Ega (EY-gah)

Ega is natural energy found in all organic things, and may be visible or invisible in its unchanneled state depending on the individual. This natural energy can be viewed in simple spiritual terms as a 'source' or as part of a larger Gaia-Theory-like system, or tapped into and utilized by predisposed and trained individuals as magical ability. Xa'aroch and other intelligent Azgorach call it the rhesal.

Unchanneled Ega

The unchanneled Ega of organic matter and the physical environment have their own subtle distinctions between one another and the Ega of intelligent humanoids.

• Plants and trees tend to be gently-throbbing pale greens and yellows
• Wind tends to be faint white shimmering threads
• Water tends to be gently-bubbling pale blue
• Stone/earth tends to be subdued gray-purple with a barely discernable 'white noise' grain; corpses and carrion also take on this hue
• Animals tend to be pulsing pale orange

Skilled channelers that have a decent amount of experience in one of the three manifested trees may find that they see threads of that tree in its natural form shine more brightly: for example, Rel users may find light sources, geothermic areas, and the heat of animals and people more visible.
Intelligent humanoids each have their own unique Ega 'signature' that acts as an aura: in a resting state, it has a typical set of color or colors, sounds, and textures; depending on mood, these attributes may change. Certain channelers may be able to locate others by reading for their aura, and particularly skilled ones may detect additional identifying markers such as emotions, sensations, or images, or distinguish between channelers and non-channelers.
Metal is notable for having distinctly no Ega, though the reason why is not understood. This has nonetheless contributed significantly to mining being a successful raw material industry in all countries, as it is relatively simple to detect an area where no Ega exists. However -- and also not fully understood -- significant deposits of metal tend to be more common near Ega Roots and leylines, meaning that mining companies sometimes come into contention with the House of Leavings for whom the areas are important.
Unchanneled Ega can be tainted with emotion and memory, particularly after extensive channeling in the area, but this is not usually perceivable to the average channeler. It also behaves organically -- outside of a leyline and a Root it is, to an extent, finite, meaning only so much can be channeled in a given area at a time and over a given time period before it needs to replenish itself. There are rumors that it is possible to drain a leyline, which then takes time to replenish, but it is not thought possible to do this to a Root due to known channeler ability.

Channeled Ega

After being channeled by an individual (a channeler) it manifests in three typical trees:
Rel -- Fire and heat, but also occasionally lightning and basic light
Aré -- “Life”. Encompasses healing but contrastingly, life-stealing and necromancy (though this is outlawed)
Uon -- Ice and cold, but also illusions
Once one gains more skill, it is difficult for a channeler to manifest more than one tree. Channeling is a usually a natural (but non-hereditary), nurturable talent and was relatively common prior to the War of the Six; consuming ikam was discovered to be able to artificially induce talent where there was none or strengthen pre-existing talent; it is less risky to do this under the age of twelve. (See channeling for more on the use of Ega.)

Perceptions

Ega and the Burning Crown
According to the beliefs of the Order of the Burning Crown, Ega is the domain of Iasis and one's morality through life informs the quality of one's soul that will return to the Ega and thus nourish or poison. Likewise, channelers are believed to have been gifted by either Iasis directly (Aré), or Goas (Uon) or Xados (Rel) through Iasis, but are in exchange under closer scrutiny.

Manifestation

Those who are able to 'see' or simply 'detect' Ega often describe it as a fibrous web of many colors, textures, and even musical tones and emotions spread across everything in sight, at times more visible than others as though fading in and out of an otherworld, or indeed perceiving it as the veil between worlds.

Localization

Generally speaking, Ega both exists in and makes up the fabric between the planes of existence. For example, channelers of Ith detect the Ega of a tree in their plane, but what they are seeing is only what is visible and manifested on Ith; when they connect to and channel that Ega, they are not only connecting and channeling that tree's Ega as it exists on Ith, but that which exists beyond Ith (but not in another plane).
Two common forms of Ega are the leyline -- a notably large fiber -- and a Root (to which the leylines often lead): nodes/sites of exceedingly strong, concentrated Ega in the fabric between the planes. These allow easier and more prolonged connecting and channeling of Ega generally.
Roots and the House of Leavings
Roots has proven incredibly important for Shepherds of the House of Leavings in their duty of assisting souls in their return to the source (i.e., the Ega often their Houses are constructed on such a Root, with the Well and its Basin acting as the dedicated 'point of crossing'. There is even some preference for a stronger Root for one's spirit's release, though there is no conclusive evidence that it matters. The Kor Well at the House of Korzhûn is one such strong Ega Root.

Type

Metaphysical, Supernatural