Sarik (s-AA-r-ee-k)

Sarik is the inner spiritual power within every sentient creature in Salkur. It is Expressed differently based on species and heritage, but empowers all equally and flows throughout the world, keeping it as it should be.

Kirden Abilities

In The Kirden Empire, Sarik is Expressed through one of eight different Abilities. These Abilities can be divided on two spectrums: the Physical and the Psychological, and the Worldly and the Personal. Physical Abilities have to do with the physical world, and how it can be changed. Psychological Abilities have to do with the conceptual world, and how it is percieved, and thus, controlled. Worldly Abilities have to with outer and material world, how it acts and how it can be tamed. Personal Abilities deal more with the mental world, how the mind behaves and how its power is Expressed.

Physical Abilities

Elems (EE-l-eh-m-s)

Elems have the ability to create anything out of fire, water, air, or earth, the latter being able to take the form of rock or dirt, but not metal. They can manipulate any matter which they themself have created in the past. Female Elems form matter out of their hair, and can suspend created matter between a pair of horns which grow out of the heads of both male and female Elems at the Molding. They can also move about their hair with the dexterity of a hand.

Male Elems form matter out of the air between their palms, and can hold created matter or move it around suspended between their palms, or hovering a desired distance in front of a single palm. If an Elem were to have their hair, for a girl, or hands, for a boy, bound or cut off, they would lose the capability to create matter, although a female Elems’s hair can grow back at the same speed as normal hair, and she can regain the ability to create matter once the hair grows back to about a foot in length. If an Elem’s horns were to be cut off, they would lose the ability, both to create and to manipulate matter.

Lums (l-OO-m-s)

Lums have the ability to manipulate light. When adding light to their surroundings, a glow starts in their tail, a feature of all Lums, and, if desired, comes out of the tip of their tail, and can then be molded into desired form. Similarly, when removing light, the illumination coalesces and is absorbed by the tail of the Lum, which glows and then fades. Unlike Elems, the light produced by a Lum can be altered by any other Lum. If the tail of a Lum were to be removed, they would lose the ability to produce, diminish, or manipulate light. A Lum cannot make light go through a physical material which would not normally allow light to pass. Lums can also manipulate the wavelengths of light, giving them the ability to change the color of light, and also access special types of light, which are still being researched.

Chants (ch-A-n-t-s)

Chants have the ability to manipulate the world around them using Incantations. While many consider them to have more power than other Physical Abilities due to the wide scope of things they can do, they have much less skill, and their Incantations can only do the very specific things that they are made to do. All Chant Incantations come from a set of tomes held within the Empire’s archives. Their history is shrouded in mystery, but they are believed to have the same mysterious origins as The Artifact. Although many have tried, no Chant has been able to create any Incantations besides what is within the Tomes. There are also mysterious qualities to things which have been created or altered using Incantations, as the Sarik is being forced into a shape or quality it is not supposed to be. Chants can pick up to five Incantations to gain Experience in. They have more skill with these Incantations, and can bend their restrictions more than others. Once a Chant gains Experience in an Incantation, it cannot be undone. The more Experience a Chant has with an Incantation, the smaller and less obvious the side effects of that Incantation become. If a Chant tries to make an Incantation do something which is not within its restrictions, they immediately die.

Morphs (m-OHR-f-s)

Morphs have the ability to reshape their body into that of any creature. A Morph can only become a creature of which they have gained a certain amount of understanding. A Morph only has one form for a given creature. Their Human form is the same as that which they had before their Molding. Any physical disabilities that a Morph may have in human form, such as a missing arm, will carry into their other forms, as long as the creature also typically has that part of their body. Similarly, if a Morph were to be injured or disabled in the form of another creature, that would carry into their human and other forms.

Pschological Abilities

Kins (k-IH-n-s)

Kins have the ability to move around physical materials using their minds. Although it is often debated whether Kins belong to Physical or Psychological Abilities, they are ultimately Psychological, as the Ability relies on their mental recognition of any given thing as an object. A Kin can Carry anything physical, as long as it is within their sight. If something is being Carried by a Kin, and it moves out of their range of vision, they instantly lose control of it. They cannot Carry something being actively Carried by another Kin or someone with other Abilities, such as an Elem’s creation which they are actively altering. A Kin can, however, move around other people or creatures.

Sights (s-EYE-t-s)

Sights have the ability to see the outcomes of specific events. They cannot see general events, but only what will happen to specific items or people. A Sight’s Predictions are absolute fact, and cannot be altered. The only thing that can prevent the Sight’s Prediction is their choice in whatever action caused them to need to Predict. If a Sight chooses the Path against what they Predicted, then they cannot see what happens next. A Sight cannot Predict for something until any Prediction made for it by them or any other Sight has been fulfilled. A Sight also cannot see past their own death. Despite popular belief, Sights cannot alter the future, only Predict it.

Coms (k-AA-m-s)

Coms have the ability to communicate with any creature that can think. This communication happens completely through the mind. There is only ever one Com, and they are always the emperor. Once the Molding of the next Com begins, the current Com gains an awareness of it. In the following months, the emperor instructs the Molding Com in the ways of their power. On the day in which the new Com’s Molding ends, the emperor waits at the gates for their arrival. The emperor leads the new Com to the palace, announces the new Com’s arrival, and then goes to their chambers, in which they go to sleep peacefully and eternally. By tradition, most knowledge of how the Coms’ abilities work are kept a close secret, only shared between Coms and rare exceptions for the betterment of their empire.

Poses (p-OE-s-eh-s)

Poses have the ability to control other people or creatures. Because of this, all Poses are killed as soon as they come back from their Moldings. Not much is known about Poses, but they have historically been able to use others’ Abilities when Possessing them. A Possessed creature can only break free of the Pose’s control if the Pose sets them free, or one of them dies. It has been suspected that a Pose may need physical contact to initially Possess someone.

Balur and Dalur (b-AA-l-oo-r) and (d-AA-l-oo-r)

As with all Expressions of Sarik, Kirden Abilities have a cost to use. This cost comes in the form of the Balur and Dalur plants. The plants themselves are identicle, save for the color of their fruit. The fruit of the Balur plant, also known as Balur themselves, are red, while the Dalur are yellow. Each fruit respectively represents one end of the spectrum, with Balur representing the Worldly Abilities, those being Elems, Lums, Kins, and Sights, and Dalur representing the Personal Abilities, those being Chants, Morphs, Coms, and Poses. In shape and size, both the Balur and the Dalur are similar to melons, while in texture, their peels and insides are more similar to those of citrus fruits. The insides of both are split into eight equally sized sections, with a core of four seeds running in a straight line through the center. Eating one segment of your ability's appropriate fruit will allow you to Express your Sarik for about 24 minutes, although the more effort you put into your Expression, the faster the fruit's power will drain. One can also juice a segment and drink it to get the same results. The juice of either fruit matches the color of the skin and slices. If one were to consume only a fraction of a segment or its juice, they would get its power for an equivalent fraction of the time. Consumption of Balur or Dalur does not aid in metabolism, and one who does so must still eat and drink normally to survive. If one eats the fruit not appropriate to their power, such as an Elem eating a segment of Dalur, one were to eat a fruit which was not yet ripe, one were to eat the peel or seeds of either fruit, or one who does not have Abilities, such as a child below the age of nineteen or a traveler visiting from another town, were to consume either fruit, they would instantly die. The plants take eight months to grow, and can grow in any climate. It is believed that during the Molding, the two opposing powers fight over which gets to grant their powers to the Molding Chrysalis.

The Molding

On their nineteenth birthday, every citizen of The Kirden Empire goes to The Cave of Chrysalises, located in a forest in Northern Salkur, just above the Empire. Upon entering the cave, they find a long tunnel, which brings them to the main cavern. In the center of the cave is a pedestal, upon which lies The Artifact. The details of the Artifact's origins have been lost in the Dark Days. After entering the cave, they touch the Artifact, and a Chrysalis forms around them. They enter a dreamless sleep for five months, at the conclusion of which, the Chrysalis melts around them. All Molding Chrysalises are hung on the Wall of Chrysalises, opposite the cave enterance. As the Cave of Chrysalises is considered sacred, and aboslutely forbidden to all who are not within or entering the proccess of the Molding, it is unknown how the Chrysalises get to the Wall. After emerging from the Chrysalis, it is customary for one to walk to the Pool of Purpose, located to the left of the Artifact, and gaze upon their new self, then test out their new Ability. For the rest of the Day of Emergence, they are able to use their Ability freely, and do not require consumption of Balur or Dalur. There is nothing hereditary about what Ability someone gets from the Molding.

Birren Abilities

The Birren Tribe Express their Sarik through two Abilities, which follow similar guidelines to those of the Kirden Empire.

Vocs (v-AA-k-s)

Vocs have the Ability to Alter the audio which comes out of their throats and their surroundings. Through practice, they can gain a deep understanding of vibrations and differences in sound. They can Alter any sound wave to whatever frequency they desire, and can produce sounds with their voices which other humans cannot. With enough practice, they can perfectly mimic the sounds of other creatures or people. A Voc cannot Alter a sound wave which another Voc is currently Altering. Due to their deep understanding of sound, Vocs have been known to make amazing music, rarely paralleled by others.

Chrons (k-r-AA-n-s)

Chrons have the Ability to Speed or Slow their mental relative time. By doing so, they can experience time going at a faster or slower pace than other people. They can use this Ability to take what would normally be a second to think out long and complicated concepts, or make what should be a minute take no more than a second to pass. While Speeding or Slowing, a Chron's body still moves at the same pace as normal, it is only their mind which goes faster. Additionally, the power of the Ralur is expended at the relative time of the Chron's mind, not the actual external time.

Ralur (r-AA-l-oo-r)

The Birren have a fruit which grows along their trail, and acts similarly to the Kirden Empire's Balur and Dalur. The Ralur grows on a purple vine, as opposed to the green vines of the Balur and Dalur, and has a fruit which is green in color. Consumption of it acts the same as with Balur and Dalur, with the exception that only those with the Mark of the Birren can safely consume it or its juice.

Ability for Life

Unlike with the Kirden, the people of the Birren Tribe have their ability from their time of birth to their death. At any time after their birth, a member of the Birren Tribe can consume a segment of Ralur or its juice, and will then find out their Ability. Just like with the Kirden, they maintain the same Ability for their entire life. The Abilities of the Birren people are non-hereditary, and can differ from those of their anscestors.

Sarik and Sonri

The elves, or Sonri in their own tongue, Express their Sarik very differently than humans. They have a deep connection to plants and nature, and are able to manipulate it through Expression. With their Sarik, the Sonri can make plants grow faster or slower, move however they want, or communicate with other plants to bring messages to their fellow Sonri. The Sonri are even able to sustain plants off of their Sarik while away from water and light.

Chiyokachi (ch-EE-oe-k-AA-ch-ee)

As with all forms of Expression, the Sonri have a price to use their Sarik. This price comes in the form of a proccess called photosynthesis, or Chiyokachi in their tongue. Through this proccess, the Sonri can turn sunlight into a special type of secondary energy they call Kayo (k-AA-y-oe) which they expend in order to Express. The Sonri can store up Kayo indefinitely, and are able to perform Chiyokachi in their sleep. If needed, they can extend their own lives on Kayo, although it is used up much faster than it is when used on plants. An hour of Chiyokachi can give a Sonri enough Kayo to grow a plant for about 36 minutes, move a plant one mile, or send three messages a quarter of a mile.

Rumir

The dragons of Rumir have what is probably the purest form of Expression of their Sarik. They do not need any catalyst to channel their Sarik, nor does Expressing have any cost for them. This is due to the purity of their Sarik. The dragons of Rumir use their Sarik to judge over the conflicts of the mortal world. Their Expression gives them omniscience in all activities of the mortal world. They also are able to Express to carry out their Virdict. Additional forms of Expression which they possess are Longevity, the Ability to live out long lives, even with little food or air to sustain them, Flight, the Ability to move their bodies upwards and downwards through the air with nothing more than a flap of their wings, and Cinderbreath, the Ability to release an endless stream of fire from their mouths. They possess all of these Abilities in order so that they can judge mortal matters with absolute impartiality.

Type

Metaphysical