#ark worldbuilding

[ark-inkweaving]

Order of the Exorcists

despite its name, the Order of the Exorcists is not a unified organization or group. rather, it is a name used by the Harbingers of the Otherside to denote local clusters of people that have more or less global similarities. people identified as part of the Order consider anything arcane, esoterical or magical a threat on humanity that needs to be exterminated and take violent measures to that goal, especially in regards to Fabeirs and Harbingers

the Order cells can be vastly different. they range grom single people to families to small organizations, and sometimes survive through the generations by passing down the leadership

the cells are uncooperative with each other, and their interactions are mostly limited to recognition of "territories". however there are some common approaches that Harbingers have noted and use to categorize the cells

seekers ⛧ further labeled with Fabeir, Harbinger, Otherside or Tradition, the cell actively looks for signs of magic with the goal of seizing people, objects and information

hunters ⛧ further labeled with Fabeir, Harbinger, Otherside or Tradition, the cell actively looks for signs of magic with the goal of killing and destroying

diplomatic ⛧ the cell can be reasoned with

combative ⛧ the cell will attack on sight

extremist ⛧ the cell will kill on sight and torture any prisoners

mundane ⛧ the cell uses purely human weapons and tactics

arcane ⛧ also labeled as "hypocritical", the cell makes use of artifacts and stolen knowledge

the cells don't really have a name, and identify between them only based on territory. they have come to blows with each other at times, but that happens more in the case of a cell dying out, which prompts other cells to expand their territory

the cells get into many more fights with Fabeirs (which they only call spirits or demons depending on local culture) and with the Harbingers, and regularly have outright battles with the latter for the control of territories

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⛧ In Destiny We Trust (Not) Taglist ⛧ @elkieselkiewrites @wildweeds @mymomsaysbobcipher

[ark-inkweaving]

Izerko ✵ the Fallen Realm

Abandoned by the Great Forces and used as a scapegoat by the other Realms, Izerko is the home of the lost, the outcasts and the renegades

Izerko is the youngest of all the Realms, formed at the start of the War of Arcana six thousand years ago: as the first Livi was cast out of Arcana and tore through the edges of Vaieni and Ferive, parts of those Realms fell through with viem and were bound to vier energy

the Realm created itself around the host of the First Fallen, who has since then been called the Opal Queen of the Realm, and is held together by their shared mana. many people fled here to protect themselves from the War of Arcana, which was wrecking havoc on Vaieni. after the war, many Kori took refuge here, helping shape the Realm into what it is now and bringing even more people, their followers

Izerko has no sky. it is entirely made of a system of tall underground caves, disposed more or less into five levels stacked one on top of the other and identified through common properties of the terrain and of the living creatures in them.

in total, Izerko is made of forty-three caves, all unique in purpose, structure, vegetation, fauna and sometimes even composition of the stone itself. while some caves have a dedicated purpose, such as urban areas, farming or water collection, many are much more varied

occasionally, apertures into the ground connect caves one above the other, allowing air, water and light to travel among them, and used by the people to transport materials from one level to another. the various levels are also connected by a singular staircase going from the highest level — the Luminary — to the only cave in the lowest level, which houses the capital Dusmuriziet

as it is completely underground, Izerko has no sky. and consequently, it has no suns or moons. instead, the day cycle is regulated by mosses — named xysinads or fade mosses — that grow over the cave walls and ceilings (especially in the Luminary layer) and glow at different intensities in a steady rhythm

most of the cycle of life is taken care of by the people of Izerko, who grow xysinads and other glowing plants and crystals where the ground is most fertile, redirect the water up the levels through feats of engineering and magic, and adapt the caves to their needs. the entire ecosystem is made and maintained by the Izerkean people

Deris

the limited light and vast amount of magic needed to live in Izerko, as well as the close contact with the Kori and their hosts, made change necessary for the survival of the people who took refuge into the Realm. as such, they rapidly evolved a number of traits that make them uniquely adapted to this dark, harsh and highly magical environment that make them very distinct from their predecessor, to the point they are considered a whole other species (much like the shirevi that evolved from humans on Navilee)

this new species, named deri, is highly recognizable for their eyes and ears, optimized to see magic and in the dark and to hear at a greater range. as such, deri eyes have very bright irises with white diamond-shaped pupils and (for pureblooded deris) black scleras, while their ears are long, pointed and downturned, with a great range of motion

deris are not a unitary species, as they evolved in three phases as a result of the three major migrations that populated Izerko. as such, they can be further classified in three subspecies, more adapted to life in Izerko the longer they've been there:

deri'lamis evolved from the third migration, about two thousand years ago. they tend to have darker skin, and only really present deri eyes and ears

deri'seneis are by far the majority of the population and they come from the second migration (a little over five thousand years ago, right after the War of Arcana ended). they're the ones who followed the Kori, and they developed really bright hair colors, a far larger mana core and serious muscles

deri'kerijis descend from the humans in the first migration. they were the people taking refuge in Izerko immediately after it formed, working alongside the first Kori to go there to shape the Realm and hold it together. they are the most similar to the Livi, probably because the people in the first migration often had relationships with the hosts of the Kori. in fact, they have a lot in common with half-Livis, such as claws, fangs and extremely mana-sensitive horns. they also have a wider range of skin and hair colors, not necessarily as bright or pale as deri'seneis

Realm and Kingdom

Izerko is an incredibly small Realm. it's total surface area is roughly equivalent to Greece's, and it's population is a little smaller than Argentina's. the various caves also rely majorly on one another for survival and cannot be independant

thus, politically and governamentally Izerko acts as a sovereign nation on it's entire territory. it's led by the Opal Queen, accompanied by the Council of the Twelve (twelve ministers; traditionally three Kori hosts, three elected from noble families and six elected among the people), who oversee the overall organization and delegate specific tasks to more local authorities

Izerko has a few noble families, which are pureblooded deri'keriji families documented to descend directly from the eighty or so people who helped the Kori shape Izerko during the first migration

there is one rumor that spread recently (last couple hundred years) across Izerko and into other Realms about a different type of organization: the Opal Court, supposedly the Opal Queen's innermost circle, made up of diplomats, functionaries, spies, assasins and guards, recogniziable for taking on a gemstone's name as an alias. no one has been ablo to prove its existance so far

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✵ Revolve Taglist ✵ @corinneglass @aalinaaaaaa @write-with-will @mymomsaysbobcipher @writeintrees @firesidefantasy @inspirationallybored

[ark-inkweaving]

Harbingers of the Otherside

the Harbingers of the Otherside are a unified group that works to research magic and preserve the relations between Fabeirs and humans. they regularly cooperate and interact with Fabeirs, as well as protecting them from human harm or making deals with them to limit their damage

Harbingers are volounteers and are spread over the globe. they still have a clear organization with a central administration, which maintains a (now) digital database of all its members (with their statuses, ranks, locations, specializations and eventual talents) and the research they make into the various types of magic, which is freely accessible to all members

Harbingers are ranked by experience and power, so that they are unlikely to walk into situations too dangerous for them, they work somewhat independently and locally, but send alerts and requests for help if things get more insidious. other Harbingers with more freedom of movement travel around the world to help with alerts

while the knowledge of magic that the Harbingers possess is often passed down family lines, children are under no obligation to follow their parent's footsteps. instead, the Harbingers look for and welcome new people who respect and research magic

either way, children under the age of sixteen are not allowed to fully join; from age sixteen to age eighteen they are only allowed to train and they can only become field operatives once they're adults, though for the first two years they are still under supervision and only on low-level situations

Harbingers divide themselves into three branches:

administration ⛧ the Overseers are in charge of maintaning and updating the databases, testing Harbingers for their rank, organization, funding and a modicum of "mission control" for Sentinels, as well as some training

research ⛧ the Savants do the majority of the studying, experimention and research about the various magics and Fabeirs, taking care to document and publish their results. most Sentinels also do their own studies, but not to the same scale

field operations ⛧ the Sentinels take care of the legwork, like intervening when the Fabeir go off the rails, mediating, tracking signs of magic and of new Trades or stopping humans from harming magic

as the goal of the organization is the study of the supernatural and mythological, this also translates into protecting magic. often, this brings them into conflict with the Order of the Exorcists and to interct with the Fabeir

of all human mana-users, Harbingers are the most in tune with non-human magic. in fact about 40% of all Harbingers hold traded magic of some kind, but they make up for 80% of Sentinels. additionally, in their study of all forms of magic, the Harbingers have run into signs of the new Navilean magics, Izerk magic and the old Vimurian magic, which they are slowly integrating in their own

Harbingers have their own terminology for those who have Traded something for magic, with names that depend on the Talent gained:

Sight ⛧ Augur augurs are people who saw too much. saw the writing on the walls and weren't believed. saw the details of other people and went ignored. they trade their sight, literal or figurative, for the ability to find and track magic, and to see the connections between it

Power ⛧ Champion champions are people who found a weakness within themselves and could not stand it; who weren't strong enough and let the people they loved be hurt. they trade their affection for power, enough to protect others but growing isolated and distrusted

Word ⛧ Envoy envoys are people who have been hurt by words, either by those of others, had their own twisted against them, or punished for speaking up. they trade their voice and their willingness to speak for the languages of magic and authority in their words

Soul ⛧ Medium mediums are often people on the edge of death, whether by injury or illness, or whose world is crumbling around them. they trade their innocence and health for a second shot, one prone to hopelessness but in the company and respect of magic

Core ⛧ Spellmaster spellmasters are people who've had to hide their wonder and eccentricity and grew too weary and jaded. they trade their ability to hide and slip unnoticed for a chance at wonder again, and magic leaves them changed for it

Key ⛧ Warder warders are people who were manipulated and led around by others, used and mocked and swore no more. they trade their warmth and trust for the key to other's heart, now able to pull the strings and lock others away

⛧ Unearthly Taglist ⛧ @elkieselkiewrites @wildweeds

[ark-inkweaving]

Worldbuilding Bits: Blood Magic & Soul Magic

it is finally here! your handy little guide to two of the more profane branches of magic in the Siliverse. both blood magic and soul magic hold deep historical ties to necromancy, and thus have been considered taboo for most of history. but what's up with them?

[TW: many mentions of blood, death, corpses and some minor gore]

Blood Magic

for most of history, blood magic has been the base tool of necromancy, used in rituals to strengthen one's life essence or to make binding contracts that have devastating effects on those who break them

most of its negative reputation however comes from the wars, where necromancers on either side would prowl the battlefields and use the blood and bodies of fallen soldiers to make monstrous puppets under their command

yet in modern times, blood magic is by far the more widely accepted of the two branches, having recently recovered from it's reputation as a dark art. this is thanks to medical magic, as the spells for blood analysis, genetic analysis and the study of diseases has been developed with blood magic as a starting point

but in the medical field, it's gotten even further past that point. many countries require emergency rooms to have at least one blood mage present at all times, and it is common practice to have a blood mage assist surgeons during intensive or invasive procedures. these blood mages often become medical professionals of their own and hold great prestige for their fine control over such delicate magic

Soul Magic

soul magic hasn't had the same graceful redemption as blood magic, and it's still for the most part considered a taboo magic. this is because it was the far greater tool of necromancy, as it is capable of bending the will and soul of people (both living and dead) to the caster's own

thus, soul magic has a long and horrible history, littered with dark lords who sought to turn the people around them into mindless slaves or who would sacrifice multiple villages in an attempt to reach eternal life

the effects of such magic can still sometimes be found today, in ruins where the wind howls with the cries of loyal servants turned stone guardians and in hidden amulets that still contain the necromancer's will– and such will is much stronger than yours. it will possess you

thus, as its main use was to subjugate the soul and will of others and to alter the cycle of life and death in irreparable ways, soul magic is largely declared illegal

there is only one exception, which is soul bonding

soul bonding derives from bilateral soul binding, but it is much weaker in scope. rather than isolating two souls from the cycle of life and binding them to each other, it links two souls together in such a way that death can still part them while still allowing the soul-bonded people to easily use magic on each other without overly-influencing each other

there are two types of soul bonding, with minimal differences between them. the first one is equilateral soul-bonding, done between two peers that consider themselves equal, such as two friends, spouses or siblings and such. the other is asymmetrical soul bonding, usually done between a parent and non-biological child as one of the two people involved takes custody of the other

soul bondings are a widespread cultural rite in Navilee, and in many places it is the norm to include soul bondings in weddings or adoptions. as such, soul bondings present as an actual legal status in many Navilean countries. soul-bonded pairs can act as medical and legal proxies or with the full extent of parental rights, and even take precedence over biological relationships. because of this, soul bondings are a tightly regulated practice (especially asymmetrical soul bondings) despite the extremely positive reputation they have

with the rise of soul bondings, bilateral soul bindings (which you can find more about here) rapidly became less common because of their complexity, sacrilegious and far darker nature and their deeper ties with necromancy, and have by now almost completely fallen out of the general population's recollection

on the other hand, unilateral soul bindings are far more known and far more feared and abhorred. a unilateral soul binding ties a soul to something inanimate for eternity, or at least until the enchantment is broken (something much more difficult in practice than in theory). they are one of the prime tools of necromancers, as it allows them to render themselves or their servants effectively immortal, if somewhat limited by the vessel they choose for themselves

there is many a case of a dark mage who bound their soul to a construct, such as a droid or a golem or a sculpture and kept on terrorizing their area for decades after their death, but even more terrifying is the creation of necromini. these are fully sapient souls tied to fresh corpses, often their own. because death has such little claim on these vessels, necromini continue to grow old as normal yet not untouched. it is nearly impossible to tell apart a necromus from its living counterpart. this sort of ritual used alongside magic to slow the aging process is how many necromancers have been able to live even up to a millennia undetected

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✵ Revolve Taglist ✵ @corinneglass @aalinaaaaaa @write-with-will @mymomsaysbobcipher @writeintrees @firesidefantasy @inspirationallybored @askyaphelion

[ark-inkweaving]

i'm gonna drop a bomb on all of you in the form of gods lore for Revolve. beware the horror elements, i like my worldbuilding to be Fucked Up™

a working note before i start. i have been taking full advantage of the flexibility of the english language to make pronouns thare specific to the gods. it's kie/kiem/kier/kier/kiers/kiemself (singular) and kilae/kilaem/kilaer/kilaers/kilaemselves (plural) for full gods and vie/viem/vier/viers/viemself (singular) and vilae/vilaem/vilaer/vilaers/vilaemselves (plural) for the living gods. only exceptions are the Void and the Universe, for which i use it/its

[TW: general Violence, mentions of Death, elements of Body Horror (is it body horror if i'm messing with souls?)]

one of the first things to note is that there are tiers to the gods. kinda like in greek mythology, where the titans are above the olympians who are above the minor gods. here, it goes like this

Venmar [the Void] is the starting point. from the emptiness comes the spark of origin, which creates Kosmos [the Universe]. it's worth noting that the Universe is, like, the Universe. it is everything everywhere all the time

from the Universe comes the First Realm, which Kosmos entrusts to three gods before going dormant inside an artifact commonly known as the Lanthorn of Kosmos (creative, i know). these three gods are the Elders: kilae are Vehile [Life], Olinso [Order] and Kenori [Chaos]

Olinso and Kenori, predictably, do not get along. kilae start to fight and leave destruction in kilaer wake. Vehile can't go off to fight kilaem, because that would mean leaving the Lanthorn unprotected. so kie creates four more gods to stand guard. these gods are the Great Forces: Ohinio [Nature], Raeraja [Magic], Drisix [Balance] and Fogrid [Fate]

Vehile goes off to fight Olinso and Kenori and banishes kilaem outside of the Universe, in the Void. however, the fight kills kier body. kie's not dead though (kie's Life, kie can't die). instead kie scatters most of kier essence into the Universe. still alive, just without a corporeal form

and here comes the first Fucked Up Tidbit™ of worldbuilding: what does take corporeal form instead, originating from Vehile's dead body, is Tahila, god of Death. so, y'know, Life never died and Death never lived. fun ^-^

also, Tahila finds kiemself in the ambiguous position of being both the fourth Elder and the fifth Great Force. so, that's a situation

another situation is that the Great Forces are a lot weaker than Vehile was, even Tahila. so kilae can't really hold together the entirety of the Universe, even together because kilaer different magics clash too much. so what do kilae do? kilae break down the Universe into Realms, and kilae split them among kilaemselves like this:

Ferive <- Ohinio

Vaieni <- Drisix

Arcana <- Reraja

Zeimiria <- Fogrid

Mur <- Tahila

yes, Arcana is that place i've mentioned a couple times in reference to a War. a Major War, if you will. but what is it? well, it's the Realm made up of the parts of the Universe closest to the Lanthorn, which holds a large accumulation of mana and is thus really hard to take care of, because mana accumulated too closely together collapses and corrupts

and since it is particularly large and difficult to manage, at some point the Great Forces agree that Reraja needs helpers. but kilae don't have the resources to make fully new corporeal gods. that's beyond kilaem. kilae cannot create life, only Vehile could do that

but☝️there are some pretty neat sapient, living creatures in Vaieni (note, previous events take bilions of years. we are now about 7k to 6k years ago) (the era of peak pre-historic civilizations like Egypt, Sumer and China) ( ;) )

so, if Fogrid picks some people from Drisix's Realm, Tahila elongates their lifespans and Ohinio connects them to the Universe, vilae can get pretty close to something god-like. kilae just need this quasi-godly essence to be non-physical (so Reraja's magic) so that when the mortals chosen eventually die then kilae don't have to remake these gods

and we now get to the second (and my favorite) Fucked Up Tidbit™ of worldbuilding: the Living Gods (or just Livi) are basically parasites. vilae take over a host and stay with the host for... roughly a millennia. for most. unless the host is killed (for most ;) ), but that's a separate issue

and all of the Livi, after they fully integrate with the host (takes 20 to 30 years) take on vilaer duty as protectors of Arcana and the Lanthorn that, y'know, holds together the universe

this has the very funky side effect of: the Livi technically don't have a name. vilae have titles (i.e. the Eternal Flame, the Most Ancient, the Oracle of the Sky, the Great Beloved) but generally take on the name of the host, so vilae have a different one every time

then the war of Arcana happens around 6k years ago. the Great Forces have just stopped creating Livis. i'm not gonna do into detail about the War, because it's such a complex and lore-heavy issue that it needs its own post, but the gist of the consequences is pretty nifty

for starters, the Livi split into three factions: Kori, Sili and Oadi. the Kori lose the war. and people notice vilae start to lose the war because one of vilaem (assumed to be either a leader, a figurehead or the cause of the war) gets thrown off of Arcana so strongly that vie breaks through the Realms below. Vaieni splits in two parts — Navilee and Irathi (commonly known as Earth) — while a third chunk keeps hurling inwards, blows a hole through Ferive and "settles" at the center as Izerko. yes, that Izerko

on the flipside, the Oadi win the war. but Arcana is mostly busted, really unstable and the central island (Wigadir) (it holds the Lanthorn) is pretty fucking damaged. so, vilae take advantage of the fact that Reraja went to patch up the holes in the Barriers of the Realms before the Void (which holds Olinso and Kenori) can slip in, cut off all the bridges to Wigadir and take the rest of Arcana outward, right below Mor. this is now Dihalia

the Sili, who poor vilaem tried to stay neutral to protect Arcana and the Lanthorn, get fucked over. the bridges get cut, the Lanthorn gets lost in the fight, Wigadir collapses and vilae are locked there with barely enough mana to preserve vilaer essence

Fucked Up Tidbit™ of worldbuilding number three, also a strong contender for the position of favorite: the Sili have a name (though the names are lost to time) and a physical form because 6k years stuck in the corpse of your first host pretty tightly woven together with your host's soul because Tahila can't reach them mean that you literally meld together with your first host. that's you now. forever. funky

so, the Universe went from looking like this ↓

to looking like this ↓

so, who takes care of the Realms now?

Mur, Zeimiria and Ferive don't change hands

the Oadi have fucked off with Dihalia, so vilae will take care of it or suffer the consequences

Wigadir is lost somewhere, most likely wandering, so it's up to the Sili, wherever vilae are, to keep it alive to the best of their ability

Izerko is tied to the life force of the Livi whose fall created it (vier ancestral title is lost, but vie is now called the First Fallen off of Izerko and the Opal Queen on Izerko), so vie is now responsible for it; it's a small Realm anyway

what once was Vaieni is now Navilee and Earth with some missing chunks, and so it's a lot more vulnerable to the Void. so, Reraja and Drisix make the two into two connected Realms rather than one broken Realm, and take on one each; Reraja gets Navilee while Drisix takes Earth

and that's still the modern day situation. because of their origin, Earth and Navilee are often called Twin Realms, Navilee and Ferive have beef with Izerko for the chunks taken out and Zeimiria doesn't really like Dihalia because it no longer has direct access to Mur. and Mur is chilling because you just Don't Get Past Mur™

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✵ Revolve Taglist ✵ @corinneglass @aalinaaaaaa

[ark-inkweaving]

Happy WBW! Do you have a world that you really haven't gotten the chance to talk about? Ramble on!

i've talked very little about The Lost Sea Symphony, but that one has what i think is my most weird worldbuilding

it is based largely on videogames, specifically multi-server online videogames. Minecraft comes to mind, but also Sea of Thieves, Baldur's Gate, maybe Genshin Impact. i can't think of more rn but you get the gist

the premise is this: we are in an entirely digital world, which has limited access to magic (mostly just enhancing properties of objects). there is an original world (Server Zero), and there are thousands of copies of it that start with the same amount and distribution of resources. and access to Server Zero is very limited. most people in these worlds are average, baseline humans like you and i, and they repeat the same in every world. and some people are Players

Players have a variety of extra advantages: they have access to a personal inventory that defies all laws of magic and physics, they have access to a chat (???), they can move across servers and, given enough time training and focus, they can access the Code. they can fuck around with the Code. that is huge

so what happens when some people can fuck up the literal code of the world? well, things get funky. Players are not well liked, that's fore sure

Hackers, people who purposely change the Code of the server they're on, are a thing. not a widespread one, but one with a real bad reputation, since Hackers are self-serving at best and outright cruel at worst

Admins and Mods however are also a thing, especially on more advanced servers, and are tasked with server upkeep and protection on behalf of the baseline population. it's a whole, like, "governing" branch in a sense. also, remember how i said that access to Server Zero is limited? yeah it's mostly Admins and some Mods that can give you access to it, and they are picky. Server Zero has a bunch of firewalls that are very strong too, because it's the origin point and source of all other servers, so if something goes wrong there then it will go wrong everywhere else

and finally we get to the part of worldbuilding that i always have fun with, the Fucked Up Tidbit™: viruses and glitches

viruses result in what is pretty much zombies. they can be somewhat contained by admins, but they can't be cured. baselines lose all sense of identity, and Players get caught in a state of constantly fighting the virus to regain control of their body. death might be more merciful

now glitches? oh oh, we go into existential horror with glitches. suddenly, part of the server is wrong. part of you is off. your data goes missing and it's like you never existed. null. void. that's a glitch. it can just happen, anywhere to anyone at anytime the moment something is too wrong with the server. that's why Hackers are dangerous. (viruses can cause glitches too, but that's a minor detail >:3 )

iii think that covers about all the basis of The Lost Sea Symphony's worldbuilding. it's definitely a fun one, but the plot partvof it needs more attention than i can give it rn so it's fallen to the wayside unfortunately. it's still pretty high up on the WIP list tho

[ark-inkweaving]

Revolve Magic System

i've already talked a little bit about the magic system in this post, but i thought i'd elaborate a bit. the kind of magic — both elemental and clear — that someone can do does have an impact on the characters, especially other's perception of them. i'm gonna skim a bit over the technicalities so i can get to the interesting part fast tho

magic is commonly known as the use of mana to bend the Universe to one’s will. all creatures have mana and store it in their core, but only sapient creatures can wield it to perform magic. this mana comes from a source, which can be either internal (the creature itself) or external (someone or something else).

in its natural form, mana is a pure still energy. however, when collected in the core, the mana starts vibrating at a fixed frequency, which "colors" the mana with an element depending on the range it falls into. this means most magic is elemental magic, and all living creatures are assigned an elemental resonance depending on which element the frequency has

it should be noted that the resonance is not an hereditary or otherwise biological trait. it is a reflection of the system of beliefs and values that people have. it can change over time for anyone, usually because of events that heavily impact the psyche

non-elemental magic, also known as clear magic, does exist but is much less instinctual and widespread because it uses pure mana. there are a few different interpretations of its study. however all of them agree that clear magic requires either of three factors:

a physical mana path (i.e. runes, herbs, sigils, alchemical reactions, gestures)

a spell

attunement to pure mana

magic can also be rendered more powerful, complex or long-lasting through the use of specific gemstones, metals or herbs that take the name of amplifiers.

finally, as mentioned in the other post, mana can be corrupted when the frequency gets wonky, and it becomes unstable. however the mana of Void creatures is also corrupted but stable.

The Resonances

there are sixteen resonances in total, each associated to one of the Sili and their element. eight resonances are fully naturalized, four more are rare and the last four cause widespread panic when they appear. so, naturally, the resonances have been divided in four major groups

Natural Resonances

natural resonances are the most common. they are linked to fully physical elements with rather straightforward effects and applications. because they are so widespread, the interactions between these elements are also fairly well known and there are plenty of commonplaces

Fire ✵ Fean allows for the creation and manipulation of flames, heat and (at advanced levels) explosions. people with a fire resonance run on a warmer temperature and are prone to setting off minor fires on accident. they are considered very energetic people who feel emotions deeply and act on them immediately

Earth ✵ Rydom allows for the manipulation of soil and rocks, both as ground or as loose stone and dirt. people with an earth resonance are a fair bit sturdier than most, but their movements seem to be almost weighed down. they are seen as strong-willed and hardheaded, with a stark sense of justice

Lightning ✵ Liosi allows for the creation and manipulation of electrical bolts, currents and signals. people with a lightning resonance are way faster than average and prone to zapping since their skin is often coated in static electricity. others see them as creative, detail-oriented and perhaps a bit erratic

Flora ✵ Neidas allows for the growth and manipulation of plants, typically flowers and crops but trees as well. people with flora resonance hold a deep connection to nature and their home environment, to the point they can influence it and be influenced. they're often considered simple people with a penchant for caretaking

Ice ✵ Isife allows for the creation and manipulation of ice, snow and frost, even at fairly large scales. people with ice resonance run on cooler body temperatures and are prone to freezing objects as well as themselves. they have a reputation for being stoic and practical but with a thing for precision

Water ✵ Hurak allows for the manipulation of water and humidity, as well as small-scale creation of them. people with water resonance are very flexible, both in body and in mind, but also frailer than most others. they're seen as adaptable people with a penchant for academics and trade

Air ✵ Ozyn allows for the manipulation of air and wind currents, often resulting in the ability to flavor float. people with air resonance are very light and agile on their feet, but not very steady strong. people often split them in two categories; either they're lighthearted free spirits or they're thieves and criminals

Crystal ✵ Cliride allows for the creation and manipulation of gemstones, crystals and glass, both with or without intrinsic spells. people with crystal resonance have a strong magical inclination, but they are also very fragile both physically and mentally. others see them as scholars of the arcane, dedicated and capable but not good company to keep

Ascended Resonances

ascended resonances are less common, but more source of surprise than of worry. they're more unpredictable, though not impossible to figure out, and harder to wield. they can also be further split in two more groups: lower ascension (Metal and Plasma) and higher ascension (Shadow and Light). the lower ascensions are far more common and can be the native resonance of children. in the other hand, higher ascensions can only be shifted into. however all of then are extremely rare compared to natural resonances, and as such they are often object of stereotypes, misconceptions and superstition

Metal ✵ Mairut allows for manipulation and limited creation of metals and the changing of its properties. people with metal resonance have been known to turn their limbs to steel and for being skilled weaponmasters or artificers. they're considered dedicated and focused people with an unbending will

Plasma ✵ Gwedvi allows for the creation and limited manipulation of plasma, as well as shaping it. people with plasma resonance are said to be capable of shapeshifting, and seem to have a natural predisposition for the arcane arts. they are however very much considered unpredictable and a bit flaky

Shadow ✵ Tais allows for the creation, manipulation and materialization of shadows and darkness. people with a shadow resonance are difficult to notice and melt into the background unless they want to stand out. others largely consider them mysterious and fascinating, and give them a reputation as keepers of secrets

Light ✵ Ejul allows for the creation, manipulation and materialization of light and brightness. people with a light resonance are very bright, loud and noticeable, but can disappear at a moment's notice. they're seen as natural leaders, confident and knowledgeable

Abstract Resonances

abstract resonances are anomalies. at first glance they don’t fit their Sili’s symbolism, and their powers wildly vary. the presence of people with these resonances is usually a source of unrest and anxiety among common people, and encountering someone who presents them is seen as an ill omen. notable events in which people with these resonances have been spotted are the Blood War of Tyurai, the fall of Saertia, the wars of independence of Nodi, Gawar and Pi'Enk against Ona, and the Lifexi Revolution, and there is evidence they had been seen during the War of Arcana

Sun—Body ✵ Seidor powers seem to vary from extremely bright lights and some sort of energy manipulation to innate precision in strikes, both armed and disarmed. people with a sun resonance are regarded as brutal fighters, terrifying to face in combat and ruthless in their pursuits

Moon—Mind ✵ Onilen powers seem to vary vastly between charmspeak, hightened magical capabilities and, reportedly, a blend of mindspeaking and mindreading. people with a moon resonance are seen as enchanters and manipulators who will subjugate your psyche

Planets—Time ✵ Xyssae extremely fast, can sometimes move without you even noticing even right before your eyes. according to testimonies, they can be capable of precognition and postcognition even far back. people with a planet resonance are considered extremely cold, analytical and detached. they do not care

Stars—Space ✵ Asteio extremely fast, and space seems to warp around them to lead your attacks astray. there seems to be no distance they can't cross. people with a star resonance are seen as highly emotional, combative and incoherent

The Magic Paths

aside from one's elemental resonance, magic is incredibly hard to perform, and often requires years of study. the study of the arcane is largely considered an academic field with few, however practical, results

mages mostly work along four major lines of thought, practice and experimentation:

elementalists focus on control of their own core in an attempt to become able to manipulate other elements

arcanists dedicate themselves to attuning with pure mana and the latent mana in their environment in order to freely redirect it

magis learn how to fabricate rituals and spells through which to cast

alchemists have the most variety and specialization, as they work with different physical means to channel mana such as runes, herbs, crystals and gestures

majority of the mages will only specialize in one of such practices. maybe two if they're really good, but most aren't

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[atdamnbraina]

the full meta will come tomorrow but the unit's in mecha were handed out based on the job you had/usefulness. this was true on the ark in general, with factory having the smallest living units and alpha the largest. but i think each station had similar sized units on its entirety. raven, in the flashback, is shown to live in a small unit ( i think it was one room & bathroom but i need to check bc honestly i don't remember ) and she specifically says to finn when asked about her birthday present was "honestly, i just want to pass. getting out of this tin can... is enough." ( i have again to check the exact words but she mentions her unit as a tin can she can get out of ) up until then she worked as a mechanic doing repairs in the ark, being accepted into zero-g training & thus a more important job would get her better living quarters and probably other benefits as well.