Quintessence

Quintessence, also known as Essentia Quintus, it's Latin name, or alchemically, Aether is a mystical energy present in all things throughout the Universe. It is the essence of creation connecting all matter in existence. It was discovered by early alchemists and then later harnessed by the Centritian Philosophers and their descendants, the underground Adytian civilization. After the fall of their society, much of the Quintessence contained on the Earth remained sealed within the city Adytia. Centuries later, it would reemerge in Santiago, and become the source for Elijah Garcia's powers, as well as the cause of the strange phenomena occurring throughout the town.

History

The origins of Quintessence are unknown. How it came to be or where it came from remain a mystery. It is postulated that it was formed during the creation of the Universe. However, due to its magic-like behavior, it's likely to be from a whole other reality all together. Sometime during the formation of the world, Quintessence became concentrated within the Earth and fell dormant for billions of years.
In the Middle Ages, alchemists trying to create the Magnum Opus (the Master Work) accidentally discovered Quintessence from working with primordial matter, Prima Materia. Once they perfected a refining process for the essence, these alchemists sold it to kings and rulers who used it to build strong and prosperous empires. However, those who used Quintessence eventually succumbed to greed, and exploited the divine energy for their own selfish gains. These problems caught the attention of the elusive Centritian Philosophers, who deemed man unfit to wield Quintessence. They hid the knowledge to obtain it within the center of the Earth. Eventually, nearly all records and presence of it was lost to history on the upper world.
Meanwhile, the Centritian Philosophers, started to harness Quintessence for their own purposes. Their descendants, the Adythians, thrived as a sophisticated and highly advanced civilization thanks to technology powered by it; A new, crystalline variation of the energy was created for condensing and storage, and for them to harness its power as direct conduits when implanted into the body. It had seem that man was dealing with power from heaven, like they were playing god.
Eventually however, Adythia fell when their use of Quintessence spiraled out of control, morphing into a destructive variation. With no escape to the upper world, it remained locked within the ancient city, where it would continue to wipe out and corrupt all remaining life.
Centuries after and 5 years prior to the beginning of the story, the former Santiago Power Plant was shut down following a mysterious explosion. According to all known reports, the causative factor was determined to be an earthquake, cited as, "a stray impulse of energy from deep within the Earth". Not long after, Dr. Callum Ward and his team of scientists investigating the incident unearthed ancient chambers beneath the town. Their work eventually led them to rediscover the abundance of the divine energy, upon opening an old Sanctum Gate to Adythia, allowing the once forgotten Quintessence to resurface into the modern world.

Behavior & Properties

Quintessence is found in trace amounts in all things on Earth and within the universe. It is most concentrated in a substance known as Prima Materia, which can be alchemically synthesized by advanced practitioners. Like all types of energy, it cannot be created or destroyed but transferred between forms. However, Quintessence cannot be extracted or harnessed using conventional techniques. Adythian technology is the only medium attuned enough through which it can be manipulated by.
Quintessence also takes on multiple physical forms, each with unique behavioral properties. In it's natural state, the Prima state, it resembles a glowing orange lightning surrounded with a starry aura. At rest, Quintessence in this state can self-contain itself and move. When harnessed, it arcs like electricity. This form is the most kinetic, and most powers are manifested in this state.
In the Forctis form, Quintessence condenses into a phasing crystalline solid. The crystal acts as a near-infinite supply of the energy able to absorb the Quintessence from the environment. Kinetic powers can also exist in this state such as generating energetic crystals or crystallizing matter, though it is not as commonly seen. Uniquely, Forctis Quintessence can be fused with living beings to give them the power to harness the energy with their own bodies.
A third, obscure form also exists. Described in Adytian texts as Perditio or Chaos, this form embodies disorderly and destructive properties. Not much is known about this form, as it does not occur naturally. Records indicate that the Chaos form nullifies and dispels other form, spreading like a virus as it corrupts or destroys anything it touches.

Applications

Ergokinesis/Energy Manipulation

When fused to a host via a specialized focusing device (e.g. an Adythian Crystal), Quintessence can grant them the ability to manipulate and disperse fluxes of the energy. This method was developed by the Adythians during their Golden Age, allowing them to create such advanced technologies. In the main story, Elijah Garcia gains these same Quintessential powers after fusing with the Focusing Shard.
Using Quintessence as power requires the user to have strong willpower and endurance, as the manifested fluxes can cause severe physical and mental strain to the untrained body. Additionally, as things do not come from nothing. The supply of Quintessence must be regenerated by reabsorbing it back from the environment into the body.

Alchemy

During the age of alchemy, Quintessence was the catalytic energy needed to transmogrify reagents in alchemical reactions. Changing base metals to Gold, spawning Homunculi and Anthroparions, all of these alchemical practiced required attuning Quintessence and imbuing it in the process.

Anthroparions

Perhaps one of the most notable and innovative creations driven by Quintessence. These alchemically-synthesized lifeforms feed off of the energy as their "food source" and can actually manipulate it on their own without the intervention of a focusing device. They are very susceptible to corruption however...

Additional Information

Refinement

– Crude refinement of Prima Materia: Basic to intermediate extraction technique of Quintessence practiced by common alchemists. Yielded no more than 3% of Quintessence from Prima Materia
– Centritian refinement of Prima Materia: Quintessence extraction technique developed by the Centritian Philosophers. Much more efficient but required much more technical prowess. Yielded 10-20% of Quintessence from Prima Materia.
– Harmonic Ritual of Crystallization: Practiced by the Adythians to condense Prima Quintessence into its solid crystalline form Forctis

Byproducts

– Chaotic Quintessence: Any and all usages of normal form of Quintessence will generate a very miniscule portion of Chaotic Quintessence.

Hazards

Prima – Ionizing Radiation (if not regulated by an apparatus) – Oxidizing Potential (will cause things to explode)
Forctis – Radiation – Cellular Mutagen – Explosive Potential
Chaos – Adythian records describe a "withering" and "inflammability" – Environmental corruption potential?

QE

Type

Elemental / Molecular

Rarity

Common (miniscule concentrations present in all physical matter) | Legendary (refined forms) | Mythical (Chaos)

Color

Bright, pulsating orange (Prima/Forctis) | Black and grey with tinges of reddish orange (Chaos)

Common State

Prima phase