Essence

Definition

Essence is what every object in the Myriad Worlds is composed of. To someone with the powers of essence manipulation, essence appears striped strands/bands with mysterious runic symbols on them and glows a soft yellow. The thickness of the bands and density of how many there are determine the Weave of the essence.

Astyr, an Essence Manipulator, playing with a strand of essence

Common Ways Essence is used in Sombulus:

Manipulation: Can be deconstructed from its original form and used as material for new compositions
Rubrics: Rubrics are like blueprints for essence. By connecting something to a rubric, you can more predictably and safely manipulate its essence. Often used for complex, multi-part things.
Essence Manipulation Fields: Generate an essence manipulation field to loosen the weave of an entire area, making it easier to change
Stored for Later: The raw essence of most simple objects can be reduced and stored on top of/within a person's own essence to be retrieved and rebuilt later. Essence is traditionally stored along the arms. (The integrity of essence can be compromised when doing this and is definitely not recommended for living creatures.)
Money: Raw essence is the official currency in Demshul worlds. It can be transferred through wrist contact or converted into strips for easier counting into Dwells (a unit of measurement equalling approximately the amount of essence contained in one Dweller).
Binding: The essence of two things can be bound together, making them travel together when one thing leaves a world and goes to another. This is one way a Dweller can leave their world of origin, so essence binding is often used by Demshul taking willing (or unwilling) servants/companions.
Destabilization: Can be destabilized and corrupted (think of this like trying to sew with fraying thread), leading to unexpected magical effects or dissipation.
Raw Energy: A hard light approach which can be used for barriers or laser-like blasts in a battle situation, though unlike making a thing, this approach requires active maintenance by a Demshul.

Character-Specific Uses:

Many innovative uses of essence have been developed, and every essence manipulator develops their own personal style. Listed below are the essence manipulators in Sombulus and a description of the style of their Essence manipulation:

Astyr: Astyr's skills are powerful but chaotic, and he tends to get rubrics wrong and store essence sloppily, so it never quite comes out how he puts it in. He is most skilled at simple manipulation and storm-related manifestations, like lightning, wind, and rain.

Tenge: Tenge is a strong essence manipulator but very meticulous, and he needs a lot of time to set things up. He prefers to work through rubrics as opposed to direct manipulation.

Fedros: Fedros is very skilled at storing essence, and the essence integrity of anything he takes is pristine upon recreation. Which is good, because he takes a lot of stuff.

Vuudo: Vuudo has bound a lot of Dwellers and is generally good at bringing his entire entourage wherever he goes and can take a sample of essence and make into a compass that guides him to that person.

Yanell: Part of the extremely powerful Tamarind family, Yanell excels at just about everything, but essence manipulation fields are especially powerful in her hands.

Dionne: Dionne is also part of the Tamarind family. Also very skilled in just about everything, she's fast at deconstructing essence.

Phi and Gosrel: Phi and Gosrel are still couriers, so they're still learning! Phi is insecure and tends to lean on their rubrics a lot. Gosrel likes working with raw essence. Who knows what they'll learn to do in the future?

Lydia: Part of the Korsica family, Lydia's skills with rubrics are unparalleled. The Korsica family has revolutionized Demshul society and made large-scale cities and settlements possible. Lydia's specialties are her Modular Housing Rubrics.

Plenair: Plenair is very skilled with working with raw essence and her fields of study have lead her into studying the Weave and essence density.