoria within someone, at a low level.
• Celeste water: effectively makes the euphoria capable of repelling evil.
• Conflueverant: aetherial waters make it easier to share euphoria between people who have existing emotional connections.
• Goat's milk: makes the effects of euphoria last longer but not stronger.
• Grape juice: creates euphoric wine.
• Liquid emotion: intensifies euphoria but also makes it so it can work on unwilling targets.
• Wine: the same effects as with any alcohol, but an added potency when used to celebrate something.

Shekere

Gourds made into shekere, special percussive, shaking instruments of western Taggarus, are more effective at sharing euphoria than other instruments. Effectively, +2 to +7 to sharing.

Clothing

A mu ayo of any culture will always wear brightly colored clothing. Partly for the psychological uplift such clothing brings, but mostly because having so much euphoria around them turns that which they wear brighter. Can add up to +2 to sharing.

Suppression

Often led by third gender or non-conforming members of ancient cultures, it became associated with religious rites and seasonal festivals as well. It was also popularly used in matriarchal societies by those who wished to amplify their enjoyment of sexual activities. Because of these two associations, it became suppressed as class societies developed or colonial or imperial powers imposed their values on these cultures.

Variations

As mentioned above, the artform remained very static in its original cultures, but was taken and expanded in Gamayaran in northeastern Dabusen. Thus, many variations originated there:

• Kurir: those who capture euphoria as messengers spreading good news to large groups.
• Pelajar: those who study emotion and use their studies to complement their work as a mu ayo.
• Rerin Tasi: a "giggling girl", a young maiden who carries the community's joy through hard times.
• Tukang Kebun: creating potions of euphoria to water plants with, thus creating gardens of joy.
• Uswafamba: one who helps protect the savannas in order to share their beauty and joy with others.

Other variations in other parts of the world:

• Aromatopoios: those in Stayflies who learned to turn it into recreational drugs (usually combining it with opiates).
• Fifaliana: a Basurian mu ayo who focuses on painting.
• Gaayak: a subcontintental Dabusenese variation that only uses the energy in music.
• Teardrop clown: a mu ayo clown who wields the euphoria formed by their performances to uplift the circus cast after the show.
• Uplifter: a generic term, oft localized linguistically, for one who uses euphoria to treat the ill or injured, applying it either to medicines, to emotional support, or to alleviate pain.

Skills

Some common skills:

• Mixing
• Gourd carving
• Smithing
• Sexual arts
• Painting
• Performance arts
• Comedy
• Psychology/therapeutic arts
• Listening
• Officiating ceremonies
• Singing/musical instruments
• Poetry
• Fishing

Stats

Modifiers from base of nation/species:

PRO -1
ATH +1
STR /
AWA +1
WIL +1
STH -1
PRS +5