History
Empyreal magic, also known as
Syzygymancy, is one of the oldest forms of magic known throughout Elysium. And as such, the origins for it are sketchy at best. Late scholars often believe that
Empyreal Magic and moon worship itself predates a lot of “New Age” magic, with ancient tribes worshiping the moon long before magic ever truly got involved in it’s practices.. Similar to life on
Earth, the moon for many is viewed in terms of the
rhythmic life of the cosmos and is believed to govern all vital change.
The cyclical process of disappearance and appearance of the moon, especially during its
Lunar Phases, is the basis of the widespread association of the moon with the land of the dead, the place to which souls ascend after death, and the power of rebirth. The mythology of the moon in cultures also puts great emphasis on those periods when it disappears—the three days of darkness in the lunar cycle and eclipses. Both are usually interpreted as the result of battles between some monster who devours or slays the moon and who subsequently regurgitates or revives it.
As the study of the moon and the solar system that made up the cosmos of the planet grew and grew with each passing year, many cultures set out to harvest the power of the moon. While primitive “Moon Magic” dates back thousands of years, the art of
Empyreal magic is a relatively new practice that takes the traditional magic associated with the moon and
amps it up to the enth-degree, allowing it to become a more physical entity that can be manifested and perfected.
Pioneers of Empyreal
Varúlfir
The Native Wolf-like Beastfolk of the continent of Arkael. Once a proud race, their numbers have dwindled to scattered packs throughout Arkael due to slavery, attempted extermination and a host of other problems brought on by the colonization of Arkael by Ner (men)
In most cultures around the world, especially on Earth during ancient times in Greek, Norse, Roman and Native American mythology, wolves are often revered, and additionally at times spiritually linked with the night and creation of the moon. Spiritually, wolves are intricately linked with the night and with the moon. The added symbolism of a wolf supposedly howling at it, makes a lone wolf howling at the moon a perfect spiritual message that for some often contains deeper meaning. In ancient traditions when storytellers passed on messages through fables, they gave profound spiritual insight through loaded symbolism such as this. However, unlike on Elysium, on earth there are many reasons for this that step
away from the mythical side of the correlation.
Wolves predominantly travel in groups and have a very strong and loyal community, known as a
pack. However, the wolf alone expresses deep freedom and individuality, which is where the “lone wolf” gets its role in the spiritual journey. The power of such independent and free spirits choosing to live together as a pack is a bond that is seen as deeply loving and heart-centered. While wolves are often seen as aggressive and threatening, they prefer to avoid conflict if at all necessary. Because of this, they will howl long distances to let other wolves know they are there, to avoid a potential run-in with another pack. In addition within the pack, howling is a crucial part of the bonding experience that makes the group of wolves so fiercely solidified. It is through howling that wolves let their loved ones know what they need to feel safe and secure.
The tone, length, and harmony of the howls together give the entire pack a sense of security, belonging, and oneness. It is how the pack collectively agrees on roles and responsibilities.
On Elysium,
Varúlfir are known by some as “
Children of the Night”, and much like their wolf brethren, have a deep connection with the moon and the night that comes with it; a connection dating back generations to the first Varúlfir who claimed the land of Arkael as their home. As such with this deep connection, along with the beast-folk's deep connection with the entire natural world around them, many researchers often label the Beastfolk as the “forebears'' of Empyreal magic. While many other beast folk are said to be intune with the moon such as the Ravenfolk of
Mohar, a small section of land on the continent of
Gudeth, the Wolffolk are much more famous for it, thought to be the first of all "
Children of the Moon", to perfect the power the moon grants and utilize it.
However, unlike
other cults or worshippers of the moon, the Wolfclan of Arkael, seem to have unfettered knowledge of what also lies
beyond the moon and the stars; far into the strange recesses and depths of the black cosmos. And those who wish to share it’s wisdom often bay a fair warning to those wishing to seek the knowledge;
To Never Stray Far from Heavens Moonlight
of course. . .there's always those who do. . .
Clergy of Carian
If the Wolves of Arkael are the forefathers of Syzygymancy, then the Clergy of Carian founded on the continent of Gudeth, are the pioneers of the advanced physical manifestation of it. In a place so often surrounded by darkness under the watchful icy-blue gaze of the moon's eye, it's no secret that the Northern half of Gudeth, would sooner or later specialize in the Arcane Arts, let alone Empyreal Magic, in order to better understand the world around its dark home.
The Clergy of Carian are said to be the first non-wolfkin to specialize in the art of the Lunar Moon. However, where the wolves refused to go, the Clergy pushed through, inquisitive and ever searching for the truth of what lies just beyond the safe border of the moon's grace, light and protection. To where even the stars remained muted and dim. Many say they wandered too far in, blind and disorganized. But whatever wisdom they made contact with was claimed to be a blessing, for even if it drives one mad, knowledge allows one to serve a grander purpose,
for posterity.
Powers and Spells associated with Syzygymancy
Many spells surrounding the practice of Syzgymancy, often involve evocation spells.
Evocation is the art of magic that allows the user the ability to manipulate energy or tap into an unseen source of power in order to produce a desired end. In effect, they created something out of nothing. Many of these spells produced spectacular effects, and for some, evocation spells could deal large amounts of damage if used for that specific purpose.
For the Wolffolk of Arkael, the magic given to them by the moon is often very basic, and for many, are used not offensively but
defensively. This is because many Wolffolk are generally peaceful, and strive to live in harmony with nature and the other nations of the world. Living in the harsh conditions of the mountains where they tended to inhabit in order to be closer to their moon had made the people of the Wolf Tribes resilient to hardship and respectful of the world around them.
As such, it was/is very rare to find a wolf who knows and uses Empyreal Magic offensively. In the case of
Empyreal Magic itself, which was not actually named such
by the Wolfkin, but instead known as
Dow'ing, this magic draw’s actual power
from the moon, and much as the moon waxes and wanes, the power of the magic grows or fades with each phase of the moon. And only those who perfect the powers of the moon learn how to deal with the ever changing phases in their abilities.
Handfire was one such divine alteration or evocation spell, popular amongst the Wolffolk of Arkael. A simple spell, it made the caster's hand glow with sparking lights. This spell gave off the light equivalent to a candle, enough to read by if held close. However, this spell emitted no heat and could not start a fire or damage inanimate matter. Shamans of the Wolfkin, would often use the light to generate shapes, to allow them to better articulate stories via visual depictions or to invoke magic spells.
During the Great War against the Ner, Many Wolfkin who engage in Guerilla Warfare in order to defend their homes, often used this power as well. Though not necessarily for combat. The ability to make shapes, as well as the natural ability to blend in with the environment via nature camouflage as well as being nocturnal and built for the night, allowed many Wolfkin, the ability to utilize their magic to create
Illusions, often shapes that the superstitious Ner would associate with bad omens and such. Either used with the intent to lure or the intent to scare often varied, but according to sources, either were equally useful.
In the Clergy of Carian, the variety of spells vary greatly between offensive and defensive. According to Wolf Culture, the spells you get are the spells you have been blessed with by the spirits that inhibit the moon/the moon itself, and no one should go looking for more power unless it's truly needed, unless one is willing to deal with what comes with it.
The church basically threw that notion out the window.
For members of the Clergy, the act of seeking knowledge is more than enough reason to dwell where mortals should never have threaded about unless with specific reasoning and permission. While some wolves have gone to the church in order to learn, much to the chagrin of their own kind, even those seeking extensive knowledge find themselve unnerved of what the church has learned over the years via prying into the unknown.
For the Clergy of Carian, the more knowledge one seeks and discovers, the more doors open to deviating pathways containing more and more. Those who stumbled through the “right door” found themselves in the presence of the Cosmos and thus the power that dwelled within it. This magic, dubbed by the church as Cosmosis or Cosmomancy, became one of the main types that could be studied and utilized by the church, allowing for the caster to Call Beyond the moon for power.
Cosmonancy comes in many forms. One of the most popular, channels magic above the caster's head, which then detonates, sending shooting stars in all directions, dealing a considerable amount of damage to anything or anyone it hits.
But while their spells draw infamy, the Churches weapons draw
wonder.
Weapons of the Clergy of Carian
While the power of the moon-magic of the Wolffolk varies deeply in strength depending on the phase of the moon, The Clergy of Carian set forth to overcome this hindrance by fashioning weapons that maintained the power of the moon while also not falling behind in strength whenever the moon changed forms.
The answer to this situation came one day with the apparent falling of a Great Comet. The comet was said to be brought upon as a
Blessing from the Gods and was often how the Church hushed fears from visiting Wolfkin that the gods were angry with their meddling in the deepest reaches of space. For within the comet lay a vast bounty of bluish rock. This mineral became known as the gem, Glinting Angassite, a bluish-twinkling crystal that was found to house and alter magical energy. As time went on, the function of the crystal’s became more and more embedded in the Churches life even before its official founding. In the years preceding it’s founding, astrologers used them, but then the academy was founded, and its students became the primary user.
However the wolves were not convinced that this gemstone was a gift from the gods. While the link between stone and astrologers was further evidence for the church that the mineral and the sorceries that it enabled were linked to the stars and the realm of space, which the wolves agreed with, the wolves were not certain of its benevolence. Especially after the discovery of a large selection of mineral deposits found close to the crash site of the comet, with the growing Crystals appearing to grow on (or was made out of) biological matter.
However, this phased the church none, and soon when the power of the Crystals became more clearer as the years went on, weapons made from the material began processing through the Church.
Of the many types and prototypes whisked their ways through the church's halls, a few became famous enough to become popular enough with the Church.
Greater Ones Holy Silver Sickle
A milky silver sickle imbued with the power of Cosmos. The large arced blade allows for it to reach around shields and inflict damage. The magnificent sharp curved blade instills fear in opponents. Perhaps it is their survival instinct at work, or perhaps something much more is buried deep within the ethereal shine of the blade.
Can be Dual-wielded
Look at the silver sickle.
Behold the awakening white light.
Honour
Look at the silver sickle.
Behold the resurrecting moonlight.
Honour
The Holy Blade of Carian
Greatsword forged from a blue-white meteoric ore. To a casual observer, the edges appear dull; however, when swung in combat, a Carian Moonblade proves to be a deadly weapon that cuts its opponents with sweeping light ring.
The Holy Greatsword of Carian is synonymous with the Church.
None but a few have ever set eyes on the great blade, with only high ranking members ever being allowed to make one let alone yield one
and whatever guidance it has to offer its wielder, it seems to be of a very private, elusive sort.
Avatars
To both the Wolves of Arkael, and the Church of Carian, Avatars are one of the holiest beings. A physical manifestation of a god made flesh, to be Avatar to a God is to be made
champion. However the two groups each have their own separate notion of what
makes an avatar
For the
Wolves of Arkael, an Avatar is created when a cub is born under the watchful gaze of a Lunar Eclipse. Compared to earth, which can have as much as zero to three lunar eclipses per year (although possibly not all at the same location on Earth), Lunar eclipses are rare phenomena on Elysium, as such, for a wolf to be born under an Eclipse is thought to be a omen of prosperity and good fortune. Young born under the Eclipse, often have a greater yield over their magic, especially that of their Lunar power.
For the
Church of Carian, it's basically the same. An avatar is significantly less powerful than the deity it represented, but on par or beyond the most powerful of mortals. However unlike the wolves who oftentimes wait and pray to be lucky enough to birth a pup under an eclipse, the church of Carian, take a much more
different approach to the creation of their avatars,
more. . . .
direct approach
Despite the power and renown garnered by the Church, its authority wasn't uncontested. For the Church, nothing is more sacred to them than their crystals. It is what allows them to yield the power of the heavens in physical form, serving as a conduit to channel the Cosmos.
However, upon discovery of its effects on the body of living things, such as the creatures who live around the origin site of the first crash-landing of Angassite, the church began to think of other uses they could possibly utilize.
Such as the force-feeding of it to those who the church deemed "worthy" whether they liked it or not.
Early attempts in the Churches mission to
transcend humanity, caused the patients to gruesomely mutate if their body did not accept the virus. Experimentation done on "patients" found that the "virus” , the crystal's host, appears to be very picky about its host. Whether plant, animal, human or whatever, those who had an advantageous genetic trait allowed the virus to enter an lysogenic stage and mutate the host at a slow rate. For some, the effects of the crystal-poisoning turned them into mutated crystaloid beings. After some time, the victim's skin would split open, exposing their reddish-pink flesh and the strange presence of blue crystals that would break up from beneath their skin. These runaway mutations resulted in the patient being violently torn apart and killed by the crystals rapidly sprouting from their body, but not before the host was thrown into a violent rage with crystals beginning to protrude randomly from the skin. As well as affecting the appearance, those infected also succumbed to complete degeneration of mental faculties. As time would go on, the Crystals would grow within the host, until death. While still living, the host was said to be hostile to everything that is not already infected.
Upon death, the host would eventually undergo a period of petrification as the disease overtook the host body, turning it into a twisted mess of twinkling crystals.
However, these failed experiments did not stop the church's efforts to find a proper host. Some say the church is still looking for their avatar, one who they would hope form a symbiotic relation with the crystal and utilize its power to transcend to a higher plane, or at least open up even more knowledge the church has yet to know. . .
God help them if they find him
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