History Literature / NowhereStars

* StarfishLanguage: Harbingers have their own language, but for obvious reasons, there's never been a safe way for humans to learn it; some Keepers gain the ability to comprehend it, [[spoiler: including Liadain, after she defeats and absorbs [[ThePowerOfLanguage Aulunla]], but all that really does is let them here their incoherent ramblings, rather than truly communicate. It doesn't even seem to have a name, as one short POV section from the perspective of a Harbinger (Vianzia) simply refers to it as the Language, with a capital "L."

For as long as anyone can remember, humanity has existed under the threat of Harbingers, living nightmares which devour dreams and passions and souls. However, humanity has protectors: the Keepers, children chosen by the Messengers of the Goddess Claiasya who can wield the magic of their souls. Modern-day Keepers are treated as a mix between celebrities and religious idols, but few accept the position just to become heroes. In fact, the Messengers promise that if a Keeper consumes and purifies enough Harbingers, they will be able to reshape themselves - or the world - according to their desires.

* AnimalMotifs: Everything associated with Claiyasya, the goddess of the dominant (and seemingly ''only'') religion in this world, is rife with ocean and sea-creature motifs. The Messengers all resemble sea creatures or have ocean-coloration, monastaries to her are built on islands, the lingua franca is called "Thalassyan," the center of the chuch is an underwater city, the souls of the dead are said to "return to the sea", and Harbingers seem to fear and avoid the ocean. As Claiyasian "overculture" is apparently the dominant culture of the world, this has trickled down to secular aspects of society too (see: CallARabbitASmeerp below).
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Harbingers that fall within "Cluster A", according to Aisling; they aren't ''hostile'' to humans, they genuinely sees the things they do as ''helpful''. It's just that their idea of "help" invariably involves some form of BodyHorror, being BrainwashedAndCrazy, or some other horrific fate.

** Mention is made of one Harbinger that wanted to bring people toghether and overcome their differences... by flaying the skin off of them, as it was a "barrier" to their connection.
* CallARabbitASmeerp: Most contemporary technology of reality exists in the world of ''Nowhere Stars'', but they have different names, often beffitting the "sea" theme the culture has: the internet is the "Coral Sea", websites are instead "reefs," and computers are "Cnidarian drives" (or "drives" for short).

* IJustWantToBeSpecial: Most children, to one extent or another, dream of being chosen to become Keepers, and are dissapointed when they [[RejectedByTheCall "age out" of the age range]]. When Shona asks Aisling what exactly the Messengers are looking for, Aisling sounds like she's had this conversation many, ''many'' times.

* OffscreenAfterlife: The Claiyasyan religion doesn't go into any detail about the afterlife, despite souls being a known, proven, and observable phenomena; scripture only says that the dead "bloom in full and return to the sea" with absolutely zero further explanation.

* PoliceAreUseless: Zig-zagged. Police can do next to nothing against Harbingers -- and they know it. However, they never hinder the Keepers; the opposite, in fact, police are very useful for quarantining areas where a Wound has opened, and for getting survivors medical attention. After Liadain defeats her first Harbinger, she's actually surprised that emergency call operator asks no questions when she call in to report the survivors.

** Yurfaln has ill will towards Liadain or its victims; it simply considers sickness, suffering, and slow death beautiful and wants to share them with as many people as possible.

* PocketDimension: Harbingers live in what are called "Wounds" (capital "W"), pocket realms that are shaped according to whatever their particular obsession is; thus, Yurfaln's is a cross between a grey, mouldering tomb and a terrifying parody of a hospital, while Seryana's is a claustrophobic, rotting house with no doors.

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: The first Harbinger that Liadain fights has no ill will towards her; it simply considers sickness, suffering, and slow death beautiful and wants to share them with as many people as possible.

* ImmortalitySeeker: Liadain wants to use the powers she gains from consuming Harbingers to keep herself from dying.

* BloodMagic: [[TheProtagonist Liadain]] can use this with the help of her cards.

* DysfunctionJunction: Seeing as one of the story's primary settings is a hospital ward for the dying, it makes sense that the story falls into this.
* EldritchLocation: The Keepers fight the Harbingers in these.

* LifeDrinker: Liadain can absorb the energy of other people, though she tries to keep it to a minimum.

* MarkOfTheSupernatural: After Liadain's first fight, a bit of her hair turns white.

* MissingMom: Liadain's mom has not been mentioned yet.
* MysticalWhiteHair: Liadain gets a white streak in her hair after defeating her first Harbinger.
* OlderThanTheyLook: Once a child becomes a Keeper, they cease to physically age.

* PlagueMaster: Liadain's powers revolve around illness and corruption.

* PocketDimension: Harbingers live in these.

* IllGirl: Liadain was born with a blood-based autoimmune disorder, and when the story begins she doesn't have much time left. She becomes a Keeper for the chance it represents to cure herself with magic or otherwise extend her lifespan indefinitely.

* DarkMagicalGirl: Liadain becomes one of these when she first transforms. Her costume is dark, and she has powers based around illness. She can even drain the health of people.

It is for this reason that Liadain Shiel, a terminally ill girl, becomes a Keeper, hoping to change her fate while she still has time. But magic wants its users to change, not simply continue living, and the secrets beneath the sea and beyond the sky have designs of their own...

For as long as anyone can remember, humanity has existed under the threat of Harbingers, living nightmares which devour dreams and passions and souls. However, humanity has protectors: the Keepers, children chosen by the Messengers of the Goddess Claiasya who can wield the magic of their souls. Modern-day Keepers are treated as a mix between celebrities and religious idols, but few accept the position just to become heroes. In fact, the Messengers promise that if a Keeper consumes and purifies enough Harbingers, they will be able to shape themselves - and the world - according to their desires.

* IllGirl: Liadain was born with a blood-based autoimmune disorder, and when the story begins she doesn't have much time left. She becomes a Keeper in order to keep on living.

* OurMonstersAreWeird: In this case, they're [[EldritchAbomination abominations called Harbingers]]. They have [[BlueAndOrangeMorality strange goals and desires]], they seem to feed by making civilians more like them, with predictably horrific results, and they live in [[EldritchLocation nightmare-realms where the rules of reality don't apply]].

* OurMonstersAreWeird: In this case, they're [[EldritchAbomination abominations called Harbingers]]. They have [[BlueAndOrangeMorality strange goals and desires]], they seem to feed by making civilians more like them, with predictably horrific results, and they live in strange [[EldritchLocation places where the rules of reality don't apply]].

* MissingMom: Liadain's mom is never mentioned.

* Plaguemaster: Liadain's powers revolve around illness and corruption.

* LivingForeverIsAwesome: According to Liadain, anyone who ''doesn't'' think this is lying to themselves to cope with a terrible fate they can't change

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: The first Harbinger that Liadain fights has no ill will towards her; it simply views illness, death, and what comes from it beautiful.

For as long as anyone can remember, humanity has existed under the threat of Harbringers, living nightmares which devour dreams and passions and souls. However, humanity has protectors: the Keepers, children chosen by the Messengers of the Goddess Claiasya who can wield the magic of their souls. Modern-day Keepers are treated as a mix between celebrities and religious idols, but few accept the position just to become heroes. In fact, the Messengers promise that if a Keeper consumes and purifies enough Harbringers, they will be able to shape themselves - and the world - according to their desires.

* AbstractEater: Harbringers eat things like dreams, passions, and souls.
* BloodMagic: [[TheHero Liadain]] can use this with the help of her cards.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: The first Harbringer that Liadain fights has no ill will towards her; it simply views illness, death, and what comes from it beautiful.

* EldritchLocation: The Keepers fight the Harbringers in these.
* IllGirl: Liadain has been ill with an unspecified form of leukemia all her life, and when the story begins she doesn't have much time left. She becomes a Keeper in order to keep on living.
* ImmortalitySeeker: Liadain wants to use the powers she gains from consuming Harbringers to keep herself from dying.

* LivingForeverIsAwesome: Liadain certainly thinks this.

* MysticalWhiteHair: Liadain gets a white streak in her hair after defeating her first Harbringer.

* OurMonstersAreWeird: In this case, they're [[EldritchAbomination abominations called Harbringers]]. They have [[BlueAndOrangeMorality strange goals and desires]], they can influence civilians, and they live in strange [[EldritchLocation places where the rules of logic don't apply]].

* Plaguemaster: Liadain's powers revolve around illness.

* PocketDimension: Harbringers live in these.

* WouldHurtAChild: The Harbringers can and will harm anyone, regardless of age. They will also fight the Keepers, who are children.
* YourSoulIsMine: After a Harbringer is defeated, its essence is left behind, which Keepers can absorb to add to their power.

* OurMonstersAreWeird: In this case, they're EldritchAbominations called Harbringers. They have [[BlueAndOrangeMorality strange goals and desires]], they can influence civilians, and they live in strange EldritchLocations.