Glade of Dreams: Difference between revisions

{{quote|text=The Crossroads of Dreams was a place of heavenly bliss where calm, happiness and the joys of life seemed to reign forever. Some of the inhabitants even began to feel that the hours and days passed a little too slowly.|sign=Manual|source=''[[Rayman 3]]''}}

[[File:Rayman2 map.jpg|thumb|320px|Map of the Glade of Dreams]]

In the beginning, there were only the [[Lum]]s – beings of pure energy that initially came in [[Yellow Lum|yellow]], [[Red Lum|red]], [[Purple Lum|purple]] and [[Blue Lum|blue]] varieties, each with their own special properties. One day, the [[Lum]]s focused themselves into thought, and brought forth [[Polokus|Polokus the Bubble Dreamer]], a divine being whose power was so great that his every thought or desire became a reality. With nothing but his imagination, [[Polokus]] dreamt the Glade of Dreams into existence, and populated it with a wide variety of fantastical creatures. The Glade's balance and harmony were maintained by [[the Heart of the World]] – a magical energy core consisting of the original 1,000 [[Yellow Lum]]s. [[Polokus]]'s dreams – and, therefore, the Glade itself – are composed of [[Electoon]]s, benevolent little pink creatures.

According to legend, the Glade was originally [[Globox Disc|shaped like a disc]], and the gods fought for power over [[the Heart of the World]], which was located in the disc's center.

Unfortunately, [[Polokus]]' nightmares could manifest themselves in reality just as well as his dreams. According to the manual of ''[[Rayman Origins]]'', when he had his [[First Bad Dream]], [[Polokus]] inadvertently created the monstrous [[Jano]], who began to spawn [[Antitoon|Darktoons]], the nightmarish antitheses of the [[Electoon]]s. As the [[Antitoon|Darktoons]] multiplied, they spread discord and evil throughout the Glade. In order to stop [[Jano]] and the [[Antitoon|Darktoons]], the [[nymph]]s – a family of [[Fairy|fairies]] dreamt into existence by [[Polokus]] – joined forces to create a hero dedicated to preserving the balance of the world: [[Rayman]]. After stopping [[Jano]], [[Rayman]] went on to have many more adventures, foiling the schemes of such villains as [[Mr Dark]], [[Admiral Razorbeard]], [[André]] and [[the Magician]].

==[[The Heart of the World]]==

[[File:HeartOfTheWorld.jpg|thumb|right|320px|[[The Heart of the World]] is the most important and ancient object in the Glade of Dreams. It constantly provides the world with harmony and balance.]]

The Glade of Dreams is sustained by [[the Heart of the World]], the most important object in the cosmology of the [[Rayman (series)|''Rayman'' series]]. This mystical keystone comprises the 1,000 [[Yellow Lum]]s that existed before the creation of [[Polokus]]. [[The Heart of the World]], which usually takes the form of a shimmering pink sphere, provides and maintains the harmony, balance and energy of the Glade. The games often begin with [[The Heart of the World|the Heart]] being attacked by a villain; this usually results in cosmic unbalance, and the proliferation of strange phenomena and malevolent creatures. At the time of ''[[Rayman 3]]'', [[The Heart of the World|the Heart]] is located in a chamber deep within [[the Fairy Council]]. It is guarded constantly by the [[Fairy|fairies]], and also by the [[Grand Minimus|King of the Teensies]], whose family has carried out this task all the way back to [[The First King|their most distant ancestor]]. [[The Heart of the World|The Heart]]'s chamber doubles as the royal [[Teensie]] throne room.

===The [[Great Protoon]]===

In [[Rayman 1|the original ''Rayman'' game]], the world is sustained by an object known as the [[Great Protoon]]. Like [[the Heart of the World]], the [[Great Protoon]] is a pink orb which emanates harmony and balance. It also has a strong connection to the [[Electoon]]s, who gravitate around it, and become scattered across the world when the [[Great Protoon|Protoon]] is stolen by the villainous [[Mr Dark]]. The [[Great Protoon|Protoon]] is never mentioned in the later games, where its place is largely taken by [[The Heart of the World|the Heart]]. It is never confirmed whether they are different names for the same object.

===In ''[[Rayman 1|Rayman]]''===

''Main article: [[The valley]]''

[[Rayman 1|The original ''Rayman'']] takes place in [[The valley|a small valley]] located somewhere in the Glade of Dreams (perhaps in the [[Archipelago]]). [[The valley]] features a mixture of naturalistic environments ([[The Dream Forest|forests]], [[Blue Mountains|mountains]], [[The Caves of Skops|caves]]) and surrealistic ones ([[Band Land|music]], [[Picture City|art]], [[Candy Château|sweets]]).

===In ''[[Rayman 2]]''===

===In ''[[Rayman 3]]''===

This game features naturalistic locations that are similar to those of ''[[Rayman 2]]''. However, the locations of ''[[Rayman 3]]'' do not flow seamlessly like those of ''[[Rayman 2]]'', but contrast sharply with one another, like those of [[Rayman 1|the original game]]. For example, [[Rayman]] travels from [[The Land of the Livid Dead (Rayman 3)|an idyllic Celtic landscape]] to [[The Desert of the Knaaren|a scorched desert]], and from [[The Summit Beyond the Clouds|an icy mountain range]] to [[Hoodlum Headquarters|an outlandish factory]]. One official ''[[Rayman 3]]'' website contained an interactive map showing the geographical relationship between the game's levels, but this map has since been lost.

===In ''[[Rayman Origins]]''===

The next game, ''[[Rayman Origins]]'', takes place on a group of islands. Harking back to [[Rayman 1|the original game]], they are clearly distinct, and some are naturalistic ([[Jibberish Jungle|forest]], [[Mystical Pique|mountain]], [[Sea of Serendipity|sea]]), while others are surrealistic ([[Desert of Dijiridoos|music]], [[Gourmand Land|food]], [[Moody Clouds|machinery]]). While some of these locations strongly resemble areas of [[the valley]], they do not seem to be located in the valley in the literal sense. ''[[Rayman Origins]]'' also introduces [[the Snoring Tree]] as the central resting place of [[Polokus]], and the [[Land of the Livid Dead (UbiArt games)|Land of the Livid Dead]] as the Glade's nightmarish underworld. Though both are referred to as 'the Glade of Dreams', it is not clear how the islands of ''[[Rayman Origins]]'' relate to the large island of ''[[Rayman 2]]''. It could be that the large island dissolved into smaller ones at the beginning of ''[[Rayman Origins]]'', when the [[Livid Dead]] invaded and the dreams underlying reality began to disintegrate. It could also be that ''[[Rayman Origins|Origins]]'' simply takes place on the [[Archipelago]], a series of small islands shown to be located off the south-east shore on the ''[[Rayman 2]]'' map. The large, shadowy landscape that can be glimpsed at the bottom edge and corners of the ''[[Rayman Origins]]'' map supports this idea.

===In ''[[Rayman Legends]]''===

No world map features in this game, as such, it is unknown how the locations featured in this game relate to each other on a grander map. However, some worlds feature similarities to worlds that featured in ''[[Rayman Origins]]'', perhaps indicating that the worlds featuring in this game are in fact, the same worlds in ''[[Rayman Origins]]'', but changed due to the 100-year gap between the two titles.

===In ''[[Rayman Fiesta Run]]''===

In ''[[Rayman Fiesta Run]]'', a map can be seen showcasing the levels in the game. A separate map is available for the [[Candy World]].

===In ''[[Rayman Adventures]]''===

Most ''[[Rayman (series)|Rayman]]'' games seem to take place on the mainland of the Glade, so very little is known about the rest of [[Rayman]]'s universe. The map indicates an [[Archipelago]] off the south-east coast of the Glade, but this is never visited in the games. The universe itself is referred to as Dimension X in ''[[Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix]]''.

The Glade's planet has two [[Moons]], one of which is seen as larger than the other; these can be seen prominently at certain points in [[Rayman 1|the original ''Rayman'']] and ''[[Rayman 3]]''. However, there are points in both [[Rayman 1|the original ''Rayman'']] and ''[[Rayman 2]]'' during which there appears to be only one [[Moons|Moon]]; it is unknown what orbital quirk causes this apparent fluctuation.

[[Rayman]]'s planet is part of a binary star system with two yellow [[Suns]], one of which is larger than the other; these [[Suns]] can both be seen in ''[[Rayman 3]]'', but not in [[Rayman 1|the original ''Rayman'']], and only in some parts of ''[[Rayman 2]]'', making it seem very likely that the smaller sun orbits the larger one.

The menu for ''[[Rayman M]]'' shows various parts of the solar system, including a [[Suns|Sun]], a [[Moons|Moon]], and two planets. One planet, which is covered in greenish-blue clouds, is presumably the planet on which the Glade of Dreams is located; the other planet appears to be dry and desert-like. The solar system is part of a galaxy throughout which [[Admiral Razorbeard]] and his [[Robo-Pirate]]s are known and feared for having reduced over one hundred peaceful planets to cosmic dust after enslaving their extraterrestrial inhabitants. There are also a great many points in each game in which stars are visible in the sky, and the [[Yellow Lum]]s in ''[[Rayman 2]]'' inform [[Rayman]] that there are other gods which exist on other 'worlds', all of which suggests that [[Rayman]]'s universe may be far more vast than that which is shown in the games.