OUTDATED!Celestial Aura

Original article about Celestial Aura. Has since been updated to something much, much better.

ATTENTION! This article is NO LONGER CANON!

It is being kept for nostalgia purposes. You can find the updated article here.

Celestial Aura is a potent energy force that radiates from large celestial bodies, particularly the suns and moons. It possesses a number of unique qualities, which differ depending on which celestial body it hails from.

Kaalite, edylium, and iakine absorb and react to Aura. These elements are known as the Luminous elements, "Luminous" referring to anything that is able to use, absorb, or otherwise directly interact with Aura. Each of these elements are commonly found on the planet, with kaalite and edylium being the most frequent.

Organisms that possess significant quantities of edylium in their biology are also able to absorb Aura and harness it for a number of uses, from homeostasis to combat. When Aura is utilized by an organism, it is referred to as Glow. These organisms are called Luminous organisms, or more specifically as Glowflora or Glowfauna.

Manifestation

Aura has two primary forms, known as Luminosities. depending on where it originates from: solar Aura and lunar Aura. Aura that comes from the suns feels hot, and Aura that comes from the moons feels cold. As such, lunar Aura is often called cold Aura while solar Aura is nicknamed hot Aura.

Lunar

Double Moons by Aster Blackwell

Cold Aura emanates from both moons, though more potently from Cyra. Cold Aura can be further divided into two sub-types: Pale and Shade. Shade Aura is associated with the dark sides of the moons and Pale Aura is associated with the light sides of the moons.

The shifting phases of the moons result in the fluctuating strength of Shade or Pale Aura from night to night, making lunar Aura more complicated to harness than solar.

To counteract this fickleness, Coldglow organisms are more likely to be Dually Luminous and collect Aura from two different sources. They usually favor either the entirety of one moon, or the Pale or Shade Aura from both. Dually Luminous Coldglow organisms have no trouble catching up to Hotglow users' outputs.

Solar

Double Suns by Aster Blackwell

Hot Aura emanates from both of the suns, but each sun produces a slightly different form of it. Aura produced by Aza, the largest sun, is far more intense than Aura produced by Sao. Periodically, the suns eclipse each other, cutting off all or part of the eclipsed sun's Aura output.

Besides the eclipses, solar Aura is much more constant than lunar Aura. While this makes it easy to access, it can quickly become overwhelming if left unchecked. Therefore, Hotglow organisms draw their Aura from only one of the suns, as using both ends in near-certain destruction.

Interactions

Cyra/Sao Eclipse Symbol by Aster Blackwell

In addition to radiating Aura outwards as energy, celestial bodies also generate spherical Aura fields around them. These fields attract Aura-charged Luminous materials of their same Luminosity towards the center of the field. This effect is referred to as The Law of Celestial Attraction. Luminous materials with a very strong Aura charge might also generate their own Aura field around them. Aura and Aura fields of opposite Luminosities cancel each other out (solar cancels lunar, and vice versa). This effect is referred to as The Law of Celestial Negation.

Attraction and Negation are the most visible effects of Celestial Aura on the world. Attraction is what gives dragon wings their power and causes floating islands and monoliths to float. Negation is what prevents an overabundance of Celestial Aura from accumulating in the atmosphere and keeps monoliths and islands from infinitely rising into space. Attraction and Negation are also frequently used at a smaller scale amongst Luminous organisms to accomplish a limitless variety of tasks.

Repulsion

Aura has one final, lesser understood interaction: The Celestial Law of Repulsion. Repulsion occurs between Aura and the Abyss. The Abyss is ultimately just an alternate form of Aura produced by the planet itself. Abyssal-charged materials are pushed away from the center of Aura fields, and Aura-charged materials are pushed away from the center of Abyssal fields.

Compared to the powers of the suns and moons, the planet's own energy signature is very weak, muffled by its own geography. Even still, Repulsion is a necessary part of the Aura-dominated biosphere. It is a key factor in allowing monoliths, islands, and dragons to defy gravity. Without it, the Law of Attraction would not be enough.

Glow

Using Aura produces an amount of light proportional to the amount of Aura being used. This light is how Aura came to be nicknamed "Glow".

Luminous Organisms

Celestial Core Rendition by Aster Blackwell

An organism that is capable of using Aura is known as a Luminous organism. Luminous flora and fauna are abundant on the planet and come in many shapes, sizes, and Luminosities. Those with solar Luminosities are more common near the equator, and again close to the poles. Those with lunar Luminosities frequent temperate regions the most, but are also found scattered near the equator.

There is double the number of lunar Luminosities to solar Luminosities. The increased diversity and complexity make Coldglow organisms much more mysterious and difficult to understand.

Luminous organisms are able to use Aura thanks to the edylium present in their biology. Edylium cycles through the biosphere along with carbon. It can be used for near-limitless purposes to harness Glow for the organisms' benefit.

There are 6 possible singular Luminosities (two solar and four lunar) and 5 possible Twin Luminosities, listed below. Twin variants are normal in lunar organisms but only occur as a rare mutation in solar organisms.

Solar Luminosities

Nickname(s)	Aura Source
Aza's Luminosity, Primary Solar, A-type Glow	Aza
Sao's Luminosity, Secondary Solar, S-type Glow	Sao

Lunar Luminosities

Nickname(s)	Aura Source
Cyra's Paleglow, Primary Pale, CP-type Glow	Light side of Cyra
Cyra's Shadeglow, Primary Shade, CS-type Glow	Dark side of Cyra
Nox's Paleglow, Secondary Pale, NP-type Glow	Light side of Nox
Nox's Shadeglow, Secondary Shade, NS-type Glow	Dark side of Nox

Twin Luminosities

Nickname(s)	Aura Sources
Dual Solar, Twin Solar, SS-type Glow	Aza and Sao
Dual Pale, Twin Pale, PP-type Glow	Light sides of Cyra and Nox
Dual Shade, Twin Shade, SS-type Glow	Dark sides of Cyra and Nox
Pure Cyra, Twin Cyra, CC-type Glow	Both the dark and light sides of Cyra
Pure Nox, Twin Nox, NN-type Glow	Both the dark and light sides of Nox
Pure Lunar, Dual Lunar, Twin Lunar, LL-type Glow	The light and dark sides of both Cyra and Nox.

LL and SS are the rarest Luminosity types. They both only occur as a result of irregular mutations. LL or SS-type organisms are at extreme risk of combustion, and usually succumb to the condition early in their lifespans.

Cases of LL or SS-type people often get written into mythologies, as their extraordinary abilities and volatile nature lends them to frequent historical significance. Misari Sarkis is one such example, as the longest-living SS-type lilthian recorded in Khetzala.

Glow Color

The color of Glow depends on the Luminosity of the Aura being used. The lunar Luminosities are cool-toned, with Paleglow often appearing as bright cyan and Shadeglow as lavenders and violets. Shadeglow may manifest as such a deep violet color that it appears black, an effect that can sometimes be quite unnerving.

The solar Luminosities glow with warm tones, with red being the most common. Solar Glow's color is also dependent on the sun it comes from, with Glow from Sao appearing more reddish and Glow from Aza appearing more yellow.

Not all Glowcreatures visibly glow when they use their powers, but if they do, their Glow color is unique to them. Even if two organisms have extremely close Glow colors, they are nevertheless unique. The only Glow color that is impossible is green.

Internal and External

Luminous organisms use Glow either internally, externally, or both. Internal purposes describe tasks that involve how the organism affects its own body, such as homeostasis or mobility. Internal Glow use usually doesn't involve releasing any Glow into the surrounding environment, though there are rare exceptions. Tyans are an example of an organism that only uses Glow internally

External purposes describe tasks that allow the organism to better affect either its environment or other organisms. Examples of external usage include catching prey, attracting a mate, or self defense. The sapient races, humans and lilthians, primarily use Glow for external purposes.

Not all Glow methods can be neatly categorized as internal or external. Dragon wings are a good example of a method that can be considered both internal and external, as it directly affects the organism's body, yet also has the capability to directly affect its environment.

Consumption and Absorption

Different Luminous organisms use Glow in different ways. There are three main methods using Glow: passive, semi-passive, and active.

Passive consumption is the most common method. This occurs when the organism's body automatically absorbs Aura from the surrounding environment with no conscious input from the organism itself. Passive consumers often only use Glow internally for relatively simple tasks. Passive consumers are unable to willingly control their intake of Aura, or their release of Glow. Passive consumers are not typically capable of absorbing large amounts of Aura, to avoid spontaneously combusting.

Passive consumers usually have some form of a celestial nexus, but don't have a celestial core

Semi-passive consumption is when an organism has limited control over its absorption and/or usage of Glow. Semi-passive consumers are difficult to classify and could be considered a weaker form of an active consumer. They are usually unable to control their intake of Aura, but are able to "store" their Aura for later and choose when and how they use their Glow. Semi-passive consumers could theoretically combust if they do not release Glow often enough.

Some semi-passive consumers have a nexus and no core, and some have a core and a nexus. If they do have a core, it's much smaller and less complex than the core of an active consumer.

Active consumption requires the organism to consciously absorb Aura from the environment. This type of consumer automatically absorbs small amounts of Aura, but must make a willing effort to absorb its maximum capacity. Active consumers are often able to draw in much more Aura than passive or semi-passive consumers, and can therefore use Glow in much more powerful ways. However, active consumers are in danger of overextending and drawing in so much Aura that it is harmful to their own bodies. The sapient races are both examples of powerful active consumers.

In order to be an active consumer, the organism must possess both a complex celestial core and a celestial nexus.

The majority of Luminous organisms are passive consumers. Active consumers are often more intelligent and higher on the food chain. They are the apex predators and cornerstone species of their respective ecosystems.

Too Much or Too Little

Disease, mutations, or other circumstances can produce strange results in Luminous organisms. Glowlessness is a condition where a Luminous organism, for one reason or another, cannot use Glow. Glowless organisms from most species are rare in the wild, as they often struggle to survive without their Luminous adaptations.

Double Suns by Aster Blackwell

The direct opposite of Glowlessness is Twin Luminosity, a condition where a Glowcreature responds to Aura from two different sources. Twin Luminosity is often fatal for solar Glowcreatures but has mixed effects for the more complicated lunar Luminosities.

A Luminous organism with both a hot and a cold Luminosity is impossible, as the opposite energies will always cancel each other out. This is why lilthumans are (almost) always Glowless.

Table of Contents

Type

Metaphysical, Astral

Related Species

Glowfauna (category link)
Glowflora (category link)

Related Elements

Kaalite
Edylium
Iakine

"The sky was on fire.

"The air shimmered like embers, and the ground felt slippery under my feet. The very pebbles of the earth were trembling, rising into the air. It felt as if gravity was reversing, and we would soon be flung upwards into the blazing void."

— Cassia

Skybleed is a spectacular event that occurs as a result of an Aura Flare. Aura Flares are similar to regular solar flares in that they are completely unpredictable and vary in intensity. Unlike solar flares, Aura Flares can also come from the moons.

A powerful Aura flare that crosses paths with the planet results in Skybleed. Skybleed events may rip floating islands from the ground, drop monoliths and dragons from the sky, and induce Glowflora to combust. They begin with little warning and end just as quickly as they started.