Visionary

One whose creativity takes over them. A person who is filled with euphotonian inspiration and creates art that fills others with the same. These arts are handed down culturally through many oppressed nations or in certain families.

Light and Inspiration

Art inspired by radiant light is usually created spontanteously, and often temporarily, when euphotonia strikes them. Euphotonia is a form of radiant light formed either when radiance empowers light itself or when artistic inspiration generates it. Moments of clarity, epiphanies, and inspired ideas give off this usually unseen energy. A visionary is one who recognizes when euphotonia has been generated and draws it to themself with special works of art. Once they have drawn it, they can allow it to suffuse themself, then release it through new works of art.

Art

The two forms of art created by visionaries are those created to draw euphotonia and those created to release it. The former is very specific, requiring special ingredients and forms, while the latter is unhindered and can be almost anything.

Focal Art

Focal art is made from special materials and draws euphotonia. The universal truth in focal art is that it cannot be used to promote oppressive ideas, nor can it depict anything infernal. Visionaries use any form of art in which they are trained to do this, but the most common ones include

• Painting: the commonest and most well known form, paintings that draw euphotonia are made with special paints, brushes, and canvases, and they must use the nine colors of radiance (chrome white, scarlet red, fulvous orange, saffron yellow, emerald green, sapphire blue, violet, sooty black). The paintings must be on canvases of unusual shape - curved, bent, circular, conic, something other than square or rectangular - and positioned such that they form a shape around the visionary (one long circular mural, perhaps, or three smaller paintings forming a triangle). And they must be made with a specific style in mind.
• Sculpture: use of specific forms of stone and metal, shell and bone, to create statues is probably the oldest focal artform, sculpting requires the visionary access often expensive materials, which limits the number of visionaries in this style. The statues must be made from euphotonic raw materials and positioned carefully into some form of circle that surrounds the visionary. At least one statue must have an eye of some kind, usually made of something translucent.
• Theatre: theatre is the commonest performing art used by visionaries, for the set design allows them to draw upon euphotonic materials more easily. It is usually a collective art, so the visionary can more immediately inspire others with it, creating a feedback loop of focus and release that builds up. However, everyone involved must consent and be ready for it. It requires unity of performance, direction, design, and writing, and thus, it is a very difficult medium to draw euphotonia in, but it is a very potent one.
• Poetry: poetry written with euphotonic materials and then performed can draw short bursts of euphotonia, but it is harder to capture. These bursts are very potent, however, and if the visionary can capture them - through timing their performance of their poetry and their bodily movements - they can get large amounts of it quickly, and much like with theatre, they can create a feedback loop by using it quickly before the same audience.
• Photography / film: photography and film are rarer due to their requiring modern technologies made with euphotonic materials, but lenses designed to draw and direct euphotonia are extremely potent. The cameras themselves are focal works of art, and their use draws in the required energy and uses it up in the creation of the images. But some photographers and filmmakers are able to create focal images using the same principles of painting.
• Dance: as with theatre, the drawing is done almost more with the set design than the performance. The feedback loop of set design to performance is much the same as with theatre. However, with dance, there are forms that do not require set design, and the drawing of euphotonia with these may be done either with costuming or with the actual movements of the dance. The latter is extremely rare, but very potent.
• Ceramics: the making of ceramics is an ancient art related to sculpture and beading, and it uses similar principles. The materials used are the most important component. Then the ceramics must be arranged in a circle or other shape around the visionary in order to draw in the light. Each ceramic object should have some kind of translucent part that draws the light in, and if made right, they will capture and store the light more easily than other forms. However, they leak quickly.
• Mosaic / beading: mosaics and beading are very potent arts, though rarer, and requiring of the correct materials. A mosiac or other large scale tile artwork needs to be shaped such that it surrounds the visionary. Beading work can be worn to draw it, though they do not hold as much. The more beads or tiles, the more euphotonia captured.
• Culinary: foods that draw euphotonia are extremely difficult to make - special chocolates or wine are the commonest - but effective as they can be consumed in order to grant the visionary or others inspiration.
• Drawing: drawings and sketches require similar principles as painting, but they do not necessarily need the same variation of color (though it helps). This is made up for by using fine, intricate designs in certain positions on the canvas, usually the edges or center.
• Music: music is complicated, as it draws on euphony instead, usually. Euphotonic music requires special instruments and intentional formations of the musicians involved. More often, music is part of a multimedia, filmic or televisual, or theatrical performance.
• Fashion design: fashion design can mean designed clothing of any sort, not just those used in a fashion industry. Materials matter most here, and intention - just making functional clothing is not enough. It must be made with the intent to make something artistic. The nine colors are vital parts of these pieces.
• Prose / writing: this is very difficult to execute, as the writing is rarely performed. Printed word is less of a draw for euphotonia. Illuminated manuscripts are more potent, and especially expressive prose can be effective, but it must be shared. Very rare.
• Architecture: the rarest form of visionary due to expense in execution, architecture follows similar principles to scultpure or mosaic in that it must be designed with materials in mind and executed to center the visionary. It can be done with multiple structures or just one, and it always requires windows of some kind - stained glass being the best.

Modern performance art and multimedia installations follow the same rules as the arts they combine. Other arts are possible, in consultation with the GM.

Focal Materials

Materials commonly used for focal art include

• Empnéontas: crystals that draw and refract euphotonia.
• Stained glass
• Prisms
• Limestone
• Clear limestone: limestone struck by euphotonia (and thus made into a clear stone).
• Chromium
• White brass: nickel-chromium alloy.
• Krasochnyite: extremely colorful, euphotonic chromium.
• Weissenmasse: bismuth that shines with the rainbow.
• Fasma: reflective chromium that mimics other radiant energies.
• Heron feather
• Peafowl feather
• Melek Taus feather: a legendary peacock.
• Gamayun feather: a farseeing bird.
• Achiyalabopa feather: euphotonic bird of western Palhur.
• Qilin horn or hide: unicornic horse of Uruo.
• Vision serpent scale, feather, or fang: central Palhuric feathered serpent.
• Dendan scale: wondrous fish.
• Squirrel fur
• Crystal fruit: inspiring, clear fruit.
• Kryoskliro: clear quartz that forms perfect prisms.

Inspired Art

Art created by euphotonia after it has been captured by a visionary can be almost anything. They can break the rules of their medium or, if powerful enough, of physics. They can paint on air, sculpt emotions, rhyme words that don't rhyme, describe the indescribable, combine styles that should not work together, and more. The inspiration burns within them and refuses to be ignored, and so they create something that can only be created through radiant light. The power of what they create will vary by their intentions, their forms, their work, but the commonest powers of inspired art are

• Inspiration chains: everyone who experiences their art takes a bit of euphotonia with them, inspired to act, to think, to express, to create, thus inspiring others.
• Reawakening: jaded or dishearted people are renewed in their inspirations, hopes, creativity, goals, dreams.
• Beauty in the eye: those who see it are better able to see the beauty and goodness in the world around them, and how to combat the evils out there.
• Mirrored images: those who see it see into themselves in a new, insightful way that inspires them to change themselves for the better or better accept who or what they are.
• Blinding: agents of evil are often blinded by inspired art.

Variations and Specializations

Visionaries often have different names depending on their style of art. The term "visionary" is usually applied to painters, sculptors, or filmmakers, while other artists are sometimes called by other names:

• Alham Bekhesh: visionaries who specialize in mosaics, a style originating in Mahad.
• Ch’amañcht’añataki: visionaries who specialize in ceramics, a style originating in eastern Palhur.
• Costureira: visionaries who specialize in fashion or clothing design, a style originating in the Indigo Sea.
• Dhiirigelin: visionaries who specialize in performance art, a style originating in eastern Taggarus.
• Euphotographer: visionaires who specialize in photography, a style originating in Stayflies in Ranu.
• Fanentanana: visionaries who specialize in culinary arts, a style originating in southeastern Taggarus in Basuri.
• Kittieb: visionaries who specialize in writing and prose, a style originating in Mahad.
• Kurehun: visionaries who specialize in drawing, a style originating in the central Island Bridge [maldives].
• Izveduvač: visionaries who specialize in theatrical arts, a style originating in Stayflies in Ranu.
• Milliner: a Disciple of the Wondrous Hatmaker who is a visionary focused on making stylish hats.
• Sajak: visionaries who specialize in poetry or wordplay, a style originating in northeastern Dabusen.
• Udaligalistanv: visionaires who specialize in bead work, a style originating in western Palhur.

Any unspecified art styles don't have special names because they are not common enough to have gotten one.

Some other variations include

• Glyka: a maiden artist who uses witchcraft to create works that draw euphotonia to empower women.
• Lukur: a priestess or sacred sex worker who uses sex to draw euphotonia, often pairing it with foods, perfumes, clothing, or other arts to draw the radiant light, and releasing it via sex.
• Pezodromio: a busker who uses euphotonian instruments or performance materials.
• Rainbow clown: a clown or jester whose motley is the nine radiant colors and whose performance draws euphotonia and releases it. They are often non-binary.
• Twirler: a tumbler, acrobat, or similar circus performer who uses brightly colored ribbons and cloth in their performances to draw euphotonia and release it.

Similar Occupations

Other users of euphotonia include

• Anichneftis: a ranger who can walk on rainbows.
• Crystal Warrior: one who uses weapons and armor made from special crystals that draw and refract euphotonia to make them better fighters.
• Ecstatic: those who are inspired to acts of faith via euphotonia.
• Euoptician: one who uses special lenses to guide and control euphotonia. See also birdwatcher, Dazzling Jim, photosensoror
• Farseer: one who uses euphotonic lenses to see impossible distances. See also farspy, epitheoritis,
• Inspired: someone who acts upon inspirations from a visionary or other wielder of euphotonia in their main occupation, usually an artist, artisan, or musician. See also art forger, odigos,
• Marksman: one who uses euphotonic lenses for ranged combat, usually with firearms. See also katapeltis,
• Raqisat Mulhima: a raqisa who uses colorful ribbons to draw euphotonia.
• Wondermaker: one who uses euphotonia to create incredible wonders, true wonders, combining faith, artistry, and crafting.
• Zhivau: one who uses euphotonic works as a bard.

Persecution

Visionaries are scorned as pretentious by the powers that be, denounced by "serious artists", and ridiculed by the oppressor-funded arts community. In some places, they are burned as witches or sorcerers.

Skills

Some common skills include

• Arts: the main artistic skills of the visionary
• Color theory
• Connections
• Geometry
• History

Stats

Modifiers from base of nation/species:

PRO -2
ATH /
STR +1
AWA +3
WIL +2
STH -1
PRS +3