Introduction to the Spirits

Don't you see? The spirits have been with us since the beginning. When we took our first, awkward steps, the spirits were there to watch over us. They raised humanity, aiding us when we were in danger, guiding us on the right path. Now? Now, we're alone.

—Scholar Hastius

Since the beginning of civilization, spirits have been an active force in Kal-Adur. Embodiments of the natural world, they have been safeguarding it since the beginning. Their worship varies greatly, from building shrines in sacred areas to offering charms meant to gain their favor. In centuries past, sometimes the spirits answered these calls. Thanks to the Betrayal, they have become silent.

Types

Spirits have been generally classified into four types; shabuk, caelush, tokastu, kihasi and nihen. Many claim it is disrespectful to lump the spirits together into different groups, as each one is unique. However, these categories were largely based on the powers they granted.

Shabuk

Of the five, shabuk were considered the most "traditional." When one conjured an image of a spirit, the shabuk came to mind. When they appeared to mortals, they had dark, formless. bodies that resembled the general shape of a human. The only facial feature they had were two glowing spheres of light most would consider eyes. They often wore cloaks symbolic of the environment under their protection.
As of the writing of this article, there was believed to be eight types of shabuk, all of which will be receiving dedicated articles in the future. There were the Haduur, Varin, Roan, Merir, Berg, Intarun, Mognar, and Nehatarin.

Caelush

Caelush were the spirits of sky and weather. Unlike the shabuk, the caelush were not tied down to a particular place and changed locations frequently. This category had a wide variety of spirits that rivaled the shabuk. They included the Lustayr, Ussos, Numar, Sildur, Thannel, and Neachta.

Tokatsu

From the smallest blade of grass to the mightiest of eagles, tokatsu were considered the spirits of living things. Unlike the shabuk, caelush and nihen, tokatsu inhabited the bodies of mortal beings, and such most were unable to communicate with humans. A rare few could and blessed humans with their gifts just like most spirits. Their powers were far weaker, however.
Since tokatsuinhabited mortal beings, they were technically not immortal. However, powerful tokatsu spirits could be reincarnated. 

Kihasi

Kihasi were the spirits of inanimate objects, natural or unnatural. Due to the inanimacy of the objects they possessed, kihasi could take on a spiritual form similar to that of shabuks. In this form, they resembled the dark, formless bodies of shabuk, but much shorter. In their spiritual form, the tallest kihasi were no taller than a foot. They wore simple little cloaks and a mask resembling the object they possessed. Their voices sounded like those of children. But they couldn't wander far from where their object was.

THANK YOU SO MUCH DEVIANTART by AlectorFencer

Due to their rather meek power, kihasi could not bless their keepers and could only offer advice that was mediocre at best. Hey, at least they tried. Because of their nature, kihasi were not looped into categories.

Nihen

Unlike other spirits, nihen owed their existence to one species alone—the human. Nihen were the spirits of human creation. Unlike other spirits, the concepts they represented ranged from tangible locations like roads to concepts as abstract as war. Because of what they represent, nihen most closely resemble humans with a few ethereal characteristics. Some nihen were even humans at one point.
Due to their often lack of truly powerful spiritual abilities, most nihen were unable to bless humans.

The Leaders of the Spirits

Heading the realm of the spirits were the sun and the moon—Keratia and Baduri. They embodied figures of the sky like caelush do, but their forms are more nihen-like. Together, they represented the eternal balance of the world, always changing and shifting perfectly in sync. Unlike other spirits, Keratia and Badur needed a human forms to exist, so they reincarnated regularly into mortal bodies called the Lunosa. Because the two are considered traditionally feminine, the Lunosa were always female.

by Bruce Tang

Blessings

Those who gained a spirit's blessing were referred to as spirit-blessed. Of them, there were two types—touched and gifted. Spirit-touched gained enhancements to their previous abilities, allowing them to navigate the domain of their spirit with ease. Gifted were given the ability to change their environment by controlling elements of it. 
There was no limit to the amount of blessings one could receive, but the spirits were not ones to hand out their power carelessly. Because of this, touched were uncommon and gifted scarce. To be gifted by two or more spirits was to obtain the level of the spirits themselves.
The abilities gained by a blessing varied from spirit to spirit, but most offered supernatural physical and mental prowess especially to their gifted. Tales tell of barkeeps in the mountain towns being unfazed by lies and youth speaking with knowledge far beyond that of their eldest. To become blessed was to strengthen one's soul with that of a spirit.

A Broken Bond

Two hundred years ago, an event known as the Betrayal shifted the world of Kal-Adur forever. For reasons lost to time, the Lunosa of the moon, Selena, murdered her fellow sun Lunosa, Elanor. The event through the balance of the world off-kilter. With Elanor's death, all bonds between human and spirit were destroyed. Spirits could no longer take the forms they had used to communicate with humans for millennia. All spirit-blessed lost their abilities. The world was thrown into chaos. 
With this, the spirits were angry. Their rage caused great Disasters to rage across the land, destroying all of civilization with it. Very few survived. 
As society is rebuilding, some hope that humanity can continue on alone. Others believe balance must be restored. No matter what happens, no one knows the right answer...