Once I started developing more scents and kitty characters, I knew it would be easier to establish a "setting" for them so I could more easily tie them together and have them fit aesthetically (I am a sucker for lore, too hehehe).
The first of which is The Penumbral Cradle.
The Penumbral Cradle began as a subtle nod to the conceptualization of nothingness or emptiness (as touched on in some of my favorite bits of media, specifically Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, etc.), a place between realms, with some not-so-subtle H.R. Giger/Lovecraftian influences. I LOVE red, so it had to be red, of course.
The Penumbral Cradle acts as a sort of birthplace of all of the feline characters for Felis Umbra, all from The Matriarch's creator diety-style hand, while serving as a void between dimensions of existence.
The Matriarch is one of the central characters of the Penumbral Cradle, being a sort of necromancer / spellcaster / shapeshifter character, once again nodding to my love of medieval themes. As The Matriarch was modeled after the mother of most of my cats, she needed to BE one of the central figures, casting forth these feline entities in different forms reflecting the real-life appearance of the cat it is based on.
Hamilton was the name of my kitten, whom to my knowledge was among the first litter of Ava's kittens. He tragically passed in 2023 at just three months old. As referenced before, Hamilton needed to be the first release, however, Seraphim, Nephilim, Ophanim, and Cherubim are all core characters based both on Hamilton's image as well as subclasses of angelic beings.
In the context of Felis Umbra Parfums lore, once Hamilton passed away he returned to The Penumbral Cradle, where he was reintroduced to The Matriarch. Having felt bitterness for her son's untimely death, she recast his essence in the form of Seraphim, Nephilim, Ophanim, and Cherubim to represent different points on the journey of acceptance of death (Seraphim representing the celebration of life, Nephilim being the bitterness and anger of life being cut short, Cherubim and Ophanim being my representation of acceptance and the interpretation of "watching over" his brothers and sisters born since his passing).
These four beings make up what I call The Sanguine Vitrification; A representation of Hamilton's soul, and the love I had for him. If The Penumbral Cradle were a location, the Vitrification would be the innermost, most cherished catacombs containing what is most dear.
All other characters within The Penumbral Cradle, including The Warden, Colossus, The Dutchman, and The Warlord, are all based on my cats that are Ava's children and Hamilton's siblings, tying together that they're related both in the Felis Umbra universe and in-life, while incorporating my love of Baroque, Victorian, and horror-inspired visuals.
0 comments